I'm glad you got the Facebook message from my friends in Miyazaki.
Ha ha. She said she wrote it when she drove me and my companion to the eki. That's right, we both transferred. Two Japanese Sisters are coming to Miyzaki. They're going to do great. So yeah, here I am in Taniyama Branch. No one where really knows what "Taniyama" is besides the end of the Japanese Railroad line which is a 1 min walk from the church. It's really just Kagoshima City. It's kinda like when I was in Fujisaki, but that's really just Fukuoka. Anyway, yes, I live next to a giant active volcano named Sakurajima, which means cherry blossom island. I don't see any cherry blossoms, but I'll let you know when Spring comes. With the wind right now the ash that billows out of it everyday is going to the east, so we don't get any of it. It should stay like that all winter. Then in the Spring the ash will come to the east and cover our bikes with gray ash. We are allowed to wear sunglasses when there's ash to keep it out of our eyes. I'm kinda excited.
My companion is Sister Barraclough from northern Virginia right next to DC. She has not had a foreign companion her whole mission. I told that to president last interview because she seemed to be having a really really hard time. Well, I guess he thought I was volunteering so here we are. Ha ha. She's really genki (I'll let you look that one up - it's a good Japanese word). She also has had sleeping problems due to *stress* as the doctor she has been talking to in Tokyo said.
Why do I always get the broken companions? Her Japanese is fairly good, but she turns all sad and stuff when she speaks Japanese. It's hard to explain unless you've learned another language, but that's totally normal. You get a different personality. I wonder what my Japanese personality is. She is also pay back for back when I was a bad junior companion. She doesn't actively listen in lessons, she doesn't write appointments down herself, and she insists on coloring in her coloring book when I'm making stuff for dendo. (I hope you've learned that Japanese word because I don't know what it means in English anymore. No joke.) But I love her to death and I hope to show her the way it's done. We've all enjoyed our Japanese companions that take 30 seconds to make a birthday card with Japanese kanji.
Well, it takes me a lot longer, but it's coming along. Becoming senior companion didn't really change much for me because I was already the one helping when I was a junior companion. Apparently everyone doesn't have that same idea.
As you might have noticed in the paragraph above, we actually have lessons to teach. We even have baptismal dates. Kamikawa Shimai recently came back to church after years and years of inactivity. She just one day decided to reactive herself. So she showed up. And yesterday she brought her kids (age 10 and 9) to church too. They will be baptized in April. The mom still has work and she can't bring the kids herself because of it. Well, they'll fit in perfectly with the branch that is half kids under the age of 14. The primary is HUGE. Then there is Izumi-san who also wants to get baptized in April. She is bipolar and totally shy. Her record sounds really sketchy. Seriously. I might drop her, but I'd like to meet her first. I texted her, then this week I'll call her, then I'll meet her.... then get transferred? I don't plan on wasting a lot of time on her. Then there is Satomi san with her 3 year old son, Shori (which means Victory). She's been coming to church now for about a year, and is thinking about baptism. She studied the protestant church for 7 years, so she believes in the bible, but not the book of Mormon. That's what we want to focus on with her. Tonight we have a lesson where we're going to prove the the book and Mormon and bible support each other. The issue is that the Japanese bible is SOOOOOOoooo hard to read. It's not like our newly translated book of Mormon. Then there is also a few other investigators I haven't met yet, but I'm way excited to.
My favorite investigator gets her own paragraph. She is Eiko Shimai and she just popped out of the woodwork. She is a referral from Nishimaniwa Shimai (try saying that name 3 times fast). We watched a 10 minute video we have in Japan that is an introduction on how the church came to Japan and how it expanded. Then we answered her questions and gave her a lesson 1 pamphlet (restoration). At our next lesson we taught that, and we realized that she read in the pamphlet about prayer and prayed, before we even invited her to, about if what she is learning is true. Yep, awesome huh. I was there from the first lesson, so I feel like she is all mine. At the 2nd lesson she gave the closing prayer. At first she was all scared and stuff, but it was probably the most heart-felt prayer I've ever heard. She asked to know if the things we are teaching her are truth, and if she should continue studying from us. Well, that made her friend cry which made her cry. I butted in and was like "wabam, that's the Spirit my friend." Okay, so I didn't explain it like that. Anyway, I felt like it was a lesson from the videos we watch in training to teach us how to be better teachers. We have a 3rd lesson with her on Wednesday.
Awesome, huh?
Hmm, what else? I have the single nicest apartment in the whole mission. No joke. I just took a picture of my key, as a representation of my apartment, but I forgot my camera thing for the computer. My apartment is so big I don't know how to deal with my bed and desk and kitchen being in different rooms. Ha ha. I walked in and said, "I totally deserve this apartment". I dealt with one of the worst for 2 transfers I totally deserve this. Oh yeah! The shower room can turn into a giant dryer for my clothes (something about ash falling on anything you put outside).
Classical music is okay for my iPod. Actually, anything is okay. For the Lane Bryant thing, could I get more black tights if they have them? I know it's silly. But the stores here already went to Spring but my black tights might not make it until then. Seriously. Also, my size is a little rare. I need to loose about 10 more pounds to fit into Japanese sizes, I think. Why black? Well, they just simply work the best. Weird, eh? Maybe light brown tights would work too, but I don't think they have those in America.
Also, I think I transfer about average. (Those with) 1 transfer areas are rare; 2 or 3 are normal, 5 is the the longest I've heard of. I die (return home) in 5 transfers. I could die in Taniyama! That would be funny because I've been in the Kagoshima zone for more than half of my mission. I told the Mission President that if the other two areas that I haven't been to in the zone open as sisters, that I would like to volunteer to go. ha ha.
Anymore, I think I got 1 more area left in me. But what I'm really excited for is District Conference in 2 weeks where I get to meet members from three branches I've been in. Ha ha. I feel like a celebrity. A Kagoshima District celebrity. I'll take what I can get.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Miyazaki!
I'm just chilling here in Miyazaki. Literally, it's freezing over here! There is no snow, and hardly any rain, but it's really cold.
