July 28, 2013

Dear family!!!

So even though there hasnt been a whole bunch of progress with our investigators, this has been such a crazy busy week! We are working so hard and striving each day to bring people closer to Christ. Just a heads up, the mail takes about 10 days to get here... So be aware!

  

Last week, we went to Nagano City to street dendo. So while we were there... We talked to about 30 people, but it was so funny because I would go up to people and say something to them and they would literally JUMP out of alarm... And then we:d get past the whole awkward -you just jumped because of me- and just talk. But the point of this is: how sad is that?!?!? People seriously don:t expect me to be able to say anything. So as we were walking down the street, we saw this girl who lookoed like she spoke English. So we both got knid of stoked. so we created a plan: we would go into this starbucks, buy a cinnamon roll and then sit next to her and speak in englihs and of course she would talk to us right..? haaha so we did and we:re just having a grand old time for about 10 minutes and then she LEAVES. We both look at each other and say NOOOOOOOOO. So whatevs. We leave. So we stopped by this Olympic thing in Nagano City and asked this lady to take a picture for us. We then started talking to her about Eikaiwa and about the Mormon church and she was SO INTERESTED. Mind you- that never happens. So we gave her a card and she is hopefully coming tomorrow night. We:re dying of excitement because she was so sweet and young and would be an awesome investigator. So as we:re walking down this cool street. (I have a picture of it with all the decorations and everything) We see the girl who looks like she speaks English. Me and Smith Shimai just about jumped out of our pants we were so excited. So I went up to her and asked her where she was from and she was from the UK. So we ended up talking to her for about 10 minutes. She was so cool and was part of some program. She said there is this cool festival in Nagano City soon and we could totally go together. So we:re stoked because we:re trying to really get to know her and then we could maybe introduce her to our purpose as missionaries.

We teach personal eikaiwa to this lady every week. She works for some business and this Chinese guy speaks and so she can:t understand it so we translate ti. So it was so awesome because I guess usually she grudgingly endures the message at the end of eikaiwa, but this last meeting was SO GREAT. She was asking so many questions about our church, and our purpose as missionaries. She had thought we were like the buddhist priests, so we needed to clear up THAT IMMEDIATELY. Hahaha. At the end we talked about eternal families and the spirit was so strong. so this week we are inviting her to take the lessons... Cross your fingers! I hope her heart will be softened.

We had a member FHE last week, and all four of us sisters were able to go. I have literally never seen so much food in my life. they cooked everything possible for a human to eat. So I am thinking *oh crap... we have to eat all of that* and then as we sit down and are having a good old time, she CONTINUES to bring out more and more food. Grant Shimai doesn:t really like Japanese food, so her face was hilarious. Fortunately, my tongue has been culturally educated, but that doesn:t change the absurd amount of food they fed us. I honestly never thought it was going to end. Hahaha it was so yummy, but man that was a LOT of food. The Japanese people drink this tea that honestly tastes like cigarette buds put in water, and they drink it at every meal. My comp always says she loves it, and I:m trying to love ti but that is one rough beverage.

We got to meet with President Yamashita last week! He is so great. But it came with some terrifying news. I am going to be a TRAINER after my 12 weeks of being a bean!!! IS taht not so scary? I feel like it is. SO anyway, he told Sister Smith that I have the attitude necessary and my main issue will be the language... So great, I can have a good attitude, but the problem is that I DO NOT SPEAK JAPANESE!!!! Hahahaha. Everything is in kanji everywhere and I don:t understand it. I am always lost and somehow i am going to be a trainer after 12 weeks? I:m working so hard so my bean doesn:t have to suffer. Anyway... Absolutely crazy. Trying not to think about it to prevent a heart attack.

Yesterday we received a referral from one of the members (YAY) She has been working on this lady for a while now and she is her hair stylist. So she said: sisters, don:t you need a hair cut? we said :you know what, I think i do! Haha. SO anyway, we are going to go talk to her today. I might cut off a bunch of my hair because it is so blasted hot here in Japan. I sweat so much and it:s disgusting. DOn:t get freaked out it will still be longish. We:re thinking the more we cut the more sacrifice, the more time we have to talk to her... THe things we do to help people come unto CHrist.

