Emma's Owls: I promise I didn't forget about you (AKA Happy Thanksgiving!)

At sea wall with wind from Monsoon coming off the ocean

I forgot to tell you my preparation day [Day she gets to write letters and other fun stuff] was on thanksgiving was this week. Mainly because I forgot thanksgiving is this week. Next week my p day is on Tuesday because we have a mission conference on Monday (well, an Okinawa conference). The mission president is coming down. It's pretty serious seeing we're a plane ride away. Special training awaits. But I'm sorry about no telling you this week! I really do love you all and kaicho [president] commanded us to email our family every p day. I have to be exactly obedient.

So lots happened and I'll try to write as much as I can. But I'm in Okinawa Okinawa right now at a members house near base to have a REAL thanksgiving. So everything's a little hectic. But we're like 3 seconds from the beach (actually a sea wall) and it's sweet.

Last Monday: I bought some Shisa (some dragon lion protector things. The one with the open mouth brings blessings in. The one with the closed mouth keeps the blessings from escaping). I also bought an Okinawa shirt. They're like Hawaiian shirts but more subtle. Everyone wears them here, even to work. We wore it dendo-I got and all the old ladies thought it was hysterical.

Last Tuesday: I don't remember. I forgot to take a picture of Tuesday's journal entry. I think we wrote a simple version of the thanksgiving story for our eikaiwa [English class] party this coming Saturday.

Last Wednesday: We had a lesson with G. Then we walked home with her and her kids (she lives close to the church). When we saw the state of her house we took it upon ourselves to clean. We cleaned all day. We didn't go to eikaiwa because we hadn't eaten dinner. After dinner we dendo-ed for like 45 min. We met his cute Christian lady. We've met a few Japanese Christians recently. It's odd to crash into one. But they're my favorite people. They love Jesus so much. They love talking to us about Jesus (probably because most people won't talk to Jesus with them because hardly anyone knows who Jesus is). They always love taking (literally grabbing) the BoM from us because they just want to learn as much as they can about Jesus Christ, their Savior. You can tell as you talk to them, that their life is so much different and so much better because they have found Jesus.

Emma's room

Last Thursday: L shimai (my beloved trainer) got hit by a car. It was the funniest thing. She was fine. She just kept riding like nothing had happened. We went to M shimai (a member) house. She has a son and I played with him for an hour after eating yummy Japanese food. It was funny playing with him because he knew I didn't
understand him so he spoke super simple Japanese so the we could play. It was great. Also, my iPad works again! L shimai made us yummy Japanese food for us- takoyaki- balls of dough with whatever you want in them and Japanese mayo on top (which is way better than American mayo).

Blue Bike is Emma's

Friday and Saturday: We had 2 miracle meetings. They're fairly similar so I'll describe them together. S and M. They are so cute and were prepared to meet us. In both cases, we weren't planning to be in the area at that time and neither were they. We had plans that took us to the area we found them in and they both just felt like they needed to take the road that they met them on. We had 20 minute conversations with each about the gospel and even prayed with them (on the road! How
crazy is that?!?!). They're both busy with work for the next week but we're calling them next week to set up appointments. I'm so excited for them. I'm sorry I don't have more time to explain how awesome it was. I actually talked to them!! Like, my own thoughts!

Sunday: Church was long as normal. During relief society, I didn't sit near L shimai. I sat next this cute 20 year old girl. She tried so hard to help me know what was going on. The only problem was I couldn't understand most of her help! All well. Sometimes I caught a word here or there.

Monday: Not p day. We pretended it wasn't Monday so we didn't go through withdrawal. I mogi-ed the 1st lesson in under 5 minutes! With no notes! In Japanese! It was only to L shimai, not like a real person. We talked to a lot of foreigners today. No Americans but Chinese, Taiwanese, Nepalese, Filipino, literally every nationality
except Japanese. All the Japanese people we did talk to were from mainland. It was sort of weird.

Tuesday: After district meeting we went to a Shaba shaba which is like the dimsung place dad and I went to in China. We taught a random lady how to pray too. She didn't care to learn more about our church but was fascinated by prayer. A way to talk to God directly.

Wednesday: I taught my 1st totsuzen (which is like a short street lesson). I spoke Japanese about the Book of Mormon and SHE UNDERSTOOD! And took the BoM I offered. It was really scary and veeeeery slow but it worked! [See video at the end] I had my first eikaiwa [English Class]. It was so fun. We taught the advanced class so we just practiced talking in English. I understood everything perfectly. They're all so cute.

I've been thinking recently about L shimai and trainers in general. I rely on L shimai for everything because I really cannot do anything by myself. Without her I probably would have died. Or at least starved. And had way more mental breakdowns. She helps me do as much as I can do and then picks up the slack and makes it work. How similar to the Savior that is. I cannot return to God on my own. There is no way. But when I do as much as I can do, Jesus Christ picks up the slack and makes my hard work (even when it's a really small contribution) enough. He's excited at my little victories, just like L shimai is when I manage another Japanese sentence. This thanksgiving, I'm so grateful for Jesus Christ's grace. Through Him I can (and have been able to) do everything that seems impossible. I'm speaking Japanese (not at all by my own power). He gives us power whenever we need a quick energy boost to overcome a trial. I am so grateful for Him!!

That's all for this week. I'll send pictures in a second. I love you all (especially the family people because their so awesome). Have a fun thanksgiving because it hasn't started for you yet!!

I'll write again on Tuesday!!

Love love love love
Bearman shimai