I Now Love Facebook- Val/ Transfer Day

So Japan has Facebook and they use it. I'm so grateful for her mission president and members over in japan who post these pictures so that we are able to see them on the other side of the world. They help me so much.

So I think this is the first day there. Dinner and meeting their new companions.

Johnson Shimai her new companion.

The Mission President

Breakfast the next morning. It looks normal enough.

The expression on her face is priceless

What a Long Day

Alexis made it to Japan. They left the MTC at about 6:30 am. She said they had been up till 3:30 doing laundry, eating the Costco chocolate cake I had sent as a celebratory last days in the US kind of thing, and packing. She was able to call from the Salt Lake airport at 10am. Danielle and Joel stayed home from work, and Chloe and Max stayed home from school to be able to talk to her. It was great to hear her voice. She had about 50 minutes to visit, but it was really hard to say good bye again. But then she had a long layover in Portland and chatted for another 50 minutes. (I later found out they almost missed that plane).  I tracked her on the Delta app all the way across the Great Wide Somewhere of the ocean and woke during the night to see the little plane on my screen. I waited for a call from Japan but never got one. Finally about noon our time, (she would have been in the country about 6 hours) I texted one of her companions moms to see if she had heard anything, and she directed me to a Facebook page that had pictures of them there. Hooray. I was so excited. Following are those pictures. I don't have Alexis's translation, so I can only guess.

Then I got her email about midnight our time of they day she flew in.

 

Alright! So here I am in Japan! It doesn't even feel real. I am super exhausted. I'm not sure what time it is there, I'm not even sure what day it is here or anything really. But, anyway they are letting us hope on real quick. Everything is going great. Poor Adams Shimai is sick, hopefully she will get better. I got my trainer her name is Sister Johnson, she is super sweet. But anyway we are going to go contact now ahhh!!! I am terrified, but here we go. Love you all talk to you soon!

Love Alexis

I Want Adventure In the Great Wide Somewhere

• 
  So my whole life I have felt like Belle from Beauty and the Beast when she sings "I want adventure in the great wide somewhere" (I think those are the words...) and boy am I getting it now. I am going to Japan! I can't believe my time here in the MTC is almost up. I am pretty scared to go to Japan, but also so excited! What an opportunity to have such an adventure.
  

  As if you weren't all jealous of me already, Elder M. Russell Ballard spoke at our devotional on Tuesday. It was so cool. He just talked to us like he was our Grandpa and gave us some sagely advice. The apostles just speak with so much love and conviction. I have been really blessed to hear from two apostles while being here.

  So we had to say goodbye to, Brother Bingham, one of our teachers yesterday. I'm not sure if I have already shared about him, but he is amazing and has changed my life. He has not had an easy life, but has such a positive attitude. He also has so much love and such an amazing testimony. It was hard to say goodbye, but it was such a blessing to get to learn from him!

  I just wanted to share a few things I have learned since being here at the MTC.

  1. Christ is central to everything! If you know nothing else, but just that Christ is our Savior and He loves us, I think you will be set.

  2. This gospel is all about people. Love them as the Savior would. 

  3. Love/Charity is everything.

  4. This gospel is simple. It is based on faith in our Savior. Prayer is also essential!

  5. Our Heavenly Father LOVES us! As soon as we begin to realize Heavenly Father loves us and all His children we will view the world and the people differently.

  Those are just a few things I have learned, and I have learned a ton! I am so excited to go to Japan, and share our Heavenly Father and our Savior's love with the people there. I know this gospel is true. Simple as that.

  I love you all and hope your you have great weeks. 

  Ai Shite Imasu

  Kempner Shimai

  
  

  

   We had a fun temple walk in the rain. We are just practicing for that Japan rain.

  
  

  

   My good friend Brodie Choro. This picture kind of just sums him up.

   

  
  

  

  My district and Bingham Kyodai.

   

  

  I mean we are with each other 24/7, but why not be closer?

   

  
  

  

   We became really good friends with the girls in charge of our service projects.

One of the Three Nephites

           

 

So this week was pretty awesome.

We FINALLY got to hear from one of the 12 apostles! Our Tuesday devotional was Elder Scott. He spoke about prayer, and it was sooo powerful and simple and beautiful and I really need to work on prayers. But, it was great.

Let me just explain the title of this email real quick. One of the head honchos for the Japanese missionaries sat it on one of our coaching sessions my comps and I had with one of our teachers. Instead of just observing, he totally changed the way I view being a missionary! I get so caught up in the nitty gritty of the things I need to do and the technicality of it all. He talked about teaching like Christ would and just showing these people love. Obviously there was a lot more, and I can't do it justice in an email, but it was amazing and so powerful, and changed my life. So we are convinced he is one of the Three Nephites. That probably didn't make sense, but it was pretty great.

One of the elders in our district had a birthday this week and we had cake and cupcakes and decorated and it was a good day. Adams Shimai's mom also sent us croissants, because they are his fav, and we are going to eat them today.

Sorry, this email is kind of lame, and a lot more than this actually happened but sometimes trying to condense it all in one email is a rough task. 

