The Royal Baby and a Week of Miracles

Hi Family!!

I am sorry to hear about Uncle Mike. I bet it is hard but I will make sure to keep them all in my prayers and thoughts!!

So I can't even explain how blessed Sister Sua and I are being. It is really amazing. We have come to realize that the harder you work and the more diligent you are, the more you have the spirit with you and the more you have the spirit with you the more the Lord blesses you because he can trust you with his precious children! We have training every Saturday for the VC and one thing they always teach us is to make sure the Lord trusts us. If there is no one coming in to the VC it is because we are not preparing ourselves to receive people, therefore the Lord will not send them our way. Wow is that so true. haha I have noticed that when I am not taking it seriously at times, no one comes in but when I am ready, we have the best VC days ever!

So, people always say that at different points in their mission they realized that they were called to that place for a reason. Well, as we all know, the VC wasn't my first choice but I honestly love it more than anything. I know that I was called here for a reason! The other night I was sitting at the front, alone, waiting for any visitor to come my way. A Chinese man came in and was admiring the paintings. I told him he could come in and I would be more than happy to explain them to him (the restoration paintings), so he came in! I went through the pictures and he explained to me that he knew about God and Christ but being from China he was very limited on his knowledge about them. So, I explained the restoration to him and really emphasized God is our loving Heavenly Father and returning to live with God. He stopped me and asked, "Why do I want to return to live with God?" Then I started talking to him about his parents and how much he loves them. I told him that through this gospel we are able to be with them forever and that God is our Father in Heaven and we want to live with him forever as well. At that point the spirit touched him so strongly and I have never seen such a quick change in someone from the spirit. It was amazing! We kept talking and he asked me why I decided to come on a mission. At the end he told me, "I have never heard something so simple, yet amazing. Thank you so much. I have never met someone before who really knows something from the bottom of their heart." He gave me his email and we are going to be in touch. Also, as he was walking out he stopped and came back in. He asked if he could take a picture with me! haha I loved it, it was just so great! I am so grateful that the Lord trusted me enough to send him into the VC. When he said those things to me I realized that I do know that this is true from the bottom of my heart. There is nothing I love more than this gospel and my Heavenly Father. Just the thought that I have the opportunity to see and be with him one day makes me SO happy! And that is exactly why I am out here. I want others to know how much God really loves them and to help them remember how much they loved him before. To know that they can be with him and their family, forever!

Ah that brings me to this other guy we met on the street last night! We were out street contacting and I stopped this guy. He was having a horrible day and at first was not willing to talk with me. But then I decided to just talk with him and not really share anything. We ended up talking for a while. He talked about how sad he was and how much he wanted to feel God's love in his life but he had no idea how to have it. Sister Sua then came and joined and we promised him that he can have that in his life! By the end he was smiling and laughing with us. We are seeing him later today! I am so excited!

Also, Avtar is getting baptized this Sunday!! That in itself is a miracle!! We

 just met him and he is just so ready! He is the best. It was just the best week ever. We we blessed to teach so many lessons and still had time to go find and get more people. So much fun!

Also, remember my district leader from last transfer? well he has come back to London! haha he came to church yesterday so we got to see him! It was so fun! He is here with his parents so we got to meet them as well. They are so sweet and he had his mom bring us a souvenir! haha she brought us this big chocolate bar from Finland! yum. I just love all of the people that I have met out here, they are the greatest.

I love this work so much! More and more every day! I am really starting to see even more that the hand of the Lord is in every moment of it. Let's be honest, if this were all up to me, I don't think anything would really get done.. haha. IT it so great and so fun! I love the gospel! I hope that you all have a wonderful week! I love you all so so much!! Thank you for always supporting me and loving me! You truly are the BEST family in the whole entire world!!!!

Love, Sister Ellsworth 

Oh and I forgot to mention, the royal baby was born!!!!!!! How cool is it that I get to be here for that. I think it is pretty great! It has been all over the city. The newspapers, facebook, etc. There was actually an announcement outside of Buckingham palace!! Honestly, it was pretty much what everyone was talking about for days! Love it!  

