Is this what its like to be a missionary!?

Hello Mama! 

This week has been a pretty good week! On Monday our ward had a New Years Party where we made mochi, which is pretty much just smashed up rice. Its a special kind of rice, and it turns into this kind of dough stuff and then you eat it. One of my favorite things to eat actually is these little icecream balls with mochi around it. I also tried nato for the first time this week. Nato is the fermented soybeans, and it has the most horrible texture. I dished myself up a hearty helping of one bean. I ate it. One bean was good for me.

We also are going to start volunteering at an old folks home, which I am so excited for! It will be quite funny, because old folks Japanese is uber hard to understand...like 2% comprehend...98% no idea. But I am happy to just help clean and give them coffee and I hope I can play the piano for them!

Me and George Shimai did some housing this week and we met a potential investigator! She accepted a Book of Mormon and we are going to visit her again this week! 

We also went and visited an previous investigator. Usually when we go to visit previous investigators or less active members, no one is home, or we get turned down. But this day, was different...she was home, and then she was actually happy to see us!...and then she invited us into her home!...we got to talk to her for a bit and I shared my favorite scripture about God. She read it and was a little confused, but reread it and George Shimai explained it a bit, and we both testified of God:s love. Then the lady said the closing prayer and we committed her to pray again that night. We are going to teach her again this week! 

That night after finding a PI and our success with visiting the previous investigator, me and George Shimai were updating the record book, and we were like `Wow! Is this what its like to be a missionary!? We actually have something to update in the record book!" We felt so blessed! 

This week I reached my 6 month mark as a missionary! As I look back on the last 6 months, this is the scripture that I want to share: 1 Peter 1:7 "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ; Whom having not seen, ye love; in Whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory..." 

As I prayed, I felt grateful. 

This week we watched the John Tanner story and we loved it so much we watched it again a second time later that day. The quote at the beginning says "Consecration is the only surrender, that is also a victory." I love it especially because my name Elise means "consecrated to God." I have been thinking about how Tel said that her new companion lives true to her name, which I think means something like "talk a lot" and she talks A LOT. I loved that idea of living true to my name. I think sometimes I am a little scared of consecration, because all I see is the surrender, but I want to trust God, because with Him, it will be a victory. I have been a missionary now for 6 months, and I have one more year to live well and love true my opportunity and privilege to serve as a missionary for my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ. I want to trust and try and serve from my heart. "Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men." Col. 3:23

This week is the beginning of my 4th transfer, and me and George Shimai will be working together in Yamagata still. Chels asked how things are with my companion...and they are pretty good! Of course its not always easy and lovely to be with the same person everyday, but for the most part, things are going well. Sakuma Shimai (who was in Izumi with me) will be transferring here to Yamagata which I am really excited about! 

I love you so much! 

Love Kingu Shimai