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