First sunburn in over a year!

Hey everyone!

Hope you all had a fabulous week last week! I had an interesting and great week! All three of us are getting over colds so that's been fun. When all the sisters in the zone were here one of them was sick and after they left Johnson shimai started getting sick and then I got sick and then the other Johnson shimai got sick. So we weren't the prettiest site last week. We would visit people and then as soon as they shut the door we would all cough and blow our nose and try to get it all out before the next person haha. That was fun. But we're all pretty much better just nose issues but other than that life is great! And last week even though we were sick we still had lots of miracles! One of them was that the sister in the branch who has a friend that we're teaching invited us over to her apartment wed morning because the friend was also going there before work. So we went there and the member made way yummy pudding that we enjoyed and we talked and it was fun. And then the sister started asking her friend how lessons were going and the Book of Mormon and stuff. And then she shared her own personal experience when she first started taking lessons and praying. It was way incredible and the spirit was way strong. Our investigator was listening the whole time and after we invited her to pray for herself and to keep reading the Book of Mormon and she said she will! She's so awesome! 

On Saturday we had the branch yakiniku party! It's Japanese style bbq and way yummy. You have like charcoal pieces or whatever they're called that get hot and then like wire things that you set over the coals and then put vegetables and small pieces of meat down on it and just take it and eat it when they're done. It's soooooooooo gooooooooood!!! Anyways that's not what's important. What's important is that like a ton of people came! And lots of nonmembers came!!! It was way awesome! And surprise, the sun came out on Saturday! It wasn't supposed to be sunny at all but it came out in the morning and stayed through the bbq! And the bbq was right on the edge of the river! It was so much fun! And the three of us got sunburned! I forgot what it felt like. It's never that intensely sunny here so we didn't even think about getting sunburned but it happened. And afterwards when we were dendoing everyone was like, did you get sunburned? haha. Can't really hide the bright red nose. 

Anyways it was a great week! And tomorrow our new mission president is coming here! So everyone is coming to Kushiro again tonight! Fun fun fun! I love being a missionary!!

Love you all!

Murray shimai

We made Phillipino friends at the BBQ! The elders found them while housing. 

At a members house for the Dad's birthday.

Where we had the BBQ. It's on the far side where you can see small white dots which are cars.

Hey mom and dad. So missionary report. I guess I don't have any profound insights or anything to share but I do have something of a sort to share. In Japan missionaries always write their home ward letters and they share them in sacrament meeting so I'm going to do that too.

Dear Coolest ward ever,

I'm in an area called Kushiro. It's by the ocean and summer doesn't exist here. People on the streets also don't really exist. Sometimes I think we get a little scary because we race down streets to talk to the one lady going to get in her car a mile away haha. But really it's an awesome area and really a blessed area. We have tons of investigators and are seeing tons of miracles everyday!

I want to tell you all how much this gospel is awesome! I'm pretty sure you all know that but I'm going to say it anyway. It is the greatest gift we could ever receive!!! And Heavenly Father loves us so much he just lets anyone who will take it have it!!! It's so special being a missionary and offering this gift to all we come into contact with. Lately I have been thinking about my mission up until now and all the crazy and unique and amazing experiences I have had. And I've come to the conclusion that a mission is unlike anything else you will ever experience in life. I could never have imagined all the things that I would experience and will experience. I never could have imagined that I would eat something that had tentacles still attached or meet a lady that is going to show us japanese bamboo magic ( kind of scared) or have the capacity to eat enough for 3 people in one sitting and then get on a bike and bike home in 10 minutes to make curfew. And I also couldn't have imagined how good it would feel to stop complete strangers on the street and testify to them about the Book of Mormon and how they have a Heavenly Father or how much love I can feel towards people I just met. I guess what I'm trying to say is that this truly is the Lords work. It's not at all like I expected it to be but life usually isn't. I've learned and am still learning that Heavenly Father loves us so much and has a plan for us and for those we meet. No matter what kind of circumstance it is, we can love those we meet and show them the joy of the gospel. Being a missionary really is the most amazing thing ever and it's really great because another big thing I've learned is that Heavenly Father totally has a sense of humor. Everyday really is the greatest and sometimes weirdest adventure!

I love you all! Thanks for your prayers and love and examples! 

Love,

Murray shimai