Weeks 37 & 38: Jungle Service

Tropical Naha

 Hello. It's hot. Regardless of if it's sunny or rainy, I end up windshield wiping my face. Most days my hair has mermaid waves like mermaids that die and wash up on the beach. The days are a blur of heat waves. Amidst those heat waves, we are seeing many miracles. And I'm learning to love the weather too.
 

Light Rain

 When the rain flecks down lightly, I mistake it for spit flying from the mouths of the people we talk to all day. But one night, the rain was sheeting down not so lightly while we were knocking on doors and we didn't have kappas (raincoats) or umbrellas. We talked to this lovely family of three, and the mother was so concerned about the rain that she drove us home. Wow! The kindness of strangers blows me away. They are new investigators now.

The missionary training conference was so spiritually edifying.  I have experienced more rejection here on my mission than at any other point in my life, and yet I have never experienced having such great purpose before. I am a missionary of Jesus Christ's church, and though I have yet to see a baptism on my mission, I know I am called to the work. D&C 123:17 "Let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power."

Apartment Squad

Sometimes, it will feel like we aren't making a difference as we go about trying to do good. I went on exchanges with Sister Page to go weed an investigator's yard. So we slather on the mosquito repellent thinking we're good to go and then the lady leads us back into an actual jungle with banana and papaya trees and beehives. In a skirt I felt rather unprepared and maybe a little terrified. After pointing out the target area, the lady disappears back inside and there Sister Page and I are standing on this bouncy mound of dead plants swarming with bugs, hacking away with sickles, because SERVICE! After an hour, we emerge from the war zone with more than a few mosquito bites and the lady is just gone. We knock on her door a few times and never get an answer. What a day, what a day. Haha I want this story to end with - "and then she met with us later and decided to get baptized." But honestly I just am happy to have had that memorable experience since I've had so few solid service opportunities.

As I'm writing this email, Elder Miyagi just sneezed and said, "Bless me." favorite thing 😂

These past two weeks, I've found myself returning to this quote again and again:

"And let your best be for your friend.
If he must know the ebb of your tide,
Let him know its flood also.
For what is your friend that you should seek him with hours to kill?
Seek him always with hours to live. For it is his to fill your need,
but not your emptiness."

-Kahlil Gibran

God wants our earnest desires and honest needs. When I pray, I want to feel that I am giving God my best efforts. I don't want to let a problem get in the way of loving people. LIVE IT. LOVE IT.  It's just about the simple things.

Rogers Shimai

Helmet for safety

Sister Page and her beloved violin

 

She gave me this cute dolll! ^__^

How many buns?

Naha is ghetto and beautiful

One of our lovely investigators spoiled us with a three course breakfast. ^__^

Tropics!

Squid ink turned my tongue black. I felt like Voldemort eating
unicorn blood. (Strong fish flavor.)

When someone anonymously calls about "powerful bowel movements" to
the public church phone.

Weeks 35 & 36: Not in Kansas

HELLO from NAHA! (Okinawa)
Muahahaha.

We did missionary work by the beach! Woohooo and now the beach isn't
an hour train ride away !!!

I took a train then subway then plane then monorail and now I'm here on a tropical island just in time for SUMMER.  The watch tan is bound to be powerful. Also powerful is that back a long long time ago when I lived in Kumamoto Tsuboi ward, Omi Shimai and I took the train for a day proselyting in this sea village and the elders met with two of our investigators and had a lesson in which they set baptismal dates without us knowing. Very powerful. I was slightly salty, but only because of the ocean water. It turned out alright though because those investigators instead of being overwhelmed by the lifestyle changes they need to make in order to be baptized were actually more motivated than ever and one quit smoking (it has been about a week and a half now). They just really want to be baptized. Two days before I left Kumamoto, they decided they aren't going to take lessons anymore because of other personal concerns, but as we said final goodbyes I just felt so much hope and love for them. It didn't feel like the end at all, and I felt the spirit. Our purpose as missionaries is to bring people closer to Christ and sometimes it's going to be in small and simple ways that won't always manifest as baptism. Timing is everything.

My new companion is Sister Perkins hailing from Washington, USA. Fun fact about her is that she has a ton of blogs and is working on her associates in journalism. Go girl.

In Naha, the weather has been rainy lately but when it gets hot...everybody makes sure they are wearing nice long shirts so they can stay pale and delicate. In Naha, the sidewalk tile gets slick with rain and as people walking ahead of me are falling down, I start breaking my bike to get down to a safer speed... and fall down as well. lol. In Naha, there's tourism everywhere... there is a restaurant called bikuri donkey (surprise donkey), there's Americans and Europeans and I get nervous to talk to them sometimes, and the church has beach house vibes. I'll have some fun pictures this upcoming transfer.

I cried on the bus leaving Kumamoto, but I found a sense of peace as I saw my companion Sister Perkins for the first time. She has a beautiful smile and is very sweet. Our first day together of real missionary work, we visited a woman she had met this last Monday, and we set a baptismal date. This cute old lady got all dressed up and came to church yesterday and all the other old ladies were so excited asking our permission to talk to her. Wow. I feel lucky to be in Naha.

Last transfer with Omi Shimai we would shake hands every night and say"jinsei wa ii ne" which is "life is good" and I feel it so strong as I'm typing this email. Life is good. Life is good.

