Leaving next week!!

Okay so, so much to talk about. So the nihonjin shimai tachi are flippin hilarious. Everytime we see them they act like we're super stars it's so funny. The other night we were visiting them in their classroom and just chatting it up and I saw Fujita shimai studying with Biddle Shimai. And to Fujita shimai I was like, "You still have to study Japanese?" And all seriously she says, "Ya, I'm not Japanese, I'm from the Phillipines." and Biddle shimai is like, "Ya she just moved to Japan a few years ago." and I'm like oh I'm so sorry I totally thought you were Japanese :/ And then a little while later Fujita shimai is like, "Oh by the way, I'm full Japanese" haha. It probably doesn't sound that funny as you read this but it was and there was more but it's hard to write it all down. All of them were laughing and I was like "How come you always tease me?" -- just joking and they were like, "because you're the baby" haha. One of the nihonjin is 19 but the rest are older so they call me the baby:) Okay so picture in your minds "Toy Story" and now picture the little aliens going up to Mr. Potato Head and saying, "Daaaaadyyyy" Okay so the nihonjin say my name like that. They pronounce it "muri" (you might have to ask soko or kyle how to say it). But everytime they see me they go "Muuuuurrrriiiiiii" haha it's great and they do it in unisen haha. We were taking pictures on Sunday and they would say that instead of cheeze. I wish I had a movie to send you of all our interactions because they are down right hilarious. They crack up at everything, it's so great. And they'll say things to eachother and then crack up and I'm like what are saying about me, haha. I just got my letters and a package slip so I'm really excited.

This is the nihonjin shimai tachi

Anyways Let's see, oh we were released as sister training leaders since this is our last week and it's really bitter sweet. I have a ton of amazing friends now because of that calling. I get like a million hugs everyday, it's the best! And not only have I become friends with some amazing sisters, I have grown so much closer to the Lord and learned so much about relying on him and the spirit for guidance. I know the Lord gives us callings and challenges for a reason, because he knows how to best strengthen us.

Our relief society speaker on Sunday was Neill F. Marriott, the 2nd counselor in the YW general presidency. She is from the south and has an awesome accent if you haven't heard it. She's also amazing and her talk was so perfect. In the beginning she talked about speaking a new language and how we will struggle at first. But she said that our "conviction when we speak will carry the message to the hearts of the listeners. The spirit will make it work." How comforting is that? I think this goes for anyone sharing the gospel, in a new language or not. We don't have to be eloquent speakers or have perfect grammar or verb conjugation(ya doesn't that sound fun?) But if we truly teach with our testimonies and with the spirit, it will be enough. She also talked about the priesthood and how the blessings of the priesthood are upon both men and women, so don't hold back. She said that (as sisters) in our testimonies we have the converting power because we testify with the spirit which was given to us by the priesthood, by the Power of God. I just love that so much and it gives me so much confidence and courage to get off that airplane next tuesday and invite everyone to come unto Christ. I can't remember if I wrote about this in my last letter but oh well it's good stuff. Sister Anne Clegg was our relief society teacher last week and she talked about Knowing our purpose. Not just for now on our mission but for life. She said that as a child of God I need to know my purpose so that whatever life throws at me, I know who I am, how to act, what to do. I love that because that applies to every member of the church. I love this gospel so much and I can hardly wait to share it with the people of Sapporo! Get ready cause here I come!

I love everyone!

Love,

Murray Shimai

Week almost out of here! AHhhhhhh

 Sister Baker and I

Me and the girls on Sunday

Ohayo Gozaimasu!

Wow, what a seriously full and exciting week! So it's such an exciting time to be in the MTC! It's mission president's week so all the newly called mission presidents and their wives are here. It's so fun to talk to them! Also since it's mission presidents week we'll probably see general authorites around and for devotionals. Speaking of devotionals...tonight will be the first ever mtc devotional at the marriott center on the BYU campus!! Ya, for the summer every tuesday devotional we will all walk down to the marriot center for devo. Seriously it's so full here they have overflow rooms for every meeting. And a couple weeks ago or last week they opened the wyview campus so those missionaries will be able to see devotional live now instead of it always being a broadcast. Okay so for the exciting part! Dad probably knows about this meeting, but on June 23rd there's a world-wide leadership training that will be broadcast from the marriott center and the prophet and the general authorities will be there...and we'll be there! The mtc was asked to get together a massive choir, so we get to sing for the meeting. Our district is like, seriously what are the chances it's the night before we leave? I can't even begin to tell you how much we have been blessed and have been able to participate in some amazing things. Oh, on sunday our district sang "Come Thou Fount" in sacrament meeting. In all humility, it was beautiful. Brumley Shimai's mom sent her the sheet music for it and it was such a beautiful arrangement. The way we all meshed together so perfectly I think is evidence of how close we've grown. It was so amazing.

