Konnichiwa!!!! 

Thank you for all of the wonderful emails!!! It's been an amazing week!!! I saw one of the biggest miracles of my entire life yesterday. I'ma tell you it before anything else because MIRACLES DO HAPPEN IN JAPAN!! 

Okay. So. Broadhead shimai and I were welcoming people as they arrived at church yesterday, when all of a sudden a humble, quiet looking woman entered the building. We both kinda shot/leaped/galloped/flew over to her and it might have been too much happiness for a second because she looked a half bit terrified so we did one of those things where you stop flying in the middle of the air and try to calm down but you're way too excited to see someone you've never met who wandered into the church. I pray for these people. But I look back and imagine myself as a japanese woman and seeing two beaming american girls approaching me and I'd probably also be terrified. But we covered it up with some compliments and friendly conversation and tried to figure out where she came from. 

This lady met with missionaries 3 years ago maybe two times. One of them (named Dani-- whose name strikingly resembles my own. Heavenly Father is the best) gave her the address of the church. Three years later something nudged her to come. SO we escorted her to Relief Society where half of the room introduced themselves to her and welcomed her. And then the teacher started her lesson with each person standing up and introducing themselves by saying her name, when she became a member of the church, and why she likes this church. It was a little intense with a few of the members and maybe it's better to avoid problems with the word of wisdom when you talk to people that aren't even investigators yet, but overall it was super amazing to hear 1. a quick conversion story of every member (it's the coolest thing ever when the church is sooooooooooooo young and everyone is a convert) 2. the testimonies and witnesses of 20 people. And then the class was all about the Atonement and a review of Elder Bednar's last conference talk about burdens giving us traction to rely on the Savior.

So then! She went to gospel principles where we learned PRAYER! And a returned missionary of about 3 months taught and it was amazing and each of us 4 missionaries were asked to share our testimony/experience on prayer and it was way powerful. And this lady is soooooo amazing and has so much desire to learn. And then we had sacrament meeting which wasn't super focused on Christ BUT there's nothing like taking the sacrament (except for baptism) but it's okay. The Spirit was there and she had all the intent of the world. I was actually with some other investigators that came, but Broadhead shimai was sitting with this visitor from heaven the whole time. She asked her if she had any questions. And she asked, 'does this church have senrei?' (which is another word for baptism in other denominations here in Japan.) And Broadhead shimai explained to her simply what baptism was. And our friend replies, 'So if I'm baptized I can become a better person?' and since that is one of the many benefits of baptism, Broadhead shimai says 'yes'. And our friend says 'When can I be baptized?' And Broadhead shimai says (since they have to come to church 3 times before they are baptized) 'we'll help you prepare for baptism and you'll need to come to church a few times before you are baptized, but how about October 26th?' And our dearly beloved friend says 'yes' and writes it in her planner. And miracles do not cease until faith ceases. But faith will not cease here in the Japan, Kobe mission. And God is wonderful. And His Son is the Savior of the world. And because of His sacrifice for us, bad men can become good; good men can become better; and we also can live again after we die AND live in the presence of God and with our families FOREVER. And this is my life-- bringing this knowledge to people. 

But lots of other cool things happened this week including our SUPER ROCKING INTERNATIONAL PARTY!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was crazy successful and I think if more people came the room would've exploded. SOoooooo many students from our english class came and also lots of less actives came and also we had investigators come and also some street contacts! AND a member invited and brought a family whose children are half congan, half japanese. and a young woman brought her friend. and it was soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo fun. The first 20 minutes was just time spent looking at the booths. Broadhead shimai and I were obviously America, one of our zone leaders and our district leader's companion had a super decked-out Brazilian booth, our Bishop's wife and mother-in-law brought many really cool hand-woven crafts for their Philippine booth, and our canadian district leader shared half of a table with the other zone leader who is actually from Sendai, Japan, but pretended like Sendai was its own country. I will definitely send loads of pictures. And then for like 15 minute time crunches we had Maeno choro do some crazy soccer juggling tricks and then taught a big group of kids, and a Philippino dance was performed and then whoever wanted to join was able to. hahaha Bishop's wife tore me away from putting a Justin Bieber temporary tattoo on a little boy's cheek and made me dance on the stage with her. Awkward thing was that I hadn't learned the dance because I was teaching the culture of america. But it was way fun!! Also we brought 10 people up on stage and played chubby bunny. I think our Canadian district leader won with 15 giant marshmellows? Also Sendai was represented by our Zone leader doing magic fushigi ball things. You've probably seen the ''Fushigi ball'' commercial in America? The glass ball floats and is full of magic? I used to judge it super hard and then I saw it in real life and it was honestly super cool. AND! to end the night, the priesthood holders performed the new zealand cultural hakka. Mackenzie shimai taught them the famous one that the All Blacks rugby team performs. it was super awesome. And I think I died. 

