メリクリスマス🎄 [Merry Christmas?]

Merry Christmas from the happiest place on earth! It has been the happiest best day ever. We haven't done anything big or extravagant. It's been chill. The best part was skyping you guys. I'm sorry. I feel like I talked so much. I really wanted to hear from you. I'm sorry! I just had so much to say. It really made my day, seeing you. I've been beaming all day. It puts all the rest of the day to shame, talking with you. I love you SO MUCH. Anyway, it's been a great day. We made a Christmas lunch with stuff from base. We had KFC chicken (so Japanese), stuffing, potatoes, gravy, veggies, sparkling cider, and bread. We bought none of it. It was all gifted by Americans up at base or Nihonjin in our ward. It was so nice. We even had a table cloth (futon sheet). Then we talked about our families and showed pictures (thanks for the pictures momma). I bragged about you guys. We opened presents (thanks for the LIGHTSABER CHOPSTICKS?!?!? And dried mangos) and chilled in pants. It's been great.

This week was a weird week.  We didn't have tons of dendo [missionary] time because L shimai is an STL [Sister Training Leader] and we had to plan for all sorts of trainings. It was still a good week full of miracles. I don't remember what day I left off on so I'll start with Saturday. It was a good day.

Saturday: we morning dendoed. It was nice not to study for 4 hours in the morning when I'm normally super sleepy. We went straight out. We meet tons of people. Lots of young moms with cute babies. In the evening we went up to Okinawa city and listened to Handle's Messiah. It was glorious. It made me feel like I was at home, singing in the car on the way home from church. Gah, it was phenomenal. Music is SO powerful. It's such an easy way to feel God's love. Christmas is a lovely time of year.


Sunday: we senkyoshi sang in sacrament meeting. We found out an hour before. I just remember it was a really crazy day. Not much else.

Monday/Tuesday: L shimai went up to cold Fukuoka for STL Training. I went on splits with the girls in my apartment: K and C shimai. We're all relatively new  missionaries. Transfer 2,3,4. Fortunate one is Nihonjin so at least she understood everything. It was a blast. I spoke more Japanese than ever because we'd get to these awkward pauses and no one would know what to say. So I'd blurt something out and then expect them to build off it. We had a huge miracle on Tuesday. We going housing. The first house we knocked on, we met Carlos from New York. Which meant he spoke English. At first, he wasn't interested in talking about religion. He just wanted to know why a bunch of young Americans were wandering Japan. Legitimate question. We talked about our purpose and asked if we could share a Christmas video. He agreed. We asked it we could start with a prayer. He agreed rather hesitantly. After the prayer, his whole demeanor towards us had changed. He was willing to listen. During the prayer, I felt like we should share Because of Him [the Easter video] and not the new Christmas video. It seemed random and sort of awkward because we said we were sharing a Christmas video. But I started playing it anyway. After we asked what he thought. He was silent for a long time before asking "can we really live again?" It was beautiful. We talked about God's plan for him and how He loved him so much. We talked about how he could live in peace now and forever by following Jesus Christ. We testified (in a language I have no difficulty with). He said he might try church and the other sisters have a return appointment with him. It was a lovely experience. I felt like a real missionary, testifying and teaching. I loved it.

Wednesday: we planned for training meetings all day. We had a lesson on between 2 of the planning lessons with this woman named R. She has an interesting story that I don't feel like typing now. Sorry. Anyway, she spoke hard core okinawain. Which means no one really knows what happened. All I know is she cried during the opening prayer, during the He is the Gift video, and maybe has a baptism date (I'm not so sure about the last one)? It was a way cool lesson with her. Even though I understood less than normal (I can sometimes get the gist of things in lessons).


Thursday: we got picked up by the fufu's (elderly couple) first thing in the morning to go up to Okinawa for a meeting L shimai helped teach. It was an amazing meeting. Recently,I have been feeling like I'm falling short at the whole missionary thing. Like I can't really teach and my testifying is ehhh. But the whole conference was about how awesome we are doing and how it's the little things that matter. It was like all for me. It was great. God knew what I needed to hear. After the meeting we went to America. Like for real. We went on base with the fufu. It was way weird. Like actually being in America. It was great. Then in the evening we went to a huge train station and caroled as a district. It was raining but way fun. We handed out
fliers for the Christmas video to everyone who walked past.


The best part though, was on Christmas Eve. At the very end of the night, we read Luke 2 together as an apartment. And even though every 4th verse was in Japanese, I felt the spirit so strong. Christ is the true meaning of Christmas. And I know He lives. And that He loves each of that. I'm so excited to continue sharing His love with the people here in Okinawa and the rest of Japan for the next while. In any
little way I can. Even if it's just a smile. I love you guys so much!!!! Enjoy Christmas. And take a second to remember it's true meaning.

