New Transfer and Brand new world!

Hellooo Family and friends!

Transfers have come and gone and while I feel like it's a whole new world, I am still in Kofu. :) But that's normal for a bean-chan to spend at least two transfers in their bean area. So, now that Perkins shimai and I have our kinks worked out and know each other so well, we can just buckle down and have an awesome transfer! [Picture: Kofu gardens]

The week started out with our two confirmations of the Holy Ghost which were just great--though I wish I could have understood what they were saying. I think it was something about how Yuko will be blessed to be a strong member and have a great church family, and Hikari will really feel God's love for her. So they're both fully members now and have a great supoprt system of friends in the Church, so they're solid! We've kinda been at a loss these last few weeks though, cuz our two great investigators are now baptized and our other investigators (a Brazilian lady, and a couple kids of less active families) are just kind of simmering. So we have like 0 progressing kyudosha. ... But this week and last week have been definitely miracle weeks. We have suddenly been meeting lots and lots of young girls that have a little interest and are at least willing to meet. Basically the last like 10 contacts we've got have made appointments to meet. And now three of them have recieved a lesson and agreed to meet again which makes three new investigators! One is Jan, a Taiwanese who's living here for college and speaks English better than Japanese although slowly and she's very busy but I think she really is searching for the truth. She says she's Buddhist but wants to know about Christianity. The other is Lee (or Ri in Japanese) who is Chinese and came to Eikaiwa (English class) with her friend who used to be an investigator. We had an awesome lesson with her and she agreed to start reading the Book of Mormon. The last is Asami who we met by chance walking around Tsurubun Daigaku (college) which is way far away. We're going to try and get the travel reimbursed by the Hombu if we'll be going up there weekly.. cuz it's like $60 round trip.. but her lesson was totally fantastic, she love the JS pamphlet we gave to read last time and we got to talk about Prophets and the Restoration and bear testimony of the Book of Mormon and when we pulled one out and said we were giving it to her as a gift her eyes just lit up and she was like "Ureshii!!" which is like "Oh happy!" and she just seemed like she couldn't wait to read it and so I can't wait to talk to her again next week! I think her appointment is not until next Friday though, so you won't get to hear about it quite then... But yeah, then we still have a few other appointments to have this week and it's just really so amazing that as we've been really praying to be guided and find new investigators the Lord has provided the way even if it seems to come of small everyday things like stopping someone on the street. Sometimes you get really strong promptings, like 'that girl, you should go talk to her' but other times you're just stopping people without knowing if they'll even listen or not. Jan was a prompting. But Asami was totally unknown. But both really were waiting. So you never know when the Lord has prepared someone but you should always be living the gospel so that they can see your example, and be bold talking to everyone you can! Missionary work is great, but member missionary work is even better! :) They know you're normal people and not trying to sell them anything, lol!

Anyway, time is almost up but I wanted to talk about all of you too! Please tell the Bishop a HUGE thank you for sending all the ward newsletters!!! They are awesome and I am getting a little sad that it's summertime and I'm not there to hear the frogs croak and play in the gross pool and hang out with everyone so those were like a little piece of home and spiritual at the same time! :) Brooke, was that you dancing with Jeremy at the swing activity? I think that's the backs of your heads! :) And Austin Holy cow by the time you get this you'll be all graduamanated!!! Sheesh. Well congrats bro, you did it!! And yeah, have fun working this summer I'm sure you 'll find some great ways to make money just work hard cuz time is short. Mission prep class is good, but just know that when you mogi, or role play, that's the most helpful part cuz that's the only part that's actually like a mission is when YOU are teaching not being taught! :) William, I want to see the video of your sync swimming. You better have taken one!! And Viks dance, lol I can just imagine it.

Our onions died. :( but the mint is thriving and our strawberries are getting baby fruit on them. And by the way the hollyhock is blooming here and corn is almost ripe already! But the rice is still tiny... they have an interesting growing season...and the flora and fauna here is amazing but my companion likes sleeping better so mostly our P-days have naps and not hiking which is ok cuz I'm tired too but a lot of the plants at least on the farms and the cities and the weeds are all the same! crazy. But they have some cool animals I hope to see sometime.. :)

Grandma leach, Aomi says hi! She's in my ward if you haven't got my letter yet!!

OK, well さよおなら！愛しています！

Love,
LeFevre Shimai
Kofu ward, Machida stake, Tokyo Mission