Miracles all week!

Sasebo week 20 - wk 68 in Japan, wk 77 total

Monday July 25, 2016

Looking back on this week, I can't believe that's it's only been a week! We've seen enough miracles for an entire month! Let me walk you through it:

Tuesday: we went to the mission headquarters for Training in Fukuoka. That was really fun because I got to see some really good friends that I won't be seeing for a long time. It was a long day, training from 10-4, with one 45 minute break for lunch. But it was really good, we discuss concerns that everyone is facing throughout the mission and how we can try to help. We talk about what we can do better as leaders of the mission and representatives of Jesus Christ. All in all its really uplifting. When we got back to Sasebo around 7:15, we hurried and biked to an appointment with Miyazaki San! Sound familiar? She was taking the lessons, progressing really well and came to church about 2 months ago, but after that, stopped answering our phone calls and texts. But! We felt prompted to invite her to church last Sunday and she actually responded! She said she couldn't come but when we asked if we could stop by again she said yes! So yeah, on Tuesday, we visited her at her apartment. She's been sick for the last week, and we could tell she's exhausted. Turns out she's just been jam packed with work and literally has no time to think about meeting. We shared with her a scripture from the Book of Mormon, Mosiah 24:15-16 which basically says that the Savior will bear our burdens so they will be light even in the midst of difficult experiences. We promised her that she could feel that relief through Jesus Christ. And she set up another appointment all by herself! So we are really excited to keep working with her.

Wednesday: A Senior Missionary couple came to Sasebo on Wednesay. They will be here in Sasebo for 2 years. President Egan asked that we go and decorate their apartment door to help them feel welcome. As we headed up to their apartment, we ran into one of our investigators who hasn't answered the phone since she came to church two weeks ago! Fujisaki San! She's the one who was walking her dog in front of the church. We chatted for a bit and she told us she's just going through a hard time and isn't sure what to do next in life. We were able to set up an appointment for the next day! After welcoming the missionary couple, we did some Streeting in the limited time we had before our next meeting. The last person we talked to was Sari. She was waiting for her friend after work. We told her a little about the Book of Mormon, and she wanted to read it! Her native language is Tagalog though and so we set up to meet her a gain and bring her a Book in Tagalog! And her friend came up while we were talking, and asked for a Tagalog and an English Book of Mormon (she's married to an American).

Friday: we made lunch for Miyazaki San for her to take to work, because she always brings her lunch since her works cafeteria is too expensive. She was home when we brought it over and she invited us to go to a summer festival with her and! She said she could come to another of our friend's baptism in a couple weeks!

Saturday: we were able to meet with Sari and she brought another of her friends. Sari had read the part of the Book of Mormon that we asked her to (which never happens) and she really wants to learn more. She said "I feel peace in my heart when we talk and when I read this" there is a bit of a language barrier because Japanese is her second language but, we will also be meeting with her again this week!

There were several more, but I don't have enough time to explain them all! It's been amazing to see this this week. Honestly weeks like this don't happen very often, where people are actually interested, or actually responding, or doing what we invite them to do (pray, read scriptures, come to church) and it really isn't anything me or my companion has done differently. I really think that the Lord is at the head of this work and we are His hands. And as long as we continue to put our trust in Him, He takes care of the rest. If things aren't going well right now, that's okay. Press forward with Faith in Christ. Faith that He can and will take care of you, and I can promise that everything will work out for your good. Even if that means you have to get a few bruises along the way, it's all worth it.

Love,

Sister Lowe

 Sari is on the far right, next is Helen in the blue polo 

and my new companion Sister Shibayama on the left

 Training at Mission Headquarters, 

me with some really awesome sister missionaries

Little fuzzy, but an awesome view, high on a Sasebo mountain top :)

Trust in the Savior

Sasebo week 19 - wk 67 in Japan, wk 76 total

Monday July 18, 2016

This was a good week, sent sister Ehlers to Okinawa. I know it'll be an adjustment but she'll do great. My new Companion, Sister Shibayama, is really awesome. I am really excited to work hard these last 6 weeks with her. She is a really awesome missionary.

I love Sasebo, I love Japan, I love being a missionary. I know that when we trust in the Savior, everything works out. Life is still hard, but with Him it's possible.

With Love,

Lowe Shimai

Fritchen Shimai and Olsen Shimai 

waiting with me for my new companion to arrive!

My Last Transfer Week!