With her fave

Someone dropped these off at the Visitors Center and they had fun with them!

Sister Sua let Jamie cut her hair...

The Royal Baby

Hot, Humid, and Free Ice Cream!

Dearest Family,

 

I am so sorry to hear about Uncle Mike.  Ill make sure to keep them in my prayers.

 

My address is just the mission home address.  They forward it to us very promptly:

 

4-6-28

Shinohara Honmachi

Nada-Ku Kobe-Shi

Japan

657-0067

 

So here is how the week has been.  I had my first culture shock on Tuesday when I went to the grocery store.  In France I can kind of understand most words or guess, but I cant read kanji so I kind of freaked out.  Plus I was so scared everything would taste like seaweed or fish.  So Ive been a little homesick this week, but Im sure itll get better.  I seem to only be homesick when we are studying.  Once I am out working in the blazing sun, things are good.  I love coming home exhausted and sweaty.  It is so hot and humid hear.  (oh fyi, I have the tan futon- I didn't want to copy the other girls and I think it kind of looks like me).  But Japan does not have central air systems.  It is always so hot.  Luckily, we finally decided to turn on the Air comm system every few hours during the night so we could actually sleep.

 

So On Sunday, I led the lesson for the one investigator who has a lot of problems.  He has frustrated a ton of missionaries because he just doesnt applu anything.  I got the feeling to reteach about God and his divine potential.  I taught the bulk of the lesson.  My sentences were very simple, but I think he actually felt the Spirit.  It was also nice because we had a member there who help translate his mumble and Osaka bin.  Also, FYI I am in Ibaraki. It is more inland and about an hour away from Kyoto.  We are going sightseeing today.

 

Anyway, as I said, it is so hot.  Well, when it gets hot, my face gets so red!  The Japanese, do not sweat.  They wear long sleeves in this weather and are completely fine.  But they take pity on me and my exhausted red face.  Therefore, we had one random person on the street buy us ice cream and and two people offer to buy us drinks.  The other day, we rode our bike to a lesson.  It was all uphill and took 1.5 hours.  It was so hard.  People just stared at me when we arrived because my face was literally almost purple.  Also, I don't know if you realized this, but streeting in Japan is kind of hard.  No one believes in God and doesn't have a clue who Jesus Christ is.  It is quite different then most other missions.  The restoration is usually the first lesson for most missions, but here we have to establish the fact that God is their loving Heavenly Father.

 

But the Japanese are very respectful and nice.  My companion says that they always stare at me, but I haven't really noticed it yet.  I sometime forget how tall I am compared to them until I take a picture or go to give them a hug. Anyway, yesterday during church we gave a mission fireside.  It was during their linger longer and no one was listening.  Kids were running around and the adults were talking.  They announced we had a message to share and my companions started talking but it was still so noisy.  Then it was my turn and I was just reading a quote in romaji.  About two sentences in, the whole room goes dead silent.  Even the children were so quite and still.  They were all trying to figure out what I was saying probably and felt so bad for me.  My face turned red while speaking and it was just a tad embarrassing  but at least it got everyone to quite down.  But I have noticed that throughout Japan.  My companions are fluent, and when we go streeting, I am afraid to talk so I let them do the talking.  Most people just want to leave as soon as they start talking.  But when I finally get up the courage to say two to three sentences, everyone stops and listens and actually considers what I say.  Its kind of cool, but sad at the same time because I know they are only listening so intently because they cant understand me and they want so much to help me with the language.

 

Also, Iwamoto Shimai is a little lady in the ward.  Her and her husband always help out with lessons.  I think she had adopted me as her child.  On Saturday, she dressed us up in Kimonos and we stopped by at a little festival and a middle school.  Everyone stared at me as a tall blond in a Japanese traditional outfit.  But it was a lot of fun.  Iwamoto just loved seeing me in it.  She is so cute and is always helping me with my Japanese.

 

Anyway, I hope you have a great week and enjoy the weather in Newport and then in San Fran.  I love you all and thanks so much for writing me.

 

I love you!

