The Fourth Week of July...

Alrighty.

Oh Japan. Will I ever fit in? Nope! Never ever. It is pretty much the best place I could have gone. Because I stick out like a SORE THUMB. Or just like a strawberry in the middle of a whole bunch a blueberries. That is probably a more accurate analogy. Alrighty. Which brings me to my next point. MCKENNA MILLER!!!! I have not heard any of your stories until I met your COUSIN a few days ago!! I totally forgot his name, but then he came up and told me the story you sent last week or something of how a drunk guy LICKED your arm...twice?!?!? Hahahahahahahaha oh my goodness that was so good to hear hahaha. Made my day. But yeah! Awesome awesome. I hope the Millers are doing well!!! Love them so much :) and if there is a way I could be forwarded McKennas emails that would be awesome. I have no doubt that she has crazy things happen to her all the time hahahaha

So this week I have been having this same desire. Actually, the whole few months ive been on my mission ive had this desire haha. I dont know if anyone even remembers this but me, but when I went boating with the Lonas family, and we couldnt get back to the dock,.. we had to call them and have them tow us back? hahahahaha Im sorry if that brings up any sore wounds that have not yet healed. But anyways, moral of the story is that Sister Lonas decided that the best thing to do in that situation would be to pretend like she was both deaf and blind. Save us from further embarassment.　Hahahahaha so. I have been SO TEMPTED to sometimes just pretend like I am deaf and therefore just smile, or pretend like Im blind (they take really good care of the blind in their community, ill have to talk about that to) but anyways, i have been fighting that desire but boooy is it tempting. And I just felt like I needed to share. I shall let you know when I have a day where I just need to give in. Anyways, thanks sister lonas for that memory. See, instead of needing to do that myself, I just think of the memory, laugh, and then all is well haha.

BEST PART OF MY WEEK!!!!! EMIKO GOT BAPTIZED!!!!!

Shes the cutest little old(er) lady, and she is just a little doll. Cutest little thing you ever did see. I shall have to send pictures. There are a lot of things I could tell you about Emiko, but basically we started teaching her because she was interested in english...and then we kinda made her listen to the lessons. Good, right? Anyways, so she has been listening, and loving it, and she says it all makes sense. I was a little worried about her, but this past week has been awesome. I have learned more about her. But what I want to share most is this---she bore her testimony at her baptism, and something she said that just broke my heart is this. She said her whole like she has felt like she needed to be reserved, and just do things for people. She said she felt a little like a rock. Just there. No emotions or anything needed. And then she said that as shes come to realize how much heavenly father loves her, and how he wants her to be happy, her world has opened up. She "doesnt have to look at the ground anymore" she can look up!! The members have been angels, (this ward is amazing) and she has felt so so much love. Everytime we see her she is amazingly happy, and so confident. I love her to death. She speaks a little english, and so now on the phone to us she says "I love you". I almost cried with joy hahaha

Oh! But there is something pretty funny. I just gotta share it. So we believe in total emersion at baptism right? So, when we were practicing with Emiko she freaked out a little bit and said she couldnt swim haha. We assure her she wouldnt have to, and that she would only be under the water for a few seconds. SO. There is this elder in the ward who is about to leave on his mission. Never baptized anyone before. So they felt like it was a good idea for him to be the one to do it. Well, baptism came, and he said the words, and then he tried to dunk her under except her hair came up. So they had to do it again. So they did, only her hair still came up, so instead of doing it a third time...he literally held her under there and pushed her hair down....when she came back up she took a huge gasp of air. I felt like a worried Mom. I went to the bathroom to see if she was alright, and there she was...smiling like crazy and she just told me in her broken english that at first she was scared, but then she wasnt scared, and now she just feels so happy :)))) In church the next day everyone was so nice, I really truly felt like I had sent my first child off to school and it actually went well! Everyone was nice. I am SO grateful for those people who are so nice to my baby!!

