September 26, 2011

Hello Dear Fam!

Have I ever told you that I just LOVE Japan! And I LOVE being a missionary!

On Saturday we rang this lady's doorbell and a teenage girl answered. She didn't say much but her mom came out to talk to us which sort of shocked us. (Most people here don't even open the door, they just talk to you through a speaker). She started out by telling us that we are all children of a Heavenly Father who loves us. We got really excited. Then she pulled Sister Asai up in front of her and turned her around and started massaging her shoulders... or at least that's what it looked like. Then she grabbed the sides of Sister Asai's arms and squeezed her shoulders up and down. After that she let go and held her up in the air to the side of Sister Asai's head and asked if Sister Asai could see anything. Sister Asai turned her head to look but the lady grabbed her head and made her look straight forward. Apparently she was hoping Sister Asai would see light coming from her hand.

Anyway, then she just kept talking and any time Sister Asai tried to turn her head the lady would just straighten it. She talked for a long time and then did the same thing to me - only she also made me take my backpack off so she could feel my lower back muscles. Afterwards she reported to Sister Asai that I would be able to give birth very easily. I knew I would learn a lot of things on my mission... but that just tops things off. (By the way, I couldn't see any light coming from her hand either.) Afterwards she gave us each a little pamphlet to this 'light' religion that she belongs to and told us to come anytime. We walked away wondering whether it was us or her that did the proselyting.

The next day, Sunday, Sano Chieko received baptism by water. It was wonderful. The ward members treated her like a princess, and by the time she left the church building her arms were overflowing with all the flowers and presents people had handed her. When we first planned the baptismal service with her she said she didn’t want to bear testimony in front of everyone, but after she was actually baptized we asked her again and she said she would. It was so simple - she just said who she was, and that she felt like everyone was so nice to her at church, and that she had decided to be baptized because she wanted to follow Jesus. And then she ended in the name of Jesus Christ just like we had practiced 3 seconds before.

Yesterday was a fabulous way to end my time in Kanagawa. Today, I am typing from my new apartment in my new area with my new companion... you'll never guess who I'm with: The incomparable Sister Derricott. Yep. My MTC companion. And we are in Shibuya - the priciest, worldliest, fastest-paced part of Tokyo. We are in the depths of worldliness here. I can't believe it. I just asked Sister Derricott how she would describe Shibuya and she started singing, "Oh Babylon...". The apartment we are in now is the most expensive missionary apartment in the world. Wow.

Sister Derricott and I have joked before about asking to be put together as companions again... but we had assumed that would be at the end of our time in Japan once we could speak. Oh well. Who needs to communicate anyway? This transfer will be really interesting, but I'm excited to see how we manage. It really shouldn't be too bad though because we only have 1 Japanese ward and our other 2 branches are English speaking.

I wish I could include a picture of Sano from yesterday, but we took all the pictures with Asai Shimia's camera and then didn't have time to swap before I left this morning. We will see each other soon though at a conference and can switch then. I did put on a picture of me and Yayoii Shimai - she has helped us out so much. My SD card is full to I'll try to send that home soon.
Christmas idea: a cardigan from Downeast??? I don't know.

I haven't been able to hear the any of General Conference. It is a week late here for translation. I am excited.

Dad- thanks for the DE's!! MOM- thanks for the e-mails with all the updates. Right after you finished talking about Great Aunt Ann's funeral you said you and Aunt Sara were going to go visit Aunt Ann for 5 days.... I did figure out which one you meant though. Mooze- sister Derricott loved the joke!

OK, well... I just love you all. Grandpa Wadsworth: I sure do love you!!! Thanks for the birthday present!

Sister Waite

PS- the other guy (Shingo) hasn't been baptized yet but will be soon.

September 20, 2011 -- email

Dear Fam-

Thanks for the e-mail and letters! Yes, I am in the same area I was when I first got to Japan. This Saturday we find out who will transfer. That happens every 6 weeks. About e-mail: we have a separate e-mail that we use for missionary work. So this account that I'm using now to write to you, I still only open on P-day.

Thanks for your prayers for Sano! She is set to be baptized this Sunday, and we still need to teach her the Word of Wisdom and about Tithing. She already heard about tithing at church, and we mentioned the word of wisdom already too... so hopefully all goes well. I've come to realize that every time someone gets baptized it's a miracle.

Yesterday we were walking down the street and we saw this old lady coming out of her house so we went over and talked to her. I think she had more lipstick on than she did teeth... she was quite the character. I asked her if she had ever had the chance to learn about Jesus Christ. The next thing I know she reached up and tapped me on the cheek, and then on the other cheek... Sister Asai said she was quoting the scripture about turning the other cheek as she did that. It sure took me by surprise.

Saturday we went on exchanges and the picture included is from that. There's also another picture from last p-day when our zone went out together.

Well, I love you all!!! Keep up the good work. I hope the girls are doing well in school. Hannah- don't forget the lessons you learned this summer. I think all the time about the e-mail you sent me a couple weeks ago.

