This week was busy and went by so fast. Our days were filled with lessons, miracles, missing trains and going on splits with other sisters in the zones we are working with. It was a lot of fun! I am exhausted, but so happy.
First things first. Yesterday I got to cross another thing off of my bucket list. Sister Crump and I were housing and we were chased by a dog. IT WAS SO SCARY! I have had a couple of scares in my mission and there are always those dogs that bark at you and give you a heart attack. Well this was my first "unleashed dog/run for your life" type of experience. We are OK. It bit Sister Crump's planner though :) We have teeth marks to prove it.
Sister Crump and I have really been practicing our lessons and the Japanese with it. I am sure I have been driving her crazy every time I ask her if we can practice just one more time. Last week we worked on the plan of salvation. We must have gone over it a million times and then we went out and started working. One of our last contacts of the day was a woman in her 50s. Her husband had suddenly passed away from a brain tumor in August. She said she was out on a walk remembering the experiences she had with her husband when we bumped into her. She was tearing up as we talked with her about her husband. It was really neat being able to watch Sister Crump be able to have the "Japanese" she needed to testify and teach this woman about eternal families and the plan that our Heavenly Father has for us. The woman was really touched. She gave Sister Crump a handshake afterwards (this is not a "hugging" society, but a handshake is better than a bow). I know that as we put in all that we can, that Heavenly Father strengthens us and gives us opportunities to share what we know. It was a really neat tender mercy.
Also this week we had another really big miracle. Our investigator Yuka Chan is progressing towards baptism. She reads more of the Book of Mormon than I ever did when I was 15 years old. She is enthusiastically studying, learning and applying the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This week we taught about faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the holy ghost and enduring to the end. She has a baptismal date and was able to see a baptismal service a couple of weeks ago. But when we taught the lesson she just wasn't excited as I thought she might have been. I couldn't understand what was going on. I asked her if she had any questions and she didn't seem to have any. Then before we were about to end I just got the prompting again that I should ask her what her biggest concern about baptism was. When I asked her she took a big sigh and said that she had read somethings on the internet and it had made the church seem really strict. She was nervous that if she became a member what would happen. The member who joined us in the lesson did a great job of explaining the purpose behind different commandments and guidelines that we have in church and reminded Yuka Chan that her baptismal date was not set in stone and that we would teach her everything so that when she came to that point she would be able to decide for herself what she wanted. As we testified and taught about commandments and the blessings that come with baptism Yuka Chan regained that excitement for her baptismal goal. I am so grateful for the promptings of the spirit. I feel like if that hadn't been addressed early that it could have been really easy for her to decide to stop meeting with us. Especially since coming on a mission I have seen, felt and experienced the blessings that come from being obedient and following the commandments that God has established for us. There is no need for me to go through uncharted waters. I have the assurance that as I follow with faith the teachings of our Heavenly Father that I will be blessed. I have seen it time and time again. I am grateful for that knowledge and the peace it gives me. Please pray for Yuka Chan that as we finish up these last couple of lessons that she will feel peace and excitement about her baptismal date.
I love you all! Thanks for your letters and encouragement. I hope you have a great week! Good luck with Basketball season! :)
Love you!
Hawkins Shimai
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