8/3/2013

Ohayoo Gozaimasu!!!!

If you don't catch what I just said. It is pronounced Ohio Gozaieeeemas in English terms. It means Goooood Morning!! How are my favorite people!? Gosh dangit I love you cuties. I guess I will start this one off with mom's questions.

The MTC is kind of what I thought it would be in the way that it is HARD. But it is very good. I love having lots of structure and lots of schedule time. It is exhausting being in the classroom all day, I like to be up and about but its okay. Our classroom is like a dungeon. We are in the center of our building and we have no windows so everytime I crawl out of that place I'm like "WHAT YEAR IS IT??" All the other Japanese missionaries are in their classrooms that have windows and are delightfully learning about Japanese and the gospel. And then there is my district, gasping for air whenever we come out of our room. Is all gewd. Builds character.

My basic day is I wake up at 6:00 and got to breakfast at 6:45. Personal study at 7:15. Then it gets different everyday from there. Most days we have six hours worth of Japanese learning and a couple hours to teach our lessons. We eat dinner at 4:00. I know right? Its weird. I look forward most to teaching the lessons. It's kind of a love/hate relationship. Either the lesson goes amazing or we totally bomb it. Wednesday was a bomb kind of day and Thursday was freaking sweet!!

Sundays are really good, but really hard on the body. We have tons of meetings and studying time. But it is extremely spiritually powerful. Our branch presidency are so loving and kind to all of us. They are so patient with us, and i really appreciate it. Since my district is full of 18 year olds, it can be hard to get them to focus. But it will get better as time goes on. We have sacrament meeting in Japanese and I led the music in sacrament this week. I think they are going to call me to do that because that's all my district leader ever asks me to do is lead the music in Japanese. The hymns are so pretty in Japanese I love et! It terrifies every time I get up to lead but it's good for me. At night we have a devotional and this last week Cheryl Lant......I think thats her name and her husband spoke to us. She used to be the Primary president. Mom, I'm sure that you know her. We get to watch a 'movie' after that of our choice. I decided to go to Jeffery R. Holland's talk "Missions are Forever" Duuuuude. My favorite talk. It was beautiful. "It doesn't matter if you only have one convert on your mission, even if that one convert is you." DAAAAAAH. Needed that brethern thank you!!

Our temple day is on p-days which is today. But the temple has been closed for cleaning so we haven't been able to go yet. I think in 2 weeks it will open.

Miyaki Shimai is doing a lot better and she has gotten lots of letters in the past week and I just love her. We have so much fun together and I am grateful for our companionship. I feel so blessed to have such a sweet sister as my companion. She teaches me so much!

Tell all my babies that I love them and miss them so much!!!! Just squeeeeeeze them for me mom. You know how it goes. Oh and I want to hear ALL about the family vacation to disneyland. I know its happening. Don't you keep that secret from me. I want pictures. Lots of pictures. :)))

I am writing Hayden and I hear all about his amazon adventures. I love that kid.

Miyaki Shimai and I got your packages and she loves it so much!! It was so sweet of you to get her one! You went up and beyond what I expected. So sweet!!

I have been feeling kind of discouraged this past week and I was kind of down on myself for not progressing as much as I wanted to. But it seems that I always get a Dear Elder that day that always answers my prayers. Thank you for all of the encouragement and love you all have given me. It means so much!

So I guess I will tell you a couple experiences I have had. We were teaching Watanabe about God and the love for his children. He looked at me and asked me why God would love us. I nervously looked at my notes and said in broken Japanese, "Its because we are his children, thats why he loves us." He looked heartbroken as he said, "How could he love me? He can't love me I'm a drug addict." As soon as he said that I chucked my notes to the side and looked him straight in the eye and said in Japanese, "No. Watanabe. No. He loves you. I know he does." I could tell he felt peace in that statement. I knew he felt the love of his father in heaven in that moment. It testified to me that I don't have to be amazing at Japanese to help people know of God's love for them.

So. Yesterday was not good at all. I was sick. WAY SICK. I couldn't get out of bed all day because I had a severe cold, muscle aches, and a very high fever. I just laid in bed all day and I was in a lot of pain. Miyaki Shimai was so sweet to me and took care of me. She would get me cold cloths every five minutes to switch out and we talked for a long time. We played I-Spy for a good hour. It was kinda sad but kinda awesome. My whole district was so worried and some of the Elders came to my rescue last night and they gave me a priesthood blessing. My district is so great!! I am feeling a lot better today. A lot better. I haven't been that sick in a long time. Miyaki Shimai got pretty sick too this last week. But she had a cough so it was different than mine. So we were just the sickies in my class room this week. I think thats why its been so hard to progress this week because of our sickness. But we are going to make next week AWESOME. I am excited to get going and to completely soak in tons more Japanese! We get knew Japanese missionaries next wednesday! We are no longer the babies!! Yeah!!

I love you all and I am so excited for your fun trip to disneyland. Ride the Peter Pan ride lots for me ok? I hope you all are going this next week there. I dunno. Whatever works!

Love, Staples Shimai

Miyaki Shimai can reach Japan! yay!!!