July Block Party

Konnichiwa Kazoku!

This week started off pretty crazy. My trainer had one of her first responsibilities as Sister Training leader and had to go to splits in another zone. That left me and Kuroki Shimai alone! I am technically senior even though she is Japanese. I had to step up to the responsibility and lead! I have so much more respect for my trainer after that day. JAPANESE ADDRESSES ARE IMPOSSIBLE!! Locating addresses on a Japanese map (all in Kanji) and then getting there by bike, riding up and down hills, sweating profusely, and trying to contact people along the way is quite a journey! Leading all the planning was a bit nerve racking because you want to use all your time effectively. We were very effective that day visiting members, contacting, giving out Book of Mormons, and even teaching a lesson! I learned a lot about being a leader as a missionary! Its scary to think I could become a trainer in the next few months because soooo many new sisters are coming in! Just pray that I will learn how to speak the language. That is seriously the hardest thing. BUT I have found that when I just try to talk to members and just ask questions it gets easier. If I dont understand them, they simplify it, and if I dont understand that either they use hand motions as well. haha They are so kind a patient with me. I have to just loose all my pride and just admit that I need help!

Kuroki Shimai has been so helpful in my language study. On a few occasions she has spent nearly her whole time just helping me. She is an incredible missionary. She came into the field running, ready to testify. I just love her so much.

We live in the same apartment as the Naha Sisters, Clingo Shimai and Kwak Shimai (we are Naha East) and they had a baptism this last weekend. Megumi San is her name. She was found two months ago street contacting. She is a single mother with a young daughter.  What a happy day!

We had a ward party this weekend and they asked the missionaries to sing. The zone leaders are in our ward so the ward has 5 missionaries now! The elders did a musical number with the guitar, then we, the sisters, sang, then I SANG A SOLO!! I sang a beautiful version of Love at Home and my comp Black Shimai played the beautiful accompaniment. I just went for it and belted the song. It was so fun! Then we all sang together Come Thou Fount. We started all singing in English and then there came a time where we sang acapella. We then started singing in Japanese. The spirit was soooo strong. There is something special about hearing your native language. I have come to appreciate that while serving here. 

D&C 90:11 "For it shall come to pass that in that day, that every man shall hear the fulness of the gospel in his own language, through those who are ordained unto this power, by the administration of the Comforter, shed forth upon them for the revelation of Jesus Christ." 

I am grateful to be serving here on the beautiful island of Okinawa. A piece of my heart will forever be here. The Lord has opened my heart and filled it with love for these people. Some days can be difficult and exhausting but I want to share something I say in my morning prayers:

"I dedicate this day unto thee. I will do all that I can to serve thee today. I will do everything I can tomorrow too...but...I'll think about that tomorrow."

Take one day at a time, this time is a precious gift from our Father in Heaven. I love you all and feel of your love and prayers. Pray for Okinawa. 

Love,

Capener Shimai

ケイプナー姉妹

Two Sister Blacks

Konnichiwa!!

What a wonderful week!! We got our new companion.........KUROKI SHIMAI!! （黒木 This is the Kanji for her name and it means Black Tree (kuroi means black) so one of my companions is Sister Black the other is Sister Black Tree haha) Yep!!! She is Japanese! She is from Ibaraki-ken which is near Tokyo (ish). She went to BYU-Hawaii so she actually speaks English very well! She plays basketball too! We are planning on playing basketball with a young woman in our ward and her non-member friends! We are also going to play basketball in the mornings occasionally for exercise! YAAYY!! Street contacting with 3 can be a little awkward but having a Nihonjin is AWESOME! We speak WAYY more Japanese now just around the apartment and I can already feel my Japanese getting better! She is so sweet and an incredible missionary! 

KAMIZATO SHIMAI WAS BAPTIZED!! I just love her so much!! I am grateful for the opportunity I had to teach her and be a small part of this, guiding her to the truth. She bore her testimony too!! She said that she is going to read her scriptures, pray, obey the commandments because of the difference it makes in her life. She said she knew her sins are forgiven. Then at the close of the meeting her 5 year old daughter said the closing prayer!!! (with help from Kinjo Shimai her friend in the ward) I could tell Kamizato Shimai was really touched by that. At the end of the meeting I went to thank Kinjo Shimai. She has done SOOOO much for us to help Kamizato Shimai. She has jointed lessons, given rides, hosted FHEs, sat by her in Church, led her to classes, helped with her children, given her scriptures, and her husband performed the baptism AND the list goes on. So I started to thank her and began to tear up, my language is still not very good so I couldnt really express how grateful I really was, but as I thanked her the spirit was so strong, she started to tear up too. I hugged her and said Thank You in English. She knew that was really coming from my heart. I love KINJO SHIMAI!! She is in the picture with her family! (Kamizato Shimai was looking down!! Ahhh!!)

