March 9

Why do you work all the time? XD

 

haha, never mind.

 

It truly is wonderful that we have the knowledge that we have. Sometimes people are just lost because they don't know what to do during those times. But it`s through the hope of our Savior that brings us happiness in our trials. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. (Note to others -- Alicia is commenting about thoughts I expressed regarding the funeral/memorial of my brother's mother-in-law who had been living with him)

 

This week we had transfers!!!... well, new people coming in anyway. I just got news that my old MTC companion Lesuma shimai is going to be the new STL in Hachinohe! I couldn't be happier! she went to Nagamachi after me, and now Hachinohe! It`s like we are going through the same cycle. :D... Since she is my STL I get to talk to her about a lot of things. She is excited to work in Hachinohe.

 

In Aomori we had a BAPTISM!!!... of course he just turned 8, but the joy is the same! Cutest experience I`ve had on the mission so far I think. He looks like he`s 5 so he was super short. the Water was filled up a little too high. All the members came to watch (they did it on a Sunday) so it was nice to gather together for that occasion after church.

 

I got to teach eikaiwa (English lessons) almost by myself. We had an elder just come in that was new to aomori so he couldn`t plan much. It was fun! I got to be as creative as I wanted and what ever we do as long as we get them speaking English they couldn't be happier. As I said in my last letter I love eikaiwa!

 

I went to a Hokkaido eating... festival... thing. (sorry) where I got to try all sorts of food from Hokkaido! so it`s crazy in Japan. You go a little south or north and the food completely changes! I ate a bowl of what looked like the things you would find on the bottom of a lake and ate it. So good! why? I think I`ve gotten used to all the food here, and wherever.

 

We still haven`t found any investigators yet, but we did go Finding (tracting) a lot. We are trying our best to help Aomori at the moment where it needs help the most. Even though it`s a big city there isn`t all that much success. A little bit at a time people are trusting the church more, and members are working well with missionaries. It`s a miracle in progress. I can see it!

 

We are already seeing so many miracles in Japan. I know that Heavenly Father has prepared this people. I love Japan! and I love this gospel. Recently I`ve read back on a few Journal entries from the MTC and Nagamachi and man... have I changed my thoughts a whole lot. It may be hard to see those changes when you read sporadic emails like this... but the beauty of this experience is that I know that God wants me to be here, and I`ve never felt so much love before.

 

Hope everyone is doing well back home. Time seems to just be flying by here, sadly. Almost my one year anniversary! eeeek!

I pray for everyone everyday! and even though I`m eating wonderful food here, I still miss mom`s oven baked breaded chicken. Nothing really ever beat that.

 

Probably in May I`ll see cherry blossoms. I hear Aomori`s cherry blossoms are pretty wonderful.

Hope everyone is having a good week even with daylight savings time! Love you!

 

-Money Shimai.

March 2

This week in Japan was amazing! It was Zone Conference! We got to hear from Aoyagi choro and shimai. Aoyagi choro was converted when he was 17 through eikaiwa and meeting the missionaries. (English conversation class) It reminded me of why I love Eikaiwa so much... Sure it`s fun and Japanese people love to speak English, but mostly it`s because of the impact they have when they meet missionaries and members through service. They are able to see the light of the church, and want to know more. And if they don`t they will still love the church and their image is changed. The thing about Japan is that people are mocked for believing in Christ. So it takes a lot of courage for people to associate with the church in any way. The Japanese people truly are amazing. During Zone conference I got to have a 15 minute interview with Aoyagi choro. We spoke all Japanese and I understood! It was a miracle. Truth be told I thought long and hard about questions to ask him... but nothing came to mind. So I gave some generic questions... and got some generic answers... HOWEVER! we talked a little bit more and he ended up bringing up something I`ve been thinking about for a while but didn`t say. It was about loving the area, he knew I was new to aomori... so he told me to love the area. I love Japan but I`m not sure I truly love Aomori yet! it really was an eye opener. After that I began to work on my love, and life has gotten better ever since. He shared with us an experience he had on his mission. Mostly about not being able to open his mouth to talk to people.  he was challenged by his father (non member) to think of those people like they were his family... so then when he was doing missionary work he would call out to random people like `Hey brother!` or `hey mom!` people stopped and talked to him after that. XD

After that our only investigator came to the fireside to hear the talks. She`s been an investigator forever... 2 years? so she`s mostly just into friends and English, but I think she loves the church... So I`ll do my best to help her. Without love you can`t really do anything.

