Called to Serve

Dear All of you Wonderful people,

First can I just say  I have the BEST family and friends in the whole world. I am surrounded by the most wonderful people at home and the the MTC. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS!!!! This is going to be the best Christmas ever!! We have 2 apostles coming to speak to us Christmas day!!!!! I don't know who yet but 2 are coming!!! 2!!! haha :) I am quite excited!!

Sunday: Such a wonderful day! Every Sunday before relief society we get to watch Music and the Spoken Word and this week the King Singers Sang with the Choir. It was amazing! Are they preforming at the Christmas Concert this year? If so it will be a good one! And we also got to watch the Christmas Devotional. That was so wonderful. I love all of the talks especially Elder Nelson. Oh he is a wonderful man. :) The power that accompanies the 12 apostles is amazing. You can feel is so strong and they speak. 

Monday: The dia-sempai left.... you know what that means... ONLY 3 weeks until JAPAN!! well now...2!!! I am so excited. :) Anyway... Monday I was King in 4-square for the 1st time! It was so fun! Every Gym time I play 4-square after I run. It is the BEST! 

Tuesday: We got Foreign Sisters!!!! So as Sister Training Leaders we got to go pick them up and be with them for devotional. They are so cute! one is from Mexico and the other is from New Zealand (so cool huh? She is from Hamilton). And I adore them!! The Shimai from Mexico speaks VERY little English so she is learning both English and Nihongo here. She is so amazing! That night for devotional we had Elder Quentin L. Cook come. It was so wonderful. We have been so lucky to have so many apostles!! Blessings are amazing! :) haha He spoke about being and out-going and friendly missionary and the importance of making it so the members trust you. He also left us with his witness of Christ and his blessing. It is not everyday that you get to here an apostle of the lord testify that Christ Lives.  It was so wonderful. The spirit was so strong. My testimony grew so much and it continues to grow everyday. 

Wednesday: Hosting!! I hosted for the 1st time on wed. IT IS SO MUCH FUN! Remembering back to when I came in....haha that seems like just yesterday, yet SO long ago.. hah :) It is great to be able to encourage them and tell them how much they will love the MTC. :) We then got to meet all the new missionaries in our branch. They are the best!! I love them... 2 elders are from Australia and they have the BEST accents! like so cool! :) We also got to skype with an actaul Nihongene from Nihon!! It was so cool! she spoke only Japanese to us and I could understand some of what she said so that is cool!! :)

Thursday: I don't think I have ever spoken so much Nihongo in my life. We learned so much on Thursday and we had to speak nihongo all class. It was cool... but so hard. :) I loved it! My brain was so dead that night though..hahah :) We all taught 2 investigators that day so it was fun! :) 

Friday: Fridays are always a little boring cause we are all anticipating p-day on Saturday...haha :) But is was good. We had a fun little get to know you thing with all of the new sisters and some of the sisters got locked out of their room so I got to use the RED PHONE :) it was fun! I will send you a pic. Oh and I got the best packages from Ash and Mom and Nicole. It was like Chirstmas!! haha :) so thank you so much! :)

My Testimony is growing so much. Read the Book of Mormon everyday. I probably say that every week but it is because it is so important! I love reading it! I learn so much each time. Especially with a study journal. If you don't have one. Get one!! when you are prepared to receive revelation God will give it to you. I know this Church is true and that God loves you all!! And never forget that I do too! Have a wonderful week! :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! :)

"It's almost Christmas! It's almost Christmas!!" yay!! haha :)

Love, Ashby Shimai!