There is frozen ice on the sidewalks in the shade. The sun melts everything else. We buy little sticky warmer things to stick to the bottom of our feet. My feet get the absolute coldest there on our bikes. The wind penetrates everything. And people said Miyazaki was warm. I've realized that that means it gets cold later and warm earlier, but it's still just as cold as Sapporo I think.
In random news that I'll probably forget if I don't say it now, could you check and tell me when my BYU registration date is for school?
BYU has changed all of it's website stuff, so I don't know where it is and stuff, but I believe in your powers to tell. Also, I told my friend Nicole to get into contact with you all for my housing for the fall, so you might get an email from her or something. I have to start my planning for the fall now!
Also, your emails seem to get progressively more boring. Sorry my dear beloved parents, but you're going to need to come up with something more exciting than Xander's birthday party and an Arizona congresswoman being shot. Though that is pretty shocking. And inventory of Grandpa's food storage is not worthy of an email, I'm sorry! What about a story with unicorns and a few princesses thrown in? :)
Thanks for taking care of my Facebook. I heard from the young single adults in this branch that my picture changed. Kawano Yuiko 河野 ゆい子posted something about how the picture of my at birthday was taken on my birthday. Cool, eh? I found out about it before my email. Ha ha.
I'll have so many friends when I get home! Maybe through Skype I will be able to keep up my Japanese skills.
As far as investigators, still kinda non-existent, but we have this cool potential investigator. She met the Kawano family last year, and we think she has a slight mental handicapped. For whatever reason only those with a handicapped of some sort seem to want to listen to what we have to say. All the other people just say "no thanks" or "not interested, sorry". Anyway, we gave her a book of Mormon and she'll probably come to church next Sunday... we hope!
Also, our favorite recent convert, Ozaki Shimai, came to church! The members were really sick of going way out of their way to pick her up for church for her to say she wasn't feeling well enough to go. She doesn't have a cell phone because of her credit. She gets money from the government and has her meals delivered to her cockroach infested house. Anyway, she is 67 but she's more like 8 years old. She doesn't have any teeth and she hasn't seen her dentures in the past couple of months. Anyway, she wanted to come to church by bus to not be a hassle on the church members, and SHE DID IT! We were waiting at the bus transfer place for her to show up, with about a dime of faith.
Well, she came, and we helped her get on the right transfer bus. Sure she left right after taking the sacrament, but she came!
Sorry, no times to send pictures. We're going to Aoshima today to hang out at a freezing beach.
There is frozen ice on the sidewalks in the shade. The sun melts everything else. We buy little sticky warmer things to stick to the bottom of our feet. My feet get the absolute coldest there on our bikes. The wind penetrates everything. And people said Miyazaki was warm. I've realized that that means it gets cold later and warm earlier, but it's still just as cold as Sapporo I think.
In random news that I'll probably forget if I don't say it now, could you check and tell me when my BYU registration date is for school?
BYU has changed all of it's website stuff, so I don't know where it is and stuff, but I believe in your powers to tell. Also, I told my friend Nicole to get into contact with you all for my housing for the fall, so you might get an email from her or something. I have to start my planning for the fall now!
Also, your emails seem to get progressively more boring. Sorry my dear beloved parents, but you're going to need to come up with something more exciting than Xander's birthday party and an Arizona congresswoman being shot. Though that is pretty shocking. And inventory of Grandpa's food storage is not worthy of an email, I'm sorry! What about a story with unicorns and a few princesses thrown in? :)
Thanks for taking care of my Facebook. I heard from the young single adults in this branch that my picture changed. Kawano Yuiko 河野 ゆい子posted something about how the picture of my at birthday was taken on my birthday. Cool, eh? I found out about it before my email. Ha ha.
I'll have so many friends when I get home! Maybe through Skype I will be able to keep up my Japanese skills.
As far as investigators, still kinda non-existent, but we have this cool potential investigator. She met the Kawano family last year, and we think she has a slight mental handicapped. For whatever reason only those with a handicapped of some sort seem to want to listen to what we have to say. All the other people just say "no thanks" or "not interested, sorry". Anyway, we gave her a book of Mormon and she'll probably come to church next Sunday... we hope!
Also, our favorite recent convert, Ozaki Shimai, came to church! The members were really sick of going way out of their way to pick her up for church for her to say she wasn't feeling well enough to go. She doesn't have a cell phone because of her credit. She gets money from the government and has her meals delivered to her cockroach infested house. Anyway, she is 67 but she's more like 8 years old. She doesn't have any teeth and she hasn't seen her dentures in the past couple of months. Anyway, she wanted to come to church by bus to not be a hassle on the church members, and SHE DID IT! We were waiting at the bus transfer place for her to show up, with about a dime of faith.
Well, she came, and we helped her get on the right transfer bus. Sure she left right after taking the sacrament, but she came!
Sorry, no times to send pictures. We're going to Aoshima today to hang out at a freezing beach.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
New Years in Miyazaki
First of all, I got the package, and I opened it at an eating appointment that night. It came on my birthday! At first I was beginning to wonder if the hombu had messed up, but it came... just slowly. Thanks for the new stuff. The Elders also decorated my door right before I got home. They gave me a Japanese flag, a recorder that I used for our opening song for companion study the next day, Hello Kitty stuff, and helium in a can. No joke. You can buy helium in a can here for fun. I haven't done it yet; I want to save it for a special occasion, but I keep forgetting about it.
Dad, happy birthday to you! So your present in a Japanese obi. It's the tie thing on the kimonos. I found it in a recycle shop all the way back in Fujisaki. I thought it would be a perfect running for your little critters in your office.... I also kinda thought you would have an office by now. Anyway, you can also use it for a table runner or whatever you want. Enjoy! I thought I wrote an explanation with it, but I realize now that I forgot about it, huh? Ha ha. Sorry!
New Years was crazy. People just get together with their family and do family stuff all day. It's kinda like our Christmas, only it does last 3 days. Everyone has the day off. I mean everyone. Well, okay, not everyone, but all the normal jobs at least. The jinja (Japanese shrines) were all full. I've never seen so many people in my entire life. Basically we just did nothing for a few days. Our investigators were all out of town anyway.
