愛する家族

Yahiko

Shinobu

Hello everyone!

This week was busy busy busy. Last Sunday I was asked to give a talk for yesterday. It was my first talk here in Japan. I've bore my testimony but I never had to give a 10 minute talk in Japanese. I was terrified. And to make me more stressed I only had language study twice this week.  Wednesday we went to Tokyo for MLC and let me tell you. The Shinkansen (bullet train) is amazing. We made it there so fast. I learned so much at the meeting! I had a great time seeing missionaries I haven't seen in forever, oh! And my Mtc companion came back! Her knees healed up and I was able to see her! Anyways, one of my favorite things I learned at MLC was using time wisely. We talked about how we are probably all working really hard but we need to start working in a different way to have more effective results.

I just wanted to share a cool miracle that happened. Last week we went to a place called Yahiko. There was a huge shrine and it was kinda like a flower festival. We went with a less active couple. We had a great time and afterwards they invited us over for dinner. At dinner I asked for any suggestions for my talk and Maeda Kyoudai is so knowledgeable about the scriptures. He pretty much made his own scripture dictionary guide and gave me some good scriptures about charity and forgiveness. Before we left he asked us to pray for them and I also invited them to my talk. I told him how I was pretty nervous and they didn't seem like they would come but I still thought I would ask. (His wife really has no interest in church conversation). Well Sunday arrived and two of our investigators came! And then right before sacrament Maeda Kyoudai came! I was pretty scared to give my talk but when I saw him and said hello my fear kinda turned to courage. My talk went pretty well and I was even able to make some jokes, やった! He left as soon as sacrament ended but it still helped me want to deliver my talk to the best of my ability. This morning I called him and thanked him and he said I did a great job and he was just so kind and him and his wife invited us over again.

I love this gospel so much! Yesterday in relief society we talked about the spirit and how the spirit and testifying are so powerful. I know that if I testify to people they will feel the spirit. If people reject us I can still testify and they can have a change of heart. Sister Yonaha and I talked about how we just really need to show love to people in Sanjo. I know that if we witness of Gods love their hearts will change and they will realize they are coming closer to that happiness I know they are searching for. Everyone wants happiness. Being sad is miserable and if we share the light of the gospel I know people will come into Christ. Thank you all for your prayers! I love you all so much! 愛しています！

愛する
レイシー姉妹

It's Raining, It's Pouring!

New Friends

The Halloween Party

Yummy Food

The trio reunited

Hello everyone!

This week has been really good! We saw A LOT of miracles! Asako San is
so amazing! Do you remember the movie "Matilda"? Asako San is just
like Mrs Honey from the movie. She is the sweetest thing and so
loving. She texted us Tuesday to see if we could meet and we met her
at the church. She read some of the Book of Mormon! We taught her the
restoration and she said she believes Joseph Smiths experience really
happened! We testified to her and had her read Moronis Promise and
after she read it she said she felt something really special. I
testified to her that that feeling is the spirit. We invited her to be
baptized and she said she would if she got her answer. We set a soft
baptismal date for November 15! She is so spiritual and I am so
blessed to be able to work with her.

I love the Nakagawa sisters! They are our only two young women.
Yesterday, I went to young women's and we had a great time. I got to
know them a lot and after class I asked Miharu chan to teach me how to
draw anime because I heard she's really good and I like to draw as
well. I heard she's really shy about her art work but she showed me
some of her drawings and she even drew me a picture! I got to know
some of their hobbies and let them know more about me. I told them
that I can help with their English homework and they seemed excited
about that! I'm going to talk to their mom and try and set up a
specific time! I love working with the youth and am so grateful that
President Nagano has been encouraging us to work with them more.

Oh and just real quick I'll share about the Halloween party. So there
are four missionaries here in Sanjo and they had us in charge if
everything. I have a lot of respect for people who set up for ward
activities now. Sister Yonaha and I made the food and organized most
of the games and the elders set up the decorations and helped with the
games. It was stressful but fun! To answer some questions no, people
don't really celebrate Halloween. They know it's a holiday but I think
only elementary schools do things haha. It was a cute little party
with our whole 35 people that came haha.

