Tenkin

The District

Dearest Family, Friends, and Missionaries,

This last week I stressed a lot about the upcoming Tenkin Happyou... Transfer calls! Teruya Shimai and I have seen so many miracles this tenkin, and I am so grateful for her wonderful example! I was hoping that we would be able to work together for at least one more transfer, especially since we have three baptisms planned for May... But the Lord has called Teruya Shimai to serve elsewhere. She will be training one of my douki from the MTC! I will be staying in Matsudo for another transfer, with Sakamoto Shimai! I feel so grateful to be able to stay. I know that I will see many more miracles this next tenkin!

We met with Reika last week, and we invited her to be baptized! She accepted the date of May 31st, so we will work toward that. The Young Women have been wonderful in participating in lessons and fellowshipping our investigators. They are really feeling the fire of missionary work, and I believe that it will continue to spread to the rest of the ward as well. As the ward gets involved, miracles happen. Missionary work is nothing without the members!

The Zone

One interesting thing about the Tokyo Mission is that we do a lot of phone dendou, meaning we teach people over the phone! A lot of people are too busy to meet, but we can teach them lessons over the phone. It shows how God has prepared means for us to do His work. We're also going to start using Skype more because Miki, who is supposed to get baptized on May 10th, lives far away and hasn't been taught very many lessons. The opportunities available to us excite me. This truly is the Lord's work, and He will hasten it.

I feel very inadequate in many regards. I have difficulty understanding my investigators, and I have difficulty saying the things I want to say. I know that as I rely on the Savior in all things, I will be able to say the things He would have me say. He can turn my weaknesses into strengths.

I am so grateful for my mission. I feel that I am learning so much about what I want in life, who I want to become, the kind of person I want to marry... I am so grateful for the opportunity to take a step back from life and see how I can improve. There are so many things I want to change when I go back.

I know that my Redeemer lives!

Love, Crandall Shimai