March 14, 2011 -email

Mom and Dad and Flammy, and Elder Waite,

The Gift of Tongues is real! I absolutely LOVE Japanese. Truly. It reminds me of Hebrew - except that I really like it.

I don't have much time so excuse the rushed typing. (And, yes, PLEASE print off Uncle Greg's e-mail and send it. I looked at it and he essentially wrote my talk... only it's a lot better in his words. Wow.)

The apples here taste fine. I can't say the same for much else but that's ok. I love you all and miss you! MTC life is grand. It sort of feels like a bootcamp version of Retreat for Girls.... especially since usually the bathrooms are full of people singing songs from Little Mermaid in the showers, and doing so much before it's even 7:00 am ( I love you Ruby!) I'm guessing that that's not a complaint that the Elders have? Thankfully I can usually find a different restroom to use. Really though, being a sister here has got to be a completely different experience than being here as an Elder. It reminds me of what Spencer Barzee told me once about it - that Sister's here can get away with murder. I might almost agree with that. All over there are signs saying "ELDERS: DO NOT..." It's sort of funny.

Happy Pi day yesterday, Happy Ides of March today, and Happy St. Patrick's Day on Thursday.

It's been fun to be here and think of all the other people that have been here recently that I know. I keep expecting to come around a corner and see Camden or Cody or Josiah. I've seen Sister Jessica Jones a couple times at lunch and Sister Stegelmeier also. And one of my Branch Presidency members grew up in Panaca and is a Wadsorth. I talked to him for a minute and he said he knew of Grandma and Grandpa Wadsworth and that he is grandpa's cousin or something.

Hannah, How did the play turn out? I was thinking of you all weekend.

Congrats to Uncle Jacob and Aunt Trista about having a new one in the family! How exciting!

Dad, thanks for the dearelders. I've heard about the tsunami. My Companions dad was flying there when it happened and he had to go to a military base of some kind - but He's ok. Another sister in my zone has a dad there who said that it felt like wearing rollerskates on a slick icy surface that is covered with marbles... yikes. We are all praying that the peopel will be more receptive to the gospel because of this. Also dad- can you fill me in on the March Madness events? How is BYU doing? What about USU?

That's all I can think of to say right now. I love you all!

Love,
Waite Shimei
(Sister Waite)