Oyama san's Baptism!

Dear family,

Tomorrow is transfer day! Morikoshi Shimai is going home, and my new companion will be Kouzawa Shimai! She was Morikoshi Shimai’s companion before me. She is from Kumamoto, Japan, southern Japan in the Fukuoka Mission. (She’s from Morikoshi Shimai’s same stake/area!) She and I began our missions at the same time and will finish together, but she’s two transfers ahead of me in Japan because I was in the MTC for a long time. She is so nice and I’m excited to become her companion!

Last week was pretty busy—we went on splits—a companion exchange with two of the Kamisugi sisters. I went with Sister Wetlaufer, who will also finish her mission tomorrow. It was my first time, since the MTC, being with an American companion! The split was only for a day, but it was so fun and I learned so much from Sister Wetlaufer!


















The next day we had Zone Conference, which was wonderful. We learned about following the guidance and promptings of the Holy Ghost in order to know what God wants us to do—what to teach, and what these people need!

Because Morikoshi Shimai is about to leave, many ward members invited us to their houses. We had meals at 5 of their houses in the last week and a half! The ward members are all so wonderful and are great examples of living the gospel.

Saturday, Oyama san was baptized! His baptismal service was so wonderful! One of the sisters who used to teach Oyama san, Weaver Shimai, was able to come from nearby Fukushima and watch the baptism. Oyama san was baptized by Elder Sudweeks, who works as a volunteer with his wife as the mission office couple. It was wonderful to watch Oyama san get baptized, then bear his testimony of how he’d been led and guided to our church, which he knows is true! After the baptism he told me he felt happy, and felt so much of God’s love for him throughout the service. His conversion was definitely a miracle, proof of the great love God has for everyone, and of the wonderful changes that can happen to those who gain this knowledge!

I love all of you, and I love serving a mission!

Love,
Sister Swain

P.S. It was great talking to all of you on the phone! It sounds like dad’s birthday was fun!

P.P.S. Morikoshi Shimai and I played the violin and piano in church, “How Great Thou Art.”