Onward and Upward!!!!!

Hello to the sweetest fam in the world!!

Oh how I love you! Time is short but I feel so full of love for you. Thank you for helping me to be who I am today. Thank you for raising me in the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Thank you for teaching me how important it is to love people. Thank you for teaching me of the Savior's life and ministry, of the Book of Mormon, of where to turn when I need help. :) I love you so much.

This week has been miraculous. I cannot express here all of the tender mercies and the miracles I have witnessed at the MTC, this week even. I testify that the Lord is with His children and that there are people being prepared for us in Japan. I testify that this is His work. I testify that you can have the Savior MORE in your life, that the Savior of the World wants to be right next to your heart as you go through your days, that the Spirit wants so much to be with you ALWAYS and testify of Him. I love Japanese. The whole tambre of our mission is changing this week. We have been packing like crazy, trying to get our bags within weight etc...hahahahahahaha! I just can't believe it. I know that I am inadequate, but I know the Lord knew exactly who I was when he called me... even more than I know me. :) I know this is His work! I know that there is nothing we can't do with Him.

We had AMAZING speakers this week. We were graced with a famous and wonderful speaker within the Japanese missionary/MTC world... The Brother Mills Fireside. He came and spoke on expectations and how we often place limits on the Lord. As long as it is expedient in Him, I know it can be done. I know it! Oh I love faith. How faith can heal this aching world, how Jesus Christ wants to heal each of us.

This week as I got to testify in our last District Devotional Review, I realized how different I felt. The Lord is constantly changing and refining us. How much of a treasure the MTC has been! As I finished up 2 Nephi this week, I was reminded again of the goodness of the Lord in helping us meet our goals. He is SO good to us! If He is with us in a goal, if it is expedient in Him, there is NOTHING we can't do. We do not need to fear (I've learned this so much more). He is with us.

So, in two days I am flying to Osaka Japan! (Fam: I'll probably call the home phone at about 6 am from the SLC airport... I hope that works!!! I love you!)

On the light side (the Gospel is all the light side!), things have been crazy with everyone being here 12 weeks and now getting ready to go. Just to shake things up a bit... for a few weeks I salvaged Christmas decorations from the giveaway bin, plus the treats mom sent. One morning, my companion and I snuck in early and... decorated our classroom for Christmas! It was so so funny. They had me lead and we sang Christmas songs. (pictures are coming ha ha). Even our Branch president poked his head in... a lot of the teachers were pretty certain it wasn't Christmas...and the word was getting around. One of ours came in and apparently said, "Christmas jinai!" and punched some streamers... he's funny. ha ha. ("It's not Christmas!")

Alex Boye also came this week and it was AWESOME! He talked about the power of vision, a message I seem to be getting a lot lately, and sang a bunch. I thought how much my family would have loved it! His friend was on the piano and would frequently just play whatever background music he felt like as Alex Boye spoke. I realized what is missing in my life... it would be nice to not have to do your own background music - that's the life!! ;)

The Spirit gave all of us a hug as we closed District Devotional Review. Our district has so much love, and we are so ready to go... and so not ready, but ready with the Lord. I testify that this is an amazing work. I can't think of much more to say bout that, but... onward and upward! The work is true. I will bear you my testimony in Japanese:

Watashi wa Kamisama o ai shite imasu. Kore wa Kamisama no waza da to shitte imasu. Ten no Otosama wa watashitachi o ai shite imasu. Kamisama wa watashitachi hitori hitori o ai suru to akashi shimasu. Kamisama no keikaku no tame ni kazoku wa taisetsu desu. Kamisama wa itsumo watashitachi to tomo ni iru desu. Fukuin wa shinjitsu desu!!! Iesu Kirisito no yotte, Kamisama mi moto o modoru koto ga dekiro to shite imasu. Iesu Kirisuto o honto ni ai site imasu. Iesu Kirisuto no okage de, watashitachi wa itsumo ichi ban saiko tomodachi ga aru to shijite imasu. Iesu Kirisuto o toshite zenbu koto o suru koto dekiru to shite imasu. Iesu Kirisuto wa watashitachi no Sukuinushi da to shite imasu. Gessemane de, Iesu Kirisuto wa watashitachi no omoni ye tameshi ya byoki koto o susunde torimasu. Morumon Sho mo shinjitsu to shite imasu. Seiten o benkyo sru toki ni, keiji o ukeru koto ga dekiru to akashi shimasu. Kamisama wa ikerimasu!

I LOVE THE GOSPEL! The Savior has willingly taken our pains. God is always with us. He lives and loves us, and I love you sweet family! Pray for the people in Japan as we are and Heavenly Father is. I know that He has a great work ahead.

Onward and Upward!

A blessed Anderson Shimai