December 24, 2012
メリクリスマス！
Merry Christmas!!!!!!!
I know it is tomorrow (and in 2 days for all of you)
but Anderson Shimai and I decided to have Christmas TODAY! Yay. So we opened
our cute packages and presents this morning. Don`t worry I`ll be sending pictures.
We decided that we have the cutest moms in the whole mission! We are both so
blessed. Thanks to all who made our cute little Christmas in Takamatsu
possible! I LOVE YOU!!!
Here`s a quick recap for the week.
On Monday night we went and visited R***. She is
such a hoot and we just love her. She has been doing a little bit of studying.
When we taught her last Sunday we showed her a picture from a pamphlet. She
asked if she could keep it, so we gave it to her. We didn`t ask her to read it.
But when we went back to visit her on Monday night she said, `Well I read the
little Bible you gave me`and then asked a question.
Apparently she has been
doing some research on her own. She found out about the Word of Wisdom and had
questions about that. She said, `I understand why alcohol is `NO` and tobacco
is `NO`, but my cappuccino???! It makes me so happy! Why can`t I have cappuccino?!`
We told her that we could explain it to her next time we met if she wanted. She
got this impish look in her eye, she tried putting this pouty dog face on and
begged, `Can I drink it until we talk about it?` The best part is seeing her
pleading face with her puffed out lip. Like most of the Grandmas in Japan, she
only has like 2 teeth. So seeing her plead with her two teeth for a cappuccino
just made me laugh. I love her. She is definitely one of the funniest people
I`ve met in Japan.
Wednesday was an interesting day. We taught I****
San. The beginning of the lesson was awesome! We were asking her about what she
believes. She said she believes the Book of Mormon is true. AND that Joseph
Smith is a prophet. I asked her how she knew that and she said, `I don`t know.
Just when I read, I know.` Pretty cool!
It has been so fun to compare her to
the lady we met just over a month ago. When we first came to her house she
really had no interest and only let us in basically because she felt bad for
us, and now you can see the light of the gospel and her testimony flittering
across her eyes. You really can see such a difference! I love it.
So one of her questions from earlier was also the Word
of Wisdom. (It`s funny that when our investigators do their own research that
is one of the first things they find.)
Well we decided to answer her question.
We started off explaining obedience and how it brings blessings. We told her
that God wants to bless us so He gives us commandments. She got all excited and
got a note book to write it down. She was like ok, what are the
commandments?....Ya. This is where maybe not the best planning and teaching
skills came out from our part. Out of now where BAM! Word of Wisdom.
Looking back we should have introduced easier
commandments. Pray often, study the scriptures. Help her realize that she is
already keeping those. But...we didn`t. In all fairness she did ask about the
Word of Wisdom. And we thought it wouldn`t be a huge issue. When we explained
what we don`t take, her eyes got really big and you could tell she was way
overwhelmed. She looked at us and said, `I LOVE alcohol. And drinking tea with
my work friends is my hobby.` Oh.....
Well we tried to explain a little more. Promised
blessings. Showed her some scriptures and then asked her if she would try it
for a week. After her thinking for a long time, she said she would. And we told
her we wanted to help in any way.
The tea thing is hard here in Japan. We aren`t exactly
sure how to explain it. Some of the members drink it as a personal choice. Like
in America where some choose to drink coke and others don`t. Next time I teach
the Word of Wisdom, I definitely want a member there. It`s too hard for us
little American girls to know what is ok and not ok.
But anyways. We`ve called and texted her throughout
the week and she said she`s been doing well. So I think she may have made it
almost a whole week! We are meeting with her tonight so that will be fun to see
how she is doing. I am hoping she will be able to see the blessings that come
from living it, even if it has only been a week.
Wednesday night we taught the C*** (from Africa).
Ya...Honestly. It was a rough lesson. And that is probably because the Spirit
wasn`t really there.
Last time (when I was on my exchange) Anderson Shimai
said we wanted to help them in whatever way they could-especially in helping
them get a testimony of the Book of Mormon. They said that the thing that would
help the most would be us going through the Articles of Faith and discussing
them and sharing scriptures as to why we believe that. Anderson Shimai agreed
and asked which one we should start with the next week. They picked number 10.
Gathering of Israel and the New Jerusalem. Yay.....
Well we both studied it really hard and had great
scriptures from the Bible and the Book of Mormon supporting why we believe it.
But it really just ended up them getting fixated on
little, unimportant details. Ugh. It`s so frustrating. They don`t understand
why New Jerusalem will be in America. It doesn`t talk about it on the Bible so
it can`t be.