So, I have been trying out this whole `japanese` thing right? I say konnichiwa to everyone we pass. Sometimes their responses are funny, sometimes they are really sweet, and then a lot of the time I just get weirded out stares. But this week I said konnichiwa to this lady, smiled...she glares at me, doesnt say a word, and just starts laughing. I must be pretty funny here hahahaha

oh!! The old ladies are so mean!!!!! (not all of them, that was a generalization) but there was this little sassy old lady who I tried to talk to, and she just looked me up and down, made a pouty face, and then waved her hand in my face as she looked away. My companions were on the other side of the street, just laughing hahaha. It was pretty funny, But after I got laughed at and ignored about 5 thousand times, this huge group of school girls runs up to us and BEGS us for a picture hahahaha it was so funny. I was so relived I had them take one with my camera too...and heck! Im embracing the culture. Peace sign it is. They just kept giggling, fanning us (it was really hot) and saying `so beautiful so beautiful`. I get pampered here haha you dont even know. Its pretty awesome.

OH!!!! I got two little babies!!! One of them is a bike, and the other is my electronic dictionary. They do not yet have names, but I shall let the world know when I sign their birth certificates.

Guess who is going to be dancing at a festival this week in a kimono. I will be sure to update.

But about that. So Emiko kidnapped us and took us to this little place. In we walked, and we were welcomed by the most graceful, short, old ladies you ever did see. In kimonos and all. I will not express and I cannot express my joy when they started dancing. They have this little fiery sass you know their just holding back behind their eyebrows. They danced (and sang) to a love song, and then a dance that was supposed to be danced by a man. Boy was that funny. They are just the cutest little things. I wish I could have filmed it. Pray that i will be able to get pictures of it this week!

My companions are awesome. And they are such an example when it comes to food. We went to a members house for dinner, and she made homeade tofu!!!!! Can you believe it??? Homeade tofu! My favorite!!! (only not really). So when she went into the kitchen, I just look at my trainer and I whispered (please) and she takes my tofu and stuffs it in her mouth without complaint. She is an angel. She also drank my mugicha (this tea that EVERYONE drinks, and we are allowed to have it). The best descriptions i have heard from the other missionaries is that is tastes like a liquified ash tray. Or like burnt water. I drank a whole glass once, and I couldnt get the frown off my face our out of my eyebrows. Maybe thats why some of the old ladies are sassy, Poor things...never got used to mugicha. 

Tofu actually is pretty good. Once you get past the texture, its awesome cause you just cover it in something and it will be delicious. And chopsticks are pretty awesome. Also, they have the best bakeries here. Well, i have only been to one. But its good. Who woulda thunk? I love food! And I love the food here! Their eggs are different colors. They're orange!!!!! Oh, and i am keeping a recipe book, so when I get home you best believe im going to be making japanese food like crazy. Did I mention we have no oven? And our microwaves ovenish feature doesnt work. So no cookies. Oh, by the way, it costs about a million bucks to send things here, so everytime you are tempted to make me cookies...write a dash mark. And keep tally....i will be expecting ALL of those cookies when I get home.

For all of you dollar store lovers out there. You havent lived until you have been to the 100yen store. Its absolutely amazing.

Also, Alma chapter 26 has helped me a lot this week, and I highly recommend it to everyone. My mind has been running wild with a billion book of mormon projects, so instead of bottling them up and only being able to work on them little by little, i will share them! Then if anyone actually does it, let me know how it goes! (this is just what I have so far)...and If anyone thinks of any, PLEASE send them to me. This is my new favorite thing. This is all I want to do haha

1-Read Alma 4 and 5; study it to figure ouit the pattern for bearing pure testimony

2-Write down all the attributes that made moroni great (and the corresponding scriptures). Stive to adapt those attributes/ recognize the ones you have and ones that need to be strengthened

3-Read Alma 17 with the intent of learning how to be a missionary/ adjust to missionary life (or adapt it to whatever role you want)

4-Go through stories in the Book of Mormon; record all together the conversion stories

5-Write down the repentance paths people or groups of people took. (Their `sins`, their journey, their emotions, and their new life)

6-Make a list of all the good missionary scriptures

but yeah. I hope everyone is doing so well! I love you all so much, and pray like crazy for you all! Remember that Satan "labors to make the sons and daughters of God confused and unhappy abd to hinder their eternal progression". Keep moving forward, "let questions arise and never doubts", and always be believing in Christ. If you feel stuck or stagnant, just keeping looking for ways to serve those around you, and you will be lifted up! Never ever ever doubt your worth in the eyes of Heavenly Father, no matter what the past was like! If you let things limit you, you are only letting the adversary get to you. Dont ever sell yourself short. Dream, and then work hard for the dreams and goals. Always love and respect yourself, and love heavenly father and Jesus Christ enough to love and serve those around you. Life is a gift! And its is such a happy thing! Be like Emiko! (and president monson...) just look up!!! It is quite possible to love yourself without being prideful. So make sure you do. Maybe read the Book of Mormon and pray with the intent to love yourself more and realize/ recognize your divine potential. DONT let anything limit you. Make a list of thought you have or things that you do that limit you, and then make them go away!

