My Mission

It`s my last e-mail!!! 　I can hardly believe my mission ends tommorow! It`s been a wonderful mission. I am so glad I made the choice to come on my mission! If I hadn`t come, I would have missed out on meeting these amazing people, like Yamaguchi Shimai--and bringing them back to Christ!

Kurumi chan was baptized on Sunday, and it was wonderful. The young men and young women sang `As Sisters in Zion` and `We`ll Bring the World His Truth` arrangement together, and it was full of power and the spirit! The Kato family has truly added to the young men and young womens here, it`s just amazing. And if my old companion, Semba Shimai, had never stopped on her bike to talk to the oldest of the Kato siblings (Kyoka chan, who was also riding their bike), their whole family would not have entered the church! This is truly the Lord`s work!

I`ve reflected on my mission a little bit the past few days, and have realized how much God has blessed me as I`ve served here. I`ve grown to love these Japanese people, and some of them are my dear friends. Sharing my testimony of Jesus Christ with them has brought so much joy to my, and their lives! My mission has also at the same time, changed me as I`ve relied more on Christ for strength to overcome my weaknesses.

I know that this is the true church, with God`s power and authority once again on the earth. I know that we have a living prophet! The Book of Mormon is the word of God, and was translated by Joseph Smith. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer, and made it possible for us to return to live with God, our Heavenly Father, again. I know that God lives and loves each one of us!

I`ll see many of you soon.

Is it really the end?

It`s hard to believe that my mission ends next week...after just one more e-mail!! I don`t think it`s really hit me yet, and I don`t really want it to--that I`m finishing my mission. The time has flown! But I am so glad I came on my mission, and am so grateful for all the amazing experiences I`ve had here, and for all the sweet Japanese people I`ve met.

Kato Kurumi chan passed her baptism interview, and is all set for getting baptized this next Sunday! The young womens put together the program, and are doing the musical number, it`ll be so wonderful. And she`ll be confirmed in sacrament meeting the following week, so mom, dad, and Michael will see it! We`re so excited for her and her family!

Kokubun Shimai still hasn`t gotten her husband`s permission to be baptized, but she`s doing all she can. The branch has really come and welcomed her in, even though she`s not a member yet--this past Saturday we had a Mochi Ski Taikai--where we made the mochi I told you about last week, by hand! Dotson Shimai and I got there late, as Kokubun Shimai was walking out...our branch mission leader had stopped by her husband`s work (his own making chairs by hand shop, where Kokubun Shimai also works), invited Kokubun Shimai to the party, she`d come, had a great time with all the members, then left as we were coming in! She looked super happy, and we were so happy to see the members helping her--which they will continue to do after I leave/missionaries get transferred in.

I`m loving each day left I have serving as a missionary, even though it`s super cold and we can`t feel our fingers or toes as we knock on people`s doors/talk to them in the streets. Missionary work`s the best, I love sharing my testimony about God and Jesus Christ with every one I meet! I`m excited to continue to share my testimony with everyone, and help them come closer to Christ until the end! I know that God lives, and Jesus Christ is our Savior. The Book of Mormon includes the perfect gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that this church is the true, restored church and through it we can return to live forever with our families with God again!

Happy New Year!

It`s been a wonderful New Years here in Koriyama. For the Japanese people, New Years is a bigger holiday than Christmas. Instead of going back home for Christmas, everyone goes back home for the New Years to be with their family and eat traditional New Years foods, such as mikan (tangerines) and mochi--it`s rice flour that`s ground into a hamburger or square shape that they eat with everything. In soups, sweet beans, etc... We had lunch on New Years with the elders at a member`s house, where we had all these traditional foods, it was delicious!

New Years dendo has been fun, asking everyone if they have goals for this new year and how they would feel if God could help them with it. People are pretty busy around this time, but we`ve found some people who were alone for New Years and have been able to share a little of our message with them, including a sweet Baptist lady who invited us into her house and listened as we taught her about the Restoration of the gospel through Joseph Smith! She accepted a Book of Mormon and will pray about it.

Kato Kurumi chan is doing great and excited for her baptism in 2 weeks. It will be a great thing for her and her family, as she is the last of her siblings to get baptized.

A little bit of sad news--Mai san, the investigator I told you about last week--talked to her dad about how she was going to church and learning from us, and he said that it was `dame`--bad, and she can`t come to church anymore. Even though she`s an adult, she`s still living with her family and can`t go against her dad, so we aren`t teaching her anymore. When we called her and talked to her, we encouraged her to keep praying, so that someday the Lord will prepare a way for her to be able to join the church again. I`m sure someday, in the Lord`s timing, she`ll be able to!