We emphasized that is why the Book of Mormon is
important because it adds to the information the Bible gives us. Right now I
guess it is too much for them to take. That is a really big bummer. We invited
them again to read the Book of Mormon and to pray about it (because they
haven`t really done so yet) and then they kind of turned it around and said
that we needed to study the Bible. Huh?! We had showed them scriptures from the
Bible! We told them that we believed the Bible. Anyways. Long story short. We
can`t go back this week and we didn`t make a definite appointment with them. We
decided to drop them.
We didn`t really tell them that we are dropping them...we
just won`t call them again. IF they call us and want to talk again we can go
back. But only after they`ve been reading the Book of Mormon. Because right
now, they don`t really want to learn. I don`t know why they kept meeting with
us. But it`s not for the right reasons. Maybe they`ll be ready to receive it
again later on in their lives. But right now we think they both need a little
break. Bummer...We really do want to help them.
Honestly I like teaching Japanese people WAY more!
When I first got my call I was scared to teach people without a Christian
background. I didn`t know how I was going to connect it to them. But now
working with those who are very devout Christian and those who have only heard
Christ`s name, I prefer the later. There are not nearly as many misconceptions
to clear up. Their knowledge of the Savior and His teaching is so very limited.
But it`s ok, because we get to help them paint the right picture. It really is
such a privilege.
On Friday we met with a Chinese Potential
Investigator, Ch*** San. We met her as we were stopped at a train crossing-
we were all riding our bikes home. She is a college student and got to Japan
about the same time I did. We had a casual first meeting and went out to Sushi.
(My first time in Japan!)  | |||
| The Sushi came out on this conveyor belt and you could choose what you wanted |
It was actually a pleasant experience.
A lot
better than my first one for sure...Glad that I now know that Wasabe is NOT guacamole.
Anyways. She said she would be interested in learning
more about Christians and agreed to come to church! Yay!!
On Saturday we stopped my U*** Shimai`s one more
time. We wanted to give her another valiant effort before we dropped her. And
we were singing at church and may have tried to play her mommy heart strings to
help her want to come to church. It worked! She said she would come to church.
Sunday was a great day!
We had R*** and Ch*** San come before church and
we had to go on splits with the members to teach them. I love having too many appointments
than we can handle!
It means we are doing our job! Anyways. Anderson Shimai
taught R*** and I gave a church tour to Ch*** San and taught a little bit
of our how to begin teaching lesson.
Then miracles happened! We had the most investigators
in Sacrament than we have had in probably my whole mission....combined.... So
we had R***, Ch***, U***Shimai, I***San and two of her boys,
and N*** San! Yay!!!! It was such a great day!
N*** San came because we called him on Saturday
and invited him to church. He said his brothers were against it and he probably
couldn`t because of his job. He has a morning cleaning job at a Christian
preschool. But we told him he said he doesn`t have to join the church, he can
just come as a friend. He was like, `Oh I can just come as a friend? I guess
that`s ok.` Yay! So he came. We aren`t going to teach him right now. We just
want him to start feeling things at church and then maybe he can get up the
gumption to want to keep learning. But just the fact that he is coming made me
SO happy!
U*** Shimai slipped out right after Sacrament
meeting so we didn`t get to talk to her. That was a bummer. But she came.
That`s great!
Ch*** San also had to leave after Sacrament
meeting. I asked when she could met again...she wouldn`t make a specific
appointment. I hope she wants to keep meeting! She said we could call her
again.
I***also had to go right after Sacrament. We
found out that even though her boys had sports she still came! She dropped the
oldest off and then came to church, then was going to take her other boy to his
sports after church. Cute her! She really is so amazing. I can`t wait to talk
to her tonight!
Then N***San stayed for all of church. He loves
going to Sunday School and Priesthood. And he said he`d be back next week!
Score!
R*** is just bonding with the ward. She loves
everyone and everyone loves her. How could you not though? She is a total crack
up. She tries to use all of the English she knows when she talks to us. My
favorite thing she says is, `Me go to churchy!`. She fits right in here. This
is where she belongs.
We had another cool experience after church! Is*** San
came back. He is the one investigator who did have a baptismal date when we
first got here in Takamatsu.
He had already heard the lessons 3 times and really
wasn`t interested. But was getting some help from the ward. We stopped teaching
him and he would come after church occasionally to talk with some of the
members. He made it pretty clear that it wasn`t for us.
But yesterday he came and he said he wants to listen!
Not really listen to all of the lessons again but to know why we believe what
we believe. He wants to hear our testimonies. And he wants to learn more about
the Book of Mormon. How cool? The Lord really can soften every heart. He will
probably become an investigator again this week! We are excited that he is
ready to listen.
Sunday afternoon we went caroling with some the
members. We showed up at some of our PI`s, Investigators, and Less active
homes. They were all a little surprised but I think it was a pleasantly
surprised. It`s fun singing songs about the Savior to all these people that I
love.
Well I love you all so much! Thanks for all of your
support! The Church is TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!
Merry Christmas,
Dobson Shimai
Dobson Shimai
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