Today was the mochi tsuki taikia, which being translated is the mochi making party. Mochi is pounded rice that kinda turns into a rice-flavored gum that eventually dissolves in your mouth eventually.
It's often packed with あん which is a red bean paste. To make it you hit a ton of rice with heavy hammers. The Elders had a lot of fun.
I'll send some pictures too. The kids had a ton of fun, and I ate a lot of mochi. Yummy.
In other random news, I might be able to get an old missionary's suitcase. He went home last transfer and he mailed his suitcase home, but America sent it back because it was too big. So they packed all the stuff up in boxes and mailed it that way. But the suitcase is still here. It's a nice one too. It's in the Elder's apartment. The parents want it, but can't get it to America, so maybe it'll be mine.
We'll hear in a few days. Maybe we could set something up where you can mail that family some money for all their troubles. Anyway, I'll keep you posted. Also, you mentioned that Elder Stubbs is from Kentucky too. Yeah, we met and figured it all out. He moved to Kentucky when I left for college, so we never crossed paths there, but we know some of the same people, not that either of us really paid attention to that kind of thing.
My companion is great. She's kinda a bubbly person, which is great for dendo. Lately she has been kinda down for a reason she won't really talk to me about. I think it's just the normal ups and downs of a mission. It just goes to show you that the people that are really up up up all the time also come down down down down. For the most part I've realized that I am relatively level. If you think I'm bad, you should see some other girls my age. It's crazy. She is really sweet and a great cook, so we get along great. No fears here.
We're not quite sure what is happening next transfer. One of the sister areas has to close because we don't have enough sisters, and we realized that we don't really have any investigators right now, so maybe we will close... ? That could be why we haven't heard from the hombu elders about finding us a new apartment. It all seems very much in the answer of there won't be sisters in Miyazaki next transfer.
But of course my thoughts are usually totally different than what happens, so who knows.
Well, this week we found a new investigator. She broke her foot and was placed next to Tokutome Shimai in the hospital. Tokutome Shimai talked to her about the church and Minamimura-san (it's that a
mouthful) wants to learn more. We also stole one of the Elder's investigators, Miho Shimai. Her family is all ready to get baptized except for her. She has some misgivings and unsure feelings about a lot of things. So we're doing some one-on-one teaching with her to help her figure it all out. Someday she will get baptized, for sure, but we just don't know if it will be sooner or later. Well, we'll see!
Okay, that's it for this week. Now I'll send some pictures.
Love,
レモン姉妹
 |
| me with my birthday cake. It has lemon slices on the top. The Japanese family thought that was hilarious |
 |
The Elders decorated my door for my birthday. There's a lemon on it! |
New Years was crazy. People just get together with their family and do family stuff all day. It's kinda like our Christmas, only it does last 3 days. Everyone has the day off. I mean everyone. Well, okay, not everyone, but all the normal jobs at least. The jinja (Japanese shrines) were all full. I've never seen so many people in my entire life. Basically we just did nothing for a few days. Our investigators were all out of town anyway.
Today was the mochi tsuki taikia, which being translated is the mochi making party. Mochi is pounded rice that kinda turns into a rice-flavored gum that eventually dissolves in your mouth eventually.
It's often packed with あん which is a red bean paste. To make it you hit a ton of rice with heavy hammers. The Elders had a lot of fun.
I'll send some pictures too. The kids had a ton of fun, and I ate a lot of mochi. Yummy.
In other random news, I might be able to get an old missionary's suitcase. He went home last transfer and he mailed his suitcase home, but America sent it back because it was too big. So they packed all the stuff up in boxes and mailed it that way. But the suitcase is still here. It's a nice one too. It's in the Elder's apartment. The parents want it, but can't get it to America, so maybe it'll be mine.
We'll hear in a few days. Maybe we could set something up where you can mail that family some money for all their troubles. Anyway, I'll keep you posted. Also, you mentioned that Elder Stubbs is from Kentucky too. Yeah, we met and figured it all out. He moved to Kentucky when I left for college, so we never crossed paths there, but we know some of the same people, not that either of us really paid attention to that kind of thing.
My companion is great. She's kinda a bubbly person, which is great for dendo. Lately she has been kinda down for a reason she won't really talk to me about. I think it's just the normal ups and downs of a mission. It just goes to show you that the people that are really up up up all the time also come down down down down. For the most part I've realized that I am relatively level. If you think I'm bad, you should see some other girls my age. It's crazy. She is really sweet and a great cook, so we get along great. No fears here.
We're not quite sure what is happening next transfer. One of the sister areas has to close because we don't have enough sisters, and we realized that we don't really have any investigators right now, so maybe we will close... ? That could be why we haven't heard from the hombu elders about finding us a new apartment. It all seems very much in the answer of there won't be sisters in Miyazaki next transfer.
But of course my thoughts are usually totally different than what happens, so who knows.
Well, this week we found a new investigator. She broke her foot and was placed next to Tokutome Shimai in the hospital. Tokutome Shimai talked to her about the church and Minamimura-san (it's that a
mouthful) wants to learn more. We also stole one of the Elder's investigators, Miho Shimai. Her family is all ready to get baptized except for her. She has some misgivings and unsure feelings about a lot of things. So we're doing some one-on-one teaching with her to help her figure it all out. Someday she will get baptized, for sure, but we just don't know if it will be sooner or later. Well, we'll see!
Okay, that's it for this week. Now I'll send some pictures.
Love,
レモン姉妹
Saturday, January 1, 2011
New Year
Yea! New Year! For Christmas we didn't do anything that special. We bought my companion a coat because she lost her first one. She really doesn't have that much stuff. She has inspired me to clean out my closet and desk. I will fit everything into two suitcases next time! I think.... maybe?
Anyway, then we went to the dollar store and just looked around. Then.... I don't remember actually. New Years is a pretty big deal here. It's called Shogatsu. Typically they celebrate it by watching the sun rise. This morning was an Elder's birthday, so we rode our bikes at a un-holy hour in the bitter cold this morning to heart attack his bike. We heart attacked their door a few weeks ago, so now it was time for their bikes. Only, their bikes were all gone!
