Sasebo week 9

Sasebo week 9 - wk 57 in Japan, wk 66 total

Monday May 9, 2016

This has been a really great week. We had an awesome lesson with Miyazaki San on Monday, her faith is definitely growing! And she took off work so that she can come to church in a couple of weeks. I'm so excited for her!

Tuesday we went to Arita with a member, Hara Shimai. We got to look at lots of cool hand made pottery. Wednesday we helped an awesome American member organize her house. Then went over to a Japanese member's house. He is older and is blind so nurses usually bring him dinner. But this week we (the 6 missionaries) made dinner for him. It was so fun, he was so happy. We literally get to spend all day finding ways to help other people be happy. It's the best feeling.

Thursday we went to Saga where we had interviews with our Mission President. It was so good. It was just a good reminder to me that Heavenly Father loves each of us unconditionally. Even when we feel like we aren't doing good enough, He still continues to love us perfectly.

I say this all the time but, looking outside of ourselves and trying to help those around us really is the best feeling in the world. It can be the cure for homesickness, depression, low self esteem, anxiety, any bad feeling. Because when we serve others we can feel the love that Christ has for us and everyone.

Much Love!

We got matching Pineapple pants!

Our day looking at pottery with Hara Shimai

 Had dinner by the docks on a rainy day!

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY

Sasebo week 8 - wk 56 in Japan, wk 65 total

Monday May 2, 2016

This was a really good week. We met with a lot of members and shared a little bit of sunshine with them. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY.  I love being able to spend all of my time figuring out how I can help others and help them feel loved. We are seeing a lot of miracles, even in the little things.

One of the ladies we have taught before, invited us to come back to weed her yard, which never happens! The Japanese people are very much, "I can do this myself, I don't need help" mindset. So the fact she's letting us serve her is huge! And one of the ladies we are teaching, Miyazaki San, she is really interested in learning with us. She has a lot of questions and a strong desire to find the answers. And one of her neighbors came and told her not to let us come over and teach any more because they didn't want to hear our religious talk. So she said that she'd probably have to stop meeting with us, and it's too far of a walk to the church because she doesn't have a car, BUT! One of our church member friends, offered to have the lessons at the near by auto shop that she owns! Definitely a miracle. And Miyazaki San is willing to walk to the shop to meet with us! I am so excited to teach her.

Also, while we were knocking on doors this week, we found a lady from Zimbabwe, and she wants to come to our fun activity at the church this Saturday! ALSO, another of our church friends, introduced a really nice friend to us yesterday that we will probably be able to teach soon. ALSO, a guy in the navy came to church for the first time in a long time yesterday!

I am so grateful to be a part of the Lords work here in Japan. There is not one person that cannot benefit from the love and support and strength that our Savior Jesus Christ gives to us. I know that to be true, and because of that I go out everyday to find the people who are willing to reach out and accept the gifts the Savior is always so willing to give.

Love,

Lowe Shimai

I even love being a missionary when 

we are soaking wet from riding our bikes in the rain

New Companion!

Sasebo week 7 - wk 55 in Japan, wk 64 total

Saturday April 23, 2016

This was another good week! We met with a young mom named Chisa. She really wants to know more about Christ. We met her briefly at her home and she invited us back. We were able to teach her a brief lesson and she wants to learn more! I'm really excited to see how she progresses. Then on Thursday my new companion and Maduex Shimai's new companion arrived safely in Sasebo. Thursday night we had another lesson with Miyazaki San. She is really awesome. She opened up a lot to us and we were able to have a really good lesson about the hope we have because of Jesus Christ.

We have been seeing a lot of miracles as we go out and talk to people. God is really helping us find people who are ready to learn about and follow Jesus Christ. I am so grateful to have this opportunity to focus on helping others in every way I can.

With Love!

Lowe Shimai

 My new companion! Ehlers Shimai, 

from Salt Lake City! She's great (:

 Ran into Kirihata Shimai from Naha at the Temple

 unexpectedly today! So happy to see her!

 I got to hold 4 monkeys at the Bio park!

 District picture

First Earthquake Ever. Good thing I can read Kanji!

Sasebo week 6 - wk 54 in Japan, wk 63 total

Tuesday April 19, 2016

Actually I can't read Kanji and so that was really scary. On Thursday night, right before we finished planning for the next day, our phone started making this really loud, annoying sound. We opened up the phone and it was all in Kanji! Yeah, we had no idea what it said. THEN the apartment starting rumbling. Not really shaking. Luckily it wasn't bad because we just got the aftershock of the one in Kumamoto. Our apartment is perfectly fine. It just felt like what it feels like after you spin around in circles for a long time and you're dizzy and the ground feels wobbly, that's what it felt like. The scariest part was the eerie sirens going off in the background with a man shouting things in Japanese to the city from Town Hall, again we were not able to understand. The joys of living in a foreign country! You all probably know more than I do about the effects it had in Kumamoto. They have taken out the sister missionaries, they are temporarily in Fukuoka. And from what I've heard, church members are camping out at the church. Wards and Branches from all over Kyushyu are putting together care packages with food and water.

So yeah, in other news! This week is transfer week and President Egan called me last night- I'M TRAINING AGAIN! My new companion will come on Thursday and she will have just come from the Training Center in Utah. I am excited! Right now there are two sisters here in Sasebo, but they are going to change it to four sisters, so I will get a new companion and my companion right now, Sister Madeux will get a new companion and we will all be here in Sasebo together! I am really excited! 

This week was a good week. We met with Shimomura San, and taught her about the restoration. She said that she wants to learn more about it! We haven't been able to get a hold of her since, but we will keep trying! 

 

We were also able to teach Miyazaki San. We taught her about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. She is really interested in learning more. She has a friend that is really sick and wants to know if God can perform miracles. We are meeting with her again on Thursday! 

 

We also have the opportunity to teach English to three groups of people, at our church, at a community center, and at the Japanese Military Base. This week was the first one at the Base and it was so much fun! We go and sit and they rotate through and practice the things they've been learning in their English class on Base. I love these opportunities to meet so many different people! 

As I have been thinking about Miyazaki San and some of the miracles I've seen in my life, I haven't seen huge miracles, but miracles don't have to be big. Miracles are in the little things too. I have definitely been able to see God's hand in my life every step of the way. And the only times that I have felt lonely or discouraged is when I, even in some small measure, turn away from God. But as I do my best, and try to follow His guidance and plan for me, he has helped me every step of the way. That's not by taking away the hard times, but being with me, strengthening me through the hard times. Those have certainly been miraculous moments in my life and I am so grateful for each one of them. 

Much Love, 

 

Sister Lowe

Sasebo week 5

Sasebo week 5 - wk 53 in Japan, wk 62 total

Monday April 11, 2016

I can't believe I have been in Japan for a year!  This has been a little bit of a difficult week but I know I'll be okay. I am so grateful for general conference and for everything we got to learn from the Prophet, Apostles and other church leaders.

With Love,

Lowe Shimai

 View from my apartment

 Latricia and her friend!

 

Cherry Blossoms!

Sasebo week 4 - wk 52 in Japan, wk 61 total

Monday April 4, 2016

This week was really cool, we found a girl who Klein Shimai taught her sister in Fukuoka and now she wants to meet with us! She's sixteen and is from the Philippines.

Other than that we have been doing a lot of talking to people on the street and going house to house. 

My favorite part of being a missionary is just being able share the Savior's love and hope with everyone, even though they don't understand our words, they can still feel that it's special. 

And I am so grateful for that. 

 

Much Love!

 The cherry blossoms!

  Necklace from Emily! (above)

My desk, with the new drawing from Emily hung up (below)

Sasebo week 3

Sasebo week 3 - wk 51 in Japan, wk 60 total

Monday March 28, 2016

We had a really awesome week. We had training from mission President Egan and his awesome wife. It was so cool to hear about all the miracles happening in the mission.

And a lady in our English class loves exposing us to Japanese culture, so she brought some live fish for us to eat! Ice fish. They were clear fish and you rinse them and put them in soy sauce, and cheers! You just swallow them while they are still squirming. It feels really weird.

Also, last night we had a really awesome Easter. We had dinner with a member from the Military branch ( which I realized I have been super lucky on my mission, I've had Thanksgiving and Easter dinner with American families, which means yummy American food!) and Sister Bergman's friend Emily and her daughters came over too. We were able to talk about the Savior's life and how He suffered for us in Gethsemane and on the cross. And how he rose again on the third day. Afterwards we were able to go over to Emily's house and help her pack for a trip and clean her house! It was so much fun. I love serving others, it's truly the best feeling to know that you've helped make another's load lighter. At the end of the night, Emily told us with tears in her eyes that his is the best Easter she's had in a while. And my heart was just full of love! For her and for my Savior Jesus Christ who loves each of us so much!

This week we were able to meet and teach a lady named Takai. She's really nice. It was cold when we knocked on her door so she let us in and we talked in her doorway. We came back and taught her two more times! She's starting work next week so she can't really meet very often anymore, but we are still going to try to visit her (:  Here is her picture:

From left: Tateishi Shimai (a member), then Takai San.