 

 

Its amazing how important morning study is and the Lord will provide a way for you to use what you learned that VERY same day!! So on Saturday morning during companionship study we were role playing introducing the モルモン書（Book of Mormon）and asking the investigator to read the last two paragraphs of the intro and inviting them to read, ponder, and pray about the Book of Mormon. So I bet you see where this is going...haha...........I DID IT ON THE STREET LIKE AN HOUR LATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!　I am so grateful for that practice! I had confidence as I spoke and knew what I was going to say!!!

Sunday we had another miracle! Kamizato Shimai was confirmed and we had another investigator there. Then after sacrament meeting a lady came into the church. She had a lot of interest so we started talking to her. We gave her a little church tour and ended in the sacrament meeting room. There we listened to her story, and taught her part of the first lesson. She has had a very hard life, suffering with an abusive husband. She loved the fact that we were volunteers and she said she wants to do the same! She gladly accepted our message. Following the promptings of the spirit, we invited her to be baptized. Her eyes started to shine and she accepted! We set a date for the end of August. Her name is Uemura San. 

Things are going well in Naha! I think its getting even hotter! For the first time in my life I could see a purpose using those sweat head band things. Sweat mixed with sunscreen in your eyes is not fun. But I love it! I love Okinawa! I never want to transfer! Thank you for all your prayers! Keep praying to have missionary experiences your self! If you dont know how, contact the missionaries in your area and tell them you want to help! They would LOVE THAT!! 

I know that the God hears and answers our prayers. He knows each of us individually and loves us!He is our Heavenly Father, He wants to hear from us. And I want to hear from you too!! hehe I love letters :)

Until Next Week!!

Love,

Capener Shimai

ケイプナー姉妹

Celebrating the 4th in Japan

Minasan Konnichiwa みなさんこんにちわ!　

 

As I have been serving I realized how little I actually know about your missions, mom and dad. I want to hear stories and see pictures! Mom, if you have the chance, I would love some actual pictures from your mission like snail mail ones I can have a show people. 

It is HOT in Okinawa! People here say the UV rays are really strong...Would you mind looking that up online and letting me know? Everyone wears long sleeves and hats and when they see me in short sleeves theｙ tap my arms tell me to be careful (and a bunch of other stuff i cant understand). But on Monday after our p-day at the beach I was very burnt. Our whole ZONE had a hard time recovering. Everyone got burnt, one elder got heat stroke, and one elder actually broke his arm when he got hit by a car on his bike on the way to the beach. My companion stepped on glass at the beach! So we had to go to the doctors and get it out! We were very physically exhausted! Unrelated to the beach, a companionship of sisters got their bikes stolen :( its been rough, but the works goes on!!

 

かみざと姉妹　(Kamizato Shimai) is progressing towards her baptismal date which was moved to the July 19th. The gospel is changing her. We can see it in her eyes. She loves the primary program and how her children are responding to the gospel. I just love her so much. She understands everything so well! 

 

We had an awesome Sunday yesterday. Along with Kamizato Shimai coming on time dressed up with her children, a nonmember woman just showed up to Sacrament meeting. Awhile back she got an English Class flyer with church times and information on it. We briefly talked to her and then we were able to sit by her in Sacrament meeting. Our ward is so loving and welcoming! Kamizato Shimai was able to sit by a family that has been fellowshipping her so we could sit by this new lady, Kaneda San かねださん。Another member sat on her other side and whispered explainations throughout sacrament meeting. After sacrament we lead Kamizato Shimai and her children to where they needed to go then we taught Kaneda San the first lesson!! She loved it, as we testified of the Book of Mormon, モロモン書 she quickly asked, "Can I have one?" AHHHHH!! OF COURSE!!!! It was so great to see someone so prepared! We will be meeting with her again this week!

 

This week was the Fourth of July! In Japan its just like any another day :( But we all wore red, white and blue in celebration of our native land! God bless America!! 

 

We did splits this week and I was pared with Clingo Shimai from Springville, Utah. We all live in the same apartment so it was funny just switching places with Kwak Shimai. Kwak Shimai went with my trainer and I went with hers. My area is Naha Higashi, but on Friday I worked in Naha area. Naha area is bigger with more tourists and shopping! It was cool so see that area of Naha and learn from Clingo Shimai. She is an awesome missionary! Together we were able to testify to some in English and give out an English Book of Mormon (always be prepared) It is so nice to testify in my native tongue! Then we found a new investigator! I am sad I wont be able to teach her but she seems really awesome. She is Christian already and committed to praying about the Book Of Mormon!