More exciting news! The new nihonjin senkyoshi (Japanese missionaries) arrived last night! As sister training leaders we get to pick them up and take them to their rooms and then this morning we picked them up for breakfast and then we pick them up and take them to devotional. They're so cute! And get this, there are 4 elders and 14 sisters! How cool is that! And 3 of the sisters and 2 of the elders are going to sapporo! So Biddle shimai speaks really good Japanese (she says she doesn't but she totally does) and so last night she was talking to them all and telling them what's going to happen and Baker shimai and I are just like standing there smiling at them all haha. Then Biddle shimai turns to me and asks if there's anything else we need to say and all I can remember in Japanese at that moment is "morumon sho wa shinjitsu desu." Which is "the Book of Mormon is true." Ya so that's what I said and it was sort of awkward haha. But they're so friendly and happy and excited about everything. Last night we were taking them to their rooms and so they had all their luggage and we had to go down a bunch of stairs and they're all small you know and I'm like can I help you take some of your stuff, and one of the shimai hands me her scriptures and is sincerely like, "arigato gozaimasu!" And I'm like uh I can help you with the big suitcase, but none of them would let us help them haha. Also last wed. we got two new districts in our branch. They're all super awesome and it's so fun because we actually get to know them on a personal basis. The sister training leader calling is so inspired and such a blessing. Not for me but for the sisters. The spirit is able to work through us and give the sisters the help, the comfort, the whatever they need that sometimes they need from outside their companionship.

Oh I don't think I said in my last letter. So Baker shimai and I had to move into Biddle shimai's room becasue our room was full. So we thought it was just going to be us three in that room so we're like sweet. But then we came back to show the kohai (new missionaries) our room as an example of what it should look like and there were all these suitcases in our room. So now we have roommates who are going to Canada! And they leave a week before us haha. So I'm definitely getting to meet so many people here. Mission life is awesome!

Love,

Murray Shimai

Week I don't want to know what number....

So...surprise! I'm in a threesome now! Ya Baker Shimai and I have a new companion! Sister Biddle, who is from Australia, no big deal. She totally looks like Kissing Kate Barlowe from "Holes". She actually came in the same time as us but then got moved up because she took japanese in high school and is really good at it. But she hasn't been able to get her visa so she's been in like 5 different districts now. She should be leaving with us in three weeks though. I feel so bad that she hasn't been able to go but at the same time we love having her in our district. It's so amazing because ever since we got here and more so the past week or two when we're all together or saying prayer at night we'll all be like, "is someone missing? Is everybody here?" And now we know why we felt that way. Baker shimai and I were apologizing to Biddle shimai because we're pretty sure she's staying for us more than for her haha. It's definitely an adjustment learning to be in a threesome but I know it's going to be such a great experience. Heavenly Father knows what you need and I know this is part of His plan.

We had a way cool experience at devotional on sunday night. The guest was Ted Gibbons, who apparently has done a lot of really cool stuff but none of us had heard of him. Anyways we noticed when we got into the gym that the stage was empty except for a table with a couple things on it and a chair. So we figured it was going to be something different. Anyways when it was time for him to start he walked up to the stage and acted like he was opening a door and then went across the room and looked out a window. Then he introduced himself as Willard Richards. The whole devotional was him telling his story from the time of his conversion until the martyrdom. It was such an amazing experience! We also had mission conference since it was fast sunday and that was amazing. I felt the spirit so strong the entire time. It's such a blessing to be here for two months! Baker shimai and I were talking about how we've already had such amazing experiences here, we can only imagine what great experiences we'll have in Japan! I'm so excited.

I literally cannot think of what else has happened. Um...Oh well being a sister training leader is the most amazing experience. I love knowing all the sisters in the branch by name and knowing where they're coming from. It's so cool how the gospel touches people's lives and I can see the light of the gospel in all their eyes. They're all going to be such amazing missionaries. It's also been a blessing because most of them when we talk with them individually express the same frustrations with the language and not feeling up to par and so we've been able to really share our testimonies of how God called each of us to serve in Japan because he needs us there and because he has specific purposes for each of us in the areas we serve. He didn't call us to fail, he called us to succeed and we just need to put our faith in him and we will be able to accomplish the work he has for us to do.

The gospel truly is amazing and the power of the Holy Ghost is so real. I love being a missionary!

Love,

Murray Shimai

Oh p.s. do you see the hair? Brumley shimai totally curled it for me and doesn't it look awesome? The other day Gibbs shimai did my hair for me so basically I've got it made. haha.

With Brumley shimai

Lynell - of course, Brumley shimai, Baker shimai