Fwd: Week 3 in Fukuoka

To answer some of your questions, my friend that was way into Sailor Moon with me was Abigail Sherby. I don`t quite know how to spell her name, but that`s the name. Speaking of Manga, it is the biggest thing over here by far. Seriously. The biggest manga right now are... okay, so now I forgot them. But it is one of the ones Jay made me watch. It has something to do with training little children to control giant robots and such. I know I`ll remember the name the moment I send this email. The other one is two face, or something like that. I`ve never heard of it before. Maybe I`ll hear about it when I come back. Naruto is also really famous. I remember seeing an episode of it on TV and thinking it was ridiculous.

The food here is okay. As some of the older missionaries have said, there is a distinct Japanese flavor to everything that you can`t really put your finger on, but is in everything. I had about a week and a half of wondering what in the world I was eating. Now I`ve kinda gotten over it. I have lost weight, but I don`t think it is because of the food. I`m literally on my bike every day all day. I had a small crash when I hit the front brake instead of the back brake when I was riding. Yeah, I was trying to eat a Snickers with my left hand, the hand with the back brake, and tried to brake, and... well, you can imagine. I wasn`t hurt, except for this wicked bruise on my hip - which matches the wicked bruises on my legs from the pedals, but my bike was a little damaged. The gears aren`t aligned right now, so I`m stuck on high gears.

We have one investigator that lives on top of a hill, of course, so I`m huffingand puffing by the time we get up there. No worries, though, I`m going to the bike repair later today, where I hope they fix it for free since I just bought it a few weeks ago. Other than that, the bike is doing good. I`ve learned how to clip my skirt to my bike as I`m riding so it doesn`t ride up. Needless to say, I`m talented.

The weather here is pretty cold right now, but I`m not sure why. A few weeks ago it was raining a ton, but now it`s just a little cold. I`ve been assured that the hot is on it`s way. My goal is to try to spend the summer up north in the mission, and the winter down in Okinawa. That`s my hope. We`ll see what happens.

As for a package, I don`t need anything yet. I can really find everything I want here, if I`m willing to bike it. But later on, maybe I could get more clothes, when it comes closer to winter, and maybe peanut butter if you feel up to it. :)

I'm in Japan!

Week 2 in Fujisaki

Well hello there! It`s so nice to hear from you. I`m here in a nice little Japanese Internet Cafe where everyone smokes and plays games like World of Warcraft. Yep. If I come home smelling like smoke, please realize that I wasn`t smoking for 15 months straight, okay? Also, this keyboard is the tiniest bit different. It`s throwing off my typing groove. If I want a ` I have to do shift and then the button to the right of "P". Haha, I didn`t realize how often I use that button, you know?

I forgot my adapter to send pictures. I don't remember a rule about not sending pictures through email...I'll double check the white handbook of the zillion and a half rules I have to follow.

Also, my brownies were a success. ;) Thanks for the recipe. Now my native companion will continue to think that all Americans know how to make brownies. ;)

And Mom, at least your favorite daughter remembered to send you a card on Mother's Day, right? You should see how few Mother`s Day cards there were at the MTC - it was like a disaster struck the card aisle.

I don't know if I:ve mentioned this, but there are these 100 yen stores. It's the equivalent of a 1 dollar store, only about a zillion times better. Yep. It is my Japanese addiction, and I`ve only been here for 2 weeks.

So Kappa is a rainsuit that missionaries in Japan wear when it rains. It is steki janai (not stylish). It is in fact the ugliest thing I've ever seen in my life. The one I got is this green turquoise color that matches my trainers (boots). Nihonjin are all about being the same - with their school uniforms and such. So if you are in Japan, and you see two young guys on bikes, with white helmets, and ugly rainsuits on, they are probably Mormon missionaries. Yep.

But, the best part is, Kappa is also the name of a Japanese monster. Let me explain this Japanese monster to you. In America, we have the boogey man that lives under your bed, or comes out of your closet like in the movie Monsters Inc. But in Japan, their monsters are just plain crazy. Kappa is a turtle like creature with a bird beak that lives in the water. Yep. This monster comes up to the side of the bridges and grabs little children by the ankle and pulls them into the water. I thought that Kappa would then eat the children or something like that, but he lets them go because he`s a vegetarian. Yep. So he always holds a cucumber in one hand. Yes, a cucumber. And he has a dirty plate over his head, with seaweed poking out. I'm actually a little disappointed, because I wanted Kappa to eat the children. I guess that:s the American in me... So when I put on my rainsuit, which is green, I like to pretend that am friends with Kappa and he won`t grab me at the end of the bridge when I cross it.

