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!

Celebrating the 4th of July...in England

Family!!

We are starting a new transfer tomorrow! It is so crazy how fast time goes out here on in the mission! I feel like last transfer just started  But I am excited for this next transfer. I will be staying in Britannia (The ward I have been in since the beginning) and I get to stay with sister Sua! I am really excited! We get along so well and we just laugh. all the time. Also, she is just amazing! She is such a great teacher and has such a strong testimony! I learn so much from her!

So as you all know, it was the 4th of July this past week. Don't worry, I still celebrated. It was so much fun! Kinda weird celebrating our independence from Britain in England.... but hey, it works. So even though Sis Sua is not from America, she celebrated with me! We made a special breakfast of french toast. haha then we sang American songs for companionship study and we also said the pledge! It was so fun. Then everyone in the Visitors Center dressed in Red, White, and Blue. Don't worry I will send some pics. Then we got fed a nice American BBQ dinner. I loved it. 

The work is going good as well. The ward that I am in has been having so many baptism's and it is so amazing! We are finding a lot right now trying to get some new investigators! We have been getting a lot of appointments which is really great!

Also, Jillian is doing great! Man I just love her. She is so sweet. Today we actually went out and spent our P-day with her. We went to this really cool street in London that is pretty popular. It is a really long street that is just filled with a whole bunch of different stands, charity shops, and antique shops. It was so much fun! Also, she is really loving the lessons and the church! Right now we are working on setting a baptismal date with her! yay!!

Oh and guess what guys?! Guess who came to the chapel this past sunday? Elder Quentin L. Cook! How cool is that!! So he came and I got to meet him and talk with him. Then President Jordan came up to Sis. Sua and me and asked us to give him a tour of the Visitors Centre! Like I said, this mission is the best. There are so many amazing things that happen!!

I love being a missionary and doing this work! I hope that you all have a wonderful week! I love you guys so much!

Love, Sister Ellsworth

Tired after another late night of performing in the missionary band

Celebrating the 4th!

All the Visitor Center sisters dressed up for the 4th

Out to lunch with her district. It's a small district. 

The Elmy's

Jamie is in full swing training mode now and is loving her new companion and her district. It sounds like she has such a fun mission!

Holla Mi Familia!!

So let me just start off by saying how much I have loved this past week! I love Sister Sua! (She is my new companion) We get along so well and we have so much fun together! Honestly, we just laugh all day long! I love it!

This week has been so great tho honestly. So pretty much we are both so new at this whole mission thing that we realized we just need to rely more on the Lord and try our best and have fun while we do it! We both wanted to improve our finding. Haha at first it was really hard to go out finding because I didn't have a senior companion to rely on but it has really helped me to be able to have the faith to do it. This past week we went out finding and we got so many potential appointments and we are getting new investigators as well!

As far as our other investigators, they are still doing good. Chris has been out of town for the last week and a half, so we really haven't gotten to see him.. which has been kinda sad. Then, Jillian is doing great! She is just the sweetest little thing ever, I love her! and the member that we always have come teach with us just moved here so they became really great friends! They went and took a day trip down to the white cliffs of Dover (they invited us but of course we couldn't go.. I was so jealous! ha) Also, we are teaching a new girl named Vin and she is just the best. She came to church yesterday and she was just so fun and sweet. She is always smiling and laughing and I just love it. She is from Thailand and is here studying!

I just love being a missionary so much! Talking with people about the gospel and testifying is the best thing ever. I love going outside and just being able to talk with people and get to know them. Also, I love all of the missionaries that I serve with. I hate it when they leave and decide to go home... worst part haha but they are all so fun! This past week we had the funniest district meeting ever. My district leader was playing music when we all walked in the room and then he got up and performed for all of us. Then he always picks a hymn that is funny and has some weird like trumpet thing haha hard to explain but so funny! Also, each transfer we get a zone calender where each person has a day and it has events on it that will happen. Today we had what was called "The Elmy's". haha they just came up with it this transfer but the zone leaders made a powerpoint and made an award for each person in the district and then Elder Helske (My district leader) did the funniest performance again. Honestly I just love it here. My journal is full of such fun stories and memories that I would never want to replace.

Sorry this is kind of a short email but I can't really think about anything else that has happened. All I know is that I love it here so much! I am so happy I decided to come out and serve the Lord in London! I love and miss you all very much! I hope you have a wonderful week!!

Love, Sister Ellsworth 

With Sister Bergstrom at "The Elmy's"

Virus Outbreak at the MTC

Konnichiwa　こんにちは

This past week was an eventful week!  As you know, the new mission presidents came in and we had that huge broadcast with all of the apostles.  First off, that was a great experience, but I'll talk more on that in a bit.  Starting from the beginning.  Last Tuesday we went to the temple and got to do a session with the Nihongin.  That was so cool.  They are seriously the sweetest people in the world!  (We get our own batch next week and I am so excited!) After that, we went outside to take some pictures and I learned a new phrase that will earn me a lot of points in Japan.  So you know how when we take pictures we say "Say Cheese...Cheese!"  Well they say "ichi tasu ichi wa...ni!" Which means, "1 + 1 is...2!"　いちたすいちは。。。に Whenever I say it the Nihongin always get so excited.  Also, this solves the mystery of why they are always holding up the peace sign.  It's actually the #2.  Haha that was a fun fact.  Also, this one Nihongin missionary I love always comes up to me and gives me a huge hug and says, "Sega takai!"　せがたかい (You're so tall!) They are always so happy and so fun to be around.  They left yesterday making me officially...a diasempai!!  I'm so excited!  I get my travel plans next week! Cannot even wait!

