Land of the rising..... rain?

Helloooo everyone!

To explain the caption for this week's email... Japan is known as the Land of the Rising Sun. Yet, I've been here now 2 weeks and have seen the sun for a total of abouttttttt 20 minutes. Haha! It's always raining here. Like pouring. In fact, I experienced my first typhoon this week. WOO JAPAN. I've gotten some good use out of my rain suit (a head to toe rain outfit... it's quite the look;)

These are their rain suits. I'm not kidding. They are a thing.

This week was crazy! Lots of adjusting to do. I'm still getting used to all the culture shock! It's an adventure, that's for sure! Seriously, everything here is exactly the opposite of America. Nothing. I mean NOTHING is the same! Fun fun fun:)

To follow up on last week's crash. Hahaha still laughing about how dumb I am. But ANYWAYS. I am healing and everything is gonna be justttt fine! The Fujimi Kawagoe ward here has taken such good care of me and has made sure I've gotten all the help I've needed. Seriously they are the best. Gah. Japanese people are just so nice! Anyways though, FEAR NOT EVERYONE! I LIVE ON. (with a few nice scars and bruises, but hey. Battle wounds are cool right?;)

This week we did a lot of visiting. We got to go visit with the cutest 94 year old grandmother this week and my heart seriously melted. We were able to sing a hymn and pray with her. The spirit was sooooo strong as we sang with her, all crowded around the iPad to be able to zoom in on the characters so she could see and sing them. It was super special. I am so grateful for the hymns and the spirit that they can bring! Music is always one of the ways I feel the spirit most, so it was super cool to have that experience this week.

Last Monday, there was a wedding in the ward. It was SO fun. Everyone and their dog came to support and it was so cute! We got to help set up and make food and work with the Relief Society. It was a blast. It's cool. In Japan, ward boundaries are really really big so people have to travel quite a ways to get to the church. Yet each Sunday, and each activity, everyone comes. These members do so much for the church and it is soooo inspiring!

Missions are hard. Like really hard. As I struggle here with adjusting and with trying to understand and speak the language, I am able to come closer to my Father in Heaven and Savior Jesus Christ. I truly honestly cannot do this on my own, but as Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

THE CHURCH IS TRUE

Fun facts for the week:

- Japan has the most amazing desserts on the whole planet. From cream puffs, to waffles, to chocolate pandas, etc. MAN EVERYTHING IS SO GOOD. We had these chocolate ice cream bars this week that honestly changed my life. I am a better person now thanks to Black Thunder ice cream bars. 

#getblackthundericecreaminamerica2k16

- There is no space in Japan. Like at all. No one has yards, and in fact, their parking goes underground. So you park your car and then this machine takes it deep into the earth and another spot pops up for the next car. IT'S WILD MAN.

Look at her! She's the cutest!

Even in her "adorable" rain suit!

Coming at you LIVE FROM JAPANNNNN

Shae with her cute companion, Wootan Shimai,
and President and Sister Nagano.

You heard me folks. I'm very much alive and LOVING Japan. This week was honestly insane and there's so much I could write about, butttttt we will just start with some fun things that happened this week!

My last night at the MTC last Sunday was great. Elder M. Russell Ballard came to speak to us. So awesome. It was super sad to say bye to all my friends at the MTC and I miss everyone a lot. (There's your shout out guys, you're welcome;) We had a lovely 12 hour flight to Japan on which I was able to place my first Book of Mormon! I'm a real missionary... say WHAT.

We landed and the fun began.... First things first. There was something wrong while in customs, so me and 4 other missionaries were stuck there for about 2 hours... we had no idea what anyone was saying, so that was fun. Finally they let us into the country. SUCCESS. We met our mission president who is legit the nicest man everrrrr. I love him. We spent the night at the mission home and I got to see Elder Ben Clark, who is now an AP, and Sister AJ Call, both friends from high school! That was a funnnn reunion:) I got my trainer, Wootan 姉妹 who is so so sweet. She's such a good missionary and has taught me so much already! She is on her second to last transfer so she's got this whole mission thing down. It's way nice. Also, it's hilarious. She is 4'11" and I'm 5'11". HAHAHAHA I KNOW. We died too. God definitely has a sense of humor;)

High school "reunion" with Sister AJ Call and Elder Ben Clark!

