Japanese Language: Sometimes I LOVE it. Sometimes I don't even recognize it.

Its quite the process to get dressed in a kimono! 

Dear Momsie! 

How is your back and shoulder doing? Good still? How about Dave's back? I have been praying for him! 

back of the kimono

Today is the beginning of a new transfer. I will be with George Shimai for a 3rd transfer, here in Yamagata! 

When will you be finished with work? I am so excited for you to be my stay at home Mamanoff again! How long will the sister missionaries live at home?

The finished product!

Mom I still love your letters and especially love when you include bits from your past journal entries from Chelsea's journal gift she gave us a couple of Christmas's ago. In your latest letter to me you included your journal entry about when I told my sisters about my plan to serve a mission. It means a lot to me to see the little details that are meaningful to you that you wrote about, like me putting my arm around you when I told my sisters, and as we walked into the house at the end of the day after spending a lot of the day together. I love knowing that that was important to you to remember! 

This is Sister Yuki. The display of dolls behind us is for Girls Day which is Today! Also, Sister Yuki made all of the beautiful hanging ornaments! 

Here is an update on the Japanese Language: Sometimes I LOVE it. Sometimes I don't even recognize it.

For example: Recently, me and George Shimai were watching an old church music video and during part of it there is a little part where a couple of teenage boys are trying to convince some teenage girls to come see a bad movie. They were Asian, but after watching the clip, I turned to George Shimai and asked, "What language was that?" George Shimai said, "That was JAPANESE!!" Me: "NOOOOOO!!!!" ....After 7 months....I didn't know I was listening to Japanese! Gah! 

But then I have been having good moments too lately. The other night we were biking home and I could feel the cell phone vibrating in my bag, so we stopped and called back  the sister who was calling us. And guess what? I didn't even have to ask George Shimai to help me! I did it! I talked to a sister on the phone and I pretty much knew everything that was going on! I was so excited after I hung up the phone! So to celebrate, that night we shared a can of Creme Soda between the four of us sisters and had Cream Soda floats! YaY! 

Yes we still go to Fukushima sometimes. I think I have only been there twice so far, but its still part of what we do over here.  

Our decorations! My specialty was the lil cactuses and sunshines and the hola!

This last week we were biking back after meeting with one of our investigators, and we were riding on the little sidewalk/biketrail and there was some little issue with trying to bike around some snow or something, and I ended up toppling over and falling off my bike into a big ole pile of snow. Then on a different day, we were going to McDonalds for dinner, and after parking and locking up my bike, I turned around and whammed my head into one the food signs in front of McDonalds. Two boys were riding by on their bikes and George Shimai said one of them started laughing when that happened. These aren't really missionary-ish, but I thought I would tell you these little things to let you know I'm still just me, still just living my life over here in Japan and still having funny little moments. 

Our investigator Tess san is still progressing to baptism and we are aiming for April 6th for her baptism! 

Keep praying for our other investigators too! 

I love you with my WHOLE entire soul! 

Love Kingu Shimai

Picture is of the Mexican party!