Hello Everyone!
Thank you so much for the e-mails/dearelders through out the week, you have no idea how much just a simple letter means to missionaries:) So feel free to write dearelder anytime;) haha jodan! (jokes) I know you are all busy. Everyone sounds like the normal schedule life is finally back and it is sad but also good to get back to a normal schedule and get back to real life. The kids look adorable as ever on the first day of school and Archie on his birthday! I LOVE getting pictures so keep sending them! Tanner, woah scary accident but I am glad you are okay and sorry about the back... These smith backs are a pain I know. I hope you get feeling better and good luck with another year of school at the U:) Everyone else, I hope all is well. Thank you for the e-mails! Oh Merc, CUTE BELLY:) Bry sent me a pic and cute carlos is getting big and I can't wait to see pictures of her when she gets here. Grandma Bonnie thanks for the e-mail as well:) I always love hearing from my cute pee popper;) Hope you are doing well. But everyone keep doing great in all you do and be safe!
Wow, another p-day is here.. I only have 4 more p-days in the MTC... Crazy how fast/slow time is here ha days are months but weeks are days. It is a weird feeling. But it was probably the best week so far. Besides the food, constant sick tummy but oh well haha bathroom not normal anymore.. hahaha whooops! We will start off with the kuydosha (investigators). Oh and Brooke asked me if they were real or fake. Our investigators are fake, they actually are our teachers so that's always fun and interesting at the same time... So Aoyaga San AND Yonaha San both committed to be baptized in September!!!! :) It was such an amazing feeling hearing yes come out of their mouth after I invited them to receive baptism. So yes our lessons are improving and I feel the spirit in them and apparently so do they. But sadly our next lessons were a little harder after they committed because Yonaha San she tried to commit suicide because her fiance left her so that was a hard lesson to adjust too and then Aoyagi San came to our lesson drunk and with both of their lessons with had to follow the spirit and change what we were talking about. And usually we write our lessons out because we aren't 100% sure how to say it all but our teachers challenged us to never use script anymore so both of those lessons we just had to talk with what we knew and they went great! Both agreed to follow our commitments and I could feel heavenly father help us through those lessons. It was amazing:) Gift of tongues is so real everyone! Acutally, this week I felt like I grew the most with the language. Sentence structure clicked a little more today so I was very happy about that! I am finally starting to get this.. slowly but surly... With of course the help of my father in heaven because no way in my life could I pick this up this fast without my Father in Heaven so I am so grateful for him this week because he is helping me with my weakness. I am pretty good at understanding what others say but saying what I want to say is my struggle and he is helping me. I feel and know it.
Funny/Ridiculous Story of the Week:
Of course it has to do with Elders... They have a lot of growing up to do;) haha so I am waiting in the wrap line for lunch and this Elder comes up to me and sets a banana on my tray and says "I believe this is yours" and I look down and on it was his e-mail!!!! LIKE REALLY ELDER?! Like he just tried to hit on a Sister at lunch in the MTC... Oh boy was that interesting. So everyone is my District thought it was hilarious but I was just in shock! Come on Elders;) haha
So highlight of this week was Sunday Devotional. I don't know if anyone has heard of the Nashville Tribute Band. But I never had till now but they are this group of Mormons who travel around and sing songs about our church and stories but make it more country ish modern and they are awesome! They basically just sang a lot of their songs but also gave spiritual thoughts through out. I felt the spirit so strong through out the whole thing! The choir got to sing two songs with them as well so I am so glad I joined the choir now:) So there are two songs I want you to look up that just hit me so hard. The first is called "Emma's Song" and it is about Emma Smith and her part and going through what she went through being married to Joseph and I loved it! Then the best part of the whole thing was the last song called "The Hardest Thing I Ever Loved to Do." Please go look both of those up and I promise you that you will understand what I mean by I felt the spirit so strongly, especially as a missionary:)
Okay so this Sunday the subject for the day was Book of Mormon. What a great subject right?! No better thing to talk about then the truest book of the whole earth:) Anyway, my doroyo and I taught the lesson for District Meeting and while I was studying I just kept thinking back to the times that I prayed to know if the Book of Mormon is true and I just had peace and comfort come to my heart. Everyone, the Book of Mormon is SO TRUE:) I know without a doubt that if it wasn't true it wouldn't be on this earth. NO way could a man with the education level that Joseph Smith had make up those things. That book brings so much peace and joy to my life and espiecally now as a missionary, there is no great place to turn too when it gets hard.. I hope you all know that I know it is true. I have read and used Moroni's promise and have felt the confirmation that it is true. I know it with all my being. So our Branch Presidents wife challenged us to ask our families/friends back at home about your book of mormon experiences right now. How is reading it going for you? Do you know it is true? Do you read it wanting to learn and strengthen your testimony? And if you have any good experience with it, I would love to hear them:) That would be my challenge this week, think of something you want to know or a question you have and turn to the Book of Mormon and I promise that you will receive and answer. I know it, I promise you:)
Well I am loving this work:) I love the MTC but I am also so excited to go to Japan as well. I have so much more to learn but I am so glad I chose to serve a mission. Anyone who is t hinking about or not sure about a mission. PLEASE GO:) You will not regret it I promise.. The Church is SO true and Jesus Christ knows you and knows all you go thorugh even when you feel like no one understands, he does and if you pray to him he does bring the comfort and knowledge which you need to over come it:) I know it and I love it. Have another GREAT week everyone:) Smile and makes someones day better. It will make yours better as well I know it. I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU ALL!
-Smith Shimai #FAITH
These are the Elders we deal with, haha, just for fun
These are the sweet Branch Presidency wives who I LOVE :) Like my moms at the MTC :)
Temple Walk (MTC Companion, Sister Pickrell)
Our district at our month mark :) that's our teacher Olson Kyodai
Ate these nasty Japanese pickled plumbs AWFUL! haha
Me and Sister Yates
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