JUST BE HAPPY. The only way to be truly happy is by living the gospel of Jesus Christ. So study it! I promise it will bring you the greatest joy, and a lasting joy.

have a great week! chin up! Do something out of the ordinary. 

LOVE YOU ALL! Tell me all your stories and your news.

Sincerely,

Lane shimai

Here's more pictures Heather sent with her letter this week:

Made It

Hahahahahahahaha okay. So I have been making mistakes right and left haha. BUT, it:s all good. Theyre pretty funny. and this keyboard is not what im used to so my capitalization and everything is out the window!! dont worry about it hahaha

Alright. I:ll share this because it just barely happened. Soooo we are teaching this lady who has a baptismal date for saturday. shes wonderful. soo...yesterday we were all chatting, and she asked us all how long our families have been members of the church and stuff. So, I told her that on my moms side I have ancestors that go back to the pioneers, and on my dads side hes the only member right now. She only heard the part where I told her that I have ancestors who were pioneers. Anyways...so today we are teaching her, and in the middle of the lesson she is pointing at me and saying something, and so one of my companions translates for me (thank goodness) after she stopped laughing. This investigator was saying how I was a god, and that because my family was so strong I didnt need to do anything more because I was strong enough...so the member who was with us quickly explained that in the church, we value all members no matter how long theyve been members and stuff. So I thought she understood and everything right? at the end of the lesson she turns to me, bows,　and apologizes for taking up so much of my precious time. That wasnt sarcasm. She was serious hahaha....and I keep saying ie ie ie (no no no) but I don:t think she really understands. Anyways...yeah. The japanese are angels, I just don:t really know how to　communicate with them yet haha.

Another lady (she LOVES foreigners) was so excited when she heard there was a new foreigner. So shes an investigator and all, and so we go into her house, and she literally cannot focus on anything except me and one of my companions (shes from washington state, and minioi says she looks like a doll) so yeah. She doesnt listen to what we say and stuff, and we were trying so hard to teach her. So finally i:m like well i should share something and try to bring the spirit back in the room. So I show her a picture of me, mom, and dad, and try to tell her about Dads story a little bit, but there was no use. She went CRAZY over the picture. She was asking me how tall you were, how tall I was, and how beautiful mom is.　 So yeah haha. Then we try to reign her back in, and she just asks to take a picture of us. Soooo yeah haha. We were sitting outside teaching another investigator later that day, and a grandma came up to us and asked if her grandson could take a picture with me. I have never ever been in a situation like this haha it makes me feel awful because I feel like Im such a distraction...ive decided to only wear my hair down when we are trying to find people, and then when we are actually teaching people i will try to hide it hahaha. 

Alright. So now I will actaully tell you about logistics! There are like 6 different areas...or 8 or something、 and I was assigned to................FUKUOKA fukuoka. So. I am in the city! Super random,　and I thought for sure I wouldnt be staying in the city. But here I am!!! I have TWO companions (so an older sister and a mom) and they are awesome. My trainer is from the phillipines, and my `sister` is from Washington State! Sister Andaca, and Sister Roberts.　

Ummm...lets see. Oh! Before I forget! there is an Elder Monson here, and he is totally a monson thats related to the monsons in fallbrook! His Dad is the one who took out my wisdom teeth and everything!!!! Crazy huh? He`s going back in like a tansfer I think. But still! It`s so cool! He said when he was younger he was best friends with Kody Panechek (sorry I don:t know how to spell it).

Okay. So, truth be told, riding a bike in a skirt is no big deal. The trick though, is riding a bike with all the cars and people. Its craaaazy. You know how people are like `oh I learned how to drive in Boston...or NewYork` right? Alright well the equivalent of bike riding would be that I learned to ride a bike in FUKUOKUA FUKUOKA! its absolutely insane!!! But so much fun. I love love love bike riding. I:ve been using a spare one, but we are going out and buying my own today!