Kokubun Shimai still hasn`t been able to get the consent of her husband. We`re continuing to pray for her, and hopefully after the business of the New Years we`ll get another chance to help her husband.

As I realize that my mission is coming to an end, I`m sad to think of leaving these wonderful people and not being a full-time missionary any more! I`ll try to do all I can, and all God wants me to in these last few weeks...this is His work! I know that God lives and loves each one of us.

A White Christmas

I hope everyone had a great Christmas!

For a while, we were worried we wouldn`t get a white Christmas because it had only rained recently--but then on the 24th, and all night Christmas Eve, and during most of Christmas Day it snowed, so we had a white Christmas! I`d forgotten how beautiful (and also cold:) having snow is.

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas day! We went caroling on Christmas Eve/Christmas day to some member`s friends, as well as less-active and part-member families in the branch. And on Christmas day we were able to have lessons with one of our investigators and also our recent convert, Yamaguchi Shimai. I felt so lucky to be a missionary on Christmas Day (for the last time), and to be able to spread the glad tidings of his birth and share his love with so many people.

One of our investigators, 27-year old Mai san, was an old investigator from about a year ago, who the elder missionaries found while they were streeting. The 2nd time they ran into her streeting, they invited her to church, and she said she`d come--and she came to church!! That`s when we first met her, and began teaching the lessons again. Her meeting the missionaries again definitely wasn`t an accident! She needs the help of the Savior in her life right now. It`s been so wonderful teaching her, she already is gaining a testimony of her Savior and the church, and wants to be baptized. Her family is probably going to be pretty hantai (opposed) to the church, so we`re praying that the Lord will help prepare a way...

Osaka Kazue Shimai recieved the Gift of the Holy Ghost at church on Sunday, and became an official member of our church! She was so happy about it, and we`re so excited for her. The sisters in the branch welcomed her warmly by throwing a welcome to the branch party (as well as a farewell party for a sister who`s leaving for her mission). I love the Koriyama branch!

Kokubun Shimai wasn`t able to get baptized, because her husband still hasn`t given her permission. She`s really doing everything she can, and we`re doing all we can to help her--we just know that at the right time everything will work out. Next we`re going to try and see if a member from the branch can meet her husband.

Also, 14-yr. old Kato Kurumi chan is also progressing really well, besides catching a cold this past week and not being able to come for church.

Dotson Shimai and I are doing well. I am full of thanks for the Savior at this time of the year. Especially as I look back on this year, I realize how much the Lord has blessed me as I`ve served among these wonderful Japanese people.

I wish everyone a happy new year.

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas!!! I love this Christmas season. And it`s so fun dendoing around this time--we ask a lot of people we meet on the streets, `Do you know the real meaning of Christmas?` There are so many people that don`t know, and really don`t know very much about Jesus Christ--it`s so great being able to talk to them about Jesus Christ, and what he`s done for each of us. What a wonderful season to remember our Savior!

Osaka Kazue Shimai was baptized yesterday!! It was so wonderful, and felt like a family baptism--her 2 grandchildren, and daughter-in-law`s family who first introduced her to the church a year ago, participated in the program. We all really felt like her getting baptized has helped and will continue to help bring their family closer together. Kazue Shimai bore a sweet testimony of how she knows God is there because she felt like He protected her from not getting into a bike accident a few weeks ago (it was a close call). She`s getting so many blessings from the gospel, and has entered the path to return back to Heavenly Father!

Kokubun Shimai is still trying to work on things with her husband. We`re not sure if she`ll get baptized by the end of this year, but we`re sure at the right time she can be baptized...

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!! I`m so grateful for our Savior, Jesus Christ who was born and came into the world for us!

Greetings from windy Koriyama...

Sorry for the short e-mail last week. We went with a branch member and the elders to `Gold Mountain,` an old gold mine. We rode a rickety train into the middle of the mine, it was quite the experience! One of the elders, Ogaki Choro, was transferred, and now Ohsugi Choro`s companion is Watanabe Choro. He`s also Japanese, and is a wonderful missionary. He`s funny, he can tell a joke keeping a straight face all the time.

Osaka Kazue san is doing great, and set to be baptized next week. We`re still going to talk to the branch president about it, but Kokubun san may be baptized before the end of the month.

