From the mission president

Dear Brother & Sister LeFevre:

During this Christmas season, I wanted to write you a short e-mail and let you know how much Sister Albrecht and I love having your daughter in our mission. She is an absolutely great missionary. She works hard and loves serving Heavenly Father. We have seen great growth in her while she has been serving. You have raised her very well. Thanks for sharing her with us. Prior to her current transfer she served in the ward where the mission home is. We got to know her well and grew to love her. Have a great new year.

President Albrecht
Japan Tokyo Mission

I'm Dreaming of a White (baptism dress) Christmas!

Minnasan Konnichiwa!

Well, the week before Christmas and all through Tokyo, all the missionaries are stirring some gospel shouchou.

Anyway.. :) I Got your package family! Thank you everyone, this is such a happy time! And the members are all very nice and giving us extra food and presents too. The one bonus about having two wards is that we get two Christmas parties! Kohoku's was last week and this week will be Kanagawa.

Well, I'm trying to make this short, since we already stopped by a fish store today as some of 'my' P-day time :) My doryo doesn't really e-mail, only sometimes, so from now on I'm going to probably only e-mail sometimes too, and try to write at least some kind of little letter every week. Sorry, it may not be as reliably exciting on your end but I think it will make her really happy, since there's no convenient e-mail place here, it's a fifteen minute bike ride away at least. Anyway, so at least don't expect one this week since we'll be talking!! Yay, which speaking of that it'd probably be best to call sometime on our Christmas morning. maybe around 10am or so is good? I guess that's Christmas Eve there???.. I'll be waiting! I think Sakuma Shimai's parents will call at night so anytime should be ok. We have up to one hour to talk. And according to my president I am supposed to focus on sharing my missionary experiences and bearing testimony to you all :) I'll do my best. But I'd be happy just to hear about all of your lives!

This week has been good. Not much new yet. One new lady came to church.

Love you lots, talk soon!
Love LeFevre Shimai

December and Still sunny..!

Minnasan Konnichiwa!

Sorry about the very short e-mail last week! I was surprised how long reading the e-mails took, then the Librarian came up and told me my time was up. ! :( So this week I read fast :)

Well, I think Boots is a good name. It does sound like a very mischievious name too. And funny enough, I cut my bangs the other night too, they were getting a little too long. This growing out my hair hasn't been too bad but it has its days :)

As for warm weather clothes, I still have the wool jacket and way warm snow boots I brought with me from before. Gloves are ok but I don't have rain-proof gloves, so we'll stop at a store today I saw last week to get some. They are a little expensive, like 15 bucks, but they look sturdy and waterproof and warm, so I'm splurging. The only thing that still is a little problem is around/under my skirt cuz you can't really layer up on skirts... so I'm keeping my eye out for some nice warm leggings. It's pretty intense when it rains here because we still just bike everywhere anyway, with our big cappas (rainsuits) on and try not to get too wet. Still, in the end your either moist with sweat from the inside or moist with rain from outside... so either way we just ganbaru (do our best). I'm sure we get extra blessed and protected on those days! Oh and as for money, I've just been taking out money to use for personal items as I've had to. The things we can spend with missionary money and with our personal money are already decided. Clothes and bike stuff comes out of personal. Food and cleaning supplies (bathroom, etc.) comes from MSF (missionary ... fund) so as I've needed new nylons, a new bag, etc, I've been using personal money. Also if I run out of MSF.. but I try not too. This transfer we have a comp goal to really save our money, but other times I've had to pull a little out, meaning to pay it back but it never really happens... but that's ok, it's just a really expensive mission, and we already don't pay a quarter of what it's really costing for me to be here so I don't feel too bad to contribute a little more to the 'missionary fund'... as long as it's my money tho...sorry that Dad has to pay still maybe half too :(

Anyway, this week's been good.. It still hasn't frozen yet! At least to my knowledge.. I am so surprised! They say the coldest month here is actually Feb. So we'll see then. Our one really maybe progressing investigator Iwamoto kyodai, Brother Iwamoto, is the wife of a LA sister who is trying to regain her testimony. The missionaries have been working with her and him for the last year. He still doesn't know if he believe God exists or not but he's still willing to listen, and this last time was just really attentive and I have felt the spirit really strongly both visits so far, so I'm hopefull that means the spirit is working in him too, to help open his heart. I have faith we'll see great things from his family, and just can't help but feel the Lord really has a work for him to do.

Other than that, we're doing a lot of finding activities, which includes going to college campuses, eating at a curry restaraunt to befriend the owner who said 3 customers want to learn English--which could let us introduce the church to them, and a lot of biking to LA families talking to people on the streets along the way. There seems to be a trend of less people listening to us whenever it gets cold. I'm hoping we can find some more creative ways then, as it's still only getting colder from here on! Yikes!

And yeah, Sakuma shimai is still really fun, I'll have to send you pictures! I think our personalities are way similar, so we can really understand eachother even if my Japanese still isn't perfect. It's fun.

OH! And in our ward there are 5 deaf sisters, so every week we have an hour long 'shua' class--Japanese sign language ! :) It's way fun and I'm excited to learn more. We pray every night before planning as a companionship in shua. Daily use really helps learning a language!

Ok well, gotta go but love you lots! And I am hoping to send your guys' christmas package this week too, so hope you get it in time too. It's probably not going to be so big, sorry, but hope it's something a little fun! :)

Lots of love,
LeFevre Shimai!

ps we'll have to arrange the Christmas phone call sometime too, we have the info, so I'll bring it next week to send ne (the number to call, etc.)!

Thanksgiving Chicken and Oimo

Minnasan Konnichiwa!

It's been another week already? Actually it feels like I've been with Sakuma shimai much longer, she is so much fun and I think we are already great friends. The language is seeming to not be a barrier anymore, although I still hardly understood any of the talks at church this week... but that may just have been an overwhelming effect. We cover two wards as shimai so, we go to six hours of church plus a dendo-meeting DCS... eigo de nan to iu... Missionary Coordination meeting kana? Anyway, its basically eight straight hours of church! ! Yay.. I was pretty drained at the end of it. But the members seem really nice over here. The morning ward has way too many kids and the afternoon ward has lots of YSA. The afternoon ward also has a lot of dendo fire, and their Christmas party is the 12th, so this Saturday everyone is meeting to post fliers as an activity. :)

So Thanksgiving here was pretty uneventful. We dendod the morning and I forgot to say Happy Thanksgiving at the start of every convo but... We had English class that night and so I taught the advanced class and we talked about what Thanksgiving is and the American-Style dinner and traditions like Turkey-Bowl that follow around it. For dinner we stopped by and got a pumpkin, which I boiled and mixed with sweet potato for a yam-like flavor.

Sorry, our time is short this week so that's all I have time to write but I'll write you next week too!

PS. There are lots of hills here.

THANKS
LOVE YOU ALL
GENKI DE!

LeFevre Shimai

Konnichiwa minnasan!

Well, sadly, I'm going to have to make this as fast as I can type, cuz it's costing me a buck and a half every fifteen minutes.

So, first of all, our baptism was just great. Shipp shimai and I laughed a lot looking back on it that night because, well you build up these baptisms to just be perfect little moments, and sometimes everything does go exactly like you want, but this was one time where it certainly didn't... lol. But it was fine. Little eight-year-old Yuki-kun didn't have a white button shirt, so he wore a little white T-shirt, and he's so skinny it looked pretty goofy. Then both the kids were way nervous and excited. They sat fighting on the stand. We had two new people at church with us so, we were trying to be with them and be with the kids at the same time and feeling like spinning in circles a little. Then Baby shimai was supposed to give the opening talk but came in just before it all started and when they announced her talk she leaned up to the Bishop and said she wanted to give it afterwards, so they spontaneously changed the program and us missionaries did our musical number that we'd only practiced on Wednesday. It was ok I think.. then we all moved into the Primary room, and us missionaries went with the kids to the back, so we didn't even get to see it, but Yumi went first and she rushed and was baptised, runs out and is freezing cold because their mom only brought one small towel. Then Yuki comes rushing back in and both are shiverring and saying 'samui!! samui!' 'it's cold!' and then Bishop pokes his head back in and says oops, but he messed up on the wording... ! So one by one they went back in, a little reluctantly.. :) Well, in the end Agnes, their mom, cam in with another towel and she got them all dried off and changed afterwards. Baby shimai --the Fillipino ring leader--gave her talk (with Onishi shimai's translating help into Japanese), the kids bore their testimonies, which were both very simple that we'd helped them write out, but the Spirit was really strong and everyone was touched by their simplicity :) And then Josen kyodai gave his talk on the Spirit to end it. All in all it was great :)

Ok so now, the big news, I am transfered!! Again! :) They happen deshou.
Ok so I am in..
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you have to scroll..
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Kanagawa! Actually we have two wards to cover as shimai, so it's Kanagawa and Kohoku. It's a little more countryside, so more houses than apartments, but still pretty cityish. And lots of hills! yikes! But it just really feels like Christmas in my apartment, I don't know why, just a good happy feeling there. And my new comp in Sakuma shimai. She's Japanese and doesn't really speak English, but wants to learn more and so far seems way fun and nice. I have the feeling it's going to be a great transfer :)

Love you all so much
Thanks Hannah for writing too :)
Will, good luck on the test!

