Sierra's call for Christmas

December 25, 2016
From Hikari

Sierra called us at 7pm San Diego Time (Monday 12pm Japan). (Mom, Dad, Danny, Luke, Sasha and Sam)

She was so excited to call us and said she was freaking out an hour before.
Previous to that call she told Mom to call her at 7am our time. We later found out that we tried to call her at midnight.

She was happy to see all of us and she sounded very grown up and mature.
Sierra said:
She loves the people of Japan
She's tried all the kinds of Machi
She's gone through 3 bikes cause they have broke or they were too big
Sierra said she's tried bone soup

Anyways,
She looks very happy out there serving the lord and the people of Japan. We're all really proud of her and happy that she's doing well!

From Hiroshima

December 18, 2016
From Hiroshima

Dear Everyone:
Hi there. Here from Hiroshima! The ward is incredible and I love them so much. I am so grateful for them and their endurance. Especially the youth here. They have such strong faith! We also had a Christmas party, and I loved this song.

This Christmas has definitely been really special. As a missionary we don't have all the Hubble and bushel of shopping. Instead we get to think about the Savior's birth! Just that and how great fun we are for Him and His Atonement! 

I love my family!  They are wonderful!

Here is Sister Lofthouse! She is my new companion :)

Here is my wonderful district as well :)

Have a wonderful Christmas 

As always I'm honored to be a saint and a missionary in Japan! 
Have a lovely Christmas! 
Invite a friend to church ;)

Love Freed Shimai

Heading to Hikari

December 12, 2016
On to Hikari

To everyone:

Hello everyone I am heading to Hikari! I will be with Lofthouse Shimai from Alaska. I know that we will have a lot of fun together! Hikari is a very city area, so I'll get to meet a lot of people.

Saijo has been so wonderful. I was able to sing at a rest home and meet some very special people! I'm going to miss the tiny branch here so much! It's full of such strong saints.

This is Gerard Shimai! She was a lot of fun to be with, she has such a great voice!

From being here Japan and with moving for transfers. I've learned that while moving is hard. I'm so blessed to have met, and made so many relationships with the people here. That even if we may fall out of touch "here". That one day I'll have an eternity of catching up, and building stronger bonds with the people I met "here".

Much love to you all and thank you for your prayers. I pray for you as well :)
I'm honored to be a saint and a missionary here in Japan!
Freed Shimai

Sent from my iPad

December

From Saijo
December 4, 2016


To everyone/Blog,

Hello everyone I hope your holiday was great! I am so grateful for you and for the people here in Japan. I've felt and seen so many blessings since I have come here on my mission.

One huge blessing was the Minamimoto ふふ!

They were incredible missionaries, and a huge example to me of selfless service and endurance. They did so much for our little branch here in the Hiroshima Zone. They made numberless meals for us, members, investigators, and Eikaiwa students. They drove us to far away appointments, and helped strengthen the branch with their testimonies and examples. Saijo and the missionaries will really miss them! 

With the Fufu's (couple) in mind. I was reading a talk by L Tom Perry from the April 1992 General Conference titled "But the Labourers Are Few". It is a great talk, and shows how much help one missionary couple can do for building the Lord's Kingdom.

I also wanted to talk about one of the greatest experiences I have had thus far on my mission.

There is a friend/ investigator called "T" (For personal privacy reasons). And we were able to with with her to the near by Rest Home. 

We were able to see her mother, who is 95 and sing "we wish you a merry Christmas" to her. Not only that. But we were able to go around to all the individuals and sing to them. In one case, a woman was so happy that she began to cry. From simply being there, we was able to bring a huge amount of joy and energy to the people there.

The atmosphere was changed, and I was overflowing with love for all the people there! I love old people so much! They are huge examples to me of endurance, and I want to go back and sing as soon as possible!

One of the reason why this was such a great miracle, is because security in Japan is really tight. So we weren't even supposed to sing to the other senior citizens at all. We also got invited back to sing any time we wanted! Normally you have to have an appointment, but they said "those volunteers (missionaries) are able to drop by whenever". 