Do you remember Kato family, with Kyoka chan who was baptized before I came, then Kaoru chan and Naoki kun who were baptized in September? They have one more sister who hasn`t become a member yet, Kurumi chan, who`s 14...we visited their house this past week and taught a little lesson to everyone (including Kurumi chan), and then she came to church yesterday!! We had a lesson with her after church, where she told us that she`s wanted to get baptized for a while, but hasn`t been able to come to church/was a little nervous to come after a long time of not coming. We set a baptism goal with her for January--we`re excited to help her gain a testimony, and prepare for baptism!

Although it`s gotten colder with the wind here, Dotson Shimai and I have a great time doing missionary work everyday. It`s the best! Especially lately I have felt strength and peace from my Savior, Jesus Christ, who is always with us. I know that my Redeemer Lives, and I am grateful for this Christmas season where we can remember his birth, and what He`s done for each one of us.

Love,
Swain Shimai

Safe---Not Transferred!

I don`t have too long to write this e-mail, but Dotson Shimai and I were not transferred!! That means we`ll be together until I finish my mission in January! I`m excited to continue to work with her and see miracles here in Koriyama.

Kokubun san and Osaka Kazue san both passed their baptism interviews!! Kazue san will be baptized on the 19th. Kokubun san was going to be baptized this next Sunday, but she has to go somewhere with her husband...so now we`re shooting for the 26th, and praying that her husband`s heart will be a little more softened by then; when she told him she wanted to get baptized, he wasn`t too supportive of it. Please keep them in your prayers.

I love all of you, and love being a missionary!
Love,
Swain Shimai

Trip to Sendai!

The internet`s working again!! It`been a great past few weeks, I can hardly believe how fast time goes. Next week is transfer week...and then, I`ll be in my last transfer! It seems like yesterday that I had just gotten to Japan.

It`s gotten pretty cold, but still no snow. Last Thursday was Thanksgiving--we didn`t have pumpkin pie, but Dotson Shimai made mashed potatoes and pork, and we had a great time! If I have time there`s half of a pumpkin in our fridge that I may try to turn into pumpin pie, thanks for the recipie dad!

We spent half of this past week in Sendai--I went to the honbu (mission home) for training with the other zone leaders/trainers, and Dotson Shimai got to go on splits with the Kamisugi sisters--she got to see our old companion, Semba Shimai again!! There are 4 Japanese sisters right now in Kamisugi, and she actually went on splits with the other companionship, including my old companion Murase Shimai! I was able to see Murase Shimai at the bus stop for a few minutes, it was so good to see her again and see her doing so well. Dotson Shimai had a great time with 4 Japanese sisters, and I also learned a lot from the training at the honbu.

Our investigators Kokubun san and Kazue san are doing great--Kokubun san is keeping the Word of Wisdom! We just have to help her break the news to her husband, then she`ll be ready for baptism. We practiced the baptism interview questions with Kazue san, and we`ll probably do it again next week because she doesn`t have the best memory...but her heart is definitely in the right place. Yesterday she told us how lately she felt that God is protecting her, when she almost got into a bike accident but didn`t, and when she prays and feels a warm feeling. She`s been coming to church almost every Sunday for about a year--we definitely feel like this is her time to be baptized!

I`m loving every day and minute left of my mission, and I`m striving each day to become the missionary God wants me to be. I know that this is God`s work, and that He loves each one of us! He hears and answers our prayers, and knows the desires of our hearts, and what we need. I have felt His love for me, and for these wonderful Japanese people!

Love,
Swain Shimai

No Snow in November!

It`s been another great week here, and during the day, when the sun is out, surprisingly warm for November! As soon as the sun goes down it gets windy and cold, but no snow yet--I heard it doesn`t snow here in Koriyama until December! I`m counting my blessings.:)

This past week nothing super big happened, except that our investigators are doing well, and I taught my Eikaiwa (English) class about Thanksgiving--now they all want to eat pumpkin pie and have a stuffed turkey! I haven`t seen any canned pumpkin puree since I`ve been in Japan, so I guess they`ll just have to come to America to experience it.