Okay-- one last super cool thing. I told you this week was awesome!! Elder Ringwood of the Quorum of the 70 came to our mission and we met with him on Thursday. We all shook his hand to start the meeting, and then throughout his address to us, he inserted individual names. It was way impressive. His remarks were amazing and I learned so much. One thing I wanted to share was one thing he said about 2 witnesses. Missionary work is established by 2 witnesses. When there are 2 witnesses, then people can be astonished. (see the peoples' response after both Alma and Amulek had called them to repentance). Even more important than two witnesses in the mission field are the two witnesses at home-- our parents. Mothers and Fathers are the two witnesses to their children as they teach them that Jesus is the Christ. In the home tomorrow is created; strong testimonies are forged; and broken hearts are healed. Families, under the direction of both the mother and the father, prepare for eternity. 

I love you allllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's so cool that Brady, Sam, Talmadge and Taylor are all returning from their missions. WHATTT. Tell them congratulations and hello for me! Shout-out to Broadhead family!!! I'm impressed that you send your daughter hand-written letters every week. ***Daniels family**********

hahah just kidding, I still love you, family. WITH ALL MY HEART.

Fortify yourselves against Satan please!! Say your prayers, read the scriptures every day! Take the sacrament worthily each week!! Have family home evening each week!!! I love you!!!!!

Love,

Danieruzu shimai

I have officially been a missionary for one year which means...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (: HAPPY BIRTHDAY SYDNEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (: I hope you had a great day!!!! The Ohio State pictures were awesome but it looks super cold and I'm a tiny bit jealous because autumn is my favorite in Michigan. It's still t-shirt weather here but there was one day last week that it was cool enough to wear a jacket and it was overcast and I felt like I was in Grand Rapids. It still smells like rice here which was kind of surprising because I was expecting the smell of corn and apples. Nevertheless, conference is coming soon!!!!!! 

I didn't celebrate my year mark at all, mostly because there is nothing to celebrate about being two-thirds done with your mission. We had a good lesson with Imade san though which was worth celebrating. I ate some yogurt for dinner and a hole rubbed through my shoe's sole? hahahha but seriously I am so sad because once I am done with this transfer I will have only 4 left. But it's okay because I will be a forever missionary.

There are zero things better in this life than bringing hope to those who have none. I bet that thought carried Jesus Christ through so many of the pains He suffered for us. I believe He saw our faces and saw us at our lowest, and saw what we could become as heirs to the Kingdom of God and the never-ending, perfect joy we could receive. And knowing that He was the only one who could bring us that much happiness and hope made the sacrifices that He did. I'm so grateful for Him and I love Him with all my heart. 

I'm discovering a lot of weaknesses that I have and also how much I love these people here. I want my companion to love these people as much as I do and to take good care of them when I leave. She is a good missionary and we've been able to adapt to teach well as a companionship together. She has a strong testimony and is really independent. I have also grown pretty independent these past couple transfers and I'm learning to be a lot better of a companion now with her and giving her the chance to speak more. She's pretty quiet around japanese people but she wants to be more involved.

We've been crazy busy planning and preparing for the international party tomorrow!! I have zero things from america. haha I think I'm bringing my flip-flops and justin bieber tattoos. hahah ahh. I'm so grateful Grundvig shimai gave those to me in the MTC (:

I love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! have a great week!!! enjoy the leaves changing for me!!!!!!!!!!!!

love,

Daniels shimai

Konnichiwa! Last Monday Mackenzie shimai and I definitely thought we would be together for another transfer in Wakayama, but Tuesday evening we got a call from the assistants to the president of the mission saying that Mackenzie shimai would need to pack super quickly so that she can transfer to Takatsuki in Osaka on Thursday morning. It was super sad-- we were way excited to be together for another transfer; she's become one of my favorite people in the whole wide world. It was a really big shock to us and also all of our investigators and less actives that also thought we were staying, but all things are done in the wisdom of Him who knoweth all things and she is saving souls in Osaka now. And I miss her. But I'll see her at the taikai next week! President Ringwood is coming to our mission!!