Aishiteimasu!

LeFevre Shimai

Temple Week!

Konnichiwa!!

So, this last P-day was really fun, going with the Fujiwara mom and Shiho-san to Kumamoto, but it made me realize how much I miss the countryside! Being in Tokyo is very convenient and fun, but it sure gets old compared to mountains and trees and eagles. :) The buildings were beautiful, we got to see about five or six different temple complexes, each with many buildings for the monks to study in and pray in and sleep in, etc. I think most of them are for the Buddhists, but there may have been a Japanese Shinto shrine in there too I think. It was all very interesting, but made me so grateful as I thought how our temple work is all volunteer and just so simple! :)

I'm glad to hear they have a date for Mellie's surgery! I hope it all goes well!! You can bet I'll be praying hard over here.

And Mom, no you didn't tell me about massage school! That sounds like fun! And it's only from January to August? Nice. That'll be really great for you! I keep seeing all the flower shops here and end up thinking you should start a flower shop, but those are harder in America huh.. go big or go home... so I think massage is something you can kinda carry with you and do anywhere anytime, and it's not like it's a limited-time job! And Austin gets to take art and archery? lol, sounds like it'll be way fun! I'm glad he'll have something to be doing.

Well, today as we went to the temple, I realized I've already hit and passed my official halfway mark! Sheesh. It's way fast and way slow at the same time... I still feel like there's so far to go but I guess if it really is like a cross country race there is kinda that part in the middle and then you catch your second wind. I was thinking about it a lot at the temple, and remembering why I came out here in the first place, and am determined to not let my doubts and discouragements get me down any longer! It'll be really sad to not be home during Christmas and everything, and no I can't just have a break whenever I feel like it, but the Lord has sent me out here and I know He will support me if I can just trust in him.

Dad, you remember when I was leaving and you said it'd be interesting to see how it worked out for me to not just be able to do whatever I want when I feel like it? I have to admit, especially lately for some reason, I've been feeling the brunt of that, and really just wishing for a break. And mom, do you remember when we saw the Elders at the Seattle temple and you said 'oh, he must be having a hard time with his companion..' well, I've had a breakthrough with that too, that even if you have a great companion, Dendo can be just plain really hard. People reject you. Your investigators get busy. You miss things you used to be able to do, like play the guitar and go to the beach. But that's the amazing thing, is that we do it anyway. And that we CAN do it. Truly the Lord supports his missionaries, and as I was in the Temple today I just felt so much peace, and know again this IS where the Lord wants me to be, and we just need to trust him. God knows the heart of each of His children and he can make a way for us to reach them. And not only that, he knows OUR heart, and by ourselves it may grow hard but through his love only it can be softened. I know that we as missionaries are just supposed to 'forget yourself and go to work' but that proves easier said than done. I felt really good about it today, but I just hope I can keep that up, keep feeling peaceful about being here. Dad, do you have any suggestions, as you probably saw this coming?

But other than that, I really do love all of our investigators, and Sister Shipp is awesome, and we do have some really fun times and meet interesting people. Dendo really is the best of times, probably because it is the hardest of times, a person could ever have. I'm sure I will feel that same beaming success as I felt after I got through those five kilometers of cross-country races, and just look forward to that feeling that I gave it my all.

Oh, and I keep forgetting to say, we have a baptism this Sunday! :D Little ten-year-old Yumi-chan and her little brother Yuki-kun are having their baptism day together. Their mom is a recent convert as of March, and we're still trying to work with her a lot, too. She is Filipino but their dad is Japanese, so they basically speak three languages. I think I want to learn Tagalog next too along with Portuguese--the two non-Japanese languages that are really big here. Maybe I can get better than Vik ;P Well, we're stoked for Sunday, and have met with them almost every day last week, including going to their school play which was hilarious :) Miho also seems to be progressing a lot lately! We discussed baptism and she told us plainly the worries she still has, so we're going through them one by one with her trying to resolve them. We really do love her, and I think she feels it, and that's maybe the most important. She wrote us a letter each this week (even though because she is weak it's hard to write) and she did her best in English. It was very cute! She's just so sweet!

Anyway, I'm throwing in a couple pictures, because we have transfer calls this coming weekend and who knows this could be my last time to borrow Masuda choro's connector to upload pics.. :) Pray that I'll stay in the Hombu tho, ok? I love it here.

Love you all so much, take care and have an awesome week!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILLIAM!!!!!

LeFevre Shimai

PS Dad, I will tell my president about invitation week, that sounds AWESOME! It'd be worth a shot here!
PPS. I emailed BYU-H about application and sister Day sent me some info, but can I pass it on to you to work on or should I just give it my best from here?
PPS. I am really jealous of Sister Cardon's talent! And excited to hear how 'Built Upon the Rock' goes!
PPS-William: my toilet is good, i sent a pic of it, but the squatters are only in public bathrooms. Home toilets are usually really nice or WAY fancy, they even spray your bottom to wash it with water, and have a deodorizer come with it.. ! Biday's they are called kanna.

Golden Ginko sunshine

Konnichiwa minnasan!

How is everyone this week? I am great. Power week was awesome, but once again, sadly, I have only a few more minutes to write because we're taking today as only a short P-day too, but this time because this week we're going with the one Japanese girl that speaks English (Shiho) and her mom to Kamakura, a famous Japanese town with lots of traditional architecture and shopping, etc. I plan on searching for ninja-shoes for some certain brothers that love Japan.. :) So, we'll be taking the bulk of our P-day time and using it for that activity, so today is just email and grocery shopping.

Tonikaku, power week was really great, and we did see many miracles! We had an average of either a new contact or new investigator every day! And as for the update on the two English speakers, they came to church! And I think they really liked it. Actually, I'm starting to think that it all goes way way back to when we were prompted to turn back down the street to meet Yuna, the younger sister of Shiho, then Shiho felt like she should invite Lilly to the dinner last week. And of it all, I think it might have been just to lead us to Lilly. She is sooo golden. When she came to church she listened so intently and had the best questions. During sunday school the chouro (elders) did a lesson on the BOM (specifically for those two as they are into it) and Lilly surprised me as she turned to me and said, "Well, I think I'm just going to have to read this book to know if it's really the word of God." !! We didn't even have a CHANCE to commit her. Then Relief Society was about temples and she wanted to know the prerequisites for going to the temple. :D It was so cute and she's just so sweet and open. They're planning on coming next week too, at least Lilly even if Shiho doesn't come. Shiho is nice, but she's not really searching for anything I think. But when we first met their family I was so convinced they would just eat it all up, but really I think that all was us being led to find Lilly. At least I hope I'm not interpreting her reactions wrong or putting our hopes for her too high, but I just know this Gospel is so true, and full of so much joy, and if she can just be open to planting that seed and testing the word, her heart is prepared. I read the words of Alma to the Zoramites today in Alma 32 about how they had also been prepared to recieve the word and it echoed how I think she is. And it just strikes me how even when we think we are trying to be led, or even think we're being led, we never know where it all is REALLY going. The Lord has a picture so much greater and grander than we can ever imagine, so I'm being constantly reminded to just put my trust in him and not worry about where he takes me but knowing that it will be awesome. :)

Uncle Cory-your pics didn't come through! And I don't think I've heard about the Japanese ball player.. there are quite a few people from China here, but mostly those here for college.

Brooke-I saw a "Ferret-World" store the other day and thought of you :)

Will-Thanks for the letter ^-^

Vik-stop being a baby and get better already! :P Larisa I'm glad you're well. Good luck with the wampaku kids! :)

Mom and Dad love you soooo much! :D keep it up!

Grandma & Grandpa Leach--thank you for your continued emails I love reading about your efforts and adventures!

Nana--Happy late B-Day!

That's really all the time I have for this week, sorry, I'll try to read faster and write more next week. Thanks for all your e-mails and always for your love, concern, and prayers.

Love,

LeFevre SHIMAI

Senkyoushi Power Week

Aloha and Konnichiwa,

So, it's hard to pass up the title of 'squatter potties in rain boots' ..but senkyoushi = missionary, so this week is officially power week, as announced by President Albrect at our mission conference on Friday. Mission conference was really good. It was crazy to see everyone again, and my MTC distict made plans to all try and meet up the P-day of the last week of the transfer at the temple for lunch. And of course, President gave some awesome training. We are trying a new points system--where as before we just counted (on top of the normal 'key indicators' : lessons, referrals, and new investigators) how many meaningful conversations and contacts we had, now lots of different activities add up to X number of points a day. For example, a lesson is 15 points, a BoM given away is 10, etc. The object is to really help us focus on the many things that really move missionary work along. Of course, finding is important too, but really helping people come to Christ is the objective, not just spending all day having nice talks with people. So, I think as we settle into the new system it's going to be really fun. President was worried some missionaries will be trying to make a contest out of it, but really if we try and 'exploit' the system we'll be doing ourselves a favor because that would mean we are teaching member-present lessons, being involved in the community, and getting baptisms all day :) And then this week only we are doing POWER WEEK, which means we are all making extra sacrifices to try and have the spirit with us to guide us to those who are ready. A few things President initiated are we are getting up at 6:00 instead of 6:30, only taking half an hour for all our meals, and basically just trying to be in the apartment less and out dendoing more. It's been good actually. As much as I normally don't like getting up at 6:30 getting up half an hour earlier hasn't been too bad. With short meals the only thing I'm worried about is we'll never have time for dishes--and since Shipp shimai can't eat bread 'fast' meals are hard... but I really think it's good to show the Lord we really want to do our best and get ourselves out of the mindset of just doing the routine things. Shake things up a bit. :) I think we'll see some big miracles!