Today I`ll introduce one more of our investigators. Her name is Kokubun san, and she`s in her 60`s (?). The elders found her when they were talking to people on the street. She`s a cute obachan (grandmother), who loves coming to the Ping Pong activity we have every Saturday. She`s faithfully reading the Book of Mormon and praying every day to know if it`s true or not--she doesn`t feel like she`s gotten or recognized an answer yet, but we know she will as she continues to seek to know. Kokubun san came to church this Sunday and had a great time. She wants to be baptized next month, so that she can return to live with God! Her only obstacle is her husband, who apparently doesn`t like religion; but he know`s she`s been up to some religion lately, and hasn`t said anything about it yet. We`re praying and hoping he`ll understand her desire to come to church, and hopefully one day he too, will want to hear our message.

On Saturday night we met with the Elders and a man from Peru, who we found streeting two weeks ago. He`s been in Japan for 20 years now. He was born Catholic, but since he`s come to Japan, he hasn`t really been to church. When we met him, he said that `God` part of his life has been missing lately, and he wants to come to church again. We shared about the Restoration of our church through the prophet Joseph Smith, and he agreed to read the Book of Mormon (in Spanish) and pray to know if it`s true. I know that he will, as well as anyone who prays to know the truth of it, will receive an answer from God. I know that this church is true!

I love and am praying for all of you!
Love,
Swain Shimai

Rain...

It`s been just a few days since I wrote, but it`s getting colder here. Saturday there was a typhoon and it rained hard the entire day! :)

Since Semba Shimai transferred, Dotson Shimai and I are doing our best, as two gygienes (foreigners) here in Japan, but everything has worked out, and I`m even getting used to reading the maps here (which are all written in kanji--I can`t read all the kanji but I can figure out the locations/where things are.) It`s been an adventure doing all the things my Japanese companions used to do, but definitely a learning experience. And the Lord has been strengthening us to do it.

This weekend was District Conference (like Stake Conference)--the Koriyama district consists of three branches, Koriyama, and two neighboring cities, Iwaki and Aizuwakamatsu. The theme was on bringing people unto Christ, and centered on missionary work. It was wonderful, and our mission president President Tateoka and his wife both spoke. During the Saturday session, President Tateoka had everyone in the audience practice with the person sitting next to them on inviting their friend to the Christmas Party/giving them an introduction DVD to our church. It was so great! As missionaries, we do `mogi`, or practicing what we want to say, all the time, and it`s super effective, I highly suggest it!

All the recent converts, Yamaguchi Shimai and the Kato siblings, are doing great! The oldest Kato daughter, who first joined the church, gave a talk on her conversion story and meeting the missionaries at District Conference. It`s so wonderful to see everyone progress.

One of our investigators, who I don`t think I`ve mentioned yet in my e-mails, is a sweet, 69 yr-old grandmother who lives alone. She was a member referral from her daughter-in-law`s mother, who lives nearby (they share the same grandchildren). She`s been coming to church almost every Sunday this whole year, but has been worried about being baptized, because she doesn`t know as much about the gospel as she sees her relatives do. But lately, as she`s kept her commitment to read the Book of Mormon every day and pray to know if the Book of Mormon is true or not, she said she sometimes feels a warm feeling in her heart when she prays! At first she thought it was because she`d just eaten, and she took her sweater off...but we were able to tell her it`s the Holy Ghost, God`s messenger telling her that it`s true!! We`re continuing to teach her and help her realize that it`s her answer, and she hopes to be baptized before her birthday in December. While maybe a lot of things are hard for her to understand, she`s really progressing at her own pace and gaining a conviction of her own.

I love missionary work! Thanks all of you for your love and support.
Love,
Swain Shimai

Transfer Call

This morning we got our transfer calls, and Dotson Shimai and I will stay here, but Semba Shimai will be transfered to Kamisugi and become a trainer of a new Japanese sister missionary who`s coming in tomorrow! We`re sad to see her go and will miss her here, but know that she`ll see miracles in Kamisugi and help her new companion. It`ll be the first time I haven`t had a Japanese companion with me here in Japan!


On Sunday Yamaguchi Shimai was baptized!! The baptism service was at 8:30 in the morning, and she was confirmed during Sacrament Meeting the same day. Everything went smoothly, and it was so wonderful and filled with the Spirit! I played my violin for the musical number, with the other missionaries singing 2 verses of `I Need Thee Every Hour.` Yamaguchi Shimai shared her testimony after her baptism, about how she`d felt God`s love during the music, and how she felt so wonderful after being baptized!! I can`t express adequately in words how happy we were to see her whole conversion, and baptism--it truly was one of God`s miracles that we found her!

