Nov. 30th-Week 4 at the MTC

Hey everyone! 

It's crazy to think that I have already been in here for a month! However, techinically the first three weeks of my MTC doesn't count towards my mission since transfers are every 6 weeks. But that's ok, I'll just think of it as more time to spend in Japan! Last week was our last temple day, it's closed from now on. We planned a very nice nap during that time we should have been in the temple. Ya, we have to plan everything out in our planner. 

Sister Marissa Leavitt with Messer Shimai

Leading the music in church went fine, let me tell you, it's much harder to lead the music when you're trying to read the Japanese characters hahah, no I lead all of the songs and then she plays the piano if we can't find anyone else to do it. But I don't mind leading, I'm used to it because of my calling back home haha.

On Saturday nights we have to teach in the "TRC" which is the equivalent of missionaries teaching members. In other words, we go into this small closet with someone who speaks fluent Nihongo, and we try to share a spiritual thought with them. Some of them will speak English the whole time and it's super nice, but others are sticklers on NIHONGO ONLY and it's so scary!! 

Our Kohai are stealing all of our favorite helpers! We used to have a zone resource guy named Ellsworth Kyodai, he was AWESOME! He could read us like an open book and so he'd always tell us what we needed to hear, and we always somehow got paired with him so we got super close, well he left us and is now the Kohai's sensei. Then we had this shimai who is learning to be a sensei, so she'd come into our class and we'd LOVE IT cause we'd get to hug someone!! and she's like the cutest little thing you've ever seen, but she moved in as a co-sensei to the kohai so she can practice for when she becomes a full sensei! But I guess it's alright, because we have Sheehan and Taylor Kydoai! 

 Cook Shimai and I saw a baby yesterday, it was weird. We just stopped and stared at how cute he was because we couldn't remember the last time we saw a child! I can't wait to see those little chubby cheeked Japanese kids! Ya, lone of my sensei told me she taught a couple of people who spoke English, but it wasn't until the end of her mission hahah go figure!

Turkey hands from friends and family!

So this week was pretty good! The weeks just fly by, especially when it's Thaksgiving right in the middle of the week! So for Thanksgiving, we had our usually morning routine of getting ready and eating breakfast, then we went to choir practice, and then it was the devotional Elder Russell M. Nelson and his cute wife spoke to us. The Spirit was so strong just as soon as he walked into the room, it was pretty dang crazy!! Then we had lunch, which was our big "feast" which was acutally pretty good. Turkey, mashed potatoes, roll, stuffy, green beans, and PIE! The turkey wasn't deep friend, nor was the pie homemade, but I wasn't disappointed after, so it was a success. haha then we had a presentation of humanitarian services, and then one of the MTC presidency's wife gave us the story of the first Thanksgiving, and she had some missionaries come up to the stage and act to be Indians and Puritans, it was pretty funny. Then we went back to our classroom and ate a sack dinner, it was just like a sandwich and chips, but it was fine because they gave us cookies hahaha. Then we went into the cafeteria and they had set up this huge humanitarian service thing where we made dry Lenteal casserol packets for children in the Utah Valley who go home starving everyday. I don't know if I explained that very well, all I know is I had to measure the bags and make sure they didn't weigh less than 160 oz or more than 170 oz hahah, we got to wear super cool hair nets.OH!, we DID get to watch a movie on Thanksgiving! We watched Ephraim's rescue. The one with Brooke, Paula, and Stacey Pulsipher in it! AND Heber C. Kimball from the Nauvoo Pageant was his brother! it was nice seeing a familiar face haha. We didn't get popcorn like Aus did, but they handed out junior mints and milk duds, so that was superb! It was weird watching a movie, I forgot I was on a mission, then I looked around and noticed I was at the MTC hahaha.

With Sister Tibi Willard!

 I am so angry though because I didn't have my camera all of Thanksgiving! They don't let us carry our bags around the MTC, so sisters can never really have anything. The Elders can carry planners and cameras in their pockets, but we dont have any :( but that's ok, then we don't have to worry about much.

No new missionaries came in this week because of Thanksgiving, so it was nice in the cafeteria :) Oh, and it's still just me and Cook Shimai in a 6 person room :) We have like the best floor ever, there are 20 rooms, and only 7 of them are occupied, but only 4 of them are on my side. And the rooms all only have 4 or 2 girls in them, so it's pretty spacious. Me and Cook Shimai are the ONLY sisters in our zone that came in on October 30, and we're the only sisters going to Fukuoka, so that's fun, there are a couple of Elders in the other district going to Fukuoka, but none in my district. It's sad to think I'll never see them again! 

 Ya, the Nihongo still isn't coming, I just hope it comes in the next 17 months. We'll see, I'll keep you updated ;) Thanksgiving sounded fun!

I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving holiday! Only 26 days until my half birthday, and CHRISTMAS!!! 

Ai shite imas!!

Messer Shimai

MTC Christmas lights with Cook Shimai