Mina san, Konnichiwa!
That is the greeting that is said in Sacrament meeting when someone gives a talk and everyone says "konnichiwa" back. It's fun haha. Let's see....So much to talk about I don't know what to start with. Okay so on Sunday our Relief Society speaker was......Janice Kapp Perry!!! Ya when we saw her name on the big screen Brumley and I were like, Sweeeet! And Baker was like, who's that? haha. So basically she is amazing. During her talk she had us all sing a medley of her primary songs, it was awesome. And then oh my gosh this was so amazing. She had written a new song to the melody of
"As Sisters in Zion" and this new song is called "The Sisters of Zion" and it's about sister missionaries. It's like our Army of Helaman song. And get this, we were the first sisters ever to sing it! It was the most powerful experience I've ever had. I don't know how to express through a letter how amazing it was. There's this huge gym FILLED with just sister missionaries, which is historical and we're all singing this song about serving the Lord and following the prophet's guidance to preach the gospel to the world. Then yesterday we had gym in the morning and we always go out to the field because we don't see the sun very often during the day, being in class for a million hours a day and all, so we were all super tired and didn't feel like playing anything so we just decided to walk around the field. So we start walking and up ahead of us we see this cute older lady and we're like, hey that looks like Janice Kapp Perry, holy crap that's Janice Kapp Perry! Out on her morning walk. She'd told us during her talk that she walks around the MTC field every morning too which is funny that we'd see her the next morning. Anyways so we walk towards her and she stops and talked with us for a while. She is so cool. And we're all like, that song we sang on Sunday was so amazing! And she told us her husband was putting the words to the music and then sending it to the MTC president's wife so we'll get to sing it again! I'm so stoked. I'm getting chills just thinking about it. So that was an amazing experience. I feel like I am so blessed to be able to serve a mission at this time when missionary work is exploding and there are so many exciting changes. Our sunday night devotional speakers were awesome also. Sister Littlefield's talk was so amazing and she said that for the night she would be our mom and if we wanted to we could come up after and get a mom hug haha. Since it was mother's day she was talking about what our heavenly parents would want to tell us if they were standing there talking to us and she said
that she was sure they would say that they want us to have joy. That we have so many reasons to be happy and have joy, despite all the struggles and challenges we face. She suggested that maybe everything we have to go through is to prepare us for joy. She said to look around us everyday and know that the Savior is there, that he's in everything. It was such an amazing talk and I felt so comforted and happy.
So we made the deal with Powell sensei that if we only spoke Japanese from class on Wednesday until class on Thursday afternoon than he would show us pictures of his mission and stuff. Also he was a
gymnast so we wanted to see pictures of that, which were legit. Anyways so that was a pretty entertaining evening/night and day. Imagine the minions from despicable me, Chewbacca, an interpretive dancer and a baby learning Japanese. ya basically there was a lot of grunting, awkward body language and random Japanese words thrown in every now and then haha. It was crazy.
Oh I forgot to mention that for the past week we've been meaning to go to choir practice because it's awesome and you have sure seats for Tuesday devo haha. Anyways we kept missing practice and then on Sunday we finally made it and guess what song they were doing? Come Thou Fount! Seriously we couldn't believe it! So we're singing that tonight for devo!! I feel like everything is working in our favor
here. The Lord blesses his missionaries, even in things that don't seem really important. Seriously though, it's those little things that help you get through the day sometimes. I never knew you could do so much stuff in one day and thank goodness my district all has the greatest sense of humor. I thank Heavenly Father every day for my shimai tachi because we all love to laugh and we all love missionary
work and love the Lord. I've heard about drama that happens in districts, usually between sisters and stuff like that and I am just so blessed to be in my district because we all are so compatible. We've all decided we were buds in the pre-existance because seriously I feel like I've known them all my whole life. I love my companion so much and I'm so glad we're going to the same mission because I'll still get to see her when we're in Japan. P.S. I'm working on sending pics but it's not exactly an easy process here.
Oh we had to move buildings. Before we were in this tiny corner classroom and were the only Japanese district on the floor, amongst the mandarin and korean speakers. So a new mandarin district is coming tomorrow so they kicked us out to make room for them and then I guess new Japanese districts are also coming so they'll be by our new room so we'll have some company. We were talking about the new ones coming and we're like I am so glad I'm past that. It's funny because everyday we're like man we've been here so long and it's only been 3 weeks haha. Last week when new missionaries came we're like man remember when that was us, I know so much now, look at those youngsters and it was only our 2nd week haha. Time is so weird here. We've decided the MTC is like the Hunger Games. We're not really in Provo. Everything outside the gate is a mirage and we operate on a different time zone haha. Good stuff haha. So I know there's a bunch of more stuff that's happened but my week is sort of a mashed blurr so this will have to do. Love you all!
Murray Shimai
-------------LATER THAT DAY-----------
Ok so we just had lunch and let me tell you about what just happened. So the 6 of us sisters sat down at this table by ourselves because the table the elders were sitting at just "happened" to be full. So we were sitting there and out of nowhere President Nally (President of the MTC) came and sat down by us. He was talking with us and we're talking about Japan and then Brumley told this amazing conversion story about a lady in her ward who was indirectly converted by Elvis, ya crazy story, and then we found out that Baker was from the same ward as his mother-in-law and was close to her, like what?! Oh my gosh this is so exciting it's hard to write about. So then President Nally asked us all to go talk to his wife in her office and for Baker to tell her that she knew her mom. Then he said goodbye and got up to take his tray to the dirty tray place. So then we're all talking about how amazing that was and all of a sudden he's back and he crouches down and says in a quiet voice something like, you sisters are so special, can I tell you something confidential? And we're like ya! And he says make sure you get to devotional early tonight. And we're like we're in the choir so we'll be there and he's like good. And Gibbs is like, does that mean an apostle is coming for devotional tonight??? And he leans in and smiles at us and says, "I can't tell you that" !!!! And he walks away. Seriously we all just look at eachother and are like oh my gosh, what just happened? We are so blessed I'm telling you. I don't know why us but there was a reason President Nally sat next to us and I just feel so lucky. Seriously the past week through now it's like amazingness has exploded and I am being so blessed and it's only my 3rd week!!! At first I thought I was going to die having to be here but I have already had some amazing experiences and I know I'm going to have so many more that I wouldn't have if I wasn't here for 9 weeks. Anyways I'll tell you next week how tonight goes!!!! We get to go to the temple soon! I love the Gospel!!!
Love,
Murray Shimai
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