My old Nagamachi DL is going home this week. (he was in my district again in aomori)  ( Time is still flying by before my eyes! yikes... I only have 5 transfers left. That`s all of my last two areas! SO SHORT!) So for his goodbye shindig I made him a poster with all of his areas and a message and gave him one of those mini music boxes, `let it be` by the Beatles. For him that is actually a very special song that ties with a Less active he helped in Nagamachi. He was thankful. After his generation leaves the mission... I`ll be one of the oldest missionaries here. How odd....

 

 I had the opportunity to visit a にゅいんしてmember in the hospital last week. I think he had a stroke... I couldn`t understand the medical Japanese. I`ve never met him before because he`s been in the hospital the whole time. So as 4 shimai, we visited him. I was going to play my violin, but the hospital wasn't sure I could, but after he talked with them I was able to play. We sang `the spirit of God` for him and I played my violin. He is very sensitive to the spirit. He bore his testimony to us about how he knows that God is watching over him, and that this church is true, even though he was against it before he was baptized, he knew that the change in his heart made him a better person, and how he was so thankful to be alive. Seeing the members here really do strengthen my faith. He prayed for us for the ending prayer. Very powerful prayer. (ちょっと怖かった）

 

Hope everyone is doing great this week! My companion is doing good! She is always singing and thinking of others. It`s fun teaching her English as well. She can`t really speak it at all, but wants to learn.

 

oh also, I`m learning how to play the guitar at the moment. Our Mission leader loves music, so he steals my violin sometimes.

 

YEP! 皆さん！愛しています！また来週！手紙と愛ありがとう！

ーお金姉妹

Feb 23

`m pretty sure my mission just hit uberdrive and is going 2000 miles per hour. Tell Connor I`m proud of him for saying that! I`m writing that in my journal. Haha... though it is sad you wont be able to make it.

 

SPEAKING OF BAPTISMS!

I got to see my old investigator`s baptism. It was probably the happiest day of my life in the mission so far. time was a bit hard so I couldn't stay for all of it, I saw her get baptized and said goodbye to her before she could go back into the chapel to give her testimony, then I had to run super fast to catch my train. It was really hard saying goodbye... but I feel like I can finally move on to my new area... which isn't quite too new seeing as I've been here for about 5 weeks.

 

I`ll send you all pictures in a letter I`m sending... unfortunately time is crazy here and I forget then it turns out to be Monday again! aaack!

 

After my experiences here on the mission I`ve learned a lot about the guidance of God, and if we follow it we will be lead out of our trials and learn a lot from it. I know that God wants me to be in Aomori. I`m still not sure why, but I trust Him. I still have trials everyday, but now I know that I can get through them better now. I know that when my family prays for me it is helping. Faith is strong like that.

 

Now that my investigator is a member, she is doing seminary now... her mom is investigating the church, and will probably get baptized as well. People here on the mission are amazing, mom. I`ll probably be friends with her forever. The church is something special.

 

I love you mom! I`ll send you some pictures of everything!

愛しています！

 

oh... also for the package? ... um. I do love music! I`ve been in Japan for so long I have forgotten the American stuff... Ask my siblings and get their input. Their`s are probably better than mine!

 

:D also, it`s getting warmer in Aomori! maybe soon we will see flowers? Who knows!

 

Feb 16

Thank you for the weekly updates! Have fun seeing Nathan`s tournament! I want to hear about it later.

Don't worry about the music... It was by micheal marshel and steven sharp nelson? I think... if you can find music like that that could be great! (I might be in Aomori for a bit.. so don't stress too much,) I have a lot of music memorized. XD

 

So this week was great mom! I was able to get outside and talk about eikaiwa a bit because our area is focusing on it as well. It is like starting all over again though, which is kind of hard. We were talking to people outside in a blizzard! (which seems to be like every night) usually people just look down, and keep walking, but this time they felt so sorry for us, they wanted to talk! Japanese people are very kind!

 

I will be going to Hachinohe on Friday to see my beloved Investigator get baptized. I know it will be an amazing experience for me, I will continue to contact her during and after my mission. It`s hard to move on from an area, but I am blessed to be able to get back and see her.

