Happy Easter

Oh my FAMILY! I love MY family so so much! Happy Easter everyone!

Japan is absolutely lovely right now. The cherry blossoms are in full bloom and they are everywhere! 

Japanese Cherry Blossoms! They are so beautiful! 

 

My first week with my new companion, Nishikawa Shimai went pretty good! Its been a little scary being the one to show her around Yamagata and just having a new person to live with. She doesn't really speak very much English like my trainer did...so there is a lot of Japanese going on in my world now. But I love it! Its so fun! She is funny and easy going. But my Japanese is still coming along, so sometimes we don't quite understand each other.

The other day in the kitchen after lunch, we had a funny little conversation...like a big miscommunication....It started with her trying to tell me about some curry that she'd eaten. I was trying to go along with it and understand her, so I was trying to ask her if it was similar to some curry I'd eaten at a restaurant called "Gorilla Curry". That turned into Nishikawa Shimai thinking that I'd eaten curry with gorilla in it....finally I went and got my little electronic dictionary and typed in the word I thought she was saying, trying to explain to me about this curry that she'd eaten....which then turned into me thinking that she'd eaten curry with llama in it! What? I freaked out and was like "You ate curry with LLAMA in it?" Finally...we figured it all out. Turns out it was just some curry with lamb in it. But apparently it was gross, or something! 

Happy Easter! Me and Nishikawa Shimai decorating eggs at the Easter Activity at the church!

Here is part of what I wrote to Tel (Micail Mann) today that I wanted to tell you too:

{Okay first. I love what you said about Easter and what your dad said about the Resurrection. And especially about my dad! I will always always love it when people talk about my dad. Tel, I just want you to know how it is very very sweet for me right now to be in Japan. My dad was actually here. Its amazing. I think about him a lot. Sometimes I miss him so much Tel. 

You know how in the church we always talk about "Eternal Life" and for some reason in my mind, maybe just from hearing it so much, you kinda don't think about what that really is. Its not going to be like some weird unfamiliar thing. Heaven is going to be so familiar. And its going to be us and everyone we love! Its going to be our sweet, beautiful life that we love, for forever! I will be with my Dad again and I will be so, so grateful for that. Halellujah! 

The other day me and my companion George Shimai went to visit one of our investigators. After we visited, my companion and I went back outside to where our bikes were. My companion got a phone call, so while she talked on the phone, I just waited by my bike. It was nighttime, so I stood still and looked up into the heavens. I felt a little sad and homesick, but then I realized how familiar the sky looked. Even though my surroundings here in Japan are different, it felt so familiar looking up at the same stars and moon that I see at home. It was a good moment. Looking at heaven. Feeling close to home.}

My Easter was good! It was a beautiful sunny cherry blossumy day! After church, me and White Shimai made chicken and potatoes and rice and guacamole for dinner! It was so yummy! Then for dessert she made a crumb cake from a box that her Grandma sent her. It was like a real deal Easter feast! 

I am so excited for May 11th! Mama's Day! Its going to be a beautiful day cause I will see my family again! It will be my Monday and your Sunday. I don't know times yet, cause we haven't really planned that yet. But for now lets plan on 11:00 am my time, 8:00 pm on Sunday for you. I will let you know if it changes. Please invite my canyon boys too! 

I love you!  Love Kingu Shimai

PS:

Hi Mama! My package came this week! Thank you so much for sending whole wheat! It tastes so good! And for sending the ear drops! This morning my ear could hear again!!! It still feels a little weird after being plugged for so long. Its glorious! 

I just was looking back at your email you sent me last week with the journal entries from the last 2 years. I love them! Thank you for being my Mom. Thank you for taking me shopping for my Temple dress and robes and garments. Thanks for being SO patient while I tried on dresses for so long. But now I have my Temple dress that I LOVE. Mom, I really miss the Temple. I want to go so much! I love it! 

I love you Mama! Your prayers and love mean everything to me! Thank you for telling me so much in your letters about your heart and all the hills and valleys of this beautiful life. I love you. 

Love your daughter for forever and ever, Courtney Elise, Kingu Shimai