Teaching a new concept - The Plan of Salvation

My Lovely Family, 

Right now I am feeling a little sad, because I found out that Micail:s Grandpa Mann passed away. I cried when I found out, which I guess shows just how much our family and the Mann family are just one big family really. I truly love Grandma and Grandpa Mann, because they love me so much and treat me like I am there own flesh and blood. 

Here is a bit about my week:

-Yesterday our investigator Mai chan got baptized and confirmed! Hatcher choro who goes home this week got to baptize her, but had to baptize her 3 times, because her dress kept coming up out of the water. On Saturday, she still hadn:t received permission from her mom to get baptized, but we had the baptismal service planned for the next day on Sunday. On Saturday morning Mai chan and her mom came to the church, so that her mom could meet us and be able to see what the church looks like and find out a little bit about it. Her mom has seen lots of bad things about Mormons on the internet, which is really sad. So I just tried to smile and help her feel that we are good. She told us that she was still thinking that she wanted Mai chan to wait another year or two until Mai chan turns 20 before she can get baptized. We tried to respect her wishes, and sent them on their way to go boating at the lake across the street. Me and Morita Shimai went back to the apartment and had a special prayer that if it was Heavenly Father:s will, that Mai chan:s mom would give her permission to get baptized...and guess what? Mai chan asked her mom again while they were boating, and her mom gave her permission! I know that Heavenly Father made that miracle happen for Mai chan! 

Mia chan's baptism!

- This week we met President and Sister Smith! They are wonderful! They are full of energy and love and I:m excited to get to be a missionary with them. I got to have a little 5 minute interview with Pres. Smith. It was so good! He spoke to me so powerfully and I love what he told me: "Leave your heart on the doorstep!" 

- Then last night he called our apartment with the transfer call- I will be staying in Morioka and will be getting a new companion, Isogai Shimai! I:ve only been in Morioka 5 weeks, but now I:ll be the one leading us around, which I:m both nervous and excited about! 

This last week I started reading through the ancestor stories I brought with me on my mission. I only have a few, but I loved reading them! I read something way sweet - that John Taylor (who is Micail:s 3rd great grandpa) taught the gospel to our grandma Esther Wainwright (? I think thats her last name). Isn:t that so amazing?! That means that for a long time, Micail:s family and our family have been friends, and helping each other do the earth thing!

Esther Wainwright Bennion

 

I was thinking this week how I would love to be able to read some of Dad:s journal entries from his mission that correspond with the same dates I am here, if that makes sense...like so I could read for example what he did on "July 7th" on his mission. If my sisters have time and go home, could you maybe send me a few journal entries from Dads mission journal? 

Mama, do you know if Dad had a favorite scripture, or a mission scripture? Or I would love to read his testimony if we have that too. 

Mama I am so happy you are reading Preach My Gospel! This week I read the conference talk by M. Russell Ballard "Follow Up". This is the part that I loved:

Brothers and sisters, can you imagine the impact if family and friends included things they are learning from their personal study of Preach My Gospel in their letters and emails to their full-time missionaries? Can you picture the blessings that will come to families when they know and understand better what their sons and daughters will be studying and teaching on their missions? Can you even begin to fathom the extraordinary outpouring of atoning grace that will be ours, individually and collectively, according to the Savior’s promise to all who bear testimony in the process of inviting souls to come unto Him—and then following up on those invitations?

So thank you Mama for sharing with me about studying your Preach My Gospel! I want to keep hearing what you are learning! 

Jan and Chels! I got a wonderful little Box of Sunshine this week! It was SO fabulous to get that! I love you so much! I also got Mama:s letter on the same day! I always love seeing the little sunshine sticker in the mail box cause I know its from my Mama! It was so funny in your letter when you said, "His nick name is Poo-ee. So that is what we call him." Also I:m glad the open house was fun and you could get to know your neighbors; and that there is hope of the house selling! I:m glad you feel like a princess living in a castle in the middle of a park! I:m sure you are doing very good at building relationships with Daves kids, and I love how your motto is "service and GOOD FOOD!" Yeah! GO MAMA! I also love hearing about how much you are helping the missionaries, feeding them, practicing with them, driving them to their apartment. We love members like you!! I also loved reading about Bellas first steps and kicking the soccer ball! Go BELLA! Our future soccer star! 

This week me and Morita Shimai went to the park by the church/lake and did "nomu dendo" which is where we went to the veranda at the park, bought ourselves a drink from the vending machine, and then sat down and talked with some men who were also sitting in the veranda eating their lunch during their break from their construction work. They were rough tough looking fellows, but it was so funny talking to them! We started telling them how we are volunteers, and as our conversation went on just explained a lot about things as a missionary and how we don:t watch tv or have personal cell phones, or read newspapers and stuff. It was so funny to watch their expressions and see their reactions to everything, because it all just seemed so crazy and amazing to them! Yes, I guess we are a pretty peculiar people! But I think we were able to make a good impression on them. 

We had a really good lesson with our investigator Haruka chan. We were planning on teaching her the whole Plan of Salvation. But then I was thinking, that for someone who knows nothing about the Gospel and doesn:t have a Christian background, its a lot of knew information and probably way overwhelming. So we decided to way simplify it and just did the basic overview of how we lived in the pre-earth life as spirits, then now we are on earth, and when we die we can go back to God. I was so glad we decided to simplify it because even the truth we taught her about how we have always been us, the same spirit before we were born, now, and we will still be us after we die, was a brand new concept to her. Its was really neat to teach that to her and see her think about that for the first time. 

 

I recently finished reading the Book of Mormon, and I just want you to know, I LOVE THAT BOOK!! I love it with my whole heart! 

I love YOU with my whole heart! And I love Heavenly Father for giving us this Earth experience. I love it. I love all of it. The hills and the valleys! 

Love Kingu Shimai