"GOD LOVES YOU!"

Messer Shimai made sushi!

February 2, 2014

Hello!!

It is always so good to hear from everyone! It is so weird to think that people have normal lives going on back home. What is the Super Bowl? Tater tots? What are those? Are they tiny rice balls? Kind of looks like it ;) 

Fukuoka bird statue

So this week we did not teach a SINGLE LESSON. You kind of need investigators to teach lessons. BUT it is ok because this week we role played a lot of lessons with members, and we met with a lot of less actives. AND yesterday we went on splits with the sister training leaders (Sister Higashi and Sister Lyles, the sisters who we live with!!) and we found TWO new investigators! So we are hoping things go good with them, and that they show up. The thing with japanese people, are that they are so nice they say they will meet with you again, but they don't show up. hahah but at least they don't just straight up deny us on the street...? Oh my gosh, so cutest story. This week we were riding our bikes to a busy part of the city to go streeting. We were stopped at a stop light and there was a guy on a bike next to us. These two Japanese girls crossed the street even though the light was red because there were no cars coming, and the man on the bike turns to us and says (in ENGLISH) "excuse me, I am ashamed. I am ashamed because Japanese people walk, light is red. I am sorry." and then just turned back around. Our hearts melted, he was so sweet! Probably in his 30's with an adorable baby in the back seat of his bike! 

This week for Eikaiwa we google mapped our house!! It was so fun to see our house!! When I showed our house, all of the Japanese people were like, "ooohhhh!!" Because here they all live in apartments, I haven't even been inside a Japanese HOUSE yet!! It was weird to see Logandale, I even showed them the reservoir! hahah it was fun! 

Ya this week was kind of hard streeting wise. I lack confidence in my Japanese, so I don’t mind stopping people, but I can never understand them! That is why it is great to have a companion!! hahah oh man I can’t imagine doing this without her! 

But ya not much happened this week because we were mainly just teaching fake lessons to members, but it is fun to get to know the members here! they are all so cute!!

  One of our less actives explained a little about holidays so on January 1, it is new years, on February 2, it is a holiday for throwing beans at the devil to make bad things go away, then March 3 is a girls holiday, May 5 is for the boys, so it kind of goes like the month corresponds with the day. LIke 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-5 . does that make sense? it isn’t every month, but most of them! We unfortunately haven’t met with our investigator all week, BUT SHE READ OVER 100 pages in one week, she wants to read it all to know for herself, but she doesn’t want to meet with us :( 

The schools here are SO COOL! THEY ARE GINORMOUS!! At least 4 stories high, and a WHOLE BLOCK and they wrap around like a U and in the back is a HUGE field thing where they do activities. 

There is never much down time on Pdays! We are always busy busy busy, its mainly hard because a lot of time goes towards biking places! But it is nice to get emails and at nights we can write letters! So many missionaries right now, it is so exciting! It is exciting knowing that there are people right now going out, I feel so young right now, i have so much time left on my mission!!  

Japan is so cool, lots of cool traditions and things that I learn about every day! It is weird to think that I live here, it still feels like I live just in a weird city in America! Ya the Japanese still isn’t coming, but when i went on splits this week with Sister Lyles, she is on transfer 8 and her Japanese is SO GOOD! It was so fun to see her go streeting because she can really talk to the people and connect. Right now that is what i am lacking, well actually I am lacking in everything. All i can say now is hello, excuse me, I am sister messer and we are missionaries of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints. Have you ever met with missionaries before? Or we teach about God and Jesus Christ. simple phrases, but then it is hard to hear their reply so Flake shimai usually takes over! 

Flake Shimai in our kitchen

In japan, people always hear us say Jesus Christ...and they go, I am a Japanese person, therefore, I am a Buddhist! "Nihonjiin, dakara, bukkyo desu." and just walk away, one thing Lyles shimai did on splits was just yell

"GOD LOVES YOU!" I liked that! It is so weird when i think i still have OVER A YEAR left! But I can’t wait to see all of the ways I will grow and all of the things I get to experience! I wish i could video my days, so much happens in just one day!!

 I love you all! thanks for the support and the love!!

Ai shite imasu!

Messer Shimai

P.S.FIRST BIKE WIPE OUT HAPPENED THIS WEEK!! We were riding down to the middle of town to meet with a less active and go eat out with her, when Flake Shimai hurries and turns onto the sidewalk. However, the curb was a little bigger than usual. It was maybe like 3 inches, and there was a car to the right of me, so I try to hurry and make it, but I couldn't really veer over because of the car, so I totally wiped out!! Luckily, my bike caught my fall and it didn't hurt AT ALL! My basket cover ripped a little, and my helmet kind of broke....but all that I had was a little thing on my hand and my knee! But I didn't even know they were there until like 5 hours later when Flake Shimai pointed them out! haha it is was so sad, Flake shimai got to watch the whole thing, i am so jealous!!