33rd Week in Japan; 2nd Area; In prayer we plant the seed of faith which gives us the vision (goal)

I don't have much to report this week. But one thing I learned this week was that prayer is not only a way to communicate back and forth to Heavenly Father, but it is a way of giving our hearts to God and becoming one with His will.  

We also found two new investigators:  Sa____-san and Ta_______-san ["san" is an honorific title that you give to somebody else.  You never give that title to yourself].
We've really been making time between our appointments to talk to everyone. There's a lot of people by the station so sometimes it takes like an hour or more to get there by bike (without stopping people, which unfortunately we have had to do sometimes, it's like 15 minutes).  On Friday after district meeting, we were super pumped to talk to to people. We have prayed and [as a missionary district] made a vision [faith goal] with the ward to get three baptisms by the end of this year.

John 20:24-29
"24 ¶But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord.  But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

26 ¶And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."

(Picture from internet)  By Caravaggio, "The Incredulity of Saint Thomas"

We can get three baptisms. We can do it!  That day, we talked to a lady on the train who was so kin金(golden), but we had to get off the train and couldn't get her phone number so we just gave her a flyer.  And then when we were off the train walking to Children's English class, we talked to another girl and she accepted to learn more!  Then after the class, the next lady we talked to has a lot of interest in God and is reading the bible a little bit. She read a Japanese comic version [of the Bible] first and liked it, so she started studying the Bible.  That's Ta_______-san!  After three weeks we finally found some more people to teach!!  I was ecstatic.   

Other news:  Today we had zone p-day.   Also, unexpectedly, Elder Newey our district leader was transferred and will be a Traveling Assistant for his last transfer and a half of his mission.  So now instead of three elders, there are two, Elder King and Elder Sato. (Elder Sato was my first district leader in Okegawa and then he came to Mito after me!). 

Love, Sister Parker

p.s.  On 11/11 it was Poki day.  Poki is a very popular sweet.  It's a stick usually dipped in chocolate.

Pocky /ˈpoki/ is a Japanese snack food produced by Ezaki Glico. Pocky was first sold in 1966, and consists of chocolate-coated biscuit sticks. It was named after the Japanese onomatopoetic word pokkin --Wikipedia

(packaging how it looks in America)

32nd week in Japan; 2nd Area; The Holy Spirit works with people. Coincidences sometimes are miracles.

November 7, 2016

I hope you know that I am trying my hardest to be obedient to the Lord.  There are many rules for a missionary, and I am following all of them the best I can.  I talk to everyone with my companion on the streets testifying of Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon and things like that, and invite them to learn more.  Often I try to be friendly and compliment their clothes and ask about where they live or what they do and then introduce my companion and me.  There are many people interested, and I know they can feel the Holy Spirit but they don't recognize it, so they do not become investigators.  But someday, they will meet missionaries again and they will be ready by then.  There was actually a time that Sister Madsen (my previous companion who I trained) and I were biking back to church and we were in a hurry, but Sister Madsen said, "stop that lady!" I was thinking about why she said that, and when I looked at the lady's eyes I immediately felt we needed to stop her.  She was interested in the gospel, but lived in Nagoya, so we had to refer her to that mission area, nevertheless, it was amazing!  

And then the next person that we spoke to, spoke English and went to church in Europe.  I asked why she wanted to learn about Jesus Christ and she said, "It just feels good, I just feel that I want to learn it." I explained to her that we look for those people that have those feelings and we teach them about Jesus Christ.  She came to church a couple weeks later and she loved church.  We gave her a Book of Mormon and she said she'd read it and wanted to learn.  We figured out that she lives in a different area, right next to the LDS church building, but she came all the way to Mito (it took over an hour on the train) to come to church.  I think she is still investigating the church in Tsukuba area.

During recent missionary exchanges, Sister Nicholes and I had some appointments fall through, but it was such a great day!  One of the lessons we taught, was with one less-active (less actively attending member).  We called her and asked if we could visit her, but she said it wasn't a good time.  So we shared a message on the phone about Alma 5:60  and it was really good. 

60 And now I say unto you that the good shepherd doth call after you; and if you will hearken unto his voice he will bring you into his fold, and ye are his sheep; and he commandeth you that ye suffer no ravenous wolf to enter among you, that ye may not be destroyed.

After we said goodbye, she called us back immediately and said we could come over and that her daughter wanted to meet us.  We told this story that connected well to repentance and they understood it very well.  Her daughter is currently suffering through some things and becoming less-active but she had many questions and both the mom and her were engaged in the lesson.  I felt a lot of joy during that lesson and I was so happy the Spirit was there to help us.  I just felt peace and it felt like we were experiencing a bit of heaven.

Also, our investigator R_____-san came to church on Sunday finally!  I was actually fasting for her that day, hoping that she may be blessed with the desire to be baptized.  During Sunday school, we watched the 20 minute Restoration of the gospel video (in Korean for her!) and she really liked it.  The Sunday school teacher, Brother H_____, asked her how she felt about the video and she said she thinks it may be really true!  She said she felt emotional and understood Joseph Smith very well and how he was searching and searching for an answer to his spiritual questions.  That night, we had a lesson with her friend and we taught the beginning part of the Restoration pamphlet and we were going to ask her to be baptized, but we ran out of time. We are going to try Tuesday! Please pray for R_____!

I want to tell you of an experience I had yesterday and today.