My new companion is named Sister Broadhead, which is extremely difficult for japanese people to say. I think it's my favorite thing of my life when they try and pray for her and they mumble under their breath and say a couple things like Brawnheaddo and burokkoheaddo and then give up and say ''headdo'' shimai. She's very patient with them.  She is a 10th transfer missionary but will be going home after her 11th transfer but I really admire her because she isn't getting trunky but really wants to work hard these last 2 transfers and finish strong on her mission. She is from Lehi, Utah and is very friendly. She was actually in my district for a transfer when I was up in Toyooka so we knew each other a little bit before she came. It's way different going from training to having a 10th transfer companion and there are lots of things that I really like and also that I really miss. But we're going to continue to see miracles. 

Tateishi shimai is continuing to progress and we talked to Bishop this past week and he was on the same brain wave as us and had an interview with her. She will be making 2 small changes and then she is going to be temple worthy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! woooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She came up to us after and was so excited and told us that she was preparing to go to the temple with Bishop and my heart exploded. I love her from the tips of my toes. She is doing so well!!!!!!!! 

We've been working steadily with a super cute 13 year old less active, the daughter of a recently-returned active mother in our ward. Her name is Megu chan, so naturally, we're best friends. She got baptized last year and doesn't understand a lot of the doctrine and doesn't come to church because she is exhausted from school and wants to sleep. We were also doing a dance activity with her because she does ballet but because we are in shortage of professional ballerina, we started drawing out scriptures kinda like what we used to do in seminary. She got super into it and is really learning a lot about faith from Alma 32 and asked us lots of questions about eternal life which are my absolute favorite questions to answer. 

Also! You always hear stories here of missionaries housing and finding perfectly prepared golden Filipinos who know about God and believe in Him and love Him with all their heart. Well. The Lord inspires His missionaries to find these people and sends them to less-actives' homes where they no longer live. So then the missionaries house the floor until someone is there and they ask if they know the neighbor/less-active. I'm going to go back into 1st person: so we knock on this door and it opens a crack and a FILIPINO WOMAN asks us to wait a minute and closes the door. 20 minutes later she opens the door again and invites us inside and is the nicest lady you've ever met and she asked us if we spoke english and gave us coke and we sat down and she told us her entire life story from when she was 15 until today as a 47 year old woman. She is incredible and has the strooooongest testimony of prayer ever and needs this gospel, as we all do. God saved her life and the life of her son and she said she doesn't want to be baptized but it's okay because we will teach her about the restoration of the priesthood. Unfortunately she is going to be in the Philippines for the next 8 days, but I'm expecting amazing things from her!!! And so is her Father in Heaven!!!

There were lots of cool experiences this week including going bowling as a ward. I think half of my heart withered away because it was so worldly inside the bowling alley. But it was also super legit but wayy different from american bowling alleys and I definitely understand why our last mission president banned bowling. But we got an okay from our current president! And also it was way awesome to have fun with the ward. 

Thank you always for your emails and updates! It's weird to imagine that it's currently September. the weather here is still really warm and sunny and feels like summer in Michigan. But it's cooled down a ton and we moved our futons back into the tatami mat room and just sleep with the fan on instead of placing ourselves under the air conditioner in our study room. 

I love you all!!!! God lives!!!!!!!!

Daniels shimai

It's transfer calls again and I'M STAYING IN WAKAYAMA WITH MACKENZIE SHIMAI FOR A 3RD TRANSFER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! woooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!! I've never been an area for 4 transfers or with someone this long, but  I'm super stoked because I love her dearly and I love these people with all of my heart and we also got this heart melting text from a new investigator this morning and afternoon and I'm going to tell you how the conversation went. I am 99% sure that this is why I am staying in Wakayama because I definitely thought he was pulling me out. I would just also like to say that I believe I will be with Grundvig shimai next transfer because she is also staying in her area for a 4th transfer and she also told our mission president's wife that we're best friends and haven't been companions yet so my hopes are still up. I still have 4 more chances!!! And that just dashed my heart realizing that I only have 4 more transfers after this one is done... what. 