So, Im always always hungry here. Sister Roberts says that will go away eventually. But yeah. The food is delicious! There is some weird stuff...but most of it is absolutely delicious! We went to an investigators house for lunch yesterday,　and she made us :club sandwishes because she said they were american. It was so sweet!

So, i:ll send pictures if I have any. I dont really remember. this week has been THE longest week of my life by far haha. Its been awesome though! And I have actually gotten to teach people. We have like 8 progressing investigators right now, but only 3 of them are really progressing.　Is that bad to say? I don:t jknow. But get this...we teach a philapino family (dont even ask me about my spelling), a peruvian woman, a nepalese couple, and then like five japanese people. So there are a lot of languages going around.　My very favorite is Nora. She is peruvian, shes super smart, and shes awesome. Hpefully i:ll have more to tell you about her. She might be moving though so we shall see!]

Im sorry this email was a little lame. Missionary work is awesome. It really reeeeeally stretches you, and you have to learn how to be happy no matter what. But the spirit is real, and it guides. There are lots of people who are wanting to hear our message, we just have to go find them! 

Oh! another funny thing. We teach eikaiwa (english class) every week, and it is so much fun. Its really funny. Ill try to think of specifics another time.

Ummmm so i:m sorry I dont have an inspirational quote or anything,　 I came unprepared today! But I love you all! I love my family so much, and I pray for you all everyday! I know that Heavenly Father is watching over me, and He is helping me in everyway that I need. 

Be happy!

-Lane Shimai (some people call me ame shimai, which means rain haha cause thats what it sounds like anyways).

Smile and be safe!

OHHHHH SHIMATA

Alrighty. So....I want to teach everyone a new phrase. I phrase I have grown quite fond of. I don't know what the correct Japanese- Romanji spelling of it is, but it sounds like this "oh shimata". Use it often. Better than any other phrase i've used for the specific cases it is necessary. I love it. You will love it if you begin using it. I promise.

Alrighty... Now that i've taught you a cool new phrase...let me begin trying to re-live me week. I guess I'll paint a picture for you. Today has been our packing day! Soooo laundrey, writing letters, packing, and sending packages. Mom and Dad!! Make sure that McKenna and Nathan or William and Eryn know about the package I just threw over the fence. It was quite the adventure. I felt like such a rebel. I just wel over there, chucked the package, and it landed perfectly. If I have time later i'll send the picture of the package safely over on the other side. It's pretty darn cute.

Okay, possibly one of my favorite parts of the week----wearing flip flops in the shower. So, here's the deal. I always wore flipflops into the shower, but didn't actually shower in them, right? Until I heard about the girl who got a rather unfortunate fungus on her foot....she had to get shots on the bottom of her foot, so she has a crutches right now, and then the next phase of treatment is that their basically cutting off the bottom of her feet. That's a little dramatic, but that's what it is. Anyways, needless to say, I wear my flip flops everywhere now! But the first time I wore them IN the shower, it was amazing. This is a testimony to the blessings that come when your exactly obedient (not that that was a rule). But yes, so there I was, not expecting such a wonderful outcome, and I turned on the water, and then it hit me. I felt like I was in the middle of a rainstorm. So, I would encourage you all to get flip flops to wear in the shower when you're really hoping for rain. You think i'm kidding, but i'm completely serious. Its super super fun, and I think i'll have a pair of flip flops I wear in the shower for the rest of my life. Not everytime, I don't want it to be too casual you know, but every once in a while. So go....doooo it. Get those shower shoes, and love them.

Wonderful find of the week!!!! In Japanese, the word for waiting room and assasination house is the same!! Who knew! What a coincidence. I can just imagine the first time I go to the doctor...."could you please wait in the assasination room" (only it'll sound more intense cause it's a different language, and that adds a little bit of mystery of course) and I'll freak. Very calmly I'm sure I'll pretend to be walking towards said assasination house, but in my mind I know i'll be devising a plan. Anyways, just daydreaming here. To go along with that daydream though, would be the Japanese lds church hymn 'waiting for the reapers'. As it turns out, it's a song about missionaries. I could make up the most ironic skit. Maybe someday I'll make a film for English-Japanese enthusists. Doubt it.