They went to the beach to watch the sunrise. So we moved all the hearts on the door up and did it again. ha ha. Then we rode the 30 minutes back to our apartment.
In the mission president interview a few weeks ago I told him our apartment was terrible. It's the smallest apartment in the mission. And it's old. The kitchen makes Grandpa's kitchen look big. No joke.
He was like, yeah, sure. So now when we go housing, we are really housing to find us an apartment. It brings a whole new meaning to housing. We want one between the church and the eki (editor's note: this word is not translatable, it's not my fault!). So, that's where we're looking. We found this ridiculous yellow apartment building, and my companion said that that's what we should do. Then everyone will know that Lemmon Shimai found the apartment. Anyway, the apartment building looked full. Also, one of the office elders is doing work on his end on Google. Oh, by the way, Google in Japanese is Guuu- ga- lu. Try saying that 3 times fast.
The weather here is crazy cold. It was warm for so long too! Well, the real issue is the unbearable wind. There is a big river in Miyazaki that goes right through the middle. When we ride our bikes across the bridges then we have to hold down our skirts. I attached a clothes pin to my bike that I clip my skirt with. The things sister missionaries have to do! My gloves are useless right now, so we're going to go shopping to buy new gloves. Then I think I want to clean our super tiny apartment. It's really small.
Thanks for my birthday emails. You even made Jay and John do it. How nice. I haven't gotten a birthday package yet. Maybe today or tomorrow. The office elders are both sick, so the APs (Assistants to the Mission President) are trying to do their jobs also. Maybe the package is hung up at the hombu (editor's note: I have no idea what hombu is, do you?). But I'm excited. Right now my plans for my birthday include district meeting in the morning, a little housing to find a new apartment, and then a meal appointment at a member's house. I think she knows it my birthday because my companion flashed her calendar at the sister.
Yep. I can't wait to see what happens there.
In other news, our investigators all disappeared. Maya-san went to Tokyo for New Year's and won't be back until February. Urushiyama-san stopped returning our calls. But we have a lot of people that could quickly become investigators. There is a part-member family.
Hiragushi shimai wants us to teach her sister. Then there are about 20 billion awesome people at Eikaiwa. Then we went housing and talked to a really great mom who is lonely because she moves every year or so. Good thing for her the church is in every major city in Japan.
And even some of the non-main cities. It's at least in every prefecture. Like Miyazaki-ken, Fukuoka-ken, Oita-ken, Hiroshima-ken, etc. Since I opened this area as sisters I don't think I will see the fruits of my labors, as they're called, for a while yet.
My email seems disjointed because I'm making it up as I go. I can't summarize a whole week of dendo. That's just impossible.
Adachi Miyoho-chan as Sister Lemmon on my bike. She's adorable
The little toy you got me for Christmas. He's starting to grow hair!
Anyway, then we went to the dollar store and just looked around. Then.... I don't remember actually. New Years is a pretty big deal here. It's called Shogatsu. Typically they celebrate it by watching the sun rise. This morning was an Elder's birthday, so we rode our bikes at a un-holy hour in the bitter cold this morning to heart attack his bike. We heart attacked their door a few weeks ago, so now it was time for their bikes. Only, their bikes were all gone!
They went to the beach to watch the sunrise. So we moved all the hearts on the door up and did it again. ha ha. Then we rode the 30 minutes back to our apartment.
In the mission president interview a few weeks ago I told him our apartment was terrible. It's the smallest apartment in the mission. And it's old. The kitchen makes Grandpa's kitchen look big. No joke.
He was like, yeah, sure. So now when we go housing, we are really housing to find us an apartment. It brings a whole new meaning to housing. We want one between the church and the eki (editor's note: this word is not translatable, it's not my fault!). So, that's where we're looking. We found this ridiculous yellow apartment building, and my companion said that that's what we should do. Then everyone will know that Lemmon Shimai found the apartment. Anyway, the apartment building looked full. Also, one of the office elders is doing work on his end on Google. Oh, by the way, Google in Japanese is Guuu- ga- lu. Try saying that 3 times fast.
The weather here is crazy cold. It was warm for so long too! Well, the real issue is the unbearable wind. There is a big river in Miyazaki that goes right through the middle. When we ride our bikes across the bridges then we have to hold down our skirts. I attached a clothes pin to my bike that I clip my skirt with. The things sister missionaries have to do! My gloves are useless right now, so we're going to go shopping to buy new gloves. Then I think I want to clean our super tiny apartment. It's really small.
Thanks for my birthday emails. You even made Jay and John do it. How nice. I haven't gotten a birthday package yet. Maybe today or tomorrow. The office elders are both sick, so the APs (Assistants to the Mission President) are trying to do their jobs also. Maybe the package is hung up at the hombu (editor's note: I have no idea what hombu is, do you?). But I'm excited. Right now my plans for my birthday include district meeting in the morning, a little housing to find a new apartment, and then a meal appointment at a member's house. I think she knows it my birthday because my companion flashed her calendar at the sister.
Yep. I can't wait to see what happens there.
In other news, our investigators all disappeared. Maya-san went to Tokyo for New Year's and won't be back until February. Urushiyama-san stopped returning our calls. But we have a lot of people that could quickly become investigators. There is a part-member family.
Hiragushi shimai wants us to teach her sister. Then there are about 20 billion awesome people at Eikaiwa. Then we went housing and talked to a really great mom who is lonely because she moves every year or so. Good thing for her the church is in every major city in Japan.
And even some of the non-main cities. It's at least in every prefecture. Like Miyazaki-ken, Fukuoka-ken, Oita-ken, Hiroshima-ken, etc. Since I opened this area as sisters I don't think I will see the fruits of my labors, as they're called, for a while yet.
My email seems disjointed because I'm making it up as I go. I can't summarize a whole week of dendo. That's just impossible.
