Dear family and friends,
Im sorry I wasnt able to write last week!! I think that is the only week I have missed so far emailing on my mission!
First off, Happy Valentines Day! I received a packages from Dad and
Teri, the Los Alamos Relief Society, Mom and Chris, and Annie. Thank
you so much!! I think I have enough toothpaste to rid the whole country
of Japan of gingivitis!! Also happy Birthday to little Henry!! Im sorry I
couldnt send anything or wish you a happy Bday little buddy. Love you!
Last week after I emailed on Monday Sister Ito and I took the bus
to Fukuoka for a special conference with Elder Oaks. We gathered with
all of the missionaries in the Fukuoka mission discluding Okinawa, which
was fun. I saw my buddy Elder Beckstrand from my MTC district for the
first time since I was a bean!! Elder Oaks talked to us for about an
hour, and I wanted to just quickly share a few things that I thought
were interesting that he said. He talked a lot about desire, and that
the key to repentance and change is having that desire. Its our job as
missionaries to find that spark in those we teach and then fan that
spark. He also told us that the best speakers/teachers that he has ever
come accross werent necessarily those who were elequent speakers but
those who took a subject, and presented it to the audience in a way that
made them change their way of thinking on that topic. He emphasized how
that is also the role of a missionary. Lastly, the most interesting
thing that he said was, `You`re probably all expecting me to tell you
how you should be doing missionary work in Fukuoka. I`m going to tell
you the truth; I have no idea. My role as an apostle of Christ is to
testify of his divinity and teach fundamental principles of the gospel.
Your mission President and the area Seventy who is called to this area
will direct you in specifics, but I`m here to tell you that Christ
lives, and to direct you to teach the fundamental principles of the
gospel such as faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost, and
enduring to the End`.
When he said that at first I was surprised because I was half
expecting him to prophesy of something we needed to be doing in Fukuoka,
but after thinking about it I thouhgt, `uh, yeah, duh.` His words made
me even more excited to follow the counsel of President Margets and the
area Seventy Elder Ringwood. While Elder Oaks spoke the spirit was
strong and when he left the chapel to go to another conference I wish
you could have seen the chapel with most of the missionaries from our
mission standing there. It was completely silent and I think we all felt
grateful to have heard from an Apostle of the Lord, but also sad that
he was leaving :( Haha. Some of us missionaries also toyed with the idea
of asking Elder Oaks for a picture but decided we didn`t want to
tarnish Fukuoka Mission`s new title of `Best Looking Mission` that Elder
Oaks has seen all year. Thats right! A few days after the Conference
President Margetts told us that Elder Oaks told him that. Wahoooo!
After the conference I had the BEST TIME EVER doing companion
exchanges with Sisters Uchida and Mueller, both of whom served in Fukuka
like I did. As a threesome we bounded all over Fukuoka visiting our old
investigators, members and people we saw baptized. Among those included
little Rin kun who was baptized in Novemember, Funakoshi Shimai who
Uchida and Mueller Shimai saw baptized in September, our Nepalese friend
Anjana and the Oyama family!!! Just like old times Sister Uchida and I
went to their house and talked to them for a few hours. Many tears were
shed and we all felt the spirit there as we discussed difficulties
they`re having and testified that the Restored Gspel of Jesus Christ
will help them overcome anything. We were also able to teach Eikaiwa one
last time at the Oyama family`s house to all of my favorite kidlets.
While we were there a GIANT snow storm came in and we said our last
goodbyes after having an intense snowball fight and hugging in the
storm. I will never forget that!
The reason I couldn`t email last week was because we took a train
at 7AM on Monday to Miyajima for a Zone Pday! Remember on my study
abroad when i went to that island with all of the deer and had my banana
stolen right out of my hand? That`s where we went! As always, it was
insanely gorgeous and we had fun with the Elders checking out all of the
shops, eating weird foods, and gazing at the tori gate in the ocean. I
decided before entering the island that I wouldn`t let those deer trick
me again into giving them my food, so we tried sharing a Resoration
pamphlet with them instead. Fortunately they found that to be delicious
as well! Haha. On our way to and from Miyajima we met a few people on
the train who we were able to talk to about the gospel, and one woman
took and Book of Mormon and said she would return it to us after reading
it :).
For the next four days we stayed in Hiroshima for a two-day Zone
Conference where we received special training. Unfortunately, I was in
pain most of the time we were there because I got something called
`Shimoyake` on my feet, which most people call Frostbite here but I
think its something more like `chilblain` ....I tried looking it up on
my dictionary and thats all I came up with. I went to bed one night and
my feet were kind of itchy, and when i woke up in the morning the ring
finger toes on both of my feet were swelled up and red. As the days went
on it got worse and worse until I could barely walk and all five of my
toes on both feet were swollen and sore. The good news is that for most
of that time we were riding the train, sitting in a room for zone
conference, and riding bikes on companion exchanges with the Sisters in
Hiroshima, so I didn`t really need to use my feet too much(tender
mercies from the Lord)....but oh, was it painful, haha. By the time we
returned to Ube on Friday it was gone...so I`m not sure were caused it
but I think it has something to do with having bad circulation in my
hands and feet. Anyone ever had that??? Let me know so I can prevent
getting it again in the future.
We also celebrated Ito Shimai`s Bday on Friday by eating
Hiroshima`s famous Okonomiyaki and friend ice cream. I have so much I
want to say but my time is running out so just a few more things. Some
super excited and heart warming news is that an Elder who was in my MTC
district who ended up going home after being with us for only two weeks
is back and will be a bean next transfer! None of us had any idea until
we saw his picture in the mission home last week! We`re so happy he made
it out. Also, just a funny story from last week: we are teaching a 17
year old girl named Hitomi chan and the Sisters have never been inside
her house before, but when we visited last week her mom, who is from the
Philippines came out of the house, took one look at me and ordered us
in the house. We were all pretty confused as she disappeared into a back
room and then came out holding some little figurines of the Virgin
Mary. She said, pointing at the figure, `You look exactly like her!` and
because of that interesting little miracle we were able to share a
little message with Hitomi in her house while her two younger siblings
also listened!! Haha....
Alrighty, I have to get going but I hope this email filled you in
on my last two weeks. It has been very hectic and we`re both happy to be
back in Ube sharing the gospel with the wonderful people here! I love
you all so much!!!
Love, Tingey Shimai
Pictures: Snowstorm after President Oaks Conference
My poor feetsies
thanks for the toothpaste!
Housing in the forest
Deer eating my Restoration pamphlet
No comments:
Post a Comment