District Meeting

Elder Mumford's District is hard at work.  

(Photos and notes courtesy of  Sister McMahan (in the red shirt)

Below: The agenda from a recent district meeting:  

(Click on image to enlarge)

After the meeting, the missionaries enjoy some much needed exercise together!

And now for Elder Mumford's e-mail, dated March 26, 2009

Dear Everyone,

Another week has gone by and I'm still in Japan!  I feel pretty old and wise when I see the new beans here, I'm all they way in my Fourth transfer.  Of course I have passed my 'age of accountability' (Transfer 2), and am no longer a bean myself.  The dying missionaries must feel a whole lot older and wiser than all of us :)

First of all, some things have changed with our investigators.  Izumi-san, the 30-ish woman who has been listening to us decided to stop, and no longer wants to come to church or be baptized, because she feels it would be betraying her mother who is Buddhist.  Very sad, but until she changes her mind we cannot teach.  Simply keep her in your prayers, that she might consider it agian.  Tamaki-san (the 60-is man) is moving soon, but keep him in your thoughts as well.  The person we are most exited about right now is Ishitani-san.  He is 23, and has lots of interest.  We have taught two lessons so far, and we have another one right after this email!  We are going to ask him to be baptized!

If you could keep these 5 people (Ishitani-san, Tamaki-san, Fujii-san, Izumi-san, Shinemon-kun) in your prayers, that they might be able to recieve the gospel, I think it would help :)

And on to the other stuff:

The one Japanese Joke I know is about Mitsuya Cider, a popular drink in Japan.  It goes:

'What do you get when you mix a carrot, a daikon (a giant raddish thing), and lettuce?'  'Mitsuya Cider!'

But of course that makes absolutely no sense in English.  Mitsuya Cider sounds a lot like 'Mitsu Yasai Da' (three vegetables) in Japanese.  All the old folks get a kick out of it.  Young people really arent phased at all by it. :)

We also discovered that there was a Krispy Kreme Donuts in our area!  It was very Natsukashii (nonstalgic).  They give you a free donut for standing in line, just like in America.  Kawasaki eki (train station) also has a bunch of american stores, like Coldstone and Baskin Robins (here they call Baskin Robins '31', like the number 31).

Kawasaki is a really dense city.  We basically spent an entire day in the city itself just meeting people on the street, and we didnt even see a fraction of it.  We are really close to Shibuya, only 15 minute train ride away, so there are always people everywhere.  I've actually met quite a few Americans, LOTS of people from India and the Philipenes.  There are also quite a lot of French-speaking people from Africa, (Mali).  Last week I met someone from Bangladesh.  I have no idea where Bangladesh is.

It's actually kind of scary talking to people in English.  I keep translating everything directly from what I normally say in Japanese, the literal meanings, and it sounds so wierd.  "Hi", means... is it ok?  We came here just barely, and... and... we are church voulenteers called missionaries... from here on, where are you going?"  And if it was possible to spell things wrong while I was speaking, I would do that too.  Living here really meshes whith your spelilng.

Also, the BYU Wind Symphony is coming to Japan, Yokohama this year.  Im not sure whether we can go, if it falls on a P-day or something, but that would be amazing!

And... I sent another package today!  It contains the ipods and ipod player (that thing was always so bulky in my suitcase anyways), SD card loaded with more pictures :), a letter from the week I missed, and the 3-transfer newsletter, along with some other surprises.  Have fun!

Also, regarding not sending packages by 'slow-boat': I've never heard of it before.  I've always sent things (including packages) from the regular Post Office.  Slow Boat sounds like some sort of shady man in a trenchcoat by the docks that takes your mail and throws them into some cargo crate along with many other questionables, where they pass through 12 different countries in which the workers simply open up the packages and take what they like before gluing them back together and shipping it again.  Yeah, I think I'll take the post office. :)

Sakura (cherry blossom) season is starting this week, and will last for the next 2 or 3 weeks only.  Ill be sure to take lots of pictures!

And also (also is my favorite word), say hi to the cats for me.

