HOLY RAMEN NOODLES

Konnichiwa Kazoku!

HOLY RAMEN NOODLES, I'm leaving this week! Booyah! (That's for you Jake, and your precious son, Cooper.) I was going to say, HOLY GUACAMOLE, but that didn't seem as fitting. Yeah, so basically today is really crazy because we have to do everything for Monday because tomorrow, we have a 10 hour orientation, and then Saturday and Sunday everything is closed and we won't be able to get anything done then, so, yeah. I hope I can get everything done in time. 

My new name tag.

This week has been really long... especially since we got our flight plans last Friday. I'm dying to get going! Nihon ni ikitai desu ne! (I WANT TO GO TO JAPAN!!) Mom, don't worry about sending me a calling card. I bought one here with like 200 minutes on it. So, I should be good. I don't think I need anything else. The bags you sent me should work. They're kinda weird but I'll find a use for them! Everything you sent me was perfect. Yeah, the backpack is going to work great and I LOVE the coloring books and eggs and everything you sent :) I liked the shoe inserts, those will work great.

I GOT MY FLIGHT PLANS!

This week was... eventful I think. I can't really remember. On Friday we got our travel plans and that was a lot of fun. We are all pretty much traveling all the way to Tokyo together so that will be awesome. From there everyone going to Kobe will go on a different flight and then those of us going to Fukuoka will do likewise. So that was fun to hear. We thought Kobe missionaries were going to leave a day later but apparently not! It's good! Let's see... Saturday... can't remember.... Sunday. Oh yeah! Sunday was testimony meeting and we have like a billion Nihonjin in our branch right now but one of my goals was to give my testimony in Japanese before I left the MTC and I did it! 

 

I said: 

Watashitachi wa Kamisama no kodomotachi da toshitemasu. (I know we are God's children.)

Iesu Kirisuto no aganai ni yotte shiawase o kanjiru koto ga deki da toshitemasu. (Through Christ's Atonement, I know we can feel happiness.)

Kamisama no ai o kanjiru koto ga deki masu. (I can feel God's love.)

Iesu Kirisuto wa watashitachi no sukuinushi desu. (Christ is our Savior.) 

Kono fukuin wa honto ni taisetsu desu. (This gospel is really important.)

Iesu Kirisuto no mina ni yotte, o akashi shimasu, Amen. (In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.)

First of all, pretend all of that is in characters and really cool. I'm not sure how to type characters yet. Anyways, yep. It was short, but I did it. And I'm pretty sure it was all grammatically correct, but who knows! Bahaha. I totally pulled a "Caroline" and went up at the last second trying to determine which need was greater. The need to breath at a normal rate or the need to give my testimony. I guess my breathing didn't really matter so much. There was like five seconds left and I was freaking out because that was one of my goals and if I didn't do it I would be mad at myself, so I just got up and did it and I felt much much better, because what I did say were things that I truly knew to be true. 

An egg I decorated.

On Tuesday we had a good devotional from Elder Teh and his wife, Grace Teh. They were really interesting to listen too. Sister Teh's address, in particular, was interesting to me. They are from the Philippines and she brought a toy car. She called it a "jeep ne?" I think. It's like a cross between a bus and a Jeep. She was telling us how she likes the seat in the back by the door and she proceeded to fill the car with polly pockets and all sorts of small people and she just kept filling it up and up and up and put things and people on the top and on the front hood and holding onto the back and on the sides, and she was saying how she got kinda frustrated when she was in the car because more and more people were loading on and more and more stuff until it was packed. And she said that sometimes in our lives we feel over loaded, but we shouldn't feel like we have no way out. God is always there to help us when we feel like we are just overburdened. She talked about how through our weaknesses, God helps us learn other skills to make up for what we lack, and our weaknesses help us to rely on Him. It was just a really interesting talk and I enjoyed it. 

We have basically learned everything we can here at the MTC, so these next few days are going to be long. However, I do have quite the good amount of junk food to get me through :) 

We all loved the Peeps!

I'm not sure when my P-Day is in the field, I'm hoping I get to email you at least to let you know I got there safely. I'm not sure exactly when I'll get to call. Mom, when is Dad leaving that day? I want to make sure I can talk to you both at home if I can. Maybe just let me know. I'm thinking I'll be able to call you around 9:30-10:30ish. But I'm not really sure. If we don't have time or if there are too many of us to all use the pay phones in the SLC airport, some of us might have to call when we are in Seattle, but I'm really hoping I can just call you in Salt Lake and leave it at that. We will see. I'm sorry I don't have a better estimation for you. The last day I'll get mail is on Friday because Saturday the post office is closed for Conference and then I'll leave Monday morning, so.. keep that in mind.  

So, I'm kinda panicking a little bit because one of our teachers was telling us about some of the food he tried and one particular dish he tried was where they take a squid, literally grind it's insides in a blender down to a paste, and then chop the rest of it up in tiny pieces and then put it all together and eat it. Oh my gosh I might die. Also, they eat Nato which is soy beans that are fermented and then it's like this beany, goopy crap that you have the pleasure--or not so pleasureful experience--of having it slip down your throat until it can hit your lower intestines. Yeah... I'm not sure how I'm going to survive. Oh my lanta...You just wait until I actually get there and I can give you first-hand experiences.

I honto ni (really) wish I could be home for Easter and General Conference! I'm so jealous of you all... lounging around in your jammies all day. Geeze. But oh well. I'll live right? :) I have a wonderful mother who sent me a Spongebob coloring book. So.. I'll be happy. :)

Okay, I sent Aunt Cindy a letter but it got returned for having the wrong address. Can someone find her address for me? Also, I've put Laura's name in the Provo temple and I've been praying really hard for her. Please give Lauren and Jake and Lillie and Cooper hugs for me, and remind them I'm their favorite and also let Marg and Scott know that I love them too, and anyone else you feel needs to hear that I love them, let them know because I really do most likely love them. :)

Hey Okassan, send me the lyrics to Danny Boy would ya? I can't remember the words. 

Beautiful trees by the Temple.

Well, holy moly, pray for me. It's been fun and dandy here at the MTC but on Monday I'm shipping out. I'm going to be Kirisuto no Senkyoshi (Christ's missionary) in Japan! I can't wait to make friends and have neat experiences and try my best. I can't wait to just get there and start working. I know the Lord is watching out for me, but more importantly, He is preparing others to be ready to hear the message of the gospel. I know you are all being watched over as well. I love you so much. I'll see you back in the states in 16 months! Sorry this letter was kinda short. I'm running out of interesting things to say. I'll have a LOT to say next week!

Ai shite imasu!

Raines Shimai.