As far as Japanese goes, it's coming along. See, it took about a week for me to adjust to the speed that people talk in. I will forever speak slower English now to help those people who are learning English. So now that I'm to the point where I can hear the different sounds that they are making, and usually repeat them back, I'm just working on expanding my vocabulary. I will just continue to work on that. If you think about it, you only use a few different vocabulary words in English everyday.

Did I forget anything? I hope not, because I'm out of time. I will try to mail you some pictures next week. Thanks!

Sister Lemmon

Addresses in Japan

Sorry, I almost forgot my mailing address! Sister Sarah Marie Lemmon Fukuoka-ken, Fukuoka-shi, Sawara-ku, Minamisho 6-21-19 Shiromizu-Bld #407 The way the addresses work in Japan is Fukuoka-ken is the Prefecture, Fukuoka-shi is the City, Sawara is the next smaller area of Fukuoka, Minamisho is the name of the area (about a mile square if it was square) and 6 is the area within Minamisho, 21 is the block, 19 is the building, Shiromizu is the name of the building, and #407 is my apartment number. Yes, it is way different over here. My companion study this morning was spent figuring out how addresses work. It's way confusing. Please remember that this address could change in 6 weeks. I really don't know until the day before or something like that. My permanent address is the one you already have. That would just take longer to get the letter, depending on how far away I am. But at least every 6 weeks for zone conferences. I hope I didn't forget anything else. Until next week. Sarah

Fujisaki Ward, Fukuoka Japan, Japan.

I am pleased to announce that I am assigned to the Fujisaki Ward in
Fukuoka Japan. There are two wards in Fukuoka - Fukuoka and Fujisaki.
I met this one girl in the MTC, named Onda Shimai, with our first set
of Nihonjin and she said she was from Fujisaki Ward. At the time, I
was like, "where's that" but now I understand. So I walked into the
kyokai (church building) and there was the missionary board. I saw
this picture with me in it and I was really confused. Onda shimai
writes a letter for the missionary board every now and then and I was
in the picture of all the Shimai at the MTC. So her father is the
state president and in the ward. It was really funny. So I showed
Onda Shimai (the mom) the picture of me and her daughter, with our
companions, when we were matching. It was way fun.

My trainer is a native Japanese named Motegi Shimai. She is way fun.
At first I was worried that she didn't know any English because she
won't speak it, but I've realized that she understands it (mostly) but
she doesn't like to speak it unless it's perfect, so she doesn't speak
it. She has some kinda werid habits that I realize are just Nihonjin
habits.

So here are a list of interesting things about Japan:
* Everyone rides bikes. I am everyone. When I asked Motegi Shimai
about it she said that everyone is economical. They don't want to pay
for the gas. So today, we had interviews at the hombu (mission
office) and we rode our bikes for over a half hour to get here.
Yikes. The MTC was mentally exhausting, but here is physically
exhausing. Everyday I will get a little stronger. To get the the
hombu/Fukuoka Temple there is this big hill. My companion warned me
about it, but experiencing it was totally different. It was pretty
tough. I'm talking like San Francisco hills on bikes. Yep. So I
bought my bike. It's a GT Aggressor. There is a cute little basket
on the back for my stuff, with a water proof cover for the rainy
season, which should start in the next couple of weeks.
* The peep holes are my height. I'm so serious. It's kinda funny. I
leaned over to look out the peep hole and for the first time in my
life I wasn't on my tip toes. :) You would be so proud of me.
* There are no trash cans on the street. It's the weirdest thing
ever. There is this mindset that you don't throw anything away - you
put it in your bag and throw it away when you get home. So I had to
buy a bike light for my bike. Then we ate at KFC (yes, they do exist
here) and I tried to throw away the bike-light wrapping. That night I
noticed my companion pulled out my bike light trash. She had taken it
home with her! Haha, I couldn't help but laugh, you know? I really
don't think KFC would have noticed or cared, but that's just the way
things work here.
* Gehan (vending machines) are on every corner. I probably pass about
6 on the way to the church, which is about a 10 minute jitensha (bike)
ride. No joke. And everything is sold in vending machines, including
alcohol and cigarettes. I haven't exactly tried to buy that stuff
yet, but I didn't see a place for you to show ID or prove your of
legal age to do that sort of thing. Who knows. But I do really like
this vitamin water that is really just lemonade. Ooishii (delicious).
But along the lines of bad things sold in vending machines, I'm
pretty sure everyone in Japan smokes. I saw a man riding his bike,
texting, and smoking, all at the same time. It was crazy.
* The church buildings here don't have basketball courts like they do
in America. First of all, there just isn't enough space. Second, not
everyone likes Volleyball here. Instead, every church building has a
ping-pong table. No joke. And ping-pong isn't called ping-pong here,
it's called.... something else. I can't remember it right now. So
I'm going to be pretty awesome at ping-pong when I get home. In our
future house of some kind, I think we should get a ping pong table.
Seriously.
* People drive on the wrong side of the road. It's so weird. But
that doesn't just mean cars, but also bikes, people, the way you read
books - everything is backwards! I feel like even the toilet flushes
the wrong way.
* I can't believe I almost forgot to tell you about the toilets. They
are the single greatest piece of modernism on the face of the planet.
When I stayed at the mission home, the toilet was awesome, but I just
kinda thought it was only in that nice house. No, even public
bathrooms are like there. There are curtesy bells that make noise as
you are doing your business. Then, some of the toilet seats are
heated. No joke. It's like the heated seats in Dad's Pacifica. Then
you can push a button and water will spray up and clean you up, then
another button to dry you. No kidding. It's the weirdest thing ever.
It's like the things I saw on TV were real.
* It's true that they don't use dryers. This morning when I did my
laundry, I had to hang it outside to dry. It was a really weird
feeling. Now there are going to be so many wrinkles - I guess I'll
have to use an iron.... :( There are these cute little hanging
contraptions that I hung my folding clothes from. I may want one when
I come back, ok?