 

Martha

 

PS Sorry if you don't get a letter right away.  Ill try to write everyone eventually, but I dont have a lot of time.  Please forgive me.

The ice cream they bought her

A beautiful park in the area she's in 

Dressed in traditional clothes 

JAPAN!

This e-mail from Martha is great. She's adjusting and having some fun while she's at it. 

Hi family!!

 

I guess a lot has changed over this past week.  Since there are so many sisters who are coming in, one sister now has to train two sisters.  So I am with Long Shimai from West Jordan (she's been out for about a year) and Shin Shimai from Korea (2nd transfer but is bascially fluent in Japanese because the grammar is the same).  We are in North Osaka.  It basically looks like a typical city.  However, Kyoto isn:t far so one of these p-days well get to go there!  But so far my companions seem great and we get along really well.

 

So, here are the hardest adjustments for me so far.  1) I cant understand a word anyone is saying.  We have one investigator who mumbles and speaks Osaka bin (slang) so that doesn't help.  He has a lot of issues like depression and tons of other things, so this past lesson we told him to take a vacation from his problems- naturally that was my idea.  Don't worry, we tied it in with the atonement. 2) I have never been in a constant sweat until now.  It is so hot and sticky and humid, but there is no AC.  You expect to be refreshed when you walk into a building, but rather it is even more stuffy and hot.  Cold showers have never been so delightful.  There is AC but it is turned on room by room and we hardly ever turn it on in our apartment.  My apartment is really nice though.  The nicest in the mission and actually quite large.  3) Not a fan of seaweed.  They put it with everything.  Why? I had mizo soup.  That was a struggle to finish.  Tofu, mushroom that I thought were noodles until I bit into them, and seaweed.  Not fish yet though except for tuna.  They know we don:t like seafood so they feed us chicken.  However they serve so much and it is rude not to eat everything.  I almost explode every time and I cant eat for the next couple of meals. 3) Everyone asks where my ancestors are from because Im so tall.  Long shimai has just started saying I'm from russia and a pro vball player.  People think thats the coolest thing. I cant even stop her though because I cant speak japanese.

 

Our mission seems really cool.  The zinkes have done a ton.  He runs this place like a business.  He has so many handbooks.  One for the mission, one for streeting and teaching, and one for the language.  He has the whole mission prayer to see how many sheep are ready and prepared to hear the gospel.  We have to find those sheep instead of trying to talk to millions of people for just anyone.  Ask and ye shall receive.  My area currently has 7 sheep ready.  J San (speaks English!) has a baptisimal date for Aug 25.  He is just one of the nicest people.

 

Anyway, thanks for all of the emails and birthday wishes!  Sorry I don:t have more time on the computer.  I have more time to write hand written letters so Ill try and get some of those off.  I hope everyone has a great week and I love you all!

 

Ellsworth Shimai

On the plane ride over

Some of the lovely food she looks forward to eating....ha 

Celebrating her birthday in the mission home!

All the large bugs in Japan that she hates

Miso Soup with seaweed on top 

These 7th grade girls all thought she was a professional v-ball player

The toilets have a hand washing station on top 

Where she sleeps!

Week 9: Final Week

Konnichiwa Family!

 

It's finally here!  This is my last week in the MTC!  I have heard I'll miss it, but right now I'm glad to be leaving.  However, I keep getting mini panic attacks because I don't actually know the language.  But o well.  I meet at the travel office Monday July 15th at 4:30.  I get to the airport around 6ish and then my flight leaves at 8:20.  Then we fly to Seattle and land there around 9:20 PCT and then fly to Osaka at 11:25 and arrive there around 2:30 Japan time on Tuesday July 16th! Then we stay at the Mission President's home for two nights and then I'm off with my companion.  My first full day in Japan will be on my birthday!!  Let's just hope the MP doesn't make us try and place a Book of Mormon on that day. Anyway, so expect phone calls either between 6-8 am or 9:30-11:00 (seattle time).  I'll figure more thigns out with you on Saturday.  I'm allowed to email that one last day before I fly out.

