Week 2 in Japan

Kon`nichiwa Kazoku to Tomodachi!

Wow, I apologize for how few details I gave in last week`s e-mail! And it was like super depressing- I really do love it here, the first week was just super overwhelming haha :) Really though, it is going so much better every day.

So, where to begin? It is pretty hard to know where to start. After I and all the other new missionaries went through the custom check last week, S. Shimai, my MTC companion, started talking to some Japanese high school girls that were there. They were so excited to see so many Americans. Well, we were all in a rush to take our luggage to the waiting bus, but as we were being whisked off, Z.K. asked if we had gotten their contact information. I wasn`t sure how to ask for that in Japanese, but I ran back and told the two girls why we were here, and that we taught about Jesus Christ and his teachings, which were conveniently contained in the Japanese copy of the Book of Mormon that I had bought in the MTC the day before with the hopes of giving it to someone my first day! I told them it was a gift and asked if they would read it. They were so ridiculously excited that I gave them something! It was awesome, and I hope that somehow they will be able to find me someday (they took a picture with me after I gave them the Book of Mormon.) It was really an awesome first experience, and I hope with all my heart that those two girls read The Book of Mormon.

So, my first day in Japan, I and all the new missionaries (all 33) of us went to the mission home in Kobe. It was one of the most gorgeous places I have ever seen in my life, it felt like the temple and was a blend between American and Japanese culture, which was super neat. We had a meeting that night once we were all settled in, and I don`t remember almost anything that was said, because it felt like the middle of the night. Afterwards, the senior couple congratulated us for being the first group of newbies to ever be able to stay awake during their presentation. It was pretty hilarious, luckily this week the jet lag and time change have worn off.

The third day, we were all given our assigned areas. I don`t remember if I mentioned this, but I just had this feeling that I was going to be going to Osaka where the airport was. And sure enough, here I sit in a place called Hannan, which is right across the bay from the airport! Osaka is a great place to be! Our apartment is in a rather little city, but we frequently ride into Sennan City, which is pretty big.

My companion is U. Shimai- she is from Tokyo and has been on her mission for six months now! She is super hardcore, she loves the investigators so much and has been doing everything in her power to help me speak correct Japanese for them. She is really into dancing, hip-hop- ballet, ballroom dancing, and cheerleading. Her mom is a professional ballroom dancer (that made me think of Skyler! Is he still dancing?) U. Shimai is a great trainer and is helping me so much.

I have rented a bike from the last sister that U. Shimai trained, it's holding up great!

What is the food like here was one of the questions someone asked...it is so great! The Gyoza here is sooo good! Also, the fruit here is unlike any I have ever had in my life. The grapes here are gigantic and so much more sweet and tangy. Every so often, the church members here give U. Shimai and I something called a Fruit Basket...Which is basically enough food to feed us for a few weeks. The people here are so generous and nice! Seriously, the (I think Young Men`s leader?) finds us every week and exclaims "Oh, it`s my daughters!! My daughters!" It is hilarious. So, I have been officially adopted into the ward here quite literally. The church members here are the best.

In my next email, I'll talk more about our investigators- we have 19 currently, and I seriously love them all even though I haven`t had the privelage to meet all of them.

Anyway, I hope everything is going well with you all! Stay genki everyone!
~Watkins Shimai

Below is a map that the Mission President sent out. Sister Watkins is in area #13. :)