So sister smith is from an hour away from Tokyo. She:s so great! She studied at BYU/BYUHI/BYUID. She got here in April and has been in Nagano since she got here. We have fun together, but we work hard too! Her dad was American and her mom Japanese.

I:ll be honest, the language is SO HARD. It:s really hard not to get discouraged, but there:s not really anything i can do about it. So I just work harder. I just wish I could be fluent already Read D&C 78:17-20. I:m learning a lot of patience. I totally have a headache by about 2:00, you are so right. I am trying so hard to understand what people say. Fortunately Smith shimai can translate sometimes to help me out. I miss American food! Japanese food is really yummy, but I just miss my limitless supply of fruit chicken and broccoli. It:s so expensive here. I have been trying to be adventurous with the things I eat.... It hasn:t bitten me in the butt until yesterday. So we had some ward potluck after church and there were these things that looked really yummy (LOOKED) so I harmlessly grabbed one. This lady told me that they were super Japanesey and I probably wouldn:t like them, but I was like *oh it:s cool! I love Japanese food! I:m trying new things!* BIG MISTAKE. So i just take a little tiny bite and I swear to you I saw my death. It was so disgusting and I just immediately swallowed it and was gagging for like 2 minutes after that. Basically, my body hated it. So Katsuta Shimai wanted it and I gave it to ehr... It was seriously so so so gross. Grant Shimai just laughed at me and said that:s how she feels after everything. Man, that was rough.

This week we have the chance to get in contact with more of our investigators! They:ve all been really busy, so we:re hoping that we can get them progressing again. We also have several potential investigators that might go in that direction! So I have an exciting week ahead. We:re trying to find some new people to teach as well! We only have our 3 investigators...

Every day is exhausting. It is so hot, we ride our bike everywhere and up these absurd mountains, I don:t understand what is going on (ALWAYS), I have a constant headache, my butt is sore from riding a bike, I miss American food, almost everyone we talk to rejects us, but I:m okay with it! It:s hard, but I am ultimately doing what I was called to do: preach the gospel! I am testifying of what I KNOW without a doubt to be true, and THAT is what makes me happy!!!! People may not realize it, but they are coming closer to Christ. I love this gospel, it is so true. Every day I receive strength from Christ. I LOVE  being an instrument in His hands. It never ceases to be incredible! I love you so much, you:re in my prayers!!!

Love,

Sister Crofts

 ALSO--- people are so respectful here. I absolutely love it. I always bow my head whenever I make eye contact with someone and THEY ALWAYS DO IT BACK. They are always so kind. I love the Japanese people, coolest culture ever! 

Gelato with Ezaki Kyoudai after visiting less active members   

  

 

  

Seriously is it not the most beautiful place in the world??

Natsu Matsuri! (Summer festival) 

Lesson at Sister Asai's house. Hanyu Kyouko chan. 

