Too busy is never a problem for a missionary

What we see on our morning run!

Shrines and ancient temples all over the city

It is transfer week so I am emailing a day later, but I just wanted to tell dad HAPPY FATHERS DAY!  :)  I sent you a card, but I snuck some goodies in it so we`ll see if it makes it all the way to you!  Father`s Day happened to be full of miracles for us.  We were so busy running from appointment to appointment that we ate breakfast at 7, skipped lunch and ate a quick dinner at 8.  But the whole day I was just SO HAPPY!  Being too busy is never a bad problem for a missionary.  

We had three investigators at church!  And one of them was a family!  We had a great discussion with them about the peace and comfort that comes from anchoring our families in God and Jesus Christ.  The mother just smiled the whole time and when we asked her if that was what she wanted for her family she answered with tears YES!  We were able to teach so many lessons as well on Sunday!  At the beginning of the transfer we dropped almost all of our investigators so we have spent a majority of our time finding those who will listen.  Therefore, very few actually sit down lessons.  But Sunday we taught three people with members!  That is a miracle in and of itself in this area.  And in every lesson I really felt like our investigators were progressing and coming closer to their Heavenly Father.  And somehow our joints (the members who helped us teach) were just the PERFECT match for everyone of our investigators!  I have found over and over again that as long as we do everything within our power and work really hard that God really does make up the rest and more.  

We went through a phone this week and called all of our potential investigators and found little success.  Most everyone either hung up on us or said they really didn't have any interest.  I left a message on one phone and Saturday night we had him call back.  We played phone tag several times, but finally were able to speak to him.  I answered the phone (and for me the phone is the hardest thing to understand in a different language so I was a little nervous) I couldn't believe it when I heard him say that he was interested and wanted to meet!  We set up an appointment with him for Sunday and when we went with a member to meet we found out that it was actually a husband and wife!  The wife had a sudden death in the family and her husband was searching for anything that could bring her happiness when we called.  He took it as a sign from God and set up an appointment.  Our cute member that came with us was so wonderful.  She joined the church when her mother passed away and she shared a beautiful testimony about how families can be eternal through Jesus Christ.  

My testimony has really been strengthened this transfer.  I was NOT excited to leave Okinawa.  I was under the impression that I was stuck in a really tough area without much potential.  However, I have learned that Heavenly Father is preparing people in every part of the world.  We found 10 new investigators this week.  TEN!  The average for our mission per week is one.  It was absolutely crazy.  Hard work is essential, but faith is even more so.  We are currently teaching investigators that are Vietnamese, Chinese, Nepalese, Polish, Brazilian, Filipino, and Hispanic.  Fun does not even describe our lessons :)  It is an adventure.  I am learning so, so much.  I am so blessed!  I love what I am doing.  I am so grateful for this opportunity.  

Our friend from Napal

Have a wonderful week!  I love you!

Hawkins Shimai

Lots of Languages, Lots of Blessings

We played a joke on the sisters in our district…We said because of potential earthquakes Sisters should wear their helmets to bed :)

Apparently some believed us :)

Don't worry I am feeling a lot better.  I got a call from our district leader saying REST, so I spent all day Monday inside sleeping.  I had a super high fever and then I woke up that night and felt much much better.  The medicine finally kicked in and I am normal, healthy me now.  

A morning run 

Two Japanese girls asked us to play games with them

My desk

Sister Oi by our apartment parking place….the caption says "Mr. Christ's Church"

My bike had a flat so I used an old missionaries bike….but where was the key to the lock?  Hummm!

What you can find when you are lost!