Saturday was the Branch Halloween Party, and it was a lot of fun. We helped set up and run some of the games/activities, and our investigators had a great time.

I`m out of time today, but love all of you and pray for you!
Love,
Swain Shimai

Not By Accident

Guess what? Yamaguchi san passed her baptism interview and is going to be baptized next Sunday!!! Lately she`s felt like she isn`t ready for baptism because her daughter, who is a Jehovah`s witness, kept asking her questions about the church that were hard to respond to, and also because she doesn`t understand everything in the Book of Mormon. We told her that the most important thing was her testimony that Jesus Christ is our Savior, and that Joseph Smith restored Christ`s church on the earth--she believes this and has this testimony! And she wants to follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized and following his commandments for the rest of her life--she is truly ready for baptism. After she passed her interview, she came out and hugged us all and was so excited, and said, `I can be baptized!!` We all were so happy--I think part of the reason me and my companions were so happy was because Yamaguchi san was so happy and excited for baptism! Also, Yamaguchi san saw the poster for the branch temple trip and wants to go with them to the Tokyo temple, just two weeks after her baptism. She has so much faith, and we don`t believe it`s an accident we knocked on her door at the end of August. This is definitely the Lord`s work, and he directs us to those who are ready to hear and accept our message.

This past Tuesday, all of our appointments cancelled and fell through, and although we talked to everyone, no one really seemed to want to listen...but then the next day, Wednesday, was filled with so many small miracles! I believe that the Lord, according to His timing, rewards us according to our faith, and hard work. On Wednesday, we went to the church to do a mogi (practice lesson) with an amazing couple in the branch (who always helps the missionaries), the Mizumoto couple, when we walked into the church, and with them was a man who we hadn`t met before. We found out that he was standing in front of our church, looking at the sign of our church `The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints` when Mizumoto Kyodai came outside the church to look for us...the man, Sato san, asked if he could go inside and see our church, so Mizumoto Kyodai took him inside and was giving him a tour of the church when we found them. We had a lesson with him right there, and he told us that he`s wanted to learn about Jesus Christ for a long time! He really wants to make changes in his life and follow the example of Jesus Christ--now the elder missionaries are teaching him, and preparing him for baptism! Sato san is another testimony that God knows and loves each of His children!

I love all of you!
Sister Swain

First Bike Crash...!

Wasn`t General Conference wonderful?! My companions and I, and our investigators who came all loved it! It`s so amazing that we could listen to a broadcast of it all the way here in our branch in Japan--and feel as we heard our living prophets speak through a staticy t.v that they are truly called of God! I loved all the talks, but especially liked President Monson`s talk about being grateful, and Elder Holland`s talk about how they were grateful for the faith and good works of everyone. We`re so blessed to have the guidance of living prophets!

Our investigator Yamaguchi san is doing so well! This past week she`s really changed, and her testimony has become so strong--we think part of it is definitely because she`s reading the Book of Mormon and praying everyday. She attended 3 of the 4 General Conference sessions, and loved it, and even cried during some of the talks. She`s most likely going to be baptized on October 24--she`s so ready!

I crashed my bike for the first time on my mission, but it wasn`t that big of a deal--when we were going to get off our bikes and stop to talk to someone on the street, I decided I`d try and get off my bike a different way (the way Semba Shimai does), but accidentally put my brakes on too soon and lost my balance, going down with the bike. I only had a few scrapes and bruises on my hands/legs, but the lady who we were going to talk to had seen it happen, and came over and looked at my hand. She pulled something out of her purse and lit some wood thing on fire and put it in a lead pipe and applied it to my hand, saying it`d help my hand not hurt the next day! Afterwards we found out she`s a therapist that does things like that. We talked to her about our message and she said we could share it with her again, and gave us her contact information. What a way to get a potential investigator! (And she was right, my hand didn`t hurt the next day!)

I`m loving each day serving as a missionary, for the little while I have left. I don`t want to stop being a missionary! I know that this church is true and led by living prophets!

Love,
Sister Swain

A Rainy Week

I`m so excited to watch General Conference next weekend! (We watch it a week later because of the time difference.) We`re going to teach all our investigators this week about how we have a living prophet, and the importance of following him, and then invite all of them to General Conference to hear our prophet speak!

Our investigators are doing pretty well, although many of them have caught colds this past week (it`s rained a lot) and couldn`t come to church. Yamaguchi san`s body condition hasn`t been the best lately, so we haven`t been able to meet with her for about 2 weeks...but we`re praying that she`ll get better soon and be able to come to General Conference. Even though she couldn`t meet with us or come to church, she`s been reading the Book of Mormon and praying every day!