 

Speaking of that, the other investigator that got baptized in Hachinohe, and probably my life long friend, came to Aomori to visit me during a branch activity!? WHAT! I was shocked because he came by himself. He said since he didn't get to say goodbye he wanted to come see me. the activity was sports and soup party! I made a lot of friends with the members, and was able to see my friend from Hachinohe, This week was great! It was sad to say goodbye to him (he is probably going to get transferred because he is in the Navy...) however I am thankful for the blessings I get from God.

 

I walked a lot through deep snow to find members houses, dendo`d in deep blizzards and all and all had a great week! Iwasa shimai is great for putting up with me XD haha, I can be a handful sometimes. I have been thinking a lot about God`s love... and when we serve other`s and think about other`s our lives are made happy. I gave a talk and played my violin last Sunday about this, but since it was in Japanese It was hard to get my thoughts around haha... my mission has a lot of situations where I cant control it, If I trust in God, I know he will continue his work. DC 123:14-17? I think? I just have to do my best and love the Lord... honestly being stressed about silly things is trivial when you think about God`s plan in a whole. I`ll do my best in Aomori. My time is running out, so I want to use it as much as I can.

 

I love everyone!

have a good week! 

Feb 9

ZTM`s home is actually in Aomori XD so I had to walk 5 minutes to the church to get there. There I got to see our ZL`s big vision for Aomori zone, he is a 26 year old missionary and has a lot of experience in life and in the mission. I am always proud of the leaders here in the mission. They are wonderful examples. The baptisms in Aomori just quadrupled this last month, so Japan really is changing fast! It really is a blessing.

 

Sorry to hear about dad! Is he doing OK? He seems to have various health problems. But I pray for everyone every single day, I hope you can still feel my love from miles away.

 

Maybe the music is in my room, not in the piano room. if you can`t find it that`s OK... I don't really know about any other music. My investigator is getting baptized from Hachinohe and I get to see it! It`s on the 22nd! I want to give her an LDS present... but Japan doesn't have Deseret Books. XD She has a Book of Mormon and set which is great... but any more ideas?  I am so proud of her mom. She is only 15 but she understands everything so clearly it seems. It`s so hard to see her grow from a different Area, but once an investigator enters your life, they are there forever. I`ll give you a lot of news about that after the 22nd.

 

This computer wont let me send pictures... so I`ll be sending you a letter with a lot of pictures.

I would love to tell you about this week, but honestly It`s been the same since I got to Aomori. The members do a lot of role plays to strengthen their missionary work fire, and I have been walking a lot XD haha. On Sunday my investigator from Hachinohe came for a seminary meeting and I was able to talk to her, and my old branch president, which was very nice. I don't know this ward too much, so I'm doing my best to learn about them, and build a relationship. After this transfer, there are a lot of missionaries going home... after that it turns out that I`ll be one of the oldest missionaries out. There's only one above me. There was a huge gap between old and young missionaries that nothing filled the middle. Sendai is a small mission I think?

 

We are doing a huge sports activity tomorrow with LAs and members! It should be great! I`ve always loved playing sports. There it seems I can build relationships with people better because we are all having fun, and I`m not as shy. I`m still pretty shy. XD I`ve grown a lot but my personality seems to stay the same.

 

I love hearing about the family and what everyone is up to! During winter times it can seem pretty long and cold, but everyday is precious, even in those dark, cold days. Time is flying by here fast, even if it`s hard. I`ll be coming home before I know it, so I`ll do my best to use this time wisely. Thank you for everyone`s love, prayers and support, especially my wonderful grandparents. The mission really is great!

 

Recently I got to see a light in the snow and see the ocean. It truly was beautiful. I`ll send you some pictures.

My companion is cute! she loves Les Mis, and sings all the time. She slips a lot in the snow, and screams with a high pitch. She`s quiet, but thinks about everyone else before herself. She is a wonderful example to me.

 

 

Remember that if we let God lead us to where he wants us to go, he will take care of us. Faith is not just believing, it`s acting on what you believe. I know that this church is true, and that Christ`s atonement is eternal. If we give true repentance and desire to change our lives, it can become a wonderful treasure in this world and the next to come. I love this work, and I love my Heavenly Father.

 

I love everyone!
I love you mom!

XD stay dry stay warm!

