"Teaching in English..."

Dear Family,

Next week is transfers-time flies! It sounds like all of you have been busy with BBQs, Nauvoo trips, family reunions...I hope you have a wonderful time! And that’s exciting that David is horseback riding again! I’m almost jealous!

This past week we met with Helen san and finished all her lessons. She’ll take her baptism interview this coming Friday, and if she passes she’ll be baptized on June 29th! We’re praying for her and we’re so excited.

As we were walking back to the church after returning from Soma (where we met Helen san) last Saturday, we ran into a cheerful, sweet girl from South Africa who’s been in Japan for the past two years teaching English! She believes in God and listened as we explained about our church and the Book of Mormon. We set an appointment with her for this next Tuesday! We’re so grateful we could meet her. We really feel like the Lord placed her in her path! We’ll teach her in English...my companion Kouzawa Shimai has practiced teaching in English to me, and thanks to her hard work and prayers, I’m sure she’ll be able to do it.

I’m grateful for all your love and prayers. I love being a missionary here in Japan!

Love,
Swain Shimai

P.S. I love you all!! God lives and loves us. Christ is our Savior. The gospel is true!
P.P.S. I’ve included two DVDs: one is our mission concert before my first transfer in the Izumi ward—I both sang some of the songs in Japanese and played my violin. I also bore a little bit of my testimony as I introduced “Where Can I Turn for Peace.” The second DVD is of our concert we did at the Kamisugi church (stake center) in collaboration with the four missionaries there. I played my violin in several songs and as background music during a slideshow, as well as sang. It’s interesting that Morikoshi Shimai accompanied me on the piano—this was before we became companions!