Maryandra and Sister Tall actually look like real sisters!

 

Wednesday:

. . .

So, we made our way by bus to the station, and

met with sister Brown and the other Machida sisters to wait with them. We sent off sister Foutz after a few minutes of saying goodbye to the elders who were transferring. . .

We went back to wait for the new companions who were

coming. We had to wait a few minutes, but it was all right. I was so nervous the whole time I waited for Sister Tall to arrive. I knew nothing about her, and the only picture I'd seen of her was the Mother's Day picture she'd sent with her trainer, sister Merstrand, to sister Wada, and it gave me nothing to go off of. I was such a worry wart that Gappmayer Shimai basically told me to calm down. When she finally walked through the gate, she was talking to two ladies at once. . . and she's one of the cutest people I've ever met, and as soon as we started off for food shopping with the other sisters, we hit it off, and I realized she's not scary at all. She's so cute. She has been the easiest companion up to now. Sometimes I wonder why I had all these other companions up till now, or why we didn't get put together sooner, but then I realize I wouldn't have appreciated it as much as I do, having had all the experiences I have.

Maryandra appreciates all the art, both on the big buildings, and on the humblest of doors!

 



Sister Tall and Sister Miller

 

Maryandra noticed that the forget me nots are out already!!!

 



 So are the soggy sister missionaries that like to dance in the

warm rains of typhoon season!

 Sister missionaries with mustaches!

 

 

Tuesday:



. . . So, the typhoon came tonight instead of tomorrow, and by seven or so, it was raining pretty hard. We were greeted by the other sisters in a very interesting manner. They opened our door, and we saw a sopping wet, barefoot Gappmayer Shimai. We all aligned a bit, and they came in for a little while. Later, we visited them, and in the meantime, we all were fascinated by how hard it was raining. It was so crazy! Gappmayer Shimai, on a whim, suggested that we go and run outside and play in it. I agreed, and so we ran out into the pouring rain! We got soaked within a matter of seconds, but it was warm, and it just kept coming! We played in the street for about ten minutes, and we weirded out both the delivery man, who came out of the apartment, got on his bike, put on his helmet, and looked at us like he wasn't really sure what to do, as well as the teenage boy who poked his head out a window and asked "aren't you cold?" And watched us for a good five minutes. But we didn't care, it was sooooo fun! I haven't done anything that impulsive or childish in years! It was the best thing ever! And it was a major stress reliever! Yeah!

 

Wednesday:
Well, we just had a pretty long earthquake at about six this morning.
It woke me up, and I hear the walls creak, but it wasn't a terrifying
one. I kind of just laid there, and waited to see how long it would
take. Interesting. 



(So different from how Maryandra responded to her first earthquake!)

 

 

Friday:

. . . On the way there, as we

walked out of the train station, I got the most nostalgic feeling, mixed with a sense of déjà vu, because the street we walked down looked al last exactly like just street that leads up to the St. George temple and visitors center, that we used to go to all the time. The houses were built like they are in southern Utah, and the trees looked the same, and the smells, the colors, even the sloping hill of the rode just smacked me in the face like "ST. GEORGE!!!!" Which I found odd, because why would it be St. George, of all places? But it felt like home, and it was the coolest thing ever! I felt like I was floating on clouds as I walked Down memory lane, of all the times we got to go to St. George before.



 



 The fun Machida district missionaries!

 

Monday:
Haha, whoops, it's transfer day, and I haven't had time to tell you
what my last transfer call is yet. Well, I'll just tell you what
happened on Saturday, and then get caught up to today. So, we went to
the church at about eleven, and got our transfer emails. Sister Foutz
is transferring to Zama, and will be with a sister Roth. I will be
staying here in Machida second ward, and I will be receiving a new
companion. My new companion will be sister Tall. She will be a
transfer two as of today, so I will be doing her follow-up training.
It should be interesting,.

Okay, so, here's a few updates! I'm ALIIIIIIIIVEEEEE!!!!! I'm more alive than I've ever been since.... I can't remember. Transfer six, maybe? I looooooooove sister Tall! Get this! She is into doctor who, Sherlock, Zelda, Celtic music, she loves hanging out with her family, like I do, and she's sooooooo super genki and nice and sweet! I'm sooooo excited for my final transfer! I can't believe it!

 

We had an awful lot of fun on our Skype with Maryandra!!!

We actually got to talk to her for over an hour!!!

We hope we weren't breaking too many rules by that!

She had a pretty good week, too.

 



Sunday:
I liked the meetings during church
pretty well. I just wish we hadn't ended up skipping lunch for
contacting, because then we had a good hour bike ride before we arrived
at a member family's home for dinner with the elders.
Anyway, it was so fun. It was
the very first dinner appointment I've ever been to, of any sort,
since coming to Machida a month ago! 

Then Maryandra found out that that member is the son of her
daddy's mission president in Sapporo over 25 years ago!!!  Here is
Maryandra and a bunch of missionaries at the that members' house!
During the Skype, her dad mentioned he remembered that this brother
was about 16 when he entered the mission field back in 1990!

