Japan, here I come!

Konnichiwa!

We leave for Japan in 5 days!!! I am so excited to finally be in Japan and get to teach the people and invite them to come unto Christ.

Hill Shimai and I are now in a trio companionship with Barton Shimai. She is so fun! I was really worried about teaching with her or living with her, but we taught 2 lessons with her the other day and they were so amazing. She came out of the first one and said "It was so fun teaching with you." That just made me so happy! I'm excited to be her companion for the next few days. I know we are going to have a lot of fun and learn a lot from each other's.

From the Fourth of July

Another struggle has been my thumb. Last Thursday, I went to a hand specialist outside the MTC. My companion and I got to travel through Provo and it was so fun. This doctor gave me a new brace that is better for keeping the thumb stable and it's a lot lighter and less hot so I like it. The only downside is that I have to wear it for 4 weeks and it makes writing a little hard, but it's all good. If it helps my thumb heal, I am all for it! After the doctor's appointment, we waited for our shuttle back to the MTC for 40 min, but it never came so we had to call it. It was all good though, because we got to meet a lot of really nice people. The people of Provo really love Sister missionaries. They kept saying hi to us and stopping to talk to us. One nice grandpa told us about his son who lives in Tokyo. We also talked to a Return Missionary who just got back from serving in Tacoma, WA and to the receptionist who gave us some packing tips. Everyone was so nice and it was a nice little break from the MTC. I'm just glad that we for sure know that it is a sprained thumb and I am on my way to recovery! Yay!

President and Sister Weaver

The language is coming. I was finally called on to give a talk in Sacrament meeting on Sunday. The theme for this Sunday was Baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost, so I had the opportunity to share my testimony and a few thoughts in Japanese about that topic. It was so cool! Also, just yesterday, Hill Shimai and I were talking to some Elders who are going to Canada and they asked me to bear my testimony in Japanese so I bore a really simple one. It feels so nice to know that even if I won't be able to teach everything in Japanese, I can at least share my testimony and I can rely on the Spirit to teach others.

Yesterday was so the last time I will see my Branch President and his wife because they will be gone on Sunday. President and Sister Weaver have been so great to me. They are the best! They love us so much and always give us the best advice. I am so grateful for them.

In addition to the hard things, this week has been so fun!

On Sunday, for Pioneer Day, the MTC brought in the Nashville Tribute Band for our devotional. The whole MTC Choir got to be their backup choir for a few of their songs and it was so amazing. There were almost 1400 of us in the choir (there are about 2400 missionaries at the MTC right now) and there was so much power. It was an incredible experience. If you haven't heard any of their music, I highly recommend looking them up. We sang John's Song, I was Born, and When the Son of Man (Comes Again), all of which are amazing songs. When I get back from my mission, I will definitely be looking them up. That was a great way to spend one of our last devotionals/chances to sing with the choir.

Paskett Choro and I are twinned.

Also, funny story. My dōryō was standing in line for food at dinner and she heard an Elder say "Ugh, I'm so ready to leave the MTC. I'm just so done." Another Elder asked "Oh, so how long have you been here?" to which the first Elder said "3 days." My dōryō just laughed. Hahahaha we've been here 9 weeks. Try doing that. This has actually happened to our district many times.

Really though, the MTC isn't bad. It's actually really great because it's the first time where all you get to focus on is yourself and your spiritual growth.

On the topic of being ready to leave, WE GOT OUR FLIGHT PLANSSSSSSS!!!!!! I am so excited! Basically we meet at the travel office at 6:20 am Monday morning and our flight is at 11:15ish. We will be stopping in Portland then off to Tokyo! It's going to be so fun, especially since we get to travel with all the other missionaries going to Tokyo. It will be a 13 hour flight so we will also have time to sleep, talk to people, and eat delicious airplane food. Haha! I am actually so excited, Hill Shimai and I have been talking about getting Cafe Rio at the airport :) It's going to be delicious.

Our collection of origami cranes

So overall, the last 9 weeks have been a lot of fun and a lot of work. There have been ups and downs like you wouldn't believe, but everything has helped me grow to become a better missionary.

When you are here at the MTC for 9 weeks like I am, you get to see a lot of cool things. We had the chance to listen to Elder Bednar speak twice, watch fireworks, see the MTC when there was almost no one here and when there was no room for people to sit in the cafeteria. We were here when the mission president's seminar was happening, when the temple was closed for cleaning, and we saw friends come and go. But now it's our turn. I am so grateful for the time I have spent here at the MTC. It has been such an amazing experience. My testimony has grown so much and I am ready to go serve the people of Japan. I'm sure that I will get there and be very overwhelmed, but it will be good. I have grown as much as I can here at the MTC and now it's time to do some more growing.

We are ready for Japan.

One of the most important things I've learned here at the MTC, is that I can do hard things. Learning Japanese is a hard thing. Teaching lessons is a hard thing. Sticking to a schedule is a hard thing. Constantly being with your companion is a hard thing. Being Christ-like is a hard thing. There are many hard things, but you really only need a little courage to start doing them and overtime they become easy. One of my friends loves the quote "You only need 30 seconds of courage." That's what a mission is all about. Starting something is hard, whether that be knocking on a door, stopping someone on the street, or starting a conversation with a person on a train, but if you have the courage to start you can do anything.

My next email will be coming from Japan, so stay tuned! Once I am in Japan, my P-day will no longer be Wednesday, so feel free to send me emails on Sunday to make sure I get them and can respond to them! It's so weird that this is my last P-day in the MTC.

You are all amazing and it's finally getting real that I will be in another country next week. Thank you for all of your support, it's truly amazing to hear from you!

I love you all!

ブラック姉妹 Black Shimai