YOSH! (Wahoo!, Yes!, Booyah!)

Hello kids well its that time of the week again and I thought I would come and say hi. BROOKIE MAE IS 8!?! When did this happen? I am so happy for you darling, sweet, thoughtful, kind, gorgeous girl. :) That means you can be baptized! I am so excited! I hear you got your ears pierced and you went to the Lion House! Which doll did you pick out? I got the one with a green bow, she looks like Anne of Green Gables :) You must send me pictures of your cute ears and give me all the littles details. When do you get baptized? Heavenly Father is so proud of you right now, you are following the example of Jesus Christ who loves you more than you can imagine.

This week was one of the harder weeks, as soon as I was done with my email last week to all of you, Marjorie emailed us and said her mom won't let her get baptized anymore because she thinks that if Marjorie gets baptized she will have to give all of her money to Mitt Romney. UH. A little frustrating, but we are trying to get Marjorie to have the courage to ask her mom to meet with our bishop so that we can clear up all of the rumors. This girl is so ready. I can see how much the Lord loves her and wants her to come unto Him. We are praying for a miracle. Please pray for Marjorie that she can be baptized on October 27. I know that Marjorie will join the church in this life. But Vail Shimai and I really want to see her get baptized before Vail Shimai goes home on Nov. 1. I know it's silly, but we love her so much! I know that Marjorie will take the chance to be baptized after she turns 18, but then again people are so worried about respecting their ancestors and parents here that she might just respect her mother's wish. DANGIT. I mean respect your elders and parents of course. But. DANGIT.

This week has been REALLY slow. Like really slow. Haha everytime we go out to teach someone we either can't find the address, get lost, or they aren't interested anymore. This week definitely tested my morale. We drove out with a member about an hour away on tuesday to meet with a lady who the Elders gave to us and told us she was so excited to hear about the gospel. It turns out she lived right next to our church that is a ten minute bike ride from our apartment. FELT SO BAD. The member was genki about it, but the addresses here are incredibly hard to find.

We haven't been able to meet with the lady we met at the Eki last week, we rode our bikes out to her apartment on Friday and couldn't find the address so we had about every pizza boy in Utsunomiya help us find the address. Seriously, pizza boys know their way around. We were standing on the corner looking at a map at around 8:00 and then the police come pull up beside us and these little asian people come out and asked us for our passports and proselyting permission materials. I think they were trying to scare me. But I'm pretty sure I terrified them. Mhmm. I'm large and in charge around these parts.

All in all, this week has been hard. But I know that it is because we are going to have an AMAZING week this week. Oh you just wait little dearies :) I am doing the 40 day fast missionary thing and it is working wonders. I can tell the Lord is making me stronger and stronger every week. Even though this week has been hard there is one little miracle that I am so grateful for. I have only cried once since July 17. I know that sounds silly, but the Lord has blessed me to overcome discouragement and I am so grateful. Yes I do have my times where I am incredibly frustrated and my jaw juts out like dad's when he is frustrated. ;) (Hee hee) But I get over it 5 minutes later and move on. The Lord is blessing me so much and I am so grateful for this wonderful experience.

Quotes from the last mission president, "When it is starting to get too tough for other missionaries, it is starting to get just about right for missionaries in the Japan Tokyo Mission!" This might be exactly correct. Yes.

I cannot choose a favorite talk! Therefore, favorite quotes :)

President Monson, "Good timber does not grow with ease."

David M. McConkie, "He spoke anciently, He spoke to Joseph, and He will speak to you."

President Eyring, "There is not one of us that He hasn't desired to save."

Carol M. Stephens, "Daugthers of God, do you know who we are? Do you know what we have?"
Way to go Sister Stephens, you touched so many hearts in Japan that day, especially mine. :)

Dallin H. Oaks, "What is our ultimate priority?"

M. Russell Ballard, "Talk to more people everyday, if you want to teach more people."
"What a wonderful gift to the Savior to help a soul come unto HIm."

Yes, I love conference!!

I love you all. Have a wonderful week :)

Love, Staples Shimai



This is my town. Utsunomiya. My area is HUGE. You so those mountains in the background. Yup, still my area. And yes my hair usually does look like a dead rat. Cool.



When we ride our bikes out to Kanuma we like to stop at Penny Lane. Only the most delicious bread shop in the world! Oh yeah and they are obsessed with the Beatles. :))


I finally got me a GOOD ol american cheeseburger. The church is so true.


FINALLY. Watching general conference :)

Sometimes we like to hit the local parties. Senior citizens is where its at. Here are some of our friends we see every morning at the park. They are so sweet to us!