So Sister St_____ (Australian member in this Ward who was a missionary in the Sendai and Tokyo mission), went to America, to Utah last week.  Her former MTC companion was getting married and she met her former mission president at her wedding!  He was a YSA (Young Single Adult) Stake President [administering over several congregations] over a woman named JS who lives in Japan now.  He asked her to find her, if she could.  So Sister St______ looks her up on Facebook and finds her and she works at a nearby high school!!  Literally a four minute walk.  So yesterday, on Sunday she is bearing testimony of the gospel and she shares this experience and how God works miracles and says in the microphone, "Where's the shimaitachi.  [Sisters].  Ah ha, yes!  You there in the back!   Tomorrow we are going to visit this less-active!!  K cool cheers! Thanks!"  

And today we visited her.  Sister St______  went in the high school during their lunchtime and brought her outside as we waited (a little odd for missionaries to go in, so we waited outside) and we met her! She hasn't been to church for 5 years and is not teaching English in Japan!  We got her number and told her the story and how amazing it is God is reaching out and she was grateful!! She said that her mom gave her the address of the church so she could go to it, but she forgot about it. We invited her to English class and Christmas party and she is probably going to come!!  We told her about how Sister Shoji [my new companion]  and I were on the train the other day talking to some high school students.  When I told them I was from Utah, one of them freaked out a bit and said that their teacher is from Utah, Miss JS という先生。(A teacher who is called). 

God works miracles everyday and he does reach out to all his children everyday.

My new companion, Sister Shoji is great! She laughs at my dumb jokes, even if she doesn't understand them.  But I can't tell when she doesn't, so I try to explain it in Japanese. 

Here are a couple of pictures of the inside of our apartment.

  

Sister Shoji, in the apartment kitchen

Until next time,

Parker Shimai

Sent from the white fields of Japan 🍲🌅

("For the fields are white, ready to harvest")

Picture is from internet, showing wheat.  The color is light, almost white when it is ready to harvest.

29th - 31st weeks in Japan; 2nd Area. People, places, fun, and health

October 31, 2016:   Hello wonderful people!

This week was kind of slow, but *Sister Shoji [new Japanese companion] is awesome! I feel like we are similar people.  She's very sweet and patient and mellow.  Sister M______ [one of my favorite female members in Mito] took us to Costco today, and it was like going back to America.  It's so huge, it was way too big!  But we bought lots of food.  I have a strong testimony of prayer and the power that comes from praying with faith.  Faith is things which cannot be seen, but are true.  I will pray about questions so that things are done according to God's will.

The beachside with view of a Torii (shrine gate)

 

Carside view of the trip

* 11/15/2016 update.  I have since gotten permission to give her companion's name and pictures.  Her new companion is Sister Shoji.  I have edited this post, as well as the November 7th letter, now to include pictures of her.   K-Mom.

October 24, 2016:   This week in pictures!

The first and second pictures we are at the honbu after the Elder Bednar conference [For those of you not familiar with Elder David Bednar, he is a leader of high rank in the LDS church. He came to Japan recently.  "Honbu" means central mission office in this context.] I love Sister Alvarenga and Sister Hill! 3rd and 4th pictures are with our investigator, R_____. She will be moving soon and opening her restaurant, so we are also teaching her English! She is so sweet!!   And the video is of Elder King at our Halloween party.  We were playing minute-to-win it games.  We were able to invite many non-members to come to the party and it was a big success!!

             

    

Sister Madsen is transferring to a Portuguese speaking area.  She is excited! She's already fluent in Spanish and has studied a little Portuguese while in Japan.  And I'm staying in Mito and my companion is going to be... Drum roll......🎳 Sister Shoji !!   She is Japanese, so I get a Japanese companion!! Yay!!  I've met her before and she sooo sweet!  Her English is pretty good, but I'm excited to be able to learn lots from her. She's transfer 5, so we have been out about the same amount of time [she has a little less time than me]. Also, our elders will become a trio.  So Elder Newey (from Utah, he's district leader), Elder King (from Australia), and then Elder Sato is being added to Mito.  Elder Sato was my first district leader in Okegawa! 

Today we are going to volunteer at a retirement home where a member lives. In about one hour from now we will be taking a train.

October 17, 2016:  Health

Exodus 20

12 ¶Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.  God has given a commandment to honor our parents and I respect and value your judgment. 

I have been getting up and doing jumping jacks or some exercise like you said I should. Although, almost everyday we are sprinting.  We do running or other workouts in the morning and then during the day we walk and bike, and sprint to appointments because we run late.  I am exercising a lot, but getting up and doing jumping jacks helps more. President Nagano [mission president] has said, and I quote, "Your health is more important than missionary work." He said that. I just want to assure you that they do care.  Without our health it is pretty hard to do missionary work.

[Kirsten's companion mentioned last week that maybe they would go to the park in the a.m. and do tai chi exercise -- so I don't know if that figured in with her picture of the hands with the oriental descriptions.  Kirsten also mentioned that she has a minor physical issue, and so Sister Nagano (the mission president's wife) misunderstood the origin of Kirsten's issue and referred her to a mission doctor-counselor for mental/stress issues, which Kirsten says is still a blessing because the doctor is teaching her stress management.  Stress can always be a contributor to any physical ailment.   The mission staff really does care about the wellbeing of the missionaries.   K-Mom]

This scripture has been on my mind: 

2 Nephi 33: 3 But I, Nephi, have written what I have written, and I esteem it as of great worth, and especially unto my people. For I pray continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by night, because of them; and I cry unto my God in faith, and I know that he will hear my cry.

4 And I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayers for the gain of my people. And the words which I have written in weakness will be made strong unto them; for it persuadeth them to do good; it maketh known unto them of their fathers; and it speaketh of Jesus, and persuadeth them to believe in him, and to endure to the end, which is life eternal."

I pray for you all that you may be able to always have joy by holding on to the iron rod, which is the words of Christ.

Until next time, Parker Shimai

Sent from the white fields of Japan 🍲🌅