July 22, 2013

子に痴話 渡しの家族

WELL I:M IN JAPAN!!!! SORRY THIS　IS ALL IN CAPS... ITS THIS OR JAPANESE AND I DON:T THINK　YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND MUCH OF THAT... WELL, THAT MAKES TWO OF US! HAHA. THE FLIGHT WAS ABSOLUTELY SO LONG, BUT IT WAS COOL AND I COULD DO IT. WE BEGAN OUR TRAVELS AT 530 THAT MORNING AND　DIDN:T GET TEHRE UNTIL 230 AM UTAH TIME. SOOO CRAZY. I HAD HAD A TON OF PRACTICE IN THE MTC WITH THAT SO IT REALLY WASN:T TOO BAD. I DIDN:T SLEEP ON THE PLAIN BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO PREVENT JET LAG... THAT MAY HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE MORE STUPID DECISIONS OF MY MISSION. THIS WHOLE LAST WEEK I AHVE BEEN SO EXHAUSTED IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY. I DON:T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING THAT ANYONE SAYS, I HAVE TO SPEAK THIS LANGUAGE I DON:T KNOW ON THE SPOT AND　I:M OUT ALL DAY LONG. SO IN RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTIONS... I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THE YAMASHITAS. THEY ARE INCREDIBLE. AFTER WE GOT OFF OF THE FLIGHT WE WENT TO THE MISSION HOME　ＤAND HAD SOME FOOD THERE AND TEHN WENT TO BED. JAPAN IS HONESTLY THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE I:VE EVER SEEN. IT TRULY DOES TAKE MY BREATH AWAY. THAT NEXT MORNING WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A MEETING WITH YAMASHITAS.. HE FOCUSED A LOT ON HOW MUCH HE TRUSTS US AND LOVES US AND HOW WE NEED TO BE CREATIVE IN OUR 伝度　BECAUSE THE OLD METHODS AREN:T REALLY WORKING. WE THEN WENT TO THE CHURCH AND i WAS HONESTLY SHAKING IW AS SO EXCITED. SO WE COME IN AND THEY:RE SINGING CALLED TO SERVE (ALL THE TRAINERS) AND MY NERVES WERE UP THE WAZOO. SO I GO UP AND AM SO EXCITED (KEEP IN MIND THAT i SERIOUSLY HAD BEEN PRAYING AND HOPING i WOULD GO TO NAGANO. WHY? i DON:T KNOW.　i JUST REALLY FELT LIKE I NEEDED　TO BE THERE.) i DIDN:T WANT TO GET MY HOPES UP THOUGH, BECAUSE i KNEW REGARDLESS I WOULD BE HAPPY. SO THEY PRESIDENT YAMASHITA SAYS I HAVE BEEN CALLED TO NAGANO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I:M SO STOKED. THEN, TO TOP IT OFF, YOUR TRAINER WILL BE:::::::::::::: AMY SMITH, FROM JAPAN!!!!! SO SHE:S HALF, FLUENT IN BOTH, AND ABSOLUTELY THE CUTEST/GREATEST EVER. I DON:T THINK I:VE EVER BEEN SO EXCITED IN MY LIFE. i LOOKED LIKE A GOON I WAS SMILING SO MUCH. HAHAHA. SO ANYWAY.... THEN WE WENT AND GOT JAPANESE FOOD, KIND OF SOME RAMEN, SUPER YUMMY. NEVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE. OH! aND BEFORE I FORGET, GRANT SHIMAI LIVES IN MY APARTMENT WITH ME SO WE ARE TOGETHER ADN IT:S TOTALLY AWESOME. WE THEN WENT ON THIS 4 HOUR LONG TRAIN RIDE TO NAGANO.　