Sasebo week 18 - wk 66 in Japan, wk 75 total

Tuesday July 12, 2016

We got transfer calls today- Sister Ehlers is going to Okinawa! She'll be in Shuri, which is the smallest area of the mission, right next to where I was in Naha! So that's exciting! My new companion is a Japanese sister who actually was in the MTC with me and we sat together on the plane ride over to Japan! So I'm excited for that!

Our highlight of this week is on Wednesday. We didn't have a lot of time in the evening to go out and talk to people, but on our way from one appointment to another, we stopped and talked to a lady who was walking her dog in front of the church. We invited her to church on Sunday and she said yes! Gave us her number and said we could call her. And guess what! She actually came to church! And she wants to learn more about the church! We have a lesson with her tonight and are really excited to teach her.

My spiritual thought for this week is from the Book of Mormon, Alma 5:33 "Behold, [the Lord] sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I will receive you."

I love this so much because it just shows how simple the Saviors invitation to all of us is. With His arms outstretched, he invites us to repent, or in other words to align our actions, thoughts, desires
with His perfect actions, thoughts and desires. And when we do He receives us, he helps, loves, supports and comforts us. All He asks is for us to try our best.

All my love!

A local member and her daughter visiting from Utah 

took us to a restaurant that specializes in Salisbury steak!

So grateful for Mothers

Sasebo week 17 - wk 65 in Japan, wk 74 total

Monday July 4, 2016

Unfortunately I did not receive an email from Sarah this week.  However, I did receive emails from two members that she has met in Japan.  One woman relayed:  Your wonderful daughter is serving in our Branch right now.  She is a wonderful young lady and has been a blessing to our Branch and family.  When we first met her she had a big, friendly smile on her face.  My 15 year old daughter was happily impressed with Sis Lowe!  Awhile ago, Sis Lowe offered to come to my house to help me organize.  She and the other Sisters have come at least three times...maybe four, to help me go through things and purge!  It has been such a huge help to me.  We have had such fun!  I love your daughter.  She has been a wonderful example to my soon to be missionary son (leaving for the New York, New York North mission in Sept) and my impressionable 15 year old daughter. Thanks for sharing your wonderful daughter with us!

The other woman wrote:  I am currently visiting my parents in Sasebo until mid-August. I met your daughter so I took pics of her and her companion and sending them to you. They were on their way to go teach English to a community in Ainoura.  Let me know if I can do something for your daughter. The missionaries are really loved here. There's a church member who feeds everyone after church finishes at 4 almost every week and I saw them eating and smiling as well. Last Sunday she served miso soup and hashed beef and rice. I have a son serving his mission in the Philippines. He left in November :) So let me know if there's anything I can do for your daughter.

--Ok back to me, I am so grateful for this Church. For the Gospel.  For the mothers in Japan who are watching out for my daughter.  For the opportunity to watch out for other mothers' children when they serve missions where I live. 

Hopefully we will hear from Sarah next week, but I am glad I was able to share this experience with all of you.

Love,

Sarah's Mom

God loves each and every one of us

Sasebo week 16 - wk 64 in Japan, wk 73 total

Monday June 27, 2016
 
There were a lot of really really rainy days this week. Which makes for a lot of sweaty, sticky, soaked to the core, on a bike, kind of days. Buts it's all great because, when else am I going to have the opportunity (or desire) to go out and ride my bike in the rain, talking to people on the way? Never! So I am soaking it up now (:

We visited Ikegame San for the last time this week. His wife said he absolutely cannot learn about any other religion besides Buddhism, and he wants to keep peace in the home. Which is what we want too. It was really sweet though because he said that he feels a lot of peace whenever we visit him. I know that God loves him and will watch over His family even though we can't teach him right now.

We met Riko San last Sunday when she invited herself to church. She's in her 20s and studying acupuncture right now. We had lunch together on Wednesday and she told us she wanted to know more about Jesus Christ. We are really excited to be meeting with her.

The Elders are teaching someone who decided to be baptized this Sunday, so we are really excited. He owns a little cafe where high schoolers go and can eat food while they study. The sisters are teaching a couple of people who are really interested in learning about the gospel.

It's really exciting to see the work moving forward.

I really love this quote from the last general conference. Elder Holland talked about how much God loves each and every one of us. He said "first great truth of all eternity is that God loves us with all
of His heart, might, mind, and strength. That love is the foundation stone of eternity, and it should be the foundation stone of our daily life. Indeed it is only with that reassurance burning in our soul that
we can have the confidence to keep trying to improve, keep seeking forgiveness for our sins, and keep extending that grace to our neighbor."

Sometimes this is the only motivation we do have, that God loves us and because of that, no matter what everything will be okay.

Love Sister Lowe