Well, I'm sorry to hear you all had a bit of a bumpy halloween, with the flu and everything going around. They didn't have a single pumpkin around here... but we did have a fun Halloween party. And yes! I got the package!!! :D :D :D It was great--where did you get GOURMET candy corn? Intense.. and delicious. I shared some at the party and people were like--whooa American candy! Sashiburi! Especially this one less-active family that came (yatta!) who are pretty much from America living her and working for Heinz. It seemed like their two little boys had a blast. We didn't get to play too many games but played musical chairs, did a mummy-making race (that was interesting! We had to use 5 rolls of toilet paper on our one person... there was so much on the floor everywhere after they broke out of it!) and the elders put together a relay race including eating a donut on a string. I liked the donut part. Yummm. It's actually not to hard if you go from an edge. :)

And we've been having some good lessons with all our investigators, we just had one this morning (unusually at 10:00 because it's a national holliday--'culture day') with Chisato-san and she's our age and working. Our joint, Onishi shimai, was wonderful and was able to very comfortably explain a lot of things in Japanese but Chisato is just really a thinker and went on maybe a few tangents. But even she realized that today and we challenged her from now on to pay more attention to how she feels rather than if it makes sense in her head.

We also had one of our potential investigators come to dinner at a member's house--and she brought a friend! Her friend, Lily, is from China and only has been her just over a month but is pretty much fluent in Japanese. They both speak English, though, so mostly they talk in English to eachother with a little Japanese mixed in there. Shiho, the first, lived in California for over ten years, so she almost likes to speak English more now. :) Well, Lily was excited to learn we are people from church because she was like "oh, well actually I've been looking for a church to go to! Can I join your church?" lol. OF COURSE we said! :) Well, of course she really meant just that she wants to attend, but they are both coming to church next sunday now. We're stoked. :D We also have an appointment with a Yamai-san this Wednesday who when we met her on the street and started talking she was so excited we were Christian because she could talk about that stuff with us. Normally the whole subject of religion is pretty strictly avoided in Japan, so she was like "it's ok if we talk?" and we had a little chat and she really loves the Bible (which is a rare find here!) and even started tearing up talking about how God gave the Pharoah so many chances and still he didn't listen. So anyway, I'm excited to meet with her for a real lesson and tell her there's even more great stuff to read! I hope we can help her just fall in love with the Book of Mormon because it's for sure the same good stuff! :) But I've felt a little rusty on my Bible stories so this week I've been reading and brushing up. Yesterday I read Jonah again and was surprised to realize Jonah was upset that the people actually repented and were spared but thought how often do we do that as people, hope that others actually don't get good things so we can 'feel better' because we have them... when really God is over all things and He will give and take as He sees fit. I related to Jonah's love for that little plant, as I love all the little plants and animals I help grow, but realized too that to God how much more important is a life of a person, since he helps us grow daily.

Ok, well sorry, this one was kinda longwinded. But I'm so excited to hear about Mellie's first steps!! And Nathan sounds just too cute!

Larisa I loved the card! (and thanks everyone for signing it :) Dad thanks for my mp3 player!!! I'm so happy to have it! And I had a gospel question, but: if John never died.. why did the priesthood not continue by him? Didn't he have it too? Or did he need Peter and James for it to be effective?

I feel bad, but I thought of a couple more things that could go on the Christmas list if you need more ideas.. I'd love taco seasoning! Or any simple dinner seasonings like all the crazy gravy and stuff that takes up that whole little shelf in our pantry.. i can just see it in my mind :) just throw some of that my way will ya? And I've realized as it starts to get colder that I have lots of jackets, and boots and gloves, but the one thing that's really hard to layer is under my skirt! Especially on days where I want to look nice and just wear nylons, it's impossible to wear thermals or anything, so I'm going to look from here (probably get some leggings since they are EVERYWHERE here) for some kind of really warm basketball shorts or something but if you see anything (or want to use some of mom's extensive fleece supplies creatively :D) feel free to send that too. No longer than knee-length is good. But lastly... the thing I really want the most most MOST is letters and videos from the everyone. :D Onegaishimasu!!! I'm gonna send my last 2GB card home soon so you can just feel free to fill that up with goodness and that would just make my ... mission. :D

Ok, well love you all lots,
Have an amazing week!

LeFevre Shimai

ps. Uncle Cory--they usually have toilet paper but no soap or hand towels.. :) thank goodness. No toilet paper sounds horrible.

Squatter Potties in Rainboots

Helloooo minnasan!

Sorry, I'm mixing gengo's (languages) here.. :)

How is everyone? Guess what? We had another typhoon! Actually, it was supposed to be today... but I think I'm coming to realize it's like snow in Seattle--if they say it's coming the next day will probably actually be sunny and gorgeous. So, today is sunny and gorgeous. But yesterday was a long and rainy. We didn't have any lesson appointments until the evening so we spent the whole afternoon biking to Ikebukuro and back, talking to everyone we could along the way. Good thing we have Capas and my new rainboots.. but I laughed when we had to stop somewhere to use the restroom and... I think I've mastered the squatty-potties pretty well, and they're almost pretty comfortable, but I just had to laugh at myself yesterday as big black squeaky rubber rainboots add a whole level more of complexity to this very primitive practice. Japanese wear boots like crazy in the winter (apparently as I've seen so many this last few weeks)(although usually much more stylish than mine) but I guess squatting with boots doesn't faze them just like not having a sitter toilet in any given stall doesn't faze them either. Well anyway, enough silly talk but there's a bunka (culture) point for the week.. sorry it's not a little more profound...

So last week's Wednesday was the big highlight day I think. First of all, we had a big surprise. President called the night before to say they had a sister arrive unexpectedly and they were on the way to pick her up, but until her real new companion could come he wanted her to dendo with us for a day. So, we got a one-day-bean-chan. It was really fun--her name is Sister Helps and she is from Utah/South Africa (she's Danish decent) and she is really sweet and outgoing. It also so happened we had three lessons AND eikaiwa (English class) scheduled so she just got dunked right into the mission field :) But her Japanese is at least as good as mine already (she's been studying it the last three years at college) so that wasn't a problem!

We met with Sawada-san who we really wanted to just make a baptismal date but she has work on Sundays, but she said she'll talk to her boss or else from here maybe try to look for a new job (even though she just started this one). Then there was Akiko (Who we really think is probably crazy... she is impossible to keep on one train of thought for even 1 minute) which was all over the place but entertaining... we gave her a pamphlet to read and invited her to come to church but she says she's Catholic. Then she started doing Japanese sign language to us, and told us about her boyfriend. Hontou ni wakaranai... *shrug*. Last we had a lesson with Akane who is always great, and we taught more about prayer and how much God loves her. She's also going to try and come to church next week.

Thursday we had a mini-zone conference and dinner with a lady who doesn't seem interested herself but keeps trying to introduce us to people she thinks might be interested. This time it was her daughter and her daughter's boyfriend. They were very sweet but afterwards she appologized for their lack of interest and said she's try to find someone else again. I hadn't realized quite was she was doing before but it makes me chuckle and feel very grateful that she at least recognizes what we're doing and wants to help (pretty much as good as any member!) I hope we can help her see SHE can study it too though, from here on :) Then on Friday we had another lesson with Miho (the girl in the wheelchair) and she seemed a little more genki, like maybe she's on the upside of recovery, but still whenever we talk about her coming to church there's just a wall and we still can't figure out why she stopped coming. :( Ok and lastly, Sunday was GREAT! We had Sister Dibbs (Yeah--President Monson's daughter) come to our ward! She and the area president (Elder Stevenson) spoke for sacrament meeting and she did a special class the third hour for the young women. She's really sweet, and has such a strong testimony of prophets--which is so cool that someone that close to the prophet can be so sure he's called of God. It also happened to be Sister Watanabe's last sunday so she bore her testimony at the beginning as a (non-)farewell. She is VERY nervous about serving--especially because she's going to SLC Temple Square, and doesn't really speak any English right now. But she recieved some great advice from Dibbs shimai to take life one inch at a time, and to just trust the Lord. That's the advice Dibbs shimai said "another girl who stuggled with her confidence to fulfil her duty" got when she counseled with the prophet. :) I think it's good advice for us all.

Well, my time is about up for today, but I am excited about my coming package!! (I can get packages and mail any day besides P-day. They just put it in our mailbox--or here at the hombu we just drop by to see if we have mail--and if it's too big the delivery company just leaves a note on your door and you call and say what time you'll be home to receive it.) So maybe I will get it soon!! (for future reference though you should just not tell me until you send it otherwise everyday when we stop by the hombu I nervously check the packages names but to dissapointingly no avail.. :) I'm glad you're saving my e-mails! I have such great parents :D I print some out here and there too but printing is only available here at the hombu usually...
And I loved reading about Virginia's stories! They are really great, especially the lady who had the strokes. Powerful. Tell her hi and a big hug from me ok?