THE WHOLE TIME I WAS JUST IN AWE OF HOW HOT IT IS, HOW LUCKY I AM, HOW GREAT LIFE IS, HOW I DON:T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING, HOW I CAN:T READ ANYTHING, HOW BEAUTIFUL JAPAN IS, HOW I STAND OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB AND YEAH... ANYWAY! THAT NIGHT WE WENT TO MEET WITH THE BISHOP AND WARD MISSION LEADER AND THEY TALKED TO OUR TRAINERS FOR 2 HOURS AND I WAS SOOOO DEAD. I WAS TRYING TO STAY AWAKE AND TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WERE SAYING, BUT ME AND GRANT SHIMAI WERE STRUGGLING. THE FIRST 3 DAYS WERE PROBABLY THE LONGEST DAYS OF MY LIFE. THE JET LAG, KILLED ME. I WAS ABSOLUTELY SLAUGHTERED BY IT. YOU KNOW, IT:S COOL BECAUSE I DON:T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING AND IT DRIVES ME CRAZY AND SOMETIMES　MAKES ME QUESTION WHAT GOD WAS THINKING WHEN HE SENT ME HERE, BUT IT:S AWESOME BECAUSE I ALWAYS JUST TRY TO SMILE AND MAKE THE BEST OUT OF IT. I CANT HELP ANYONE BY BEING A DOWNER ON HOW LITTLE JAPANESE I KNOW. I LEARNED THAT I HAVE BEEN SAYING PLEASE WRONG THROUGHOUT THE MTC, SO BASICALLY... STARTING FROM SQUARE ONE AGAIN. HAHAHA LUCKILY I HAVE SMITH 姉妹 WHO KNOWS JAPANESE AND CAN GET US AROUND. THERE WAS ONE DAY LAST WEEK WHERE WE WENT TO A HOME THAT HAD PEOPLE WITH ALZHEIMERS. I WENT IN　AND TRIED TO TALK TO THEM, AND JUST ENDED UP DOING A WHOLE BUNCH OF NODDING AND SMILING. IT WAS FUN, I COULDN:T TELL YOU ONE THING ANYONE SAID. HAHAHA. BUT THEN AFTER, ONE OF THE ELDERS (OH BY THE WAY WE HAVE SIX MISSIONARIES IN NAGANO) BUT HE TOLD ME THAT OUR WARD MISSION LEADER MENTIONED ME WHILE WE WERE TALKING HE SAID (IN　JAPANESE OF COURSE) *NOW THAT:S A GOOD MISISONARY RIGHT THERE. EVEN THOUGH SHE DOESN:T KNOW ANYTHING, SHE USES THE LANGUAGE SHE DOES HAVE AND JUST TRIES AND OPENS HER MOUTH.* SO THAT MADE ME KIND OF HAPPY THAT PEOPLE RECOGNIZE THAT I:M REALLY TRYING.　THAT DAY, WE WENT ON THE TRAIN AND I TALKED TO EVERYONE, YOU KNOW ME. THERE WAS ONE ENGLISH COUPLE WHO I TALKED TO QUITE A BIT AND GAVE A PAMPHLET. BUT WITH EVERYONE ELSE, I JUST ROCKED MY GEIJING POWER!!!! THEY SERIOUSLY LOVE ME... NOT TO BE COCKY, BUT THEY DO! THEY ARE SO FASCINATED THAT I CAN SAY ANYTHING. EVERYONE ALWAYS SAYS HOW *SKILLED* MY　日本語 IS... BUT THEYRE JUST SAYING THAT BECASUE THEYRE KIND. SO ANYWAY, OUR GOALS FOR OPENING OUR MOUTHS BEFORE I CAME WAS LIKE 2-3, BUT THEN ONCE I JOINED THE RANKS OUR GOALS ARE 15-20... hAHAHA I:LL BE HONEST, I SOUND LIKE AN IDIOT. BUT IM TRYING. I CANNOT ASK FOR THE GIFT OF TONGUES IF I:M NOT OPENING MY MOUTH. MY BIKE WAS... GET READY FOR THIS... 400 DOLLARS!!! ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. THE GUY WE GO TO IS A POTENTIAL INVESTIGATOR, BUT HE GIVES ALL OF THE MISSIONARIES AN AWESOME DEAL. IT WAS AN OVER 600 DOLLAR BIKE THAT HE GAVE ME FOR 400!　