Hey everyone!
Hope everyone had a great thanksgiving! I sure am thankful for all of you.
We had transfer calls but we're both staying in asahikawa!! Yay!! I love this place so much. It's the second biggest city in Hokkaido but it really isn't big at all. It's very comfortable. People say this area gets the most snow and we sure have gotten some of it! We got about a foot. Some of it melted but what baffles me the most is that they don't really plow the roads or shovel the sidewalks so it's kind of treacherous to walk around. But it's been fun. I fell twice haha (はずかしい) but that was fun too.
Today is the birthday of another elder who is serving in my ward. On the way to his apartment, while we were running since time is always limited as a missionary, I fell and popped the only balloon we had. So embarrassing. We didn't run after that haha. Sister free had a cake in her hand and we were like clugging along in our winter boots. I'm sure it was a fun sight for the people around us!
Also there's this sweet potato truck that goes around kind of like an ice cream truck, but sells delicious sweet potatoes. It is our dream to eat from one since it's supposed to be so good and we got really close but couldn't find which street it was driving on. It sings in a really deep voice about sweet potato. It's really weird but strangely enchanting.
On a more serious note though, This week was kind of hard. Lately I've been getting down on myself. I've felt so incredibly happy since I've come out, but then I started wondering why and if I was serious enough about the work and my ability as a missionary. But I think I took it a little too far and got really discouraged. The other day was really hard and honestly I felt like a failure. It is hard for me to feel gods love when I feel like that, so I've been praying really hard this week. I've also been repenting every day this week to try and purify my heart more and that's helped me. I'm still figuring it out, but on Sunday during sacrament meeting I really felt gods love for me again. I missed that feeling and felt bad that I had forgotten it. In the end, I know that God loves me and I'm grateful that he's looking out for me and for everyone. I'm grateful for the atonement and that his hands are always open, pleading for us to come back.
We also met with a non active we found in old records which was really exciting. We click really well and I love her so much. I want her to come back to church because coming to church makes me happy and brightens my day through feeling the spirit.
I'm out of time again but I love you all! Have a great week this week!
My address is here if you want to send me anything!
Sapporo shi chuo-Ku
Kita 2 Jo nishi 24-1-25
Hokkaido Japan
Love,
Massey shimai
Monday, November 30, 2015
Monday, November 23, 2015
Zone Conference and Snow!
Hi everyone!
This week was a solid one. We had zone conference with our mission president who I love so much and left us with a lot of great advice, workshops, and his amazing testimony. It helped me strengthen my faith in the lords plan for Japan and in how much it has grown in not a lot of time. In 1949 there were no chapels, and in 1974 when kaicho served here no one thought there would be a temple in Hokkaido. And now there is one. God hasn't given up on his people anywhere in the world. You and I included.
I loved one quote from zone conference: "if you make an effort, blessings will always come. They are waiting around the corner to show you that you are worthy to receive it."
Just being out here is a blessing. I have already changed so much and I've gotten to testify of Christ and of this gospel I love that has blessed my life. This week we tried making more appointments so we can get more member presents and we got so many! We just worked a little harder and were blessed so much for it. Also we found 3 new young people to teach which is amazing. We're very happy. Tomorrow is transfer calls though and were a little nervous but hopefully we'll both stay in asahikawa.
Funny story: I left the house to an appointment with shoes from two different pairs, one heels and one flats, and both were left feet. Our investigator got a laugh out of it but boy it was embarrassing.
I'm out of time but I love you all! Till next week! Thanks for all the emails. You guys light up my week.
Love
Massey shimai
This week was a solid one. We had zone conference with our mission president who I love so much and left us with a lot of great advice, workshops, and his amazing testimony. It helped me strengthen my faith in the lords plan for Japan and in how much it has grown in not a lot of time. In 1949 there were no chapels, and in 1974 when kaicho served here no one thought there would be a temple in Hokkaido. And now there is one. God hasn't given up on his people anywhere in the world. You and I included.
I loved one quote from zone conference: "if you make an effort, blessings will always come. They are waiting around the corner to show you that you are worthy to receive it."
Just being out here is a blessing. I have already changed so much and I've gotten to testify of Christ and of this gospel I love that has blessed my life. This week we tried making more appointments so we can get more member presents and we got so many! We just worked a little harder and were blessed so much for it. Also we found 3 new young people to teach which is amazing. We're very happy. Tomorrow is transfer calls though and were a little nervous but hopefully we'll both stay in asahikawa.
