Week 5 at the MTC: December 7, 2013

Hey Everyone!

OUR NAME BADGES CAME!!! 

This week was pretty good, it's crazy how fast the weeks go by! The biggest news of the week: We got a new companion! Her name is Nitta Shimai, she's 26 & from Hawaii, she came in two weeks ago and fast tracked so she actually flies out on Monday. I feel like the MTC just loves for me and Cook Shimai to get attached to people, and then they rip them away from us. It's ok, we're getting used to it by now haha. The second biggest news of the week: WE GOT TO ESCAPE FROM CAMPUS! WE DROVE TO THE MALL! So, one of our sisters vocal chords ripped, so as Sister Training Leaders (yes, we were called last week, so now I don't lead the music in sacrament!) we had to take her to the clinic while her companion was at infield orientation, so we got in the shuttle and there were Elders who had to go to the mall to get a medical bracelet fixed, so we talked the shuttle guy to take us with him. So we drove all through Provo to go to the mall! it was awesome, we didn't even get to get out of the shuttle, but we got to see civilization and it was great! then he drove us back to the clinic (which is literally across the street from the MTC, but it was so cold we didn't want to walk) and she realized she forgot her money so we had to flag down the shuttle go back, then drive back to the clinic, it was an adventure. So now we know the shuttle guy very well, and he's great. 

Dad, you asked what the hardest part about Nihongo was. For me, it's sentence structure, you can't understand what someone is saying unless you hear the verb which is at the end of the sentence. My sensei studied Chinese, and says that Nihongo is even harder because the sentence structure changes where as Chinese doesn't. And even though Chinese has tones, he got used to that! So, what I grasped from our conversation is Nihongo is the hardest language to learn. Who knew! There are only 4 level 4 languages: Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, and Nihongo (which all just happen to be in the building I'm in) So maybe that helps you understand why I still don't know how to speak Nihongo haha. But the Lord will bless me! and he has, there is no way I would know as much as I do right now if I were just studying it at school! 

Our investigators are doing well, we've taught about the Word of Wisdom like 3 times now to our investigator that used to be a drug addict, we always plan a really good lesson but then he asks a question and the lesson goes right out the window, which is ok because we need to focus on his needs, not our lesson...Our other investigator is struggling because he thinks he needs more faith, but he doesn't! he doesn't see what we see, he has so much faith, so we just need to get him to realize that for himself! 

Me and Elder Pulsipher at the clinic! (you can kind of see Nitta shimai in the back, i'll have to get a better pic with her)

I got to talk to Elder Pulsipher!!! Both of our companions where getting shots, so we got to sit down and talk for like 15 minutes, it was great! it made me so happy!! Oh, and when we went to print out our emails, I ran into Sister Muns!!! It was so cool I was like walking down the hall reading my emails, look up and was like, oh hey it's Katie. OH, I'M AT THE MTC, THERE'S KATIE!! But I didn't get to take a picture :( Hopefully I can see her before I leave! It's always so fun to see people! 

We got our Nihongo name badges this week! Mine translates into "Mezza" Which, I don't understand why because to make the z's into z's you have to had little marks to an s...so it could have easily been Messa, but they chose Mezza...but it's sweet!

Ai shite imasu!!

Messer Shimai 

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

November 23rd-Week 4 in the MTC

Hey everyone!

So this week was better, I've just accepted the fact that I don't know Nihongo, and just try my best! That's all I can do, right? haha YES! I SAW TIBI! It was amazing! So I had her DearElder me and tell me what time she was arriving, it was right during my gym time which was PERFECT because the front of the gym, is where the curb is where all of the missionaries are dropped off! So I played volleyball until 2:10, and then I just stood and the door and watched. then at 2:16 I saw her car pass! But I thought they had already dropped Tibi off, because they went to like the lowest part of the curb possible, so I RAN after the car, and then realized I needed my doryo (companion) so I ran in and said TIBI'S HERE!! So we grabbed our jackets (it was raining) and we ran outside, and her car was parked like right outside the courtyard, so I ran over, and pretty much tackled her cause I didn't slow down in time. yes, I cried. I got to hug her mom and it was so nice!! We don't get very many hugs in the MTC cause all of our leaders and teachers are men!! Our Chorotachi (elders) hug our sensei's after every lesson, and we just get a dead fish handshake! gah! I feel bad for taking time away from Tibi and her family, I let them say their goodbyes but I couldn't handle how happy I was! But I haven't seen her since :( I guess since this week is Thanksgiving, there are no new missionaries coming in, so there were 840 new missionaries that came in with Tibi! Including new kohai in our district! Which means I'm a sempai! So there are three levels: Kohai (first three weeks), Sempai (next three weeks), and then Dai Sempai is the last three weeks you're here. It's crazy, it feels like the kohai know more than I do already! 