I SERIOUSLY LUCKED OUT SO MUCH. SO I GOT A BASKET... AND A MOUNTAIN BIKE SINCE WE:RE IN NAGANO AND IT:S A HUGE AREA. FROM OUR APARTMENT, WE CAN GO BY TRAIN AN HOUR EACH WAY AND STILL BE IN OUR AREA. THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE I:M RESPONSIBLE FOR... BUT NONE OF THEM SEEM TO BE INTERESTED IN THE GOSPEL. KIND OF A BUMMER AND I DON:T KNOW HOW TO HELP THEM SOMETIMES. TODAY ME AND SMITH 姉妹 WERE DENDOING AN AREA AND　NOBODY WAS INTERESTED. WE WERE GOING TO LEAVE BUT THEN WE DECIDED TO DENDO ONE MORE HOUSE AND THE MAN WAS SUPER SWEET AND HAD LISTENED TO THE MISSIONARIES BEFORE. HE SAID IN A GENTLE AND KIND VOICE *I KNOW WHO YOU ARE* AND IT WAS LIKE ... WHOA. SO COOL. LONG STORY SHORT HE:S NOW A PE AND WE:RE VISITING HIM NEXT WEEK. MOST OF OUR INVESTIGATORS AND POTENTIAL INVESTIGATORS ARE RELATIVELY OLDER... SO WE:RE TRYING TO GET MORE YOUTH INVOLVED。 MOST OF OUR STREET CONTACTING AND EVERYTHING HAS TO DO WITH OUR ENGLISH CLASSES WE TEACH. THEY:LL LISTEN TO THAT BECASUE IT:S FREE AND RELIGION IS NOT RELAVENT. SO WE PASS OUT SO MANY OF THOSE. IT:S AWESOME BUT I REALLY WISH SOMEITMES THAT WE COULD JUST TEACH ABOUT CHRIST FROM THE GET GO INSTEAD OF HAVING TO FIND ALL OF THESE WAYS TO GET PEOPLE TO LISTEN. KIND OF HARD. YESTERDAY WE HAD A LESSON AT ONE OF OUR AWESOME RM MEMBERS HOUSES. ONE OF OUR POTENTIAL INVESTIGATORS CAME AND IT WAS SO FUN AND WE TALKED ABOUT FEELING GODS LOVE THROUGH THE BOM. WE ARE NOW IN　THE WAITING PROCESS OF WHERE SHE:S AT BECAUSE SHE HAS SOME DEPRESSION ISSUES AND DOESN:T LIKE TO BE PUSHED. SHE:S IN HER 20S THOUGH SO THAT IS REFRESHING! I HAVE NEVER EATEN SO MUCH RICE AND NOODLES IN MY LIFE... IT:S DELICIOUS THOUGH AND I:M TRYING TO ENJOY NEW THINGS. WE:RE SWITCHING OFF COOKING STARTING THIS WEEK AND I DON:T KNOW HOW TO DO IT BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS IN KANJI AND I CAN:T READ IT. HAHAHA SO PICTURES HAVE BECOME MY BEST FRIEND. YOU KNOW, THIS IS SO HARD. IT:S HARD TO STAY POSITIVE, BUT THROUGH THE SAVIOR I FEEL SO MUCH JOY ALL OF THE TIME. EVEN THOUGH IT FEELS LIKE NOBODY IS INTERESTED, ITS STILL FUN AND IM STILL FULFILLING MY PURPOSE BECAUSE IM OUT WORKING HARD AND TESTIFYING. I AM IN A BRANCH THAT IS SO SMALL... ITS CRAZY. I CAN:T BELIEVE HOW MUCH I HAVE TAKEN FOR GRANITE. I LIVE IN THIS CUTE LITTLE APARTMENT WITH 4 OF US SISTERS (GRANT しまい AND HER JAPANESE COMP-I STAND OUT SO MUCH. SMITH 姉妹 IS SO LITTLE BECAUSE SHE:S JAPANESE... AND WHEN WE:RE ON TEH STREET I ALWAYS SAY KONNICHIWA TO EVERYONE AND THEN THE LITTLE KIDS ALWAYS SAY *HELLLLOOOOOo!!! AND THEN GAWK AT THE FACT THAT I:M AMERICAN AND POINT AND STUFF... IT:S KIND OF UNREAL. HAHAHAHA. ESPECIALLY SINCE　I:M IN NAGANO. THERE IS NO DIVERSITY. I:M TRYING TO EMBRACE THE CULTURE, PEOPLE ARE SO KIND AND RESPECTFUL HERE. IT:S HONESTLY INCREDIBLE. I HAVE NEVER BEEN SOMEWHERE WHERE I FELT SO LOVED AND RESPECTED. THESE PEOPLE ARE SO CHRISTLIKE... NEXT STEP IS HELPING THEM TO KNOW WHO HE IS! I REALLY HOPE TO HERE FROM YOU SOON! IF YOU EVER GET THE CHANCE, COULD YOU SEND ME THAT BIKE CUSHION? I AM REGRETTING NOT TAKING YOU UP ON THAT OFFER. thE CHURCH IS TRUE!　I LOVE YOU!!!

