Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Dear family and friends,
KONNICHIWA!!!!!!
O-Genki desu ka? (How are you?)
This week has been a week of miracles!
It is amazing to see all the emails that have been sent! Keep sending them!
WOW! It is just crazy how much love and comfort I got when I entered into the MTC! After saying goodbye to my parents when they dropped me off at the MTC was so overwelming and I really couldn't stop crying... but once I stepped into the MTC, that one step I took and then received my name tag, I stopped crying. It was the first miracle that I encountered at the MTC and it was amazing! So, WOW.... what to say?
Alright, this week was probably the most amazing and the most tiring week I have had in my entire life! The first day I got here, I got my name tag, I got my key to my room, I got a schedule, and I got my doryo (companion) . My companion is Epling Shimai (Sister Epling) she is from Mississippi and she is probably the most obedient, most caring, and one of the most funniest people I know! She has this dry sense of humor that really I only get, which cracks me up, because Choro tachi (Elders) or Shimai tachi (sisters) are like what is she talking about? And I just sit and laugh because I am the only one that gets it! Epling Shimai and I get along actually really well. There are times when it seems like we won't get along, but we actually really do work together, and get things done. I also met my district! I absolutely LOVE my district! We have 6 choro tachi and 4 shimai tachi which includes my companion and I! A district in the MTC is the classroom you are in. So, we decided to name our district the J SQUAD!
Wow... just wow is what come to mind when we talk about my district. In my district there's the Choro tachi, there is Chab Choro he is Philopeano he is actually really short, but when he talks about his Savior or any spiritual subject he starts to tear up and I love him to death, he is our district leader, and the poor guy its so sad but also funny at the same time that he doesn't know what to do. Like the other day, he found out that he was suppose to get the mail for everyone and when he got the mail we all had a ton of mail! But, we still love him for it! His doryo is Cuff Choro and he, well he is super ripped, that's all I could say to much about him, he is a big guy who likes rock climbing, oh and he's from Las Vegas, but he definitely has a big heart and he loves the Lord. Going around the room in my head there is also Jones Choro he is a really considerate man, he is also very, very hard working and he's actually from Utah.. not sure where though. His doryo is Sadler Choro he's from Alabama and he has the funniest accent I have ever heard, it's so sad, but we make fun of him for it. The other day he said chalk and it was more like chaulk. Love him to death though. There is also Chippin Choro he's more of that surfer choro that kinda doesn't know what is going on and is just going with the flow. And then there is Davis Choro.... oh man that choro is something else I tell you! He is a pianist (actually a really good one too), he is hilarious! He always talks with his hands, maybe a little more than he should, but he also talks more in french than he does in Japanese and English. That choro is so funny... but he has a soft spot, a really soft spot for the Lord, he will cry and then use his middle finger to wipe away his tears. Oh, and he tries so hard to play volleyball, but he gives up and just walks away. The only way I could really say about him is he is the most sassiest choro or person in that matter, that I have ever met. He is a total drama queen!
The Shimai tachi in our district consists of me, my doryo, then there is Snow Shimai she is from Saint George and she is super smart, her doryo is Bills Shimai and she is probably one of my favorite people ever! She is from origionally Alaska but moved to Reno and is so sweet she is amazing at singing and she has a great sense of style! We all share a room in the building 3M, on the second floor. We actually never really spend time in the building until we come back to get ready for bed which is 9:30 pm to 6:50ish when we leave. The one thing that I though was really interesting is that I haven't had a bad time getting up in the morning, and I definitely haven't had a hard time going to sleep, except the first night I got here. It was soooooo cold. Then the next day we figured out that we had a thermastat.