There are about a dozen other small things that are pretty werid, but
I can't remember them right now.

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I'M IN JAPAN

Why hello there! I'm here in Japan. After a whole trip of terrible airsickness I'm finally on solid ground. I kept taking Drammenne but I only felt like it took the edge of the nausea. But, the Drammeene also helped me sleep really well last night. My doryo said that she woke up 3 or 4 times, but I slept through the night. Today I feel much better. My mission president is Pres. Margetts, and his wife. Mommy, you would love Sister Margetts. Seriously. You should just start email her or something. When she gets nervous she likes to talk, and she likes to make sure that everyone is comfortable and stuff. :) Yep, just like you. Pres. Margetts looks like Uncle Dennis to me. It's kinda funny. He's got the same square face and slightly gray hair, and the same kind of voice. Creepy. So things that you should know about Japan: * The Korean airport was silent. So was the Japanese airport. I was really confused and asked Yoha Shimai, the native shimai, and she said that she should LAX was really loud. * I can't read any of the signs in Japan * It's not that hot - yet. But I should just wait.... * I have my new nametag with my name in Katakana. Now all the Nihonjin Shimai think my name is hilarious. :) * We slept in the General Authority room last night. Yep. The shower had 5 shower heads. I wasn't sure what to do with that many shower heads. * I get my transfer information tonight. I'M SO EXCITED! I just want to go right now. So I'll let you know my real address here in a little bit. * My P-days are Mondays. I'm not sure what time that'll be in America when I email, so stay tuned. I sure there are a dozen other things I could tell you about Japan and my mission, but I can't remember anything else. And the other missionaries are waiting for the computer. So I shall say goodbye for now. Lemmon Shimai

I'M GOING TO KOREA

So, here is the long awaited travel itenerary.  When my class got this
last last week we were jumping up and down.  Everyone was.  It's
crazy!  It's like a representation that everything we've done is for
real!
[removed for security purposes, but I'm going to Korea on the way to Japan]
In summary, I meet at the Travel office at the MTC at 5am on Monday,
and get to Fukuoka Tuesday night.  Then we have to get to the mission
home.  I assume it's close, but who knows.  Some of the Japanese
missionaries fly in to Tokyo then take a bullet train down to the Kobe
mission.  There is one missionary that's the only one going to
Hiroshima.  That mission closes in July, so maybe that's why there's
only one.  He has to take a train to Hiroshima all by himself.  I
think I might cry.
So I was talking to the natives, and people that have been to Japan,
and here's the news flash.  They don't have tampons.  Bam.  It's true.
 I was like, "excuse me?"  This is a first world country, and should
have basic necessities like that.  But nope.  I went to the bookstore
and bought my 18 month supply. Haha, sorry if this is more than you
wanted to know. I also bought toothpaste, because
Japanese toothpaste is very different and doesn't have flouride.  :)
Then I bought deodorant, because the Japanese deodorant doesn't have
the aluminum whatever that is the anti-persperient.  :)  Yep, so
that's why I had so much extra weight in my suitcase going to the MTC.
 :)  We started cleaning out our room that seems to have acculumated
trash in the past 3 months.  It's kinda fun to see what we have left,
you know?

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