First off, CONGRATS MARISSA. Your wedding looks like it was awesome! Love you and have fun on the honeymoon!

Also on the 30th of this week will mark my 1/2 way mark on the mission. I hear it's just downhill from here and it only goes faster. It's crazy how fast it's all gone thus far. I'm stoked for the next 9 months!

In other news, both Kerr Shimai and I are staying in Joyo! I will have been here for 4 transfers and will see summer through in one of the hottest parts in the mission. Drink lots of water everyone. 

Also a member of the bishopric calls me Sunday morning and asked me to speak in sacrament meeting that day. I said sure and was grateful I learned the importance of keeping and recycling talks from my dad. Thanks dad for being a high councilor for who knows how many years. I used a talk I gave in my first area and it went great. 

This week was awesome! We found 2 new investigators and taught 4 lessons this week! I love the way the work continues to progress and hasten here in Joyo! We went and visited one of our less-actives last night and were just planning to check up on her. See how she was doing. But what we thought was going to only be like a 20 minute meeting or so turned into an hour and a half talk about what she was struggling with. I was able to hold her hands, look into her tear stained eyes and testify about how God is her Heavenly Father and how she is His daughter. It was awesome and I don't know if I've ever felt the Holy Ghost work through more powerfully than last night. 

I know if we open our mouths and testify of the simple things we do know Heavenly Father will give us the words through the Holy Ghost that our brothers and sisters need to hear. 

Keep loving and living life everyone. Never forget who you are! Beloved sons and daughters of a king!

Love your Japanese friend,

Aulick Shimai 

アウリック姉妹

That's right everyone it's ocean day!

That's right everyone it's ocean day! So go put on your swimsuit and hug your nearest ocean!

This week we met an 87 year old man who was still as genki as ever and still riding his bike to get places. I wasn't kidding when I said that everyone and anyone can get around here by using their bike. I love the old kooks here. 

Also the Gion Matsuri was so much fun! I will send pictures.

I feel like I don't talk about my investigators very much, sorry. We have an investigator with a baptismal date in a couple of weeks but with the amount of effort she's putting in we're not sure if she'll make it or not. And another less-active investigator who is supposed to be fully active by the end of August. And if we don't start meeting with her she probably won't make it either. BUT we are praying like crazy and riding our bikes like crazy and doing everything we can to help these people. But a pleasant surprise was that one of our investigators that hasn't really been progressing that well because of some panic issues and mental health problems and such is all of a sudden progressing incredibly well this past week! And all because of the Book of Mormon. I'm telling you, that book is magic. I love it so much.  

So we got to teach 2 lessons this week! Yay for improvement! My learning tid bit for the week is that attitude is everything. Honestly our numbers haven't really changed that much. And nothing has changed a whole lot but I learned this week to not ask Heavenly Father to change my circumstances but instead to change me in my circumstances. AND I AM SO HAPPY. The amount of patience and love that Heavenly Father has given me this week is unreal and so undeserved. But I have been making sure to thank Him every step of the way. 

If there is something about your life right now that you don't like, then change it. And if you can't change it, then change your attitude. 

Love you all and hope your week is full of happy smiles and rainbows!

Love your Japanese Friend,

Aulick Shimai 

アウリック姉妹