 

Okay, so cool experience this past week.  It happened last Wednesday.  So in the MTC, I don't feel like a real missionary yet.  We only teach fake investigators.  Well last Wednesday I was at the gastroeneterologist for my comp.  After the appointment, we were sitting outside waiting for the shuttle to come and pick us up.  As we are sitting at a bench, an older man come over and says "Hey, Elders!"  I assumed he was talking to us.  He then asked what we had to share with him.  I just sat there with blank look on my face.  All I could do was wonder why he was asking me?  I'm not a real missionary! I'm still in training! I don't know what to say.  So we sis the typical thing and asked him what he wanted to hear.  Anyway, somehow he told us his whole life story.  He said he is from NM and is a Navaho Indian.  He said he got stuck in Utah when he came here for school and married a girl from BYU.  He said that she then left him in '93.  But he proudly announced that he got 3 beautiful children out of them and they are all in their 20s.  We said we were sorry and he brushed it off saying it was no big deal.  He then said he got remarried, and had two little girls around the age of 7.  He said but then that wife left him 3 years ago.  I asked him where those little girls were.  He said one is in NM with his parents and the other is in ND with the mom's parents.  He says he never gets to see the one in ND because the grandparents don't like him.  He's says he's been homeless for 3 years and is hoping to pull his life together and go and "kidnap" her.  Again we felt bad, but he brushed it off.  Then Womack asked if he had ever heard of the Book of Mormon.  He said he actually had a copy with him and that he reads it from time to time.  Womack then asked what he thought about it.  He said he thought it was true.  He said he goes to Sacrament Meeting every once in a while, but can't stay for very long because that's when they serve lunch at the Food and Care Coalition   He then said he doesn't like how we don't have girl prophets besides Eve and Mary.  I corrected him on that and asked him if he knew what the priesthood was.  He didn't know, so I told him what it was and told him that men have that gift and women have the gift of bearing children.  He accepted that answer but wish more women had leadership positions.  I told him about relief society and whatnot, and then afterwards he introduced himself as Bruce and went and sat back down at his bench.  A few minutes later our shuttle arrived and we hopped in the van after saying goodbye to Bruce.  We buckled up and the van started to move forward.  As it inched forward, I told the driver to wait and got out of the van.  I then went over to Bruce and bore my testimony.  I told him that I knew Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love him and are aware of him.  That they know of his struggles and desires and wishes, and that they want to help him.  I told them that they will help him see his family again.  I then told him to just pray and ask.  I then said goodbye and told him I was so glad to meet him.  As I got back in the van adn drove away, I turned to look back at him and he was wiping away tears from his eyes.  It was the coolest experience ever!!  I can' wait to be a real missionary and have experiences like this all the time!  I know probably lots of missionaries will have experiences like this, but I was so grateful that I got this opportunity while in the MTC.  It really helped the week start off great!  I can't wait to go to Japan!

 

Other than that, not much has happened this week.  I hosted the Nihongin on Wednesday and the live right next to us.  Sometimes I try to listen in on their conversations, but then stop because I get depressed because I can't understand a word of what they are saying.  However, I did learn something new this week.  I guess in Japan it is common for them to ask what your blood type is.  They all have the same eyes and the same hair, so this is a way to differentiate themselves.  I asked what each one meant and here is what I found out.

 

O: Friendly, outgoing, carefree, and gets along with everyone  (naturally this is me)

A: Diligent, and very into detail

B: Top priority is themselves

AB: weired, awkward, and a genious.  What we call a "nerd"

 

I thought that was a pretty interesting fun fact.  On Sunday i bore my terstimony in Japanese.  That's about all I can do, so I'm hoping to go off of that for the first few months. This past week I've been a lot more patient with my companion and things to be going well.  I think I'm finally learning..maybe a little? Other than that, just trying to get everything ready before I leave and making sure I have everything.  Also, just incase anyone wants to DearElder, it has to be written before noon on Friday or else I won't get it.  My last DearElders arrive on Friday night and my last packages have to arrive before Saturday at noon.  Just as a heads up.  Anyway, that's all for now.  I'll talk to you again on Saturday sometime before I leave. 