This week I have really been trying to focus on being Christlike. I'm
trying to lose myself in the work and not focus on myself. Sometimes I
feel like I'm pretty selfish or focus on the wrong things. I always
try to remember the talk from conference about how we get frustrated
when we start to think this work is our own. I definitely have found
out that to be true. I'm trying to be more sincere in my prayers to
try and help humble myself more. This morning during study I read
John 15:18

"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you."

It hit me so hard. I have never felt what I then felt before. I can't
even describe the way I felt but my Savior felt so much more real to
me. There are many times as a missionary where you feel hated. It's a
terrible feeling and sometimes makes me doubt or not try so hard but
just reading that I just couldn't hold back the tears. I am so
determined to do everything in my power to do the Lords work. He could
do it on His own but for some reason He has chosen me along with many
others to preach His gospel. I know that "by small and simple things
are great things brought to pass."

I love this work so much. I am so grateful for all of the many
experiences I have had and I know they will bless me forever. I know
this is the true church and that our Savior Lives. I can't help but
get emotional every time I testify about Him. I love my Savior and
Redeemer and I know He has a special love for the people in Japan. I
love you all so much! Aishiteimasu!

Ai suru,
Lacey Shimai

Winter Already??

Some flower peddles for a salad

Leaving Sado Island :-(

Articles of Faith (English

Articles of Faith (Japanese)

Hello everyone! 

So yeah, it's cold. Right now the weather is like
California winters... Wish me luck for when the Sanjo winter actually
arrives! This week was really good! I went to Sado and got to be with
Sister Hubbard from my MTC district! It was so amazing and we had a
wonderful time. We talked about how it's funny to hear each other
speak Japanese now because it's so different than the mtc! The island
is beautiful but I was there for less than 24 hours so I didn't go
around too much. But I might go again next transfer!

We also had interviews with the Naganos! They are seriously so
amazing. President Nagano and I talked a lot about finding and new
ideas and afterwards at district meeting we realized that all of our
interviews were pretty much the same! We are determined to try new
ways of finding. And Sister Nagano, she might be the smartest women
I've ever met. We could be talking about something and then it's like
she looks into your soul and understands what's bothering you and then
boom she just says everything you need to hear. We talked a lot about
rejection. She said, "just let it go and find someone else." She said
the more rejected you are the closer you are to finding who God wants
you to find.

I don't have too much else to report about the week. This week I was
really studying about the kind of missionary I want to become. I have
learned a lot through being humbled many times but I'm grateful for
the experiences I've had that help me grow. I love you all so much!

Love Sister Lacey

Sanjo!

Sister Yonaha and Sister Lacey in Sanjo-Shi

Sanjo

Sanjo

Sanjo

Raman Restaurant

Beautiful!

Sanjo!

Wow... Where do I begin?! It seriously feels like I just went on
another mission. The Niigata Zone is pretty much it's own mission. It
was fun taking the 5 hour bus ride up here. I won't have temple pday
for awhile because I'm so far away, but, when we have our mission
leadership council meeting Sister Yonaha, me and the zone leaders will
get to take the Shinkonsen (bullet train) down to Tokyo! I'm so
excited! Anyways, Sister Yonaha is amazing! She is the sweetest thing
ever and is also from Okinawa just like Sister Teruya. I can already
tell my Japanese is improving, she doesn't know a whole lot of english
so I've been speaking a lot of Japanese this week. It's finally
starting to get to the point where sometimes I can't remember if I had
a conversation with someone in English or Japanese because the
languages are getting mixed together haha.

I love being Sister Training Leader! I don't really do all the much
although I gave a training at zone meeting my first day here in
Niigata. Oh! I will be going to Sado island tomorrow for exchanges! I
can't wait, I will be with Sister Hubbard from my Mtc district! I have
realized why I have been given this position as STL. The first half of
my mission I feel like I focused on myself and my own desires but now
it's like a switch went off in my head and I'm just constantly
thinking about the other sisters in my zone and what I should be doing
to help them. It's definitely been a growing experience that was much
needed.