Saga ward Church building

Sister Oi and I 

I have to tell you about my week!  I wish you were all just here to see what happens on a daily basis.  Nothing is ever dull when you spend your whole day speaking a foreign language and ride a bike in a skirt.  First off!  Yesterday!  Oi Shimai and I have been praying to find a Chinese investigator.  There is a perfectly good Chinese Book of Mormon just waiting in both of our bags to be given away.  We searched all week!  And this week was HARD.  No one would listen.  Kurume is a special place.  I have never ever worked in an area this hard.  We usually contact over a hundred people a day and typically at least seventy percent will listen.  In Kurume we get about 20%.  As soon as a say hello people "Kekko" ("I'm good!") us.  So frustrating!  I asked someone on the street if they could spend eternity with their family, be reunited after they die, how would they feel?  She looked at me and said "iranai" ("I don't need that").  Come on!  This is the greatest message ever!  But Oi Shimai and I have been working SO hard.  Poor girl she only has one week left on her mission and she is exhausted, but she's been working so much!  I love her!  But we went really all week without seeing any major success.  It was really frustrating.  But I have learned that when really hard things happen there is almost always something wonderful about to happen.  And guess what?!?!  It did!

We showed up for church on Sunday and found out that Elder Tashiro, a member of the seventy would be there and was speaking.  I was really excited.  Our mission president talks about Elder Tashiro all the time and about how wonderful of a person he is so I was excited to meet him.  Then we had a member come up to us and introduce her non-member friend, Yuki to us.  She is super nice!  Really tall, has two sons and guess what.... she is CHINESE!  But best part is is that she has lived in Japan for a long time so she speaks perfect Japanese!  We sat next to her during sacrament meeting and Oi Shimai and I were practically in giggles.  We couldn't believe it.  Then Elder Tashiro gave a talk.  He called up people from the congregation and had them bare a brief testimony.  The first girl was a freshman in HS.  She shared a wonderful testimony about how the gospel blesses families.  It set the whole stage for the rest of the time.  The spirit was so strong too!  I got called up and almost fainted.  But it all went really well!  And Yuka... she loved it!  She cried!   She left after sacrament meeting with tears in her eyes saying that she wanted her boys to be in an environment like this. Elder Tashiro gave a wonderful talk about families and Christ and it really touched Yuki. I was sad to see her leave after sacrament meeting, but she came back 3rd hour with one of her sons! He absolutely loved church too. They stayed for Elder Tashiro's fireside as well. Elder Tashiro during the middle of the fireside had Yuki come up in front of everyone and share how she felt coming to church. It was INCREDIBLE! The neatest experience I have had on my mission. This mother wants her and her two sons to be baptized. I was in awe the whole Sunday. Best member present lesson ever :) The whole experience really helped strengthen my faith that when we work hard, when we work smart and have faith, Heavenly Father allows miracles to happen.  I am so grateful to be here.  I am having an absolute blast doing what really matters.  I love it!  I am learning so so much!

Have a wonderful week!  I love you!

Hawkins Shimai

P.S. 

Pray for me!  Almost every single one of our investigators is a foreigner!  Nepalese, Vietnamese, Chinese, Taiwanese, Indian, etc.  If you thought Japanese was hard try Vietnamese!  Crazy

Training in Nagasaki :)

Our view from the train on the way to Nagasaki

Riding the bullet train….Sorry for the technical difficulty

Sister Messer and Sister Suzuki

Training the Sisters in Nagasaki

This week was jam packed with lots of missionary work!  Oi Shimai and I went via the bullet train to visit and go on junkais (splits) with the four Nagasaki Shimai tachi (4 Sister missionaries in Nagasaki).  It takes us two hours in travel time, so we woke up early Monday morning, spent preparation day with them visiting lots of temples in and around Nagasaki and then spent the next two days there seeing lots of miracles and working hard.  It was great to get to know them better.  It made me grateful to see how hard and effective they are working and to be able to help them out in any way.  I got to work a lot with Lane Shimai.  We were both in the same Missionary Training Center district.  It was so fun to connect with her after almost a year!  We had a blast biking the CRAZY hills in Nagasaki and visiting investigators.  

