Dear family and friends,
It was a wonderful week! Since I just talked to you on the phone here are some highlights from this week....
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| Looks like I got to attend Komeda san`s baptism after all!!! |
Brother
Araki was baptized on Wednesday!! Wahoooo. Sister Kaneko and I sang a
song together and the spirit was just really strong throughout the
entire service. In his testimony he shared an experience from when he
was younger and almost drowned when he was trapped in the ocean tides
with his brother, but somehow they were able to stay afloat for about 5
hours until they were rescued. He said he feels like he was saved then
in order to be able to accept the gospel now in his life. It was an
amazing story. Araki san seemed sooo happy the whole time and was even
invited over for a big dinner celebration with his new Home Teachers and
Home teaching companion! Couldn`t have asked for anything else from the
ward. Welcome to the Church Brother Araki!
I received a package from Hattori Shimai containing a
picture of Komeda San`s baptism. When I left Ube a couple of days before
she was baptized I jokingly told Hattori Shimai to print out my head
and hold it in the pictures. I didn`t think she would actually do it....
Talking to my family on Mother`s day was amazing!!! It
didn`t seem like it had really been that long since talking on Christmas
but was nice to hear everyone`s voices (besides my two long lost
brothers who I never hear from!!!! eh hemmm!). I especially loved
talking to my mom and Teri, both of whom are fantastic role models for
me and are constantly encouraging and inspiring me to be better. I love
you ;)
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| Us with brother Araki and the bishop who performed the ordinance. |
I learned a TON this week in personal study. I`m not
sure what it was but I just couldn`t get enough of reading the BOM,
cross-referencing, reading the Bible Dictionary and True to the Faith.
It was awesome. One thing I learned was about how the Christian Jews in
Palestine, after Christ died had a super hard time doing away with the
Law of Moses because they had corrupted the original law so much and
were being super obsessive and weird about it, whereas the Nephites in
the Americas, who hadn`t changed the law were easily able to accept the
higher law when Christ appeared to them. I thought that was so
interesting!! Sister Kaneko and I have been sharing one thing each day
during personal study about humility. I feel like every bad thing that
usually happens in the Book of Mormon and other scriptures, as well as
in our own lives is largely due to pride. Humility is key!
Sorry this is short but I gotta run! Can`t wait for
another day of hard work and bringing in the harvest for the Lord. I
feel all of your prayers and also pray for you daily. Keep it up!
Love, Tingey Shimai
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| Finally a picture with my companion! |
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| Weeds
our ward mission leader fed us for dinner. Apparently its the rage
around here to pick the weeds around your house and fry them up to feed
to the missionaries. Thats not a joke. |
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| So Saturday
was the most hilarious day of my mission. First off, we decided to visit
this grandma we met a couple of weeks ago. As we were praying in front
of her glass doors before ringing the doorbell there were a lot of
creepy tinkling and wind-blowing noises and I kept opening my eyes to
see if someone was coming. We were already a little freaked out but we
closed our eyes and finished the prayer and as soon as we opened our
eyes and looked up the grandma was standing behind the glass doors
staring at us with this insanely creepy, emotionless expression on her
face, looking like an ax-murderer. It was horrifying, you guys! She
stepped through the doors and said, still with that same face, `I`m
sorry. I can`t listen to your lessons.` We both really think she was
posessed or something. I cannot get that image out of my head. So we
were half traumatized/ half cracking up all day about that, had a few
more interesting encounters...and then after finding all day we ran into
this cool looking Indo curry restaraunt so decided to stop there for
dinner. We sat down at our table and to our complete astonishment there
was a super intense Indian horror movie playing on the TV right above
our table behind Sister Kaneko`s head!! It wasthe most hilarious
coincidence ever. I mean, what are the chances! Anyway, I took this
picture. If you get the chance, be sure to zoom in on the screen and see
the scary dead lady. |
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| Cleaning the baptismal font! |
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