Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Comics April 29-May 3










Letter May 27, 2013


Hi family!
 
I know, I'm a month behind on comics, but life is taking its toll on me recently in both the up and down variety. So enjoy what I have C:
 
Thank you everyone for the emails, especially the encouraging ones! Things are still really difficult because I'm only a human being (and not a great one) but I'm lucky to have my angel Wylie Shimai, my new set scriptures that still contains old friends, my cinnamon toast and hot tea every morning, and my rolling green Kiryu hills.  Maybe by next week's email I'll have figured things out. I've been studying a lot from Matt 5-7 / 3 Nephi 12-14 about "living the higher law of Jesus Christ." I highly recommend it.
 
Sorry this week's email is so short! We spent most of our P-Day time today out to lunch with an investigator and shopping for summer clothes because Kiryu is starting to get really HOT during the day! It feels a lot like May in Vegas, except for what we don't have in heat we make up for in humidity. Everyone I talk to tells me rainy season is just around the corner. Somehow it's worse knowing what's coming, since I was here this time last year!
 
Anyway, I wish you all the best with the house, getting ready to end school and start summer, and all the awesome things I'm sure you're up to! I miss you guys and think of you every day! I love telling people I meet here about you and showing your photos. I hope you get to meet plenty of my friends someday.
 
Thank you for all you do! You're the best and I love you!
Sister Long
 

Monday, May 20, 2013

May 20th, 2013


Hi family,
It was fun talking to you last week! You all looked so cozy in the nice house. I don't know if I'll get to see it before  you move, but I'm wishing you all the best in that endeavor.
 
Oh, and before I forget, HAPPY BIRTHDAY BENJAMIN! Hey, remember when I made all that stuff for your zombie birthday and it was awesome? And then (was it for Tyler's birthday?) I made that bloody battleground cake with cherry frosting and army men? Good times. I'm still getting asked to use my talents(?) a lot here in the mission field, so I'm glad to know it has paid off.
 
I don't have much time for a proper email this week, but I love you guys and appreciate your prayers so much! This week has been extremely hard because my companion and I don't like each other and don't work well together, which is rough, but the hardest part is trying to accept that this is the kind of trial the Lord wants me to go through right now. As a sister missionary at the top of my game, I expected to be able to use my year's worth of experience to help a lot of people, and instead I'm steering my frenzied Japanese companion around Kiryu watching her preach at people because she never lets me talk and doesn't take my advice. So yeah, that's frustrating. Did I mention how much I appreciate your prayers?
 
A few transfers ago I heard a statement attributed to C.S. Lewis along the lines of "No man knows how bad he is until he tries to be good." That's the truth. I didn't know how un-Christlike I am until being put in a position where being Christlike is the only way to survive. It feels overwhelming. I haven't felt this hopeless since my first or second transfer. Send me all your "Well here's what I did on my mission..." emails!
 
I love all of you, your faith, and your persistence in doing what is right. Take care until next week!
Long Shimai

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Rie Takanezawa card from Brittany

A card from Britt after leaving a ward

Comics March 2-6, 2013








Comics April 16-21, 2013












Letter May 7, 2013


Hi family,
 
Thank you for all the emails this week! I had no idea you were thinking so seriously about moving! I'm sure we'll talk more about it on Skype next week along with plans for coming home and stuff, which I DON'T want to think about, but it's coming up and maybe you guys can help me figure out what to do with my life.
 
Wylie Shimai and I will be Skyping you on Tuesday morning for us, so that's MONDAY EVENING for you! We couldn't make Mother's Day because of our transfer schedule, but you can make it a nice FHE! I'm not sure exactly what time it will be, but hopefully it'll be around 6pm or so? I'm not sure what our skype username is in Kiryu, so could you email me yours?
 
There are TWO bits of news in this email. The first is that Wylie Shimai and I had a baptism this weekend!!! It was such a miracle! Our sweet Ogiwara-san made it from lesson one to baptism in a little over a month. It was a whirlwind and we feel so blessed. He had a sweet service that almost the whole ward came to and participated in. It was such a joyful experience, but of course the real joy is yet to come as he receives the gift of the Holy Ghost, gets the Priesthood, prepares for temple blessings, and hopefully finds himself a wife! Thank you for your prayers and faith, because I know they helped!
 
The other surprise is that the two of us got our transfer call a week early---we are both staying in Kiryu and training two new missionaries together! Due to a scheduling issue, 20 new missionaries are coming to Tokyo this Thursday instead of next Tuesday, and President is shipping two brand new sisters out into the countryside to liven up Kiryu ward! We are SO excited to get to spend the rest of our missions together raising the next generation of missionaries in Tokyo! This place is Zion and we LOVE it.
 
My time is really short today because we spent all P-day in downtown Tokyo and at the temple, but I will email/talk/see all of your lovely faces next Monday evening! I love you all SO MUCH!
Long Shimai
 
P.S. I'm attaching some random photos of us working, cleaning the font, being missionaries, and being proud of our newest Kiryu ward member! Enjoy C: