Dearest Family, Friends, and Missionaries,
We had Tenkin Happyou today... Transfer calls! I was very surprised
to hear that I am being transferred to Kisarazu! I thought for sure that I would
be with Sakamoto Shimai again as I have been helping her prepare for an English
test she will be taking in July. She will become Area Sempai here and will become
companions with Gushiken Shimai, one of my douki from the MTC! I know that they
will accomplish great things here. In the meantime, I am going from a ward of 300+
to a branch of about 30. It should be a different experience. I will transfer on
Wednesday.
We met with our investigator named Sakura twice this last week!
We had an appointment for Tuesday night, and she called us Tuesday evening to say
she couldn't make it anymore. We were shocked when she offered to meet right then
instead! We gave her a tour of the church, and she was super excited about the picture
of Christ appearing to the Nephites. Sakura is half Colombian, so I think that has
special meaning for her. Sakamoto Shimai was amazing and talked almost the entire
time in Spanish!
We really wanted to show Hibiki chan the Restoration video, but
she said that she couldn't come to the church, and we couldn't find it in Japanese
on the iPad... so, we used the iPad to film it! We brought a blanket and sat outside
her apartment and watched the Restoration. It was pretty sweet. I look forward for
the day when Hibiki can be baptized.
Sakamoto Shimai and I have started doing surprise visits for
members, and it seems to work out! We visited the Primary President, and she and
her family were so excited to see missionaries at their house. They cleaned the
house for us really quickly and then gathered around to listen to our message. We
asked the parents to share some experiences from the missions, and we could tell
that this wasn't the first time the children had heard these stories. Our ward mission
leader had told us that most children in Japan never see their parents bear testimony
of anything outside of church, but I feel that we proved him wrong.
I am so grateful for the roles of parents in family. Parents
can fill their homes with light and truth. Parents can help their children learn
and grow in a spiritual environment. I am so grateful for my parents who so lovingly
raised me. I wouldn't be here without them.
Love, Crandall Shimai
PS: Shout out to my best friend Tori who is leaving on July 15th
for the Tonga Nuku'alofa mission! I know that she will do great things!
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