We did have a scary experience however.  It was almost 8, completely dark and we knocked on an older woman's door that the missionaries had met a couple days before.  I think she might have had Alzheimer's because she had absolutely no idea who we were even though we told her several times that we were missionaries for the church.  She didn't open her door but we thought we heard her putting her shoes on so we waited patiently for about a minute.  Suddenly she was standing right next to us outside (she must have gone around the back)  she looked a little like the older lady in Harry Potter who turns into a snake.   Lane Shimai (Sister Lane) and I booked it out of there so quickly!  But we did see some neat miracles.  We found a potential investigator and exchanged numbers.   The Nagasaki sisters just called us and let us know that they met with her and were able to make a baptismal date with her!  It is so incredible to see how Heavenly Father really does have prepared children just waiting for the gospel.  Overall Nagasaki was a blast.  It is a fun place to work.  There is a large Catholic presence (something that is extremely rare in Japan)  so we were able to teach a lot about the restoration of the gospel. 

It was nice to come home though!  Slept in our own futons for the first time in a long time :) Oi Shimai (Sister Oi) and I spent the rest of the week working hard in our own area, Kurume.  We have been focusing on "gaijin den do"...Finding foreigner investigators.  I cannot even begin to explain what miracles we saw.  We prayed all day long to give away our Chinese Book of Mormon.  We started talking to a girl with great Japanese and invited her to our free English class.  She said thanks but she was really focusing on Japanese because she is from Taiwan!  We shared about the Book of Mormon she enthusiastically accepted a copy and we made an appointment for this week!  

We found lots of new investigators this week too!   I've found that the more people I talk to the more people we find that are willing to hear our message.  So many wonderful things happened this week!  But lastly, since I got in this area almost a month ago not a single investigator has come to church (that could be due partly to the fact that there were barely any investigators to start with), but this Sunday we planned to bike with one of our investigators (Hoan) to church .  He is Vietnamese and so genuinely kind!  He let us know that he was going to be a little bit late.

Our Vietnamese investigator :)

When he finally showed up he had with him two of his friends that we had taught and invited!  We had THREE investigators at church this Sunday!  It was a huge miracle.  I have learned that as we exercise our faith, do cheerfully all things that lie within our power and then leave the rest up to God that great things happen.  I am so grateful for this experience.  I am working hard, I am learning LOTS and I am having an absolute blast sharing the best message :)

I love you guys!  I hope you have a great week!  Have a great last couple days of school!  Love you!

Hawkins Shimai

A New Adventure!

Every week on the mission brings a new adventure, but this week has to top it all.  This letter is going to be a little short, we are taking the bullet train to Nagasaki to do some splits (exchanging missionary companionships) with the sisters over there so we have to make the train (riding it totally takes me back to Harry Potter with all the kids in their uniforms).  

We weren't making progress with most of our investigators in the area so after praying about it we dropped almost all of our investigators this week (except for Chuondad so keep praying for him please!).  It was a sad time for us.  This area is crazy and so, so hard!  It's never fun starting from ground zero.  But we were able to see huge miracles.  Wednesday we went on splits with the other sisters in Kurume.  I had a blast!  Messer Shimai (Sister Messer) became my companion (she is so cute, looks like Clancy!  She's SO tall!)  and we had a blast.  We were able to find a new investigator for them and learn lots of new ways to share the gospel.  

Tuesday I had my first experience with... Japanese hospitals!  For the last two weeks I have been super sick.  Coughing all through the night.  I had a high fever and I finally gave up and with lots of prompting from Oi Shimai (Sister Oi) I called the mission nurse and she recommended that I go immediately to the hospital.  I had a high enough fever that they quarantined me to my own little room with a mask.  So embarrassing!  Oi Shimai and I got to know each other too well waiting in that tiny room.  They don't know what I have, but it was a fun (and totally scary) adventure in the Japanese hospital.  

Thursday we had zone training meeting in Nagasaki.  We had a two hour train ride and Oi Shimai and I delivered our first training.  It was totally nerve racking!  

Friday and Saturday were basically our only days to work, but we worked so hard!  We were able to find 4 new investigators!  That has never happened on my mission!  I felt so blessed.  One of the girls we met came to the church and had a lesson with us.  She said she was really interested!  I am so grateful.  In "Preach My Gospel" it says that Heavenly Father will lead you to prepared people and he will lead prepared people to you and I have really seen that this week!  I am so grateful to have this opportunity to serve a mission.  Especially this week being really sick, I am grateful for the opportunity I have to just WORK.  Have a great week!