Sanjo is a lot different than Saitama. There are fewer people and
hardly no one out walking in the streets. Our teaching pool is a lot
smaller than my other areas but our progressing investigator is so
amazing. She is the most spiritual and pure hearted person I've ever
met. I really believe she will be baptized soon. Oh, and so Sanjo
isn't even a branch... It's called a group and we have a group leader
instead of a bishop or branch president. There are only a handful of
people that come to church and there are a lot of less actives. It's
just like a little family though. There are no babies in the ward
which makes me sad and there's only about 4 youth that come that are
all siblings. Sister Yonaha and I taught the two sisters for young
women's yesterday and it was so fun! And since there's only a small
amount of people church is only two hours. It definitely is a change
but I love it here. It took awhile for Okegawa to steal my heart from
Urawa but Sanjo has taken it pretty quickly. It's already pretty cold
at night but I love the scenery and a lot of people are nicer do I
have a good feeling and strong desires to see many miracles here in
Niigata! Bring on the snowy miracles!

I'm so glad and honored to be a missionary in Japan. Yesterday one of
President Naganos counselors came to church and afterwards did a
little training with us and the elders. It really helped me a lot and
he helped give me advice on how to focus on the youth and younger aged
people. Almost all the leaders of the church in Japan were converts
from age 15-25 so we are trying to focus on them because they are more
open to new ideas. I love this work so much! I have been doing the
Ponderizing and it is amazing how much more I learn and how I feel
more focused on a daily bases. I love you all so much! Thank you for
everything! Aishiteimasu!

Love, Lacey Shimai

Sent from my iPad

Transfers!

Where do I begin.....? I'm getting transferred to.... SANJO!! It's up
north and one of the colder areas... I will probably be there awhile
and if that's the case I will finally have a white Christmas! But,
here's the crazier news... I'm going to be Sister Training Leader....
And my new companion is another Japanese Sister! I guess her English
isn't very good but that's what I need! I need my Japanese to improve.
And since I'll be over the whole Niigata Zone with Sister Yonaha I
will most likely go to Sado Island a few times! I am beyond excited!
I'm sad to leave Okegawa and all the members but I'm excited for this
new adventure. I heard Sanjo is just a small branch with like 10-20
members so it will be like a family! I will be on again in a few hours
to respond to everyone. I love you all so much! I'm grateful for the
opportunity to have more responsibilities and become a better
missionary. Aishiteimasu!

Love Sister Lacey

Sent from my iPad

One week left!

Visiting Tokyo on Preparation Day

Visiting Tokyo on Preparation Day

Visiting Tokyo on Preparation Day

Add caption

Real American Pizza!

Hello everyone! 

There is only one week left until I reach my halfway
mark... This is insane how fast it all goes by. It's crazy how Jason
goes into the mtc on my exact halfway mark! I'm glad you all had a
great time at the temple. I wish I could have been there but I'm glad
he had so many people to support him. I got to watch the Saturday 
sessions of conference and this Saturday we will watch the Sunday
sessions. I loved conference so much! I loved all the talks on
families. And I learned so much from each talk!

This week was good and we had zone conference. I really enjoyed the
whole thing and I need to apply it to my mission. I really liked when
President Dorff said to hold the Book of Mormon in our hands for more
power but also for a safety blanket as needed. I feel like I am
definitely lacking in confidence which isn't something new. I've been
told time and time again that I need to work on my confidence. I feel
like towards the beginning of my mission I wasn't confident about
teaching simply or answering peoples questions but now I think the
language is starting to effect my confidence. I know I need to not
worry about it and its just an excuse but one lady that we teach
always makes fun of my Japanese and says how my companion is better
and it just got a little over board this week so I've been letting it
affect me. But I just need to remember the times when members and
others say I have a pretty pronunciation and I sound like I'm
Japanese. And when I was with Sister Teruya a member called us and I
answered and they though it was her so just started rambling on about
something and I couldn't quite catch everything so I asked if I could
give the phone to her and they were shocked haha. Anyways, I'm trying
to focus on the good. Sorry for that little rant!

