Transferred....and now I have email!!! (Email)

I was so surprised when I received a transfer call last week...I was transferred to Koriyama!!! (Koriyama has e-mail!!) I was only in Ishinomaki for one transfer! But it was really a wonderful transfer, and so fun being in a three-some. Before I left we set a baptism date for August with our investigator Kimura san! He`s really humble and loves learning about the gospel. He`s gone through a lot of hard times, but has really found peace as he`s developed faith in Christ. My last lesson with him, I played the piano for an arrangement of the hymn `I Know that my Redeemer Lives` and Hansen Shimai sang it in Japanese--he was really touched by the Spirit as he heard it! I know he`ll continue to progress as Murase Shimai and her new companion, Kado Shimai from Hokkaido, teaches him. It`s so amazing to see this message change people`s lives!!!

I`ve been in Koriyama for about 5 days now! It`s in the southern part of the Japan Sendai Mission. It`s not in the Sendai Zone--for the first time I`ve left the Sendai Zone! My companion is Semba Shimai from Kumamoto-ken (southern Japan). She`s in her fourth transfer as a missionary--she`s so wonderful!! She really has an enthusiasm to do missionary work and puts all her heart and efforts into it! I`m excited to be able to work with her this transfer.

There are around 70 people that come to the Koriyama branch each Sunday. Everyone here is so kind! There are quite a few recent converts in the branch that the sisters have taught. It`s been neat getting to know them, teaching their AB lessons and hearing their amazing testimonies! There are a lot of investigators here--Semba Shimai has been a great help in explaining about all of them. We`ve had lessons with a few of them, and it`s been great to see their progress, little by little as they excersise faith in Jesus Christ and change their way of living to be more in line with Christ`s teachings. To one of our investigators in her 20s, we explained the importance of dressing modestly and she wants to do her best change her standard--it`s so neat to see her faith! She wants to get baptised, but first has to get courage to tell her dad about it, who doesn`t like religion.

I love serving the Lord each day!! Even though I`m in a different area, the work is still the same, and it`s the Lord who truly leads it and guides His missionaries each day. Being a missionary is the best!!

"Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me." 1 Nephi 21:16 The Lord loves us and never forgets us!!

Love,
Sister Swain

P.S. I love all of you!