Japan Week 9- Happy Seijinshiki!

Dear Family,

Um...  I forgot.

Or at least that's what Elder Frank says is my new favorite phrase.  I have a pretty bad memory and it keeps getting us into all kinds of unfamilliar places.

This week has been exceptionally full of meetings!  District Meeting, Zone Conference, Zone Interviews, Stake Priesthood Meeting...

(On our way back from the District Meeting, we passed by the "Honey Store."  We went in, and discovered a shop completely stocked with hundreds of flavors and kinds of Honey.  Then we saw this beauty:  For over $100 you can have honey with a real bee in the jar!  Japan is strange sometimes, but always fun!)

Also, we are now emailing from a library, instead of that internet place.  So we don't have to worry about internet expenses now.  The only trade off is the time limit is only 45 minutes (unless theres no one in line, in which case we can take our full 1 Hour).

Sadly our appointment with Takahashi-san fell through.  Usually appointnents made right off the street don't show up, so this was just one of those 'usually' times.  He was a nice guy, we met him on the street and got to talk to him a bunch about the band he was in.

However that day was also very interesting because of a special Japanese Holiday, Seijinshiki! Coming of Age Day.  Every person in the Yokosuka City area who was 20 years old was invited to this big event.  The streets were filled with young people!  A little different from the geriactric gangs that usually roam the city.  The girls all wear elaborate kimonos, which are pretty expensive, as a member was telling us.  The guys are ALL wearing suits though, so we blend right in!  ...  except for the backpacks, the nametags, and the fact that we're Americans.  But we blended in much more than we usually do.

(Stacks of missionary booklets and pamphlets in Japanese -click to enlarge)

We do have another baptism soon.  This one is in the Japanese branch, his name is Yamaguchi-san.  His parents are both active members and he has his own set of scriptures that he marks up.  He has come to church every Sunday, and has already had all the lessons before we came to Yokosuka.  So, all that was left was for him to ask.  The first Sunday I was there, he told me and Elder Cook that he wanted to be baptized, so we have just been getting him ready.

The only difficulty is that he is part of the J-tai school.  I might have mentioned it before, but it is the Japanese Defense Acadamy, and its very strict on the first year students.  Basically, he is not allowed to leave the school campus on weekdays, and when he leaves on weekends he must wear his full military uniform at all times.  There are other strange rules as well, like he isn't allowed to have an umbrella, so when it rains he just has to live with it, and sometimes the school requires him to spend the weekend cleaning a building on campus.  Very tough school.

But we found a weekend when he can do it, so everything is all set up!  He's a great guy, and all the branch members like him.  He's 20 years old, I think.

Kanji Practice (Click to view larger)

Anyways, to answer some questions:

1. How is the English class going?  Did you recruit any new people from passing out all those flyers?  English class is english class.  We still get the same people coming, that have been coming since before I was born.  We have passed out flyers several times this last week, with no real interested people, except for one just last night.  He came up to me and was really interested in free english class, so I invited him to come on Thursday, and he said he would be there!  It was very cold, so a few minutes later, he comes up with a hot can of coffee!  I had to quickly explain that I didnt drink coffee, but thanked him a bunch.  Kind of akward, but he was a nice guy.

2. Have you had any more experiences with the Komatsu family? (The Fry's Japanese neighbors)  Not yet, but the Frys will update us if they need our help with anything.  The Komatsus invited the Frys over for dinner sometime, so if us Elders can fit along with the Frys and the Komatsus in a little japanese house, then we might be able to tag along.  They are a really nice family.

3. Have you tried any new and/or interesting foods lately?  Surprisingly, we have been eating mexican food lately.  We do some weekly service for Brother Nolan now, yardwork and such.  He also likes to cook spicy food, and so when we go he makes us a 'care package' he calls it, filled with burrittos.  Also we have been trying to use all the random cans of food in our apartment, so we made Taco Soup the other day using Sister Fry's recipie.  That will last us a long, long time (the recipie made a LOT of soup).

4. What is your favorite Japanese food so far?  My favorite Japanese food...  strangley enough it is still Okonomiyaki, even though I havent ever had it on my mission so far.  However out of the things Ive had here, there's this tiny little Tempura shop in Yokosuka that makes the best Tempura on rice.  Soo good.

5. What is the weather like there?  Have you had any snow?  Weather has turned cool.  Nothing like Sapporo, Im sure, but we have had a couple days that were misty and cold and sad.  Everyone keeps saying that February is the worst of the winter, so I'll get ready.  I'm using the scarf that Sister Fry gave me for Christmas.

No snow yet,  I've heard snow is really rare in this mission, however Brother Nolan thinks we will get some.  He said there was lots of snow and ice last year, and the weather is similar this time.

And yes, the rumors are true, I have assembled a package and sent it home!  It is full of fun stuff for the family, and some stuff to put on a shelf for when I get back.  Theres a note explaining all the contents, so I'll let it be a surprise.  I sent it home the cheap way, though, so it might take 3 or 3 1/2 weeks to get there.

Anyways, thanks everyone for the love, support and prayers.

Here's to another week in Japan!

-Love you,

-Elder Martin Mumford

- Tokyo, Japan