We had specialized training this past week, where the mission president came and taught us. It was great, and I realized that even though I`ve been a missionary for a while (almost 1 yr. in Japan!) I still need to improve my dendo skills and seek to become a better missionary.

We had several small earthquakes this week...they`ve pretty much become normal for me now:)

Last Tuesday, some of our appointments cancelled and our plans changed, and we ended up going somewhere besides where we`d planned...as we were riding we came up to a stoplight, and I felt like I should talk to a lady who was waiting at the stoplight. As we started talking to her, she told us that she used to take lessons from the missionaries 30 years ago, but her family didn`t have good feelings towards the church, so she couldn`t join our church then. As I talked to her and bore my testimony to her of how God lives and loves her, and wants to help her through her trials, her face expression really changed as she felt the Spirit, or God`s love! We exchanged phone numbers and hope to meet with her this coming week. I`m grateful that our appointments were canceled, so that we could meet Miyashita san--the Lord truly placed her right in our path!

I love serving the Lord every day! And I love all of you! Thanks for everything!

Love,
Swain Shimai

Smiles:)

Congrats Nate on winning the audition!! I`m sure mom and dad will be glad to see you more often, and I will be too once I get back from my mission.:)

It suddenly turned from summer to fall this past week--with several windy and rainy days. It`s starting to get cold again...

We had a wonderful week! Katou Kaoru chan and Naoki kun were confirmed in Sacrament meeting, and are now official members of the church! They are already great friends with all of the primary children/young women and love coming to church each Sunday. They`re the best!

This week we had our third lesson with Saito san, who the elders found streeting and passed to us. She`s a mid-aged lady, and has studied/joined 8 different religions throughout her life, and has now been part of a religion called `seicho no ie` for 10 years. She came to church once, and told us she loved our, the missionaries` smiles, and all the members` smiles she saw at church. She thinks that the reason behind our smiles is that we`re receiving some kind of inspiration from God...we explained to her simply that it`s because of the joy we feel from living this gospel. The gospel is true, and definitely brings us this joy that Saito san saw through our smiles! We hope as she continues to learn about the restored gospel, she`ll realize that it`s true, and experience herself the joy that comes with this knowledge.

I`m enjoying my time every day as a missionary, and also helping our new companion. Dotson Shimai is doing so well, and her language and skills as a missionary are improving each day. I`m so grateful to be a part of seeing her, and our investigators progress!

I know that we are God`s children and that he loves each one of us!

Love,
Swain Shimai

Fishing!

It`s been a great past few days!! We went again to the mission office in Sendai (a 2 1/2 bus ride away) and picked up our new companion, Dotson Shimai! She`s from Seattle, Washington, and is so sweet and works super hard. She`s a head taller than us, loves basketball and reading books--she was an English major at BYU before she came. She`s got `dendo fire`--she`s excited to do missionary work, and we`re excited to work with and help train her!

Sunday Kaoru chan and Naoki kun were baptized! It was so wonderful! The water in the baptismal font wasn`t very high, so they ended up each being baptized 2 times before they were fully immersed by the water. Afterwards Kaoru chan(age 13) said she felt `ureshii`--super happy, but Naoki kun (age 11) said he felt cold from his dripping wet clothes:) They are the cutest, and have amazing testimonies of Heavenly Father and the Book of Mormon. We`re so excited for them, and what being baptized will mean for their future--receiving so much love, guidance, and direction when they need it, and eventually being able to live together forever with their family, and Heavenly Father!

Today for p-day we went with some branch members, the elders and some of their investigators to go fishing...I caught a fish but was too afraid to pick it up with my bare hands afterwards...Semba Shimai helped. Then it was cooked by the people in charge of the mini pond/lake, and we ate our catch! It was quite the experience--at least the fish wasn`t raw:) Sorry dad, I still don`t really like sushi...
A little bit of sad news--our investigator Iizuka san called us and said that she doesn`t want to be baptized any more. We talked to her for a long time on the phone, expressing God`s love for her, as well as the need for baptism, but she`d made up her mind. Ultimately, it is her free agency, her choice--but we`re praying and trust that at the right time she`ll get another chance to accept the gospel, and realize what the atonement of Jesus Christ can do for her! I know that God loves her and is watching out for her!