I can't wait to go back! I hope I get a chance soon! The spirit was so strong, and I want to visit all the time and simply be there with them. When I get back to the states, I really want to go! 

This is "T's" mother! She is so sweet!

I love old people! Haha! I could really feel Heavenly Father's love for them as well. If you think I am crazy reading this, go to your local Rest home, or Hospice. And try being someone else's joy, their friend, and to simply love someone without asking for anything in return. To just be with them. :)

-Your worth....Is when you know your Potential.
If you believe you have infinite potential, you have infinite worth.

As always, I'm honored to be a member and a saint here in Japan

Much love and gratitude for your prayers,


Freed Shimai

Thanksgiving

November 24, 2016

From Saijo

To everyone:

Hello everyone, I am still in the same area! I love the people so much, as well as the new missionaries coming into the Hiroshima Zone. My new companion is Gerard Shimai, and she is such a hard worker. She is a strong leader, and this transfer is going to go by so fast.

We also had a baptism for a woman from the Philippines. There were so many other missionaries that have been with her, and I am so blessed that I was allowed to see her baptism. She has also grown in so much faith. I am grateful for her, and her family's support. Her husband, is also a convert, of only a few months.And was able to baptize her. It was such a blessing to see.

I am also honored to teach her "AB-After Baptism" lessons. Where we get to talk about the temple. And for me, that is such a tender mercy.

Minamimoto couple ( angles from Heaven. They cook us tons of food at least once every other week. And they practicable hold the ward together. Literally. Saijo, gosh I don't know what we will do without them.) Kakegawa, and Rawlinson.

Happy thanksgiving everyone! I am so grateful for the Minamimoto Couple! More on them this coming week! Have a great holiday! 

I love the temple, and the peace found there!

I'm honored to be a member and a missionary in Japan.

Much love and prayers,

Freed Shimai

Transfers

November 16, 2016

From Saijo

Hello everyone! 

Thank you for your prayers as always. Today is transfers and my trainer a Johnson Shimai has been called Nagasaki! More than anything she has taught me how to have charity, the Atonement, and how communication is key in any relationship. I also wanted to give a shout out to Jocelyn, her sister :) I am overwhelmingly grateful to her as well, because without her. I would never have had the chance to have met someone as loving as Johnson
Shimai. 

As far as a spiritual thought goes.

In Alma 4:10 

It says-

10 And thus ended the eighth year of the reign of the judges; and the wickedness of the church was a great stumbling-block to those who did not belong to the church; and thus the church began to fail in its progress.

I really like how it doesn't just say that our "wickedness/pride" is just a stumbling block for "us". But to "those who did not belong to the church". 

Our goals are to not only find people, and redeem the dead. But to strengthen the members. In essence.... ( since I only have one arm to type this, and no time left to make this eloquent.)When we are not following the commandments. It makes it harder for investigators, and good people to find the true church. It's because of us, and our less than great examples, that people see. And it's our less than stellar examples that may that may hold them back from wanting to be in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And thus keep the church from growing.... progressing. 

And in no wise are we perfect, but we can always say loving words. Help others, stop gossip, and not be judgmental... and to accept everyone. Because that is what Christ would do. 

Much love to you all.

As always,

I am honored to be a saint and a missionary in Japan

Freed Shimai

Everyone have a splendid Turkey Day!!! 

Sierra broke her wrist

11/07/2016
From Saijo

Hello everyone, I fractured my radio us last week so there was no blog to post. I should be healed in about 3-4 weeks. It is quite hard to type with one hand, so things will be pretty short. 

But as always, thank you so much for your prayers as always!

Here are some pictures of our multi-zone P day at Miyajima :)

Johnson , Ford, Freed, Sato

( Saijo Sisters)

Sato and Ford Shimai!  ( There both models )

Much love to you all, and I am honored to be a saint and a member here in Japan

Freed Š—ÃÃ

This world is a beautiful place!!!!

Sent from my iPad