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 ;)
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