SO! We got to skype this week! A member of the LDS church in Japan. He was adorable. Balding. Round-ish. So we're skyping him, getting to know him, and he asks which mission in Japan we're going to. We say Fukuoka. He asked if we like food. We respond with a resounding 'Hai!'...he tells us that's good. Then he proceeds to tell us that it'll be quite difficult to get married when we get home if we're fat. We laugh, my companion says 'nahhhh we're on a mission right now, we're not worrying about getting married'....he just laughs and says "it doesn't matter. If you get fat it'll be hard to get married". So naturally I was busting up laughing, and he starts laughing at our laughs hahaha it was a good bonding moment haha. OH! And....(i just loved this guy) we asked him a question, and he was silent for a second, and then he just busts out singing "one day more" (like from les mis) only he said it in english hahahahahahahaha I was laughing so hard. I think he thought it was funny he could make us laugh haha. But yeah, we shared a nice message with him, and he ended by telling us that we're suberashi senkyoshi (wonderful missionaries) and that our smiles are wonderful, and that we're so happy and that's so important. That made me so happy, because that's usually what our investigators tell us hahaha and boy, heaven knows I'm banking on that smile. I'm hoping that no matter what nonesense ends up coming out of my mouth when I attempt to speak Japanese, as long as I smile lots they'll let me back! Right?

Another tip: possibly one of the best ideas ever. Eat popcorn....with chopsticks. There goes your greasy hand problem. Sometimes when I'm watching a movie, I want to eat all the popcorn at the beginning because then when I'm done I can wash all the grease off my hands and be clean. Chopsticks totally fix that problem. Eat with leisure. It's awesome. So much fun. If anyone's looking for a confidense booster, just try it out.

One of the Shimai in my district had another funny moment a couple weeks ago I forgot to share. Sooo...hahaha we had this one-time investigator, he's a younger lad, fresh off his mission, and during the lesson, this sister accidentally asks "will you share a marriage with me?"...multiple times. She had NO idea she was saying it wrong hahahahaha it was pretty awesome when she found out hahaha

I had a dream of dreams this week. It was about John Travolta. Yes...John Travolta. Don't ever ask me why he was ever in my dream. But basically, we were best buds, and we were like hanging out all day in this mansion that looked and seemed a lot like that show 'out of the box' combined with the playgrounds at McDonalds. It was pretty awesome. And then I had a dream the next night that I was playing with Capri in the park with all of her friends. It was pretty awesome.

Dad---before I forget---I've never heard or asked you what you're feelings were when you got baptized, like the day you got baptized. Could you send that to me sometime? Have you officially wrote down your conversion story yet? Not trying to rush you, but when you do write it, you better send me a copy!!

Okay...THANK YOU FAMILY for the package I got yesterday. It made many an elder and sister extremely happy, starting with me. Coles Shimai was SO grateful for all the kitkat bars :) And when I saw all that sees candy, I nearly cried. Not really, but I'm WAY EXCITED about it. One of the pound boxes is already gone....I don't know how that happened..... but yes. Thank you all so much. The notes made me so so happy. And Kimber---I put your note on the board for all the elders in my district to see...you're welcome.

Okay---Young men who are reading this (probably only Bennett....if that...but still). Read these talks:

-"On Being Worthy"-Marvin J. Ashton

-"Willing and Worthy to Serve"-Thomas S. Monson

-"Are You Taking Your Priesthood For Granted"-N. Eldon Tanner

-"Living Worthy of the Girl You Will Someday Marry"-President Hinckley

(just go to lds.org and type in the titles. Print them out if you can and study them!)

Actually, everyone should read them. They're awesome. Really truly.

Here's a little trailer for those of you who don't feel like reading them--

"Now, this is the truth. We humble people, e who feel ourselves sometimes so worthless, so good-for-nothing, we are not so worthless as we think. There is not one of us but what God's love has been expended upon. There is not one of us that He has not cared for and caressed. There is not one of us that he had not desired to save and that He has not devised means to save. There is not one of us that He has not given His angels charge concerning. We may be insignificant and contemptible in our own eyes and in the eyes of others, but the truth remains that we are children of God and that He has actually given His angels...charge concerning us, and they watch over us and have us in their keeping" ---On Being Worthy, Marvin J. Ashton

Read all the talks. They're powerful.