-Sister Waite

PS: some Christmas ideas~Black opaque tights (if you find some that don't already have holes in the toes that would be really great... but I'll take whatever). I'll think of more ideas later. By the way Mom, Sister Derricott's dad comes to Japan once a month and she's actually serving in the ward he goes to here, so if you ever want to save on shipping, he's more than willing.

August 29, 2011 -- email (Sorry this one is out of place!)

Hannah, and the rest of the family--

WOW- it's good to hear from you Mooze! I love hearing about the happenings of the lives of my siblings. Thanks for writing. Best of luck to all you girlsies with school! I couldn't believe it when I read that it has already started.

This week we started teaching a girl named Tamaki Yuria. She's 25, and she's studying chemistry in college. She's such a funny person - she is unbelievably skinny, and has these huge 80's glasses. I really love her. Her family doesn't believe in anything at all - they aren't Christian, Buddhist, or Atheist... they have no religious beliefs. She has heard Jesus Christ's name, and said she had heard about Moses when we talked about prophets, but that’s it. She's never read the bible or gone to a church. It's pretty neat to think that we are completely starting from scratch with her. Most people at least have some pre-conceived notion of religion in general, but not so much with her. I don't know what we did to earn the opportunity to be the ones who get to tell her about this wonderful gospel, but I am excited.

Also, tonight we have an investigator named Sano Chieko who is coming to FHE that we are also really excited about. We met her on the street two weeks ago and the following weekend she came to church. When she first walked up the church that Sunday I mistook her for a member. She had on a nice blouse and skirt and already looked like she fit right in. She has a heart condition and wasn't feeling well last week so we've been looking forward to tonight.

Also, I told you about Sumire I think. She's the girls who is 18 and called us. Well, she's moving back in with her parents who aren't in our area. She still wants to meet with us and learn the gospel she said, but admitted that she likes meeting with the missionaries more than she actually likes talking about the church... maybe a new set of missionaries in her home area would be a good thing.

The pictures I attached are just some we took since it's a new transfer. We made fliers with them and handed them out to our wards.

I can't think of a lot else worth saying about things going on here - oh, last night I killed a cockroach. Oh and Mom, I LOVE the CD you sent me for my birthday! Thank you!

As I type I'm going back over all the letters and DE's I've received lately - there are always so many and I wish I could comment on all the things you have been involved it! I love hearing about things at home. Dad I always love the PS notes you add at the end. Thanks for those. : )

This week I got a PACKAGE from Nancy Cox! I'll write back to her soon, but be sure to tell her thanks for me.

Well, gotta go. Love you all!!!
-Waite Shimai

PS- one more time, Hannah, I just can't tell you how great it was to hear from you. And especially to hear about Trek, I will be thinking about that all week long.

September 12, 2011 -- email

Dear Fam-

I'm exhausted...

We just had a district activity for P-day and I don't have a lot of time so sorry in advance that I can't say much! For our activity we went to a Mexican Buffet. It was funny to be eating Mexican food served by Japanese people. They tried really hard, but it was still very Japanese-y. There wasn't a bit of cheese, sour cream, or refried beans to be found in the whole place, but they did have a version of Mexican rice.

Next week is our last P-day of the transfer so we will be going to the temple. I'm excited, but can't believe time is flying that fast. This past week we had interviews with our mission president. It's nice to be able to talk to him for a few minutes in person. I read in one of Cody's letters that he just got a new president and hadn't had an interview until then - that's crazy! I sure am grateful for the mission president we have here. I am pretty sure that I won't be staying here after these next 2 weeks are up. I've gotten pretty comfortable here in Yokohama and I have a feeling I'll be moving on soon. That's fine as long as I see Sano get baptized before I go!

About her (Sano). Her baptismal date is still on. She's amazing. She has a heart condition that makes her a little weak, but it doesn't stop her from being one of the happiest, most pure people you'll ever meet. I just hope that after she comes up out of the water she doesn't get translated right then and there... the world needs more people like her.

Also, this Sunday we are having a baptism for a guy named Shingo. I met him at a park a while ago with Saiki Shimai. He speaks perfect English so I spoke to him and was blown away by how ready he was to hear the gospel. I'm pretty excited about him.

Something funny: Yesterday we were walking in the evening down a street and met these two people: a scraggly looking guy about 60 years old and this girl about 25ish. We talked to them and were really close to the church so we invited them to come see the church with us. They hesitated so we said we should just go to the porch. The guy said "Last time I followed people like you to the porch of the church they put me in the bathtub." Turns out he was actually baptized years ago.

This week on Wednesday is Asai Shimai's birthday. I think it must be part of my personal mission calling to be companions with people when it is their birthday. All of my companions so far have had a birthday while I was with them... I'm running out of ideas.

Mom-the front of your card said "O tanjobi, omedeto gozaimas." Which essentially means, "for your birthday congratulations". And sorry, but I didn't make it in scrapbooking. All the stuff they do in scrapbooking looks exactly like the scrapbook stuff in America. I wanted to send something Japanese.