Feb 2

Dear 母さん

 

I got your package yesterday! I was seriously shocked! I didn't think I would get a package! XD I loved everything that was in it.... unfortunately because the tights have a pattern on it I can`t really wear it on the outside. I will use it for warmth though. So for now I don't need anymore socks or tights. XD My nihonjin companion loves peanut butter too. So she was really really happy. Also... that honey. OTL I LOVE YOU! I miss honey. It`s like 10 dollars for a little jug. (ALSO! since I have a violin... can you perhaps send me the music I accidentally left by Steven sharp nelson... with the piano and violin solos... OTL I'm sorry I left it.)

 

Japan is expensive mom XD

 

Also I realized I've been out of the MTC for 9 months during December. Time went by really really really fast. So my DL from nagamachi (now just a regular missionary) is a nihonjin. XD My DL now is American from California. 

so about my area....

よくわかない。。。。

It`s pretty flat city with lots of houses. It snows a lot so I cant ride a bike. There are beautiful sakura blossoms in the spring though! and I might be able to see them. My companion is cute. She is a 23 year old nihonjin. There are 4 gaijins in Aomori but one is from New Zealand. He is pretty sweet. There are 4 nihonjins. Our branch president is 26 years old and our mission president is like 23 years old. We have about 50 members who come to church. There are more children in this ward than in Hachinohe.

 

My old investigator from hachinohe is doing great! I think..　I don't hear too much from them because we aren't suppose to call or anything like that. I will find out more during ZTM on Friday!! She really is progressing though.

 

Other than that, I'm doing OK! Everyday is tiring, but it`s OK. These last two weeks have really been different from my days in Hachinohe.

So in Aomori the people speak different Japanese than other places. It`s so cold people don't wanna talk, so they make things very short. It`s hard to understand people. XD I might come back with an Aomori tongue when I get home.

 

So this week I did a lot of LA visits in far places. I was able to ride a train and go to some different areas by the ocean; away from the city. The surrounding cities look a lot like old towns in Utah. In Aomori there are mountains and a lot of country fields with snow. Old shops like old utah. It looks very simple. I was able to see the ocean accidentally as well. I want to send pictures but this computer doesn't really let me hook up a usb. I`ll write you a letter and then send you pictures that way. Old fashion!

 

My companion now is from tottori ken, the same as matsumoto shimai. They are in the same ward I think. She is very nice and a bit shy. She reminds me of a normal 20 year old girl. She loves books and Les Mis :D ..... So we might sing a few songs together.

 

This next week we have ZTM so I`ll be able to see the new people who came to Aomori zone the last couple weeks. I feel like I`ve been in Aomori zone forever. XD But there are people who have been here longer than me I think. I think I`ll stay in Aomori for a while.

 

I hear that 2nd month in Aomori gets really cold. I think I`ll be OK. XD Its not as cold as Finland.

 

Hope everyone is genki! That was my past weeks.... yep, lots of walking XD haha. But I am having a good time! Language too is getting better. It is a little different now, but I can pretty much understand a lot. Thank you for everyone`s prayers and love!

 

愛しています！

 

Jan 26

Hello mom!

 

Im sorry to hear about dad! that actually really worried me. He`s ok though right? He sent me a letter so that was nice. Thank you for the updates on the family again. Sorry this email will be short, We kind of had a late start this morning.

 

To keep the family updated I made it safe to Aomori. It actually seems warmer here than it does in Hachinohe. I think it`s the wind`s fault. So dont worry about me staying warm. The members here are great. I dont know them that well but they help the misisonaries alot. We cant ride our bikes so most of our dendo is on foot. It kind of takes up time. I still have to read up a lot about the area if I want to know what to do. My companion is sister Iwasa. She is the same transfer as I am and she is very kind. Very shy. More shy than I am XD

 

My last DL from Nagamachi is up here so it`s fun to talk to him about the old days. He will be leaving the mission by the end of this transfer.

Honestly nothing happened this week. Just a lot of planning and walking.

 

I gave my testimony in sacrement meeting. Even though I get up a lot i still get very nervous. Maybe it`s a language thing. Either way, I`ve been thinking a lot recently about puting our trust in the Lord. And even though we cant really control our circumstances if we just follow God he will guide us to a happier life. Keep a great attitude during those hard times and you never know who you might help. I`m learning every day to forget myself on the mission. And because of that I can see the love of other`s more clearly.

 

Thank you everyone for your love and support. I`ll give you a better email next week.