Sorry I can't figure out how to turn this :)  After planning at night for the next day, exhaustion set in !

Hawkins Shimai

Adjusting to a new area :)

I can't believe how fast time goes by!  I've decided that on a mission the days are long but the years are short.  I celebrated my year mark with a box of easy mac that Angie sent me when I was in the MTC (Mission Training Center) :)  Don't worry it had only expired the week before :)!  It was a nice taste of America for my one year old "Mission B-day".  

This week in Kurume was an adventure.  I finally got my bike fixed and I am starting to get a hang of things.  I did tell Oi Shimai (Sister Oi) that if she ever did leave me stranded somewhere I didn't think I would be able to make it back to the apartment.  I think the thought was tempting her :)  so if I don't email next week you know what's happened to me!  I love working with Oi Shimai (Sister Oi).  Heavenly Father has really taken care of me.  I think he knew I would be upset about leaving Okinawa so he gave me Oi Shimai instead.  We have been having a blast!  This area is HARD.  We had MLC (mission leadership council) week with all the APs (Assistants to the Mission President), zone leaders and Sister Training Leaders and our mission president this week.  It was really, really good.  We learned our Kaicho's (mission president) vision for this transfer and what we can implement in our zone training meeting and during junkai's (splits).  I also got to see all the zone leaders and sister training leaders (like Sister Lewis my Mission Training Center companion and the Okinawa elders and lots of other people) which was fun.  But Kaicho let it slip that Kurume is a hard area.   He knew it was hard!  I usually really like that guy, but at that moment I just wanted to cry.  So we really stepped it up this week.  I like TEACHING.  And in order to do that you need to find investigators so we've been working so hard.  An average amount of contacts in our area ( if you really try hard and meet the standards) is 120.  We did 340.  I am exhausted, but it paid off and we found four new investigators.  We're still starting from ground zero and there is a possibility that these people won't pan out but I'm really hopeful and I keep telling Heavenly Father that we are desperate and we will talk to ANYONE that is within our vision so just send those kinjin (golden investigators) our way and we'll find them!  

This week we have zone training meeting (I'm a little freaked out to train the zone).  They are all such AWESOME missionaries) and our first junkai (companion splits) as Sister Training leaders.  

In other ground breaking news, I have officially become Japanese.  I used a squatter toilet for the first time.  I finally became desperate enough.  Lots of the members have a hard time remembering Hawkins Shimai so I told them if I was actually Japanese I would want to be Miyuki Chan and so members have started calling me by my Japanese name :)  

I love my companion, I am learning to love my area, I love the sisters I'm working with and I am so grateful to have this opportunity.

I love you guys!  Have a great week!

Hawkins Shimai

Writing from a very old computer

I　ａｍ　ｉｎ　Ｋｕｒｕｍｅ！　　Ｉ　ｌｏｖｅ　ｉｔ！　　Ｍｙ　ｃｏｍｐａｎｉｏｎ　Ｓｉｓｔｅｒ Ｏｉ　ｉｓ　ｗｏｎｄｅｒｆｕｌ．　　Ｓｈｅ　ｋｅｅｐｓ　ｍｅ　ｌａｕｇｈｉｎｇ．　　Ｉｔ'ｓ　ｂｅｅｎ　ａ　ｇｒｅａｔ　ｗｅｅｋ　ａｎｄ　ａ　ｗｅｔ　ｏｎｅ．　　＿ｒａｉｎｙ　ｓｅａｓｏｎ　ａｓ　ａ　ｍｉｓｓｉｏｎａｒｙ　ｉｓ．．．　ｗｅｔ．　　Ｅｘｔｒｅｍｅｌｙ．　　Ｓｉｎｃｅ　Ｉ　ｇｏｔ　ｔｏ　ｃａｌｌ　ｈｏｍｅ　Ｉ：ｌｌ　ｊｕｓｔ　ｍａｋｅ　ｔｈｉｓ　ａ　ｓｈｏｒｔ　ｅｍａｉｌ　ｂｕｔ　Ｍｏｍ　ｈａｐｐｙ　ｍｏｔｈｅｒｓ　ｄａｙ！　　Ａｎｄ　ｒａｃｈｅｌ　ｈａｐｐｙ　ｂｉｒｔｈｄａｙ　ｔｈｉｓ　ｗｅｅｋ！　　ｈａｖｅ　ｆｕｎ！　　Ａｎｄ　ｇｏｏｄ　ｌｕｃｋ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｙｏｕｒ　ｄｒｉｖｅｒｓ　ｌｉｓｅｎｃｅ！　　：）

