Happy Almost Thanksgiving

Well! Guess what! Thanksgiving is this week!!!! And since I am spoiled and I live in the same city as the Mission Home and the Temple, we get to go to the mission home for thanksgiving dinner, and the temple this Saturday!!!! I CANT WAIT.

so have a happy thanksgiving, eating pie and whatnot. Today I am going to try to make some form of apple crisp without sugar....and in our little microwave oven thingy hahaha. It will be great! I make hot apple cider all the time though. makes me feel at home!

By the way its getting colder here!!! Which made me realize that when I went to Japan, for some reason I didn't think it would be cold haha I have heard rumors of tights with fur on the inside. They sound like a dream haha we are going on a search today. I love love love the cold though. Warms my soul!

 

Our recorder is the best, and he gave us a ton of Christmas music because we didn't have any. He did however put I`ll be Home for Christmas sung by Michael Buble on there. When it came on it nearly tore my heart out hahaha just kidding. But really haha we just skip that song.

MICHIKO SAN IS SO FUNNY!!!! She is learning English, and shes super into it so she will text us in english. Here are a couple funny things shes sent us haha -- "The paper that I wrote a question, the paper that you wrote an answer- lets change it"....and in another one she referred to us as "Sister Raine and Sister Freake" hahahahahaha I laughed soooooo hard. She also referred to an Elder Hammond as "Elder Hormond" hahahaha its the best. She just brightens my day, every time she texts us hahaha. Anyways, sufficeth to say- decoding her messages- I constantly feel like a spy. She continues to read the Book of Mormon EVERYDAY. She just absorbs each page, and she is such a deep thinker. I LOVE her. She is one of the coolest people I have met here.

The other day we were streeting, and we generally smile at everyone right? So this old man passes by on his bike, and I smiled at him, and then he stops and stands there, and winks at us. I thought it was his eye twitching, but no. He did it again, and again. This wrinkly old man with no teeth-- it killed me hahahahahaha Sister Flake didn't see it cause she was talking to someone else. So I told her about it and she laughs a bit. THEN we keep walking down this street, and 20 minutes later he passes again, only this time it was Flake Shimai who saw him first hahaha. She was scarred haha we couldn't stop laughing. We have named him the wrinkly winker, and hope to never see him again hahaha

I got a letter this week from Bennett and Dad!!! THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH! They were so good! No worries! I will reply as soon as I can!!

I read this story this week- it was in an old ensign, and its just the cutest thing ever. So! I am going to attempt to summarize it. So this Mom has three little kids-Posha, Merriweather, and Wilma* (names have been changed to protect identities...and because I just love naming things) anyways, so Wilma is in kindergarten and the other kids are younger. So Mom drops off Wilma at kindergarten and goes grocery shopping with the other two. In the middle of her shopping trip she felt like she needed to ------actually never mind, I just found it on LDS.org so I will just give you the link---sometimes my stories end up being longer than the actual event, so I figure its better this way haha here it is, read it!! Its just a quick story but I think its the cutest :)

https://www.lds.org/liahona/2001/05/latter-day-saint-voices-look-to-him-for-every-gift/go-check-on-wendi?lang=eng&query=check+on 

I have just realized more and more how much prayers can make a difference. You will never know that for yourself unless you pray! Miracles can happen. Sometimes those miracles are just within our own mind- praying for comfort, praying for patience, praying to be happy. But they make all the difference. 

This is my 4th transfer! Its crazy. Feel like I have been here forever, but I also feel like its been no time at all. I feel kinda like a little kid whose parents threw them in the swimming pool to learn how to swim haha. But I think Heavenly Father knew that this is the way I would get the most laughs in haha and right He is!

I need to get off soon. Well! Have a great week! Drink lots of hot apple cider, listen to Bing Crosby and that lady, read lots of good books, have walk abouts in the middle of the cold nights, find adventure, eat lots of food, make even more, have fun, and LOVE EVERYONE!!!!! I love you all!

Sincerely,

Lane Shimai

ps- Ill try to take more pictures this week maybe

11/19/13-Getting Colder!!!!!! :D

Alrighty let the games begin! 

I dont have all that much time. Also, I have this problem, where I always want to use japanese words in my emails but I dont know how to spell them, I only know how to say them...so. I will just be spelling things wrong left and right, hope that is all daijyobu witchu!