Adachi Miyoho-chan as Sister Lemmon on my bike. She's adorable
The little toy you got me for Christmas. He's starting to grow hair!
me. Christmas morning. With my presents.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Christmas Phone Call information
My favorite parents,
Attached is the email about Christmas Phone calls. I think it's pretty easy to understand. My phone number is xxx-xxxx-xxxx. So you will call 011- xx-xx-xxxx-xxxx. I don't know if you've ever done an international call, besides to Canada, so good luck. So Christmas is P-day for us. I was thinking I would wake up Christmas morning and open presents and get ready, so maybe a phone call around 9am my time would be good. That would be 5pm your time on Christmas Eve. I hope that's okay, because there really isn't a way for you to tell me it's not okay. Ha ha. I'm glad Jay and John will be there. I get an occasional email from John about his life, but rarely from Jay - probably because there isn't much to it, eh?
(my favorite part is that we got this Christmas phone call letter in the mail too, and it says 2009 rules on it. This email is 2010 so they at least caught that rule. However, it seems a typo has escaped two years of APs. (Assistants to the Mission President) Can you find it? It's a punctuation error.)
I liked your story about the Christmas party in Utah. Christmas really isn't a big deal here. Two days before is the emperor's birthday, and that's the holiday everyone celebrates. So the branch Christmas Party is on the 23rd. There is still no snow in Miyazaki, and I often walk around without a coat. The nights get pretty cold though. I'll have pictures next week of the great Christmas Party that the ward is spending more than half of their budget for the year on. No joke.
I got my Christmas presents. That poor box was so full it was bursting, neh? The cookies were delicious. They were a little crumbly but for the most part they held together. I finally worked my way down to the chocolate peanut butter cup things this morning.
They're delicious too. (Using) the Green Stamps envelope was a good touch. I set up the Charlie Brown Christmas tree and laid out the presents on the small cabinet thing in our genkan. I'll send a picture. I read the Customs Declaration but that wasn't helpful at all, was it. It's like it's written in code, but it's still honest enough to make it through customs.
I wish I could tell you what I want for my birthday, but I don't know what's in the Christmas presents, right? I have a pretty good guess about two shirts and two tights, but after that I don't know. This is the problem about a birthday in January, right dad? 2 weeks after my birthday is transfers, so who knows what I'll need to get rid of if I transfer. My companion has close to no stuff. She fit everything in one big suitcase and then one medium sized (Japanese sized medium) box to herself. That's it. She has inspired me to purge. I feel like I need a good transfer to throw stuff away, you know. Oh, I didn't think of something for my birthday. I think I can buy nylons here in Japan.
But it would be easier if you just mailed me a few. All my nylons died. I wear black tights everyday. Sometimes when it's not freezing cold I like to have normal colored legs. Just 3 or so pairs would be good.
Before I forget, I sent your Christmas box, but it came back to me because I mailed the iPod. American rules are way strict right now.
And what else is new? So the iPod battery is potentially dangerous or something. Anyway, I don't think America is strict about what you mail out of the country. So maybe you can get John's old iPod or something and mail me that we a bunch of songs or something? I donno what else we could do. The post office worker told me if I wrote iPad that that battery would have been okay. If only I lied! Ha ha.
Mom, the picture you sent is a Facebook picture. I can't log into Facebook to see it! Ha ha, did you forget that? And Dad, is that picture of the Provo tabernacle real? It looks like it could be fake... and I wouldn't put that past you. I had Stake Conference at BYU in the tabernacle. I also sang in a choir there once (with a music director that didn't know what she was doing).
Until Christmas, well, your Christmas Eve.
Lemmon Shimai
Eikaiwa (English Conversation Class) last week. It was HUGE. We aren't quite sure why, but it was.
Heiwa. I think that's what they're called. They are normally placed in tombs to keep dead kings company, but I found this little guy in a random garden.
Attached is the email about Christmas Phone calls. I think it's pretty easy to understand. My phone number is xxx-xxxx-xxxx. So you will call 011- xx-xx-xxxx-xxxx. I don't know if you've ever done an international call, besides to Canada, so good luck. So Christmas is P-day for us. I was thinking I would wake up Christmas morning and open presents and get ready, so maybe a phone call around 9am my time would be good. That would be 5pm your time on Christmas Eve. I hope that's okay, because there really isn't a way for you to tell me it's not okay. Ha ha. I'm glad Jay and John will be there. I get an occasional email from John about his life, but rarely from Jay - probably because there isn't much to it, eh?
(my favorite part is that we got this Christmas phone call letter in the mail too, and it says 2009 rules on it. This email is 2010 so they at least caught that rule. However, it seems a typo has escaped two years of APs. (Assistants to the Mission President) Can you find it? It's a punctuation error.)
I liked your story about the Christmas party in Utah. Christmas really isn't a big deal here. Two days before is the emperor's birthday, and that's the holiday everyone celebrates. So the branch Christmas Party is on the 23rd. There is still no snow in Miyazaki, and I often walk around without a coat. The nights get pretty cold though. I'll have pictures next week of the great Christmas Party that the ward is spending more than half of their budget for the year on. No joke.
I got my Christmas presents. That poor box was so full it was bursting, neh? The cookies were delicious. They were a little crumbly but for the most part they held together. I finally worked my way down to the chocolate peanut butter cup things this morning.
They're delicious too. (Using) the Green Stamps envelope was a good touch. I set up the Charlie Brown Christmas tree and laid out the presents on the small cabinet thing in our genkan. I'll send a picture. I read the Customs Declaration but that wasn't helpful at all, was it. It's like it's written in code, but it's still honest enough to make it through customs.
I wish I could tell you what I want for my birthday, but I don't know what's in the Christmas presents, right? I have a pretty good guess about two shirts and two tights, but after that I don't know. This is the problem about a birthday in January, right dad? 2 weeks after my birthday is transfers, so who knows what I'll need to get rid of if I transfer. My companion has close to no stuff. She fit everything in one big suitcase and then one medium sized (Japanese sized medium) box to herself. That's it. She has inspired me to purge. I feel like I need a good transfer to throw stuff away, you know. Oh, I didn't think of something for my birthday. I think I can buy nylons here in Japan.