Funny story: I left the house to an appointment with shoes from two different pairs, one heels and one flats, and both were left feet. Our investigator got a laugh out of it but boy it was embarrassing.
I'm out of time but I love you all! Till next week! Thanks for all the emails. You guys light up my week.
Love
Massey shimai
Monday, November 16, 2015
Asahiyama zoo and Miracle
Hi everyone!
I miss you guys! Thanks for your emails and prayers as always!
This week we tried really hard to make a baptismal date with one of our investigators because she wants to do it! She knows it's true and loves the gospel but is scared. It makes us sad, but we're hoping she can still feel that we love her. It was a really sad lesson, we're just trying to see where we can go from here so she can progress.
I went on splits in suehiro and it was so great! I really needed it. We found a new investigator who was sooo prepared. Davis shimai and I both just sobbed afterwards because it was such a miracle. We really felt the spirit in that lesson. I'm grateful that we can feel that everyday. This week the things that bothered me before didn't bother me anymore. I was really happy this week and I think it's because I'm getting more into the work. It's true that when you forget yourself, you're happiest. I love you all! I'm excited to learn more how to show others love and completely give myself and increase my capacity to love as God loves.
We also got to go to the zoo today! It's apparently one of the top 3 in Japan so that's exciting. Here are some pictures:
I miss you guys! Thanks for your emails and prayers as always!
This week we tried really hard to make a baptismal date with one of our investigators because she wants to do it! She knows it's true and loves the gospel but is scared. It makes us sad, but we're hoping she can still feel that we love her. It was a really sad lesson, we're just trying to see where we can go from here so she can progress.
I went on splits in suehiro and it was so great! I really needed it. We found a new investigator who was sooo prepared. Davis shimai and I both just sobbed afterwards because it was such a miracle. We really felt the spirit in that lesson. I'm grateful that we can feel that everyday. This week the things that bothered me before didn't bother me anymore. I was really happy this week and I think it's because I'm getting more into the work. It's true that when you forget yourself, you're happiest. I love you all! I'm excited to learn more how to show others love and completely give myself and increase my capacity to love as God loves.
We also got to go to the zoo today! It's apparently one of the top 3 in Japan so that's exciting. Here are some pictures:
Monday, November 9, 2015
SAPPORO TEMPLE IS BEAUTIFUL
Hi everyone!
You're all inspirations to me こんしゅがんばてね.
Thanks always for your emails. They're great pick me ups and it's so nice to hear from you all!
This week was a little harder. I went on splits in kotoni and ebetsu which are both around Sapporo area. It was different and kind of stressful but I'm grateful for the experience and for the opportunity I had to learn.
Such a blessing to be able to see Sapporo Temple. I'll get to go in since it should open before next winter. Yay!
It's starting to get a little colder. Last night it dropped down to -6 C but it hasn't snowed too much yet. It'll be fun .
One scripture I loved this week: 2 nephi 26:23-25.
23 For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you that the Lord God worketh not in darkness.
24 He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shallnot partake of his salvation.
25 Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price.
I know that everything he did is for us to be happy. "Men are that they might have joy." And I'm so grateful for that. I'm so grateful to be here and share this gospel with those around me. The members love the temple so much and I love hearing them talk about it. Right now
they have to fly to get to the nearest one, which is in Tokyo. I'm so excited for them to have a temple pretty soon.
I love you guys! Have a great week this week! Don't forget that God loves you and is aware of you and is reaching out right now. I love love love you all!!
Love,
Massey shimai
Monday, November 2, 2015
Miracle Week!
Hi everyone!
First off, I love you all. Your emails give me so much strength and make me so happy! Thank you!!