Singing in the choir is fun! It just stinks timing wise because it means we can't go on our temple walk on Sunday's, but it's fine since we get to go on Saturday's! But ya, it's fun so we do it! This is the last week we get to go to the temple though, then they close it for the rest of the year :(  Oh ya, on Sunday's we get to watch the Spoken Word before Relief Society, so that's fun! My prayer in sacrament meeting went pretty good! It was all in Nihongo, and my zone leaders and sister training leaders said it was super good. I don't know, they asked me to give the beginning, announced I was giving the closing, but then the choro who was supposed to give the opening, didn't stand up so I just ran up there and got it over with. Everyone said, how'd you do that so good, you said words I didn't even know! But all I really did was say some lines that were off of our "giving a prayer" sheet...hahaha. But it was fine. Glad when it was over! Me and Cook Shimai were called to be the new music coordinators. So I get to lead in Sacrament Meeting from now on, I've got some practice in that! 

 Dad, you'll be really impressed. This week during gym time we went and played volleyball. Holy cow it was stressful! I should have learned from you while I was home!! I did play four square for a while, but their rules are different than ours, so that always stinks. But it was fun to get back into that groove and make it to KING with all of the elders!

my district the night before Pinzon Shimai left for Japan! (White sweater)

So this is me and Cook Shimai with our first Sister Training leaders (Deskins Shimai on he left, and Rowley Shimai on the right, they left us!) and then the girl next to me is Davis Shimai, she's one of my sister training leaders 

MTC necessities!

 So no super funny stories during lessons this week. However, we have two investigators: Watabe San and Watanabe San (ya, I think our sensei's hate us, why would they pick 2 that were so similar?) Anyways, Watanabe San is a drug addict, and is always really sad and just sits there all depressed. We went in ready to talk about repentance, (I think that's what it was) and he totally just switched the topic, he said he had been having withdrawals all week, and asked us how we could help, how the BOM and the church could even help him. We couldn't answer! We don't know Nihongo enough to get our point across! So we felt like we totally bombed the lesson, and left super disappointed. It ruined the rest of the night, we were just down, Cook Shimai cried, and I just kind of sat there all during the lesson. Then our Sensei left, but then he came back and was like, Shimaitachi can I talk to you? So we were super scared, and we went and he just sat down and said (IN ENGLISH) "so, what's up?" and we were like huh? He was like you look down! and so we told him why we were so upset, He said don't be upset! Little do you know, tonight Watanabe San is going to read the BOM, he's going to have an experience! (Oh, and Watanabe San has hardly any schooling, so he can't understand the BOM and stuff) We were saying how bad the lesson went and he said (plot twist: Our sensei's our investigator) but he said, I was biting my tongue trying not to smile! I was trying so hard to stay in character, it was good! So I guess even if we think it goes bad, we don't know what's going on in the investigators heart! Never give up! 

 Well I hope you all have a fabulous week. Thank you so much for all of the love and prayers I have been receiving! and the letters! the letters are great! Oh, and the hand turkeys are ADORABLE!! I've gotten them from Annie and her kids, mom, dad, ari, gma, and gpa. They're just precious! I like to stare and them and smile hahah. It's cool to see everybody's take on them! I love you!! Ai shite imasu!!

Messer Shimai greeting Sister Willard to the MTC-BFF's

Messer Shimai greeting Sister Willard to the MTC-BFF's

Sheehan Sensei (MTC teacher, Brother Sheehan)

Already week 3 in the MTC! November 16, 2013

Konnichiwa!!