And Brooke's talking and William's dating, Austin's searching :) Sounds like it's pretty busy. I was thinking last night about that animal sanctuary Larisa and I volluntered at in high school (remember Larisa?) Sarah's Sanctuary. There is (was) a poster for it at the Redmond Petco. It's on Novelty Hill.. but anyway I was thinking it'd be cool to see if they need help that one month I'll be home (if I even have time).. but maybe Austin should drop by and see her setup--Last I knew she was struggling even to get by but that was five years ago, so maybe she's found some funding because it's still going... and so she might be able to pay him to do some side work or something...cleaning out animals stalls, you're used to that right Austin? :)...well it might be worth a shot.

Ok well good luck! Be safe! Love you all and talk to you next week!

-Hugs and Kisses-
LeFevre Shimai

Miracles in week 5 at Nakano!

Miracles...

Hellooo family and Friends!

Ah, I am so blessed to have great family and friends, I really enjoyed reading all your emails this week! So as for this week here in Nakano, I have just been realizing how very very blessed we are. It feels like every day is sooo much fun as we get to meet new people and maybe not make appointments with them but build relationships. Tonight we're meeting with a girl who actually met with missionaries about a year before and we made an appointment to go to sushi! Then the other night while biking to an appointment talked to a girl who it ends up has studied Environmental Science, and speaks pretty good English! We got her number and will set up an appointment soon.

We also did a huge activity this week with the Tokyo area Institute Mission Prep--where we and other Japanese return missionaries did splits with soon-to-be missionaries. There was about 35 of those people and 35 of us missionaries and returned missionaries. We took them on splits and just did streeting, etc, around the Kichijouji area. It was Great!! I think they really loved it and was a really good prep experience! The Japanese youth are really something else! And it was good for the missionaries to get us to see their excitement and get pumped up and remember how much we love dendo!! :) And I think the best day of this week was our Sunday. We went in the morning to pick up a recently met investigator who just moved from Hiroshima mission. Her name is Sawada Takako san. She has investigated the church for about 10+ years and has many questions still but would like to be baptized. So we met her this week, and on Sunday picked her up and walked and took the train together to the church so she could learn the way. She also brought her son along which surprised us, but they seemed to both have a good time. Then we had a meeting for prepping the next Eikaiwa. And that night we got to meet with Yumie's family. Remember the girl we turned back on the street and met her there? Well we met her family and they are AWESOME! The mom loves to speak English and made us a great big dinner. Then the dad, the other daughter, her husband, and their 1 yr old daughter also joined us and we were all sitting in this little Tokyo 2nd story living room with a 3-generation Japanese family. They surprisingly have had a little Christian influence and we got to explain what makes our church so unique :) We didn't get to teach a real lesson lesson, but we're welcome back soon and I really just feel strongly they are going to become great investigators--despite some obvious challenges like the nightly beer with dinner.. :) But I know we were led to meet Yumie to meet them all. And I just think it is so AMAZING that God would love each of us and know us so perfectly well that he could lead us down the street to talk to a peppy college girl so we could meet her family. He knew where we were. And He knew where she was. And he told us to turn around so we could run into her.

He really loves all his children and I'm so glad I can be acting here as his hands and feet and meet people all the time and tell them how much God really does love them!. :D

Thanks for all your support and love and prayers! I love you all and am praying for your well being and safety! Don't forget how much God loves all of you too!

Love,
LeFevre Shimai

General Conference!!--Transfer 5-week 1

Minnasan, Konnnnichiwa!

So! This week is transfers week!
Guess what?
.....
I stayed. :)

Shipp Shimai and I are still together here in Nakano, which I am really glad about cuz I feel like I'm finally getting to actually know the area and the ward. It really is a fantastic area too! So we are glad to still be here.

It also meant since we didn't have to go anywhere for transfers today we had an 'extra' real P-Day so we went to the temple this morning. It was really great, since it feels like forever since I've gone! And it's funny too because it's all in Japanese so we have to wear the little headphones and have it translated. But that's actually kinda nice because I can turn my volume down and listen to the Japanese too, so it became a little bit of language study! :) Anyway, I'm so glad for the temple and that we have one in my mission to go to and remember the covenants we can make with God there. :)

So, I had a question a bit ago about how come it seems I'm always running into people other than Japanese as I mention them in my e-mails. I had to think about it for a minute. But I guess for me it's just so exciting to see a foreigner now that I write my emails I tell about them more because they're kinda novel events here... but, I guess, that it's not quite the same for everyone else still in the land of a racial melting pot. Really, Japan is a very single-race nation and so I've just gotten used to seeing Japanese people, and I guess foriegners are more likely to actually talk to us, but from now on I'll try to keep an even profile in my emails of who we run into and talk with. :)

So, working backwards this week, yesterday we had an AWESOME time with--a Japanese girl-- Chisato-san. She used to be an investigator just for a little while about a year ago. When we went through the old Area Book information and called up people listed, she told us she never got a chance to say goodbye to her first missionary friend, Yazzie shimai. So, we were able to hook her up with some contact info and started building our own little friendship from there. Our 'lesson' yesterday was like four hours long... but it included going out for lunch where we talked about the Word of Wisdom and how using certain substances like coffee and drugs can lower our stress but more than that it lowers our freedom to make personal choices because they are so addicting. She said that made sense and asked how we deal with our stress. I had to think about that, too. I guess I usually just take some quiet time and think it over prayerfully but really, yeah, it comes down to prayer and being able to tell someone (heavenly Father) who really understands what we're going through. To have that understanding that He knows it perfectly helps so much! So then we went back to the church (only a few blocks away) and talked a bit more about what she believes and it was very natural and went to lots of subjects but it ended around that she just should try and read the Book of Mormon for herself and pray to see if she can get guidance and peace in her life too. She said she'd try to read all of first Nephi and meet with us again this week on Thursday. ! .. So we are way excited. :)

Then Saturday and Sunday of course were General Conference which was SOOooo good! We actually came here early Saturday morning (to the Hombu) and watched it in English first and printed Saturday's talks off in English because we expected an investigator to come. Then we sat in the Chapel where they were watching it in Japanese and read along. That also became lots of language study.. :-o.. So much crazy words I don't even know! But it ends up she didn't even come so we watched the afternoon session in the *English* room with our mission president, the office elders and the hombu couple. Then on Sunday we were in that room too until halfway through the afternoon session when Naka shimai came in and told us an investigator was there for us! Well I guess she'd got mixed up when she was coming because it was Akane (a Japanese lady) who we were expecting the day before. But so we sat with her for the rest and didn't understand a thing since we had only printed Saturday's... but came again to the Hombu monday morning and watched it over in Enlish. Sooo, all in all there was a lot of going back and forth with languages and I feel like I've watched it and read it a lot already but I'm really gaining a testimony about going through for the second time--you get just as much if not more than the first time! Especially if you're trying to discect it in another language :) But anyway, I loved so many talks, President Eyring's, Uchtdorf's, Holland's and who was it that talked about missions and the rising generation, Elder Nielson? Austin I was thinking about you the whole time he was talking! :) Well I loved loved loved it and am looking forward to studying them more and getting the Ensign. There was just so much good stuff in every talk I couldn't pick one I didn't like! And I thought there was a lot on listening to the spirit and receiving guidance through revelation, and for me a lot about finding the joy of obedience/blessings of the gospel.

And... other than that this last week..I actually left my old planner at the apartment so I don't really remember... :) But the rain has let up, the air is crisp, and the sakura (cherry blossom) trees are all going naked losing their leaves. We had a lesson with Yumi-chan, our ten year old from a part-member family, and it was the day it was supposed to be a typhoon but ended up being just pretty windy but sunny. We brought balloons and played with them outside but it was hilarious because the wind would come along and twirl the balloon high above us in the street, caught in whirlwinds between the tall housing buildings. Luckily they live in a quiet neighborhood so we didn't worry about cars, but those balloons were everywhere! They'd even get caught in a gust and just float there beside the second story apartments, out of our reach. Well, I highly advise it for an interesting blustery day activity :) As long as the wind can blow it in circles and not just straight away!

Well, that's about all I have for now I think. I hope you all have an amazing week and hope they dahlias don't really all die! :) Mom have you thought again about throwing up temporary greenhouses of PVC and tarps to keep them longer? We have 54 chickens??? sheesh... I should be excited to see the new chicken house. I hope they don't freeze too! ;)

Ok, well thanks for all your love and e-mails! Keep up the good member work!

愛する家族、
Love,
LeFevre Shimai

PS-I keep forgetting to say, EVERY TIME (ok maybe 95%) people look at my family picture that we took just before I left they cannot tell who's mom--I think they get confused because mom and dad are not in the middle! They think Larisa is supposed to be mom. Then they say "wow! she looks so young!" when I finally point to mom on the left. Then they ask if Vik is Japanese. :D It makes me laugh cuz it happens just that way so much :D

Love you all!

