Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Week 1- Provo, UT MTC

Konichiwa kazoku!!!
Watashi wa Nihongo ha manabu desu. Bishoff to Lew sensei desu. Bunpo wa ii dewa arimasen. (Literal translation: Hello Family!!! I Japanese learn is. Bishoff and Lew teacher, teacher is. Grammar good not.)
WOW! So these past few days have been absolutely crazy!!! Let me just go through day by day...
Wednesday after Kim and mom dropped me off, I was taken by a host sister to grab books, my name tag, and multiple other things. I then headed to my room dropped off my stuff (I live on the fourth floor, top floor, of my building) and then to my classroom (my class is on the fifth floor, the top floor of the tallest building at the MTC, so I definitely get my workout going up and down stairs!). Once there I proceeded to watch a welcome video and entrance quiz about the video and met my teachers. We began to learn Japanese immediately.
I also met my companions. Yes, companions! I'm in a tri-companionship with Lynch Shimai and Adams Shimai (sister comes after the name as well with sensei (teacher)). I love them! Lynch Shimai's love for everyone consistently amazes me, she is so sweet and caring and Adams Shimai's determination in learning the language is highly admirable! It's so nice that we all get along, I've heard many tri-companionships have difficulty with leaving one sister out. All of us are headed to Tokyo too, which is rare in a trio too! Oh and I'm the senior companion. I feel completely unprepared to be a senior companion, because I have really no clue what I'm doing, but I know the Lord is helping me to guide me in what our companionship needs. I also have 3 other roommates who are in a tri-companionship as well, they are the coordination sisters, so it's been really helpful to have them there since they've already been here six weeks. Their names are Escalante, Williams, and Gantomur Shimai. Gantomur Shimai is from Mongolia and knows very little English and knew only some Japanese when she came here. I admire her, and two other sisters that came in with me from Mongolia, for being able to learn Japanese while being taught in english, a language they don't really know!
As of today I'm feeling really well, but I'll admit the first Wednesday through Saturday were a field of emotions! Japanese is not an easy language and they have you delve right into it, which is understandable, however, most of the choro (elders) in my district knew some japanese when they came and i felt so behind and didn't feel like I comprehended anything...thankfully the Lord knows best who we need to be with and he chose for me the perfect sisters to be in a companionship together, neither sister lynch or adams has had japanese and we've been helping each other unlike anything else! It's interesting i recieved my call before and around when my coordinating sisters did, yet I came in after them. I know the Lord knew I needed to be here with sister lynch and Adams.
Anyway sorry I keep skipping around, I have so much I want to tell you and 30 minutes isn't long at all I'm realizing!!!!
So Thurs through sat classes I just would get so frustrated to myself that i completely felt like crying...i didn't and instead found the blessed relief of laughing. That is something I'm good at!
I came out of my rut Sunday. Sunday is my favorite day now!!! It is glorious!!! We spent some time sitting out in the grass and just laughing and talking, then was testimony meeting (in japanese of course, but luckily they allowed the new senkyoshi to speak in english, so that's what i did!) and after that we went on a stroll to the temple! So yes Kim, I do get to go to the temple grounds at an allotted time on Sunday, so if you ever up there, do look for me!
Since then things have definitely gone up hill and I'm loving being here! They kept telling me the first week is the hardest and I see why! Japanese is getting better, not neccesarily easier, but definitely better, i actually like the language now! and I'm learning to see the tender mercies that are given to me each day...laughing, grass, the sun, running (gym time is the best and running is a life saver), my doryo (companions), letters exactly when I need them are all the best!
Speaking of letters, thank you for writing!!!! Letters are halleilujah's in a day the best pick me up ever!!!!!
Anyway my time is almost up 1 minute left! I love you all so much, thank you for all your support, i hope this is cohesive...sorry if it's not, I've been thinking all week wahat I've wanted to tell you!
Love
Benne Shimai

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