Come Follow Me: Down to only two and a half weeks in AMERICA?!

September 3, 2015

Hello Family and Friends,

O-Genki desu ka? Or how are you? From what the e-mails sound like, it sounds like everyone is good and having a normal schedule and stuff is nice for once haha I am glad everyone is busy and all the kiddos are doing well in school and their sports and such. It is so fun to hear and so great to see pictures of everyone:) So thank you all so much for writing me and for sending cute pictures. It really is one of the greatest things a missionary can receive. I am very blessed to have people back at home supporting me and loving me through my time to serve the Lord. I love you:)

Well okay yet another week to talk about haha we will start with the greatest thing of the week... ready????? ELDER DALLIN H OAKS came to the MTC for our Tuesday devotional. How amazing is that?! That man is so amazing. He is always so stern and straight forward with his talks and for sure doesn't beat around the bush. First I will share one thing his wife said that has just stuck with me since that night. So she said, "10 out of every 100 people know our church is true just by walking by a member of our church." HOW CRAZY IS THAT?! PEOPLE, we can change someones life and their family for eternity just by how we present ourselves everyday. So just smile, be happy, and show people that life is great no matter how hard times can get and they will see the light in you and know that what we have is true and will change their life. So one cahllenge this week is to smile and represent Jesus Christ at all times and you never know whose life will be changed for the better. My favorite thing I want to share with you that he said was well sorry two things, first "Every member should know the sacrament prayers by heart because that is the most important thing a member can do every week. Partake of the sacrament because that is how we will have the spirit with us at all times." I always knew the sacrament was amazing and I always loved Sundaybecause I had that opportunity but I never realized how much it really affects our daily life. So please get to know those prayers and better understand them and it will help you have the spirit with you at all times! How great is that blessing just by partaking of the sacrament the right way with real intent?! Second was more for missionaries but he said, "Doing missionary things is fine and will be good but BEING a missionary is where the work will be successful." And wow is that true... there are so many missionaries here that you can tell are just going through motions and not trying to be that missionary that the Lord wants them to be and it can be hard to always be focused and having the spirit but I know what he said is true. As a missionary, you need to be full in the work or else there isn't much of a point for being here. I am taking this to heart and this week really working on BEING a missionary not just doing the things missionaries do. Dallin H. Oaks is truly an apostle of God and I just felt the spirit so strong as he walked in the room and spoke to us. We are led by amazing men like him and I am so grateful for them and their dedication to our gospel and the love they have for our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Oh so just a random fun fact.. I had to speak in church on Sunday!! Boy was that scary, and yes it is in Japanese.. I never thought I would get called on. How they do it here at the MTC is you don't know you are talking till right before you talk when they announce the outline of the program... so yeah that was scary hahahah but it went well I guess. Everyone said they got my message and understood all my sentences and such. So glad that's over ha never have to talk again:) But yeah it was quite the experience:)

Okay update on the investigators.. They are both doing well. Aoyagi San is keeping the word of wisdom and is getting baptized on Sept 13 so that is exciting:) We didn't get to teach him yet this week because of our new class schedule so not much on him so sorry but Yonaha San is progressing a lot! We taught her about praying often and with her family and stuff and our next lesson we started out by asking her how prayer has been going and she told us how her and her fiance broke up and how it has been hard because they had been fighting a lot and such but after they broke up she prayed to our father in heaven and she said she felt the spirit so strong and it was like someone was hugging her.. Oh my heavens! No better feeling than your investigator telling you that. She felt the love of her Father in Heaven that day and I know she knows that is true:) Wow, I love this gospel and I love the amazing power of prayer! Prayer is real, I know that with all my being. I know he answers our prayers if we are praying with real intent and also LISTENING after we do so. We must listen and have faith that he will answer us. But they both are doing well and our lessons are improving and I can feel the spirit in them.

Okay funny story of the week yet again.... and yes it has to do with more Elders.. Oh heavens!

So we were walking back from breakfast and our cute Sister Training Leaders, Sister Watson (from Dixie high) and Sister Cox (convert) were talking about the elders in their district and they kept laughing cause they said they had a big crush on a sister in our district but wouldn't say but we finally got it out of them and yes... it is me. Oh my gosh! Elder's lock your hearts dang it! ha they said they were looking through Sister Watson's camera in class and were like zooming in on my face and asking if they had any more pictures of me and stuff.. and apparently I said someone had a cool tie in their district and now all the Elders are fighting over who get's the tie.. Like wow haha Elder's got a lot of growing up to do.. :)

Okay also this week I think I have told you about TRC before, it's basically like having FHE with members.. Anyway, normally just volunteers came and we would teach them once a week well now that we are past 6 weeks we get to skype people in JAPAN!! How cool is that?! So yesterday was our first day and it went so good:) I was so scared but the Japanese people are so patient and kind about our speaking and just loved us. It was the greatest thing:) They talk so fast though, like wow that's gonna be hard stuff! But it made me so happy and that much more excited to get to Japan and serve those amazing people:)

Alright, last thought for the week... "Conversion never stops! It's a continuing process through out your life." Brother Liddiard a counselor in our Branch Presidency said that to our district the other day and it just hit me. We will be working on becoming truly converted unto Christ everyday until we finally get to return to him and live in his presence. Everyone, please please always work to become more unto Christ our Savior and become like him. The process never stops, so please please don't think you know enough or you are converted. You never ever are 100% converted but you can work and strive to be your whole life. So work on being converted all the time and become better everyday:) It will bless your life. I know it for a fact. This gospel brings so much joy and happiness to us. Our Savior died for US individually and loves and knows us by name. Never forget who you are and whose you are as well. Because he wants you to love you and wants you to love others around you. So that is my challenge. Work on being converted everyday and just love everyone around you. Represent Jesus Christ our Savior 24/7:) No matter where you are or what you are doing. You will be blessed I promise you.

I love you all and I am so grateful for you and your example to me:) I am so happy being a missioanry, it is so so hard but also the greatest thing I have ever done. Only two more e-mails form the MTC and then I'll be doing the real deal haha crazy! But know I am praying for you and love you so very very much! I miss you but love hearing and seeing pictures every week. So much appreciated for your support and love:) Have a great week and make the world better! #RELY

-Smith Shiami:)