Monday, October 26, 2015

Between Funerals and Eyelashes

Konnichiwa Kazoku

Well, I started this week out by going to a funeral. A real Japanese
style funeral. If you want to know what that means you can look it up.
Now I understand why chopsticks have rules with them. Anyway, I had to
say the closing prayer at the service, and they seemed to really
appreciate it. So we were happy to go and it was a really really
culturally intriguing experience. Well we had to go across the ocean
on a ferry to get there too, so that was fun.

The ocean on our way to the funeral.

So, yes. Of course we have zone trainings. We have district meetings
too. Zone training is only once at the start of he transfer. Kagoshima
Zone is all of the missionaries in the Kagoshima area, Miyazaki area,
and Naze which is one of the islands. We have district meeting almost
every Tuesday. This last week we traveled to Sendai which is like a
two hour trip by train. It was the first time we have gone up there
this transfer. Sendai is north east of us. He last few times they have
come to Taniyama. Usually we get there at 9:30 do mogi and try to pass
off lesson mastery until 10:30 and then we have training until 12:00
and then we go out to eat all together. That's district meeting in a
nut shell. That's what we did on Tuesday. Oh we went out to eat Indo
Curry and it was way good. The Cheese nan is the best. And they have
really good rashii which is like a yogurt drink. Anyway, look it up if
you want. Ooooh maybe Pinterest would have a good recipe.

We had the most awesome lesson with out investigator this week too! We
had her come to the church and we were going to teach lesson three,
but we ended up only teaching the first half of it and then talking
about forgiveness. We were able to help her understand that through
the Atonement of Christ, all thing, whether they be our mistakes or
the mistakes of others and the personal consequences that come from
those things, can be made right. We told her that because Christ
forgives us for everything we do, all he asks is for us to love one
another and forgive each other. We were talking about the atonement
and repentance and she started to tear up and she smiled and said that
her heart feels warm. We were able to explain to her that that feeling
is the spirit, and that was God showing her that He cares about her as
an individual. She is super excited to hear more and we have a joint
lesson set up for this coming week. We are praying that she will be
able to continue to progress and make the steps towards baptism that
she needs to. We are trying really hard.

I also met Seirin San for the first time this week. She is an
investigator but she has been in China for the last month because
that's where she is from, but she is was cute too. She is coming to
church next week as well so we are praying that she will be more
seriously investigating soon.

We had two lunches with members this week. We had one with the Kaneko
family, they made us spaghetti and we had one with Kikunaga Shimai.
She made "pizza." It had fish, mayo, vegetables, oranges and ketchup
and cheese and Tabasco on it. It was interesting, she was really nice
to want to make us food though, and we were glad to do that with her.
However, Mom, usually we just eat at home. We make whatever we have.
Breakfast is always cereal for me, lunch and dinner just whatever.
Maybe like giyoza or yakisoba or mabodofu or something like that.

Eating lunch with Kikunaga Shimai.

Mom...make this. It's bread with cheese crusted on top and cheese in the middle. It's so good.....


I don't know about applying. I guess it wouldn't hurt. How would that
work though? I don't know if I can remember all my passwords to the
application stuff. The only thing is that BYU Idaho doesn't offer
Japanese courses, but Provo does, but I don't know, I like Idaho, but
then again.... I'm not sure. I haven't figured out my life plan yet.
Ahhh. The longest goals I have right now are till the end of this
mission, and then I guess it's going to be bad if I have no plan for
when I get back, but yeah, I don't know. I can apply. How does that
work while I am here? It takes time doesn't it? I would have to write
the essays and stuff again and update all my stuff because I have
served a mission and also (kinda) know a second language. Oh no! Real
life!

This week is Halloween, what is everyone going to be? If you don't
dress up you are no fun. We are planning a party and hope it turns out
but apparently they just scheduled a temple trip on the same day and
those take all day so... We will see who can come.

Here is my funny story for the week. Over the course of my mission I
have had a lot of comments about my eyelashes. Typically people here
just don't have long eyelashes, or like none at all. So I have been
told a variety of things about them. They are cute, they look fake,
they are scary, about two weeks ago I was told to get them trimmed,
and this last week I was told that they look like a fork. Then they
told me it looks like toothpicks, and then the next day, yesterday, at
church, she said they look like they are a spoon coming out of my eye,
yep. I get weird stuff about them all the time. Hey, I am sorry Mother
Nature works differently for different people. Anyway, moral of the
story, eyelashes are sometimes scary for people. Be careful out there
in the real world.

Well, I love you all. You all look happy. Don't get sick. Wash your
hands. Get a flu shot. Wipe your nose with a tissue not your fingers.
Eat vegetables. Get a variety of exercise, including marathon eating.
Keep your shoes on. Sneeze in your elbow. Drink warm water. Oh hey, by
the way mom, I have figured out how to make my stomach work better
since I've been on my mission! Yay for regularity!

I love you :)

Love,
Raines Shimai

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