Fwd: Week 5- Roller coaster Week

Week 5- Roller coaster Week

So many ups and downs. I've been feeling a little sick this week, but I am feeling lots better today and I am excited to get back to work! The "missionary cold" is a very real and dangerous thing. My whole district has it. So you know how in Japan, you wear a mask if you're sick? We are going to buy some masks in he very near future :) I have asked for two Priesthood blessings this week. Let me tell you: I am so thankful for the Priesthood. I am also thankful that the Elders in my district have the authority to use the priesthood- it is God's power. I have received so much help and peace from priesthood blessings throughout my life. All is well, I am almost completely better :)

We got the official word on Sunday: the Elders have been asked to sing at Priesthood Session of General Conference. That means you won't see me there... but it's also super exciting because Elder Jesperson, Elder Wallace, Elder Rostrom, and Elder Dana were asked to be in the choir!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are so stoked! (Elder Dana almost cried... hehe). Remember at the last General Womens Meeting where we saw Chelsea?? Because the Sisters sang last time, it's the Elders turn. I am kind of bummed, but it's okay! I am so excited for General Conference! It's going to be so cool to watch it at the MTC!

This week Mills Shimai and I taught a lot of lessons and we've seen progress with our investigators. Iwamoto san has come to church, is reading the Morumon Sho (Book of Mormon), praying, and has committed to repent. Next lesson, we're going to ask him to be baptized! I'm so excited! We missed a lesson with Tatsuyuki san because I wasn't feeling well... but we are planning on asking him to pray about Joseph Smith's experience next lesson.

I took my first Language Assessment! So scary! We go on the computer and we are asked to answer certain questions... (example: Your investigator has a concern about "the Restored Church", teach them lesson 1 from the apostacy through Joseph Smith in the next 2 minutes). Remember, this is all supposed to be done in Japanese. There were 8 of those kinds of questions, and the last two were to bear your testimony about he Book of Mormon then Families Can Be Together Forever (Plan of Salvation). I did my best........ Haha it was pretty bad! But I had an answer for each question, even if it was super simple. I am getting a lo better at listening and understanding when people are talking to me, I just need to be better at responding. It will come though!

Every Monday night, we teach volunteers (Mostly BYU students) a lesson (kind of like family night). Up until now, we teach someone in a small room and we're face to face. Since I'm going into my sixth week, we're going to start Skype-ing with Nihonjin! Japanese! Real native speakers! I am nervous and excited. I already love the Japanese so much! I hope I don' freak out because of how excited I am!

On Sunday, we had the opportunity of watching the Ogden Temple Rededication! It was amazing! Two things were said during the talks that stood out to me: During the Savior's earthly ministry, he healed the blind, the deaf, and the lame. The Savior can heal us physically. He can also heal us spiritually... because aren't we all a little blind when it comes to seeing things as they really are? Aren't we all a little spiritually blind? Don't we all walk the path a little imperfectly? Aren'twe all a little spiritually lame? Aren't we all a little hard of hearing when it comes to listening to the promptings of the Spirit? Aren't we all spiritually deaf to some degree? I testify that just as the Lord has healed our physical defects, He will heal our spiritual weaknesses. Another point: Elder Bednar talked about the contrasts between the temple and the world. I couldn't write down all of them, but one of them is: The world is always moving- clocks are ticking, people hurrying, it is not still. In the temple, we pause to seek peace. We are still. I love the temple. I am very thankful to go once a week. The Provo Temple is beautiful! I am glad I can go there to find peace when missionary life is kind of stressful.

That night, at the Sunday night Devotional, Gordon D Brown (former MTC president) spoke to us. He talked about being a successful missionary. I loved his comments about being a light. People are watching me, as creepy as that sounds! But I am a representative of this Church- more importantly a representative of Jesus Christ. 

There was also the most beautiful musical number I've ever heard in my life: Danny Boy was played by three Elders, one on Piano, one on violin, and the other played the tin whistle! Have you heard of that before??? It was amazing. I cried. ***If you have musical talent and you're coming to the MTC, make sure you audition! It is such an amazing thing to share your testimony through music. It adds so much to meetings. I auditioned a few weeks ago. They just got back to me and asked me to sing at either Relief Society or a Devotional in the next three weeks! I hope I get better really fast! I also brought the music for "I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go" (sung by the beautiful Taylor Contessa at my farewell. I LOVE YOU!)  and I learned it in Japanese... so I'll sing that next week when we'll be getting new missionaries in our zone!!!!!!!! I'm so excited! 