So, i've been thinking about bearing testimonies. Telling people the truths that you know. It's so powerful when someone who knows truth for themselves shares it with someone else. A testimony is something we have to build...no part of our testimony can be gained without us trying or recognizing. Something that my parents taught me so well, and that I have never ever doubted, is that I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father. He loves me, and He knows me personally. When funny things happen, I know he's laughing right along with me. When things happen that hurt me, I know he's crying with me, that he's watching over me, and that He always sends the help that I need. I know that His son, Jesus Christ, loves me and knows me as well. I know that he suffered for me, and He is rooting for my success in all of my endeavors. Their love has helped me through every situation. It's made all things possible, and it guides me everyday. When you truly come to the understanding that your Heavenly Father loves you, you will understand that He also loves the people around you, and when you know that---you make it possible to spread His love around. So. bear testimony of what you know. Sometimes bearing your testimony just means that you stand true to what you believe. Sometimes you don't even have to say it. "Preach the Gospel, and if necessary, use words".

Alright, well, I need to send pictures which means time is up!!! oh. By the way...I leave for the COUNTRY OF JAPAN IN LIKE A DAY!!!! We'll be leaving at 2:30am utah time on monday. I cannooooooottttt wait!!! I'll try to call mama, I just can't promise that i'll get to!!! Love you all so much though. It occurs to me i've never actually been out of the country. Hmm...This might be a bit of a shock. I'll probably be laughing for days. PLEASE PRAY FOR ME! hahahahaha goodness. Alright. I really do love you all! Be safe, most of all be HAPPY!!!!! Make good choices! Remember that I love you!!! And If there is a crazy plane crash and their's a L O S T situation.....i'll be livin the life. Smile lots!!! ;) Wink at a stranger. It'll be fun! (unless you're a missionary or you're married or something...) KIMBER BENNETT EMMA CAPRI AND HENRY!!!!

Wink at strangers!!!

Sinerely,

Heather Lane Shimai ;)

Heza i Rein

Alrighty, here's the deal. I got one week to go in the MTC, and I couldn't be happier. Love the MTC, but I'm so excited to get going to meet the people in my mission.

We got our travel plans this week----

Wait, I just remembered this and I need to share it. So when someone gets a letter they don't mind sharing, they just pass it around. So this elder got a letter from his little sister, here's her advice. "Just remember, if something is really hard, just don't do it". It was beautiful. I think I laughed for days. It was beautifully inspirational in the most uninspirational way possible. Okay- back to travel plans

Sooooo I leave the MTC at 2:45 AM on Monday, July 15th!!! We go to the Salt Lake airport, then to the Dallas Airport (that's where my doryo's from!!) and then to Tokyo, then to Fukuoka. We have about 45 minutes in Dallas (yikes!) and 5 hours in tokyo. Sooooo a few of us tried to figure it all out together how long it'll be, and some people came up with 16, others 21, and still others 34. Soo. I don't really know. but what I do know is that I LOVE airplanes and I would take an airplane anywhere. Only I get to magically go to a different country when I step off the plane. I honestly can't wait for the plane ride itself. But I'm trying not to think of that because it's a bit distracting! Just needed to tell all of you. Oh, and here's the deal with the phone call. I don't know how it's all going to go down, but I know when we call, it'll be in Dallas. Which means we don't have much time at all. And it'll be about 9am (cause you'll be in utah) and yeah. I want to call, but I don't know! I kind of just want to leave a message and say I love you all because yeah. Or just use the opportunity to prank call someone one last time before I leave hahaha. That would be pretty fun. And so not distracting. But yeah. Soooooooooo I'm going to try my hardest to call, and I think i'll be able to find time, but I'm thinking since there isn't much service up there in the mountains i'll be leaving a message. So, love you all sooooooo much! And maybe I'll even throw in a Japanese word or something. Who knows. Oh, also, I'll be calling Mom's phone cause it's the only one I know by heart. So if you want me to call someone else's phone instead, SEND ME THE NUMBER :)

Speaking of sending me things----Brittany! I wrote you a letter, I just don't have your address. I lost it. So it's sitting here in my journal. So if someone could dear elder me Brittany's email, that'd be awesome....if my memory serves me right, she was supposed to find out if her baby is a boy or a girl...and I'm DYING to know!!! PLEASE TELL ME!!!!

