July 20th,

Konichiwa,

 

Watashi wa Haderi Shimai desu. Idaho Falls kara kimashita. hachi sai toki ni watashi wa baputesuma o ukemashita. So shitte utau koto dai suki desu yo. Tokyo no dendobu ni ikimasu. Watashi no Kazoku o ai shitte masu. Iesu Kirisuto ga mina san no Sukuinushi da to shitte imasu. Iesu Kirisuto no aganai ni yotte mina san o tsumi no yurushi o ukeru koto ga dekimasu. Kamisama ga mina san o ai suru to shitte imasu.

 

Hello!

 

I am Sister Haderlie. I came from Idaho Falls. When I was eight years old I was baptized. I really like to sing! I will go to the Tokyo Mission ( my mission). I love my family. I know that Jesus Christ is everyone's Savior. I know that through Jesus Christ's atonement everyone can receive a remission of their sins. I know that God loves everyone.

 

How is everyone doing??!?? I'm just kicking in the MTC for another week or two with my shimaitachi and "the elders." haha.....And then I'm off to Tokyo in under three weeks. UNDER THREE WEEKS people. Is this real life??? Ha I am soooo not ready. Japanese people speak with rapid tongues. Ha in other words, I'm half positive they literally just mouth half of the syllables- it's like a guessing game. But before you know it....I'm going to be full on Japanese speaking. Well, this week was a pretty busssssy week so I better get started on the updates.

 

1) Last Sunday. - the older groups had their LAST Sunday and we officially became part of the "dai senpai" or oldest group here. What?? I still feel like the baby here, and yet (besides the Tahitians) we have officially been in the MTC longer than any of the other missionaries here (besides other Asian speaking missionaries, we're on the same level) but isn't that crazy?? Well it was kind of sad to see them go, some of them became our good friends. Oh and that was the day we did the musical number! SO much fun... (and I LOVE the song a Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief) plus the arrangement was really cool. Ha we had accapella parts at the beginning and we were both a bit nervous so I think we raised the pitch and when the piano came in.... it was a pit rough. Ha but the last few verses made up for it ( I hope). ha Anyways.... it was a good experience!

 

2) Ok so.... basically all the "new" stuff to tell you about has to do with being an STL. SO this past Monday Ivory Shimai and I are just going about our business getting our dinner, and all the sudden this lady on the loud speaker gets on and says "Will Sis. Haderlie and Sis. Ivory please come to the front desk immediately?" ha. Our whole district looks at us with this look that basically said... What did you guys do?? ha. Anyways I start thinking, "I'm going home." They caught me humming "secular" songs on occasion or not being quiet at quiet time all the time or they heard me question some of their rules, I'm done for ;) ha no, not really. (That was just a bit of a spiel on this lockdown they call the MTC).... I think we both thought we did something wrong checking all the sisters from the older group out (which we had to stay up until 11:30 to do and help one room of sisters clean their room because they put off packing until the last minute, all the while Ivory had a bad cold.) Let's just say we were quite grumpy the next morning. Anywho we get to the front desk and there is a brand new missionary from Australia waiting for us :) woohoo! Our international missionary had come (or so we thought.....we were only supposed to have one and we ended up having three international sisters!!)..... But this one was named Sis. Jones- she was super cute and funny. She says stuff like "rubbish" and such and she thought the mountains were so cool. Anywho, the next evening we got to meet the other two and take them to the Tuesday Devotional with us. (Sister Mandano from the Philippines and Sister Amituanai from Australia as well). Sis. Mondano is this super adorable, quite proper tiny tan skinned Filipino. And Sister Ami has quiiiite the personality ha I love her. She reminds me of Sadie a bit. She's Samoan and is hilarious, she totally just speaks her mind and has the greatest sense of humor. But it was so fun! Getting to talk with them and answer all their questions and take care of them.

 

3) New missionary Wednesday. Ok So our branch has 6 districts. 2 Oldest Groups, 2 Middle Groups, and 2 greenie groups. We just got our 2 new greenie groups this past Wednesday... one of 12 people (4 girls) and one of 13 people (4 girls) ha so a little different from our district. Anyways us and the ZL's got to go introduce ourselves to one group and give them the "schedule lowdown" and then switch and give the other group a tour. It made us feel important. Ha and they were such a language ego boost- to the newbies the oldest groups are all knowledgeable when it comes to Japanese. Ha.... definitely not good for whatever humility I have ;) (Oh... and almost all of the Elders from the new groups are fresh out of high school..... it's interesting ha)

 

4) Branch Meeting. So the first Thursday you're here you always meet the Branch Presidency (similar to a bishopric) ... well they all get called out one by one for interviews towards the last half of the meeting  and during that time the ZLs and the STLs do some training. That was really fun! They all paid attention really well... I was impressed. And they all introduced themselves at the beginning and bore quick testimony (it was so cute). I loved it. It was a nice break from the routine and it's nice to feel knowledgeable and capable for a change ;) anywho....I'll try and take a pic with them and send it.

 

5) Also had a few good lessons this week!! Sister Ivory and I are trying to use notes/ books less and speak from our brains/hearts more- it was difficult. But by our last lesson, we'd improved alot!

 

6) The Devos were both superrr good this week. This past Sunday in Relief Society this lady came that anchors for a Utah news station on religion and she told us a bunch of stories from her experiences of going to all of these crazy and/or remote places and interviewing members plus she told us her conversion story ( she and her family were converted in Ohio; Dad, I forget where; but pretty cool!) she was way awesome.... then that same night Bro Heaton spoke to us (he's in charge of all the MTCs) and he pulled newer member missionaries from the audience and asked them to relay their conversion stories. His talk was all about how the Lord is preparing those you teach. They are having experiences that are already bringing them closer to them so that when you teach it may be more impactful/ they will truly recognize us as servants of the Lord because they will be looking for us. Also.... I know every missionary says this:) but with the whole member push maybe try to get involved in missionary work any way you can & read the BoM together. anywho.... just some thoughts! Oh and Tuesday was Gordon B. Hinckley's son, so that was also cool.

 

7) some extra: last night we all put on face masks that Day Shimai's mom had sent us and took pics....haha it was super funny!!!! I will try and send some (please excuse my pajamas compared to all of the sisters...haha) but it was a blast. Oh and I decided Day Shimai reminds me of a grown up Grace- she has quite the personality. Oh and on a random side not there are all these pictures everywhere in the MTC of missionaries in different places at different times. I LOVE them SOO much. I could get lost for days looking at all of them. Some of them are such cool shots (with kids, at baptisms, standing on street corners on boxes proclaiming the word, etc.) My goal is to make it on the MTC wall one day. Ha....

 

Well folks....... that that thats all for now!! i think :) Kind of a shorter email this week but hopefully I will be able to send some pics!  

 

Love you All very much!!!!

 

Sister Haderlie

"Go Japan! Go the Temple! Love You!!!!"