19
January 2015 Sakado
 |
| Sister Bettridge and me at the Tokyo temple |
This week was pretty busy. We taught lots of lessons and had lots of fun. I'm so grateful for the weather here! It's been sunny all week except for one day (on which it poured rain all day). It feels like spring is coming..but I think we still have a while... I'm so grateful we have made it this far into January without snow! We just need to make it to the end of the month..and then through February and then there really isn't a threat of snow anymore and it will start to warm up. So excited for the warm weather! Cold is just not my thing!
So, on the day that it poured rain we had FOUR lessons. Go figure! Poor sister Bettridge didn't wear her rain boots, so by our second appointment her feet were soaked. One of our investigators gave her tights to change into. I got a good laugh when she had changed into them...they were cheetah print! That lesson was really great though! We talked with Takahashi San about how the gospel blesses families and we were each able to share experiences from our own lives. I was able to really relate with Takahashi San and it just made everything even better! We challenged her to share our message with her daughter! And while she insists she is Buddhist she is willing to share with her daughter! The spirit was strong during the lesson. We left so happy! I love sister Bettridge! She is an awesome companion and partner to teach with.
Our
final lesson that day was with Yuko, from Eikaiwa (ed. note:English class). We
got on the topic of pioneers and told her how in Utah. Pioneer Day is a giant
holiday. I said there are fireworks and parades and ...then I get cut off by
our investigator "pirates!?" Her eyes were huge! "No, not
pirates..parades!" We all laughed about that. We got home sooo ready
to go to sleep that night. Phew! What a day!
Other
highlights of the week...
We got to participate in a mochitsuki. It's were they make Mochi, which is made of rice. You take a giant Mallet and slam the rice! There are huge mallets and then there are little ones like in the picture. I tried. You wind up your mallet and expect to hear a huge thud when you hit the Mochi. But instead it makes this pitiful little noise cus the Mochi just asorbs all your power! I LOVE fresh Mochi. It is delicious. I couldn't get enough.
I played the violin for the first time in years this week...and I could do it! Sister Bettridge and I want to play a song in sacrament meeting, and we found a flute-violin arrangement of “Hie to Kolob” (ed. note: this is a hymn arrangement of a famous Ralph Vaughn Williams’ melody from “5 Variants of Dives and Lazarus”). We think it would be a really awesome way to get more of our friends and investigators to come to church, I wasn't really sure if I could play but I was able to! I felt really blessed! I felt like I was receiving help! Hopefully I will feel the same way after we perform!
I
love the members in Sakado! Throughout the week they all did little things to
help us. They contacted investigators for us, gave us rides and dropped off
treats to us too! We are so lucky!
My
Japanese struggled this week. I had a very hard time getting anything out! But,
it's ok that usually means I am about to level up. Which I love! Sister
Bettridge and I just laugh when either of us goof. And it happened quite a bit
this week. I think the nihonjin might think we are a little odd though...on Friday we were in the train heading for ping pong night and we were
talking to a lady, Sister Bettridge tells her we are going to eikaiwa and I nod
and then stop, look at her and say no we aren't we have ping pong tonight! It
wasn't really that funny but, in the moment it was very funny. Sister Bettridge
was mortified and we broke into giggles. Needless to say, the person we were
talking to did not come to ping pong.
While
housing one night, we rang a door bell of a house that had a giant window. From
the end of the driveway (cus that is where the bells are), I watched a child go
and answer the voice box. Sister Bettridge introduced us and I watched the girl
look at her mother who motioned to her to go back to the box and the girl says
"kekko desu". They weren't interested. The little girl then looked at
the window to see who we were and saw me looking in! I did the only thing I
could think of and waved. Then her mother came to the window, so I waved some
more. Sister Bettridge came over and waved as well. Boy was the mother
embarrassed. But, we had a good laugh.
The
next day at ward conference we were advised by some of the stake leaders that,
when housing we should not use good Japanese. If we sound like struggling
foreigners they will take pity on us and listen hahaha. I am excited to try it
out!
Well,
that is all for now. I love you all.