So this week we received a few new contact info from some more young
people! I have definitely seen how focusing on the younger generation
is more beneficial. Also, wewent and visited a member who really needs
the missionaries right now and she was just asking us about dendo and
she gave us all sorts of advice on how and where we should dendo! She
told us to go to the high schools and find around there and said how
there are hundreds of young people and they are more willing to except
new things! She said we need to "attack!" We told her about the
conference we had and how we were counseled to focus on high school
aged students! I'm so grateful for members who love to help the
missionaries.

Oh! And remember Yuna from Urawa? She turned 19 a few months ago and
said she wanted to meet me. We went out for lunch and had a great
conversation and she wants to meet with the elders in Urawa. She said
she wishes I was still there but I told her the elders could help her
too. She is so awesome and so sweet! I love her!

I've been trying to think of new ways to be more effective at finding.
I've realized one of my weaknesses is finding and I want to turn it
into a strength. I want to have a better attitude about finding so now
I call it "Fantastic Finding." I was thinking about doing a survey. I
had been thinking about it for awhile but wasn't quite sure how to go
about it and then I got a letter in the mail from Morgan and in her
letter she also sent my a survey she has been doing! I was able to get
more ideas and then my companion and I thought of some questions and
then talked to our ward missionary leader about it and he said he
would print it off for us! I'm so grateful for the promptings of the
Spirit that help me think of new ideas and to help me strengthen my
weaknesses.

We have been considering people who we might have to drop because they
are not making any commitments. Chat does not keep our commitments so
this week we will meet with her again and hopefully we'll be able to
tell if she is still interested or just likes to talk. Namatame... we
think she just really likes to be dramatic. She keeps coming up with
excuses and this week she is concerned that our church doesn't have a
priest or confession room but we told her about bishops. She still was
concerned and today she is in Korea for work and is going to go see a
priest... We'll see how that goes. She was talking to Sister Bettridge
on the phone about all that and I said I wanted to talk to her and she
said no no no because she would cry if she talked with me because she
feels guilty or something and doesn't want to upset me... 

 I'm really excited for Wakutsu San though. We invited her to be
baptized and she said she doesn't think shes good enough or something
but we told her of the blessings. We taught her the whole restorations
and she was a little confused by prophets but then I did a
tatoebanashi (object lesson) and it clicked for her and she completely
explained to us what prophets were! Today we are teaching her about
the plan of salvation and also we want to set a baptismal date. It's a
lot more fun than I thought asking people to be baptized. I definitely
have just been letting fear get in the way. I just need to remember
Jason's miracle and how everything worked out and I just need to
remember that miracles DO happen.

I love this work and I love being a missionary. I'm so grateful to be
in Japan and to be learning and growing so much. There are hard times
and there are even harder times but they help me appreciate and
cherish the good. I know this is Gods work and He has a perfect and
complete plan. He wants all of His children to return to Him. I know
Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer and He knows every one of us
perfectly. I think sometimes we may over look everything and and try
to understand everything better but it is simple. Just like president
uchtdorf said, we need to "simplify." I love you all so much! Thank
you for everything! Aishiteruyo!

Love, Sister Lacey

Sorry Everyone!

Hey! 

Sorry everyone for forgetting to tell you that my pray was
changed today! It was cute to see y'all worried about me :) we had a
great week! I don't have much time today because we are going to
explore around Tokyo today! I'll just share a really cool miracle this
week.

The elders have been working with a guy who has known the missionaries
for about 12 years. They said they dint know how to take the next step
and they think the key might be his wife. So we decided to visit them.
It has been amazing! We've met with her twice in the past week and
I've never taught someone with so much interest before in my entire
life. Everything we tell her she just looks at us with big eyes and is
always on the edge of her seat. Last night we taught her the
restoration and I think that might have been the first time we've
taught the whole restoration all the way through. She is so amazing
and we have another appointment with her! It makes me want to try so
much harder because I know she has sincere interest. I'm so blessed to
be witnessing this miracle.

I'm so grateful I am on a mission learning and growing. It definitely
is a test of faith sometimes but I'm grateful for the hard times
because it makes the good times just that much more special. I love
you all so much! Thank you for your prayers! Aishiteru yo!

Love Sister Lacey