Ｉ　ｔｈｏｕｇｈｔ　Ｉｗｏｕｌｄ　ｊｕｓｔ　ｔｅｌｌ　ａｂｏｕｔ　ｍｙ　ｌａｓｔ　ｌｅｓｓｏｎ　ｉｎ　Ｏｋｉｎａｗａ　ａｎｄ　ｔｈｅ　ｎｅｗ　ｉｎｖｅｓｔｉｇａｔｏｒｓ　ｗｅ　ｈａｖｅ　ｆｏｕｎｄ　ｉｎ　Ｋｕｒｕｍｅ　ｔｈｕｓ　ｆａｒ．

Ｓｉｓｔｅｒ　Ｗｅｄｅｋｉｎｄ　（Ｉ　ｍｉｓｓ　ｈｅｒ！）　ｌｅｔ　ｕｓ　ｈａｖｅ　ａ　ｂｉｇ　ｌｅｓｓｏｎ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｓｏｍｅ　ｏｆ　ｏｕｒ　ｉｎｖｅｓｔｉｇａｔｏｒｓ　ａｔ　ｈｅｒ　ｈｏｍｅ．　　Ｗｅ　ｔａｕｇｈｔ　ａｂｏｕｔ　ｔｈｅ　Ａｔｏｎｅｍｅｎｔ　ｏｆ　ｊｅｓｕｓ　Ｃｈｒｉｓｔ．　　Ｉ　ｗａｓ　ｒｅａｌｌｙ　ｎｅａｔ！　　Ｌａｎｇｕａｇｅ　ａｎｄ　ｃｕｌｔｕｒａｌ　ｄｉｆｆｅｒｅｎｃｅｓ　ａｒｅ　ａｌｗａｙｓ　ｂａｒｒｉｅｒｓ　ｓｏ　ｗｅ　ｈａｄ　ｌｏｔｓ　ｏｆ　ｅｘａｍｐｌｅｓ．　　Ｉ　ｓｈａｒｅｄ　ｔｈｅ　ｅｘｐｅｒｉｅｎｃｅ　ｏｆ　ｍｅ　ｂｒｅａｋｉｎｇ　ｍｙ　ｎｏｓｅ　ａｎｄ　ｈｏｗ　ｗｈｅｎ　ｔｈａｔ　ｈａｐｐｅｎｅｄ　Ｉ　ｎｅｅｄｅｄ　ｍｏｒｅ　ｔｈａｎ　ａ　ｂａｎｄａｉｄ．．．　Ｉ　ｎｅｅｄｅｄ　ａ　ｄｏｃｔｏｒ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｅｘｐｅｒｉｅｎｃｅ．　　Ｔｈｅ　ｓａｍｅ　ｐｒｉｎｃｉｐｌｅ　ａｐｐｌｉｅｓ　ｉｎ　ｏｕｒ　ｌｉｖｅｓ．　　Ｗｅ　ｈａｖｅ　ｐｒｏｂｌｅｍｓ，　ｄｉｆｆｉｃｕｌｔｉｅｓ　ａｎｄ　ｐａｉｎｓ　ｉｎ　ｌｉｆｅ　ｔｈａｔ　ｃａｎ：ｔ　ｂｅ　ｈｅａｌｅｄ　ｂｙ　ｏｕｒ　ｏｗｎ　ａｔｔｅｍｐｔ　ｏｆ　ｐｕｔｔｉｎｇ　ａ　ｓｐｉｒｉｔｕａｌ　ｂａｎｄａｉｄ　ｏｎ　ｉｔ．　　Ｗｅ　ｎｅｅｄ　ａ　ｐｈｙｓｉａｎ　ａｎｄ　ｔｈａｔ　ｉｓ　ｏｕｒ　Ｓａｖｉｏｒ．　　Ｗｅ　ｈａｄ　ｌｏｔｓ　ｏｆ　ｇｏｏｄ　ｅｘａｍｐｌｅｓ，　ｖｉｓｕａｌ　ａｉｄｓ　ａｎｄ　Ｓｉｓｔｅｒ　Ｗｅｄｅｋｉｎｄ　ａｎｄ　ｈｅｒ　ｄａｕｇｈｔｅｒ　Ｍｅａｄｏｗ　ｓｈａｒｅｄ　ｒｅａｌｌｙ　ｐｏｗｅｒ　ｔｅｓｔｉｍｏｎｉｅｓ．　　Ｗｅ　ｗａｔｃｈｅｄ　ｔｈｅ　ｂｅｃａｕｓｅ　ｏｆ　ｈｉｍ　ｖｉｄｅｏ　ｏｎ　ｍｏｒｍｏｎ．ｏｒｇ　（ｗｈｉｃｈ　ｉｓ　ｗｏｎｄｅｒｆｕｌ！　　