Love love love love love love love love
Bearman shimai


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The week I ate nothing except apple juice

Sorry for the scary title but I'll explain. Also, I've seemed to reach the end of my first transfer. It's a little weird. Don't worry, I'm staying in Naha and sister L is now a STL! [Sister Training Leader] Yeah!! That means I'll be dendoing [doing missionary work] with random people a lot while she goes to meetings and on junkai [training events] and what not. I'm happy for her 😄

Last Monday: I have to write a bit about last Monday. We went to Shuri-Jo, a castle. It's similar to the castles we went to in China because it was built when China owned Okinawa. It was pretty sick. The best part was that in all the buildings and museums we had to take off our shoes and carry them in bags! Total score.



Tuesday: The relief society had a Christmas party. The relief society makes up most of the ward and is mainly Oba-chans [adult women]. We had a sushimi decorating contest. Only in Japan. I, sadly did not win, but holy COW people actually had some like beautiful arrangements of raw seafood.  Then there was a cloths swap with was the greatest. I got a new skirt.

Wednesday: We had Eikaiwa which is always so fun because I get to speak English. We talked about weird English phrases. It's really hard to explain things like "out of time" or "pulling into the driveway" to them. But it was funny. We also played telephone pictionary which is way funnier with people who don't know much English (or how to spell anything (I'm in that category))



Thursday: The start of my apple juice consumption. First I'll say, apple juice in Japan in 10000 times better than Apple juice in America. From Thursday until today all I really ate was apple juice. I wasn't sick, just had a temperamental stomach and no appetite. Out of
no where. Anyway, no need to worry because I've started eating again. We had a lesson with K. It was a confusing lesson because she said she didn't want to meet again but wanted to meet before church on Sunday. She's reading the BoM though and is praying to know if it's true. (She called us, she was a former investigator). Our lesson was really long and confusing and I understood none of it but at the end I felt like I should bear my testimony of the BoM. So I did. It was simple and short. But the spirit in the room was so strong. Simple testimonies are powerful. Sometimes I wish I could say more. But in the end, I can testify and that's what matters. I think it was Gary E Stevenson in conference (he served in Fukuoka, fun fact) that rather on dwell on what we can't do, think about what we can. And we can bear simple testimony. That state to means so much to me because literally all I can do is bear a (very) simple testimony. And that's enough. So I'm challenging the Bearman family again (how missionary like, huh) and anyone else who reads this to bear their testimony of the Savior before New Years. It doesn't have to be long or complex (mine never are), you just have to mean it. There you go. Do it. And email me if you do it. I'd like to hear.

Friday: Still not eating. We visited quite a few members and they ALL fed us so much. And I ate none of it. I was in stealth mode. I snuck it into my bag or onto L shimai's plate. We street ex [contacted?] all day, but no one wanted to chat. I did speak a lot though.

Saturday: Still not eating. I had no energy so we apartment dendo-ed.  We looked though former investigators and less actives and called lots of people. It was fun. We also went to the ward Christmas party. We sang 2 songs. We sounded good but the primary sounded better. They are just SO CUTE! Before the party, we had an unplanned lesson with
K. We didn't say much again. But she said she knows that through this gospel she'd find peace and we were like YES, you are so right!  She and her mom and our recent converts mom all came to the Christmas party and had a blast. There was so much yummy Japanese food (that I didn't eat).



Sunday: Still not eating. Well, L shimai forced some food into me so don't worry. After church we visited the T family. The daughter is a RM [Returned Missionary] (came back last Sunday), T son is 18 and active, the mom is less active, and the dad isn't a member. We show up to this HUGE house full of cool Christmas decoration. We walk in, expecting to speak Japanese only to find out they're way skilled at the English. It made me feel like a real missionary. Getting to know people, showing off family pictures, making, being myself. It was so nice. We shared the Christmas message and I just had the felling that
the dad is way ready for baptism. The family jokes that he's a hidden member because he acts like one. I'm so excited to start working with him. Their daughter who just got back is the BOMB. She's like an angel. Everything she says is something I need to hear. She trained 5 gaigin [foreigners] so she knows how I feel. And she keeps telling me that as a
bean-chan [new missionary] I have a special power. Use it. Even if it comes in the form
of broken jumbled Nihongo.