Rogers Shimai

I forgot to send this beautiful picture last time... She is deeply
moved by her calling as a missionary.

The member that didn't want a picture.

I got to model again for the less active lady.

Heart attack from the elders because the pigeon wasn't enough I guess-lol

With the Tsuboi bishop

With my bae (basil plant)

Tsuboi district yaaaaa!

Tsuboi is the best

My first picture in Okinawa... Sister Paige lol

Sister Perkins my new comp!!!

Transfer 5 let's go.

Weeks 33 & 34: Botswana

Outside the mission home and Fukuoka Temple

Omi Shimai at the Fukuoka Temple

My powerful companion, Omi Shimai, has a deep passion for this country near South Africa called Botswana. Why? Back in her rugged high school years, she saw this flag: 🇧

🇼

and she was deeply and irrecoverably moved. Since she first laid eyes upon the flag, she has had a deep, abiding passion for Botswana. I keep thinking this is a joke, but Omi Shimai is "like unto a valley, firm and steadfast." If Omi Shimai can have a sense of conviction over a random flag that few  know about, I'd say she's pretty much unstoppable. She also is called of God, so she has that going for her too.

This transfer, we have focused on having more fun while out proselyting.  The streets of Tsuboi are busy, so this form of proselyting on the streets is fast-paced. You have to be a whole lot of friendly and maybe a little crazy so people will stop and listen. I play up the fact that I'm a foreigner, because white people are treated like unicorns here. I speak a little bit in English, "Hey what's your name?" Last week we made a return appointment with a college girl through doing Spirited Away impressions. I love taking selfies with strangers because it breaks the ice. :) When people say
my Japanese is good, I love telling Japanese people that their Japanese is really good and it never gets old. Haha

On the Kumamoto streets

Last night I was reading an old New Era magazine. 1971 (yeah it's in the gospel library app). I was looking for spiritual topics, and I found this:

Love's Wrath

They quarreled … and in cold anger she wrote him:
“I’m returning the letters--the picture--the pin.
I’m also enclosing your valentine (a worthless token).
The lace is all torn--the hearts broken.”
With righteous hurt anger he answered her letter:
“I’m returning the tiepin--the gloves--the sweater.
But I’m keeping your kisses (although you regret them).
If you want them returned--please come and get them.”

How did this end up in a church magazine? I have no idea, but it made my night. Haha
I have to catch the bus back to Kumamoto because we are in Fukuoka right now visiting the temple. So sorry this email is just random blaaaah. Being a missionary is so fun, but I'm always tired!!! Have an awesome week. :)

Rogers Shimai

A "gift" from the elders!

Our reaction

With the district...

Sakamoto Shimai in a bike accident--owwww!

 

Silliness abounds--Sakamoto and Rogers Shimai

Weeks 31 & 32: I Have No Gift to Give

Making Tacoyaki (octopus ball)

Hello! Some things that have happened lately:

-We taught a law of chastity lesson for the first time in a real setting.
-I gave a brief talk in Japanese for sacrament meeting and I was informed of this responsibility right as I was going to bed on the Saturday night before.
-Because all of the sisters in my apartment are Nihonjin, I'm teaching the English class.... First time it was great. Second time it was a hot mess. And I live another day to troll everyone. But speaking of hot messes....
-We made tacoyaki (octopus ball) with a member and it still tasted delicious so
-I can't speak Japanese lol.
-I modeled designer clothing for a less active.

The weeks are just flying by... Sometimes my best just doesn't feel enough, but then one day I had the song, "The Little Drummer Boy," stuck in my head. I know these lyrics are probably wrong, but...
"I have no gift to give that's fit to give a king." I realized that I'll never be able to "pay back" my Savior, so it's not about being enough, it's just about trying your best. The greatest gift I can give is my obedience... being fully consecrated.

"Pray as if everything depends on the Lord, and act as if everything depends on you." Thanks Brother Hainline. I love this saying! Have a great week everyone!

Companion exchanges with Yoshida Shimai. On point.

This cat made a comeback. (See transfer 1 pictures)

 A less active member let me model for her boutique designer clothes. :D

One of our investigators holding the cat of my dreams

Elder Purcell the beast

Zone picture

Weeks 29 & 30: Week in Pictures, Part 2

 Another crazy, busy p-day, so the week in pictures part 2:

My hair is blond.... Some information about this occurrence: A. A professional hairdresser said Japanese dye is weak on American hair...but not mine so oops. B. It's rather timely for being in an apartment with all Japanese sisters. C. I'm an (entirely responsible) adult by Japanese law, so why not?

 My birthday picture

Birthday presents from the elders :)

Sakamoto Shimai and I

My last companion, Sister Sakamoto, is training a new missionary named Sister Yoshida.

Sooooo this happened prior to picking up her baby missionary.

 District picture before transfers happened.

Elders before transfers lest we forget.

 "Cloudy with a chance of dank meme" - Elder Fronk

 My new comp is Omi Shimai! I packed my bags and moved.... to the next room over in our apartment where the Tsuboi sisters live. Bye bye Shimizu! Hello Tsuboi! Omi Shimai and I are whitewashing this place (starting fresh since we're both new to the area), but luckily I know a bit about Tsuboi just from being in the same apartment with the previous Tsuboi sisters. I'm so excited!! :)