"No one knows how much you know until they know how much you care."
Konnichiwa kazoku to tomodachi!
I have officially completed my first week and a half of the MTC. Has it felt like I have been here for forever...yes! The first few days seemed to drag on a really long time and I felt like I had way too much time on my hands. Five days later and I'm wishing I had more time! There just never seems to be enough time to study my scriptures, write in my journal and then learn Japanese! Speaking of Japanese....how is it...hard. But the other day at lunch we sat near some Sisters who were going to Armenia and saw what they were learning and were very grateful that I was only learning Japanese. I can already pray, bear my testimony, contact someone and extend the baptismal challenge. But still don't know how to do anything else. It's hard. I have already hit many walls where I just wanna cry and do cry but then I think Natalie, God called you to Japan for a reason so buck up and realize that you are learning a brand new language and yeah it's gonna take a long time to get. You've only been here a week and some so understand that you are doing great. It's hard though. But hey, next time you all see me I'll be able to speak it :)
For those of you who have no idea what the life of a missionary is like let me tell you...you're on quite a schedule. You get up and 6:30 everyday (but me and my doryo (companion) feel the need to get up at 6 to go to a workout class they have so we do not put on the missionary 15. After that you have 30 minutes to get ready (i have never gotten ready so quickly in my life!) and then head to breakfast at 7:10. After that the day varies but contains two class periods last three hours each where we learn basic Japanes stuff and how to actually do my job as a missionary cause come on a bunch of 19 year old boys and a smattering a girl really have no idea what to actually do...actually that's a lie. We totally know what we're doing. Then at some point we have 50 mins of gym time where we like to go play baseball. Then meal times are at 11:40 for lunch and 4:40 for dinner (umm...who eats dinner at 4:40...its a struggle to be hungry by then) More studying and and hour and a half for language study (yes, I am practically teaching myself this language.) Then light out at 10:30. And let me tell you I have never been so tired and more excited to go to be at 10:30 than ever before!
In the MTC we are divided up by what they call districts and yes, Riley or rather Stevenson Choro and I are in the same district. It's pretty fun though cause it helps me not miss home as much cause I have home right there with me but it is a struggle not to call him Riley...I've slipped many a times. My district included 8 Elders and me and my companion. Half of which already know Japanese including my companion...Talk about intimadating. Out of all the missionaries going to Japan (there are around 60 total) there are only three Shimai's (me, my companion and another Sister who has been here longer) So that makes me feel pretty special when I think that I am one of three Sisters going to Japan. Maybe puts a little more pressure on. I love the people I am around and they are all starting to become my good friends and it's funny to think that they are all my brothers age...weird. My companion is great. She's from Provo and is half Japanese and really helps me out. We have fun together. It's fun to see people you know here although I am continually looking for those boys my age who are all just starting to come home. But it's nice when you run into Elder Bell and his companion and girls I've known from past school years.
The MTC is really an amazing place. I love it. It really has a special spirit here. I hope that everyone (bubs this means you) that can serve a mission does becasuse just to get to the MTC is great! I am really blessed even though sometimes the Japanese gets to me. Really jealous of those English speaking missionaries and even the Spanish one cause all the Spanish I have ever taken is coming back to me! Fail! Please continue to pray for me in everything! I really need them! Also write me! I would really enjoy the encouragement!
I love you all and want you to know that I am so happy with this decision I have made. I can already see the blessing it will bring me!
Mattne!
Stevenson Shimai
June 10, 2011
Riley's Letter
Aloha,
So the MTC is way sweet. This week was awesome. Its really a ton of fun. The Japanese is picking up, i am starting to get the hang of it so its pretty exciting and way crazy at the same time. My district is super fun. The guys are way funny. I would for sure be friends with most all of them outside the MTC. My companion is super cool to, we work really well together. The days are long but it is way good. WE had a way good firside both on sunday and tuesday. THe spirit is so strong here. I realized that the lord did not call me to japan based on my ability to speak japanese. the lord knows that i can and i will eventually be able to learn the language but thats just a side note with being a missionary. It is all about teaching with the spirit and strengthening your own testimony. I love how we have so much time here to just study and read the scriptures. it is so awesome. i love it. i realized that someone in fukuoka needs ME, they need MY story and with the spirit by my side i will bring something to that someone in japan that no one else can, just me. THat is motivation for me to study hard and to be diligent and to not get discouraged when learning the language, cuz i realized that being on a mission is not about me anymore. My whole life,everything has been about me but these next two years will be about the lord and the people who are ready to here the gospel. so yes at times it is hard and not fun but that doesnt matter becasue i just have to suck it and realize that its not about me. I am also way excited to start teaching. we have our first investigator on saturday so we are way excited about that. My companion, ELder De La Mare is a way hard worker and we teach really well together but it will be a learning experience for sure. i am excited, i want to get out teach people all day, i want the expierence that will make me an effective teacher. i learned that without the spirit we are nothing. so i pray really hard all day everyday to have the spirit with me in whatever i do because it is the difference maker. like my japanese and myself will not be the teacher in japan, it will be the spirit. i need it so badly, and i love becasue as missionaries we live so that we can have everyday. it is really cool.
anyways, life is good. the japanese is still hard, but thats okay, i am trying way hard and i really like my teachers. i love it here, i cant believe that i am a missionary. it is such an honor. the only thing that i miss, is BYU-H. i dont know why but i super miss it. its not like a homesick distracting feeling tho. like i love it when i see hawaii guys here. just something about having that connection makes it way special. jack, my way good friend comes in two weeks so i am super excited cuz i love that guy. i've seen cambell quite a bit so that is good and collinsworth is cool. oh and i have to tell you that i have a new passion. after i dominated basketball we decided to move outside for gym and i have been playing soccer like everyday. it is so much fun. my debut i dished out four assists, had an off day the next and then i scored my first career goal the other day. i was so pumped. i love going out on the field for gym so that is way nice to be out in the real world. we also went to the temple this morning so that was way nice. i really like the provo temple. and it is cool having natalie around.
so love you all, thats about it. i love it here and cant wait to progress and be the missionary that the lord wants me to be. whats going on with you fools. my pday is friday so i can email every week. love you all, you guys are the best. thanks for raising me the way you did. i would still like it if you could send me those adresses. and i think i need another pday/ exercise shirt, i dont have too many of those.
thanks, love you,
Elder Stevenson
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