Oh. Now here's the moment you've all been waiting for....My name as it will be called in japan. I got to choose it and everything (had to write it in Katakana so that means there are some sounds that couldn't be replicated and needed to be replaced with others). So here it goes. My name, is Heza i Rein. Rein Shimai (Heza eee rain) I couldn't be happier. of course they won't think it's rain, because rain in japanese is ame. Speaking of rain, it was thundering and lightninging (haven't ever figured out how to say that properly) and it was absolutely amazing. I felt like I was in heaven.

Alright, I got a challenge. I've been thinking about this a lot lately, don't know why, but I'll share it!! I've been reading a lot about families, how to teach families, etc., and something i've realized is how important it is to study the scriptures together as a family. Not just reading them everynight, but sometimes taking the time to study them as a family. My district does this, we just go around and each read a verse, and if you have some insight or thought you just raise your hand and share it. Sooooo do it! I even have your first assignment picked out. Read Alma 4 & 5, and try to figure out the pattern for bearing and pure testimony. Study each verse, and take out any tips that come to mind, even if you're not sure it they work. It's awesome. And it's sooooo important for families to do things like that together. Sooo have fun!

Alright. One of the funniest stories i've heard this week. So there was this elder in someone's class who shared this story. So he was in mexico newly on his mission, and didn't know how to say much of anything. So him and his companion were teaching this girl, and after one of the lessons she was just so happy she got up and tried to give him a hug. He didn't know how to say "i'm a missionary, I can't hug the opposite gender" and so instead (instinctively of course) he shoved her to the ground. As fate would have it, she blacked out. When she came to he was apologizing and asked her if he could continue teaching. She said no. Sad day. Funny story. I'm sure she came to her sense and met with different missionaries. Can you imagine the area record entry? 'dropped missionaries because one of them knocked her out'....hahaha yeah. 

Oh!!! Rosie Baratta got her mission call and she sent me a letter!! It made me so happy!! For all of you who don't know already, she's going to El Salvador, San Salvador East mission :) I'm SOOOOO excited for her!!!

Also, this week...guess I ran into in the bathroom? So here's how it went down. I saw a Sister Hubner, and I was all 'oh my goodness! Do you have relatives in Hawaii?' "ummm I used to live in Hawaii...wait...Lane....oh my gosh how is your family!!!" funny I didn't even recognize her. That story might not have made sense. Alrght here it goes again. I saw Christina Hubner in the Bathroom! She's serving in Tokyo, and she came in like a week after me! I got a picture with her so I'll send that. Her family moved to Virginia, I didn't even know! But she said they're doing well. And she says hi to all of you!!

Ok, the 4th of July was awesome!! They didn't tell us what we were doing, but we all met for a devotional. Then they turned on 17 Miracles!!!!!! I almost cried before it started because I was so excited. It was amazing. Amazing amazing. Mom, you gotta send me stories of our ancestors. But yeah, the movie was awesome. Then came the ending. it was so sweet right, and I was crying, and SO looking forward to the very very ending where they tell what happened to the man in the tree and their love story and whatever. They turned it off right before that....It was tragic. Anyways, before you visit utah and stuff during the summer, it'd be a fun tradition to watch the movie like the night before. It made me really want to go on a trek, or find a little pond and fish, or go to temple square. So you should all do all those. Anyways, after the movie, they announced that they were going to let us watch the fireworks outside, and that we were all getting ice cream! Happiest moment of my life!!! Hahaha it was awesome. WONDERFUL wonderful day. Just so happy, and so many good stories. I just love hearing stories. Anyone who has a story, just send it to me.

Anyways, did I ever tell you about the man that told us how to flirt in Japanese? but he didn't tell us it was flirty. So we were so exciting, repeating everything he said, and then we asked our sensei if that was a good thing to learn, like if we should use it a lot, and he LOST it. He was laughing like crazy hahahaha so yes. We don't say those things anymore.

Oh! Momma. I'm sending a package home with things I want to keep but I don't want to take to Japan. Just so you know!!!