General Conference weekend

Minnasan Konnichiwa! みんなさん！今日は！

So.. how is everyone this week? How is school going for WB&H? :) Austin and Dad how was conference??! That would be great to go there, I still want to watch it in the conference center someday! Mom I'm so impressed you did wedding flowers! Sheesh, you really ought to just open up your own flower shop, you'd be in heaven everyday working there. :) I think you'll like seeing all the little flower shops they have here in Tokyo, everytime we pass one I think of you :)

Well, actually we haven't watched conference yet. Since the Saturday session starts on our Sunday it would have to go from Sunday to Monday and nobody could get work off, so they just wait a week and will be broadcasting it this week. I think we watch it in Japanese... but I'm pretty sure they'll have headsets or something for us to hear it in English. They're really good about that in this ward--even the normal sacrament meeting is translated. Not for us--we're expected to just understand it all ;) but the Office couple (right now that's the Shays) and Sister Albrect and a lot of Phillipino sisters all prefer English and we have very Jyouzu (skilled) translaters in our ward that work for translating the Ensign! They really are an example to me of giving of their talents to further the Lord's kingdom! They go above and beyond from work to callings.

But I heard a few things about conference, I heard Elder Holland's talk was just great (they always are!), and I also heard the COOLEST thing (which of course everyone heard but I'm just way stoked) and that was the announcement for the Sapporo, Japan Temple!!! That is sooo cool! Sapporo is the furthest North part of Japan and really cold and has tons and tons of snow. But this will be the third temple in Japan!! We are so blessed! They announced it in sacrament meeting and the whole chapel just started buzzing :) Anyway, that was a highlight for me!

So here in Nakano we have still been busy and seeing lots of miracles. We made four new contacts this week! A lot of them were just appointments to eat lunch or dinner but we figure that through being friends it can be more natural to bring up the gospel :) And it seems to be working cuz this week it's only Tuesday and our time is almost completely booked with appointments up until sunday, and most are teaching appointments! We even made an appointment to eat breakfast with one girl because it was the only time we had! :) But it is so great to be busy.

And good too, because the weather is definitely starting to turn here too! It has been cooling off but still sunny, but then the last few days have been rainy on and off and more on than off yesterday and today. I guess we're getting the tail end of the Typhoon that just hit Manilla, in the Phillipines, a few weeks ago. We heard about that from Baby shimai, one of our recent Phillipino converts, and it sounds horrible! Lots of people died and thousands are missplaced from their houses, of which many are flooded up to the second floor.. ! And they're expecting another typhoon soon too! Sheesh! Well, please keep the people in Manilla in your prayers! We'll be fine here, just getting very wet. Good thing we have these awesome rain suits like the picture I included!

BTW Dad--the one we bought at the Missionary store in Provo--a sham! It ripped at the seams like the second time I wore it... but luckily Kofu had many Cappas (rain suits) so I adopted one. I really could not imagine wearing a rain suit over a skirt before I came... but it really isn't that bad, somehow it just all fits and the pants are big and baggy so it doesn't matter.. lol. I also couldn't picture riding a bike in a skirt either but that has proven to be pretty simple too... I think I might continue the practice always..! :)

So, as for this week, one interesting thing we did was the whole Nakano district (including the Shays and the Albrects) went to Kichijouji and cleaned the old Hombu. I guess, when there was a Tokyo North and Tokyo South mission, the South's Hombu was in Kichijoji and the North's was here in Nakano. But when they were combined, one had to sit idle, so there's this whole beautiful building that turned into more of a storage space. So we went through and organized and threw out things like old towels and pillows that have been sitting there for a year, and all the old phones they had before we all got cell phones. There was a lot of random stuff there too, but it looks a whole lot better now and who knows but hopefully it can be used again soon for something. It has space for a big office, missionary quarters that could fit up to 6 elders, and the whole upstairs is another two stories of a nice American-style home for the Mission President's family. It was very interesting to see.

Other than that we've just been busy riding around in the rain making appointments :) As fall comes on it's interesting to see the food in the grocery store slowly change. They eat pumpkin all year round. But now instead of peaches, grapes are still big as well as Nashi--or asian pears--which they just consider pears here. It's the same Nashi (梨) that is in the name of Yamanashi (山梨=mountain pear) prefecture where Kofu (first area) was. Anyway, they are much tastier here than I ever tasted them in America... way sweet! And now they have Perimmons coming into season, called Kaki here. They are also surprisingly sweet, something like a plum? And orange/red with a squarish shape, and if you wait until they get really ripe they turn kinda jelly-ish texture and you can just slurp it out of the hard skin and it soooo sweet and tasty. *bliss* Japan's fruit is great! But short lived. But there is always fish and lots of sushi ne! :D Ok, well I think that's all the time I have for this week, but thinking of all you lots and look forward to hearing from you.

Ok, well I'm attaching a few picutres. My hair is getting longer and curly in the rain but I think i like this new style I'm trying.. Enjoy!

Thanks everyone and love you all and miss you lots!! You're all in my prayers. :D Tell me who your favorite conference talks were by!

Lots of Love,
LeFevre shimai

Another crazy week in Nakano!

Helloo my dear family and friends!

I have had such a fun week--it just always feels fun here in Nakano with Shipp shimai! But first off--I forgot to say last time that I'm not quite by the Temple.. that's another area called Shibuya. This is about a twenty-thirty min train ride away close by Ikebukuro. The Hombu is here but not the church headquarters--that's by the temple. Our ward doesn't have any English speakers. There are a lot of Phillipino families though (well, three) and of course the office couple, so they have an English sunday school class and someone who translates Sacrament Meeting into English. They are great members!!

Ok--so this week. We had a lesson actually with our ten-year old's mother, who is a recent convert. Agnus. She is phillipino so we talked in English but her Japanese is pretty good, too. We found out she was baptized just before she had surgery for cancer, and in her mind it was "in case something happened". But she doesn't really have a strong testimony and stuggles with many commandments. But I guess she talked before to Jehovah witnesses and was saying how she was really sad they didn't celebrate Christmas. In their house they have a little Christmas tree up on their TV.. all year round... so, she was so cute, she said "I'd rather die than not celebrate Christmas!" But anyway, we're hoping to meet with her more to teach her as well as her daughter.

Then we had Zone Conference this week too. It was great, and President Albrect gave a GREAT presentation on working to find people, building relationships with members, acquaintences, and with strangers. And the president of the Tokyo stake spoke to us on bearing down in pure testimony, especially about Joseph Smith's first vision, since it is a foundation of our whole church. He said we should reconfirm our testimony of it to investigators every lesson, at least 7-10 times. Until they either know because they feel it burning in their hearts too, or want to know so bad they search with real intent. It really goes to show the power of example and the power of the spirit!

Then we met a very interesting girl Yumie-san when we were going up to visit a less-active member. I got a really weird feeling as we were going and felt like we shouldn't go that night to the LA. I couldn't tell if it was just my stomach acting up but Shipp shimai said we should better be safe than sorry. So...we turned around and as we were going back down we stopped and talked to Yumie-san, who said she'd lived in California before and her other family had also lived in America. She said they had gone to church there and that she'd like to meet with us all together! She then took out her phone and called her sister right there, to see if she had time to meet, and had Shipp shimai talk to her sister on the phone! Anyway, it ends up we didn't get to make an appointment for this week but she seems very nice so soon I hope. Just more little miracles God grants us! Finding the few that will actually listen to our message in this huge city of Tokyo really is a daily miracle and I thank God I was called to serve here!!

Well say hi to everyone for me, and if there's anyone the Forsyths want me to say hello to just let me know!! Love you all tons and miss you lots! Hope you are taking care of yourselves and of each other!

Love,
LeFevre shimai

Hellooo family, this is just a quick note, we're in here printing out Sister Shipp's application to law school so she can start working on it and get a rough draft to her parents by the end of our P-day time (6pm) so it's 9am here on Tuesday... I think it's either four or six on Monday night there so hopefully you're all getting ready to have FHE night (家庭の夕べ/ かてい??の??ゆうべ/katei no yuube/ "kah-tay no yoo-beh"--how many ways can we write this? ;) oh Japanese..) but well if you want to say anything else I'll be back on here at around 4:30 so in another 7 hours. Write me if you can! Love you all!

LeFevre Shimai
(And yeah isn't that crazy?! Last month right before my B-day was six months/ 1/3rd marker! Sheesh time flies. Now it's been another month later and give it a couple more and I'll be halfway! It's so crazy how fast it goes though..I feel like I'm still a bean-chan....)

Another week in the best place in the mission

Konnichiwa Everyone!

Wow, this week feels like it's been a whirlwind and much longer than a week! Thank you Mark Chiba, Uncle Cory, Harrison, Vik, Mom, and Dad for your great e-mails! I loved reading all of them!

Put simply, this week we were pretty much ignored by our investigators, who we kept calling but didn't hear any word and were getting worried, but did a lot of biking to deliver happy birthday messages to less actives. We also got to eat dinner with our one kinda-progressing investigator Meiho-san, so we went to eat at a member's Indo-Curry restarurant. Somehow Japanese really really love Indo-Curry, which is basically really thick, rich curry with lots of different flavors. You eat it with Nan--a huge face-size, flat baked-like-a-scone bread. It's very delicious! These members are from Nepal and have their own family (small) restaraunt. It was amazing how fast he could whip out these delicious entrees, and they were very very good. The funny part is though, we actually forgot we were coming there the very next day to kubari (pass out) flyers for their restaraunt as a district for service. Then of course they fed us again. So we ate a lot of curry. Yum! I feel bad for sister Shipp though, since she just has to eat it with rice since she can't eat nan... I think the nan might be just as good as the curry!