Thank you everyone for the support you give me.  I much appreciate it all.  Good luck to you in school, at work, at home, and wherever else you might be.

Love,

Elder Mumford

To

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Elder Mumford is studying the Book of Mormon in Japanese, (reading and highlighting is done vertically)

He's got a good start, but still has a LONG way to go!

(I wonder what the "Isaiah" chapters will be like in Japanese?)

Funny Engrish!

Businesses in Japan will often use English words on their signs, to make them appear more modern.  But sometimes the translations come out a little unusual.  Elder Mumford  has taken pictures of some of the funny "Engrish" signs that he has encountered.

(Want to see some more Engrish signs?  There is actually a web site, Engrish.com, where people send in their pictures of funny Engrish signs from around the world.  Click here to see them.) ( Thanks to Aaron for finding this web site.)

And now finally, here's Martin's e-mail, dated March 18th, 2009:

Dear Everyone,

Sorry about the lack of information from last week, but I now know my transfer call!  I am staying in Kawasaki, with Elder Kowalk.  He was companions with the late Elder Cook in Shibuya a long time ago, and he's way funny.  He hails from South Jordan, Utah and is just about done with his mission.  3 more transfers I think (4 1/2 months). 

A lot has happened recently.  In 2 weeks our investigators have been dropping like flies, cancelling lessons, stopping coming to church and we simply aren't finding any new people.  It's very difficult right now, but we are trying WAY hard, praying and fasting to find more people, and we are working a lot with the people we are currently teaching.

Recently I have had two Japanese people call my Japanese 'Umai', (excellent) which goes a little beyond the standard 'Joozu' (good) comment (which all people are required to say no matter how bad your Japanese is).  It made me feel way good, but I'm not that skilled yet.  It's just that there were two conversations I had where I said everything correct, and everything they said back simply happened to be in the list of words I know, I shared the one Japanese joke I know, and essentially exhausted the entire supply of words in my head.  Every so often I have those perfect conversations where everything goes right.  And then there's other times that I mess up a lot, so I still need some serious improvement.

Actually, there's all these ads on the trains in Japan for the Broadway musicals.  Theres always big ads for "Wicked" and "Lion King" everywhere.  I also saw an ad for the Twilight series in Japanese.  Very interesting.

(Ad for "Twilight")

Anyways things are looking up.  We have some good lessons scheduled, and we're going to meet this really nice old man that we found last week on Friday. :)

I still have no idea how this transfer will go, I dont really know anything about my new companion, but we'll see this week.  I think it's going to be a good one!

I saw Elder Meline in the Temple! (Elder Meline is from our home ward in Washington)  He's going home this week!  Make sure to say Hi for me!

Thank you for everything that you do!  The letters, the pictures and little updates from home, the music and things!  Thank you for keeping me in your prayers, it helps me every day.

Thank you for supporting me out here.  There are many missionaries whose families won't have anything to do with them because they joined the church.  It has really showed me how lucky I am to have a family that not only accepts what I am doing out here, but wants me to be here.  Thanks for all the great help!

Love, Elder Mumford

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Videos from Japan

Hello... It's Missionary Mom, here!  

Martin's e-mail was super short this week, so I thought I would use some of the extra space to post a couple of the videos from his recently sent SD card.  

1. Martin took this video on January 22nd 2009, in Yokosuka.

(Click "Play" to view)  Funny!

2. This one was taken on February 6th, 2009, the day after Martin arrived in Kawasaki.

(Click "Play" to view)

3. And remember Martin's very first companion in Japan, Elder Cook?  Well Elder Cook  has wasted no time since he returned from his missionary service.  He now works for Cricket Communications, and was on a Philadelphia TV station this morning, showing off his record setting texting skills.  

Click here to watch the video segment of Ben Cook  texting on "Good Day Philadelphia."  

AMAZING!

And now for Martin's short e-mail:

Dear Everyone,

First off, I have very little time.  We just got back from the Temple, and we are teaching a lesson very soon.  Sorry for the brief e-mail (again), but I'll try and send the 3-transfer update letter (forgot what it's called in english) soon.