Monday: The elders caught word that I hadn't been eating. I was trying to keep it on the down low. So 2 of the elders gave me a blessing. It was a smack myself in the forehead moment. I love priesthood blessings. How could I forget that I'm, like, allowed to ask for one? Anyway, it was the elders first time doing one and it was so short and simple. But as we know, great things come in simple packages. After the blessing we went to a members for lunch (all 9 missionaries). And I could eat. Not a ton. Not eating a normal portion. But I could eat.  Since it rude not to eat everything you're served and I couldn't eat everything, I would switch bowls with the elder next to me when the member wasn't looking. He ate the amount of food for 2 people. What a life savor. I felt bad toward the end because there was so much but he just kept taking my food when I couldn't eat more.

Tuesday: The elders are keeping tabs on whether or not I eat. It's the first question they asked me. We had a district pday today. And during lunch they cheered for me when I finished my plate. We ate at a buffet and then went shopping on Kokusai dori. It was way fun.

Well, sorry if I scared you mother. I promise I'm eating. Still not lots but I'm eating. Don't worry. I wasn't going to tell you but it was a major part of this week. Next time I see you will be on skype!!!! Pday is on Christmas so don't expect an email before then.  Keep being awesome. I'll keep working hard down here in the lovely Okinawa weather!

Love love love
Bearman shimai

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Its been a month

Can anyone believe it? I know I can't. The weather got a little colder this wee (by colder I mean 60's. It was rough, I had to wear a cardigan because it was so windy). Fortunately, it's back to being warm today. Back to Japanese paradise. All is well. No much happened this week but here it goes...

Tuesday: Was pday but something funny happened in the evening.  We were talking to this high school girl and showed her the new Christmas video (my favorite thing ever). Then some random lady's came and dragged her from us to "save" her from the Christians. Probably because we were looking particularly scary that day. Also, the STL's  [Senior Training Leaders] came over in the evening (for junkai (splits) [The trainers each take one of the missionaries and go do missionary work / training separately]). They live in Okinawa near base so they brought us AMERICAN ICE CREAM! TWO TUBS! And pretzels. And peanut butter. And Nutella. 

Wednesday- I tried my first Okinawa food. It was good. I'm not actually sure what it was. But there was noodles. We had Eikaiwa [English Class] and basically we talk in English the entire time with the advanced people. We talked about Christmas this week and read a story from the Liahona [Magazine]. 

Thursday- My first Junkai!! I went with M shimai. She's from New Zeland. It was scary to begin with but it was way fun. She made me speak like all the time. She'd just look at me and say prayer and expect me to talk about prayer. It was actually a good experience even though it was stressful. We talked to a crazy oba-chan [older lady] who gave us tons free mikan (like the cuties [Oranges?]). We also walked around an abandoned apartment looking for a less actives house. It was kind of creepy. I learned a lot from junkai-ing. 

Then at night I ate NATTO (you can look it up [Fermented Soybeans). I'll send a video of the experience. 

Friday- I GOT A PACKAGE!!!!!! THANKS FOR THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS. I hung them up immediately. Our apartment looks so much more festive!! I love Christmas so much!!!! 

Saturday- We had a surprise party for L shimai. Her birthday's actually on Sunday but I got to shove a pie in her face. Also, I had Japanese apple juice for the first time and my life has been changed. It tastes like REAL APPLES! 

Sunday- So fruit baskets are a thing in Japan. Every fast sunday [Sunday you don't eat breakfast and dinner and donate the money you would have spent to the poor], the members throw something together for us missionaries. You think of a fruit basket and you think of this little thing of yummy snacks. No. WE got 8 large grocery bags FILLED to the brim with food. We had so much food we didn't need to go shopping today. It's nuts. The members LOVE missionaries. Everytime they see with they give us snacks. It we visit their house we leave with a bag of food. I'll probably gain 100 lbs out here but I don't even care because the food is sooooooo good!

I love that it's the Christmas season. For the most part, people in Japan run away at the sound of Jesus. But since we can talk about Christmas, people actually take a chance to listen. The Christmas vidoe the church put out is so good. I've watched it 50 times and it still makes me feel warm and happy inside. You can watch the video here- https://www.mormon.org/christmas. Christmas is the perfect time of year to share Christ's love with everyone. So Bearman family (annd everyone else who reads this), I challange you to think about how you've felt Christ's love and then share that love with someone else! It's not that hard. And you even get to do it in English. Iesu Kirisuto wa minasan o ai shitte iru to shitte imasu. Iesu Kirisuto ni yotte warui keiken o kokufuku suru to shitte imasu. Iesu Kirisut o shitagau toki ni shiawase ni naru to shitte imasu. Iesu Kirisuto wa sukuinishi da to shitte imasu. Watashi wa Iesu Kirisuto honto ni ai shitte imasu.  [Um, not exactly sure, but definitely something about Jesus Christ, Charles or other Japanese speakers, any help?]  Now go share His love with others

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Bearman shiami

The shortest week ever but I still have lots of words

Well, this week was only 4 days long so who knows how long this will be. I might include my ever growing list about the weird things in Japan.

