Lowe Shimai (Sister Lowe) Mission: The move to & 1st week in Naha! (week 31)

Monday November 9, 2015,

I love Okinawa! And I love training! It was hard to leave Maebaru and the people we were blessed to teach there. But I definitely will stay in contact with them! Okinawa is beautiful, the weather is perfect, about 70 degrees and sunny for the most part. It's gorgeous. I'm in Naha which is a huge
city it is so awesome because we get to talk to so many people! And I love my new missionary, Sister Bearman. She's from D.C suburbs! She's awesome, we get a long really well and she is really willing to try to speak Japanese even though it's uncomfortable. It's a little crazy coming into a new area and getting a new missionary because there's a lot to figure out with getting used to the ward and the area and the investigators from the last missionaries. But I'm just glad I'm with Sister Bearman now, it's been really fun figuring it all out together. And the other two missionaries in our apartment are really awesome too. One is Japanese, Kasamatsu Shimai and the other is from Utah, Sister Malone. They are all really great.

Bearman Shimai, me, Shimoji Shimai

The sisters that were here before taught a woman who got baptized after a month of meeting with the missionaries! Her name is Shimoji Shimai. She's been through a lot, but ever since she's started learning about this Gospel, she's felt so happy! Which reminds me of a scripture: Mosiah 24:14-15 "And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions. And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord."

I have been able to feel this strengthening power at so many different times in my life. I know that the Savior loves each one of us and even when we have difficult experiences, He can help us have the strength to overcome them and to count our blessings instead of dwelling on the difficulties of life.

We got to meet with our investigators one last time before we left Maebaru. I love these people so much!