Week 876,529 in Japan

Okay, I have a list of things in my mind that I have to type out before I forget.

Mothers Day Calls

Yes, you can call me on Mothers Day. I will of course get the call Monday morning, but the timing is more important for you, mom, than anything else. So, I would like to receive my call in the morning, but really any time is great. I think 7 or 8 would be good, but whatever time works best for you. I got a letter that says the length of the phone call can be up to 60 minutes. I think that might be longer than Christmas? But I don't really remember that well.

Anyway, the number here is (redacted for security purposes).  You have to put the whole international phone code at the front of that. I trust that you can figure it out this time without any problems since you did it last time without any problems. So, yeah. Talk to you on Sunday.

Where is Saijo? That's a good question. Here is my address to type into Google maps (though please don't put it on the Internet - that's a no-no). (Also redacted for security purposes).   As you can see I'm not on the island south of Hiroshima, that's actually in the Kobe Mission Area, but rather north east of Hiroshima. If I kept going I would make it into the city Mihara or 三原. Yep. In my area is Hiroshima Daigaku, or Hiroshima college. Its HUGE. If you can't find my address on the map, then you can type in Hiroshima Daigaku and probably find it. It's kinda in a valley down here and there are beautiful mountains surrounding us, especially on the trip to church.

But no hills like in Taniyama. I kinda miss that MOUNTAIN OF DOOM.

As you heard, they are slowly putting missionaries back into Tokyo and Sendai. Some of the Tokyo missionaries are leaving to go back today.

But I'm stuck with my companion who really does NOT want to be here.

But there was a promise from the assistants that all the missionaries will go back by the end of this transfers. If this area changes back to Elders I'm going to be sooooo mad. It's finally clean. The final count of the trash bags was 16. The finishing touches aren't done (we want to buy a vase of flowers for the genkan, and mop the floors) but it's still really clean. Anyway, so Sister Cruz feels much better with a clean apartment. But now her mind is in Tokyo and not in the present at all. Can't say I blame her.

This week.... let's see. We met with our investigator, Nishiyama-san.

She is 50 or so, and talks a lot. She lives alone and is really lonely. Of course. She just loved talking to us. She reads the Book of Mormon quite often and really loves those kinds of spiritual books.

She believes it's the word of God. She can't pray out loud because she is too embarrassed. She would come to church if she didn't live an hour away from the church. We have an appointment this week with her and a member, so maybe that will help. She has this image of

Mormonism as Foreigners. Her 4 missionaries have all been from America. She's the most promising one we have.

Oh, thanks for all the world news. My companion and I love to hear about it. I had no idea about tornados in Alabama. And it took me a minute to realize who William and Kate are. Isn't he the prince of England or something that Dad mentioned a few email ago? Anyway, I feel super disjointed. Here it is all about rebuilding from the earthquake. At least we know it's safe up there or they wouldn't put missionaries back.

All in all, not really much to report. Maybe I'll make this one short and send a lot of pictures.

Love you tons

レモン姉妹

Our last name in Chinese Kanji.  Lemon.  Our Eikaiwa Student wrote it for us on the blackboard after Eikaiwa.

Saijo. This is a pretty good description of where I am.  There are only tall buildings in the center of the city. Sorry, this really isn't the best look of the city.



A break-the-fast party at the Tanaka house.  Kishimoto Kyodai, Nishimura Kyodai, Matsuoka Shimai, don't really know the couple with the kid, Kondo Couple with their twins, Haoka Choro, Yo Choro, and then on the bottom line, Kiribayashi bishop, me, Tanaka Shimai, Kiribayashi Shimai, Ryoushou-kun, Cruz Shimai.  Sorry, obviously those names are more for me than for you.  Mom/Dad - the Tanaka couple be emailing that to you.  So sorry if you get an email in all Japanese.