Sakura Season Sugu!

This past week was a good one. The weather was finally starting to warm up and it always feels like such a fresh start when the weather warms up! I'm approaching my half way point next week on my mission and as I do so, it's been a really good opportunity to look back at the past 9 months of my life and what I've accomplished as well as what I want to accomplish during the next 9 months. It's easy to look back and realize that I've learned a lot of Japanese, learned a lot more about the gospel and how to teach it to people simply and in an understandable way. And I've certainly learned a lot about Japan. But what I've really been pondering about is the relationships I've created with my companions, investigators, and the ward members here in Nagasaki. After being in the same area for nearly 7 months now I've spent A LOT of time with a lot of the people here. However, it has also made me realize the people that live here that I haven't gotten to know as well as I wish I would have. Our relationships with others is one of the only things that we will carry with us into the next life. Looking back, I think that I will treasure my friendships with others more than I will treasure my ability to speak Japanese or the fact that I've mastered a bunch of scriptures to memory. Those are all good things, but looking forward, I want to start focusing on people more. I find myself too focused on tasks or numbers or things that don't really matter as much. Especially in the mission field when we never really know when we'll transfer or when our companion will transfer or our investigator will have to drop, I want to start really cherishing the time that I still have with these people in Japan. 18 months is such a short time. That's just my pondering thoughts as I reach my half way point in my mission. Anyway, it's a short message today, but I am praying for those of you back home and I appreciate the prayers on my behalf. Love you all! Wells Shimai