愛、

CROFTS 姉妹

Cox and Culotta Shimai

Brady Shimai

First impression in the airport: SHOCKED. 

Called to NAGANO!! Sister Smith from Yokohama Japan. 

Tempura Udon

The train ride!

Grapes by the old folks home.

My first  bowl of REAL ramen. 

View of a little village from the train. 

OUR BIKES>

First taste of Japanese caked. Not very sweet, but yummy. We went with Ezaki Kyoudai a sister and the elders. 

Grocery stores in Japan. 

Roommate dinners! 

July 9, 2013 letter 
Konnichiwa!!!!!

I am now on my LAST week of the MTC!!!!!!!!! I feel like I've been here forever, in fact I'm struggling to remember my past life before the MTC;) Just kidding. The sense of time is crazy here, people should honestly study it because it is the most fascinating thing I've ever experienced. Time is FLYING BY, but NOT. I will be in JAPAN before I know it!!!!! Can you believe it?!?!?!?! Ahhh I am so excited/scared/nervous/excited/whoa/EXCITED....

I leave for Japan on the 15th of July! So I need to be at the travel office of the MTC at 5:30. We then go to the SLC airport and we'll probably be there at 7 AM. Our flight is at 9:00, so you can expect a PHONE CALL FROM ME between 8-9 that time. I am so excited to talk to my beloved family! Unfortunately we didn't plan our timing as well, so I won't be at the SLC airport at the same time as you at all... However, I am kind of grateful that I won't see you because I feel like it would be really hard to focus again and it would be insanely ridiculous to say goodbye again. I am in the missionary "zone" and seeing my family for a few short seconds would kind of break my heart. Weird how that works right? Anyway! I am so excited to talk to you on the phone though, that will be absolutely wonderful! I am on delta so I will try to do the sky miles. My flight numbers are 2348 & 629 I then fly to Detroit Michigan and will arrive there at 2:28. We then leave detroit at 3:50 and then arrive in NAGOYA at 5:50 on July 16th.... So technically speaking I will be having a 48 hour plane ride... But in reality it's between 18 and 19 hours of travelling, which sounds like complete and utter misery. You know that I struggle sitting still on our one hour drive to Park City, so pray that I'll be able to endure this absurd amount of suffering! Hahahaha it's honestly unreal. AND THEN, not to mention, we arrive in Nagoya and begin proselyting IMMEDIATELY. When I start thinking about that, fear the size of 2 universes begins to creep into my soul. Hahaha I'm SO scared. It's going to be one rude awakening, that's for sure. But you know, I've worked SO hard in the MTC! I really feel like I've dedicated myself. Maybe I could have spoken Japanese more with my companions, but either way it's still going to be so rough when I get to Japan. I am excited though! When I need to speak fluent Japanese, I will. Because I am an instrument to GOD!!!

