My First Three Days

Me with my first companion, Sister Heidi Lewis!

My roommates and I!

Got my first letter!

Laundry Room for the next nine weeks!

Fukuoka, Japan here I come!

The MTC (Missionary Training Center) is INCREDIBLE (I wish you could hear me say this in my Japanese accent). I was extremely nervous coming in, but I have absolutely loved it.  Saturday is my P-day (Preparation Day)! 

Coming to the MTC was like coming home.  I've seen dozens of people I know.  Caleb Wilcox and Carter Payne, just to name a few.  Speaking of people I know... Guess who my companion will be for the next 9 weeks?  Heidi Lewis!  She was in my ward and in Harris Hall with me at BYU.  I love her!  She is better at the language than I am, so it has been a huge blessing to have her help me!  Although I do feel sorry for her because every once and awhile I forget I'm suppose to stick with my companion so I wander before I realize I better stay close to her! I thought having a companion would be hard, but oh was I wrong!  It's a built in best friend.  We work well together, but we are both horrible at directions.  Hence we have gotten lost countless times.  All the buildings look the same!  I haven't met Elder Anderson. I think he might be in the other district, but I have met Madison Morell's friend Sister Coles.  She is awesome (suberashi)!  I love my district! 

The first day was great, but it seemed like the longest day in my entire life (in a wonderful way).  The entire day was in Japanese.  Remember how much Japanese I knew when I enter the MTC?  Let me help you out.. . NOTHING!  But Yesterday Lewis Shimai (Sister Lewis) and I taught our first lesson ENTIRELY in Japanese to our (fake) investigator Kubo San.  It went pretty well.  I now know how to pray in Japanese as well.  Who would have thought?  I've been here for what? 3 and a half days?  It feels like at least 2 weeks.  I guess that happens when you wake up at 6 and go to bed at 10:30.  It has been a great blessing to be here. I'm so relieved that I will be here for 9 weeks.  I'm also super happy that the days are going slowly.  I need all the time I can get!

I just heard my sensi (teacher) Clark speak english for the first time today!  It was crazy.  She didn't sound like herself.  I'm working so hard.  I use every spare minute I have to learn Preach My Gospel and study the language in a way that it can help Kubo San.

Shout out to Michelle Wagner & Sarah Black for writing me the most thoughtful (and hilarious) letters on my very FIRST day in the MTC!  It made my day.  DearElder.com is the best.  I love it.   

I love you so much and I pray for you every day!  (At least I'm pretty sure I do... It's all in Japanese)

Hawkins Shimai