Then we biked to Ikebukuro (that really big busy part of town) and did a little dendo there. We actually ended up talking to a lady from France who's been living here a few years. She said she was Catholic but hadn't been going for a while, so we invited her to come check ours out. Then the next day while biking we also ran into a young college girl from Germany (Julia) that was really sweet. Then, most surprising of all, was when we stopped a high school girl on the streets later and started to share with her 2 Nephi 2:25 to say that the purpose of our lives is to find joy. She had gone to a Christian Jr. High and so started asking more about the Fall. The more we explained it, and how we can learn from what we do and how God really does want us to be happy--that that is his greatest focus, she started to cry! I was kind of caught off guard..but I guess she's had some hard experiences lately, so we did our best to invite her to come and see and gave her a pamphlet to read. She was still wary and wouldn't give us her phone number but promised she's try to come. We realized after we talked that we had actually been lost and going the wrong direction, but if we'd been going on our planned route we wouldn't have even met her!
So I guess the point is we haven't been seeing the harvest this week, but I just really feel like we've been lead in our actions and really meeting great people. And just yesterday we finally got ahold of our investigator Miho-san who we were really worried because she wasn't answering us or calling back this whole week. She's fine I guess just still really ill, but we are meeting with her on Thursday.

We also had a big Matsuri this weekend (festival) and they did the traditional parade/march of the Shinto shrines. It was interesting cuz we were biking to an appointment so went past four or five different marches. They all shout and carry the thing on their shoulders and it's just soooo interesting how symbollic it could all be and how much it makes me think of ancient Israel! There was even one this time (daytime) that had someone carrying a huge stick with white streamers hanging off and I thought of the Lord's cloud that guided Moses and the people by day. ... So interesting!

Well, life is never dull here in Nakano... Sister Shipp sliced her finger cooking dinner, and had a taxi back into her... but I've been fine so I guess your prayers are working.. :D Thanks so much!! I really do feel like the Lord is leading and protecting us.

May He do the same for each of you! Have an amazing week!!

Love,
LeFevre Shimai

Week 2 in Nakano!

Hellooo Minnasan (everybody)!

So, it is week two of my fourth transfer in Japan. Nakano is amazing! There are ALWAYS people on the streets--we're pretty much in the idealic part of town. It's pretty much what you think of when you think 'Tokyo' and we even have Ikebukuro in our area, a city area which has possibly the busiest intersection in Japan. We don't really go there much because it's almost more hassel than a help. But the normal streets are just fine, there's enough people to have effective streeting but it's not usually so crowed that it's abunai (dangerous). But there's always people to talk to and it makes me sooo happy! I think I got a little starved for doing streeting in Maebashi where NO one was out walking, they were all driving. Which is pretty funny, though, because I thought at first in Kofu that talking to new people all the time was maybe the hardest thing, but after Maebashi I realized that it's harder without it! So now I love it, and I'm just so excited to talk to everyone! I think my views on Dendo (missionary work) are changing a little... maybe the hardest thing is becoming seeing investigators that are so close and want to believe but just can't seem to find their own faith.

We have some great investigators here. There's Meiho-san, who has a baptismal date but is very hesitant about it. But she's very sweet and continues to study the Book of Mormon. Then there's Miho-san (they are similar names!), who has some kind of nerve(?) sickness so she's always trembling and has a hard time doing anything that requires mobility, writing, walking... she reminds me to be grateful for the little things like being able to turn pages of the scriptures without trouble. But despite her great trial she is pressing on and is up to chapter 12 in the Book of Mormon and comes to church as much as she can.

Then there's 10-year old Yumi who's mom is a recent convert and she LOVES the missionaries. Yumi told us she wants to be a missionary. We laughed and told her she needs to be baptized first. Well, for sure she'll be baptized she just thinks she's embarrased to, so they're waiting until her younger brother turns 8 in November and they'll have the baptism service together. :)

Lastly this week we met with Aya-san who came to Eikaiwa first, and doesn't really know much about church or God but likes the feeling at church and so comes once in a while and meets with us. She's only had a couple lessons so far but is really sweet and is super pera-pera (fluent) in English even though she's never even travelled!

So those are our really progressing investigators but it's just so busy here and Sister Shipp is SO nice. I think we've already learned a lot about each other and made a lot of connections. I can't believe it's only been a week!

A little about her, she's from Salt Lake, majoring in English so likes to write and read (reads very fast-I'm jealous), and had a wheat allergy so don't send us any cookies! ;) We're doing just fine though since there's plenty of rice. But I'm learning a lot of new things about food--like that normal soy sauce and bullion cubes have wheat in them! And that you can stir-fry cucumbers pretty much like zucchini (which for some reason they don't have here). And they eat a lot of pumpkin here in Japan... like in stir fries or just on the side of things.

Let's see... a few very Japanese things that have stopped surprising me:

• Taking off your shoes backwards (you face the door, slip them off in the genkan/entryway--which is lower than the rest of the house-- and then you can bend down and pick them up to move them away from the middle,etc.) apparently it's very rude to touch things or push things around with your feet--which bad habit of mine I'll have to break.


• The toilets all have faucets on top that the new water pours through and you can rinse your hands off if you want. Or there are squatter toilets, which are really not a problem now. Almost comfortable.. but still seem more unsanitary to me... even though Japanese think they are more sanitary since you don't have to sit where someone's sat I guess.


• Mugi-cha (wheat tea). The first time I drank it I thought it tasted like it had been accidently burnt but now it's actually quite delicious. I think I'll have to search it out for the rest of my life. I think it's healthy at least.


• Seeing street signs and everything in Kanji. It almost surprises me more now when I see something in English and can read the whole thing! ;)

Ok well that's all I can think of for now. I have to say though, that this week we also had dinner with the Hombu staff, which included President and Sister Albrect, Brother and Sister Shaw (the secretary) and the Hombu Elders. We went out to eat at a restaurant and it was very delicious but I just kept laughing to myself at the interesting conversations that were going on around the table. It's funny to remember that no matter what role we have in terms of responsibilities, leadership, etc... we're all still very very human and don't always know what to do with ourselves :) Everyone has flaws, that's the whole point of life. Zehi, please, this week if you're feeling weighed down because you think you can't do everything, I want you to realize something--that's right! You can't do everything. You'd have to be perfect already, and none of us are perfect. There was a quote from someone at the MTC that they said "As soon as you think you can do something on your own, the Lord will let you. And you'll fail misserably." And it is soo true. Please, look to the Lord for your strength and know that he's waiting there to hold us up and show us how to succeed. He is our way and our light. And he loves you all soo soo much, whether your Japanese, or American, or from anywhere else. Black and white, bond and free, male and female, he invited all to come and partake of his goodness (2 Nephi 26:33). I hope you all have an amazing week and read your scriptures! :) Thanks for your support and letters! Feel free to keep sending them my way! :D

Lots of Love,
LeFevre Shimai

P.S. Tell Steph Happy BIRTHDAY for me and A HUGE Hug and good luck as she heads to the MTC! Does she go this week? And tell Uncle Cory I do get his e-mails so the address is right! :)

Transfer 4 of 10 and still young!

Hello Family and Friends!!

Well I'm here e-mailing from Kichijouji again, where we all meet up for the sisters who are transfering, so I have to type on the funny keyboard with the protective covering... but I have big news: I am being transfered! Again!! Yeah, so I guess only one transfer in Maebashi　(前橋） was enough for me... at least according to the Lord's time :) I was actually very surprised this time and for sure thought I was staying longer. I wouldn't have minded staying a bit longer but I don't mind escpecially knowing my new assignment. Are you ready to hear it? It's pretty cool. Ok are you ready? Really ready? :D OK I am being transfered to Nakano（中野）! That's the hombu (Mission Home's area)! Where I just went on splits with the shimai there a couple weeks ago! Isnt that CRAZY?? I'm sure there's wisdom in it, and it was crazy that when I went on splits I was really like hey, this area is kinda nice... hmm... I could dendo (do missionary work) here someday--I just didn't know it'd be this next transfer! :) Soooo my bags are being shipped and I'm carting around my carry-on and backpack and dendo bag and a basil plant a member gave us in Maebashi :) And my new companion is Shipp Shimai. She was my MTC doryo Acerson Shimai's trainer and only on her 8th transfer I think. She is way way nice so I am soo excited to work together and be in Nakano!

This last week didn't have anything too out of the ordinary, we met with less actives, had a lesson on sunday with LiHing, a chinese girl that has been taking the lessons for a long time and just got back from China, and had to say goodbye to everyone and bear my testimony in Sacrament. I did just fine packing up my stuff, but while I was packing I was looking at Ensign pictures of conference and saw a girl in a cute winter jacket. I was like, man, winter is coming huh... good thing I have a jacket like that... wait...where is... then I realized that my wool jacket must be still in Kofu! So I called and they sure did have it. Sister Perkins was packing like crazy as she is going home now (crazy--my trainer is dying!) and so they were very kind and brought the jacket to transfers. I'm so glad I remembered. It's funny to see missionaries go home now that I actually know them and got to see them work in the field, but I saw Perkins shimai at the transfer meeting place and she is still very genki and nervous but excited for this next "transfer" to America.