Okay... the classes. Well, the first minute I walked into my classroom we met Strauss Kyodai (Brother Strauss) and he didn't speak a single word of English... not one. That is the most fustrating thing to not know what they are saying. Oh... and we were given a bag of books to use in Japanese and literally they are probably more that 8-12 lbs we have over 20+ books and they are heavy, but so handy. The Japanese I guess is coming along... but it is so different from Spanish. I am having a really hard time pronouncing words. But, I was told by some of the native speakers that my pronounciation is actually one of the best they have heard from everybody... so that makes me feel better. It just takes practice. We aren't really learning how to write in Japanese we learn how to talk so if I spell things wrong, it's because it's hard for me to write. But, I can just write a few phases I have learned.
O-Hayo Gozimas- Good morning
Konnichiwa- Good afternoon
Konbawa- Good evening
O-Genki desu ka?- How are you?
Watashi wa Lockett Shimai desu. - My name is Sister Lockett
Watashi no doryo wa Epling Shimai desu- This is my companion Sister Epling
Watashitachi no Ten no Otosama- Our Heavenly Father
And what I have been working on.... Anata no mototeki wa, hitobito ni Kirisuto no...- To invite other to come unto Christ... that's about all I can do right now.
Everyday we are in class for about 7+ hours learning Japanese 3 hours at a time straight.. and I don't think I have ever been working on something this hard ever!
But... the second day we were in Class we were told we are going to teach an investigator. My heart just stopped... how on earth am I going to speak to a native speaker in a language I barely even know and teach a lesson? They had a video about the person and we had to try to get as much as we could from the video and apply it to our lesson and teach them about the gospel. Well... I can tell you that it was definitely not easy to talk to someone with only one day of class instruction time and only really knowing Konnichiwa. But, miracles do happen and I can tell you that! I may have not understood, but the spirit was so so strong in that room the first day I was there! The first lesson was on Friday and we have taught her 3 times after that! Our investigators name is Ohira Tomoko (Ohira is the last name, they start with their last name and then their first name).... she is great she doesn't really know too much about the gospel except that families are important. Which is great so we talked about how families can be together. We then talked about in a different lesson about the Holy Ghost. After that we talked about prayers. Monday was probably one of the most amazing and eye opening days for me as a missionary. That was the day we were talking about prayer and she prayed... that was probably the day that I knew, I knew right as she spoke that, that is why I am here. That is why I am a missionary is to bring those unto Christ! Everything made sense. That is why I am hear to see others change.. to see their growth and to bring them unto Christ! That was a pretty emotional day for me! I knew in my heart that, that is why I was here.
Sunday is also one of my favorite days.. we meet in main building 1M and we have sacrament in Japanese, we are suppose to have a talk ready in case we get called on.. in Nihongo (Japanese). But, what I learned was that Nihongo (Japanese) is the language of my heart and of my soul. I can tell when I talk, when I teach, and when I pray in Nihongo that my heart and my soul is one with the language.
I learned a ton about Kobe this week, I learned in Kobe the weather is amazing and the dialect is beautiful! But, what is most amazing is what Kobe means Ko in Kanji which is the characters when written means God and Be in kanji means door, so basically when Kobe is written in Kanji it means God's Door, which put the happiest smile on my face!
I love you all and I will have more miracles to talk about next week!
Love you all!
Love,
Lockett Shimai
P.S. I wanted to let the Fluman Family know I am fasting and praying love you!
Quote: "The Joy of Soaring, begins with the fear of falling!
Love you Amara, Liam, Eryn, Lauren, and Mom and Dad!
KONNICHIWA!!!!!!
O-Genki desu ka? (How are you?)
This week has been a week of miracles!
It is amazing to see all the emails that have been sent! Keep sending them!
WOW! It is just crazy how much love and comfort I got when I entered into the MTC! After saying goodbye to my parents when they dropped me off at the MTC was so overwelming and I really couldn't stop crying... but once I stepped into the MTC, that one step I took and then received my name tag, I stopped crying. It was the first miracle that I encountered at the MTC and it was amazing! So, WOW.... what to say?
