Rainbows, bugs, and Jesus Freaks
**prepare for the really long email**
The most amazing thing in my life happened. We saw the most beautiful double rainbow. After watching these rainbows grow for a while, the first one connected and became A FULL RAINBOW! My even more favorite thing that happened in the moment was looking around to see all the busy Japanese people stopping, taking a picture, and smiling. I love humans. These are the moments I live for. When everyone can appreciate a gift from God all together!
As we were keaving Nagano ι§
, I sparked up a conversation with this really kind lady named Kondouγγ. We talked to her for a long while and eventually bonded over the fact we both believe in Jesus Christ (a rare thing in Japan). We left her with a Pamphlet and invite to church. The next day we were leaving the station the same way and saw her again! We sat down for a while and just talked to her and got to know her.She told is she lived in a really small part of town and her community had just "kicked her out". Meaning no one should interact with her.
LIKE WHAT IS THAT THIS IS LITERALLY 2025 NOT THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS.
We invite her to church again and I hope she comes someday. To the church where anyone is welcome and everyone is growing together. 
Uncle Morio took us all out for lunch and of course it was a good time. He is an eikaiwa friend who always laughs at us when we try to approach him with anything gospel. Before our meal we asked him to pray and of course he laughed and said "I don't know how". With a huge grin on his face, Elder Donovan whipped out a Pamphlet and flipped to the page explaining prayer. After explaining, Morio said the most simple prayer. Maybe to him it didn't mean anything, but to the rest of us and to God, it meant everything. This is how mission work here is most the time. Tiny tiny steps that have a bigger impact than we all know. We love Uncle Morio aka Muncle.
We attended the Protestant "Jesus Freaks" Bible study and it was good! 2 hours straight of this man preaching to us in Japanese. I made a friendship bracelet in the time haha. Anyways, we made friends with a girl named Hana who was telling us all these plans she had for her life, but after much prayer she realized that some things weren't in God's plan for her. Her testimony of trusting in God's plan really touched my heart. God trully loves and knows each of His children.
The worst part of the night happened when we were walking a ways back to our bikes with the elders. Naive little me was telling Elder Donovan he is a scaredy cat if he didn't pick up this HUGE bug. "Well now I have to" he said. And he did. And he started CHASING THE REST OF US. We were all running then he said he wouldn't throw it... until after 5 sec. I stopped running and realized what he said. But it was too late. He already got to 5. The next thing I know, this bug had left his hand. Came right at me and LANDED ON MY CHEEK. I SWEAR THERE WERE SOME LEGS IN MY MOUTH. Don't worry, I got the bug off, but literally was the worst experience of my life. Traumatized. I can still remember the feeling of this GINORMOUS BUG ON MY FACE. 
Moral of the story: don't ever think an elder will not do something, especially after you call them a scaredy cat.
this is a long email, Japan tips will return next week!
I listened to the most recent BYU Speech by Sister Jara and you guys, I say this everytime, but LISTEN TO IT!!One of my fav things she says is after she reads Alma 32:27
"...exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words."
She talks about how hard it is sometimes to have faith. To trust in God's timing or even that He is there to help you. I think there can be a little guilt to when we question things like this. But God knows this is natural, the scriptures even say it's okay. If all you have is a DESIRE to believe and that's all you can give, then keep that. Trust in that and slowly let your faith grow again. Trials are meant to push us, bend us, and strengthen us. We are not supposed to be perfect through them. Hold on to your desire to trust in God and don't feel guilty if that's all you can give!He knows you
He loves you
This is my favorite thing to teach people!
I love you all and I know you are a worthy Child of God!
Make it a great week!
<3 Peterson Shimai
07/21/2025
Takeshi 
Ya.
Squad
Yum yum Tonkatsu and Eel with Muncle!
Half Asian Asian squat! (Her mom is Japanese)
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