This week was a straight party. One investigator and her member friend taught us how to make some desserts and we were able to give her a Book of Mormon, which she finally is showing some interest in. We finished our area book records!! Yay! That was a huge blessing. We prepped for the Halloween party coming up and two investigators came to that! One is Mami chan who is the cutest. We get along so well and it was great to meet her and talk to her like forever. But reiko San from our English class came too and brought her teenage daughters! She wants to start doing free family English program, which is means we teach her 30 min of English, and 30 min about the gospel. So that means she'll be a new investigator which makes us so happy. She's been coming for awhile and for her to make this step is so cool and such a blessing. She's the funniest lady and her daughters are sweet and made us cookies for Halloween. At English class, eikaiwa, two new people came. One of them was a lady we gave a flier to on the street and she actually came! We do that like everyday but we haven't seen much results from it so for her to come was such a blessing. Then we had the Halloween party on Saturday and we were afraid not many people would come but there were like 80 people and the church was packed. I'd say only 25 were members so we got to talk to a lot of people about English class and spend time with the kids. So fun. Many people were interested in eikaiwa so that was a HUGE blessing. This ward that I'm in has so much missionary fire in them, it's unbelievable. They care so much about this gospel and it's because they see how much it has blessed them that they want to share it with others. It's great to be able to work alongside the members. And then we were going to visit one lady in the hospital but free shimai felt she should go visit an old investigators house even though she knew she'd still be in Thailand, but we went and she was outside. Apparently she'd come out of the house just 5 minutes earlier and she didn't know why be she did. She's been through so much and it was good to be able to listen to her story and get to know her. I felt so much love talking with her yesterday. She doesn't think us meeting her was a coincidence and apparently it's happened many times before where it shouldn't have happened because she's never in Japan but every time she is for like a week or so, we end up at her house. I love her testimony of the lord and his love.
I love the people here so much and it breaks my heart thinking that I'll have to leave them eventually. I know God has a plan for each of us and that he wants to be with us all the time, we just have to let him into our lives. This week was a hard lesson about not doubting the lord and not limiting what the lord can do. I do that a lot, maybe because it's easier, but I know that this is his work and he works to bring about his purpose, which is to bring his children back to him. Because he misses us. I'm grateful to be a missionary and a member of this church and I know that when we turn our lives over to him that he works everything out because he knows us better than we know ourselves. I love you all! Have a great week this week! あいしてるよ！
Love
Massey shimai
PS sorry my English is so bad. It'll probably only get worse from here on out lol. Thanks for bearing with me
First off, I love you all. Your emails give me so much strength and make me so happy! Thank you!!
This week was a straight party. One investigator and her member friend taught us how to make some desserts and we were able to give her a Book of Mormon, which she finally is showing some interest in. We finished our area book records!! Yay! That was a huge blessing. We prepped for the Halloween party coming up and two investigators came to that! One is Mami chan who is the cutest. We get along so well and it was great to meet her and talk to her like forever. But reiko San from our English class came too and brought her teenage daughters! She wants to start doing free family English program, which is means we teach her 30 min of English, and 30 min about the gospel. So that means she'll be a new investigator which makes us so happy. She's been coming for awhile and for her to make this step is so cool and such a blessing. She's the funniest lady and her daughters are sweet and made us cookies for Halloween. At English class, eikaiwa, two new people came. One of them was a lady we gave a flier to on the street and she actually came! We do that like everyday but we haven't seen much results from it so for her to come was such a blessing. Then we had the Halloween party on Saturday and we were afraid not many people would come but there were like 80 people and the church was packed. I'd say only 25 were members so we got to talk to a lot of people about English class and spend time with the kids. So fun. Many people were interested in eikaiwa so that was a HUGE blessing. This ward that I'm in has so much missionary fire in them, it's unbelievable. They care so much about this gospel and it's because they see how much it has blessed them that they want to share it with others. It's great to be able to work alongside the members. And then we were going to visit one lady in the hospital but free shimai felt she should go visit an old investigators house even though she knew she'd still be in Thailand, but we went and she was outside. Apparently she'd come out of the house just 5 minutes earlier and she didn't know why be she did. She's been through so much and it was good to be able to listen to her story and get to know her. I felt so much love talking with her yesterday. She doesn't think us meeting her was a coincidence and apparently it's happened many times before where it shouldn't have happened because she's never in Japan but every time she is for like a week or so, we end up at her house. I love her testimony of the lord and his love.
I love the people here so much and it breaks my heart thinking that I'll have to leave them eventually. I know God has a plan for each of us and that he wants to be with us all the time, we just have to let him into our lives. This week was a hard lesson about not doubting the lord and not limiting what the lord can do. I do that a lot, maybe because it's easier, but I know that this is his work and he works to bring about his purpose, which is to bring his children back to him. Because he misses us. I'm grateful to be a missionary and a member of this church and I know that when we turn our lives over to him that he works everything out because he knows us better than we know ourselves. I love you all! Have a great week this week! あいしてるよ！
Love
Massey shimai
PS sorry my English is so bad. It'll probably only get worse from here on out lol. Thanks for bearing with me
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