Flake Shimai and I have been learning sign language from the old ladies in the ward. Its fabulous. So we are so excited about the fact that we know a little JSL right? So we are contacting people on the street and I start talking to this old lady, but shes all `sorry, I dont have very good ears` so I get WAY excited and Im all like No no!! Thats all daijyobu! I know JSL! So I start signing to her....after a couple of her confused looks I realized that not EVERYONE who doesnt hear well knows sign language. Some people are simply old. Good thing to learn haha

Also- you should all like google Tsuchida Fufu-Fukuoka Temple President

they are the old temple presidents, and she is just the cutest lady you ever did see. I sent a picture a little while ago of her and her husband sitting at their table, but she is just the sassiest cutest thing in the world. She teaches us sign language that looks a lot more like legit gang signs. man I love her.

Today is transfer calls and we should be getting them anytime now! so we shall see by the end of this email if that happens!

next item of weekly email business--

Everyone should read The Power of Everday Missionaries. Honbu liked it so much that our mission has a copy in every apartment, and it is amazing. Im serious about this one (even though I am always serious about my reading recommendations...) but yeah, please read it! It is a fast read, super enjoyable, and it will change your life!

One of the funniest moments this week happened at church, and I just need to share it. This sassy old lady who loves drama (they are the best) came up to us and asked us if we had eaten lunch. We hadnt...and she goes (in english) "do you like tiny noodles?" sister flake was like uhhhh...um yes? and so the lady starts walking and goes- "I`ll be in the primary room" and walks away hahaha it was so funny. So we go meet her in the primary room to eat the tiny noodles, and she is squating on this tiny little sunbeam chair. it was so funny. I dont know why haha

ps I love this ward- the more I get to know the members. And I love Fukuoka more and more the longer I am here!

Oh!!! Terrifying moment of the week. So we had a lesson with one of our new investigators this past week with the APs, which was terrifying enough. And then we were going to have another lesson with them (they are both going home next transfer, so they are trying to make a smooth transition with this lady handing her off to us) and so they were like "acutally we are going on splits with the mission president, so we can just have the lesson at their house."....turns out that night- we talked with her and the APs together, and then we had a lesson with her, President, and his wife....it was terrifying. not gonna lie, he looks like George Bush and he scares me to death sometimes, but he is a sweetheart!

Wow this was a lameish letter. Its all good. Sorry! Havent gotten transfer calls yet. pretty darn sure I am staying in Fukuoka with Flake Shimai though :)))))

I am going to share part of my personal study notes with you all before I go--

So I have been thinking about weaknesses. Just in general. and I realized that weaknesses dont limit us, but they help us rely on the savior- rely on things other than ourselves. Everyone is different so everyones weaknesses are different. Some peoples are more obvious than others. But--- we need to learn to recognize weaknesses and work on them- not let them become stumbling blocks. They are like hills we have to run up but once we are at the top its so much nicer!! Sorry that sounded really cheesy. but its exactly how I visulaize it! Also- when we recognize our weaknesses, or something compels us to recognize them, they are like signs from God being like "there you go! you're ready to improve and work on this! Here is what I want you to work on now!" kinda thing. I dont know, I dont even know if I make sense but it does in my mind haha. I just know for certain that Heavenly Father wants us to be happy, and so everything He does is so that we can find the most lasting happiness. 

ps before I go--- WELCOME HOME SPENCER!!!! I saw the pictures of you and kaiden Mom sent me, and they just made me so happy I cried. I love you so much! have fun with your perfect little family!!! 

I love you all so much! I am praying for Kaiden, Owen, and Brittany`s soon to be little girl!!!

My family is the greatest! I love you all the the moon and back! Have a great adventurful week!

Love always and always,

Lane Shimai!

HAPPY OWEN!!!

November 10, 2013

Goodness!!!! I was so happy to see all those pictures of little Owen! He is absolutely adorable! So sweet, so perfect, and all those pictures were so sweet! Thank you so much mama!! CONGRATULATIONS WILLIAM AND ERYN!!!!!!

This letter is gonna be short because I have been just fawning over those pictures. He is SO CUTE!....I cant even concentrate.

Hmmm this week? is was a good week.

first off before I forget- next week is transfers so I will be emailing on monday night for you! I am fairly certain I am staying in Fukuoka! We shall see!