But it would be easier if you just mailed me a few. All my nylons died. I wear black tights everyday. Sometimes when it's not freezing cold I like to have normal colored legs. Just 3 or so pairs would be good.
Before I forget, I sent your Christmas box, but it came back to me because I mailed the iPod. American rules are way strict right now.
And what else is new? So the iPod battery is potentially dangerous or something. Anyway, I don't think America is strict about what you mail out of the country. So maybe you can get John's old iPod or something and mail me that we a bunch of songs or something? I donno what else we could do. The post office worker told me if I wrote iPad that that battery would have been okay. If only I lied! Ha ha.
Mom, the picture you sent is a Facebook picture. I can't log into Facebook to see it! Ha ha, did you forget that? And Dad, is that picture of the Provo tabernacle real? It looks like it could be fake... and I wouldn't put that past you. I had Stake Conference at BYU in the tabernacle. I also sang in a choir there once (with a music director that didn't know what she was doing).
Until Christmas, well, your Christmas Eve.
Lemmon Shimai
Eikaiwa (English Conversation Class) last week. It was HUGE. We aren't quite sure why, but it was.
Heiwa. I think that's what they're called. They are normally placed in tombs to keep dead kings company, but I found this little guy in a random garden.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Christmastime in Miyazaki
Christmas time in Miyazaki is a series of things that contradict each other. For example, we went home last night without a coat on. Don't worry, I still had a long sleeve shirt on. I heard from members that last year it snowed once for about 2 hours. All the neighborhood kids ran outside. Ha ha. There is Christmas music but where is the snow?
I would have mentioned the perfect weather to you earlier but I didn't want to rub it in your face. Ha ha. I do still get cold, but there's a slightly too big coat for that. It keeps me warm.
So yes, I'm still in Miyazaki. My new companion is Sister Harada. We had the same trainer! We're sisters. Ha ha. Sorry, mission joke. I have decided that my companions are always the exact opposite from the companion I had before. Harada shimai is no different. She actually wants to go out and do finding. She is happy to cook for me as long as I keep her company. She doesn't have to do things her way and no one else's way, like my past companion. I see a happy future here in Miyazaki.
On transfer day Takahama Shimai left at 8am and Harada Shimai didn't make it here until 3pm. So I hung out for over 6 hours with the Elders.
We headed to the Sister's apartment. 3 elders ago, the elders threw away a futon. It was way gross. But the garbage men didn't take it.
Crazy huh? It wasn't placed in the correct garbage bag. Gosh! I don't know what to do with all of these garbage rules. So we attacked the futon with scissors to fit it in the garbage bag. Anyway, when I pulled the futon out of the small gated garbage area I unearthed the biggest cockroach I've ever seen. And it was alive. I dropped everything and literally had the creeps. At least the bugs in Jay's Murray house were small! One of the Elders was like "ahhh, come here little guy". I was so grossed out. I took a picture though. I will be the next email of pictures. Then the Elder picked it up with his hand and threw it over the fence. He said he was a plumber for 6 months so no bugs like that phase him anymore.
As I mentioned in my email to daddy, I sent you all a Christmas present today. It cost 7000 yen to mail (US $70). The lady said that America suddenly got more 厳しい or strict, so it might take longer than 10 days to get there. Go figure America! I hope the presents get there in time. I also mailed you both birthday presents. I was sick of transferring with them. Ha ha. I think I'm done mailing things to America. It's a pain in the butt. I had to be honest on the customs declaration without letting you know what it was. Ha ha. No peeking!
I also mailed the iPod if you could put some stuff on it. I'm really really really tired of the same 3 CDs. Plus, all the missionaries have the exact same 3 CDs.
About your emails- Dad, if you use my external HD be careful. If you delete all of it I would be very sad. That's my life! But good luck. I don't think they even make FAT 32 cables anymore. Also, you joked about me being AP (Assistant to the mission president). Well, we heard that up in Sapporo, the most north Japanese mission, that there are sister APs. The Sapporo mission is the most liberal mission in Japan by far. All the funny stories come from there.
As for the phone call, I haven't gotten information on it yet. But how it worked last year was you will actually call me. That way it costs you money and not the church. They encourage 30-40 minute phone calls to not put a financial strain on my family. Well, I'll leave it up to you how long. Though I don't think I'll have much to say. I either need 3 weeks to explain my mission in detail, or it's so vague that it's short. I don't know if there is anything in between.
Last thing. I wasn't sure if I wanted to tell you this or not, but right now I am fasting for dad to find a job. Yep. I have zero, ZERO testimony of fasting, but I do have a testimony of following the commandments of God to see blessings. So it hit me yesterday in church that it's the last thing I can do to help. It's frustrating because there is nothing I can do. And I HATE fasting. I mean who likes to go without food for 24 hours? It's not like my body likes being hungry. But it's the last thing I can do. After this I'm out of ideas. Anyway, because fasting is the biggest sacrifice I can make I bet you are going to find a job this week. Yep. Salina? Ha ha. Middle of nowhere, but equal distance between Utah and Kentucky. Ha ha.
Okay, we're going to head home now with our basket full of shopping today. We got new bike breaks, and a really cheap sweater. Yay!
The Elders have this investigator family, the Hayashi family. They teach them family English once a week. We go too. This picture is where the kids are jumping up and down with their hands in the hair waiting to be called on. The sister is my new companion, Sister Harada. The adult in the picture is the dad of these crazy little kids.
My Miyazaki district. Well, only half of us are left. (the other half were transferred to other areas).
Until next week,
Your favorite daughter
I would have mentioned the perfect weather to you earlier but I didn't want to rub it in your face. Ha ha. I do still get cold, but there's a slightly too big coat for that. It keeps me warm.
So yes, I'm still in Miyazaki. My new companion is Sister Harada. We had the same trainer! We're sisters. Ha ha. Sorry, mission joke. I have decided that my companions are always the exact opposite from the companion I had before. Harada shimai is no different. She actually wants to go out and do finding. She is happy to cook for me as long as I keep her company. She doesn't have to do things her way and no one else's way, like my past companion. I see a happy future here in Miyazaki.