Well a little more about Nakano--as far as I know-- it's where the mission home is, so we'll be seeing a lot of President and Sister Albrect and of course the Hombu staff. The mission home is built right next to the Nakano chapel, and I hear the ward is pretty big and everyone is really nice. The area is not nearly as big as my last ones. Kofu and Maebashi both spanned at least a 2-3 hour train ride. We can bike all the way across our Nakano area in maybe an hour... so, much smaller and more city. But when we did splits it seemed like there are a lot of people there but not so many that it would be completely overwhelming.

By the way mom, did I tell you I fixed the shoes? It only cost $6 and took thirty minutes but they are holding up just great now. They've been getting a little bit wet this week as it was pretty rainy. The weather is just starting to cool down a little--almost to the point you want a sweater at night when it's really windy. But mostly it's still sunny and hot. And still humid! As my hair gets a little longer is keeps getting curly and crazy so I have to be creative to keep it tame! :) Ok well I better go now, sorry there's not any cool stories or anything this week, but I am very excited for this next transfer and look forward to telling you all about it.

I do have one question, though, I have the Japanese triple BOM/D&C I got from the MTC but they just came out with a small triple (like half the size!) in Japanese so when we were at the temple store I bought one..it's much lighter to carry around so now I'm not sure if I need the other triple. I had my name engraved on it so I can't give it away, but if I send it home will someone use it to read for fun? I'm not sure I want to pack it every transfer if I don't use it! :)

Thanks a bunch!! Love you all lots and sending genki-ness your way! :)

Love,
LeFevre shimai

P.S. Random Japanese culture trivia (I might have already mentioned..)--Despite the fact that they eat sushi-raw fish-and put a raw egg with hot rice for breakfast, and often put eggs half cooked on basically anything, soups, donburi, ramen... they do NOT eat cake mix--like licking the spoons or bowls or anything. My last companion had never even tasted uncooked cake mix before..! Crazy huh? :) Well I was happy to eat her half too. Ok じゃねえ！hey does this come up as just boxes or can you see the characters:　もし　わたしが　日本語で　かけば、よめる　ことが　できますか？みんさんが　すばらしい　いちにちが　あるように　がんばてください！
愛していますよ！

Last week of Transfer 3

Helloooo friends and Family!

Well, Happy end of August everyone! I'm sure you are all sad to see the summer vacation go, but I just have to say I am overjoyed about the oncoming cooler weather. I am sure when winter gets bad it will be hard too, but fall and spring will be the best things ever in a missionary's life. I never understood really why we had them before, since the most fun is playing in the snow and playing in the pool on a sunny day. But at least one reason being for missionaries, I am glad it is not always blistering hot or freezing cold. ;) It's still pretty hot here, but you can feel it getting just a little cooler, without completely sweating all over, etc. I'm excited.

I am also excited for a coming dessert contest that we are planning to try and get less actives, members, and investigators all together to have a fun time. And eat lots of desserts. I think it's something that everyone likes. As we've been visiting lots of less actives this week to invite them to it, I don't really have any idea what makes them not come to church... one lady was so friendly and SO genki and played the ukalele and sang for us and laughed and was just so fun, and the thing is she lives about 100 feet from the church building. But for some very mysterious reason (actually we didn't really ask why but will soon) she doesn't come to church on Sunday..? Wakaranai! But hopefully through activities we can help them build relationships with each other.

The funny (sad) thing is that we don't know for sure if both of us will be here for it. It's the first Saturday in September, and transfers are next week... so IF one of us transfers they'll miss the desserts.. :( I hope it's not me. I dont really feel like I'm transfering, but we'll see.

Ok, so for this week week, well after Tokyo we came back and have really just been working hard to get word out about the dessert contest. Time is short so I'll be quick. We did have a big surprise on Sunday when a person showed up with a flyer we'd handed out. She had never been to a church before so we gave her a tour, went to Relief Society (our church does Sacrament meeting last), taught her lesson one with two amazing joint sisters, and went to sacrament meeting together. She is AWESOME. Her name is Itou-san. She seemed to really like everything, and was very touched by the lesson. She is coming next week to meet again and have church! YAY! We didnt get to learn much about her except that she's between school and looking for work. and 23 years old. So great. That was our miracle for the week.

Well, thanks for everyones emails and birthday wishes I feel so loved to recieve so many wishes and cards. Hope you all have an amazing week and may the Lord guide your lives with his Spirit. He is always waiting on the other side of our prayers, waiting to pour out his love :)

Love you all tons,
LeFevre Shimai

My Tokyo Birthday

Hey Everyone!!

Thank you to you all for your great birthday wishes and e-mails. I am so blessed to have such supportive family and loving friends! :) I'm sorry I can't write more today it has to be short. We came to Tokyo and did splits with the shimai here in Nakano. It was great fun and it was nice to be on streets where there are lots of people! ;) I could see myself dendo-ing in Nakano again sometime... [Ed. note: This proves to be prophetic.]

And today of course was the best birthday a missionary could ask for. We got to go to the temple, and it was beautiful, of course. And I did get your birthday package mom! I laughed a little when I saw that it was mainly chocolate... lol. I can't believe how much there is. But the shirts are absolutely perfect! Thank you! I love the green REI one the best. THANKS so much!! And Larisa, the purse is GREAT! I am so impressed! I started using it the day I got it. It works as my scripture and pamphlet tote! :D

It's still hot, but the Obon festival (day of the dead) is now past (after much incense) and so it's supposed to start getting cooler.

I hope to write more next week! Love you all so much and know you are all in my prayers as well!

LOVE,
LeFevre Shimai

Maebashi storms and earthquakes. Week 3.

Dear Family and Friends,

Yeesh! I'm sitting here in shock just from reading your letter dad! You guys have been having a rough time!... Yikes. I'm so sad to hear about Jazz!! That makes me want to cry! Poor guy... well I'll keep praying you find him too, but that's pretty scary if he's been gone almost a week now. And Grandpa! Getting a concussion by being run over by a horse! I guess this means I need to pray for my family more diligently! It also means I shouldn't complain about my little tired body and sore legs from dendo... I'll be more grateful from now on! (wow-I think being a missionary for sure makes normal things ten times more emotional... :) Ok well this week has been a little slow for us, but safe. You may have heard that Tokyo area had an earthquake. They did. I guess my companion thinks she felt it a little. But we were riding our bikes. I didn't feel a thing.. :( I would have liked to! But I'm sure I'll get another chance... Japan has lots of earthquakes. Anyway, we're fine and there's no problems. Some of the Elders in our nearby area were saying they were in a lesson and felt it. Lucky! but yeah, everyone's fine.

This week we had zone conference and interviews, which were great! We talked about baptism and how that's still our main focus even if we do end up doing a lot of 'seed planting' or just teaching, it's really baptism that opens the doors of the kingdom of heaven for these people. From there they take their own journey, but it is the gate. I think the thing that stuck out to me the most, though, was in my interview and in the conference President Albrect talked about how very soon in the mission young missionaries are going to be going senior... because that's what we have to work with. During the conference he said, especially in the case of those missionaries, to not worry about the language! Study hard and do our best but the Lord will help us say what we need to say through the Spirit's help. He referrenced the story in PMG from President Hinckley about the two missionaries, one who was well-educated and persuasive and had a great confident personality, and one who had earned money for his mission as a sign-painter. He said to the first one, "Well, the Lord can still use you" :) And I have felt that the Lord does make up for our weaknesses and I've said things in lessons through the Spirit's promptings, but I guess as I learn more Japanese skills, I have to keep reminding myself it's through the Lord's power I need to speak. Even if we can speak perfect Japanese, if we don't have the spirit with us the words won't mean anything. Well anyway, while he was saying all that it really hit me and I get the feeling I might be going senior pretty young (especially when I found out the day after conference my companion told president in her interview that she thinks I could!). I have a total of about 10 transfers and am on my third. We'll see what happens!

Ok and the other cool thing this week was on Satuday they had one of the biggest summer festivals. Maybe not the biggest but it's a huge deal. Everyone dressed up in their Ugatas (which are like Kimonos but for summertime) and there was a big matzuri (fetstival) down by the river here in Maebashi and then starting at 7:00 and going for... at least until 8:30 maybe 9:00 they had a HUGE fireworks show. Well I took a whole lot of pictures and video of the fireworks, until my battery ran out. They were gorgeous and so many types! The only bummer is it was raining the whole time! And at the end it was really coming down. We had to wait in this sea of umbrellas for everyone to go back up the stairs to the bridge for like 30 minutes there were so many people. But we went with the Kitagawa family so it was good time. We were going to go to the waterfall with them today too but a typhoon is supposed to be coming so they said it was dangerous. It hasn't really hit yet. Hopefully it can wait until we get back from e-mail :) But I did send off my SD card with Dad & Austin's package. There's a whole lot of pictures but it's not full but just unload them and send them back ok? I have a 2GB one here I'll keep using until I get it back. It should be there about two weeks from now. That was the cheaper way. Sorry it's really late from birthdays I really need to start planning ahead with those things!