Anyway! I only have one more pday at the MTC! Then I am off. I am actually really scared, but excited of course! I am so happy to be on a mission! Some days are really hard, but I think about how I get to give the people in Japan the opportunity to come to Christ and feel His and our Heavenly Father's love, and it is all worth it.

I love it, and I love you all! Until next week!

Ai shite imasu!

Kempner Shimai

 

All the Sisters in our zone.

Oh... my district.

Brodie Choro's Birthday

Sometimes one of the Elders in our zone (he is from hong kong) draws me and my comps. We thought it was pretty legit!

On Wednesdays we got quit a few of the Japanese missionaries to wear pink... Just for fun, ya know.

 

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

         

So I made it through another week. Time is going by so fast it actually freaks me out. I only have about two and a half weeks and then I'll be in Japan!

We said goodbye to our Senpai (the older district in our zone) and our cousins (the other older district not in our zone) on Sunday (hence the title of this email.) We just really love them and miss them so much. We were so sad and still are! But, they are in Japan now being awesome missionaries!

Sometimes Cooper Shimai gets a box of delicious pastries and cookies and my companions and I eat the whole thing in a matter of 30 minutes... Our we sad about it? Nope. Not at all.

So 2 of our new sisters our from Brazil and basically they are so funny. Sister Barbosa doesn't really speak english, but she is trying so hard. I admire her so much, she has such an amazing testimony and is essentially fearless. You can also add hilarious to the list of her redeeming qualities. She likes to teach me funny things in Portuguese. I will probably be tri-lingual by the time I'm done here. Sometimes she throws me over her shoulder like a martial artist whilst we are doing laundry. Basically I love her lots.

We got to Skype a real Japanese member last night and it was soooo cool! I was super scared and my Japanese went out the window, but it was such a cool experience. The man was so sweet and I just really love all the Japanese in the whole world!

We got to hear from Elder Sitati from the 70 on Tuesday, it was an awesome devotional.

That's really it for this week. I am so happy to be here. Some days are hard, but when I think about the amazing gift I get to share with these people nothing else matters. I know the gospel is true. I know Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His son. I know he translated the Book of Mormon through the power of revelation. I know God is our Father and knows each of us individually. I know Christ is our Savior, and older brother and that He loves all of us. I miss you all and hope you have an amazing week!

Gambatte Kudasai!



This is a picture of us with our cousins! From left  to right: Ellsworth, Allred, Harrison, adams, cooper, Me, Eccles, Harrison, and Muchado. Sad story about Muchado. He broke his arm in 2 places a couple weeks ago and he couldn't fly out with his district because he's in a cast. He's from Brazil and I love him to pieces. But he has to stay in the MTC for who knows how long. Pray for him! 

This is a picture of my companions and some of our dearly departed senpai! 

Front row from left to right: Driscoll, Kubera, Adams, Cooper, Me.

Back row left to right: Petit, Hilton, Day, Farias, Laird.

And in the very back: Mitchell

 

 

13 Bowls of Cereal Later...

 Konnichiwa Minisan!

Well, well, well. I have survived one more week. It was actually a great week though. We are officially halfway through our MTC stay, so our district was pretty excited about that!

We got another new district in our zone. They are super fun! There are two brazilian sisters we picked up a day early and got to know and they are hilarious!

However, our Sempai (the district that got here before us) are leaving on Monday. We are SO sad! We got very close to them and we want them to stay for three more weeks with us! But, they will do amazing things in Japan and I am sure we will see some of them again. It has been an amazing experience to get to know so many great people!

Last night we(some members in our zone) thought it would be a good idea to participate in a cold cereal eating challenge... Hence the title of this email. I was 5 bowls in when I realized I had no hope going up against my companions. Adams Shimai valiantly ate 9 bowls. And Cooper Shimai stole the show with a whopping 13 bowls of cereal! Yes she beat all the Elders. It was hilarious! We had quite the crowd surrounding our table. But, we all suffered the consequences. Still, it was quite fun!

Today was very neat because we got to hear from a Japanese brother who is a convert, served a mission in Fukuoka, and then taught at the MTC. It was amazing! He spoke in Japanese for part of it and me and my companions were so thrilled that we could understand some of it! But, it just got me super excited to love the people in Japan and bring the closer to Christ!

Also, in sacrament we are randomly called from the congregation to give a talk in Japanese. No one from our district had been called yet. No sisters either. Until they called my name... Yup I am pioneering the way for my district and sisters alike. I was terrified, but it is over and hopefully I won't have to speak again.

Missions are hard, but they are the best. Never have I done anything so rewarding. I am so excited to get to Japan. I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Ai Shite Imasu

Kempner Shimai


So here is some of the cereal challenge pics.Cooper Shimai in the first pic was the winner.

 

Apparently I was really enjoying myself... Also look at the throng of people around us.

 My mere 5 bowls seem like a poor mans meal compared to everyone else's loot.

 

Here's some pictures of the Brazilian sisters

... and our zone leaders!  

This is our hump day party.



My cute zone (minus the 2 new districts)