Oh I haven't mentioned this. So two Shimaitachi in my district came up with everyone's future. So here's mine they gave me. I'm going to be a Pilates instructor, and have triplets, and then my husband's going to be a mission president. simply put, that's my future. But yeah, so pilates---I've been like our districts little pilates instructor for the past like 5 weeks hahaha it's soooo much fun. Some of the elders really want to do it with us. It that day comes, I'm going to need to take a LOT of pictures. Can you just imagine that? Hahahaha. Oh goodness. There is also this sister who wants to get up and run at 5:15 am, so run we do! (me and my companion). I cannot explain how funny I think I am early in the morning. Try it. See if you think you're funny too.

Oh! So mini everything is awesome. My mini PMG I bought is my best friend, and I got little mini Books of Mormon, and yeah. mini everything is awesome. Good stocking stuffers. I came up with a little idea! Each Christmas ask Santa to give each person in the family a little mini book of mormon, and choose a topic they want to focus on while reading it that year. Mark it up. Write notes in it. Journal abou the things you learn. Think about how awesome that would be to have a whole library of things through the years. Charity BoM, Faith, Patience, Love, Tender Mercies, etc. Just anything. Just an idea!

Oh! that quote that goes 'you cannot convert people beyond your own conversion"---remember that. Not just for everyone preparing for a mission, but in your everyday life. Let you be your first convert. Read and learn of Christ, pray always, and try to become a better person each day. That's how you can achieve happiness!!!

A couple things that are fun to study up on---'Remission of Sins', and 'Fulness of Joy'. I've just been learning to study when my questions come, and it's been so cool! I realized how much sometimes I just accept a shallow definition of things, without really understanding it. So just when questions arise, search the scriptures!!!

Since I love quotes, here's a quote for you all! "Life is full of difficulties. Some minor, and others of a more serious nature. there seems to be an unending supply of challenges for one and all. Our problem is that we often expect instantaneous solutions to such challenges, forgetting that frequently the Heavenly virtue of patience is required"--- President Monson

So, I've been thinking a lot about having a vision for what I want my mission to be like--- I just wanted to share it with all of you because I love you so much!!

---I want to be hardworking, and loving at the same time. I want to act in such a way that Heavenly Father will trust me with everything and anything. I want to be strong like unto Moroni, and teach & testify strongly with no hesitations and no doubts. My mission will be that of the spirit. Always relying on and working through the spirit. no hesitations. The spirit will trust me because of my obedience, and diligence. My mission wil be filled with joy and learning. It wil be full of adventure. I will become stronger in everyway, but most importantly spiritually. I want to ask every question I have, and find an answer to them. And have faith in that andwer, even if it's a 'we can't know right now' kinda answer. I want to be trusting and kind. I want to see all others as God sees them. I don't even need a lazy day, or a sad day. I have the confidence of the Lord in me, and His work to do. I want to completely forget myself. I want to look into an investigators eyes and know what they need. I want to bring others to the joy of the Gospel, or back to it. And I want to be ever faithful and never fearing. I want others to feel Christs' love through me. I want to be like my Savior, more everyday. I want to smile always.---

Anyways, it's really cool to right a vision for where you want yourself to be. Whether that's a vision for your mission, a vision for the next week, or a vision for your life that you're continually adjusting. Just a vision. It helps you know what goals to set to get there, instead of feeling like you need to fix so many different parts of your life and you don't know where to begin. Write a vision, and then set goals. I was NOT a goal setter before my mission, and in these short two months I've come to loooove goals. So just try it. Oh! And kimmy, bennett, and emma. When you go to the byu bookstore, get a missionary planner, and then sometime this summer you should have like a missionary week together. Henry too. And Mom and Dad. Ask Mom about her mission, that's one thing. I wish I would have asked for more stories!!!

Anyways, I love you all so much! Everyone who reads these. Remember to laugh! And remember to have the best day ever, every day! No reason to frett, just be happy and help others be happy if you can!!! Pray for me!! this is my last week in the united states for the next year and 3 months-ish! I think Aly leaves for Italy on the 23rd...pray for her!! And Kate goes into the mexico mtc on July 17th if my calculations are correct! I'm praying for all of you!!!

SMILE everyone!!! Be happy!!!

Sincerely,

Lane Shimai ;)