Ok and last thing really fast then I gotta go. Next P-day will actually be a Tuesday because they changed it again! (Monday the temple is closed and most e-mail places too) Sooooo we are going to the temple! And I called the Nakano elders who have been trying to meet up with Kouki. I guess he's looking for a job right now but they said if we could all meet together he'd probably make time and it could be a great introduction for them. So (for my birthday!!) I get a P-day and to go the temple and possibly see a great old friend. I'm pretty excited :D

Well thanks for all your e-mails and mail. Grandpa--get better fast! Thanks for your letters! It was Ayumi that was in my Kofu ward... :) And btw so everyone knows, the time for letters from US to Tokyo is 1 at the fastest and 2 weeks at the slowest.

I can't believe only Dad and Austin are going to Ed week...? And Mom what's this I hear about you running in a marathon? And don't let Nathan forget about me!

Love you all so very very much!

Take care and have a fun (safe) week! DAD GOOD LUCK WITH ED WEEK!

LOVE,
LeFevre Shimai :)

Weekly Update: Maebashi is still hot

Family and Friends,

Well, the summer has officially started! The Semi's are loud and strong. Everyone's out for summer break (even though they all still have homework...?) and so playing at the parks and shopping and even here at this computer shop where they have this little e-mail place I get to use a computer at. It's unfortunately pretty far from our apartment :( and we came here an hour ago but they were full so we did some shopping and came all the way back and I was lucky to get a spot now.. so it might be tricky to e-mail these next few weeks with everyone out of school and places busy but we'll try.

They have a big fireworks show here in Maebashi on the 8th, so we've been invited by some less-active members to watch it with them. Then the next monday (for P-day) they're taking us to see a famous waterfall! It'll be exciting and a good excuse to build relationships with the family. Both the parents are members but the 14? yr old daughter is not and she's kinda free-willed but they seem like a really nice, good family. The mom actually came to church for the first time in a while last Sunday. I think she wants to come back the most (she's a returned missionary, and probably the dad, too).

Anyway, other than that we've had more lessons with our investigator Akutsu-san and they are maybe getting better. This last one was more based around questions that were of value spiritually... but she still just has to keep her reading committments!

The Book of Mormon is SO important! I can't believe there were days I didn't read it before.. and I don't know why but for some reason as senkyoshi (missionaries) we're not distracted by so many other things of the world so we just get so fine tuned to our emotions! When we watched the Joseph Smith Restoration movie a couple weeks ago I noticed it because I just wanted to bawl and leap for joy all in the same place! It was SO strong... but before dendo I probably thought that movie was pretty boring... So maybe from that our feelings when we read the BoM are more noticeable but it just all makes so much sense and is so amazing, like wow I never thought of it like that before.

Like for today's study I looked into how we need faith for miracles. Akutsu-san was asking last night why the Israelites could have seen Moses part the Red Sea and still not believe, or why the Jews could have seen Christ and still not believed. She proposed that if she had been there at that time and seen those kinds of things she would have zettai (without fail) believed. I think most of us would like to think that. But would we really believe? There's numberless examples in the Book of Mormon, and numberless scriptures I found studying.

To name a few there's Laman and Lemuel of course who saw angels but still turned away from the Lord in the end, and then there's many who by their faith wrought miracles, the prisoners with Lehi and Nephi who had faith to call upon God for repentence and were all every one enveloped in pillars of fire (Helaman 5). The underlying theme I got from my study was that God IS a God of miracles, and the only reason that miracles cease is that people forget God and do not believe (Mormon 9:20). If you want an interesting reading see Moroni 7:21-end. I went through and highlighted key words of Christ: faith, every good thing, angels, miracles, repentence, covenants. Then just to read through those highlighted words, well it may not have had much litteral meaning but it's clear that miracles start with the faith and love in our hearts.

Ok well other than that, not much exciting happening in Maebashi, we're still really trying to find investigators so pray for that will you? And I'll try exercising MY faith to work those kind of miracles too :)

And thanks to everyone for your letters and e-mails! I love you all lots and hope you have a fantastic week!!!! and remember to do you missionary-member work! :D

LeFevre Shimai

PS! Dad HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW wakaranai...) !! And Austin HAPPY BIRTHDAY in a couple more days!! LOVE YOU GUYS! (your presents are on their way :D)

PPS. Mom, you fire baton during halftime shows? ;D that was fun to read in the ward newsletter but .. can you still twirl? That'd be such a steki skill to brush up on.. :D

OK loves!!! G&G Leach you're so awesome for writing me every week, just so you know it was not Aoki in Kofu but I wrote her real name in my other planner :) I'll write it in snail mail!

Three weeks Until my Birthday!

Helloooo Family and Friends! こんにちわ！お元気ですか？

みんなさん、すばらしはなしが　ありますよ！今週はほんとにおもしろかたです。
Wow, what if I had to write a whole letter like that!! :) Maybe someday I can. But for now I'll go easy on you ;) Yes, well it says I have some great stories, this week has been very interestings. So yes, lots to tell.

Of course, it's only been a few days since I last e-mailed, since transfer week P-day is on Wednesday we still have P-day the following Monday (which is nice because Transfer day is not really a P-day much at all, lots of tiring train riding and eating with the other shimai and it's fun but you don't have shopping and mending and resting time (the neccessaries of a great Pday apparently. ;) So, what has happened since then? Well let me tell you it feels like forever ago... My new companion, Sister Sakamoto, is very nice and has been here in Maebashi only a transfer before me. She speaks basically no English. Some phrases and words are good, like this week's phrase is 'shoot, I got a mosquito bite' but basically everything we do is in Japanese !.. :-s The first day it seemed really hard and made my head hurt to focus so hard trying to figure out what she was saying. The second day was better. And I think I'm really getting used to it now, but it's not like we can have deep heartfelt conversations.. yet.. so I gotta keep working. Plus, when we talk to members and investigators, etc., if I don't understand then I probably won't later because I can't turn to Perkins shimai and say "ok, what happened?" and have it explained in English. So... it's been good motivation to pay closer attention and try to stop and ask for words I don't understand (while before I kinda nodded and smiled) so it feels like my language learning has really picked up its pace. :) Hopefully I can keep it up and not plateau out again like I was kind of feeling in Kofu.

Anyway, enough about Nihongo. Things that have happened in this last week: We do mostly housing. Basically only housing. So there's been a lot of door knocking. But we did have one good lesson with a previous contact and they became new investigators. I guess they've had contact with members before, esp thru Eikaiwa maybe (English class) so they knew all about the Word of Wisdom :) But they said next time they really want to hear more about what we believe and why we're missionaries. That'll be fun preparing for that! :D Oh yeah! Did I say it was hot before?? Well I was lying. I think, THINK, it's starting to get hot NOW. Yesterday was 34 celcius? kana? But add that with humidity and it equals me sweating like crazy... Last week in Kofu there was one day in particular that was super hot too and it felt like that one time we drove thru Arizona and stopped at the gas station and as soon as you stepped out of the car it was a heat wave. Well, it was something like that effect... but Arizona had been 110F........ and we weren't riding our bikes.. anyway, shinchau gurai kamoshirimasen... (It's so hot I might die ;) demo! It is also very rainy these last two days in Maebashi. Yesterday I got to see my first show of Kaminari, or thunder/lightning. Apparently Maebashi is famous for it's kaminari... and now I see why! We were going to a lesson at the church from a 30min bike ride place and the sky started dumping! It was like someone turned on a shower. Some points it almost hurt the drops were so big! But then it would just stop suddenly for a minute and then turn on again! sheesh! And all the while there was lightning in the distance and thunder so strong you could feel it. It was about the whole ride home, at least 20 minutes the thunder lasted strong. It was beautifully terrifying :) But definitely a moment to remember.

Anyway, other than that we made lunch on Saturday with the YW (all two of them and their two leaders) for their YW activity (they're finally on natsuyasumi--summerbreak), and then on Sunday I got to meet the ward. There were 30 people there. There are three kids in primary, all 8 and up. And probably 10 of the people came alone. Soooo there's a lot of part members and less actives... I think that's going to be a big focus this transfer. I don't think I ever realized how important every member is, and why visiting teaching, home teaching, and all activation efforts are so neccessary until I came on a mission (well there are a lot of things I didn't realize before :) But really, our mission president even told us to consider proselyting, reactivation, and activation efforts of the same importance. And it's true, it's not like a soul that has already been baptized is of any less worth than one that is ignorantly living life their own way... everyone needs the opportunity to be guided by the Spirit of God to become the best they can be, so they can stand before their maker and be worthy of Christ's mercy. We need the Holy Ghost's help. We need Christ's help. And sometimes, we need each other's help.

If whoever is reading this is wondering what they can do for missionary work this week, look to your ward! Look to see if there is someone who needs a friend, someone who needs an invitation, who needs to hear your testimony. Member missionary work is not just by members, but like it says is Member-Missionary work. Go dendo those members (including your family!!)! We can all serve and learn together :) Ok well that's all I have time for this week so Aloha to you all.

Ok well everyone Have a Great Week and Remember: God made you special, and He loves you very much :) Bye now!

LeFevre Shimai
Transfer 3 Week 2: Maebashi