There is no winter in California

The stuffed animal Sister Lacey gave to a new friend

The friend's reply to Sister Lacey

A family Heart Attacked the sisters and gave
Sister Lacey a present for her birthday

Sister Lacey says she's in Paradise!

Feeding squirrels

皆さんこんにちは！

SO! This transfer I am staying in Sanjo but Sister Yonaha is going to Nakano where the Mission Home is. She is taking Sister Teruya's place. I'm sad she's leaving because we bonded a lot this week but I will see her soon. I'm staying as Sister Training Leader and so is she so I'll see her in Tokyo. My new companion is Sister Kubota! She was a group ahead of me in the MTC. She is half Japanese and from Hawaii. I don't think she knew Japanese before her mission though. I'm way excited! She is super loud and outgoing so maybe it'll help me be more confident to talk to everyone!

Anyways, this week was cold. The day of my birthday might have been the coldest day of my mission and it just keeps getting colder! I'm not sure which will be worse, riding my bike in this weather where the wind pierces your soul or walking in the snow for forever when we can't ride our bikes anymore... Either way, I am actually excited! I know if I can survive a winter in Niigata ken I can survive anything!

My birthday was great! Thank you for all the love and presents everyone! For the first time I actually do feel older and different. But mom and dad, how do you two feel now that you have 3 children in their 20s?? ;)The average age people usually think I am is 23 so now I'm finally starting to get closer to the age I look! Haha. We went to the park with Shinobu Shimai and the Makise fuufu (couple) and had a great time! As I'm sure you saw from the picture, we feed squirrels! They have like a squirrel petting zoo thing and it was way fun! We also visited the Maeda fuufu and long story short, they BOTH came to church yesterday!! It was awesome! I'm so happy we have been gaining a good relationship with them and helping them come back to church. すこしづつ！

Also, I realized I am forgetting English. We have started a benkyoukai which is like English class but more one on one and I corrected a few essays and it was a bit difficult. It was fun though! I hope my Japanese is improving. But I definitely know that the gift of tongues is real. There's no way on earth from studying Japanese for only 10
months that I know how to say as much as I do, read, write, understand, and oh my recognize some kanji! Craziness! But somehow I manage to survive. I know that it is only through the Spirit that I am able to do so much. I love you all so much! I hope you have a great thanksgiving break! I'll miss the turkey and gravely.. We are having a thanksgiving potluck party but I'm sure there won't be quite like thanksgiving in America! I love you! 愛してるよ！

愛する
レイシー姉妹

I'm old!

Zone trip to Mt. Yahiko

Shrine at Mt. Yahiko

View from Mt. Yahiko

It's extremely hard to believe that I will be turning 20 this week.  But thanks for the birthday packages everyone!  Wednesday, we will be going to a park with the Makise couple and Shinobu Shimai so I'm looking forward to that!

This week was good! I went on exchanges with Sister Butler who is a Bean chan right now. (She's a greenie). It was my first time being the oldest in the companionship and let me tell ya, I loved it! Besides the fact that sister Parkers bike broke on me and I thought I was gonna die, it was great! We met with a members less active daughter and taught her some English and a mogi (role play) lesson. We had planned to talk about the Book of Mormon and how the gospel blesses families but kinda out of the blue Maiko said that we missionaries just have a radiant light around us. She said it blinds her! I asked her if she wanted that light and she said yes! We shared Moroni 7:19 and she loved it and wrote it down and said she wanted to read it again later. It was an amazing lesson and I was definitely granted the gift of tongues to help sister Butler. She would ask me questions and I would be able to help or I was able to translate what they were saying. I didn't realize I could do that! Usually I'm the one asking to know what people said. Not gonna lie, it gave me a real desire to want to train! And it made me have more confidence that my language skills are improving!

Also, quick funny story. I was showing sister Butler pics of the family and she saw the one with cousins and she was like, "is that Rachel?" I was shocked and said yes. Her mom and Kelly were roommates or something in college and she's been to the buntings house! She said Curt is a bully haha. Small world!

Oh! And I taught everyone how the Lacey family plays ping pong at our ping ping night. It was hilarious. We played around the world and I told them how we do the spinning thing and we only play with two paddles and so we tried it. I'll send you some videos. It was so funny haha.

I just want to share a couple spiritual experiences this week. First, I got a letter from sister Fox and she shared the talk "What Lack I Yet" so I decided to study it and try it out. So I did and the first answer I got was to start writing in my journal. The spirit really does personalize things and make them specific! I have definitely been slacking in my journal writing. The next experience is about the priesthood. I think I've been going through of a little bit of a mission midlife crisis and it all kinda came pouring out the other day. I decided the best thing to get me going again was a priesthood blessing. The elders here were more than willing to help and I know without a doubt that everything that Elder Frazier said was directly from God. I didn't give him any specifics on what was troubling me but everything he said helped me so much. I m so grateful for the power of the priesthood and for divine guidance.

I truly would not be here if I did not believe this was the true church if Jesus Christ. There is no way I would be able to handle the rejection, witness all of the miracles, understand and speak this brain frying but unique and amazing language, and be able to stay away from my loved ones if it wasn't for the divine help and guidance from my Father in Heaven and my Redeemer. I know I am not alone. If anything my mission is helping me be truly converted. Each trial I face and each miracle I see, my Savior becomes more and more real to me. I love this gospel and I am so honored to where the name of Iesu Kirisuto over my heart everyday. It makes me sad when people do reject but it just makes me even more determined to fine those who have been searching and who are prepared to receive our message of happiness.

I love you all so much! Thank you for all of your prays, support, and love! Aishiteimasu!

愛する
レイシー姉妹

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