Japan Fukuoka: March 2017


At the church with Brown Shimai

Brown Shimai, my withered mikan, has gone the way of the earth... Dearly missed Brown Shimai is probably now wearing RIPped jeans in the real world, because her mission is complete! I learned a lot from her, like what it looks like to build trust with your investigators, never giving up, embracing mission life--the small rules, gross, battle-scarred skirts, mayo bread, all of it... She taught me how to
always be optimistic about investigators. A baby step is still a step. She was so good for this area! Her faith is immovable. Maybe she didn't drink enough water, but she fought a good fight. And I'm staying in Shimizu Ward (Kumamoto) to pick up the pieces and keep going... now with my new Japanese companion, Sakamoto Shimai!!!!!


Brown Shimai's funeral (sorry Brown Shimai's mom if she ever sees this picture)

Well, this is the first picture I have with my new companion!
Sorry bad quality. :P

I'm trying to not speak to her in English, but it's really hard. The first day with her, I had a mini breakdown because I just cannot. Speak. Japanese. Fun fact about Rogers Shimai. Yup. I say I want a gloomy quesadilla (kurai) instead of a spicy quesadilla (karai), and laughing about little things like that makes the language struggle easier to bear. Sakamoto Shimai is the cutest human being on the
planet, and her laugh is the best! I want to be just like her. Her English is actually way good because she has been studying English for six years and also being with American companions throughout her mission. If Sakamoto Shimai were a country, she would be Japan, because that's the best one. It's been a very humbling experience so far to be with her. Maybe I'm insecure in the language, but I'm secure in the knowledge that God is on my side.

D&C 84:88
88 And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.

Much love,
Rogers Shimai

We all try to draw like Sister Henderson...

This is a picture of Moriya Shimai's family years ago... The kimono
she is wearing in this picture is the one she gave to me!

I tried on another kimono. :)

The district picture before transfers happened

Spring in Japan

Mac Shimai drew the elders, who were in a San-nin (tri-companionship)

We got to model clothes for a less active. Her boutique is so cool!

Snack of the week: mango lassi from an authentic Indian restaurant. So good.

Our investigator, Leena, wanted to say goodbye to Brown Shimai

"Avoid collecting too many personal items and souvenirs." -White Missionary Handbook pg. 44 #returnwithhonor

In front of the church

Shinto Shrine in Kumamoto

I tried to dye my hair again. Didn't work. Soooooooo

This weather has been perfect lately. I just really really want to go to the ocean though... Maybe next week.

Japanese is so hard! I think when you go to a Spanish-speaking mission, you get pretty close to fluency, but um... this is still the best mission there is so it's worth it even with the language struggle. Whenever I go on exchanges (which is a lot since my companion is a Sister Training Leader for all the other sisters), I'm with the other STL companion--the new missionary Sister Hansen. Talk about jumping in the deep end. A first transfer and second transfer dendoing for the day... crazy stuff is bound to happen. Sometimes when a guy says they are Buddhist, you accidentally say your message is "from Buddhism" instead of "for Buddhist people" (Particles smarticles). Or sometimes when you are talking about Buddhist temples with a stranger, instead of saying the word for temple--"otera"-- you say "otearai" instead, which is a fancy word for toilet. Fun fun. Or sometimes you say, "For death there is no mercy." Or sometimes you ask about the temple a person goes to, and they say, "ikimashou," and they take you to a Buddhist temple and you tour the temple during dendo time. iinjanai....(why not... might as well). And at the end of it all, the thought comes to mind, "I never ever, ever want to train someone." It would be a hot mess.

Me and my bike, 4G

Well, on a separate note, I found a really weird thing I like about Japan.... TOFU TRUCKS. Imagine these sketch white vans driving slow with this mournful two tone song, and there you have ice cream truck's creepy older brother that you definitely don't want to mess with. I just picture these kids running out of their house like, "Mom!! It's the tofu truck!! Mmmm what flavor should I get... How about tofu. Mmmm what size should I get... How about tofu size." Haha

With my investigators... jeez we have a lot of English speakers. I mentioned Tris and Leena (the Filipino sisters) a few emails back, and I probably should give an update on that situation. So, Tris has come to church once, but her work schedule makes it hard. Her work schedule will change on March 18. I pray for her everyday. Right now, she really wants to know if this is the right church to be baptized into. She is praying and reading the Book of Mormon, seeking an answer. Her parents in the Philippines told her not to change her religion. Since that happened, Leena hasn't met with us anymore, but according to Tris, she is reading the Book of Mormon still. We are going to follow up and see if she wants to be baptized, and we are asking her today. I'm way stressed about it actually.

This scripture has helped me get through the hard days of mission life:

Mosiah 24:13-14
"And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their
afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I
know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant
with my people and deliver them out of bondage.
And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders,
that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in
bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me
hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do
visit my people in their afflictions."

I know that God supports us in times of trial. He will never give a challenge that is more than we can handle. He gives us what we need to grow. I'm learning to love this journey.

Lots of love,
Rogers Shimai