Happy and Well

*I don't always post the letters as some are pretty short.  Seems like it is a challenge to email everyone  in the allotted time.  

Hello fam!  Thank you so much for your emails!  I love hearing from you all SO much.  Thank you for your faith and love and joy! 

This week we got to go to the temple and have a sisters conference...and I neglected to take out my camera!  Sorry!  I learned so much about how we are not in this work alone and can ever rely on the Savior to help us in our efforts.  In 2 Nephi 9, Jacob describes the Atonement as infinite.  I love that idea so much and know that it really is true--that we can draw on the Savior`s goodness and grace and power ALWAYS.  It is such a gift. 

Until next week, know that I love you and am happy and well.  Sorry for the lack of detail! 

Love,

Williams shimai

End of the first "Transfer" in Tokyo

*Many missionaries begin to measure time by "transfers."  A transfer is a new area or companionship assignment and they come every 6 weeks not not all missionaries are transferred every six weeks.  Missionaries tend to stay around 6 months in any given area and companionship assignments vary in length.

Hello you lovely people!  I hope that October is going wonderfully.  For me it is flying by!  This is the last week of my first transfer--is that even possible?  While I feel like I`ve been here for a while I know that I still--and probably will ever--have a lot to learn.  That is what we do I guess.  Learn and move forward.

First a little bit of review/catch up/clarification.  Rather than serving in the heart of metropolis, right now I am in a suburb of sorts in Tokyo.  Its a fun mix of country and city with a lot of farms and some wilderness in between newly developed housing and shopping\business centers.  I am in a trio with another new missionary (Jones shimai) and our trainer (Nagamine shimai).  Some of the unusual things I`ve eaten are: whole squid, fish eggs, raw egg (dropped in a bowl of noodles just before serving), and sushi, and soy `meat`.  Kind of crazy, eh?  We are in the Narita ward--and they are such wonderful people.  I feel like they are family that I didn`t know I had until getting here.  This ward hasn't had sisters for several years and as such was really excited to see us when we got here--and they still are really excited to see us and work with us.  Its a real blessing. 

This week was kind of a usual one with lots of study, finding time with knocking on doors and talking to people as they come off the train, and visiting less active members who were not home when we stopped by. Sunday however, Nagamine shimai needed to go to a different area to participate in a baptismal service.  So we went to a train station where she joined a few other sisters and Jones shimai and I faced about half a day without her.  We made it through the trains back to Narita OK and I had a really great time at church despite maybe not understanding exactly what people said, but after church, I made a mistake navigating the train system and we got a lost.  Still, after calling Nagamine shimai and asking for some help from the train staff, we got to where we needed to be safe and sound and very apologetic.  Ah mistakes!  One of the best ways to learn.  

Tomorrow we get to attend the Tokyo temple and then we sisters have a sister`s conference!  I am so looking forward to gathering with these great missionaries and learning from one another. 

Right now we don`t really have any investigators so we often do practice lessons with members--and these are such sacred experiences.  I sort of hesitate to use the word sacred, but really, that is what they are.  When we share the truths of the gospel simply and earnestly, I feel a reaffirmation of that truth so strongly.  It is so beautiful.  I am looking forward to sharing these truths with those who do not know it yet!  

I love you all.  I hope you have a fantastic week!  Thank you for your strength, love, support, and examples.  I know that this is the Lord`s work and have found that as I seek to share it out of love that my uncertainty and hesitation sort of just dissipate and I am so grateful for that--love has such strength!   May we each try to be full of love and thus full of courage and hope as we share the gospel and become more like the Savior.  Again, I love you all so much!

Williams shimai

Hello, hello dear ones!  I loved reading what each of you had to say and the questions you asked this week!  Thank you!  Time is a little short this week, but let me start this by answering some of your questions.

 

Nah-gah-me (like will you help me?) ne as in nest  is how you say my companions name.  For the first several days, I had the hardest time saying it.  My brain thought it sounded like nagusame which means comfort and there were a few times I called her that or some other variation of her name.  She has been a comfort and so patient with me as I learn and ask her TONS of questions.  She is 22, went to BYU-Hawaii before her mission, and will end in January or March.  Kind of crazy, right?  The transfer dates are a little off then I guess.  This is her

10th transfer.

 

We stayed in the mission home for 2 nights.  When we got off the plane, most everyone was exhausted and that kind of remained the case for the next 24-hours.  That Wednesday we had training and then Thurday afternoon we got our new companions. 

 

The language is coming and I think the hardest part for me right now is comprehension.  Often times people talk to me and I nod my head until I realize that they finished and are waiting for a response.  Its pretty great.  They are really patient though, willing to repeat themselves, or attempt some English.  One of the favorite language mistakes I`ve made so far is when I accidently said Josh was 60 instead of 6.  :)

 

Nagamine shimai disassmebled her bike to send from her old area to Narita.  And speaking of bikes, because both were pretty new, guess what?  We walked out of our apartment on Saturday to find them missing.  I think I sent a photo of us walking to the police station to turn in our bike registration slips with sad faces.  Expect I look a little vengeful, borderline murderous.  I`m not that upset about them I promise!  While having our bikes go missing has been upsetting, we did get to talk with a policewoman at the station who showed real interest in coming to our free English class and may become an investigator.  If thats the case, its all good.  

 

The people who were helping in our apartment were church members--the bishop, his 2nd counselor, and the Relief Society president and her 1st counselor.  They are so wonderful, each of them.  There is such strength, love, and unity in this ward!  We had a potluck lunch after church yesterday and it was so delightful.  I just love being around them!  60 is kind of small, but hopefully we can add to that through our efforts! 

 

Short one today, but one last thing before I close.  When Nagamine shimai and I recite our purpose, Doctrine and Covenants 4, the How to Begin Teaching bullet points in PMG and the First Vision in English and Japanese, I feel the Spirit testify of their truthfulness.  It is so beautiful!  PMG is truly an inspired book and I am grateful for it.  Keep learning, living, and loving truth! 

 

Always love,

Williams shimai

 

PS--I think the SD card I have is the reason that I am not sure what pictures I send.  Thanks for telling me what you see.  I hope you enjoy these ones!  Also, Sam, I will think of the grossest things I`ve seen so far.  It may be the raw squid at the grocery store that are just lying in a bin...that is really not pleasant.  I`ll keep thinking and maybe take a photo for you.  :)