I Genuinely LOVE This Family, and the Amazing Thing is That They Love Us Too! So This is What it`s Like... ;)

She died this morning.

That`s what you call it when a missionary leaves--death.  The companion they leave behind `kills them off.`  So I`m officially a murderer.

It`s really hard to believe she`s gone.  She`s been my companion since I was `born,` and  was her companion until she `died.`  It`s a little bit rough.

So here`s a little tribute to her.
I will absolutely never forget this time with Walker Shimai.   I never thought that I could like someone so much that I had to spend every second with, but she became on of my best friends.  She has taught me so much through these last few transfers, through the thick and thin, and I just love her to death.  I look up to her in so many ways and I hope that I can keep doing her proud.  I don`t know what I`m going to do without her, but I`m so glad I was able to have her for the time that I did.  She taught me how to keep going when things are rough.  She was my really cheap personal therapist.  She taught me that the best way to make brownies is by doing a layer of brownies, then oreos, and then cookie dough.  She showed by example how much you need to love the Lord in this life and how much you have to sacrifice, and she`s leaving behind a far bigger legacy than she knows.  If I were the only one that she impacted her whole mission (and I know that she influenced tons of people, many she doesn`t even know about ), then it would have been one successful and impactful mission indeed.

Sayonara, Walker Shimai.  Enjoy America. :)

Well, she ain`t getting any deader!

(Please someone recognize that reference.  Anyone!  Moving on.)

The Lord really knows how to send a missionary off.  This week was a pretty good one.
We were able to teach both of our yakusokusha; the bishop referred his parents to us.  We were able to do some fun service for the members, had a couple of member meals, and it was just a pretty good week. :)

We went to go help with A******* Shimai`s Eikaiwai on Christmas Eve, and that was really fun. Then she took us out for dinner the next day!  She is so nice.  We just love her.

We went to the M*****'* for dinner on Friday night.  M***** Shimai made a bunch of Japanese food, and they invited some of M***** Kyoudai`s students from his college as well.  It was really fun.

On Saturday, we went to Bishop`s house to make mochi (pounded, sticky rice stuff that`s just wonderful) with his parents in law.  We kind of taught them too. Older Japanese people speak reaaaally hard Japanese.  I didn`t understand a word of it.  I was so glad that I could rely on Walker Shimai!  She said this experience was very typical of her whole mission and a great way to wrap it up.  A little awkward, a little fun, Japanese conversations she didn`t understand at all, a little bit of the Spirit.  She said she was like, `This is it Walker Shimai.  This is your mission. BASK in it!`

The best part, though, was teaching our favorite family!  C******* and her family.　C******* is super busy though and only has work off on Saturdays, and we hadn`t been able to teach them for three weeks.  And whenever we did teach them it was hard to get the kids together and usually only one or two would participate.  On Saturday, though, we went over for our appointment, they got excited that we were there, all quietly sat down excited for the lesson and everything went perfectly.  We taught the chart, with loads of examples for the kids that also helped the mom to understand, and they listened with rapt attention the whole time and asked questions.  And then they accepted the challenge to be baptized!  All four of them at the end of February!  The mom has a concern about coming to church, but she really does want to grow closer to Christ.  All of the kids are excited too.  R******** didn`t want us to erase the whiteboard we were writing on because she wanted to MEMORIZE the 5 steps!  So we gave her a list. :)  It was the most wonderful thing.   And then when we went out to leave, they ran out after us and took pictures with us, and were obviously so sad that Walker Shimai was leaving.  However, they`ve already found her on Facebook, so all is well.  I genuinely LOVE this family, and the amazing thing is that they love us too!  So this is what it`s like... ;)  Haha, I`m so excited to help them progress!

Our other investigators though (especially U*** and H*****...who at this moment are also the only other ones meeting with us), we`re having a really hard time with.  We`ve been meeting with both yakusokusha almost since we got here, and they are just not progressing.  We`ve been trying everything we can think of, trying to seek revelation, everything.  But nothing is working and we have no idea what to do!  It`s so frustrating!  We can`t get either of them to feel the Spirit, and we just feel like we`re at a dead end. 

But, as Walker Shimai would say, Do de do. :)

Anyways, have a good week everyone!

The church is true!  The book is blue!

Sister Whitney

Oh, plus you can tell everyone that my new companion is Sister Watkins and she`s coming on Thursday.