Surprised to transfer! So it was crazy and no time for any of those apple recipes but thanks and now I'm not an STL anymore so I actually have time at night to maybe make something!!
Last Monday with Shuu- so grateful I've met her. Sad lesson having to let her know about transfers- honestly I cried and my wish was that I could speak Chinese so that I could teach her better, I would've done anything- I realized any sacrifice is worth it if someone can come unto Christ.
With that experience so hard, Tuesday was a miracle, she is taken care of and the work is moving on.
I was a little sad when I first got to Joyo because I loved Osaka and the city so much and honestly a little sad to be done being an STL but then got more comfortable with Stoneman Shimai and we're going to have a lot of fun! Also General Conference, of course,was just the most uplifting boost.
Starting to feel like an old missionary especially because Stoneman Shimai is a 3rd transfer who's a year younger as a missionary. But she's also very dedicated and there are good things in store for the last 2 months (wasn't counting before but literally every missionary and member has asked now).
Love you no time bye!
So I was a little surprised but I'm out of Abeno and now in Joyo! It's a town in Kyoto and inaka (country) but not as inaka as Imabari where I started. New companion is Stoneman Shimai- it's been almost a year since I've been with an American and she's from Spanish Fork haha small world. Also she's a theater major :)
So last Monday, I think I wrote about part of this last week but we found out that our miracle investigator who has a baptism date, Shuu San, actually lives in the next Ward, Sekime and so Monday night we went over to her apartment with our Ward mission leader, the amazing Nagano Kyoudai who lives close and had to break the news that Zhou Shimai was transferring (didn't know about me yet) and that she didn't live in Abeno. That was a little hard for her to take- she seemed worried. But Nagano Kyoudai was also amazing and helped a lot, especially by sharing his conversion.
Tuesday morning got a call from Shuu and she had made time and wanted to meet that day around lunch time at Seishi Shimai's house (member that we've usually visited her with). Also we brought the Sekime elders to be able to pass off. The Seishi's are the most amazing couple and it really is an honor to know them, also thankfully today Shuu felt better than yesterday- the Spirit was very present in our lesson, also to help with the Chinese, Zhou Shimai will Skype into the lessons probably and we really tried to help her focus on being converted to Jesus Christ and His gospel. Truly she is amazing and can't wait for her to get baptized, she's on fire! Also visited other investigators that day, one passed really smoothly to the elders- again another miracle. Then Tuesday night before planning I got the call to transfer to Kyoto.
Wednesday sent off bikes and suitcases quickly then went out to visit a LA (for health reasons) and is very close to the Spirit and we had a beautiful lesson. Then visited Chin Shimai, cute recent convert from Taiwan who wasn't happy we are transferring but she just has the strongest testimony and nothing's going to shake her. In the evening Nanaka Chan (member) joined us for a church tour/lesson with an investigator- so this investigator was found a while ago on the street, then found again by different sisters and were able to get contact info and we've been mailing her all transfer and just haven't been able to meet so miraculously had an appt, she's really cute! Did the church tour ending with the font and Nanaka shared her conversion and though this investigator says she's not very interested in joining she really wants to learn and was very impressed and at the end exchanged info with the member and turns out they live very close and she's going to be very well taken care of! God is very carefully guiding this girls life :):)
Thursday transfer day- out of downtown Osaka (I've been in Osaka for almost a year!) and off to Kyoto with a little church and rice fields and nice people that say hi back to us! Joyo has a really good rep- the members are on fire and they've seen quite a few baptisms this year AND have retained those people.
Friday started after study with a RC lesson and had the greatest doseki Takara Shimai who has served 3 missions with her husband! She helped a lot in addressing some concerns of this 20something yr old convert who's family isn't very supportive of his choice. Then did some visits and along the way even though there aren't very many people to talk to on the streets the first girl we talked to was interested and exchanged info (very rare situation!), then I met a lot of the recent converts with all sorts of interesting stories! Ended the night with Game Night...not the best turnout but well work on it!
Then big highlight of the week...GENERAL CONFERENCE 
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Did anybody notice all the talks about missionary work?? Very helpful, through all of Conference I received so many answers- truly God is aware of each one of His children. Then with that fire did some finding and talk to wonderful people, no new investigators. Sunday more General Conference! Quite a few talks stuck out to me but one that was really special was Elder Yamashita- I was just overwhelmed by how much I love my mission, how much I love these Japanese people. I don't remember a lot of what he said but I'll never forget the Spirit I felt. I hope each of you was able to have similar experiences listening to the words of our loving prophet President Monson and other leaders of the church! After conference, we needed to put my bike together (it comes apart to ship by box when we transfer) and as we pulled it out to start, a neighbor saw us and immediately came over to help. Seriously he came over put it all together then grabbed a rag and cleaned up off, pumped up my tires and replaced a missing bolt- wow. Like wow. So we're going to bring a cake and BOM and thank him this week.
Then we met a young investigator who home stayed in Idaho with a member family and is so prepared and has some concerns but accepted a baptismal goal for November 13th!
Monday in Kyoto, I'm writing at Kiyomizudera right now, here with Fushimi STLs, love them! Love you all! Now get out and DENDO!
Love, Wagstaff Shimai
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