 

Ai shite imasu,

 

Ellsworth Shimai

Final District Photo: Japan Bound

Gary the Crazy Bird

Hi Family!

Okay so haha it has been another crazy week. I swear, Sister Sua and I won't ever have just a normal week.... but it was so great still. We get to see so many miracles all of the time and I just love it!

So, let's start at the very beginning...  I don't know if I told you last week, but last Monday we lost our phone. Let me just tell you, don't ever loose your phone. Especially when you have new investigators and a lot of appointments for the week.. haha I don't understand how they did missionary work back in the day. seriously. So then because we didn't have a phone, the next day was rough. Okay so just promise me that when you read this you won't think I am a bad missionary.. promise? haha we felt so bad the whole day. Anyway, we always set our phone alarm to 6:29 but on Tuesday morning we had to use just my alarm clock. So we woke up got ready and headed to the chapel so that we could be there around 9 to be in the VC and to call to try and find our phone. Okay so we get there and we look at the clock.. ya it was 10. hahaha my clock at home had somehow been set back and hour so we woke up an hour late!!!! ahh ha we felt so bad but it was so funny! That is the thing. Sui and I just laugh at everything because so many stupid things happen to us! 

Then poor sister sua got soo sick. But like I said, it might have been a crazy week but we did still get to see miracles! So we started teaching a guy last Monday named Avitar (yes, that is his real name) and we set a baptismal date with him last Wednesday! so awesome! We are working with him on the Word of Wisdom at the moment but he is just so awesome and so willing! He always talks about getting baptized and he is really looking forward to it! 

Then, do you guys remember a couple weeks back I told you about a guy who came into the VC and came to church the next day and how he told me he had already read half of the BoM? Well I have been in contact with him through email and this is what he wrote to me last time, It is so amazing!

"Ever since I first read the Book of Mormon. I have had a deeper love for the scriptures and a stronger desire to love, serve and keep the commandments. After I read over half of the book, I felt a complete change of heart. I felt a deeper resolve to live the gospel than I had ever had before"

Is that not just the coolest thing ever? Honestly, ask Sister Sua, when I read that I just about died it made me so happy! He is just the best! and like I said last week. The BoM can really change lives if you give it a chance. Also, this past week we got to see Chris and you know how I just think about him and how we can help him all the time! Honestly, I swear I am always thinking about him. Anyway, we had a really great lesson with him and we made a calender. So on this calender it has a place where he can mark everyday if he has read the BoM and if he has prayed and he is going to bring it to every lesson. We promised him that if he really reads the BoM and wants to know if it is true, that he will come to know that it is true.

Then we went to do a service project with the Elders. We went to this lady's house and did gardening, as they call it here. I had the honor of mowing the lawn. haha sadly, I miss it. It brought back the good old memories of the days when I had to mow the lawn.. But they use the weirdest lawn mowers here. They are electric and just weird. Ha I don't know how to explain them. But don't get any funny ideas. On day when I will come home I will suddenly be sick of mowing the lawn again.

There are so many wonderful opportunities I get to do being a missionary. I love this work so much and I love being out here in England. This is the number one mission in the world! Honestly tho, it is.

Oh and one last story. So the chapel/VC is on one of the busiest roads in London. haha There is this bird (named Gary/Moroni) who stands on top of the spiral of the chapel or the flag post of the science museum. He is here everyday, and never leaves. So, he just stands there and watches the street for runners. haha yes. every time a person comes running down exhibition road Gary literally attacks them. He swoops them and grabs their head. We always just stand out on the steps and watch it happen. haha it is so funny to see the runners get so scared and confused. Actually it is kinda scary. One morning sister Sua and I were running to the chapel and we didn't think he would be there that early.. but he was and he came and attacked us! haha too good.

Well I love you all very very much and I hope that you have a wonderful week!!

Love, Sister Ellsworth 

Fish and chips with Sister Sua

She had to right?

With her district!

Another Crazy Week

Hi Family!!

So let me just tell you... this week has been so crazy. hahaha I feel like we have been running all over the city...but hey it is great!

