13th week in Japan, 2ND AREA

Beach scenes near Mito, Japan (picture from internet)

Nighttime View:  An unusual tower in Mito, Japan (picture from internet)

As you knew from my email last week, I got transferred to Mito.  It's about 80 miles NE of Tokyo.   It is 5-10 miles inland from the coast.  I am with Sister Lacey.   

[K-Mom's note:  the day I found out that my daughter got transferred to Mito, I had a dream.   I was in her new location, in an apartment, I saw large cockroaches in the dream, running quickly back and forth across the floor.  I wondered if Japan has a bug problem due to the climate difference, that we don't have here.   Sure enough, they do.   If you wish to know more, I found this website informative:  

http://zoomingjapan.com/life-in-japan/insects-and-other-pests/   ]

I've heard of cockroaches are very popular in Japan, haha. The hottest month here is August. Luckily, Mito is not as hot as Okegawa. :)

Thank you for your concern about the bugs and stuff.  The other day actually, we were praying for guidance of where to go finding people to teach, and found this old apartment complex.  We had already parked our bikes and as we were going to approach the stairs, we saw spiders all over the ceilings and the stair rails.  It took 3 or 4 times to get the courage to go.  We were going to turn around and find somewhere else, but we did it!  There were so many spiders!  In Japan, people do not kill spiders. Do not! I've actually heard that there are no poisonous spiders in Japan that could harm you seriously. There was like, a story of a person who was rescued by a spider or something, long ago and a bad guy killed the spider.  So Japanese people don't kill spiders.  They are seen as like protection, I guess?

From our efforts, two people answered the door.  One was not interested and the other was busy cooking, but we could hear a mother and a baby playing so we gave them a church flyer.  We felt they in the future may be baptized.  Later that evening, we went to a nicer apartment complex.  The first door we knocked on was a Chinese young man.  (Whenever we do housing-contacting, people only open their door a little bit).  Once we introduced ourselves, he was more interested and had many questions about the church and what we believe.  We gave him a church flyer which has the address of our church and he wants to go, but he said because he's a student and is busy he may or may not go; but he will go if he has time!  He showed us his Bible he's been studying, and it looked fairly new.  He's been in Japan for a year and a half and he knew some English. Chinese people are often kinjin (金人), "golden person" which we say for golden investigators. 

A few other people, were willingly listening to our message. It caught me a little off guard, but it was such a miracle!  Also, another blessing that same day, when we left the apartment, a spider was crawling down in the middle of the walkway in the air and almost landed on Sister Lacey's head and I almost didn't see it! So I walked right into it, and it almost touched my eye, but I backed up quick enough that it didn't touch me!!!

That's just one story I have of my week. 

Here's a picture I took this week:

Until later,  Parker Shimai   😄😂😍😘❤️💕💕🍣

Sent from the white fields of Japan 🍲🌅

[K-Mom here:  for some reason the river and the sunbeam in the above picture made me think of two things:  1.  From 1st Nephi it talks about the river leading to the Tree of Life (God's love). 2.  I also thought of this hymn: #335  Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy

Lyrics

1. 1. Brightly beams our Father's mercy
   From his lighthouse evermore,
   But to us he gives the keeping
   Of the lights along the shore.
2. (Chorus)
   Let the lower lights be burning;
   Send a gleam across the wave.
   Some poor fainting, struggling seaman
   You may rescue, you may save.
3. 2. Dark the night of sin has settled;
   Loud the angry billows roar.
   Eager eyes are watching, longing,
   For the lights along the shore.
4. 3. Trim your feeble lamp, my brother;
   Some poor sailor, tempest-tossed,
   Trying now to make the harbor,
   In the darkness may be lost.
5. Text and music: Philip Paul Bliss, 1838-1876

11th Week in Japan -- 1st Area; Sister Boden's b-day, and the value of tithing and the scriptures

[ Some of today's post may seem a little bit disjointed.  Just know that she is also responding to various questions and comments from our emails to her.   K-Mom ]

I'm adjusting more and more to Japan and missionary life here.  I am becoming more consecrated as I try my best.  God really does take care of the rest!

Today was Zone P-day and it was so fun!  We played chair soccer and dodgeball and stuff.  It was a good relax.  We also made cake for the birthday companion, Sister Boden!  Her birthday was last week, but we weren't able to make cake.  

  

The Book of Mormon and the Bible really do go hand-in-hand with each other.  There's power in both, but the Book of Mormon was written for our latter-days specifically, as well as some books in the New Testament and the Old Testament like Daniel, John, or Revelations.  But the Book of Mormon is all for us.  Together they are very powerful, indeed.  The Old and New Testament have so much in it, I wish I could read it all!  Someday I will.

About tithing, I want to bear testimony of how important it is and how much of a difference it will make in your life.  God has made it a commandment to pay tithing, just a tenth of our earnings. Now, does God need money?  No. He created everything!  The point is, the heart.  Is the heart willing to give a tenth of its earnings?  The point of tithing is not temporal, it's spiritual and eternal. When we are in a position to be able to faithfully pay tithing, the Lord showers and showers and showers us with blessings.  More than we can hold.  If we hold back our heart when we pay tithing, it is the same as if withholding all the portion of tithing and not paying at all. 

Malachi 3:10 "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Paying tithing with faith and willingness will bring great blessings and will change you. Paying tithing without faith or willingness will just make you broke.  You can pray specifically to Heavenly Father again and ask if he needs you to pay $_____________ in order to see 'this specific blessing' and He will answer you quickly.

Thanks again dad for recommending praying about specific things;  it really does make a difference!  I've already gained testimony of that, can you tell?!  Haha!

It's Interesting how America is going down a lot in society.  In Japan, it's really nice here!  I feel very safe, and there's no problems here really.  I felt an earthquake two days ago I think, but it's kind of fun! Haha, that's the only real problem in Japan.  Although, usually the word of wisdom is hard for Japanese people.

Also, there's these new Mormon videos called something like "Bible videos told by children" and they are very inspiring!! Please do look at them and share them! :)  Remember how important you are to Heavenly Father and that he knows your pains and when we look to Him.  He lifts our burdens.  Sometimes there's still pain and anguish, but we need to experience that and endure it joyfully in order to receive our godly reward in the next life.

Alma 37 : 46 O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever."

Here are some more pictures:

  

  

Until next time, Parker Shimai  :-) 

10th week in Japan, 1st area, Belated 2nd post... Lost in Ueno

[ 6/13/2016  Hello!   As you know Kirsten mentioned getting lost during her recent temple trip to the Tokyo area.  I'd say by the looks of the photos and video that they made good use of being lost, and went and got some food, and tried not to feel too worried about being lost!   Sorry I didn't get these pictures up last week, as this 2nd email didn't come through until after I had done last week's blog, there was a tech glitch.  There's a video at the bottom.    Enjoy!  K-Mom ]