BUT Heavenly Father answers prayers anyway.

This was the lady I was telling you about who has a lot of eating disorders and anxiety problems. She met with us this last week and brought her 3 year old son which was really difficult and we weren't able to teach a full lesson, but it was also nice because her doubts came right out and we've been able to study for them for the next time we meet. this is how it went. her english is actually pretty good:

-Hi!!! Daniels! Mackenzie! Good morning!! Please, stay Wakayama yet. Please, please, please!!!!!!!!! I hope that I want to meet you more. Please (>_<)(>_<)(>_<) 

-YAYAYAYAYAY WE'RE IN WAKAYAMA STILL!!! (: (lots of japanese emojis)

-Really? I'm very glad!!! I can't stop tears. I prayed all the time from yesterday. I need you.

And thus we see that God gives us excellent teaching moments and opportunities to see His hand and know that He is God and that He hears our prayers, even if we don't believe He's there yet.

This week has been way humbling and also full of miracles and super cool lessons and seeing God answer our prayers and allowing us to forget things at the apartment so that we run into the people that we need to. I've never been really forgetful on my mission because we write everything down in our planners but we have this week and each time we've met the people we were intending to teach or set appointments with. 

BUT!! I'll share my most favorite day this past week which was Sunday. I have come to see on my mission that fast sundays are the best days in the whole universe. And the days you see the most miracles and truly feel so much closer to our Father in Heaven.

Tateishi shimai. SHE IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! I can't even explain the process of the Spirit working with her the past 3 transfers but the woman that we met in her genkan that was hesitant to let us back and told us straight up that she wouldn't be coming to church has become this AMAZING ROCK SOLID WOMAN and she has been coming to all 3 hours of church for the past two weeks and yesterday she stood up at the end of relief society and bore her testimony. AND THEN she got up in sacrament meeting in front of the whole church and read a small talk/testimony that she prepared for today. I felt like I was at one of my investigators' baptisms-- it was just as special. She shared with everyone about how she joined the church and then gave up and fell away and her husband passed away and she had the opportunity to talk to one of his students about him and it made her miss him a ton. And then two beaming sister missionaries appear at her door later that week. And they asked her about her baptism and somehow the conversation was led into the plan of salvation and she opened up for some reason to them about her husband and it felt like they were her friends because they asked about their marriage and how he had proposed. (And that may be super 20 year old stereotypical but it was totally led by the spirit ahah). 

She spoke about how Mackenzie shimai came and how strong the spirit was when she shared her conversion story in broken japanese. She spoke about how amazing it was that one sister was living in Michigan and the other from New Zealand heard the same conference message and both felt inspired to come on missions and were both called to Wakayama to help her. She bore her testimony on latter-day prophets and how they are inspired of God and she knows that their guidance was meant for her. Apparently the sisters knew that she needed to hear Elder Holland's talk (THAT was 10000000 jillion the spirit speaking through my mouth because we definitely hadn't planned to talk about that one) and just how Peter had returned to his old life-style of fishing after knowing the Savior, she had returned to her old life-style before her baptism. But the Savior was calling her back, just as He did Peter. She said she is keeping the commandments now and has returned to church so that she can return to the presence of God, and be worthy to live with her husband for eternity. 

We're challenging her to meet with the Bishop for a temple recommend interview before the end of the year this Tuesday. And this is my life. I wish I could upload a nugget of the joy that I felt when she bore her testimony or how I feel now as I'm typing this up again. There is no greater work than missionary work. 

I don't have a ton of time for this next experience, but we had a really cool lesson with a less active and her 16 year-old daughter who is also less-active. They are incredible!!!!!!!!!!!! and so friendly and nice and the lesson was centered around 2 Nephi 1:15 so you should read that because that scripture has become my favorite in my mission. I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU ALL OF MY LIFE!!!! I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Heavenly Father lives!!!! His Son, Jesus Christ lives!!!!!!!!! He is our Savior!!!!!!!!!!!

Otherwise, we visited the castle in wakayama last monday! it was cool and had super awesome samurai armour inside buuuut we weren't allowed to take pictures. 

