Bike vs Pole

Konnichiwa!

It's been another great week in Shinkotoni! I've managed to crash full speed into 3 poles so far while riding my bike. It's always a fun experience- hahah. My companion probably thinks I'm the clumsiest person ever. It'll be a miracle if I make it out of here alive.

On Wednesday nights we teach Eikiwa aka English Class. I love it so much. We were teaching them how to say "mountain" and they all started laughing when I said it. My companion had to explain that in Utah we don't say our T's. :) They got a good kick out of that and made me say it over and over and over- hahaha.

This week we met a cute old man while housing. Apparently, he said he didn't really want to hear our message but I thought my companion was looking at me to start the lesson so I just started and she followed. We taught him the Restoration and the spirit was soo strong and it was awesome. He said he felt the spirit and would read the Book of Mormon!! He's so great I love him!

One lady we stopped on the streets saw me and started trying to speak English but the only words she could say were Obama, church & nuclear bomb. I don't even want to know what she was trying to say....

I hope everyone has a beautiful General Conference weekend this week! We don't get to watch it till next weekend so don't spoil it for me. :)
But in honor of GC you should all go read my all time favorite general conference talk "The First Great Commandment" by Jeffery R Holland.

You won't regret it :)

Ai shite imasu!

Rigby Shimai

"If we give our heart to God, if we love the Lord Jesus Christ, if we do the best we can to live the gospel, then tomorrow--and every other day--is ultimately going to be magnificent, even if we don't always recognize it as such. Why? Because our Heavenly Father wants it to be! He wants to bless us. A rewarding, abundant, and eternal life is the very object of His merciful plan for His children! It is a plan predicated on the truth that all things work together for good to them that love God. So keep loving. Keep trying. Keep trusting. Keep believing. Keep growing. Heaven is cheering you on today, tomorrow, and forever." -Jeffrey R Holland

I'm in Japan

Hellooooo from JAPAN!

It's been the craziest week to say the least. I'll try to sum it up as best as I can...

Last Sunday was our last day in the MTC. Everything we did had me in tears because I didn't want to leave. I had the best MTC experience and met the best people in the world. Saying goodbye was sooo hard. I don't think I've ever cried so much in one day.

Monday morning we left for Japan! We had some Japanese people sitting in front of us and we were able to teach one of them the first lesson and give him a Book of Mormon! It was soo cool.

 When we landed in Sapporo we met our Mission President and his wife Aka, the most amazing people on earth. The APs took us on the subway to the mission home which is on the Temple grounds. I'll never forget seeing my temple all lit up for the first time. It's the most beautiful temple in the world!


The next day I met my trainer and got assigned to my first area. I'm serving in Shinkotoni with Sister Massey. Our area covers the busiest part of Sapporo, clear out to the country side. It's awesome. 

The first day was rough. Like -I want to curl up in a ball on the floor and never move again- rough. The second day didn't start much better. Then I decided I was going to smile and say hi to every single person I passed. Attitude really is everything! I instantly felt better and started to love what I was doing.

Everyone here is so nice! Everyone rejects us in the nicest ways. One lady even gave us a bag of candy. Almost everyone likes to tell me I'm cute, probably because I look like a lost puppy just standing there smiling and nodding my head (I don't understand anything)

Missionary work is hard hard hard but I love it. We meet the most amazing people and see miracles every day. I love being an instrument in Gods hands and I love making people's day better. Even if it's because they think an American girl riding a bike in a skirt and speaking awful Japanese is hilarious.

:)

I love you all!!

Rigby Shimai

"Don't be discouraged, be filled with courage" -Neil L Anderson

Nihon ni ikimasho!

Ohayou fam! 

It's been a great last week in the MTC. It's crazy to think 8 weeks ago I said bye to my family and was thrown into a tiny brick room with 7 strangers and a teacher that only spoke in Japanese. I've met the most amazing people, my testimony has grown so much and I've even learned a little Japanese :) Monday morning I leave for Japan!!! 

Saturday I was super bummed to be missing college football. BUT Sunday who would be the devotional speaker but Chad Lewis!!! (He played football at BYU and in the NFL) He was soo great! He told the best stories and talked about his superbowl experience. God loves me :)

One day Stuart Chōrō was trying to tell me what to do. Watashi, being the stubborn person I am, told him I don't take orders from anyone. He's in the Airforce so he didn't like that answer very much hahaha some words were exchanged and everyone watching was on the floor crying they were laughing so hard. I love my zone. I'm going to miss them soo much. 

Last night D. Todd Christofferson came to speak to us!! That makes 3 Apostles in 9 weeks :) My companion and I were third row, dead center. I made him laugh so I guess you can say we are practically bffs. One thing he said that I loved was "Yes He loves you, can He trust you?" I want to be someone God can trust with anything. 

Gotta give a shoutout to all the dōTERRA peeps! Have fun at convention next week!! I'm so bummed to be missing it so keep me updated on everything :)

Well folks next time you hear from me it'll be from Japan.... 

あいしてます!

Rigby しまい

"I am a lover of the cause of Christ" Joseph Smith

Swaterday = sweater Saturday 

Rigby VS Stuart