Week 5, MTC

Ohayo Gozaimasu!!

So this picture is of me and my amazing companion on Sunday, the day we became the sister training leaders for our branch!! I don't know if you're familiar with that calling yet. It's sort of like zone leaders for the sisters. Basically we visit all the sisters at night and just talk to them and make sure they're doing okay, etc. Also we are responsible for correcting any modesty situations or things like that. Baker and I are both like I hope we don't have any of those because that would not be a very comfortable situation haha. Anyways so we have nihonjin here again and so we go to visit Sunday night and they open their door and we're like konbanwa! and they're all super smiley and we just smile back because all we know what to say in Japanese is our testimonies or how Joseph Smith restored the gospel, and even that is still coming together, haha. So that was sort of awkward. But they are the friendliest and happiest people I've ever met in my life. They are so excited about the gospel I love it! And you don't feel dumb for not knowing a lot of Japanese because they are so nice about it and just make you feel so happy. We were visiting one of our rooms last night and we were there talking so long that we didn't get to see our last room. We're like, two very very talkative people mixed with sisters who need to talk about their day..hmm, well I guess we should probably learn how to say goodnight sooner. It really is a great experience though.

Our guest speaker for Relief Society was supposed to be Sister Carole Stephens (1st counselor, R.S. general presidency) but she didn't show up and we're still not sure what exactly happened so that was fun. Hopefully she's ok.

We had more amazing devotionals this past week. Seriously you go to a devotional and think, there's no way it could get better than this, and then it does. It really is a blessing to be here for 9 weeks to be able to hear so many amazing people speak. Our devotional speakers last week were Elder Marcus B. Nash and his wife. They are so amazing. Elder Nash sort of speaks like Elder Holland at times. Like straight up, this is what you better be doing! Something he said was along the lines of "Too tired to read? Do it anyway. Too tired to get out of bed? Do it anyway. Don't want to study? Do it anyway and do it with all your heart and soul." I love that because I'm not here for me. I knew this wasn't going to be easy and I have never felt so exhausted in my life, but if we have the desire to do what Christ has called us to do and we try our hardest, he will give us the strength to do it. So it was an amazing devotional and I wish I could send you every devotional we have because they are so powerful. But I basically have like every talk written in my journal so you'll be able to "read" them.

So we did hear about Sister Monson passing away and on Sunday night instead of showing a movie we watched the recording of her memorial service. She was such an amazing woman! She was definitely a woman of Christ.

There is so much more stuff that has happened, I just don't know how to write it all down and I can't even remember half of it right now but just know that I'm having an amazing time and I love being a missionary!! "I'M SO HAPPY!!!! THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIIIIIFFFFEEEEE!!!!" (Get Smart, just in case you cared)

Anyways have a lovely day and I'll talk to you soon!

Ai Shitemasu!

Murray Shimai

So haha under that blue pile is lindquist shimai. She seriously takes up less than half her bed, it's so funny looking. I like to tuck her in and she looks like a little child haha. It's seriously still crazy to me how close we all are for only knowing eachother for 4 weeks. And everyone is super chill and has a great sense of humor and are okay with how crazy I am. Haha lindquists' parents sent her some mountain dew and her and Baker are like, we want you to drink one of these so we can see how crazy you will get. I'm like, that's probably not a good idea haha. Anyways ya good stuff.