It's getting hot!...
Honestly this week was a blur. A lot of ups and downs... and it is getting hot! Ahhh.
We were riding our bikes and rode past this women twice with her 2 little girls. We just smiled and kept riding to the big apartments we were going to. We were knocking for a while then this same woman opened her door! She came out with her girls and talked with us for a while. She was really interested and even said she wanted to come to church. We were feeling so excited. A couple days later we went back to teach her again and remind her about church. She came out and told us her husband basically said no. ARE YOU KIDDING ME. It's always the spouses I'm telling you. I have a real big hope that she will someday be baptized. Someday.
Kameda is doing great! We went a visited him a few times this week. It is very convenient that he lives so close to the church. We took a member with us and we taught him the restoration and it was amazing. Our member, Hanisawa ε§ε¦Ή bore really great testimony. After we taught him how and he did, Kameda told us he would try to pray on his own! A huge blessing that comes from my mission is teaching people how to pray and hearing their very first prayers ever. It's amazing.
While walking back to our bikes from attempting to visit inactive members (none of them answered) Wentz ε§ε¦Ή was like we need to knock this apartment! So we did and the first 2 doors there was nothing, but the third door answered over the intercom. Long story short we taught him a bit and got a return appt for this evening! So we will see how it goes with mystery intercom man! 
️ I made it a goal to read all of Doctrine and Covenants this year by July and I did it! It is SO GOOD! Especially reading it as a missionary changed my perspective a lot. I just want to bear my witness and testimony that I know for 100% fact that Joseph Smith was a true prophet. I know he Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ spoke to him face to face and revealed the way to restore to true church once again on this earth. One of the last chapters in D&C talks about the Celestial Kingdom and all things eternal. When we remember our purpose here on earth (to learn and grow towards Christ) and remember the blessings that await us it makes things a lot more special. The hours I have spent outside feeling like I am doing nothing I KNOW will count to something. Heavenly Father is too loving to not let it.
He loves us too much!
I love you too and thank you for the continues support!
Make it a great week!
<3 Peterson Shimai
06/30/2025
P.s. starting tmr I can say I go come next month AHHH
We love Toriko ε§ε¦Ή
Literally the best district in the mission right here. Nagano District 4L
Movie night! We did our SYL a lot this week aka we spoke only Japanese to eachother quit a bit. This was our award! Joseph Smith movie and popcorn before bed!
This is Kameda! Hehehehe yayyy
Heyyy random mirror
We love frogs! After Eikaiwa, we went with the Matsumoto missionaries, Rintarou, (I will talk abt him later) and his friends to catch some frogs! We caught lots!
While housing, a 16ish yr old girl LEPT from her front door to catch her cat. The whole neighborhood could hear the sound if her barefoot hitting the concrete. It was amazing
We asked this teenager a question and he was like uhh while scratching his head. We stood in silence waiting for him to answer and stood there for like 20 sec. Just in silence. Me and Crockett ε§ε¦Ή were dying holding back laughter because what. Unable to speak she points at an eikaiwa flyer, hands it to him, we all bow in unison, and walk away. 
A few old people were a little shocked when they saw 2 American teenagers with their faces pressed against the glass windows watching them swim like they were in a zoo. Then the next moment they looked back and the girls were gone. We were those girls.
We made it a goal to sing "I am a Child of God" to someone on the street. Finally an 18 year old let us but it quickly turned into a solo. Crockett ε§ε¦Ή was laughing too hard standing with her legs crossed, she could not join. There were also a lot of times during the song I too had to take a break to let out my giggles. Luckily our guy was also giggling and having a good time. When we walked away Crockett ε§ε¦Ή turned to me and said LOOK. She wasn't crossing her legs for nothing because she had full on peed her pants. We rushed home.
I waved at some teenage girls while they were driving and they rolled down their windows and yelled "beautiful". Just added to the happiness of the day.
Took a picture with an old man rioter holding a sign that says "no nukes". Picture will be below
Those are all the shenanigans for now! Yayyy. Also, yes, all but one of those shenanigans happened with my girl Crockett ε§ε¦Ή! We have too much fun.
RINATAROU! Okay, when I was in the trio in Matsumoto we invited these 2 young boys to come to Chosen watch night and they came. Well, one of them, Rintarou, has been meeting with the missionaries and has become pretty close with all of them. Apparently one time at eikaiwa he was with a bunch of his friends and when the missionaries asked who wanted to give the closing prayer, HE RAISED HIS HAND. He is amazing and I feel so special that I was able to be there for that first interaction. Pray for Rintarou!
Another miracle Crockett ε§ε¦Ή and I saw happened while streeting! We talked to this guy, ended up taking him to see the church and talked all about Jesus Christ and 3 Nephi 11 with him! He seemed really excited and even ended up going to church. It was a bit odd when he asked for a single photo of me when he found out I'm not a Matsumoto missionary, but we will just pretend jt wasn't a little weird!
With no intentions of talking past this, I told a woman I liked her shoes. Her face lit up and she immediately started talking to us and asking us lots of questions about ourselves. It turned into a really good contact and it was so amazing to see the light coming off of her as we got to know each other. We got her contact info after she expressed her interest in our eikaiwa classes and she left with a bunch of thank yous and how much we made her day. It was a simple compliment that turned into something big and meaningful for all of us! I loved it.
Okay, sorry long email! Let me leave you with one of my fav quotes I might have already put in one of these. 
Crockett ε§ε¦Ή and I had a long talk about this because the true deep love we can have have isn't ours. It comes from God. That kind of love is something we felt before we were born. It is so deep down that our souls can feel it. It is a love that doesn't come from earthly, worldly things, but a Heavenly and eternal love. 
First thing, I was humbled yet again. I am no bueno at tennis. δΈζγγγͺγ. An eikaiwa friend invited us missionaries to go play with him and even though we were terrible, it was still really fun! Thank you Kenji!
We spent almost everyday this week at the Nagano train station with a nice sticker board that says "what are you interested in? Purpose of life, happiness, or life after death?" They would then put a sticker under what their answer was. We had a lot of really good contacts and spread a lot of happy things! We were out there in the rain, clouds, sun, everything. It was tiring but accomplishing! Please pray for our new friends Kaiya, Hitzuki, and Naomi!
Zone conference in Matsumoto!! It was an amazing zone conference and I wish all of you could have joined. We talked so much about the things we are able to do because of Jesus Christ (His enabling power) and how Jesus Christ is Joy. I loved it.
We all went to Matsumoto Castle after and had a splendid time. We walked by 2 ladies and to the other, one said "a school trip?" Haha mmm no just people trying to change everyone's lives
The biggest thing I learned this week is that Jesus Christ = true Joy. For our survey, the most stickers were under happiness. It confused me so much. Are these people just not happy? Do they not know how to feel joy? After zone conference my answer came. They don't have lasting joy because they don't have Jesus Christ. What is this light that members of this church carry? It is the Joy of Jesus Christ. I love this gospel and I love the Joy it brings. I cannot tell you how thankful I am for this gospel my parents have taught me and the gospel that has been confirmed to me of its truth through the Spirit.