Maryandra says this is her quote of the week!!!

Maryandra didn't send many photos this time, but she and her companion did make it to the temple!  It seems that a lot of sickness is going around, and Maryandra even has a cold or sore throat as well.  Here is a little from her e-mail:

Wednesday:

Wow, we had like six kids at kids eikaiwa this time, which was

loud. It made my ears hurt more than usual. And by usual, I mean that my ears and nose are full of yuck, and my throat is sore, so I can't swallow, hear or smell without feeling some small discomfort. But it's good that kids eikaiwa went pretty well.
Friday:
Foutz Shimai kindly let me go to bed a little early, and I slept in some this morning, too. I think I feel a tiny bit better. My throat doesn't hurt quite so bad. But my head kind of does. All that nastiness being stuffed up in there, all that yuck. Well, I'm excited for splits today!

I get to go to Tama again, only this time, I'll be

going with Dansie Shimai! She's one transfer ahead of me,
which means that she was in the MTC with me for a few weeks,
So, we were at the station by about 12:30 or 12:40 or so, and met the
Tama sisters. After talking for a bit, we separated, and I went with
Dansie Shimai to Tama. It's kind of funny, because I started feeling a
tiny bit better almost as soon as we separated. I still don't feel great,
but I was at least able to talk to people today without feeling like I was dying,
unlike yesterday, where every person asked if I was okay, because I was
coughing so much.

Sunday:
Well, hopefully a former investigator should be coming to sacrament meeting today, and meeting with us for a lesson after church. She randomly called us yesterday to ask what time church services were again, and to say that she would probably be coming. That should be good, then, right? Yeah! I'm looking forward to it! She seems like a nice lady!...

Well, not only did she come to church, but she also brought her daughter and two of her daughter's friends. Even though the particular things we learned in church today are a little hard to understand even for life long members, they seemed to have a good time, for the most part. We sat them all down after church with two of the elders as well, and taught a group lesson, each one putting in a part here and there. I wasn't feeling super great, so I couldn't do more than testify at the end, but I felt good about he little I was able to say.

Foutz Shimai asked her to say the closing prayer. As she did, she started crying, and everyone felt a peace as she prayed. It was such a sweet experience! I'm glad that a rather hectic church block ended on a good note. She said, when asked if she would study again, said that she knows she needs God in her life again. The only thing that
keeps her from coming to church every week is how busy she is. But she
said she needs Jesus Christ. She and the others all left happy, and so did we.
Tuesday:
Okay, so while I wait and get ready, I'm just gonna send this off, so that when we pass by a place with accessible wifi, it'll automatically send. I'll tell you more about the temple and stuff later! Love you all! The church is true, and being a missionary is an awesome, awesome thing to be! I love it! Bye!....

 

 We finally got a photo of Maryandra's new companion, Sister Foutz! 

She is the one closest to Maryandra!

 For P-day, they went to the aquarium and had a wonderful time!!!

From Maryandra's e-mail, we got that she had a wonderful week of proselyting before this P-day!  They even have a baptism scheduled now!!!  In her own words:
Sunday . . .

Anyway, so right after that, we sat her down in the chapel, and
taught her the restoration right there, with her member friend helping to teach,
and she is basically golden. So, after we taught, we asked if she
believed what we taught, and she said yes with the cutest, sincere
smile on her face! And then, Foutz Shimai extended the baptimal
commitment, and SHE SAID YEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!! AND THEN WE SET
A DATE, RIGHT THERE, FOR MAY 30th! AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!! It was
the coolest moment ever! Oh my gosh! That's not happened to me in such
a long time! Oh my gosh! I can't even believe all the miracles
Heavenly Father has given us this entire week! Aaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!!!!!!

Sigh. Well, I'm so happy. Well, I'll see you tomorrow. We are going to celebrate by going to the famous aquarium in Enoshima, which, I've been told, is better than sea world, for nearly a quarter of the price. Crazy, right?! Well, gotta go now. See you tomorrow! I'll send the pictures later!....

We put about 1/10 of the photos in that she sent us!!!  :-)

 

See Maryandra's face!!!   See the sting ray's face!!!  So cute!!! 

 

  Maryandra's companion has been sick for so long now that Maryandra

has time to have fun with her ipad mini!!!

 







Wednesday:

So, Foutz Shimai was able to do about an hour and a half of study time, but then she had to go back to bed, because she was exhausted. Poor thing, I swear this has got to be more than just a cold. It's crazy! But I still appear not to have caught it, so I'm thanking Heavenly Father that I can still function, and I'm also being super careful, to make sure that it won't happen. I don't want to get incapacitated like that. Let alone get food poisoning again. That one was a nightmare, let me tell you! Scariest two weeks of my life! But I learned about Columbus and the creation and distribution of the bible today as I read first Nephi 13, so that was a pretty entertaining study time!