Thanks everyone for your prayers, love, and support!

Love,
Swain Shimai

Going Co-Trainer...

We got our transfer calls this morning, and neither Semba Shimai or I will be transfered, but we`ll become a three-some with a new sister, Dotson Shimai. So Semba Shimai and I will be co-trainers! I`m excited to be in a 3-some again, and to help Dotson Shimai as she comes to the mission field for the first time! I`m not sure where Dotson Shimai is from, but she`s not from Japan--probably from America. We`re going to pick her up from the Mission home this Friday...we`re excited!)

It`s been a wonderful past week! On Sunday we had 10 investigators attend church, as well as the luncheon after church! It was super busy trying to watch out for each one, and make sure they were having a good time, but the Koriyama branch members stepped in and helped a lot with fellowshipping these wonderful people. We were so surprised on Sunday when, during Sacrament meeting, Iizuka san, who has work and said she couldn`t come on Sunday--came to church! Her job had finished early and she`d rushed over to the church! She had a great time. We talked to her again this week about the importance of keeping the Sabbath Day holy, and she said she`ll do all she can to come to church 2 times a month. Probably this Sunday she`ll have an interview with the Branch President, then her baptism interview, and will be baptized after that. She`s wonderful!

This coming Sunday is Katou Naoki kun and Kaoru chan`s baptism--they passed their baptism interview last week! They are both ready and excited to be baptized and make that promise with God. They`re the cutest!

Yamaguchi san is still doing well--she came to a Relief Society activity with us on yesterday and had a great time. She did what we invited her to do, to pray to know if the Book of Mormon is true and if Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God--and she got her answer! She said she felt a really peaceful, and warm feeling, and knew that it was true! She`s truly gaining a testimony.

Last Saturday we had the Music Concert, with about 10 or so musical numbers, including a piano solo from one of our investigators and guitar solos from the elder`s investigators. It turned out great! I ended up playing arrangements of 2 hymns on my violin. (Thanks for the music mom and Mrs. Mary--I didn`t get them quite in time to play them at the concert, but there`ll be another one in the next month or two!) There were between 30-40 people that came, and it seemed like they enjoyed the music.

I`m loving it here in Koriyama and am grateful for the many blessings, and miracles the Lord has blessed us to see here. Missionary work is the best! There are many sacrifices required, but the joys more than compensate for them.

Love,
Sister Swain

P.S. I got your package mom--thanks:) It would help to have the accompaniment too--but not for everything. Probably just Meditation from Thais and the Bach one? I forgot but I`ll let you know next p-day

P.P.S. I`m sorry, I didn`t have time to do a hand-written letter last week.

Splits! (email)

It`s been another wonderful, busy week. Last week on Thursday Sister Semba and I went on splits, or companion exchanges with the sisters in Niigata, a 2 1/2 hr. bus ride away. The sisters there are both senior missionaries--one is Japanese and 65 yrs. old, and the other is from Hawaii and in her 70s--they are both serving proselyting mission, doing the same things that we do (teaching, housing, etc.--they just use a car instead of a bike). I was so impressed with their example--with their determination to serve God at this time in their lives, leaving their children/grandchildren to come out here. The sister from Hawaii served a mission here in Japan 45 yrs. ago, and she`s remembered Japanese as she`s come out here. What wonderful examples they are, and it was a joy to work with them for a day!

Also, my companion Semba Shimai and I went to the mission home the past few days with our Zone Leaders/some of the district leaders for Leadership Training--they`ve started to invite sisters some times as well. We received lots of training from our Mission President--instructions for training that have come straight from the 12 Apostles of our church--it was wonderful! I learned a lot of things I want to apply to my dendo (missionary work) as well as things that will help our investigators.

Our investigators are doing well! The week after next, Kaoru chan (age 13) and Naoki kun (age 10), the younger brother of a recent convert into the branch, will be baptized! Last Sunday we had a really fun lesson with them where we used the whole church to teach the Plan of Salvation, and had a different room for this earth life, etc, going down the escalator during Adam`s fall--it was great! They are both excited to be baptized and understand the importance, and blessings of making this promise with God.

Yamaguchi san came to church again this week and is doing great. She even remembered Joseph Smith`s name from 20 years ago! Iizuka san is having a hard time coming to church because she has work a lot on Sundays, but she`s trying her best and praying about it. Also, one of our investigators, Seiko san (a mother, in her 30`s) has started reading the Book of Mormon every day, and says she feels a good feeling when she reads it! It`s been neat to watch her testimony grow...at our last lesson she said since she`s learned about God, she`s started to feel bad about wrong things she does, when she didn`t feel bad about them before--she`s truly starting to repent and come unto the Savior.

