Monday, December 9, 2013

On Monday, December 9, 2013 Sister Johnson wrote:

Hi Momma, thank you for your wonderful email. I so needed it today.

I am getting transferred. I am beyond sad; I've done nothing but cry since 8:00 last night. I do not want to leave Aizu. This is one of my most favorite places in the entire world, I think. Next to the hot springs in Buena Vista and the temple. I love Aizu, and I am going to miss the people here more than I can ever say. I will also miss Robertson Shimai. She has been the absolute best companion and friend. She knows so much about me, and about the way I think, and she is so full of love! I am going to miss her so much, but I am so grateful that I have her to leave our investigators with. She is so wonderful, and ready, and capable to take care of the precious people we have met. Her new companion will be my MTC companion, Tui Shimai! Is't that awesome?! Tui Shimai is replacing me! That will be so fun; her and Robertson Shimai will get along great.

I will be transferring to a place called Ishinomaki. Back to the Sendai zone I go! Ishinomaki was the place that was hit the hardest by the tsunami in 2011, and things are still being rebuilt and repaired. Basically the entire city was wiped out, and so President Rasmussen told me that there is so much opportunity for service, so that is what I plan to do! Serve, serve, serve, and most importantly, LOVE. My new companion will be Luk Shimai, who was in my district at the MTC! She is the one from China, and she is so cute! I love her! I am so excited to serve with her in Ishinomaki. We will be whitewashing the area (which means we will have an area book and stuff, but neither of us know the area at all), so that should be fun. I can't believe that I am already going to my third area! I'm only starting my fifth transfer! Usually sisters only have three areas in their ENTIRE mission. What the heck? I have lots of confirming to do with the Divine. But, I am excited for the new opportunity to serve new and wonderful people.

This week was a great one! Iriya Kun, the 9 year old in the Arai family, has a baptismal date!!!!!!!! He still has to get permission from his parents though, so it's not official yet, but he and we are really excited about it! He loves Jesus, and I can see the light of Christ shine in his eyes and in his smile. He is so precious to me, and I am so sad I won't be here to see him get baptized, but the Lord has plans for me elsewhere. The others in the Arai family are progressing so much! Arai San, the Dad, is awesome! We were able to teach him this week without the kids, and it was the most incredible lesson. We talked about the Word of Wisdom a lot. Because he owns a store, he often drinks coffee with his customers, and he takes his employees out for drinks on the weekends. He said that right now in his life, he doesn't really want to stop that because he is able to build good relationships with people. Both Robertson Shimai and I bore testimony of the spiritual blessings of keeping the Word of Wisdom, and afterwards, we talked about the Book of Mormon. We read together with him Mosiah 2:22 and 41. We also talked about baptism and why it is necessary, and the incredible blessings that come from making promises with God and Jesus Christ. It was an incredible lesson, and the Spirit was filling the room. At the end, Arai San said, "well, now I have this feeling that I want to stop drinking sake and coffee starting in January. I don't understand it, but that's what I am feeling I should do." That was AMAZING! Wow! The Spirit was so strong, and I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. The Arai family is progressing so well, and they are so prepared to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was a good week. :)

So yeah, I am so sad to be leaving. I feel like I finally found my purpose in Aizu, and that was to bring the Gospel to the Arai family. And now I'm being transferred. I am sad beyond words. This is where my faith and trust in my Heavenly Father is really going to be tested. I know that He knows more than I ever will about this, but I am still sad. Trust, trust, trust. I have different purposes in Ishinomaki.

I hope you have a wonderful week! Remember Christ. He is the reason this month is so great!

Love, Shak Shimai

And some excerpts from two emails we received from President and Sister Rasmussen this past week:

We love Sister Johnson. She is transferring to Ishinomaki this week. It is a city that was hit hard by the tsunami 2 1/2 years ago and where many were killed. Although the physical evidences of the tsunami have been largely removed, there are still many emotional scars. I believe our missionaries can help heal those scars through music and bright countenance just like your daughter has.
Thank you for all of your love and support.
Merry Christmas.

And:

We love Sister Johnson. We call her Sister Sunshine.