Dobson Shimai: Reaping the Rewards

October 21, 2013

Well, I don`t know about over there, but it sure is getting pretty chilly over here. It feels good. I like it. :) I know I never would have said this 2 years ago, but I actually like being in the cold. More than the hot that is. Crazy how missions change you.

(Granted, it hasn`t been THAT cold....so ask me in a month if I still like the cold. ;) )

Wow. This week the Lord has just opened up the windows of heaven to us and just handed us some pretty great miracles. So BLESSED!!

So on Tuesday we went to visit a previous investigator from before we were in the area. Reira. She is Filipina and seemed really nice on her record.

Well we visited her and she let us in. We started talking with her for a little bit and we met her older sister, Johna. Reira has lived in Japan for 7 years, is married to a Nihonjin and can speak a decent amount of Japanese. Johna has only been here for 3 months and doesn`t speak Japanese or English, but we asked if they wanted to listen to our message and they agreed.

We taught them and they both had lots of good questions. They are both pretty devout Catholic, but their mom was a Mormon at some point. So they said they saw the missionaries a lot growing up. They wanted to know why we are different from other Christian churches and all sorts of other things. Well they agreed to meet with us again and we are meeting with them tomorrow. So excited!!!

Wednesday we had just a little bit of finding time before Eikaiwa. Just like 15 minutes. But that`s all the Lord needs. We decided to just go out in front of the church and start inviting people to Eikaiwa.

Well the second girl we talked to was the winner. Her name is Arisa Chan and she is so cute! She is a freshman at college studying to be a Preschool teacher. She said she lived close and always walked past the church. We invited her for a tour and a little message. She agreed and we showed her the church. We got to teach her a little bit and set up an appointment for a couple of days.

Well she came back on Saturday and we got to teach her a real lesson. She said that she goes to a Christian college and has really become interested in Christianity lately. She said when we talked to her on the street she felt like it was a chance she needed to take.

The Lord really does just lead those who are ready to receive Him straight to us. He is just so amazing!

Another interesting/cool miracle happened this week as well.

One day as we were studying at the church the phone at the church rang. That doesn`t normally happen. But Murayama Shimai went to answer it. She started talking for a minute and she then said there was someone on the phone who wanted to talk to the Gaijin missionaries, and handed the phone to me. I got on the phone and at first the lady said, `no. the AMERICAN missionaries.` `I am American!` I responded. `Oh, hello. I want to come to church this week, can I come?` `YES!! OF COURSE!!` (The whole conversation was in Japanese.)

She said had previously met us and her name was Fukushima San. Well about a month ago me and Crofts Shimai met a Fukushima. We even taught her a lesson and she was so excited. But then 3 days after our lesson she called us and said she didn`t want to meet us again.

Well we thought it was the same lady and we were so thrilled, awed the Lord was showing forth His power.

Sunday morning comes and we get to church a little early. There is only one lady sitting down in the chapel. We go and start talking with her. She said her name is Fukushima San and that she wanted to go to church today. We realized that this was not the Fukushima San we were anticipating, but giddy none the less that she actually still came to church.

We got to teach her a lesson, and although she seems to have some anxiety, she said she loved the lesson and church and is coming back next week.

One last cool story. So...Yamauchi Kyodai. We feel like he wasn`t progressing, and no matter what we did, he wouldn`t change. So we decided to not drop him officially but just to not try contacting him for 2 weeks. We hadn`t heard from him for a while.

Well, even though Sunday it was raining cats and dogs, guess who walks in to church right after sacrament meeting! That`s right. The beloved Yamauchi Kyodai. What? I was sitting up on the stand, playing the organ when I saw him walk in. It was all I could do to keep my mouth from dropping. It was SO unexpected!! After sacrament he wouldn`t meet with us or go to Sunday school. He was going to ride his bike back the 45 minute ride to his home, in the pouring rain.

I can`t figure this man out. He is a total enigma! But I love him and want to help him more than anything!!!

Well that was basically my week. We are so excited that the work in our area is finally starting to pick back up again.

I feel like the Lord was just trying our patience to see if we would still be faithful, even if we weren`t seeing success. I guess we passed the test, because He sure is being generous! :)

Oh. The Moroccan man couldn`t make it to our lesson last week. His work went late, but we should be able to meet him this week. :)

I love you all lots and lots!!

Love,

Dobson Shimai