I hoped they'd call me on a mission, when I had a grown a foot or two....

Wow, I got an email from all 4 of you at once (Jay, John, Mom and Dad).  Happiness!  I feel like I have a family or something.  For weird...

Anyway, this week in Saijo... absolutely nothing happened.  Okay, so that's not true.  I have some pretty funny pictures I will mail you here in a bit.  My companion's favorite hobby is taking pictures, so I have some pretty good ones two.

Okay, so today we are heading down to Miyajima, which is the place in Japan with the giant red arch thing.  It's apparently one of the prettiest places in Japan.  I have my camera armed and ready.  You should research Miyajima in Hiroshima and see what you can get.  Next Tuesday my companion and are going to go to the Peace Memorial Park, and the other nuclear bomb stuff in Hiroshima.  Yeah, so I can feel like a tourist for maybe a little bit, or something like that.

Our awesome investigator is Nishiyama Shimai, or Sister West Mountain. Nishiyama is 61, and has been searching for the truth her entire life.  We hope to tell her all her fears about being baptized are all invalid this week.  I think she is ready right now.  She's been to church twice now.  Yesterday she said today seemed shorter than the week before.  She got used to 3 hours of church pretty dang fast.  She doesn't think the Sunday School teacher is so scary, she tried to sing one of the hymns together with the other members.  Way golden, as the phrase goes.  She wanted to study the material before church so that she would feel better about all the people in the class that knew all the answers.  She even bought a skirt to come to church. 

Anyway, her fears about baptism include things like she doesn't know enough, she is too old, etc.  All completely different from the real requirements of baptism like a broken heart and contrite spirit and stuff.  It's funny because she will just talk and talk and talk, and we just nod our heads.  She is super lonely.  We talked on the phone for about 1 hour because she couldn't stop talking.  She told me her life story, which was less than friendly to her.  She had medical problems and had to get her uterus removed and is now on medication and stuff.  Yes, I learned the Japanese word for uterus.  Thank goodness for electronic dictionaries.  Anyway, she is doing great.

So yes, I plan on going to school right after my mission.  Otherwise I'd turn into a bump on a log without any purpose in life.  We work close to the Hiroshima Daigaku, and I just want to go walk the campus or something.  I LOVE college life.  I LOVE the agency to go to class or not to go to class and not have the judgement of God on my shoulders all day if I wake up a little late or something.  Anyway, I'm just glad I have something to go back to. 

Mom, if you find a good apartment, let me know.  Try Craig's list.  Look for something that says they have to sell their contract because they're getting married or going on a mission.  That's usually key that they will give you a deal and pay for part of it.  As for classes, Dad, I trust you know when to register.  I guess I need to figure out what Japanese class to take or something.  Gross.

Anyway, Out of time, but not out of LOVE

レモン姉妹



the dragonfruit before we cut it open.  This is truly the strangest fruit out there.

the dragonfruit after I had eaten the insides.  We found it in the supermarket and had to buy it.  The flavor wasn't very sweet.  It kinda reminded me of a kiwi.  A CRAZY PINK kiwi.

Kinki university is one of the universities in the area.  Ha ha.

Kinky.  Ha ha.  Anyway, apparently it's a nice school.  We have a member that goes there and is studying airplane engineering.