Blog: New Japanese Bean

Kozaki shimai and I

So this week was just CRAZY!! I AM A NEW MOM!!! CRAZY miracles, CRAZY
schedule, just all around CRAZINESS!
So this last week was transfer week, and my beloved companion of three
transfers was transferred to ube. A place about 6 hours north of
Taniyama. So we were basically running around trying to have fun in
our last moments, do missionary work, and pack and say goodbyes! So
that was really crazy. We were companions for 3 transfers and we saw
SO many miracles! I just love that girl to death! She always laughed
at my jokes and did the funniest things! I cried after she left!! But
I know it will not be the last time I see her, gonna bring her back to
America with me! So I guess I will have to leave one suitcase halfway
empty, she is small so she'll fit :) However right after her leaving
finally registered in my mind I was quite stricken with fear and
excitement because I realized that this trainer thing was actually
happening. And she did truly come. Her name is Kozaki shimai from
Nagoya, yes, she is Japanese :) I am still trying to get the hang of
things, but the night before when I found out who my new companion was
I cried because I felt very, very unprepared to train, and a Japanese
bean at that! But oh how the Lord makes weak things strong.
I feel very much that this is part of God's plan for me. I have
learned so much from Kozaki shimai and have been very blessed to
receive some very much needed humble pie. So basically to sum her up,
she is the greatest! It has been nothing but miracles since she came!
I still feel very inadequate as a trainer, but that is when I have
realized the Lord's hand in my life the greatest. But the miracles
started Tuesday I guess. So this lady that was a former investigator
from way before I came here texted us on Tuesday and said that she
wanted to study from the Book of Mormon together. So very excited to
have her lesson this week. Then my bean came. And she speaks Japanese
so I just accompanied her to the bike place and she knew everything
that was going on and took care of it herself while I stared at shiny
new bikes. Then we had to do some iPad training on Saturday and had a
super fun ping-pong night! A lot of people showed up. Then on Sunday,
miracle explosion! So in the morning we had a baptism! The elders
investigator Yamashita-san. He is the Dad of mine and Kashiwa shimai's
investigator shotaro-kun. So they are well on their way to an eternal
family! He is such a wonderful guy and I am so blessed to know their
family. The Lord really does love and help his childern!
So then after the baptism we had sacrament meeting and during
sacrament meeting we got a text from one of our investigators saying
that she couldn't come. So we were a bit bummed about that. But oh how
the Lord always brings in the blessings. So after sacrament meeting
had ended one of the members came up to us and said that this new lady
who had come to eikaiwa last week was at the church. And I was like
very confused because first they said it in Japanese and second I
couldn't figure out why in the world she was there. But apparently she
had gone to church when she was little but never had the courage to
come after that until she came to english class at the church and
realized that she wanted to come, so she came on her own. So I grabbed
one of the strongest members we have and tried to organize my thoughts
into a lesson and we had a very jumbled yet spiritual lesson due to my
bean-chan being so awesome, and the member sharing her experiences.
The spirit was strong! Then we made an appointment for her next week
and she is just so solid!
Then after church we had some meeting and we were able to talk to the
branch president and get his input on a lot of things, which really
helped us as missionaries being able to understand how we can help the
branch. He also gave us a lot of ideas and direction as to what we
should do next. He also informed us on a temple class they will be
starting because we have had so many recent convert members lately so
they want to keep them progressing. We are so blessed! We were also
able to talk with him about getting Mayu shimai (one of our recent
converts who went less active but now is crazy strong and having
spiritual experiences DAILY!) a calling and a temple recommend
interview next week! To be honest when I first met her I thought she
would never come to this point, but oh me of little faith. She is
seriously one of the strongest members right now I think, plus I just
love the girl to death. She's hilarious! So ya, crazy day at church.
Then we planned for a lesson which did not go as planned. Kumamoto-san
is an 81 year old grandma who is way super nice and wants to learn
about the gospel. She made an return appointment last week, but when
she answered the door this time, it seemed she had forgotten and that
she has been busy and will continue to be busy so she couldn't make a
return appointment with her. I can't really understand her Japanese
because she uses a lot of difficult words, but it seems like she is
having a lot of issues with money and family and she is trying to
clean out her apartment to move. So that is why she couldn't meet with
us. So we tried to say we could help her clean and move, and that she
would be helping us by letting us help her (because Japanese people do
not accept help from anyone) but she said she would have to refuse. So
basically we planned on inviting her to be baptized and in the end she
dropped us. And my bean still being pure in heart and soul cried
afterwards because she felt that she couldn't help this poor old
woman. That's is when we had a bit of a heart to heart.
But here's the kicker. Remember a few weeks back when we had all these
investigators suddenly drop us out of nowhere. I felt very frustrated
and sad at the time always thinking about "what if..." And then
gradually I started to trust in God and His plan and move forward with
that faith that He is all powerful and can take care of anyone and
that I had done my part and to leave the rest to Him. I think I now
understand why I needed that experience. So that I could explain to my
companion that she had done all that was asked of her. And that maybe
our part in helping that person was over, but to know that God will
take care of them. That we are passing that investigator to God, not
dropping them. And although we feel sad that they choose to not
continue forward, we should not feel guilty because that is the devil
working down our trust in God. So after that we got up, brushed off
the dust of our feet, and moved forward into helping more prepared
people God needed us to meet.
Haha, and you think the miracles stop there. Then that night after we
got home we got a phone call from a number I did not know. It was a
lady who said she would come to a church activity in 2009. Yes, 2009.
Who felt guilty about not going and wanted to meet with us and
apologize to the elders who invited her. Well, obviously those elders
are long gone(however I did not know she wanted to apologize to them
until after we hung up, so I hope that Beer and Ratzlaff chourou
resemble the 2009 elders... haha) but we get to meet with her today,
and she apparently wants to be friends with us, too. Not sure if she
wants the lessons yet, but we will see today I guess :)
So basically their are so many miracles that I can barely keep my head
on straight. But oh how the Lord blesses his servants! I am so happy
that I have this opportunity to train, and hope to learn a lot more!
The church is true, and this work truly is marvelous! I hope you all
have a fantastic last week of may!
Also HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOM!!!!! And happy anniversary mom and dad!
Hope you have a good one!

Love,
Johnson Shimai