 

The weeks fly by here! I can promise you that when you lose yourself in the service of bring souls unto Christ, you will find joy!! Many reject us and slam the doors when they see our gaijin (foreign) faces, but I know that I am offering them to partake of the greatest gift of all, eternal life! A missionary once related it to offering everyone we see $100 bills! The funny thing is its worth SO much more than that! I know more than ever that God is in reality the father of our spirits. He knows us and loves each of us individually. He has prepared a plan for us to return to live with Him and our families for eternity. I know its in and through the Gospel of Jesus Christ that we had find a happiness in this life! I have grown to love my earthly family so much more than I ever thought was possible. I pray for you. I love you.

 

Pray for opportunities to be a missionary. Invite nonmembers to your house and invite the missionaries. Carry around an extra copy of the Book of Mormon and read it in public. When people ask you about it, give them one! Always be prepared to stand as a witness of Christ. Think about the families you know who have recently moved, just had a baby, or experienced a death in the family. President Monson has said that people in those situations often have many questions about life. We have those answers!  Share what you know! 

 

I love you all! 

 

Capener Shimai

ケイプナー姉妹

 

My 21st Birthday Celebration

June 30, 2013
Konnichiwa Kazoku!

This week has been so full of adventures! I wanted to start off my saying I have the best 21st Birthday ever here in Naha! My companion and roommates woke me up by singing happy birthday and made me crepes with bananas and Nutella. They gave me a bow for my hair and a little basketball! Dad, you wrote in one of your letters that on your mission a sports store owner gave you a basketball. Haha now I have My mini basketball! I love it! We also went out for sushi!!! First time having sushi since Ive been on my mission!! It was delicious. I tried the okinawan stuff called Natto, yep it was gross. But we had interviews with president and training more the APs! I love President Gustafson! He really loves and cares for his missionaries! My birthday was great! I just cant believe how fast July came!

 

So I wanted to talk first a little more about Kamizato Shimai. This week she accepted a date to be baptized!!!! July 20th is the date! At church on Sunday she was able to meet more of the ward and really interact because her little 1 year old baby was sleeping in the stroller!! (blessing!) There is a ward member mother who is really working with us to fellowship her. We had FHE at their house with Kamizato Shimai there! Kamizato Shimai is very very shy and does not really have a lot to say, but I can see she is slowly getting more comfortable with church! 

 

This week we ate a members house who is Philipino but raised their family in Okinawa. They all speak English!! Yaay!! But to our surprise they brought a non member friend who was also Philipino to the dinner. She was Catholic and her Mormon friend has been inviting her for the past 20 years to church. She has a Book of Mormon but hasnt read it. She has a strong relationship with God. It felt so good to teach a testify in a language I could understand. I felt inspired to share my experience of going to Catholic school and there learning truths about Jesus Christ and developing my love for my Savior. Then I testified that with the Book of Mormon we have the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As I read the Book of Mormon my love for my Savior grew so much more. We then invited to family to pray with us for our investigators. The non-member told us that she would pray for them. She is such a sweet woman. 

 

I had another English experience with contacting. We started contacting with a girl in Japanese but seeing as my companion and I are both blonde she quickly said, "Im from Austrialia, going to school here in Okinawa" We began talking to her in English. I stumbled so much and felt a little lost! But I reached in my bag and gave her my mini Book of Mormon I carry with me everywhere. I knew that it could be replaced and it meant even more to me because of my mini sacrifice. I felt so happy afterwards!

 

We had a double zone P-day! Which was super fun! All the missionaries on Okinawa got together and had a BBQ on the beach. We played volleyball and soccer on the beach! We then had hot dogs and burgers! I felt like it was our fourth of July party! We were near a base so there were foreigners everywhere! It was so weird!! Okinawa is SOOOO beautiful! 

 

A miracle happened this week! The zone leaders are in the same ward as we are and they have had this investigator named Makinaka san since about February. Makinaka san is a chef at a restaurant and always cooks for us! He is very playful and always plays jokes on the Elders. Makinaka san has had a hard life, smoking, drinking, prison, divorce, you name it. He met the missionaries on the street and agreed to come to church simply to make fun of it. Yet, the gospel of Jesus Christ began to soften his heart. There were many bumps along the way, but through the power of the atonement he was able to quit his bad habits, repent of his sins, and be baptized into the church last Saturday. He is strong and dedicated to the church. He desires to be a better person each day! The gospel really changes lives.

 

I love the people of Okinawa and I know the Lord does too. In 2 Nephi 29:7 it says, 

"Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth benaeath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?"