Alright, this week was probably the most amazing and the most tiring week I have had in my entire life! The first day I got here, I got my name tag, I got my key to my room, I got a schedule, and I got my doryo (companion) . My companion is Epling Shimai (Sister Epling) she is from Mississippi and she is probably the most obedient, most caring, and one of the most funniest people I know! She has this dry sense of humor that really I only get, which cracks me up, because Choro tachi (Elders) or Shimai tachi (sisters) are like what is she talking about? And I just sit and laugh because I am the only one that gets it! Epling Shimai and I get along actually really well. There are times when it seems like we won't get along, but we actually really do work together, and get things done. I also met my district! I absolutely LOVE my district! We have 6 choro tachi and 4 shimai tachi which includes my companion and I! A district in the MTC is the classroom you are in. So, we decided to name our district the J SQUAD!
Wow... just wow is what come to mind when we talk about my district. In my district there's the Choro tachi, there is Chab Choro he is Philopeano he is actually really short, but when he talks about his Savior or any spiritual subject he starts to tear up and I love him to death, he is our district leader, and the poor guy its so sad but also funny at the same time that he doesn't know what to do. Like the other day, he found out that he was suppose to get the mail for everyone and when he got the mail we all had a ton of mail! But, we still love him for it! His doryo is Cuff Choro and he, well he is super ripped, that's all I could say to much about him, he is a big guy who likes rock climbing, oh and he's from Las Vegas, but he definitely has a big heart and he loves the Lord. Going around the room in my head there is also Jones Choro he is a really considerate man, he is also very, very hard working and he's actually from Utah.. not sure where though. His doryo is Sadler Choro he's from Alabama and he has the funniest accent I have ever heard, it's so sad, but we make fun of him for it. The other day he said chalk and it was more like chaulk. Love him to death though. There is also Chippin Choro he's more of that surfer choro that kinda doesn't know what is going on and is just going with the flow. And then there is Davis Choro.... oh man that choro is something else I tell you! He is a pianist (actually a really good one too), he is hilarious! He always talks with his hands, maybe a little more than he should, but he also talks more in french than he does in Japanese and English. That choro is so funny... but he has a soft spot, a really soft spot for the Lord, he will cry and then use his middle finger to wipe away his tears. Oh, and he tries so hard to play volleyball, but he gives up and just walks away. The only way I could really say about him is he is the most sassiest choro or person in that matter, that I have ever met. He is a total drama queen!
The Shimai tachi in our district consists of me, my doryo, then there is Snow Shimai she is from Saint George and she is super smart, her doryo is Bills Shimai and she is probably one of my favorite people ever! She is from origionally Alaska but moved to Reno and is so sweet she is amazing at singing and she has a great sense of style! We all share a room in the building 3M, on the second floor. We actually never really spend time in the building until we come back to get ready for bed which is 9:30 pm to 6:50ish when we leave. The one thing that I though was really interesting is that I haven't had a bad time getting up in the morning, and I definitely haven't had a hard time going to sleep, except the first night I got here. It was soooooo cold. Then the next day we figured out that we had a thermastat.
Okay... the classes. Well, the first minute I walked into my classroom we met Strauss Kyodai (Brother Strauss) and he didn't speak a single word of English... not one. That is the most fustrating thing to not know what they are saying. Oh... and we were given a bag of books to use in Japanese and literally they are probably more that 8-12 lbs we have over 20+ books and they are heavy, but so handy. The Japanese I guess is coming along... but it is so different from Spanish. I am having a really hard time pronouncing words. But, I was told by some of the native speakers that my pronounciation is actually one of the best they have heard from everybody... so that makes me feel better. It just takes practice. We aren't really learning how to write in Japanese we learn how to talk so if I spell things wrong, it's because it's hard for me to write. But, I can just write a few phases I have learned.
O-Hayo Gozimas- Good morning
Konnichiwa- Good afternoon
Konbawa- Good evening
O-Genki desu ka?- How are you?
Watashi wa Lockett Shimai desu. - My name is Sister Lockett
Watashi no doryo wa Epling Shimai desu- This is my companion Sister Epling
Watashitachi no Ten no Otosama- Our Heavenly Father
And what I have been working on.... Anata no mototeki wa, hitobito ni Kirisuto no...- To invite other to come unto Christ... that's about all I can do right now.
Everyday we are in class for about 7+ hours learning Japanese 3 hours at a time straight.. and I don't think I have ever been working on something this hard ever!
But... the second day we were in Class we were told we are going to teach an investigator. My heart just stopped... how on earth am I going to speak to a native speaker in a language I barely even know and teach a lesson? They had a video about the person and we had to try to get as much as we could from the video and apply it to our lesson and teach them about the gospel. Well... I can tell you that it was definitely not easy to talk to someone with only one day of class instruction time and only really knowing Konnichiwa. But, miracles do happen and I can tell you that! I may have not understood, but the spirit was so so strong in that room the first day I was there! The first lesson was on Friday and we have taught her 3 times after that! Our investigators name is Ohira Tomoko (Ohira is the last name, they start with their last name and then their first name).... she is great she doesn't really know too much about the gospel except that families are important. Which is great so we talked about how families can be together. We then talked about in a different lesson about the Holy Ghost. After that we talked about prayers. Monday was probably one of the most amazing and eye opening days for me as a missionary. That was the day we were talking about prayer and she prayed... that was probably the day that I knew, I knew right as she spoke that, that is why I am here. That is why I am a missionary is to bring those unto Christ! Everything made sense. That is why I am hear to see others change.. to see their growth and to bring them unto Christ! That was a pretty emotional day for me! I knew in my heart that, that is why I was here.
Sunday is also one of my favorite days.. we meet in main building 1M and we have sacrament in Japanese, we are suppose to have a talk ready in case we get called on.. in Nihongo (Japanese). But, what I learned was that Nihongo (Japanese) is the language of my heart and of my soul. I can tell when I talk, when I teach, and when I pray in Nihongo that my heart and my soul is one with the language.
I learned a ton about Kobe this week, I learned in Kobe the weather is amazing and the dialect is beautiful! But, what is most amazing is what Kobe means Ko in Kanji which is the characters when written means God and Be in kanji means door, so basically when Kobe is written in Kanji it means God's Door, which put the happiest smile on my face!
I love you all and I will have more miracles to talk about next week!
Love you all!
Love,
Lockett Shimai
P.S. I wanted to let the Fluman Family know I am fasting and praying love you!
Quote: "The Joy of Soaring, begins with the fear of falling!
Love you Amara, Liam, Eryn, Lauren, and Mom and Dad!
First Day in MTC
Hi mom,dad, family, and friends,
I have survived the first day of the MTC and I can tell you it was a
Love you all!!!
Love,
crazy day. I don't have much time to write because we have breakfast
in a few and then like 14 hours of language today! But, the MTC is
better than I dreamed I love it here. One of the most amazing things
about the MTC is that it has the power to comfort you right away after
saying goodbye. I was very upset and couldn't stop crying. But, as
soon as I walked through those doors I felt the rush of just love and
i haven't cried since. I got my books and I literally have about 20+.
I also met my Dōryō (companion) her name is Epling Shimai ( Sister
Epling) she's from Mississippi and she is so cute. She is very
obedient and I know we will get along just fine. In our room we have 2
other sisters Snow Shimai and Bills Shimai but you say it like Birsu
Shimai in Japanese! Oh and my name is hilarious in Japanese it may
look like Lockett but in Japanese our name is said or sounds like
Rocketo so I'm like Sister Rocket with an o. Which everyone thinks is
hilarious. Also it m an iPad mission so I get an iPad for the whole
time I'm here. Oh and our district or classroom has 3 sets of Elders
and 2 sets of sisters. And my companion and I are the only ones going
to Kobe. But, my P day is Wednesday so talk about to you all later.
Locketto Shimai ( or Rocketto) hahah
Oh and I have learned in 30 minutes how to say hi my name is and this
is my companion!
I have survived the first day of the MTC and I can tell you it was a
Love you all!!!
Love,
crazy day. I don't have much time to write because we have breakfast
in a few and then like 14 hours of language today! But, the MTC is
better than I dreamed I love it here. One of the most amazing things
about the MTC is that it has the power to comfort you right away after
saying goodbye. I was very upset and couldn't stop crying. But, as
soon as I walked through those doors I felt the rush of just love and
i haven't cried since. I got my books and I literally have about 20+.
I also met my Dōryō (companion) her name is Epling Shimai ( Sister
Epling) she's from Mississippi and she is so cute. She is very
obedient and I know we will get along just fine. In our room we have 2
other sisters Snow Shimai and Bills Shimai but you say it like Birsu
Shimai in Japanese! Oh and my name is hilarious in Japanese it may
look like Lockett but in Japanese our name is said or sounds like
Rocketo so I'm like Sister Rocket with an o. Which everyone thinks is
hilarious. Also it m an iPad mission so I get an iPad for the whole
time I'm here. Oh and our district or classroom has 3 sets of Elders
and 2 sets of sisters. And my companion and I are the only ones going
to Kobe. But, my P day is Wednesday so talk about to you all later.
Locketto Shimai ( or Rocketto) hahah
Oh and I have learned in 30 minutes how to say hi my name is and this
is my companion!
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Sayonara min'na (Goodbye Everybody)
Words can't explain how humbled I am for this experience of a lifetime to leave my family, leave the world, and put everything on hold for a year and a half. I didn't think in a million years I would be called to a foreign mission. And a mission that is so far away too, I might add. 5,406 miles to be exact, but it's going to feel like so much farther. For those who do not know I have been called as a missionary of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints I have been assigned to labor in the Japan Kobe Mission. I will be entering the Provo Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, September 14, 2016 and I will be speaking the Japanese Language! I will be serving for a period of 18 months.
Every time I say that my heart skips a beat. Okay, maybe a few more beats. But, Japan! WOW!!!! The funny thing about mission calls is that they ask you if you have taken a foreign language or would like to, and of course I took a language I actually took 2, I took Japanese at a little charter school in 7th grade, I took the class and vowed never to take it again because it was too hard... so I did Spanish for the next 6 years and you know what? I didn't go Spanish Speaking. I even took Spanish in college for a year... and I went to Costa Rica for a week and spoke some there too! But, the one thing I have always told myself, you are called by the LORD... the Lord, he's the one who helps the presidency or the apostles on figuring out where they think you should go and, Heavenly Father said he needed me in Japan. So I will do as Nephi said "... I will go and do the things the Lord commands,,," And let me tell you I am in a way a little scared, I know how can you be scared? But, honestly I love my family to bits, my friends are amazing, and I don't know a single word in Japanese except the given "Konichiwa" that everybody knows. I think one of the hardest things for me as a missionary will be getting up at 6:30 am duh... that's actually a given that is hard for everyone, but I think knowing the stories in the Book of Mormon and the scriptures and trying to explain the gospel to the people. I know in Japan or I have heard that the people there don't even know anything about Jesus. But, that's the thing.. I don't know all the stories about Jacob, Alma, Mormon, I only know stories about Jesus Christ... which is good. Then I am learning with them too. But, I know that they are big on ancestors and that they believe that we live after we die and they can talk to their ancestors, and with that in their culture, my hope is to bring ancestry and family search into their lives and talk a lot and I mean a lot on The Plan of Happiness or Plan of Salvation.
One of the most amazing choices that I have done since I received my call was getting my endowment out. I got them out on Saturday, July 9, 2016 my session was the 11:00 am session. I left from BYU-I with my roommate Dani at 6:40 and went to my aunt Renae's and we drove to Twin Falls. I had my parents, my nana, and grandpa Bill, my two uncles ( Aaron and Cody ), aunt Lisa, my roommate Dani, and Starr and Travis Thomsen there with me. Making that choice was one of the greatest decisions I have made in life. After that day I felt like something sparked again inside of me. I felt that everything was making sense again. Fast forward to August 4, 2016 and I was sitting in the office of the president of the Boise temple. The next day I was set apart as a ordinance worker in the Boise temple. The following week on Wednesday I was working in the temple. Now it's the 4th week and I end my shift tomorrow. The things that I have learned while in the temple is incredible. I have learned to overcome anything and everything in my way, I have learned how the Plan of Salvation works, inside and outside. But, what I have learned the most is that I can do anything, I can accomplish anything.
To leave my family and friends may be very difficult and I can already feel the water works. But, to leave my family for a short time so I can help families be together forever is the greatest feeling in the world. I may not know anything in Japanese, but I do know that my adventure is just about to start and I am so ready and eager to serve.
XOXO
Jordan (soon to be Sister Lockett- in 3 days)
Every time I say that my heart skips a beat. Okay, maybe a few more beats. But, Japan! WOW!!!! The funny thing about mission calls is that they ask you if you have taken a foreign language or would like to, and of course I took a language I actually took 2, I took Japanese at a little charter school in 7th grade, I took the class and vowed never to take it again because it was too hard... so I did Spanish for the next 6 years and you know what? I didn't go Spanish Speaking. I even took Spanish in college for a year... and I went to Costa Rica for a week and spoke some there too! But, the one thing I have always told myself, you are called by the LORD... the Lord, he's the one who helps the presidency or the apostles on figuring out where they think you should go and, Heavenly Father said he needed me in Japan. So I will do as Nephi said "... I will go and do the things the Lord commands,,," And let me tell you I am in a way a little scared, I know how can you be scared? But, honestly I love my family to bits, my friends are amazing, and I don't know a single word in Japanese except the given "Konichiwa" that everybody knows. I think one of the hardest things for me as a missionary will be getting up at 6:30 am duh... that's actually a given that is hard for everyone, but I think knowing the stories in the Book of Mormon and the scriptures and trying to explain the gospel to the people. I know in Japan or I have heard that the people there don't even know anything about Jesus. But, that's the thing.. I don't know all the stories about Jacob, Alma, Mormon, I only know stories about Jesus Christ... which is good. Then I am learning with them too. But, I know that they are big on ancestors and that they believe that we live after we die and they can talk to their ancestors, and with that in their culture, my hope is to bring ancestry and family search into their lives and talk a lot and I mean a lot on The Plan of Happiness or Plan of Salvation.
One of the most amazing choices that I have done since I received my call was getting my endowment out. I got them out on Saturday, July 9, 2016 my session was the 11:00 am session. I left from BYU-I with my roommate Dani at 6:40 and went to my aunt Renae's and we drove to Twin Falls. I had my parents, my nana, and grandpa Bill, my two uncles ( Aaron and Cody ), aunt Lisa, my roommate Dani, and Starr and Travis Thomsen there with me. Making that choice was one of the greatest decisions I have made in life. After that day I felt like something sparked again inside of me. I felt that everything was making sense again. Fast forward to August 4, 2016 and I was sitting in the office of the president of the Boise temple. The next day I was set apart as a ordinance worker in the Boise temple. The following week on Wednesday I was working in the temple. Now it's the 4th week and I end my shift tomorrow. The things that I have learned while in the temple is incredible. I have learned to overcome anything and everything in my way, I have learned how the Plan of Salvation works, inside and outside. But, what I have learned the most is that I can do anything, I can accomplish anything.
To leave my family and friends may be very difficult and I can already feel the water works. But, to leave my family for a short time so I can help families be together forever is the greatest feeling in the world. I may not know anything in Japanese, but I do know that my adventure is just about to start and I am so ready and eager to serve.
XOXO
Jordan (soon to be Sister Lockett- in 3 days)
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