Alright, gotta go. Mom, I'm thinking about Christmas though. Don't worry.

I LOVE YOU!!!!
-Waite Shimai

September 5, 2011 -- email

FAM-

WOW! (Don't I start all letters that way?) Time flies! This week has gone pretty fast. Thanks to I'm sure many prayers, and probably a nudge from our mission President, my companion has really kicked things up a notch this week. She is fantastic, and we are really learning to work well together. It's amazing how different missionaries can each be incredibly effective, but in so many different ways. I've also done a little repenting on my end and realized how much improving I could do as well. The Lord sure likes to keep His servants humble : )

Actually, I've thought more about that this week - humility. I probably wrote about this before, but in the MTC I remember a speaker saying that as missionaries, we will be promising people a lot of blessings in encouraging them to change their lives and follow Christ. Then he read Ether 12:27 and pointed out that that scripture actually promises when we come unto Christ we will become more aware of our weaknesses, which is a somewhat painful promise. So if you're having a bad day, and you realize there's not a whole lot you can do right... take it as a sign that you are on the path that's leading to Christ...

Mom, thanks for reminding me that I never have really explained about the laptops. We use them to e-mail investigators. Here in Tokyo, most working people go to work long before we are out of the apartment, and aren't back until pretty late at night. (For the men it's not at all unusual for them to be at work until past 10pm.) So, most people we meet on the street are either students or unemployed. There is a big group of people that we never have the chance to meet. That is especially a problem for the Elders. So the laptops are to help us maintain contact with investigators who are extremely busy.

So far, I personally have just used it to keep in contact with people through e-mail. After we teach a lesson we always want to follow up and see how the investigator is doing. E-mail really helps us contact people who are too busy to receive any other form of communication. Also, we are starting to do all our area books online. (The area book is where we keep people's contact info and the record of what they have been taught.) The bishop of our ward also has access to the area book, as well as the ward mission leader, so they can both look at it throughout the week and see what the latest news is on our investigators. Also, we have Skype, so if investigators are too busy to meet in person we can do a lesson on Skype. So far, that's not something I have used, but a lot of others have seen success with that. Our mission also has created a homepage with a whole bunch of resources and it always has updates from the mission office. Communication is a lot faster to them now. Another thing is that people who aren't willing to give you a phone number on the street are still willing to give an e-mail address, so it is easier to get contacts. That all sounds pretty nice, which it is, but we still have a lot to figure out about how to use the computers effectively.

This week we had our first lesson with Sano Chieko. Saki Shimai and I met her on the street a few weeks ago and that weekend she came to church. At church she blew us away... she would just walk up to people and introduce herself. She's a self-fellowshipping investigator. She also expressed interest in the stake choir flier that she was hanging on the bulletin board.
She has a heart problem and was a little weak for a while after that week so the first time we were able to meet her since then was this week at our FHE activity, and then the first chance we had to teach her was this Friday. We only taught her the first half of lesson one because we didn't have time to finish, but we still asked her to pray about the message we had shared with her and if she felt it was true to be baptized. She said yes, so I asked her if she would be baptized on the 25th of September. She paused for a minute and then turned to her bag and pulled out her planner to see if she was free that day! I was blown away again. Then, she opened it up and my heart sunk a little because I saw that there was already something written on the 25th... and then I realized what it was: Stake Choir practice. Who does that? Who says they can't come to their own baptismal service because they are already too busy with Stake Choir?

Anyway, we still have a lot to teach her and I don't want to count hens before the eggs hatch, but we are really hoping to see her baptism this month.

Other than that, not a whole lot has happened with our other investigators unfortunately. A lot of them haven't responded for a while so we're going to have to move on soon.

Tell everyone hello for me: Auntie Annie, Austin, Josiah... and tell Aunt Georgia and Uncle Ethan congrats.

I have one more thing to say and then I need to go: I knew that I would meet a lot of interesting people on my mission, but I thought most of them would be on the street... in actuality, visiting the members is always an odd experience. This week we visited an older lady and she had 2 ferrets running around her apartment. She told us a story about how her ankle had been broken for 25 years. We ate a surprise dinner that she had prepared for us in her bedroom (apartments are teeny here). Her walls were plastered with pictures of this Korean actor that she's crazy about. She probably never would have stopped talking about him except thankfully her ferret climbed in my backpack and provided a distraction from the conversation. Another member we visited this week dressed us up in Kimonos. Another old lady we visited did a puppet show for us. (Evidence of all 3 occurrences is included.)

I love you much.
-Waite Shimai

PS- The last picture is of us at a memorial of the first people who came to Japan and opened it up for missionary work. This week was the 110th anniversary of the prayer they said to bless Japan, and there was a little anniversary meeting held at the church closest to where the prayer was said. We look tired because the meeting started at 6:30 am so that people who had work could still come.