Hello!!

Hey everyone.

Yeah, I'm still here, but have to go soon so I'll write fast.

Before I forget, mom and dad-- Who was our very first convert to the church? Everyone always asks what generation I am in the gospel. It's the big thing here because the biggest is third or fourth (maybe). Sakuma shimai was a third generation cuz her grandfather is a convert. Her dad's a convert too. But lots of people are still first generation converts, so they always ask. I have no idea what I am... kind of a identity crisis! :)

So other than that, our biggest thing this week was of course Oaks choro's conference! It was great! He is such a powerful speaker! (of course, for one of the Twelve!) So, the best part was they had everyone come at least half an hour early and then he got to go around the whole room of about 500 people and shake everyone's hand. Me too! Yay! It was cool.

He spoke on not giving up when it's hard, and trying to see how we can learn from our trials, so that we can see they are actually a blessing to our lives. He talked a lot about losing a loved one like he lost his recent wife to cancer, and about being single for so long, as was the life of his remarried wife. His wife now is really cute too. Very genki and actually she served in Japan as a missionary! So she did her best to speak to us in Japanese :)

Oh, and transfer results were pretty much as we expected, we lost Sakuma shimai but Harada shimai and I get one more transfer together here! I think it'll be my last in this area (?) but it's going to be a way fun one because I finally know the members (both wards) and I've already been with Harada shimai so we're used to each other. We can really gear up and have a fun this transfer! :)

Well, sorry it's short, but I'm going to be sending my SD card home soon (the big one) it's getting full !

Oh and Dad, congrats again! I finally understood when I read the Valentines letter. I didn't know Idaho had education week!

And Brooke--you're going to Europe?? not here??? :( :) And Luke and Megan-- thanks for the gift!! My companions laughed that they were chopsticks! But I think they are great!!!

Love you lots!!
Katie Shimai

PS The pictures are from a member we went out to lunch with. She took them on her phone then mailed them to us :) We made duckies out of the little yellow .. napkins/washclothes. .. it's customary in a nice restraunt to give the customers nice hot towel/cloth to wipe their hands with before and during the meal. It's way simple to make the duck! I'll try to remember to show you all.... :)

Happy P-Day!! oh Wait...

So, no I guess you don't get P-days.. but that's cuz everyday is shopping and laundry day at home!! :)

Anyway, Konnichiwa minna!

So, we're at the temple (offices/family history center where they let us e-mail) now, and I'm trying to write fast since both my other companions already finished and we have to go get ready for the session soon.

It sounds like the biggest new is William's date! :) And Austin congrats on working at Subway! I am jealous! We went to Subway the other week because Harada shimai likes it too, and I remembered how much I like it.. only here it's more expensive-- a 6 inch was like $6 something and footlong was $10-11 !! :( Be glad for discounts! Eat fresh! :)

So the work here is good! This week we had sports night and visited some less actives on our list to find out they moved to Tokyo, and even did a lot of Kubari-ing (handing out flyers) and housing. And we worked with our PI from Pakistan who wants us to make an English class once a week for her restraunt and then we can meet people through that. It would count towards our 4 service hours we have every week. We also went with our college investigator to a fancy cake shop and ate cake with her. She is really sweet but really quiet. And she's going out of the country from next week until March.

OOH! And Elder Oaks is coming to our stake conference next week!! It's going to be in our building so the whole stake is going crazy trying to invite everyone they can and fill up the chapel as much as possible. I guess there hasn't been one of the Quorum of the Twelve come to Yokohama for about 20 years or so... ! So it's a big deal. We're also doing our best to invite all our investigators and less actives we work with.

Dad--what are you doing in Idaho in July?
L&V- Carnation? :) yeah, there's lots of land, but Larisa will sure love it! Vik good luck with the cows! :)
Will- thanks for the letter!
Mom- ganbaru with classes

Love you all lots and hope I can write a letter soon, too.
I haven't got the package yet but will keep my eyes out.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

Love,
LeFevre Shimai

Snow Storm In Yokohama

Minnasan! Konnichiwa!

So, we had an appointment today that brought us to Yokohama city where the expensive e-mail place is, and even tho it's expensive, we were already here so we get to e-mail :) I think it's mostly that Harada shimai also likes to e-mail that I've been able to e-mail more regularly too. Next week for P-day we're going to the temple, so we'll e-mail then too (at the church offices next door).

That's so fun to hear about the missionary work you have going over there!!!! Congratulations Lance and welcome! Sounds like there's plenty of great examples to follow. :) 10 missionaries came to the baptism? Sheesh, how many are in the area... it makes me wonder, now that I understand districts and areas and whatnot, how our area is split up. But that's cool. Recent converts!! Do they need any help with the AB (after baptism) lessons? ;)

Oh man, sometimes I get sooo excited to just come back and be a super member missionary. I want to give the missionaries Bing maps to wherever their going, keep meal appointments really under an hour, and always have a friend to introduce--not neccesarily to be taught, but to just introduce so they have the chance to more naturally talk about religion because it's all we do as missionaries. When members talk with friends sometimes it's hard to bring up religion. But when missionaries are asked, so what do you do? it is of course a very easy and direct way. :)

Anyway, it snowed last night! Not very much, and it was really slushy like Seattle, but as we walked home from the Single Adult FHE activity I felt just a bit joyful inside with that special crunching noise under my boots :)

This week has gone by way fast. We made friends with a less-active member's older sister, who as it turns out often reads the Liahona and even the BoM, and likes it! Pretty much a golden PI (potential investigator). But she's really busy so it'll be tricky to meet with her more. And one day we biked way far, pretty much for about four or five hours straight, and I measured the approx on our wall and I think it's 26 kilometers. about. !Sheesh we were tired. Then we also went and got to talk to a lady from Pakistan who runs a curry restraunt in Tsunashima. She wants to learn English for now, but says she also has customers who'd like to meet us. I think we'll meet more with her next week.

Oh! And we had a kubari-kai where we basically handed out BoMs at the eki (train station). We did it as a district, so there were 4 choro and 3 shimai (us!) and all in all we gave out 18 BoMs! Kubo choro (who's on his last transfer) gave out 8 or so all by himself! He was running back and forth between people. I think it's important to remember how critical and urgent the work is. Sometimes it's easy to think it'll all happen... someday. But really it's true that God loves each of his children and every soul is worth sooo much to Him. Sometimes I'm reminded that too as I feel really prompted to say something in particular to someone or to go somewhere and find someone needing help. Just blessings of serving the Lord. You don't have to be a missionary for that though! Look to those you've been given stewardship over--Home teaching and visiting teaching, and of course your friends! :) We can bless lives so much by just reaching out a little. Give it a try :)

Well, last random thought but I had a dream the other night where I was with the whole family again, and I realized I couldn't really speak Japanese to you, except Nathan--who somehow understood me perfectly；）-- and then I felt just a little scared. :) The world of English... how daunting.. :) William--ganbatte onegaishimasu!! watashi mo, ganbaru!
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> Well, Love you all lots and miss you tons,
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> LeFevre Shimai
> らふぇば　しまい