Through Christ's atonement we can change in just one day!

February 15, 2015

Cox Shimai & Messer Shimai infront of Sakura Blossoms

What a crazy week in Okinawa. We did so much, yet so little at the same time. On Monday we went to the second largest aquarium in the world. It was SUPER cool! and SUPER big! We spent all day looking at all of the little fishies and we could have looked for even longer. It was right on the ocean, and when you watched the dolphin show outside it was on the edge of the ocean, and you could see a cute little island in the background. It was super cool. But guess whose camera died? Messer Shimai's! So that stinks, but we plan on going back sometime! We loaded up the big van the senior couple had, and all went as a district! We had to set up some folding chairs in the back of this van, and two elders just hung on. It was quite the sight. 

On Friday Elder Whiting of the 70, and his wife came and spoke to us. It was SO GOOD! He spoke a lot on desires, and how through Christ's atonement we can change in just one day! If we have that desire to change and become better, we can! It was amazing, he is definitely a man called of God! I love being spiritually uplifted!  We were exhausted by the end of it. But I was able to go home with some of the sisters in my zone for a companion exchange!  I went to Naha and worked with Sister Cox. And guess who her companion is? SISTER HIRATA, my old companion! So it was super fun being able to catch up with her and talk about old investigators and what not! My STL companion is Sister Kimura, and so our poor little companions had to go on exchanges as well. So pretty much the whole zone was on exchanges! But it was a lot of fun and I learned a lot from Sister Cox! She is a 5 transfer and was originally called to Ukraine until her mission was closed because of the war going on there or something crazy. I loved Naha, it reminded me a lot of my old areas so it was kind of like going home! That was on Valentines day, so I didn't even get to spend the day with my own beloved companion. But that night we were able to go out with Minimai and eat at an Indian restaurant. Happy Love Day! 

These things are all over Japan to keep evil spirits away!

Yesterday we had church for 10 hours because some of the wards were moved around due to a marathon on the island. I am almost at church as long as dad! But we are completely clean taking the sacrament three times! It's nice because if I forget to pray about anything, I have 2 other chances. 

I got the most glorious phone call on Valentines night. My old investigator, Fukuda san in Fujisaki was baptized!!!!!! The background story with him goes like this: when I was a new missionary in Fukuoka the STL's were in Fujisaki. They came on exchanges with me and told me about one of their investigators they were struggling with because he was an alcoholic. Fast forward one year when i transfer to Fujisaki one of these sisters is going home. We meet at the train station and she asks me to follow up with him. I tell her of course! I go to Fujisaki and the ward members, and my roommates all told me to avoid him because he was crazy. His record even said "best to stay away from this one" his phone number said "DO NOT ANSWER" when I looked up his number. We were riding bikes, and I felt like we needed to go to an apartment. The next week we decide to go visit Fukuda san, because I trusted this sister who had started teaching him, well he so happened to live at those apartments I felt like we should go to! Anyways, he says he doesn't want to study, until we run into him the next week on the street and he asks to meet with us. From then on he came to church and now he is baptized!! It is so fun being able to see the people you teach learn, grow and find the truth! I haven't been able to SEE a baptism on my mission, but I still love hearing about past people I have taught come unto Christ! 

The church is true, God loves you and is mindful of us all! Have a great week!
Messer Shimai