ｌｏｏｋ　ｉｔ　ｕｐ！）　ａｎｄ　ｔｈｅｎ　Ｉ　ｓｈａｒｅｄ　ｍｙ　ｆｉｎａｌｌｙ　ｔｅｓｔｉｍｏｎｙ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｔｈｅｓｅ　ｌａｄｉｅｓ　ｔｈａｔ　Ｉ　ｌｏｖｅ　ｓｏ　ｍｕｃｈ．　　Ｉｔ　ｊｕｓｔ　ｋｉｎｄ　ｏｆ　ｈｉｔ　ｍｅ　ａｔ　ｔｈａｔ　ｐｏｉｎｔ　ｔｈａｔ　Ｉ　ｗａｓ　ｌｅａｖｎｉｎｇ　ａｎｄ　ｔｈｅｓｅ　ｗｏｎｄｅｒｆｕｌ　ｐｅｏｐｌｅ　Ｉ　ｈａｄ　ｓｐｅｎｔ　ｓｏ　ｍｕｃｈ　ｔｉｍｅ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｗｅｒｅｎ：ｔ　ｇｏｉｎｇ　ｔｏ　ｂｅ　ａｂｌｅ　ｔｏ　ｃｏｍｅ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｍｅ．　　Ｏｆ　ｃｏｕｒｓｅ　Ｉ　ｓｔａｒｔｅｄ　ｃｒｙｉｎｇ　：）　　ｓｈｏｃｋｅｒ　ｂｕｔ　Ｉ　ｒｅａｌｌｙ　ｆｅｌｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｐｉｒｉｔ．　　Ｉ　ｓｈａｒｅｄ　ｍｙ　ｂａｓｉｃ　ｔｅｓｔｉｍｏｎｙ　ｔｈａｔ　＿Ｇｏｄ　ｒｅａｌｌｙ　ｄｏｅｓ　ｌｉｖｅ．　　Ｔｈａｔ　ｈｅ　ｉｓ　ａｗａｒｅ　ｏｆ　ｕｓ　ａｎｄ　ｔｈａｔ　ｈｅ　ｉｓ　ｉｎｖｏｌｖｅｄ　ｉｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｄｅｔａｉｌｓ　ｏｆ　ｏｕｒ　ｌｉｖｅｓ．　　Ａｎｄ　ｂｅｃａｕｓｅ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅ　Ａｔｏｎｅｍｅｎｔ　ｏｆ　ｏｕｒ　Ｓａｖｉｏｒ　Ｊｅｓｕｓ　Ｃｈｒｉｓｔ　ｗｅ　ｃａｎ　ｒｅｔｕｒｎ　ｔｏ　ｌｉｖｅ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｈｉｍ　ａｎｄ　ｏｕｒ　ｆａｍｉｌｉｅｓ　ｅｔｅｒｎａｌｌｙ．　　Ｗｅ　ａｌｌ　ｂａｌｌｅｄ　：）　　Ｉｔ　ｗａｓ　ａ　ｗｏｎｄｅｒｆｕｌ　ｌｅｓｓｏｎ　ｔｏ　ｅｎｄ　ｏｎ　ａｎｄ　Ｉ　ｐｒａｙ　ｆｏｒ　ｔｈｏｓｅ　ｐｅｏｐｌｅ　ｅｖｅｒｙｄａｙ．　　Ｉ　ｍｉｓｓ　ｔｈｅｍ！　　