On transfer day Takahama Shimai left at 8am and Harada Shimai didn't make it here until 3pm. So I hung out for over 6 hours with the Elders.
We headed to the Sister's apartment. 3 elders ago, the elders threw away a futon. It was way gross. But the garbage men didn't take it.
Crazy huh? It wasn't placed in the correct garbage bag. Gosh! I don't know what to do with all of these garbage rules. So we attacked the futon with scissors to fit it in the garbage bag. Anyway, when I pulled the futon out of the small gated garbage area I unearthed the biggest cockroach I've ever seen. And it was alive. I dropped everything and literally had the creeps. At least the bugs in Jay's Murray house were small! One of the Elders was like "ahhh, come here little guy". I was so grossed out. I took a picture though. I will be the next email of pictures. Then the Elder picked it up with his hand and threw it over the fence. He said he was a plumber for 6 months so no bugs like that phase him anymore.
(Montes Choro with his friend, the giant cockroach. The cockroach was found under the futon we were cutting up to fit in a bag to throw away following all the Japanese trash rules. After this picture he picked up the little bug by his hands and threw it over the fence.)
As I mentioned in my email to daddy, I sent you all a Christmas present today. It cost 7000 yen to mail (US $70). The lady said that America suddenly got more 厳しい or strict, so it might take longer than 10 days to get there. Go figure America! I hope the presents get there in time. I also mailed you both birthday presents. I was sick of transferring with them. Ha ha. I think I'm done mailing things to America. It's a pain in the butt. I had to be honest on the customs declaration without letting you know what it was. Ha ha. No peeking!
I also mailed the iPod if you could put some stuff on it. I'm really really really tired of the same 3 CDs. Plus, all the missionaries have the exact same 3 CDs.
About your emails- Dad, if you use my external HD be careful. If you delete all of it I would be very sad. That's my life! But good luck. I don't think they even make FAT 32 cables anymore. Also, you joked about me being AP (Assistant to the mission president). Well, we heard that up in Sapporo, the most north Japanese mission, that there are sister APs. The Sapporo mission is the most liberal mission in Japan by far. All the funny stories come from there.
As for the phone call, I haven't gotten information on it yet. But how it worked last year was you will actually call me. That way it costs you money and not the church. They encourage 30-40 minute phone calls to not put a financial strain on my family. Well, I'll leave it up to you how long. Though I don't think I'll have much to say. I either need 3 weeks to explain my mission in detail, or it's so vague that it's short. I don't know if there is anything in between.
Last thing. I wasn't sure if I wanted to tell you this or not, but right now I am fasting for dad to find a job. Yep. I have zero, ZERO testimony of fasting, but I do have a testimony of following the commandments of God to see blessings. So it hit me yesterday in church that it's the last thing I can do to help. It's frustrating because there is nothing I can do. And I HATE fasting. I mean who likes to go without food for 24 hours? It's not like my body likes being hungry. But it's the last thing I can do. After this I'm out of ideas. Anyway, because fasting is the biggest sacrifice I can make I bet you are going to find a job this week. Yep. Salina? Ha ha. Middle of nowhere, but equal distance between Utah and Kentucky. Ha ha.
Okay, we're going to head home now with our basket full of shopping today. We got new bike breaks, and a really cheap sweater. Yay!
The Elders have this investigator family, the Hayashi family. They teach them family English once a week. We go too. This picture is where the kids are jumping up and down with their hands in the hair waiting to be called on. The sister is my new companion, Sister Harada. The adult in the picture is the dad of these crazy little kids.
My Miyazaki district. Well, only half of us are left. (the other half were transferred to other areas).
Until next week,
Your favorite daughter
Sunday, December 5, 2010
New phone, sick in Japan, fixing computers...
My email time today started with fixing the two computers. There are two computers here in the copy room for Family Search, but we use it for emails. The computers have been sick the last few days. The one on the left has an incompatible monitor so sometimes it doesn't realize the computer is actually sending information. Yep, so I played around with that one. The other computer was taken and reformatted, so it was supposed to be working. But the user name I used to log in didn't have Internet privileges, which took me a while to figure out since everything is in Japanese. I told my computer to read it, and then I clicked on things. We were a good team. I ended up figuring out the other user name. These passwords aren't very secure if I could do it all in Japanese. Actually, there is a post-it with the user name and password right on the printer next to the monitor. My college teachers would have had a fit. But it was good to see that I can still fix computers even in Japanese.
The big news of the week is that we all got new phones! Yes, I think I mentioned it before. It's way cool looking. Then a few days later we got a text from the Japan Area office that told us to download this application. It's a GPS map for our phones. Well, we found out a few days after that that we aren't allowed to use it, until they can work it all out and stuff, but before that I spent two language studies and
1 1/2 lunches translating it all into English. It really brushed up on my Japanese Kanji writing skills. Good think my electronic dictionary has a kanji pad, huh? That is a good 200 dollars right there. Anyway, now all my work is for naught, but I plan on still giving it to the mission president when I see him next transfer at Zone Conference.
Speaking of, Transfer calls is Wednesday, so please send my Christmas package to the mission office. I have a feeling I will transfer. Here's my thinking, which isn't really based on much. My companion and I have learned how to get along with each other but it's still really hard. We need a change I think. This past transfer pushed Takahama Shimai into depression, so I don't think she can handle another transfer. Therefore I think I will transfer. Anyway, if I'm with her for a whole other 6 weeks I will have to re-humble myself and start praying for more charity. Phew. We'll see if my personal revelation is true or not the day after tomorrow.
In other news, I would like to know world news. I heard that North Korea shot a missile. But that's all I know. How's the American economy? Anymore car companies die? Are there still troops in the Middle East? I honestly think that the 2nd coming could happen and I would be totally oblivious. No joke. Also, could you log into my Facebook and make it so people can search for me. Still block that other people can't read my wall and stuff, but I want to be searchable so these Japanese people can find me. Okay, thanks.