I`m so grateful to be a missionary, and be a part of/watch the changes that the gospel makes in peoples lives! This church is true, and every one is a child of God, our loving Heavenly Father!

Love,
Sister Swain

P.S. Transfers are next week--whatever happens, I`m sure it`ll be what the Lord wants!

Small and Simple Things! (letter)

Sounds like you’ve had quite the summer. Michael, congrats and good job on your Eagle award. That’s wonderful!

I was happy to hear from dad that you’re all doing your best to share the gospel with friends and neighbors! I can promise you that the things you are doing now to share the gospel, even though they may seem little, will have a big impact in the future! Many of our investigators knew members/missionaries in the past, and it made a big impact on them. That’s why they’re listening now! So keep up the great work! Remember Alma 37:6, 7….”by small and simple things are great things brought to pass…And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord…bringeth about the salvation of many souls.” Alma wrote this about the plates of brass and the records he kept, which may have seemed like such a small thing then---but think about it now. Anyone in the world can read the Book of Mormon—his writings--in their own language!

This past week was truly a miracle week. Semba Shimai and I fasted, prayed, and did our best, and the Lord took it from there. Along with Iizuka san & Yamaguchi san wanting to be baptized, we invited recent convert Kyoka chan’s younger brother and sister to be baptized, and they said yes! Naoki chan is only 10, and his sister Kaoru chan is 13, but they understand the importance of being baptized and want to be baptized!

Right now, we have eight investigators with baptism dates---it seems like more than I’ve seen at other times in my mission! I’m so grateful for the Lord, who truly gives us the desires of our hearts---and whose work this is.

I love being a missionary! Thanks for your love, support, and Dear Elders.

Love,
Sister Swain

(Me and Semba Shimai after Akiko Shimai's first "Preach My Gospel" lesson..


PS. We found a less active member as we went streeting the other day. He hadn’t been to church in 20 years! The Lord definitely placed him in our path.

Camera...Lost then Found! (email)

I have a funny story that happened today--today is preparation day, but we went to a member`s house for lunch--it took about 45 min. by bike to get to her house. We took a picture with this sweet member at the end, and I put my camera back into my bike basket. My bike basket cover was pretty old, so I had decided to buy a new one today--on our way back from the member`s house, my basket cover fell off two times before stopping by a store and buying a new one. I didn`t think too much of it, until we reached the mall where we were going to develop the pictures, and realized my camera was gone! Semba Shimai and I prayed together for God`s help to find it, then marked our way back to the store, then back to the member`s house, and didn`t find it. So then we went to the `police box` where you can report missing items, and if they are turned in, they`ll be returned to us. We talked to the police there, filled out a form...less than an hour later we got a call from them, saying the camera had been turned in! It must have fallen out of my basket, and someone brought it to the Police Box. I`m grateful God heard our prayers, and my camera was found!

Besides the camera drama today, this past week has been so wonderful, and full of miracles! Semba Shimai and I fasted and said a special prayer at the beginning of last week, because we really wanted to find those who are waiting to hear our message! After our fast, it seemed like each day there was just miracle after miracle that happened. One night we had a little bit of time to go housing--as we were riding our bikes we saw an apartment building that felt like a good place to go to. The very first person that answered the door was a nice, 50 year old woman who we found out had taken the lessons from the missionaries 20 years ago, but was afraid of water then so she hadn`t gotten baptized...but she`s no longer afraid of water! She came to church on Sunday, and wants to be baptized! Her name is Yamaguchi san...

We had invited another one of our investigators, Iizuka san, many times to be baptized, but she`d kept saying `no` even though she felt what we were teaching is true. She really believes in Jesus Christ and has pictures of him in her house. The last lesson we`d had with her, we had commited her to pray to God to know if God wanted her to be baptized or not. Last week when we went to visit her, she said she`d thought a lot about baptism, prayed, and wants to be baptized!! Her change of heart was truly a miracle--and true conversion! God definitely knows what`s best for us and will make us happy, and will tell us individually if we only ask Him...

I`m out of time today, but I wish I could tell about the many other little miracles we see each day as missionaries. This is truly God`s work, and I love being an instrument in His hands!

Love,
Sister Swain