(June 27, 2016)

Hey y'all! This week was great. Lots of miracles and things, which is wonderful because heaven knows we need it, haha... :) We are working hard and trying whatever we can to see success here in Kamisugi. Here is one story that is my favorite so far.

A girl we're teaching, R, has a strong Christian background. We've only begun meeting with her since I got here three weeks ago, but she's very Christian, which is unusual in Japan, to say the least. She's from a different country, and often tells us about her adventures in her share house, with the woman who "dirties the walls and dustbins" and such. She's way logical and has the best skeptical face I've ever seen on an Asian woman, she's my favorite:) Anyway, yesterday, she walked into our lesson, sat down, we sang a hymn and prayed, and she says, "Just wanted to let you know, I did what you said, and I asked God about whether the Book of Mormon is authentic, and he said, yep. So yeah. Just wanted to let you know that."

Sister B and I about died.

From a missionary working in Japan, that's like, stuff of fairy tales. I dunno about all y'all in Christian countries, but usually at this point in time, we're still working with the investigator to grasp the concept of a loving God, and this girl's casually like, yeah, God told me it's true. We've still got a ways to go in terms of what's the priesthood and why is church important and why do we need to get baptized again, (that's where the priesthood comes in...) but we are feeling pretty hopeful. 

Also, due to recent technology problems, it remains to be seen whether or not I'll be doing emails much from here on out... So I'd like to leave you all with a testimony and we'll see if emails work in the future or not;)

One thing that has been on my mind recently is whether or not I will be able to have an impact here in Kamisugi, since my time here is by far the shortest. In a ward of considerable size, I looked at the members and wondered if I would be able to touch their lives or to help them feel the Savior's love at all. Church is only once a week. I wondered if we would be able to find any real investigators who want to know the truth. I'm not the most charismatic person, I'm not all that smart or talented or fun or memorable, but I sincerely do want to make a difference in the places that I serve. As I pondered this sitting cross-legged on my futon at night, I realized that while there are many weaknesses and concerns, as I've seen time and time again on a mission, I have great faith in the last door concept. If you work until the very last minute, there will be a miracle according to your faith and the will of God.

And although I don't know everything, and although I am weak, I do know that by the power of God, I will be able to accomplish whatever He needs me to do. I want to help people find eternal joy and I want to help people discover the divinity within them, and then share that light with others, but the hows and the what ways, I do not know. However I do know that as I rely on my Savior and listen to the voice of the Spirit as it whispers to me, that I can do what I was sent here to do, whether that's something I can comprehend at this point in time or not. I want to be a powerful servant of the Lord, and although it may not feel like it at times, I know that taking the right step in the right direction at the right time is all we can do. So that's what we will do, because He loves us, each and every one, and will guide us every step of the way.

I'm grateful for the fullness of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that God has given us a way to find eternal joy and to become the very best that we can be. I'm grateful for the gift of the Book of Mormon that teaches us truths and supports the Bible as two witnesses of Jesus Christ, who is our Savior and Redeemer and understands what you're going through--yes, you--even if you don't, and you think no one else does, either. He is our light and our life and our joy, and I am grateful for His divine grace that draws us out of darkness and into the light. I testify that this is the work of God and that He is with us always. I feel Him in my life. He is my everlasting Friend.

I love you all! Have a wonderful week!


Bonus photo: Lisa went on another split with Sis. Anne Young!

(June 20, 2016)

Hyodo S's last Sunday:( Us and Shion chan, who just graduated recent convert status. She's half.

Stevenson Conference. You can see the top half of my face about four rows behind Sister Smith.

TSUYU. 湿気が。。。の割には雨は降らないんだけどね

(RAINY SEASON. Oh, the humidity... despite that, it hasn't actually rained all that much.)

Bonus photos:

This Week Was A Thousand (June 13, 2016)

What up! L Luke!

Yeah... We're just gonna picture it this week. Late night miracles and sarcastic revelation, I can testify that God has a sense of humor (with just enough fire to singe your eyebrows). Hapoy, exhausted, and the best days here in Kamisugi. Pretty sure I straight died and came to heaven, just with a road map that would leave good ol' Socrates scratching his head. (And at least he can do that since he doesn't have those beloved missionary helmenta, laugh.)

Pictures:

Emergency transfer elders passing through on Kamisugi District Preparation Day. All three Lukes in the mission are liked up there in the back, two out of three repping Idaho. Rockin' it.

Stake Conference was basically the Celestial Kingdom. Two of my favorite Ishinomaki members, my bean brother, and companions. Yay!

Went on a split with my granddaughter Sister P, Momma A makin' me so proud. *Tear.

There are a jillion vegetables at Kamisugi. We like it:) (Also learned that mushrooms and fresh parsley in your vegetable stir fry suddenly makes you feel about ninety two times more classy than you actually are.)

Emergency! (Everybody to get from street!) (June 6, 2016)

First e-mail:

I'm alive! Emergency transferred to Kamisugi... A sister had to go home:(

But way fun! Super busy today, love you!

Note: Kamisugi is near the center of Sendai city, just about three miles north of Nagamachi, which was her area before last, and quite close to the mission office. If you're really interested you can find it on the map here.


Several hours later:

What up! Luke 姉妹 in Sendai!!!

I'm at the apartment, so we will see if it actually does the automatic send thing. If it does, yay! If not... well y'all just read 'er next week. ;)

What a crazy week. Somehow I find myself in the most urban part of the mission on Friday of week four of the transfer with a companion ending in three weeks. All them surprises, eh? KAMISUGI. But, Sister H is someone I'd wanted to serve with ever since I met her, so I count myself very lucky to have her last few weeks here.

