Konnichiwa!!!! Sorry, this email is going to be super short but I have to tell you about SOMEONE AWESOME we found this past week and starting teaching. 

We have a chinese friend who isn't super seriously meeting with us and trying to learn about God but whenever I consider dropping her I feel like I shouldn't so I haven't. And the Spirit kept nudging me to call her this week so we called and she invited us to hike up the mountain with her and her doberman and then study from the Book of Mormon with her and her daughter. So we meet up at her daugher's apartment and start the hike. As we head down the street she knocks on her friend's door and yells at her to come along with us. So she takes her little Yorkie and joins us up the mountain. As we're walking up the mountain, this woman starts telling me about how she came to believe in God and how He's saved her a jillion times in her life, especially when she went to the Philippines to study international cooking. She told me that she wanted us to come over to her house and talk to her about God because she loves Him and misses hearing about Him. So we set an appointment for the next day and she was super excited and gave us a bunch of pastries when we finished the hike. 

So the next day right after district meeting we head up to her house and just start talking to get to know her a little bit. And like 20 seconds in she asks if we can start with a prayer so that God can be in the conversation with us. So naturally we say yes and we start talking to her about God and the Book of Mormon and she opens up about her whole life: how she was way prideful her whole life and then went to the Philippines to study and some nice people introduced her to Christ. And she was humbled a little bit and really started to love Christ because of the love and peace she felt at the Japanese church she found. Then when she moved back to Japan someone stole a really large amount of money from her and ran away to the Philippines and she was left with nothing and got really angry at God and ripped up her entire Bible and also baptismal certificate. And she just looked so guilty and upset. So I jumped in and told her that she can be baptized again. And her face just lit up and there was so much hope in her eyes. And we taught her all about baptism and about how when we're baptized we're cleansed of all the mistakes we've made in the past and we get a brand new slate. And we make a special promise with God that we will follow Him and He makes a special promise to bless us all the time. And we talked to her about the Priesthood and that because in this church the men hold the priesthood, when we are baptized we become able to return and live with Heavenly Father someday. And right then Croft shimai invited her to be baptized and she has a goal for the end of this month. 

God prepares His children to accept Him. He has a very special plan for each one of us and for each and every person on the bus, train, street and at work. And you can bet that you're a part of it. And it's our opportunity to be good examples and invite them to hear about the thing that will make them happier than anything else in the world. 

I have to go, but one last super awesome thing: it was Croft shimai's birthday and the ward was so cute and awesome to her but also our mission president, President Welch, and his incredible wife took us out to get super delicious american-style burgers and it was 1. delicious, but 2. the most uplifting dinner I've ever had. 

I love you all!!! 

Love,

Daniels shimai