So to start. The lock on our flat has been broken for like a month now and someone was suppose to come and fix it but they hadn't... Then on friday morning when we left our flat, it was still broken. After a long day we were excited to get home, plan and then get to bed but guess who's lock had fallen off? haha yup. ours. So we couldn't get in to our flat and we had to go walk over to the other sister's flat and sleep there. Sleepover with Bergy tho! haha that was so fun! Then in the morning we went to meet up with the senior missionaries at our flat to try and fix it but that didn't work. Then they just left us there. We were homeless. So we went to the grocery store, bought breakfast and started heading to the chapel... but then we had a great idea. We called up the Wilson's (one of the senior couples in the visitor's centre) and they let us come over to their flat to show and eat! It was so nice of them. We were so happy!

As for the missionary work, it is going so great! Wow I cannot even tell you how blessed we have been. We have honestly seen so many miracles! This past week we found so many people to teach! This upcoming week is just full of appointments with new people, it is awesome! I love going out and finding new people. I have really been able to see that as long as you just get out there and do it with a good attitude and try your best, that the Lord really will put in the rest to help you!

There have been so many times where we have just gotten blessed with meeting people. Last thursday a member brought his friend to institue and we were able to sit and talk with him for a really long time. He doesn't believe that there is a God but he prays to know if there is one. You can just tell by looking at him that his soul is searching for something more. That is what I love about the gospel. It fills that missing peice that sometimes we don't even realize is missing until we find it.

Also, yesterday there were so many people that just decided to come to church. They weren't meeting with missionaries or anything, they just wanted to come in and see what it was like. So naturally, we went and spoke with them. We met with one of them today and he is awesome! He has already been reading the Book of Mormon and he feels like what he is reading is a miracle from God. Ahh how awesome is that! He is so great and really wants to learn more!

As for Chris and Jillian? Well Jillian is doing well. I just really love her. She is so sweet and loveable. I love the friendship that we have and I can tell that she is just really starting to open up. Then for Chris.. Well for a while he was not responding to us and I was so worried. However I did not want to give up on him, he had come such a long way! Finally the other day he responded and we met with him the next day (friday). He told us that he was considering just not even meeting with us anymore but he decided to give it another chance. haha well I am so glad that he did. He was the most happy when he was wanting to be baptized and that is also when he was reading from the Book of Mormon. If I have learned one thing already from my mission, it is the importance of the Book of Mormon. That is what holds everything together. By reading that and pondering and praying if it is true, that is when you will get your answer. The Book of Mormon is so important and you can never know if this is true unless you put in your effort to read the book and pray sincerely to know if it is true. I have come to really just love the Book of Mormon so much. I am always so excited for personal study every morning when I get to read it.

I love being a missionary more than anything! My testimony has grown so much it is crazy and I love it. I hope that you all have a wonderful week! I miss you all and love you very much!!

Love, Sister Ellsworth 

Japan Bound Next Week!

Martha had such a unique experience in the MTC this past week. We are so proud of her for following her prompting and overcoming her fears. She'll be in Japan before we know it.

Konnichiwa Family!

 

It's finally here!  This is my last week in the MTC!  I have heard I'll miss it, but right now I'm glad to be leaving.  However, I keep getting mini panic attacks because I don't actually know the language.  But o well.  I meet at the travel office Monday July 15th at 4:30.  I get to the airport around 6ish and then my flight leaves at 8:20.  Then we fly to Seattle and land there around 9:20 PCT and then fly to Osaka at 11:25 and arrive there around 2:30 Japan time on Tuesday July 16th! Then we stay at the Mission President's home for two nights and then I'm off with my companion.  My first full day in Japan will be on my birthday!!  Let's just hope the MP doesn't make us try and place a Book of Mormon on that day. Anyway, so expect phone calls either between 6-8 am or 9:30-11:00 (seattle time).  I'll figure more thigns out with you on Saturday.  I'm allowed to email that one last day before I fly out.