 

The Lord is aware of these people. He loves them with a perfect love. He is remembers his missionaries upon the island of Okinawa and loves them too. I am so thankful to be serving here and for my  small part in bringing forth the word of God unto the children of men. Thank you for your prayers and support! Pray for Okinawa!

Love,

Capener Shimai

Kazoku Konnichiwa!

First of all I want to say Happy Fathers Day to my incredible father! I love you so much Daddy! You are a great example to me! I am so happy to be walking in your footsteps serving as a young missionary in Japan. Even though we are so far apart, I feel closer to you than probably even before. I feel the stares at my blonde hair, heartbreak of rejection, and the unconditional love for the Japanese people. Thank you for your support. I read Moroni 8:3 and thought of you. It is Mormon talking to his son Moroni "I am mindful of you always in my prayers, continually praying unto God the Father in the name of His Holy Child, Jesus, that he through his infinite goodness and grace, will keep you through the endurance of faith on his name to the end." I feel of your prayers, dad. Thank you with all my heart for raising me and holding me for countless of hours. How great shall be your joy in the kingdom of heaven for bringing up the children of God in love and kindness!! I love you Daddy!

The weeks seem to go by faster here in the field than they did in the MTC! I cant believe its P-day again. This week started of with a boom..literally! I experienced my very FIRST earthquake on the mission!! It was around 10:20 at night so I was laying on the futon writing in my journal when the floor started shaking! I thought someone was like banging on the floor or something but NO!! The furniture and every was shaking! It was so cool! After it was over I said, "Again! Again!" haha

Here in Naha we do a lot of street contacting. So while we are riding our bikes we stop by people walking and start talking to them. We first tell them we are missionaries and try to see if they have interest in learning more about God and Jesus Christ. If they have no interest we give them a flyer for English class and invite them to that. People here are very nice. Even when they arent interested they still treat us with respect. 

Late Monday night my companion got a call from the APs telling her that the next day she needed to come to Fukuoka for training! Fukuoka is on a completely other island so the next day she had to get on an airplane. I was assigned splits with a Japanese missionary on her 2nd transfer! We were both babies!! But she could speak Japanese at least! It was a really fun day. It was really good for my language too because she couldnt speak English so we had to do a lot of miming and using the dictionary. We taught a lesson and the spirit was very strong.

This week I also finally bought my bike!! (Ive been borrowing one) So I wanted to say a big thank you again to all the family members who helped me pay for it!! I really appreciate your love and support! 

I ate some crazy fish this week. Like the whole thing. The head, the face, the eyes, the skull, the bones, and the tail. They were really little but still nasty. I think they crunchiness of the bones is what got me...haha Welcome to Asia.

I gave my first talk in church this week! Ahh!! It was really scary but I wrote it all out beforehand. Because it was Fathers Day I talked about my dad and how he shared his love of the Japanese people with me and I also talked about our Father in Heaven who loves us and is reaching out to us always.

We had a investigator drop us this week and it was really hard for me. I had high hopes for her and had felt the spirit so strongly in her lessons. But was reminded in a sweet prompting that on my mission there will be some disappointments for some will not accept the truth. But if I work with all my heart, might, mind and strength my effort will be pleasing unto Heavenly Father. 

We need new investigators. Please pray for us to find new investigators. We want to be escalator missionaries versus Elevator missionaries. Instead of bringing someone to baptism and then starting over, we should have a constant stream of finding and bringing them to baptism. The is going to be difficult but I know it will helps us be more effective as missionaries. 

This week we got the Liahona of General Conference! I was reading "These Things I Know" by Pres. Boyd K. Packer and was very touched by his talk. About half way through his talk and he is talking about faith. He said something that made me think of my mom. "I have come to know that faith is a real power, not just an expression of belief. There are few things more powerful than the faithful prayers of a righteous mother." Mom, you are the most faithful person I know. I know that the Lord is aware of you and loves you. Because of your faith, your prayer are powerful. Never give up! I love you! Read this talk!!

I love this work! It is VERY HOT and I just get soaked with sweat from riding our bikes everywhere! Ive given up on make-up BUT I am SO HAPPY!! If you want to be happy, serve. I know that's a true principle. This church is true. I know it. More than ever before, I know the Book of Mormon is true. I have felt glimpses of Heavenly Fathers love for the people of Okinawa and have been overwhelmed. WE ARE ENGAGED IN THE WORK OF ALMIGHTY GOD!! I love it! Christ lives and guides this church. I will forever be grateful for this opportunity to serve as a full time missionary for the church. 

I love you!! Ai shite imasu!!