This week has been so awesome. I have never experienced the Spirit so constantly, and so strong. I love the power of being a missionary. Last Wednesday (i think) it rained and all of us sisters just played outside in it for stress reliever. It was honestly hilarious and we were dying of laughter. I have grown so close to these sisters! We all are always laughing and going crazy together. It's so fun because we're all just the greatest of friends and we push each other to be better missionaries. Each of these sisters are so incredible and I love them with all my heart! When I get home from my mish, I think I am going to room with Micky shimai. So I gave her your e-mail (dad) and her mom will talk to you when it's closer. I'll keep you posted if the plans change. On the 4th of July, it was honestly like being at BYU during Halloween. EVERYONE was wearing super over the top red, white and blue all day saying "I LOVE AMERICA!!!" Hahahaha it was absolutely unreal. It blew my mind how prepared everyone was to celebrate the holidays. We really do appreciate the little things as missionaries. We went to a devotional that night and the guy talked about how we have a message that will literally "FREE" people and it was awesome. We then watched 17 miracles. I had never seen it, but it honestly changed my life! I never want to complain again! I am so so so lucky. So if you've already seen it, watch it again. When they announced we were watching it everyone was screaming "A MOVIE!?!?!" My comps turned to me and said "Crofts Shimai, you are going to BAUL." Boy were they right. It was so good. All I have to do is what the Savior asks and give others everything I have. I am putting my whole heart into this work and will not hold back anything from God. After that, we went and watched fireworks at the back of the MTC from the stadium of fire. All the missionaries were singing patriotic songs and it was hilarious. We were out there until 11, and then we were allowed to go back to bed. And I thought, you know... The fireworks were great and all, but I would have rather been in bed early. I can guarantee we ALL never thought those words would ever come out of my mouth. I am SO good at waking up in the morning! Be super proud of me... ;)

We were released as Sister Training Leaders on Sunday... To say I was sad is the understatement of the century. I really love those girls. When they announced it in church all of the kohai sisters turned to each other and were like "noooooo!!!!" They still come to our room every night anyways. Gosh I love it! As always, I'm like besties with all the Nihonjin! We just laugh and make fools of ourselves and it is so fun. I feel like my face just has a permanent smile on it all the time.

When we teach our investigators, our lessons honestly go SO GOOD! We don't need any notes except for looking up the occasional word, and we just teach! The Spirit is always so strong and I can't help but think how lucky I am. We have really been focusing on the "WHY." A lot of times we worry about what they know, but if they don't feel and do anything, what's the point? As we  have done this, the strength of the Spirit in our lessons has been unbelievable. We always leave our lessons completely speechless, unable to say anything but "wow."

Last week, I was having a hard time not freaking about leaving for Japan this Monday. In fact, I was trying not to think about it because of how scared I was. I was praying so hard to help my heart be filled with peace and comfort. As I was reading during personal study, I came across D&C 67. PLEASE READ IT IMA (NOW). It talked about how "my prayers are heard, my heart is known, and my desires have come before Him"  "fears are in my heart and this is the reason that I did not receive" and then verse 10 just sends it all home. It was like a smack in the face, but it was SO UNBELIEVABLY GOOD!!!! Holy cow. That definitely humbled me a lot. Being afraid is not going to get me anywhere at this point or ever. All I can do is continue forward in faith. I DO have faith in the gift of tongues. I have a super long journey ahead of me, but it's all part of the fun. Next week, I am probably going to experience every type of shock known to man, but why not enjoy it? THis is a once in a lifetime opportunity! Ever since I read that scripture I have really been trying to strip myself of my fears and it's been amazing how much the Spirit has been with me since. I am so excited! AH!!!!!!

This church is true. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS GOSPEL!!! God knows each of us so personally. He will help us if we ask for help! Kazoku, this is going to be my last e-mail from the US. Next week, I will be e-mailing amongst the Asians!!! GAHHHH. Please freak out for me. Okay! Ai shitte imasu!!!!!

Love,

Crofts Shimai

NAGOYA BOUND. 

OUR SENSEIS. Tsukamoto, Holbrook & Beazer. 

4th of July fireworks! 

Teaching us the first vision! 

Crofts Shimai featured on the door! 

Devotional at the Marriot Center. 

Hosting for new missionaries! 

The sisters from my apaartmenat complex Glenwood!
McCall, Kelson, Emily Yankura, Michele,  Michele Norton. 

THE STASH. 

Candid shot. 

 Some of the sisters we got to serve:) 

Cute Sister Ito. 

Ellsworth Shimai. 

Mason Shimai. 

Sister Takei is from Nagano! 

President and Sister Mack! 

Sister Yamaguchi

Sister Edwards 

Sister Harris

Sister Scheffler

Sister Tenney

Sister Wilson

Sister Chenney

Sister Donnely