Konnichiwa mina san!
It was so nice to have the phone call on Mother's day. I loved hearing your voice and I cannot believe that the next time I'll hear you will be face to face. Crazy how fast time is. Time is going to whip on by, I am shocked that I am 8th transfer. O.o when did that happen?
Hamilton shimai, my new companion, is awesome. She is 9th transfer and this is her first time being senior companion. She's excited and just so happy that I am gaijin and not japanese. She's been with a nihonjin for the past 6 months and hasn't had anyone to really talk to and able to fully express herself. Our japanese is about the same level. I am loving being junior companion. I don't have to stress about investigators and I don't have to worry about making decisions. It is so nice. And I am happy to give someone else, who hasn't had leadership experience yet, the opportunity to be senior. She's an awesome missionary.
Transfers to Shikoku.. are expensive. I lost about $100 for transfers. But thank goodness for reimbursements. At first I went to kobe to meet the group headed for okayama. It was a group of about 7-8 missionaries headed towards the east side of the mission. I got to see Tojo shimai again at the station. She looked gorgeous and happy. I nearly cried when I hugged her. Tears of joy of course. It has been far too long. Then off to catch the bus to Matsuyama... about a 2.5-3hr hour bus trip. Woo. When I arrived at the apartment, I saw all the names of our investigators and I nearly cried tears of joy because they were progressing and had baptismal dates. I am so lucky.
I haven't really had a full day of dendo yet in Matsuyama due to weekly planning, church, traveling, zone conference, and preperation day. But tomorrow should be good. I'm learning more about the new focus for sisters. Hamilton shimai definitely knows what she's doing. I do not. It's been fun so far. I look forward to this transfer.
Zone Conference... was awesome! I loved it. It was my favorite one so far of the 3 I've been to. Once in kobe, once in shimogamo and now in shikoku. Zinke Kaicho trained us on how to better use the book of mormon in our lessons. How to explain more simply. He used the 2 Nephi 31 passage. About the gospel of Jesus Christ. How baptism is merely the step. It is the gate to a long pathway back to our loving Heavenly Father. How to help our investigators see how this applies to them. To see how serious we are and how serious this gospel is. This is eternal life! If our eyes are upon that goal then nothing will get in our way. No person, no event, no lie, because if we have received a confirmation from our Heavenly Father that the Book of Mormon is true, then Joseph Smith is a prophet, this is God's restored church and that we have the proper authority from God for salvation then we should always continue onward with a bright hope for eternal life.
One of my favorite parts was when Zinke Kaicho asked, "Why is christ referred to as the 'Lamb of God'"... I waited for a few seconds because nobody likes the Hermoine in the group. But I still raised my hand when nobody else raised there's. I referred to the Isaiah 53:7
"He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth."
Then he asked me what that meant, I replied, "I don't know it's in Isaiah."!! Everyone laughs, but then I continue to explain the Law of Moses. Now, because of Mosiah 13, we know that the Law of Moses is a shadow of christ. That the law points towards Christ. How the lamb, with unbroken bones, unblemished, the first born, who was sacrificed to take away the greatest sins was a shadow of Christ. Who was without blemish, perfect, I don't think He broke any bones, and was the only Son of God. He was sacrificed for each one of us. He died so that we wouldn't have to. He took upon himself our sins and sicknesses. But unlike the sacrificial lamb, He was resurrected on the third day. He overcame death so that we will live again once more. So thus... Christ is also called the Lamb of God.
At the time, my brain was a little garbled due to the lack of sleep (the takamatsu sister's apartment is right next to a train track crossing...) so I'm not sure if everyone understood me when I said that the Law of Moses is a shadow of the higher law, of Christ's law.
But it was nice to contribute to Zone Conference and somewhat joke with Zinke Kaicho. I really enjoyed conference. I learned a lot. He said that he felt bad that he took a day away from den do but I figured that if it made us better missionaries, it was worth it.
It was worth it.
Love always,
Bevan Shimai
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| Beane and I loving the rain! |
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| Beautiful countryside |
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| Time for a new dendo bag -before and after photos! |
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| Fish shimai and I - one more photo before she goes home! |
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| Hamilton shimai and I - welcome to Matsuyama :) |
