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 ;)