Here's a photo of Emily and her MTC companion, Shaha Shimai. The two girls met up at a recent Mission Conference.
McMahan Shimai's email from 4-15-09:
Yeah it is getting hot and pretty humid. I would take humidity over dryness though! We go running in the morning at 6:30 and I get sweaty already from that.
Is the baptism still on for April 19? What are the details? Yeah, she is still getting baptized. She and Swasey Shimai were good friends because Swasey shimai taught her the whole 4 transfers she was here.
Do you have some good investigators? Hamasaki-san came to conference for one session on Saturday. She came a tad late, but still in time for Elder Holland's talk. I could tell a big difference in her counte
nance in the lesson we had with her a couple days after conference. At first she had interest only in learning English, but she is now interested in the gospel. I think it was amazing to see the change in her countenance. She was very bright and happy. She and her family own a restaurant. She goes to bed at 2:30 every morning because her restaurant activities and clean up go until midnight. We just told her that church starts on 1 on Sunday so she might be willing to come because she can still sleep in. She sends her son to Eikaiwa.link to Elder Holland's address: http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1032-27,00.html
How's Eikiwa? (or however you spell it!)Eikaiwa. Kaiwa means conversation. And the ei is from the ei in eigo. Eigo means english because go means language. So you put it together and it means english conversation. Anywho, Brother Hansen took charge and teaches our class now. We taught the beginner's class and now he is the teacher of it. We go still and talk to the people and be there for investigators or potential investigators who come. It is a bit nice to not have to worry about planning a lesson. For the game at eikaiwa yesterday we played Do You Love Your Neighbor. Afterwards we interviewed one of the girls who came (her second time coming) about her time at eikaiwa and explained the rules. We talked briefly about our church and shared a bit about God. We gave her a Book of Mormon and got a return appointment to talk more about the church. I think at this point she is not entirely sure what she is coming to listen to regarding the church, but she is looking for a bright face to talk to and has a bit of a Christian background.
Elder Bednar is coming to Tokyo on the 23rd, Pday!
And, yes I will be back to a regular companionship at the end of the month. I am not sure who will transfer. Swasey Shimai has been here in Shibuya for 4 transfers. Sister Eddington and I are new this transfer. Being in a 3-some has had its good points and bad points. Sometimes it is handy because you can get work done, and some time it is hard to be unified because someone feels left out. I can see how working in twos is effective. I am excited to see what happens with transfers. While I do love Shibuya, I have found it hard to SYL (speak your language) this transfer. It seems like we, as a companionship, always revert back to English and I have noticed first hand the damage that can be done (in me and others) to one who does not speak the language and how hard it is to have everyone SYL. I have noticed that when we speak Japanese, there is a certain feeling, one of unity and peace, and knowing that we are doing the Lord's work. I also feel a sense of urgency when I speak Japanese because I know I am doing my job the best I can. For me, personally, SYLing is important because it says to do so in PMG and it shows the Lord that I am willing to work hard even thought it isn'T perfect. But anyways, enough of the rambling and explanations.
Did you get to watch conference? Who was your favorite speaker? YES! I loved Elder Eyring and Elder Holland. Thanks a million for sending the talk in the mail. I was planning on asking you for it so I could catch a sneak peek before the Ensign came out. I could feel the Spirit very strong when they spoke. I learned some new insights about the Atonement through Elder Holland's talk. I really loved the songs "I know that my Redeemer lives" (Sat) and "There is Sunshine in My Soul" (Sun).
link to music: http://lds.org/library/display/0,4945,8261-1-4795-1,00.html
We had dinner at the Hirschi's, sounded out like Hershey. They served steak and potatos, a good ole fashioned American meal. They had a baby grand so I got to play one of the hymn arrangements I have in that book.
On the 11th, we had a lesson with someone that Swasey Shimai had tried a few times to contact in previous semesters. Back then, she had no job. She had been handed a chirashi when the missionaries were just passing out the chirashis, not having conversations. She called us on the 11th to meet. We gave her a Book of Mormon. She is moving on the 18th so we will refer her to the missionaries in the area she is moving to. I was wondering if her losing her job hadn't helped her want to know more about the church. During our meeting with her, I played the piano. She was enthralled, if that's a good word, and wanted to draw a picture of me. So, she sketched one. I felt really awkward about that, but I suppose it was a good thing. I hope she had a genuine interest in the church and will meet with the missionaries in the area she is moving to.
I have been making a special effort to study Preach My Gospel lately and I am realizing what an inspired book it is! Something else I liked in my scripture study this week was the part in Alma where it describes Moroni. I thought about how "if all men were like him, the powers of hell would be shaken" and my next questions was.... so what was he like? I came up with this-- we all should try to be like him! Can you imagine what he looked like? He was probably big and strong and smiley, and everyone probably thought he was nice and thoughtful, valiant, and full of justice.
I am off to eat ice cream, get my pictures on a CD, and shop. I love you all so much!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was thinking.... where will Claire and Gaving go on their missions? What if they go to Switzerland or Japan? Whoa.
Again, I love you!
Sister McMahan
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