Ｌａｓｔｌｙ　ｊｕｓｔ　ｔｏ　ｍａｋｅ　ｙｏｕ　ｇｕｙｓ　ｌａｕｇｈ．　　Ｍｙ　ｊａｐａｎｅｓｅ　ｉｓ　ｃｏｍｉｎｇ　ａｌｏｎｇ　ｂｕｔ　Ｉ：ｍ　ａｌｓｏ　ａｔｔｅｍｐｔｉｎｇ　ｔｏ　ｌｅａｒｎ．．．　Ｖｉｅｔａｎｅｓｅ！　　Ｔｈａｔ　ｈａｓ　ｇｏｔ　ｔｏ　ｂｅ　ｔｈｅ　ｈａｒｄｅｓｔ　ｌａｎｇｕａｇｅ　ｉ：ｖｅ　ｅｖｅｒ　ｈｅａｒｄ．　　Ｉ：ｍ　ｈｏｒｒｉｂｌｅ　ａｔ　ｉｔ．　　Ｓｉｓｔｅｒ　Ｏｏｉ　ｉｓ　ｇｒｅａｔ　ａｔ　ｆｉｎｄｉｎｇ　ｉｎｔｅｒｎａｔｉｏｎａｌ　ｉｎｖｅｓｔｉｇａｔｏｒｓ．　　Ｗｅ　ａｒｅ　ｔｅａｃｈｉｎｇ　ｏｎｅ　Ｊａｐａｎｅｓｅ　ｍａｎ，　ａｎｄ　ｅｖｅｒｙｏｎｅ　ｅｌｓｅ　ｉｓ　ｅｉｔｈｅｒ　Ｃｈｉｎｅｓｅ　ｏｒ　Ｖｉｅｔａｎｅｓｅ．　　Ｆｕｉｎ　ｓｔｕｆｆ！　　Ｌｏｔｓ　ｏｆ　ｐｉｃｔｕｒｅｓ　ａｎｄ　ｃｏｎｆｕｓｅｄ　ｆａｃｅｓ　ａｓ　ｗｅ　ｓｐｅａｋ　ａ　ｍｉｘ　ｏｆ　ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ，　ｊａｐａｎｅｓｅ，　ａｎｄ　ｖｉｅｔａｎｅｓｅ．　　Ｐｒａｙ　ｆｏｒ　ｕｓ！　　：）　　

Ｉ　ｌｏｖｅ　ｙｏｕ　ｇｕｙｓ！　　Ｉ　ｗａｓ　ｓｏ　ＨＡＰＰＹ　ｔｏ　ｂｅ　ａｂｌｅ　ｔｏ　ｈｅａｒ　ｙｏｕ　ａｎｄ　ｋｎｏｗ　ｔｈａｔ　ｙｏｕ　ａｒｅ　ｄｏｉｎｇ　ｗｅｌｌ！　　Ｈａｖｅ　ａ　ｗｏｎｄｅｒｆｕｌ　ｗｅｅｋ！　　

ホキンス姉妹

Look who has transferred to the Main Island of Japan!

Sister Olsen and I ….a last hoorah in Okinawa!

