AHH

MY TIME IS LITERALLY COUNTING DOWN!

Hey mama~

Dropping Heather off at the MTC

So. My name, as I found out a couple days ago, is now Lane Shimai. (sounds a little like Dane She my). 

Japanese...is hilarious. The language itself. Not the class. My teacher speaks only in Japanese, and yesterday, for the first time, she spoke in English, and I had that exact moment that was in The Best Two Years. The one where the nerdy guy is all like 'what language is he speaking?'....'english'. Anyways. I was like woah woah woah!! Hold on there!! That is NOT Japanese! But alas, it was my mother language. Please pray that I will come home speaking english normally. At this point I don't know what my little brain is going to do. I think it's starting to erase english...and it hasn't been that long!

Alright, what else to tell...ummm the MTC is really hard. But great. And also a lot easier than I expected in some ways. It's amazingly difficult to get used to accepting the rules as i've found out. I'm all for rules that make sense to me, buuuut the mtc has a lot of rules that are not explained, and will never be explained. Don't worry, I'm following those too! It's just really weird.

The food- Not that bad. But also not that good. Yesterday we had freshetta pizza (Nathan Tanner---they let us each have THREE pieces instead of 1!) anyways, they also have a kind of cake everyday, usually pretty good. There is this one cake they consistently have, I don't know if anyone will get the joke, but it makes perfect sense that they would have it in the mtc hahaha

I run into people I know all the time. OH--side note----THANK YOU KATE WOOLLEY!!! The first day of mail I got a letter from you, it meant the world to me!!! Dear Elder is the best. No waiting time. anyways. Yes, so i've seen Hermana Bumstead a few times now! I think we have meals at the same time. And Elder Conley! Let's see...who else? Elder Edwards...Rhett? I don't know if anyone reading this email knows him, but he's a kid from efy. McCall (Mishler) would know who i'm talking about but she's in Israel right now haha so nevermind.

Uhh...so my p-days are on saturday, and we go to the temple at about 12:55...so anyone whose interest in meeting me there...(just kidding!) kinda. hahaha oh man I'm so funny. Oh, also, I haven't quite found anyone who gets my jokes. Someday. Someday...

My doryo is Coles Shimai. She was born and raised in Texas, doesn't really have an accent, but she has all those words southerners like to say haha. Her hobbies you ask? Shooting.  Weird going everywhere with someone...and I haven't gotten used to it yet, but yeah. It's weird. Sometimes I feel like everything I want to do is now selfish. "Shimai...I'll be right back i'm going to the bathroom" wait...I mean come follow me I have to go to the bathroom...I don't know how to explain it. But yeah haha weird weird weird weird weird.

So, the first night we got back...I went to go unpack my stuff...and GUESS WHAT I REMEMBERED!!! I have CHOCOLATE! Thank you Thomas Milligan. You're the best. Never have I ever loved chocolate so much as i do now. That was a side note...sorry

What else would anyone be interested in hearing? Oh, contrary to prior dreams i've had, everyone DOES smile here in the mtc. They're all really nice. And helpful! um. 

Oh, something I didn't bring that i wish I would have---a blanket or something from home. And a laundry bag, and a water bottle. BUT they are also unnecessary.

I share a room with my doryo, and two other shimai...one from Canada haha that's fun. They're all very sweet!

It says I have one minute. I don't belive it. 

Oh, fun fact! 'fun' in japanese means minutes.. Sooo I have 1 fun! ichi fun? fun ichi? I don't know I haven't quite figured it all out. Someday.

OH! Biggest blessing... So the season in Provo seems to have magically changed from summer to fall, and it's GREAT! I love it. I don't know how long it's going to last, but all I can say is dandelion wishes DO come true!

Send me letters. Because I love them! The mail is delivered everyday, but we're only allowed to write on p-days. BUT I can print out my emails at this secret little computer lab, so it's all alright! I print the emails so reading them doesn't take up any of my time. Anyways, let's see.

Well, I guess that's all for this week. Any questions about the mtc? it's a little different from what I was expecting. 

Oh! And I went over to the fense the other day and looked at the house-- no one was outside. Which was a shame haha. But on the 22nd I'll definitely be looking for that balloon!!!!!!! I hope everyone has a great week!!

Smile! Be happy! I love you all! Oh, also, if you're ever feeling down about school or whatever, just visualize me. In the mtc. With a teacher who only speaks in japanese. (that's for you Kimber, I thought it would be a nice picture for you). 

Another funny thought for you (or whoever), starting this Sunday, the Branch President randomly calls on like 5 different people from the audience to give a talk. In Japanese. About a certain topic. SO we prepare a talk each week. The problem isn't so much writing it as it is reading it. I get nervous when I speak in ENGLISH in front of people. But Japanese? In front of people who know Japanese? Now that's a funny thought.

People here always say that if you make it till Sunday in the MTC, you're all set. I'm not sure exactly what that means, but hey. It's Saturday...and it's p-day. so I'm okay haha. Church tomorrow will be fun.

FUN FACT---guess who is one of my zone leaders? YES that's correct! Baird Churro. (elders are called 'churros'. I think the Japanese got mixed up in some kind of Mexican culinary service). But yes, that is correct. Sterling Baird, is my zone leader. Small. World.

I guess I have to go for real. (technically we have an hour to email, but most of them are still set to the old 30 minutes). So i've been goin for 45, but my companion is waiting right next to me and checking her watch every minute. haha gotta love her!

Goodbye everybody! Have a great week! SMILE!

Sincerely,

Lane Shimai... ;)