Mom, here are my measurements. Please don't put them on the web. That would be embarrassing, even for me.
(redacted for national security and personal embarrassment issues)
let me know if I forgot to measure something. Ha ha.
Dad, I can't believe you took over someone's practice. (editor's note: only for about 3 minutes) But then again I'm not surprised. Yesterday after church there was a music practice for the ward Christmas party. We are singing some song I've never heard of before. The lady in charge doesn't really know what she's doing, but she does it with a smile and with love. Then there is this one sister who was visiting from some other ward way up north. She walked into the room and claimed privilege that she is the stake music chairman back from where ever she is from. Then she just kinda took over, in the Japanese way that I wish I could explain. After the short rehearsal I gave the sister that was supposed to be in charge a big hug and just said, I just wanted to tell you that you're wonderful. I hope you at least took over with more tact than this sister who was visiting. It was ridiculous.
This week I caught a cold. Which isn't a huge deal if you're in America, but is like the end of the world in Japan. Everyone is like 'Are you okay?' in the most concerned face. It's flattering the first hundred times, it's the second hundred I have a problem with. Anyway, I wasn't feeling well on Saturday, so I laid down for a nap. When I woke up an hour later my throat was so tight I could hardly swallow.
So we went to the nearby drug store to get some medicine. I told them my symptoms and they recommended me some drugs. I read the ingredients the best I could (it's weird Japanese). It's ibuprofen, and vitamin B1, vitamin C, and such. So I bought it. Later in the apartment I translated the other 7 ingredients. Japanese people really have a magic pill complex. And here I thought American was bad. As I was translating I stumbled across 'Dihyro codiene'. Yes, there is codeine in their cold medication! No wonder it made me a little bit drowsy. Ha ha. I also wore a sanitary mask around the apartment since my companion thought I was contagious. But since I'm American and think the sanitary mask is a little bit silly, I drew a face on it. Ha ha. I will send a picture soon.
Okay, I think that's it for now. I plan on buying Christmas stuff today. We're going to Daiso. Yay! I wonder if they take credit card at the dollar store.
Other pictures...
Love,
Your favorite daughter
The big news of the week is that we all got new phones! Yes, I think I mentioned it before. It's way cool looking. Then a few days later we got a text from the Japan Area office that told us to download this application. It's a GPS map for our phones. Well, we found out a few days after that that we aren't allowed to use it, until they can work it all out and stuff, but before that I spent two language studies and
1 1/2 lunches translating it all into English. It really brushed up on my Japanese Kanji writing skills. Good think my electronic dictionary has a kanji pad, huh? That is a good 200 dollars right there. Anyway, now all my work is for naught, but I plan on still giving it to the mission president when I see him next transfer at Zone Conference.
Speaking of, Transfer calls is Wednesday, so please send my Christmas package to the mission office. I have a feeling I will transfer. Here's my thinking, which isn't really based on much. My companion and I have learned how to get along with each other but it's still really hard. We need a change I think. This past transfer pushed Takahama Shimai into depression, so I don't think she can handle another transfer. Therefore I think I will transfer. Anyway, if I'm with her for a whole other 6 weeks I will have to re-humble myself and start praying for more charity. Phew. We'll see if my personal revelation is true or not the day after tomorrow.
In other news, I would like to know world news. I heard that North Korea shot a missile. But that's all I know. How's the American economy? Anymore car companies die? Are there still troops in the Middle East? I honestly think that the 2nd coming could happen and I would be totally oblivious. No joke. Also, could you log into my Facebook and make it so people can search for me. Still block that other people can't read my wall and stuff, but I want to be searchable so these Japanese people can find me. Okay, thanks.
Mom, here are my measurements. Please don't put them on the web. That would be embarrassing, even for me.
(redacted for national security and personal embarrassment issues)
let me know if I forgot to measure something. Ha ha.
Dad, I can't believe you took over someone's practice. (editor's note: only for about 3 minutes) But then again I'm not surprised. Yesterday after church there was a music practice for the ward Christmas party. We are singing some song I've never heard of before. The lady in charge doesn't really know what she's doing, but she does it with a smile and with love. Then there is this one sister who was visiting from some other ward way up north. She walked into the room and claimed privilege that she is the stake music chairman back from where ever she is from. Then she just kinda took over, in the Japanese way that I wish I could explain. After the short rehearsal I gave the sister that was supposed to be in charge a big hug and just said, I just wanted to tell you that you're wonderful. I hope you at least took over with more tact than this sister who was visiting. It was ridiculous.
This week I caught a cold. Which isn't a huge deal if you're in America, but is like the end of the world in Japan. Everyone is like 'Are you okay?' in the most concerned face. It's flattering the first hundred times, it's the second hundred I have a problem with. Anyway, I wasn't feeling well on Saturday, so I laid down for a nap. When I woke up an hour later my throat was so tight I could hardly swallow.
So we went to the nearby drug store to get some medicine. I told them my symptoms and they recommended me some drugs. I read the ingredients the best I could (it's weird Japanese). It's ibuprofen, and vitamin B1, vitamin C, and such. So I bought it. Later in the apartment I translated the other 7 ingredients. Japanese people really have a magic pill complex. And here I thought American was bad. As I was translating I stumbled across 'Dihyro codiene'. Yes, there is codeine in their cold medication! No wonder it made me a little bit drowsy. Ha ha. I also wore a sanitary mask around the apartment since my companion thought I was contagious. But since I'm American and think the sanitary mask is a little bit silly, I drew a face on it. Ha ha. I will send a picture soon.
Okay, I think that's it for now. I plan on buying Christmas stuff today. We're going to Daiso. Yay! I wonder if they take credit card at the dollar store.
Other pictures...
the smallest apple I've ever seen. Try not to focus on me in that picture. I was not having a pretty day.
Saiya-chan. Or should I say Lemmon Shimai. She's the daughter of our new investigator.
The random structure at Heiwadai park. I couldn't find any information on what the building was, but maybe a tomb for some old emperor or something? Anyway, we went with our new investigator.
Love,
Your favorite daughter
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