Sister Miller and I in Okinawa

This is my last email from Okinawa.  I am so sad!  I just got my transfer call.  I'm excited, nervous, sad, exhausted and I feel like I'm going to throw up :)  All in one.  Man my poor companion!  I'm trusting in Heavenly Father, but I'm a planner through and through so the fact that I don't know what life's going to hold for the next six weeks is exciting AND a little nerve racking.  This week was an incredible last week in Okinawa. We had a family of five come to church, a single mother, a part-member family we are teaching, and an Eikaiwa (English speaking class) student all come to church. As I got my transfer call today I was sad, but I absolutely have loved my time here in Okinawa. I will step onto the plane knowing I worked hard every single day. I love these people because I have served them. I'll always have part of my heart here in Okinawa.  But I am excited to go to my new area and meet the people there. I am headed to Kurume.  

Kurume is a city of 300,000 people.  It is 30 minutes from Fukuoka :).  Kurume is more than 500 miles from Okinawa

Kurume is in the Nagasaki Zone, but in the Fukuoka Prefecture (a prefecture is an administrative jurisdiction similar to a state or county).  My companion is Sister Oi.  She and I will be the Sister Training Leaders in the area.  I'm kind of freaking out.  But I'll be "faking it 'til I make it" the whole time.  :)  Yippee!  The area is in great hands with Sister Olsen, our investigators are progressing, our teaching pool is expanding and the members have caught the wave. But man I am so jealous that I'll be missing it!  I am grateful I had the wonderful opportunity to play a small part in it. I have loved Okinawa!  I am so blessed.  I didn't shed a single tear until I called Sister Wedekind to tell her the news.  I lost it.  I love that woman!  I love the people here.  There is not a day that goes by that I don't sincerely thank my Heavenly Father that he planted me in the middle of Okinawa :)  It's been a blessing!  It is unusual to stay in one area for 9 months as I have done, so I have had a unique opportunity to really get to know the church members, the area and put down some roots. :) 

This week in review …..really quickly before I start crying :)

We found a new investigator through a member and started teaching her!  We found out a couple lessons later that this cute 80 year old woman had already been baptized... in our church... a year ago :)  Ha ha, that was interesting!  Haruko Shimai is coming back to church though!  A reactivation is just as exciting as a baptism.  (I promise we're not typically this clueless).

We said goodbye to Rhea!  So sad!  We sent the missionaries to her though and I know she's a great, strong girl.  She'll bloom wherever she is planted!  I miss her and I will surely miss visiting the Sisson family so often and teaching in their home.

Often times we spend time explaining to others our missionary rules.  How we can't go in to houses if their wife is not home, etc.  Well the other day I tried to shake a man's hand after giving him a Book of Mormon and he JUMPED back!  He said in broken English,"I can't shake your hand!  You're a woman!" Well, I'm glad someone is looking out for me.

The Williams, our senior missionary couple, left.  I was so sad!  They headed back suddenly to the states for emergency surgery.  I miss them already.  They were like my parents away from home. 

We have tons of wonderful investigators in Okinawa.  I'm sad to leave after seeing the area grow SO much, but I know it's in good hands.  We went out to lunch with one of our friend Emi for her birthday and had a great discussion about church.  She's been coming for the past couple of weeks and she also went to a baptism at the beach and loved it.  We had 3 baptisms in our district this past week which was really neat.

We have a SUPER new investigator.  A member called us last minute and asked us to come over and meet their friend.  We taught the restoration, had a 2 hour discussion about church and she came this Sunday to district conference!  It was one of the most incredible experiences of my missionary life.

I am so blessed.  I can't even describe or quickly write down the miracles that are happening and that have happened this week.  I just gave Kelley, a recent convert, a huge hug goodbye and I lost it.  I bawled!  I love these people.  I have prayed for them everyday for almost a year.  I've given my heart and soul to this and now to say goodbye so suddenly is super hard.  But I am happy.  I am lucky and heaven will be a blast.  It'll be a huge reunion :) 

I love you guys.  Have a great week.  And pray that I don't get COMPLETELY lost in the airport.  Pray hard :)

Hawkins Shimai