Thank you for all of the pictures and Big Ten updates. (: Everyone looks old!!! Especially lizzy and spencer. Thanks dad for the beard picture! hahahah but I think you pull off the 'stache だけ look better. 

I love you all with all my heart! Read the Book of Mormon every day, pray every day, repent and partake of the sacrament each week. Thank you for your prayers! 

Sister Daniels

A pinch and a punch for the first of the month!! My trainee has gotten me the past 2 months with that one and I finally got her today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOO! I've never actually heard that one until I met her. Which also means I haven't learned the ''no tag-backs'' tagline either so I still got a pinch and a hit for being so quick. But now I know that you have to say ''white rabbit''. We'll have to stay together for another transfer (:

This week was fantastic but mostly because yesterday was one of my favorite days of my whole life. So a little part-member family has a son named kai kun who the elders have been teaching and preparing for baptism and have asked us to teach with them quite a few times these past couple transfers and he finally turned 8 on thursday and had his baptism yesterday!!! He is my favorite japanese boy in the whole world and if you saw him smile I think your heart would probably melt into nothing because there is just so much joy in his face. Especially when he was baptized and Maeno choro pulled him out of the water and the perfect joy of the gospel was ALSO filling his tiny little body. And so much joy was emanating in the room and I imagine heaven to feel that way. 

That set the tone for an awesome church service and Tateishi shimai attended ALL THREE hours of church!!! And was actively participating in relief society and during gospel principles she went with her friend/visiting teacher/family research specialist to do family history work. And my heart is so happy! and she came to sacrament and the ward is awesome and fellowshipped her as they have been. 

ALSO a really awesome lady in the ward, who we have recently been working with a little bit because she has a less-active daughter, made us really cool baby dolls that are made of kimono material and I should've taken a picture of it, but it's way cool. and her daughter came to sacrament meeting!!!! and the ward was awesome and fellowshipped her and she said she'll be back next week. ALSO a family of less-actives came to church! We used to work with them a couple transfers ago but they dropped us out of the blue and sent us lots of really heart-breaking messages, but sometimes they show up to church and glare at us and refuse to talk to us when we greet them, BUT yesterday we complimented their sparkly hair pins and one of them smiled at us and complimented us back!! and we invited her to the international party and she looked super interested. woooo!! the Lord softens hearts!!! 

ALSO there's another less-active sister we've trying to contact for a few transfers and we finally got a hold of her and when we tried to set an appointment she said 'I think I'll come to church this week and we can set up an appointment there!' WOO!! And she came for sacrament! Literally the entire ward lit up when she walked in. And the previously mentioned awesome lady came up to her and her face was so beautiful. It's the face you see on fathers when their sons return from their missions, or that you see when moms are way proud of their children for doing some act of service or doing well in school. And they embraced and sat down together next to us. The opening hymn was Nearer my God to Thee and I turn to the less-active and say, '' this is my favorite hymn!!'' and she says ''mine too!! They played this at my baptismal service!'' WHO PICKS THESE HYMNS??  Every calling is inspired. The spirit was there and she was crying and I patted her back and she cried more and we bonded and after the meeting everyone in the whole ward came and greeted her and welcomed her back and this ward is awesome and I love them. 

There were so many miracles throughout the week and so many instances where we could see the hand of the Lord and the angels surrounding us. I wish I had time to tell you about all of them and not just about sacrament!!! We started teaching this amazing woman who we'll call K san, who has been struggling with really severe eating disorders and anxiety problems for a few years because of an abusive relationship that she fled from. God lead us straight to each other-- I know that from my heart. We gave her a church tour and a small lesson about the gospel blessing families and individuals and at the end when we prayed she was just weeping and felt really strongly that she needed us in her life. This work is miraculous. And it's because it's true!!!! 

I hope you are all having a wonderful week!! That is super sad that Braxton Miller is out for the entire season. Is he a senior this year?? I'm reppin my Ohio State pride snuggled in my futon. 

You are in my prayers. I love you all!!! 

p.s. picture #1 is of me and flower shimai whose last week of church was yesterday before returning to thailand this next week. she has the same birthday as Bryan!!! 

and picture #2 is the pacific ocean with some earthquake clouds. apparently they always appear the day after earthquakes