 

So, here is a little challenge I have for my brothers. I know they all participate in family scripture study, but are they all doing their own daily personal scripture study? I would like to know, and if they are not, I challenge them to start, because I know it's best to establish good habits earlier on in your life. I was blessed in the years before I served a mission by reading from the Book of Mormon every day. It made it easier to keep going through my mission, and the habit will be all the easier to maintain after I return home. So, because the Book of Mormon has blessed me so much, and I want my brothers (and anyone else who is interested, of course) to have that same blessing in their lives, I challenge them to start reading it every day, and to make sure they are getting it done, I want a weekly report of the things they have learned so far as they progress, insights, new knowledge, testimonies, etc. and I want them to type it to me personally. Can you boys all do that for me? Awesome! I expect to hear from you very soon! Don't slack off here, okay?

Sunday:
Wow, I actually really enjoyed my first real Sunday in Machida. The
members seem pretty nice. We got to hear from a
member in the Machida stake presidency, and when we were talking to
him after church, I found out he had served in the Sapporo mission
about twenty years ago. That would be cool if he served at the same
time as dad, wouldn't it? But I think he either served at the very end
of, or just after dad's time. Cool, though.
Anyway, after that, we had to come home, and Foutz Shimai slept after
a late lunch, and I did a bunch of things on the to-do list she had
given me, much of which was calling people. It turned out good though,
because I was able to make two appointments with people, and as I
finish the list, I should be able to make more.

Maryandra should have more to say once her companion gets better
and they can get out and do more!!!

 

These are photos of some flowers Maryandra was admiring!!!  Lovely!!!

 

This is a beautiful card that Maryandra made or that someone gave

Maryandra before she left Hibarigaoka!

One more shot of Sister Horrocks, Sister Smith, Sister Funakara and Maryandra

before Sister Horrocks left to go home and Maryandra left to go to Machida!

 

In Maryandra's own words:

Thursday:

This morning, we finished all the prepping and everything. Funakura Shimai and Horrocks Shimai cried together as they said goodbye, and then they separated. Funakura Shimai and Smith Shimai went to the airport to pick up Smith Shimai's new companion, a sister returning from going home for a bit due to an injury. I stayed with Horrocks Shimai at the house until we were scheduled to go, at around 10:00am. We rode the bus and the train together to Kichijoji, and then we met with Yoshida Shimai, and headed out again to return to the eki. We left at the same time as a bunch of elders, including elder Hadlock and elder Gammon, who were both transferring to Yamato. It turns out, that their transfer route was the same as mine, just one or two stops longer. So, I ended up riding the train the whole way with them, and it was helpful, because I would have gotten totally lost without elder Hadlock's help. Boy, was I glad for my old zone leader! Phew! I finally arrived safely in Machida, and was brought to the Machida Two sisters' apartment, and I'm gradually beginning to get used to things. I had time to unpack, because sister Foutz is sick and felt like garbage, so she had to sleep. We have since, however, had district meeting. I'm not sure how I'll like it, but there are a few people who seem like they're pretty cool. But it'll take time to tell for sure how things will turn out. So, that is the report for this week so far!

 



 

 







Saturday:

So, this morning during personal study, I watched the announcement made about two and a half years ago where the change in age was made for missionaries. It was amazing to remember how I felt as I heard president Monson speak. I remember that that announcement was an answer to my prayers. I had been feeling like something I was unaware of would be happening in my life in the near future, and I wanted to find peace and know what I should do with the first few years of my young adult life. I already had college planned out, and I thought they it seems right, but just not right now. And I wasn't sure why. I was planning on going to college until I was twenty one, and then serving a mission, and I had about a year and a half or two year space of time from graduating college and when I thought I would leave on my mission. It seemed at the time like that was the only way things could really work out. But I still felt troubled by it, and that, although this was a good thing, it wouldn't be happening in quite that way. I became frustrated, and scared by this feeling that something unknown was ahead of me, and I prayed to Heavenly Father many times for help, guidance and peace. He sure answered the prayer, but in a different way than I thought He might. When I heard that I could be going on a mission in a year or less, I felt at peace, and I knew that this was what I was supposed to do. I knew it would be the most important decision I could make at that point in my life. And it has been. Today marks my sixteenth month as a missionary. I can honestly say that I would never have received the blessings I have received, grow in the way I have grown, made the friends I have made, or received the testimony I have received, had I not come on a mission. That one moment changed my whole life. Forever. I can't even begin to describe. Or even try to describe, the amazing things that have happened in my life. I am so thankful that the Lord gave me this chance to serve a mission at a younger age. I came when I needed to come. I will be returning home in just under three months, and begin the next stage of my life. I can now approach that next step with more confidence, faith and reassurance than I ever could have before. I am eternally grateful to my father in heaven for the blessing He has given me, this chance to serve a mission. And I will do my best to always carry out His divine purpose, even when I have returned home from service as a full time missionary.