Tall girl problems. :)

I am serving in.... *drum roll please* KAWAGOE AND SAKADO! We are white-washing which means there hasn't been sisters here, so there's been a lot to do LOL. We got a brand new apartment which is so, so nice, but we have had to move everything in and get everything fixed.. which included no hot water and stove for a couple of days. Ah memories;) Also, because we have 2 areas, we actually go separately to church. I'VE BEEN HERE FOR A WEEK AND I ALREADY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO EXIST ON MY OWN. Talk about BYE. I'll be honest, I am pretty stressed, but it will be okay. God will help me:) We got to go to church together yesterday because it was my first time and I wanted to see how a Japanese ward ran before I could do it on my own haha. I had to speak which was an adventure. The people are soooooo nice though, so it was good!

Now for the real fun stuff. I got WRECKED on my bike this week. My bike lock was falling out of my basket and as I reached to grab it..... BOOM. FENCE. Hahahah it was hilarious.  It was bad enough that they wanted to take me to the hospital.... butttttt I've gotten out of that one so far;) Literally my second day on a bike.... bless the world HAHA. 

Still not dramatic, in case you were wondering ;)

Scene of the accident.

Also, we have some new investigators that we found! In fact, the very first lesson I was in our investigator accepted the invitation to be baptized! Like whatttttt! BEING A MISSIONARY IS SO COOL! We have seen so many miracles since being here. I am so lucky to be in such an amazing area doing such an amazing work! 

Japanese fun facts:

1. JAPAN IS STRAIGHT UP ALICE IN WONDERLAND. Everything is bright and colorful and the bushes are all cut into shapes, and everything.... I mean EVERYTHING plays music. Garbage trucks, our rice cooker, the ATM, everything. I feel like I am walking around in a cartoon.. lol. There is a song that comes on every day at 5 pm telling all the kids to go home and be safe. I seriously died, it was so cute.

2. I have never met nicer people in my life. Everyone alwaysssss compliments our Japanese even when we know it's straight trash, lol. One time I said konnichiwa to someone and they were like WOAH YOUR JAPANESE IS SO GOOD. I literally said hi. Hahahah they are just too nice.

3. We teach English class every week and it is a blast. We also have ping pong nights once a week... Japanese people's English may not be very good sometimes, but their ping pong skills? WOWZA. If anyone wants to start a waiting list for people who want to play me when I get home I will gladly accept. I am terrible now, but I have a bit of time to practice;)

I'm sorry if I can't respond to everyone's emails this week. I will respond as soon as I can! We don't have a ton of time, but thank you for all the love and support! I loveeeeee getting emails from home. It makes the hard times a little easier knowing how much love and support I have. So thank you from the bottom of my heart. It's amazing to be a missionary and to see that the church is the same no matter where we are. Much love!

Xoxox

Modersitzki 姉妹

They made it! Shae & Sister Villanueva at the mission home.

There are no words. :)

When you're even taller than the sign.

Shae LOVES the food in Japan! Everything is so fresh and delicious.

All of the new missionaries this transfer.

Mod Shimai's first zone in Japan.

That helmet though!

In her first week in Japan she saw about 10 minutes of sunshine. It's RAINY there!

With Sister and President Nagano.

Leaving on a Jet Plane......

Shae didn't have a p-day this week because they left for Tokyo on Monday. Here are a few pictures from her last week in the MTC and all of the planes, trains and automobiles on her way to JAPAN! :)

One of the perks of sisters who have served missions is that they volunteer at the MTC, see you, and bring you.......

..... A STEAK SALAD FROM CAFÉ RIO!!!!! Bless Erin!

No drama here. Haha! Leaving the desk that Shae spent the last 8 weeks studying at.

Saying goodbye to her bestie, Savannah Murdock.

I know. This is just how they are. Haha!

Shae saw Colby Speirs, her cousin Megan's husband, AGAIN! Lucky!

Shae with Erin's Swedish missionary friends who were volunteering at the MTC.
Erin, Shae Mod, Paige Beckstrom and Caleb Featherstone

A little happy to be leaving the MTC after almost 9 weeks!

There were 30 missionaries who went to Japan on September 12th!

Their plane going to Portland for the first leg of their trip. 

Believe it or not, one of our relatives, Ty McLain, was on this flight and got these pictures of her talking to us on the phone.

At the Portland airport, Sister V's mom and aunt were there for a quick hug, some goodies and goodbye. So sweet!

Off they go to Japan!

About 2 hours to Portland, and then 10 hours to Japan. That's a long time on a plane! 

We miss Shae, but we're SO excited to hear about all of her adventures in Japan! She's so happy to be a missionary!