 

Okay, so cool experince this past week.  It happened last Wednesday.  So in the MTC, I don't feel like a real missionary yet.  We only teach fake investigators.  Well last Wednesday I was at the gatroeneterologist for my comp.  After the appointment, we were sitting outside waiting for the shuttle to come and pick us up.  As we are sitting at a bench, an older man come over and says "Hey, Elders!"  I assumed he was talking to us.  He then asked what we had to share with hime.  I just sat there with blank look on my face.  All I could do was wonder why he was asking me?  I'm not a real missionary! I'm still in training! I don't know what to say.  So we sis the typical thing and asked him what he wanted to hear.  Anyway, somehow he told us his whole life story.  He said he is from NM and is a Navaho Indian.  He said he got stuck in Utah when he came here for school and married a girl from BYU.  He said that she then left him in '93.  But he proudly announced that he got 3 beautiful children out of them and they are all in their 20s.  We said we were sorry and he brushed it off saying it was no big deal.  He then said he got remarried, and had two littl girls around the age of 7.  He said but then that wife left him 3 years ago.  I asked him where those little girls were.  He said one is in NM with his parents and the other is in ND with the mom's parents.  He says he never gets to see the one in ND because the grandparents don't like him.  He's says he's been homeless for 3 years and is hoping to pull his life together and go and "kidnapp" her.  Again we felt bad, but he brushed it off.  Then Womack asked if he had ever heard of the Book of Mormon.  He said he actually had a copy with him and that he reads it from time to time.  Womack then asked what he thought about it.  He said he thought it was true.  He said he goes to Sacrament Meeting every once in a while, but can't stay for very long because that's when they serve lunch at the Food and Care Collition.  He then said he doesn't like how we don't have girl prophets besides Eve and Mary.  I corrected him on that and asked him if he knew what the priesthood was.  He didn't know, so I told him what it was and told him that men have that gift and women have the gift of bearing children.  He accepted that answer but wish more women had leadership postions.  I told him about relief society and whatnot, and then afterwards he introduced himself as Bruce and went and sat back down at his bench.  A few minutes later our shuttle arrived and we hopped in the van after saying goodbye to Bruce.  We buckled up and the van started to move forward.  As it inched forward, I told the driver to wait and got out of the van.  I then went over to Bruce and bore my testimony.  I told him that I knew Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love him and are aware of him.  That they know of his struggles and desires and wishes, and that they want to help him.  I told them that they will help him see his family again.  I then told him to just pray and ask.  I then said goodbye and told him I was so glad to meet him.  As I got back in the van adn drove away, I turned to look back at him and he was wiping away tears from his eyes.  It was the coolest experience ever!!  I can' wait to be a real missionary and have experiences like this all the time!  I know probably lots of missionaries will have experiences like this, but I was so grateful that I got this opportunity while in the MTC.  It really helped the week start off great!  I can't wait to go to Japan!

 

Other than that, not much has happened this week.  I hosted the Nihongin on Wednesday and the live right next to us.  Sometimes I try to listen in on their conversations, but then stop because I get depressed because I can't understand a word of what they are saying.  However, I did learn something new this week.  I guess in Japan it is common for them to ask what your blood type is.  They all have the same eyes and the same hair, so this is a way to differentiate themselves.  I asked what each one meant and here is what I found out.

 

O: Friendly, outgoing, carefree, and gets along with everyone  (naturally this is me)

A: Diligent, and very into detail

B: Top priority is themselves

AB: weired, awkward, and a genious.  What we call a "nerd"

 

I thought that was a pretty interesting fun fact.  On Sunday i bore my terstimony in Japanese.  That's about all I can do, so I'm hoping to go off of that for the first few months. This past week I've been a lot more patient with my companion and things to be going well.  I think I'm finally learning..maybe a little? Other than that, just trying to get everything ready before I leave and making sure I have everything.  Also, just incase anyone wants to DearElder, it has to be written before noon on Friday or else I won't get it.  My last DearElders arrive on Friday night and my last packages have to arrive before Saturday at noon.  Just as a heads up.  Anyway, that's all for now.  I'll talk to you again on Saturday sometime before I leave. 

 

Ai shite imasu,

 

Ellsworth Shimai

With someone she knows from BYU 

Celebrating the 4th with her favorite sisters!

