The blessings of opposition in missionary work

Feb 5th, 2018

Let me describe to you one of the most unideal days of finding on  my mission thus far.

It's a Saturday. The ground is covered in two feet of snow and it's raining buckets. Combine that with heavy wind and freezing temperatures.

We also happened to have no appointments that Saturday so it resulted in six hours of straight finding. We housed over a hundred people and didn't find a single investigator. We were drenched from head to toe, my umbrella snapped in half, and my companion's shoes were soaked through.

But without that dreadful Saturday, we may not have realized or fully appreciated the miracles and blessings of the next day.

Sunday started off with Sister Patty receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. Following the church services, we were able to meet with Shiori, an enthusiastic 18-year-old we found streeting. We bonded over eating homemade apple cake, singing Les Mis and talking about the plan of salvation. She said she wanted to learn more about our religion and happily accepted a Book of Mormon with a promise to read it immediately!

But that wasn't the end of the Sunday miracles. As we were walking out of the church building, a young man approached us and asked if we were church people. Following our affirmative response, he asked what time church services were held. That's all he had to say before Sister Ishikawa and I started throwing pamphlets, contact cards and a Book of Mormon at him, probably a little too aggressively. We were just super excited because it was the first time someone approached us first to ask about religion. Luckily we didn't scare him off because he agreed to come to church next week!

I know the blessings of that Sunday were a direct result of the sacrifices we made the day before.

I'm grateful for the daily lessons of opposition. For the hundred rejections we face each day and eventually finding the one person who will listen. For the days when I want to physically die and then waking up the next morning with a miraculous burst of energy. For meeting those who tell us to give up proselyting, but then finding those who give us words of encouragement. For the mediocre meal of mushy quinoa made by yours truly, followed by Ishikawa Shimai's culinary masterpiece of niku miso udon.

One of my most favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon clearly illustrates the neccessity for opposition.

2 Nephi 2:11 "For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility."

I'm grateful for the moments to learn from the bitter so we can embrace the good! It's all in the Lord's plan.

Let's all continue moving forward with faith!

Church is true.

Love and prayers for you always,

Matsuura Shimai

A well deserved sleep

When you're out finding and accidentally stumble upon a river at sunset

I bought this umbrella at the BYU creamery 5 years ago. I am sad to see it go. RIP