Then, in breaking news, a virus hit the MTC Tuesday night.  Over 100 people went to the hospital and there were lines in the morning to the health center.  Security guards were walking around all night escorting Elders to give people blessings. 27 girls from one building alone were already sick and throwing up by 10pm that night. 3 out of the 6 girls in my room alone got sick.  Don't worry, I stood strong. Only 2 out of the 6 boys got sick, but they are expecting another round of it.  Currently, handshakes are prohibited. So that sickness brought on a little bit of drama. Everyone that was sick went back to class half of thursday. Come Friday, everyone was better except for my companion...naturally.  She kind of milks her sickness and we all get really sick of it.  So Friday morning everyone is ready to go, but Womack is still in her bed.  Then Douglas just goes, "Womack, get up! No one wants to stay in the room with you so get up and try to embrace the day!"  A seconds later, Womack chucked her stuffed animal at Douglas, but she missed and it hit Bevan.  Then a few minuted later, she abruptly gets off her bed and heads out to the stairwell. No one knew what to think.  Mason tried talking to her but she wouldn't say anything.  When all of the other girls left for breakfast she came back in the room, slammed the door, and said, "Alright let's go to breakfast!" I said it was okay because the other girls were bringin us food and that she could go back to bed.  She then said it didn't matter because she was already up.  The rest of the day continued like that.  She wouldn't talk to anyone and just sat there with a harsh look on her face.  Anyway, she started feeling better once Todd Sensei taught, but then was sick again when Willard Sensei taught, so we went back to the dorm during that lcass period.  She then told me that it must have seemed that she was really mad this morning, but that she really wasn't.  I asked her why she chucked the stuff animal and she said is was because it hurt her stomach.  I'm not fully convinced of that story...but either way, things are good now and all of us are back to normal.

This past Saturday, the mission presidents came.  I thought the food was bad before!  They moved all of the missionaries into the gym to eat so the mission presidents could have the cafeteria.  Now we have only one choice for each meal and hardly ever any fruits or vegetables.  It's been rough.  Luckily we are back to normal come Thursday.  Also because the MP are here and many apostles, there is so much security around the building they are in.  We aren't ever allowed in the main building.

So Sunday was the broadcast.  It was so cool to have the apostles all so close to us.  They always turned around and smailed and waved to the missionaries.  I loved that! Also I was on the front row so I was pretty close.  I was hoping the prophet would be there, but I here is is still pretty heartbroken.  However, an elder in our branch got to serve him the sacrament.  Now that would be an experience to tell your kids.  While I was at the broadcast, I ran into some friends and they just made my day!  First I got to see Millie from my dietetics program! Man I just love her!  Then I got to see Emily (that is where the picture was from) and I saw Holly Anderson (did you know she's pregnant with a baby girl?). Then I also got to see Ginger and Viv!  They went to Newport with me- they are the two who know G&G.  I loved seeing them and it made me so happy to see their bright smiling faces!  I love seeing friends!  Also, while I was there, I was able to spot out Pres Samuelian.  I kept my eyes on him and raced down to go talk to him after the braodcast, but he was talking with his daughter who is in the MTC, so I let him be.  I was a little sad about that because they are under so much security, I knew I would probably never see them before Wednesday.  Well, I was determined.  Monday after lunch, I stood by the doors of 1M and opened the door for the MPs as they were leaving from lunch.  I saw about 50 couples, but not the Samuelians.  I saw WIllard Sensei's parents twice even!  So finally I gave up.  I went to drop Womack off at a doctor's appointment  and the lady escorting me back told me to have the front desk deliever him a note.  Genious idea!  So I went to class and while I was there, Willard pulled me aside and talked to me about my companionship.  He noticed it was difficult, especially because in the last lesson we taught him, I spoke for maybe 1 minute total, and he could tell I wasa little upset.  He sympathized with me and gave me some advice.  It was really great, because sometimes when I talk to the Branch presidency about it, I get the feeling as though all the problems in the companionship are my fault.  I know they don't actually think that, but I sometimes get that vibe.  So it was nice for someone to sympathize and encourage me to push along.  Then, while others were teaching, I went to drop off the note to the front desk. While going there, I saw Willard Sensei's parents who are also MPs and asked if they could deliver the note instead.  They accepted and I was so grateful.  Then after dinner I was in class and a knock came from the door and the Samuelians popped their heads in.  It made my day!  I love talking with them.  They pulled me aside and we went and talked for a bit.  They said they went to the front desk and they asked if they could see me.  The front desk people told them that they could do whatever they wanted.  I told them next time they should pull me out when an apostle is around.  So we talked for a bit and then he gave me a blessing.  Seriously, it was one of the best blessings I have ever had.  Every single question I had was answered in that blessing!  I love priesthood blessings! So then I said goodbye and they said they would try and see me again before they left.  I hope I get to see them again, but if not, I was so so happy to see them last night. Best day yet.

So also last week, the shimaitachi had a meeting with some RM shimai form Japan.  They gave some pretty helpful tips.  Did you know that in Japan, their toothpaste tastes like fish?  That is disgusting!  Who in their right mind would want their breath to smell like fish rather than minty freshness? Luckily I think I have 5 or so tubes of my own and I may buy some more at the bookstore before I leave.

So there's my update for the week.  Also, I hope everyone else has a great week!  Love you all and thanks for all the letters, emails, and packages.  You all are great!

Ai shite imasu! あいしています

Ellsworth エルスワス Shimai  しまい

With some of the Nihongin at the temple

Damron and I were twins for the broadcast 

An MTC classic with Damron Douglas 

 Murray Shimai and I- she is my favorite and so funny!