つくば

Dearest Family and Friends,

With another transfer under my belt (except I guess I don't wear a belt... under my arm かな), I will be moving from Koshigaya to a new area!  I've been in Koshigaya for six months, so It'll be hard to leave.  But, at the same time, I am a little tired of all the ekis and roads in this little area.  I'll miss it, but I'm excited to go somewhere new!

As many of you may have guessed already (based on the title of my email), I have been transferred to つくば！ For those of you who don't speak or read the Celestial Language, I've been transferred to Tsukuba!  It's a part of Matsudo Stake, so for exchanges I'll be able to return to my beloved bean area!  I look forward to working with Sister Burke, a sweet sister who is deathly allergic to fish.  Sorry Dad, I probably won't come home loving sea food.

This last week was a lot of fun.  Miki, my recent convert from Matsudo, came to Koshigaya on Tuesday and we had lunch together!  It was so fun to talk with her.  She is currently a Relief Society teacher in Matsudo Ward, and she'll probably start taking the temple prep lessons soon!  She loves interacting with the sisters' investigators there.  I didn't know this, but Miki told me that to get baptized she changed jobs!  She wanted to be able to come to church every Sunday, so she quit working at the company where she was employed and started working somewhere with the expectation that she wouldn't have to work on Sundays.  She says that it's farther away, and it's a little 大変、but she loves being able to come to church every week.  I love Miki so much, and I look forward to going to the temple with her this August/September!

We had the Yamashita Kaichou conference this last week.  President Yamashita from the Asia North Area Presidency and his wife came and spoke to us about everything under the sun - from cleanliness to opening our mouths to loving our companions to having effective study... It was really insightful, but a little overwhelming.  He and his wife are both super adorable, though.

The next day we had MLC in Tokyo all day.  That was also really inspiring.  It was probably my last MLC of my mission though as I am no longer a Sister Training Leader and I will probably be training my last two transfers.

Saturday we had a youth activity, and only one youth came.  Shion kun is a trooper!  (yeah, his name is Shion, like Zion!)  There was also an investigator who brought a friend and a few single adults that came.  All in all, it was a fun activity.  I shared a short thought from the scriptures and then taught them a hula dance.  Sadly, none of the young women could come, but I feel like it was a success.

I'm so grateful for my mom!  Mom, I love you so much!  I hope that you had a wonderful Mother's Day.  Please know that I am always thinking of you and praying for you.  神よまた逢うまで!

I am ever grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ, for His Atonement, and for His love.  I know that He lives.  I know that He loves me.  I know that He sacrificed Himself for me, that I can return to my Father in Heaven.  I am ever grateful for this important truth, that He loves us!

Happy Mother's Day!

Love, Crandall Shimai