Capener Shimai 

P.S. I also read Elaine Daltons talk and cried!! It is so touching I love her!

MTC Week 8 Update-May 25, 2013

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!

MTC Week 7

Minasan Konnichiwa!

This week was an awesome week. On Sunday for relief society we had Janice Kapp Perry come and speak to us. She wrote all the best primary songs like I love to see the temple, We'll Bring the World His Truth, I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus, A Child's Prayer....etc. the list goes on. She also wrote the music to as Sisters in Zion. At the end of the meeting she announced a new song she wrote for sister missionaries to the tune of As sisters in Zion called "The Sisters Of Zion" The auditorium full of only sister missionaries stood up and sang it with the words going across the screens. I don't think there was a dry eye in the room. The spirit filled everyones hearts. Sister missionaries are powerful and we are going around the world in numbers larger than ever before. A very special work is about to come forth among the children of men. I know that to be true. After the meeting she said she was willing to shake some of our hands. The line wrapped around the MTC!! But luckily I was in the front. I shook her hand and told her that the song "I Love to See The Temple" made a huge impact in my life and gave me peace in one the the most difficult times of my life. I started to cry, but the line was being pushed along. I think she was able to look through deep into my eyes and see my sincerity.

Then on Tuesday we had the incredible opportunity to have  ELDER RUSSELL M. NELSON of the quorum of the twelve apostles speak to us! He said we need to be ready to answer lots of questions! He said, "I pounded the pulpit on your behalf, telling people to ask the missionaries!!! SO get ready!" He talked about family history work and praying for your ancestors with specific character traits that you're in need of to help you. I thought of Grandpa Bean and his ability to love everyone and his patience and calmness. I pray to attain those traits :) He also said to pray for the ancestors of the people in Japan to lead you to their posterity so that their work can be done!  We stood up and sang "Called To Serve" like we always do and again the spirit was so strong. As I stood and sang that song to an apostle of the Lord I felt like I was singing to my Heavenly Father. Telling Him that I will do everything in my power to serve with all my might mind and strength. I also got to sing in the Choir again for Elder Nelson. I love the choir! Its such a fun thing to teach people through songs!

Not everyday is easy on a mission as I'm sure you know, but the hard days are when we learn the most. I've started a new language study plan that has helped me not only with language but with other aspects of my study. I literally plan out every minute of my personal language study time so I don't waste one minute of the Lord's time. Japanese is a very difficult language but my testimony of the reality of the Gift of Tongues is developing. I know that because of my call from the Lord, I can qualify for the gift of tongues. If I constantly ask for it and do all I can in learning the language I can receive the gift of tongues! One thing that we do as a district to help our Japanese is to do what we call "SYL" or "Nihongo dake". Certain times of the day we can only speak Japanese. If there is a word we don't know we can fill in the English word into the Japanese grammar. It can be really difficult but very helpful! I try to do it all the time! Even if I just add a "desu" or a "desho?" at the end of each sentence.

We have mini testimony meetings weekly after Tuesday night devotionals. This last one before it was my turn, I said a prayer in my hear to know what to say. I had the strong impression to "simply testify of what you know" That is like my new motto. Testify what I know! During lessons sometimes I forget words or how to say what I want to say but then I remember the feeling, "testify of what you know" I know how to testify in Japanese so I do that. It always invites the spirit.

We have a new teacher again! We lost Clark Shimai which I am really sad about because her investigator was progressing so well and had accepted baptism. So we have a BRAND new investigator. I think the Lord wants us to get better at our first lesson. :) The restoration is central to our message and I really want to be able to teach it in Japanese before I go! Our new teachers name is Nitta Sensei. He is half Japanese but didn't learn Japanese until his mission. He has only been home from his mission 2 and a half months! I'm looking forward to the next 2 weeks with him. We also had to say goodbye to a member of our district Broomhead Shimai. She has had knee problems and need to get surgery. We will miss her very much.

Now more than any other time in my life I feel like I am recognizing, receiving, and acting on personal revelation. Having the spirit with you is absolutely essential to missionary work. We have to be worthy to be instruments in the hands of the Lord. I pray for the people in Japan everyday to be prepared to receive the gospel. A marvelous work is about to come forth over there!! Heavenly Father loves the people of Japan so much and I'm honored at the opportunity to share in that love for them. Pray for them :)

I love you! Thanks for you support! Keep those letters coming! We have 17 days till we leave! So that means only 17 more days of free dear elder! Strive to be missionaries, and good examples to those around you! I appreciate all the prayers that have gone to heaven in my behalf. I have felt an added measure of strength in hard times :)

Love you all,

Capener Shimai