Second, I've realized that nothing can stop Mom from being the best missionary mom ever!  When I first found out about the approved music list, I thought I'd simply not be able to use the music I brought.  Then mom sent the approved music!  Then I found out that iPods were not allowed, and mom created a collection of CDs!  Hats off to mom!

(OK, It's me, Missionary Mom again; and I just have to interject here: He is being WAY too nice!  The thing he doesn't realize is how much FUN I am having creating these music playlists for him.  I LOVE music, so this is the perfect project for me!)

QUICK questions (sorry there's not more time.)

1. How old is Shinemon-Kun?   10 years old.

2. Will You be staying in Kawasaki this next transfer?  Don't know yet.  I'll find out Saturday... you never know what might happen.

3. Did you get the CDs we sent you?  What did you think of the "21 versions of: "If you could Hie To Kolob"?   

I got the CDs and they are great!  I never knew there were so many renditions of that song.

Sorry for the brevity, I've got to go!  But I'll include all the events of this past week in my 3-transfer newsletter (Mailing before transfers end).

Love, 

Elder Martin Mumford

Sayonara, Elder Fukuda!

Dear Everyone,

Elder Fukuda is gone! :(  

(Martin's companion, Elder Fukuda, (left) on his way out.)

He went to the Honbu (mission home) two days ago to become the Commissarian (the financial secretary of the mission).  It was very shocking, because the commissarian always gets called in the middle of the transfers (or so it seems).  

(Elder Fukuda brushes up on his coin tricks, prior to his new assignment, where, ironically, he will be working with money.)

So, now my new companion is Elder Fukunaga.  He's on his last transfer and only has 1 1/2 weeks left!  However he is an incredible missionary, and cares about Kawasaki area even though he just got thrown into it suddenly.  VERY surprising.  Im still not sure what to think.  Though I did take some good pictures documenting the event.

Questions:

1. Did you get the Flying Pig? (delivery from Costco)  The flying pig was GREAT!  It came on the day Elder Fukuda went to the Honbu by surprise, so we had packed in the morning, and were about to leave the apartment.  It came 5 minutes before we left ;)

The food is AMAZING!  It's a shame that Elder Fukuda won't be able to enjoy it, but he didn't seem too enthuzed about the idea of American food in the first place.  The Costco rolls, muffins and bagles bring back all the memories of home... not that I'm getting trunky, but its just a good feeling.

2. Have you had a chance to go to an Okonomiyaki restaurant yet?  Does the Japan version taste like the one we make at home?  Tasted the same!  Very good!

(Click here for our  family's recipe for Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pizza)

(Elder Fukuda demonstrates the proper way to eat Japanese Pizza! (Okonomiyaki. Japanese pizza tastes nothing like American pizza.  It is more like a big cabbage pancake with fish flakes on top.)

3. Why do you have 2 refrigerators in your apartment?  The apartment used to be a 4-missionary apartment a long time ago, so we have 2 refrigerators and 2 microwaves.  Interesting situation.  Also, we have BEDS! instead of futons.  They are comfy.

4. Did you get a new name tag?  It looks more Japanese-y.  The name tags are different, they have Katakana (The Japanese alphabet reserved for foreign words) to help the Japanese members and people to pronounce.  Mine name is "ManFoodo", (Mumford)  but it's still rediculously hard for people to remember.  Sometimes really long names get shortened; mine might go to Elder Ford (easy for people to remember because of the car company)

Sorry for the short time, I have one more quick thing...

If you could pray for Shinemon-kun (sounds like Cinnamon) and his family.  He comes to church every Sunday and wants to be baptized, but his parents don't want him to.  Just pray that his parents might accept the idea in time.  We are working with them, and he loves the missionaries.  

I'll wrap up the 3-Transfer newsletter soon, and send it.

Thanks everyone, your support and your prayers are much appreciated!

Love,

Elder Martin Mumford,

Tokyo, Japan.