One thing I've felt so strongly after sending one of my girls home for the second time in two transfers and then dropping a zone and half a season is the importance of trusting in God. Sister T and I had a rough time since I left her with only a couple weeks of experience in Morioka and a lot of information that probabky fell through the cracks... but I know that if anyone is capable of this, she is. I'm so blessed to have been able to serve with her, and I trust the Lord will guide her and her new companion whereever they are most needed.

Pictures: Two of my favorite Morioka members, Beloved Sister T and I.

Sister H and I are both a little awkward... but we have a good time:) (despite the fact that we have three weeks of Kamisugi experience between the two of us... Laugh.)

I don't feel like writing to the masses... :D (May 30, 2016)

元気？？？私は原器だよ！今週はすごくすごかったんだ。なぜなら、実はElder　Stevenson が仙台に来たんだ！！！あとGong長老と、山下会長も来ました。私と長老二人と通訳したんだけど、私がStevenson長老の訳をしました。Wow! めっちゃすごい！

(Rough translation: "How are you? I'm doing well! This week was stupendously stupendous. Because, actually Elder Stevenson came to Sendai! Also Elder Gong, and Elder Yamashita [first counselor in the Asia North Area presidency]. Two elders and I interpreted for them, and I got to interpret for Elder Stevenson. Wow! Totally cool!)

Also We got to shake hands with all of them and their wives. And an apostle of the Lord looked at me at the beginning of the talk and said, Thank you, Luke Shimai, because President and Sister Smith and told him beforehand that I was going to translate for him. WAY COOL. President Smith and Elder Stevenson lived in the same missionary apartment, apparently, so that was also way cool!!!

One really neat thing was that for preparation, we all prepared questions that we could ask Elder Stevenson if there was time for that, and the questions I wanted to ask were mostly about working with members and helping members grow in faith and unity because Morioka Shibu has a multiplicity of issues.... but besides the point. Anyway there was no time for questions, but basically all of my questions were answered during the meeting, which was way nice.

Another cool thing was that on Monday evening, we visited a less active and then had a bunch of time to do finding, so we were housing some apartments, since there are a bunch of college kids in Morioka who live in apartments. When it gets later at night, we try to go for places with the lights on, since it's less rude that way. It was about 8:40 and we didn't know where to go, but as we looked around the neighborhood, there was one apartment in particular that caught our eye. So I said, let's go there, and Tanaka S said, I was thinking the same thing. As we got closer it became apparent that we wouldn't be able to do all three floors to get home by curfew, and for some reason President Smith popped into my head like him sharing some missionary's experience at MLC, except for he was sharing our experience and in it, we went to the second floor instead of the third floor. Usually when we do housing, we work our way from the top of the building down; not sure why, but a lot of missionaries do it that way. So I said, hey, I'm not sure why, but I think we should house the second floor. Tanaka S says, I was thinking the same thing.

Half the doors didn't have lights on, we were rejected a few times, but then the last door had a light on, and a girl opened the door and talked with us. The university in Morioka is mostly boys because it's big on science and such, so usually it's boys, but this time was a really nice girl, which was amazing. We talked with her a lot and she told us that she was actually kind of interested in religion. We gave her a Book of Mormon and she said, please come back sometime. The only problem is she's really busy with school and work, but we are really excited to see where that goes. 

Revelation is a real thing! 

I love you!

Ramblings from the Life of L. Luke (May 15, 2016)

There are few things that hurts more than giving someone all the love you can hold in your puny little twenty-year old heart, knowing that you have something that will heal them and soothe them and provide a refuge for safety from the storm--and then have them turn around and throw it in your face like a bucket of slimy, wet, painful paint and tell you they want nothing to do with you.

Which is a little bit of a dramatic way to describe a recent experience, but she doesn't know what she's rejecting, which may be the hardest part.

Although I'm not sure that I know what it means to have a broken heart, because every time I've felt like shattered glass on the inside, I've been glued then molded then fused back together, I know that that's what I mean when I say the word 'pain.' But the one thing I vowed to never have was a hardened heart, and scars only harden us and make us less pliable. And that's when I realized that I need Christ, not just for my own sins and not just for my own sorrows, but for the anguish I feel in my soul from the choices of another. I want to live like I've never known sorrow, I want to love like life is sweet, and the only way I can do that is through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The only way I can let go of past pains and mistakes and stay as warm and open, as real as I want to be, is in His grace.

I'm still sad because I loved and still love this woman, but I know that I have done all that I can, and I can't force help or divine love or truth upon her, that's a road she must choose for herself. I'm still sad, but I hope that one day, she will give way to the light I know is in her heart because she too is a precious daughter of my God, and I hope that when I see her again after this frail existence that she will look me in the eyes and know that what I tried to express to her was nothing but the purest intents of my heart, was nothing but the love that Lord has blessed me with, and I hope that when that day comes, I will be able to offer her a geniune smile of love and true sisterhood.

I dunno. Just some thoughts I had.

The good news of the week, however, is that my new companion is pretty much an angel. (Sorry for stealing your companion, Sister Y!) New investigators and potential investigators have magically begun popping out of the woodworks, and I know that the work is moving forward.

Looking forward to another killer transfers with this kid:)

And, at transfers. Rode down to Sendai with Sister O, my companion from five transfers ago. She's back in Nagamachi, which is where we were comps???

(May 9, 2016)

No letter this week, but we got to Skype for 40 minutes.

She looks good, healthy and happy. They got transfer calls, and she is staying in Morioka, but getting a new companion. I assume we'll hear more about her next week.

She did send some photos and a video:

A family portrait.

A video she apparently made for Sis. Satomi's birthday: