Dearest Family and Friends,
I apologize for the short message last week.
This week was great. We went to the temple on Tuesday, and I
was able to do the temple work for one of my almost ancestors, Sada Shimogawa! It
was great to feel the peace that can be found there. We had new missionary training,
so we weren't able to do any sightseeing in Tokyo. It was still fun to be in the
big city, although I was very happy to return to the countryside in Kisarazu.
The General Women's Session talks from conference became available
in English this last week, so I took the time to watch those. They won't be broadcast
here for another two weeks. I loved the talks, especially President Uchtdorf's.
His parable was so beautiful, and it really helped me to hear what I needed to hear.
Saturday... Was not conference, but our talent show! (We'll be
watching conference this weekend) I sang two songs, one with Moore Shimai and one
on my own. I had a lot of fun, although we didn't get any videos. I'll see if I
can get some this week. It was great that Morishita was able to come and teach everyone
how to do yoga. I did some in my exercise this morning, and it was great.
Funny story: Before the talent show, we were practicing the songs
we were going to sing, when suddenly Ozawa, an Eikaiwa student, walked in, gave
me a plastic bag with huge (fake) sunflowers coming out of it, bowed weirdly, and
left. I just kind of looked at Moore Shimai and said, "Did Ozawa just give
me flowers and chocolate? What the?" He's been giving me sunflowers ever since
I told him my mom loves sunflowers. It kind of creeps me out, but I guess I'm not
complaining about free chocolate.
Today we went on a super intense hike to a Daibutsu. I previously
visited a big white one with Sensui Shimai. This one was cut out of stone in a mountain.
It was way cool. We also hiked to the top of the mountain and took a bunch of pictures.
It was an intense hike – really steep with lots of stairs. It was so spiritually
refreshing to spend the day in the mountains. Nature truly is evidence that God
lives. I'm so grateful to live in such a beautiful world!
I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be in Japan right now!
The experiences I have every day are one of a kind. I will not ever be able to have
this kind of experience again. I'm grateful for the wonderful friends I can make
and the wonderful places I can go.
I love you all! I hope that all is well wherever you are! Please
be safe and make good decisions
Love, Crandall Shimai
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