Her District 

She looks so happy and beautiful!

Week 8: Almost there!

Konnichiwa!

 

Alright, they update for this week.  First off, I get my travel plans on Friday!!!! I am so excited! I love the MTC but I am excited to actually be a real missionary.  This is my last week here!!  I am so so excited!  I think the plan as of now is to leaveMonday July 15th but I'll know for sure by Friday.  So that means you better have your phones on you all day that day.  That also means that I am going to need everyone's phone numbers.  I know the home phone, mom's cell phone, and possibly Laura's cell phone number, but that's it.  So if you could send me everyone's that would be great because I want to talk to you in the airport before I leave.

 

So this week was good.  It's been a little tough.  I still struggle a bit with my companion.  She was sick 4 out of the 7 days of the week and is always playing the sympathy card. It just sometimes kills me how she'll be fine and playing sports during gym time, but then fall ill during class.  Yesterday I hit a low point, but it was my turn for one on one coaching and he really helped lift my spirits and gave me some really good advice.  I am hoping that will get me through the next two weeks.  I know it seems ridiculous to get so upset by this, but for some reason it has been really hard on me.  But apartently I didn't get over FOMO when coming to the MTC, so now I have to miss out on parts of the MTC so I really get over my FOMO.  Hopefully I'll also become a tiny bit more patient through all of this.

 

But since it is also our last two weeks, our Branch president and our teachers have been telling us that is we aren't having fun, then we aren't fulfilling our purpose.  We really took that to heart.  Saturday night we came back that night and before quite time we played hide n' go seek/ hide and go seek tag.  We all got really into it and it was a blast.  However, I did hide in someone's room and her roommate came in and said, "I remember it saying, 'Please act with quite dignity.  This is not a college dorm.'"  So when we finished playing, Damron went into the bathroom and said, "I would like to publicly apologize for the lack of quite dignity found on the floor tonight."  One girl laughed and another kind of gave an evil look.  English speakers just don't understand how crazy you become after being in the MTC for 7 weeks.  After that we took our stretchy workout bands and sling shot water bottles.  Then on Monday night our district played wall ball.  Basically you turn off the lights and someone throws a bouncy ball against the wall.  If you're hit, you're out.  Then when we got back to the dorm, Damron and I slid a mattress down the stairs.  Sadly the staircase bends so it wasn't that much fun and short lived.  But the build up was fun. 

 

Last night the new Nihongin arrived.  The elders came and talked to our district.  Douglad and I made it a goal this week to learn how to get to know someone rather than just knowing gospel words and phrases.  We would say them and they would just laugh, even if we said them correctly.  They are always so fun and happy!  I can't wait to be in a sea full of them.  They just seem like the nicest people ever.  Tomorrow we want to host them and move them into their rooms that are right next door to our rooms!  I can't wait!

 

I got to see the Samuelians one more time before they left.  On Tuesday they went out and bought me a cupcake.  They wanted to give it to me in person, but I was at devotional.  I was so upset.  But luckily I saw them on Wednesday before they left and I got a picture with them.  They are the greatest!  Mom and Dad, Pres. Samuelian says hi.  He also told me that out of every missionary he knew, mine was the only farewell talk he went to.  That made me feel pretty special.  They are going to make great Mission Presidents.

 

Also, yesterday I ran into an Brother Flores.  He asked if Jamie had ever talked about him.  I was thinking back to BYUI times, but found out that he had just retuned from his mission in London and was in Jamie's district.  He said Jamie is really and awesome missionary and doing a great job.  I could tell he was being sincere and not just saying that because it's expected.  So good job Jamie!  Keep up the good work!!

 

Other than that, the MTC is still the MTC.  Elder Russell M. Nelson did wave and say hello to me as I was standing like five feet away.  That was pretty cool, especially since when they were here they were under so much security.  Anyway, I hope all is well and you find something to do to fill those relaxing summer days.  Enjoy the 100 degree weather and have a great 4th of July!  I love you all!

 

Ai shite imasu,

 

Ellsworth Shimai

With the Samuelson's  

Sunday temple walk

Mattress sliding 

Having fun!