So- most importantly- Christina is progressing! We had a lesson at the church this past week- we brought a member, and we watched The Infinite Power of Hope by Uchtdorf. It was perfect. The thing with Christina, is that she is afraid to hope for things or pray for things, because she is afraid she wont get them. But, this lesson, she told us she wants to believe again. She has been trying to find facts to back up things with the gospel- like proof that Heavenly Father loves her, proof that the Book of Mormon is true and everything. Now she is actually starting to want to try towards that again- she agreed to pray everyday this week- and if I could explain what a huge miracle that was...I was beyond happy for her. She is progressing! And she is more and more open to the idea that heavenly Father loves her. Which is what I want her to know without a shadow of a doubt. Shes getting there :) She is a sweetheart.

alright awkward story for the week- just because we got a good laugh out of it--

we were housing (going door to door in apartment complexes and trying to share the Gospel). No one was opening their door for us, so we were walking to the next door, singing I am a child of God and contemplating just singing to the next person we saw instead of talking to them, and we were right in front of this door about to knock when it just opened. Two college age guys about to leave their apartment. We startled them really bad, and they startled us like crazy haha you know what I do when I get startled? I laugh and usually words just come out of my mouth or I run away. So. Thats exactly what happened! All four of us stood there for a second, shocked I suppose, and then I just shove a eikaiwa flyer in their hands and go "uhhh murioeikaiwaoyataymasu" (we teach free english!!) and then I honestly dont remember making an exit. We both just ran to the elevator hahaha and so we were freaking out- pressing the button like crazy, and laughing our heads off but trying to be quiet. Then we hear them- they are laughing their heads off in their apartment hahaha flake shimai and I just wanted to get away, and so we finally get into the elevator and hear them coming, so naturally we try to close it. but one of the guys stuck his hand in. Flake shimai turns to me and asks me what floor. Im all- "ANY! anything anything" so we press the next floor. The were like "dokokarakimashita" (where are you from---super simply and plainly) and Flake Shimai freaks out and immediately responds- "GOMENASAI! Nihongo wakarimasen!" (Sorry! I dont understand japanese!) haha and so in english they say where are you from? And as we getting off at the floor flake shimai yells "America!" and we hear them laughing like crazy.

Anyways, long story short, it probably isnt as funny unless you are also an awkward missionary- but for those of you who arent, at least you can see how very very awkward I am getting haha. Its all good. Makes like more interesting haha

Also- the spray bottle I brought incase I had any encounters with creepy crawlers came in handy yesterday. bush shimai sprayed the life out of this HUGE cockroach beetle thing. it was perfect.

Anyways, no more time...regretable. I am happy! I love you all! and the thought I am leaving with you is simply this! When you have questions, make sure you ask Heavenly Father! he cant answer a question you havent asked him. Just a thought! With that--- Luke 11:5 (Joseph Smith Translation) goes perfectly.

I love you all!!!!! I am so happy that little Owen is SO DARN CUTE!!!!! Congratulations again William and Eryn! I love you both so much!!!!

have a great week! Smile with your whole soul at all the strangers that you pass!!! Even if they think your crazy for it!

:)

Love you all!

----Lane Shimai!

Adventurful Week of October 28th - November 3rd

Alright.

First off, THANK YOU FOR THE PACKAGE! It was Heaven sent, and Mom Henry`s letter made me so happy. Never send me another package on my mission, I had no idea it would be so expensive haha but thank you for sending that one! I love you so much! 

so I will start of with the miracle that hit me hardest this week! 

So funny. We were about to go on a train adventure to a different part of Fukuoka, and we had some time before our train left so we went finding! So we were walking around, and we stopped these two ladies and talked about eikaiwa and the Book of Mormon! they both wanted a Book of Mormon, but didnt want to set up another appointment. They said they would come to eikaiwa though! anyways, so while we were talking to these two girls, this man comes up to us and he saw that I had another Book of Mormon and he goes "is that your last one?" and I was so taken aback, I was like What?! take it take it!!! And then he just kept talking to us, telling us he got a flier for eikaiwa and he wants to come but its a little far away. then we realized that it was from a different area! So we gave him ours and asked him to come, he said he would! and then he gave us both his business card and told us if we ever have any troubles with travel, to call him and he can take care of it haha. Anyways, he actually came to eikaiwa! It was fabulous! And we arent supposed to work with men if there are also elders in our area, so we had to pass him off to the elders, but he is the jolliest man ever and he is now their new investigator!