Tuesday Night, we had the privilege of hearing from another Apostle... Elder M. Russell Ballard. The choir sang "Joseph Smith's First Prayer". I was sad that I couldn't sing because I was sick, but it sounded AMAZING. 3,500 + missionaries around the world at different MTC's watched the devotional via broadcast. Some of my notes:

 If you want to get to know the Lord, go work for Him.

 Let your family be on your mission with you. (note: I love my family so much! I hope they are looking for opportunities to share the Gospel as well! I hope my siblings are looking forward to their missions too!) Make sure you write good letters. You can touch hearts and possibly convert your friends and family from the mission field.

 Just how precious is one person? We won't be able to understand until we can fully comprehend Gethsemane, and what Christ suffered there.

 He also spoke about the importance of prayer, which Richard G. Scott talked about when he addressed us.

 We show our Master's face when we go out. 

When the alarm goes off at 6:30am, say to yourself "Oh, I'm still here. I'd better get up... what shall I do today? I shall do my very best". Some days are harder to get up than others.

How much do I love the Lord? We all have different answers... but He doesn't ask us to give our lives... He asks us to work to bring souls unto Him on the conditions of repentance.

It is amazing to hear from a prophet. I am so lucky to hear from two of the Apostles! And then General Conference is in two weeks! We are so blessed here at the MTC.

Another thought that I came across in my personal study: 2 Nephi 25: 26 go read it. We can't earn redemption- we must inherit it. In order to receive an inheritance, someone has to die. Christ died so that we might receive our first estate.

Also, Repentance= change. Commitments = change. Commitments = repentance. Let me explain. When I ask someone to commit to reading the Book of Mormon, or to pray for an answer, or to be baptized, I am inviting them to change. I am inviting them to Repent. When we repent, we turn away from our past sins/old life/whatever you want to call it and we turn towards God. We must be repenting DAILY. Mainichi. God wants us to come unto Him! When we repent, we become eligible for the Savior's redemptive power. We become "new creatures". Our sins are forgiven and we are forever changed. I love being a missionary!

That's basically my week :) I hope everyone is doing well! I love you! Please write me lots of letters and dear elders... I'm only here for 3 more weeks! Then I'll be in JAPAN!!!!!!!!!! Woohooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited!

Here are some funny quotes and such:

Soares Choro has been reading the Old Testament and his comments are the best. 

"God makes a donkey talk to a man? Why is this?????"

He also has a lot to say about the Law of Moses. But I won't go into that here.

Sensei asked Soares Choro "What would Jesus do?". His response: "He said "Let the other cheek be slapped!"

I didn't get ice cream on Sunday because I knew it wouldn't help me get better. I was sitting next to Soares Choro (who was on his 4th bowl of ice cream) and he asked "Sanders Shimai, why you don't eat ice cream today? You need more meat on your bones!"

That is the first time someone has said that to me. Hahahahaha I was dying! I choked on my water I was laughing so hard! He didn't understand why I was laughing.

Agnew Choro (to me): Dang girl, you are so white!" Me: "That's Sister to you"

Jespersen Choro: Can you please become Goat Girl? You have the back story and everything.

(since I was sick, my voice was all raspy so I said "I'm Goat Girl" like "I'm Batman", but not as cool....... You had to be there, haha!)

As always, the Elders are more quotable. The Shimaitachi all have our inside jokes that I simply couldn't explain in an email. Don't hate, kudasai (please).

I will end with my testimony: Watashi wa Morumon Sho ga shinjitsu da to shite imasu. Watashi wa Iesu Kirisuto ga Sukuinushi to shitte imasu. Watashi wa Josefu Sumisu ga yogensha datta to askashi shimasu. Monson Daikancho wa yogensha desu. Kono Kyokai ga shinjitsu desu. Iesu Kirisuto no mi-na ni yotte o-akashi shimasu, amen.

Honto Ai shite imasu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love you all! Have a great week!

--

Sanders Shimai