Friday: we had a long meeting with the relief society president. I don't actually know what about but it probably was productive. I tried not to sleep. I think Friday was a blah day because it was post Thanksgiving syndrome. Also, I actually got to read some other
missionaries emails- like Allie's and Bens, and Jordan's (ect). It was awesome to catch up on the awesome demo they've been doing. It also made me a little sad because they seem to be finding and teaching so many people and we don't actually have an investigator at the moment (actually, we haven't really had one except for G who we've met 3 times and then moved out of our area). Even when we're finding we can't seem to find people to meet with again. We find people who are so excited and eager and then they don't show up to their appointment or answer calls. It's so frustrating but they have agency. But then L shimai and I made a list of all the cool people we've talked to (a loooong list) and even though we didn't get to see them again, we had the chance to bring them just a little closer to God and His love. And it didn't seem to matter that we weren't (and still aren't)
teaching anyone, I am still being successful missionary because I'm fulfilling my purpose (which I can't actually say in English, only
Japanese so maybe dad can put it in (chapter 1 of Preach My Gospel top box) [Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.]). 

And if I have faith, miracles will occur, even if their not quite the miracles I expect.

Saturday: we had a Thanksgiving party with the Eikaiwa students!!!! We made lasagna (one of the members went out and found most of the ingredients which was rather shocking). We spent most of the day preparing for that. Most of the food was actually Italian food (lots
of pastas) but we'll make do. The lasagna actually tasted like real lasagna. Most of the American food we try to make ends op being slightly Japanesey. Which is still delicious. It was a fun party and quite a few eikaiwa people showed up. We then played revenge of the
turkey (mafia). It was so funny. The only hard part was that it was in Japanese so I was always scared I'd miss the q (que??) [cue] to open my eyes and save someone. When we were finding I accidentally brought a Chinese BoM instead of a Japanese one. So I prayed to find a Chinese person to give it to. We crashed into 8 Chinese/Taiwanese people. What
the what!?!? Unfortunately they all declined my lovely book.


Sunday: biggest miracle of the week.  The elders found a sister who wanted to hear the gospel. So they passed her to us. We met her for the first time at church. She's this super cute Filipino girl WHO PREFERS TO SPEAK IN ENGLISH BECAUSE SHE DOESNT KNOW MUCH JAPANESE!! I probably cried when I heard that. I could talk to her. Like whenever.
About anything. Geez. I'm sooooooo happy!!!!! Also, her name is H which is like the coolest name ever. She loved church. We went to an English Sunday school (I know!! (There were 5 other people: an American husband, two Return Missionaries who went English speaking, a Filipino lady and the American husbands Japanese wife)). It was beautiful. I could, like, pay attention and understand and contribute and basically it was
the best thing that's ever happened. What a blessing. Also, it was the primary program [where the 3-11 year olds sing songs and give mini sermons/talks] which was superb because they speak on a level I can understand (For the most part). A couple kids had lines which are word for word lines I say on the street. Yes, I speak like a 5 years old.


Monday: we had a multi zone conference and kaicho [President], Shimai [Sister Training Leaders], and the APs [Assistants to the president] came down. We went up to Okinawa Okinawa by taxi (it was so expensive but the only mode of transportation. Fortunately we get reimbursed).On the way up we passed approximately 156 American bases (and this
isn't even an exaggeration). The Okinawa stake building is the largest church building I've seen in my life. And it was American style! The conference was so good. It was all about faith. That through faith, miracles come. But we can't only have faith in God, we need faith in ourselves. Faith that we can see and preform miracles through Gods
power. It was something I needed to hear. I've been feeling rather inadequate recently (not a real surprise, I am a bean-chan [brand new missionary] after all). But God can do anything. Help me learn Japanese. Help me find people to teach. Help me get a baptism before Christmas even though we have no investigators. I feel like I need to learn this lesson over and over. It's so simple. God can do anything. I can do anything through God. When I don't believe I can do anything, when I don't have that faith, I limit Gods ability to preform miracles in my life. He can help with anything. No matter how big the issue is or small and insignificant it is. He is always there.

Well, that's my week. As for some weird Japanese things: we now have a microwave (brand new, arrived the other day) that senses how long to heat up food. It's magic except when it comes to popcorn. It has no idea what to do with popcorn. Also, all the sidewalks have this raised textures path for blind people. It's pretty cool but sometimes annoying because the material it's made out in is super slippery and the path is in the middle of the sidewalk. Also, walk signs sing when they have the green man walking.

Love love love you all!!!
ベアーマン姉妹
(Be a- ma n)

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