Anyways, part of the reason why that is such a miracle is because right before we started talking to the girls, I was feeling a little discouraged, and felt like I needed to push myself just a liiiitle bit more. And literally, as soon as I did the man runs up to US and asked for a Book of Mormon hahaha. goodness.

This week was zone conference, me, bush, flake, and Higashi sung at it! it was super fun! 

Another adventure- we went to a members house for dinner. Which is always an adventure full of the unfamiliar and unknown. This time, part of the unfamiliar and the unknown was in the form of a fish. A pickled fish in fact. anyways. Flake shimai and I just look at each other, and then look back at the fish every so often. Flake shimai saved us and said that we were just so full, we would split a fish. So that is exactly what we did. One of the pictures I sent home was the face of Flake Shimai, submitting to the fish. she has one of me too. It was such a good dinner. At one point I did this tricky maneuver where as I was putting a dish down on the table, I used chop sticks to put these two unknown things onto Higashi shimai`s plate. Honestly, it probably wasn't the smartest thing to do, but I glory in these little victories. Which might not be the best either. Anyways.

Everybody, please just remember how important it is to go to church!!! Every week! It is the saddest thing when investigators just wont come to church. Because I know how much of a difference it makes! And on the flip side, it is SO magical when people come to church. It makes all the different. So please. Everybody. GO TO CHURCH! plllllleeeeaase. anyways.

If you are feeling like you want to learn something, and make your life a billion degrees better, read the talk The Atonement and the Journey of Mortality by Elder Bednar. Study it!! It is soooo good. I am going to read and re read it soon. 

So, this week was kinda of rough with Christina and Karan to be honest. Karan is avoiding us, and our last lesson with Christina was incredibly sad. She finally told us everything she was thinking, and it broke my heart. She believes that there is a God, but she thinks that God doesn't love her. She thinks that she is a bad person at heart. And she does not believe that she is a daughter of God. it broke my heart to hear these things, really it did. I cannot imagine going through this life not having the sure knowledge that I have a Loving Heavenly Father who is watching over me. So. We are starting over with Christina, before we go on with anyone else, we are helping her know for herself that she is 1) a good person, 2) she is a daughter of God, 3) she has unlimited potential, and 4) she is ALWAYS worthy of the Love of our Heavenly Father. No matter what. She says that sometimes she feels like hearing the lessons,　and sometimes she doesn't. We are giving our whole heart and soul into this, I am hoping that I don't get transferred next transfer, because I really want to be here with her, for her! And somebody needs to give Karan a huge kick. Thinking that somebody is me. He is a punk sometimes hahaha

Also- update on Yukari!! She had her surgery, and everything went well!! She will be in the hospital for two more weeks. We visited her this past week, and it was so fun! first off, being in a Japanese hospital for the first time was so cool. All the patients wear yellow and white checker-board robes. So cool. Anyways, Yukari`s mom was there too when we came to visit, and that was such a huge plus. She doesn't really approve of her daughter learning about Christ, but I think it helped her to meet us. She kept saying thank you so much for watching over my daughter and being her friend.

I hope you are all doing well!!!! Eryn and Brittany are getting SO CLOSE TO THEIR DUE DATES!!!! Please please please send me emails telling me about everything! I am praying for them and I am SO excited for them!!!!! :)

Love you all! Here is another long email. Gomen!

ps- we had another Halloween party this past week (we attempted to dress up like little kids, not many people got it haha) anyways, the cutest family in the world dressed up like Anponman (anpanman?) and the parents were the arch nemesis. Look it up! Its huge here. So funny. its like their super hero. All the little kids love them. Everyone here loves anime movies too. it is so funny. Cause I haven't seen more than maybe two anime movies, and they scared me. So funny. I don't get any of these jokes haha its all good though! anyways, happy Halloween! Again... hope you are all enjoying the weather! Fall is the most beautiful season, followed by winter which is the most majestic! Enjoy it if you get snow! I am hoping by some miracle that we do.

have a great week! :)

Love,

Lane Shimai