Minasan Konnichiwa!
We're on the final stretch here at the MTC. It's crazy how fast the time has gone by. I really love the MTC but I am sooooooo excited to get into the field. This will be our last full week at the MTC! Only 4 more days of regular classes!!The most exciting thing that happened this week was getting our FLIGHT PLANS!
Here's the low down:
Monday, June 3 (Delta/Japan Airlines)
9:43 AM SLC --> LAX 10:43 AM [flight #1392]
12:50 PM LAX --> Tokyo 4:25 PM (Jun 4) [flight #283]
7:45 PM Tokyo --> Fukuoka 9:45 PM (Jun 4) [flight #3057]
Our whole district is going to Fukuoka and we are all going on the same flights together! We are so excited that we get to travel together and we don't have to say goodbye here! We have to leave the MTC at 6:00 AM Monday (Jun 3) morning. I DONT THINK YOU UNDERSTAND HOW INCREDIBLY EXCITED I AM!!!! We have a layover in Tokyo and I cannot wait to talk to people about the gospel IN NIHONGO (Japanese)!! But at the same time, I need to stuff as much japanese knowlegde I as I possibly can into my brain before I go. I made an intense study plan to have all the vocab from the lessons down and like 50 grammar principles down. Its a lot of work but if I use my time wisely I'll be able to do it!
As I mentioned last week, we got a new teacher. With that new teacher came a new investigator. He is playing a man named Imai San who is 65 and his wife is dying of cancer or some sickness. We've taught him twice and it has been very difficult. I've gotten frustrated because I can understand what his questions are but I can't answer them in Japanese. But as I've struggled with this this week I've realized that alone, I cannot do ANYTHING. I have been humbled and understand that only with the spirit can we teach people so that they can understand and be converted. I feel like my language has been getting better as I've followed some advice from my teacher. He told my companion and I that we should have ALL our prayers in Japanese. Before we would do it like half Japanese and half English. He promised us that our language would get better and we would retain more. When we first started I felt restricted because I couldn't say much, but that motivated me to find out how to say more things in prayer. It is really helping. In my personal prayers I do as much Japanese I can and then fill in the English words I don't know. I find myself thinking in Japanese more and using it more often when I say my prayer in Japanese.
This last Wednesday I had the opportunity to be a missionary host as new missionaries came in. It was really fun! I got to host an international missionary from JAPAN!! I was able to use my little Japanese to help her around campus and find her room and classroom! If you know me at all, you know that this is something I love to do! I helped a few other sisters as they said goodbye to their families and entered the MTC! We get to do it again next wedeneday and I just can't wait!
I had to get another shot here and it was $71!!! Yeah that was not fun..But overall this week has been great! I love the speakers we have come here. We had Marcus B. Nash of the Seventy come and talk to us this last Tuesday. He talked about how we have been preparing for our missions long before we were born. I believe that is true! I honestly feel like I was born to serve this mission. I pray for the people of Fukuoka with all my heart! I love them so much. This week I learned about a talk given by President Henry B. Eyring in the Japan MTC in 1998 and he said that there will come a time in Japan where the members will not be afraid of ashamed to share the gospel. He prophecied that the children of the missonaries in that audience would live in a much different Japan. They would not be ashamed to testify of Jesus Christ and then the gospel would grow faster then it ever has been before during that generation. He prophecied that the Lord would change the image of the Church in Japan and members will be pleased to invite their friends to be taught by the missionaries. I don't remember exactly what it said but you should look it up if you can! NOW is the time! I'm excited that the work in Japan is pressing forward! If the church becomes stronger in Japan,Taiwan, and Korea then I believe that the chances of China being ready to receive the gospel will dramatically increase.
I love this church. I love the gospel of Jesus Christ and how simple it is. Faith, Repentence, Baptism, The Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End. Jesus Christ has asked us to simply, "Follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do." If you have time read 2 Nephi 31 and ponder the Doctrine of Christ. Also check out 3 Nephi 27. I have always liked these scriptures but not until now did I notice how VITAL these are!
To everyone I love so much I echo Nephi and say: "Press forward with a steadfastness in Christ having a perfect brightness of hope and a love of God and all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward feasting upon the word of Christ and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life." 2 Nephi 31:20
I know that I am in the service of Almighty God preaching the doctrine of salvation to all that will hear. This is the true church on the Earth. "We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ.." I testify of Him that He lives and He loves us. Through Him and his infinite atonement we can return to live with Him and our Father again someday! I love you all!!
Love,
Capener Shimai
P.S. The picture is me when we got our flight plans! I was very excited!
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