How is everyone? This week was better, mainly because I just accepted the fact I don't understand Nihongo and just wing it in the lessons. So I forgot to tell you guys about our teaching experience the first week. So it was our second lesson with Yamaguchi San, and we were pretty freaked out cause we couldn't understand anything, but that was back when we had Pinzon Shimai, so it was ok. But we were giving our lesson and Cook Shimai wasn't really talking, she usually tries in broken Nihongo like all the time, but she was just sitting there quiet. Then she turns to me and says, "i'm going to throw up!" So we ran out, well she ran out, and then Yamaguchi San was like, "you have to go with her, she's your companion!" and I was like oh ya, (I was still getting used to the whole companionship thing) so i ran after her, and she was like dry heaving, so we got to end the lesson early, and go home and nap :) so that was nice haha. She just had a migrane, and she slept it off so she's fine :)

 But then the next week, it was our first lesson without Pinzon Shimai, which means we wouldn't know what was going on, we dropped our investigator yamaguchi san when we found out he was our sensei (Taylor Sensei) and picked up 2 new investigatros: Watabe San and Watanabe San, it's sooo confusing. But it was our first lesson, and the elders before us took SO MUCH time! So we gave a 7 minute lesson, so it went fine because he couldn't ask too many question :) However, the next time we taught Watabe San, it did not go that well. Cook Shimai was having a rough day, and was like delirious, we were sitting there and she just busts up laughing, like can't even read her lines (we write down everything we say so we know what to say..) and so she hands me her book to read, and is like crying of laughter..still not sure why haha. SO the lesson was HORRIBLE! We didn't even know how to say we want to go, so we prayed and said sayonara! and he was like..oh, uhm, ok! haha but then we got home, and we eat a cookie every night to make our days better, (thank you mama for the cookies!) and we decided we deserved 2 cookies cause it was such a bad day, so we ate one, and then Cook S started crying, and said she just wanted a cookie. However, we live in a 1/2 sisters 1/2 elders building, and the microwave is on the elders floor, so she went down stairs, knocked on their door and they heated up our cookies. I was talking to the elders afterwards, cause one of them was from Toronto, and she took a bite of the cookie and started sobbing. the elders looked at her like she was crazy. They don't understand a girls heart...hahah it was funny.

Oh, and yesterday we were teaching Watanabe San about resurrection, but we hadn't planned on it, so we were acting it out, and he was like "like zombie?" (but in Nihongo is sounded like zumbie) and Cook S was just like hai, ya, yup! and I looked at her and was like iie, no! NOT a zombie! iie! she just hadn't understood what was going on, and just agreed (that's what we do when we don't understand, we just say hai!) hahah 

Our teachers are AMAZING! like I don't know how they could get any better, they are the nicest people you will ever meet! 

I saw Marissa Leavitt! Our building is the VERY FRONT building, and it faces the road, so you can see all of the cars, the road, the temple, so on Wednesday's we stand by the window and role play what the new missionaries are thinking, and I saw this girl with pretty hair, and then noticed it was Marissa! I ran down and hugged her, it was so fun to see a familiar face! I see Sister Mecham a lot, and Elder Terril and Elder Sullivan already left! That could have been me! Crazy, but i'm glad it's not, that's scary! 

Mom you asked if I can say sentences already, ya I can say like God is our Heavenly Father, and I can pray. I was asked to give the prayer in sacrament meeting tomorrow! i'm so scared! Oh, ya Sunday is all in Nihongo, so I never really know what's going on, especially the first week. And hymns are in hiragana and katakana, so it's the characters, and it's hard to read when it's a fast song haha.

Last Sunday I got to be a host at devotional! it was pretty easy, I got a cool usher pin and told people where to sit (not really, i just let me chose where to sit) I feel like Nihongo missionaries are all that there is at the MTC, its all I see and they give most of the prayers at devotionals, idk if it's because we're here so long, or if it's because we're the most righteous and get to pray in front of the whole MTC ;) Elder Perry was AMAZING his talk was pretty much just about the importance of staying with your doryo (companion), Aunt Camille and Dalton Marshall wrote to me and told me how Lindsay Frehner lost her companion, I would be terrified! But ya, his talk was good and I sang in the choir that day! Redeemer of Israel! Our director said that just our elders section was larger than all of MoTab, so it was a giant choir! not enough seats! haha! 

Practicing Hirigana

Cook and Messer cleaning in the MTC

The new missionaries going to Japan come in this week, so we won't be the youngest!!! hizzah!! We're going to try and host so I can see Tibi!! 

Thank you all SO MUCH for the letters and packages! They make my day go by so much faster! not a distraction, just a good push! Tibi drew me the COOLEST picture of the Jonas Brothers, that just "Hold On!" it was sooo cool! My district made fun of me for liking JB, but I can't deny that love! 

Where they study every day!

Temple day with Pinzon and Cook 

Drawing from friend Tibi

Well I have to attach some pictures, which always takes a lifetime! I hope you have a great week! Ai shite imasu!! I love and miss you all so much!