Elder Martin D Mumford: Continuing in Kawasaki

Elder Mumford has tried many new and interesting foods while serving in Japan...

Including INAGO- (Grasshoppers)

"I'm supposed to eat this? You're joking, right?"

"Actually, they're kind of sweet and crunchy!"

"Now only 18 more to go"

Exerpts from Elder Mumford's e-mail dated April 30th

Dear Everyone,

1. I am staying in Kawasaki with Elder Kowalk! This will be the first companion I have stayed with for 2 transfers, and we are already lined up for a great transfer. This last two weeks, have been packed with miracles, and they just seem to keep coming.

2. The Bednar Conference was great! He is a really funny guy. We got to ask questions and he asked us questions and it was simply amazing. (By the way, you know how he gave the parable of the pickle a while back? Well it turns out that now, whenever he goes to a Stake Conference, the members always give him several pickle recipies. But the thing is, he hates pickles! He said that looking back, he should have made it the parable of the apple pie. :) So just a heads up, if Elder Bednar ever comes to Stake Conference, give him Apple Pie recipies, not Pickle recipies.

We were walking to the second conference in the evening with Ishitani-san, and all the sudden I look back behind us and theres Elder Bednar walking about a meter away. It just took me way by suprise. He's really nice though, and it was the best 'meeting' Ive ever been in.

Anyways, this week is Golden Week, where everyone has the day off, all day every day. Its really cool. Unfortunately all the post offices are closed at random hours, and only open briefly at times I dont know. :(

Which means I'm not sure if I will be sending my Package today. This is going to be a Mothers Day/Dad's Birthday Pakcage, and its really packed! Inside you will find my Journal, Transfer 3 plaaner, lots of fun cool Japanese stuff, some letters, and an SD Card with 140 pictures! Unfortunately I couldnt find a chess or Shogi set for dad. I looked around Kawasaki, and even checked some of the little antique places up in Shibuya, but nothing sold chess or shogi sets. Ill keep looking, but Im not even sure where to go to find one. :(

What??? Is that what I think it is?

Don't worry folks, it's just "Kid Beer" (Non Alcoholic) Elder Fukuda received a bottle of "Kid Beer" from his parents, as a joke, on his 20th birthday (20 is the legal drinking age in Japan. Since they know he can't drink real beer, they sent him "kid beer" instead)

We also had a few more lessons with our Miracle man, Tetsuo-san. We wrapped up the commandments, and he has no problems with any of them, except for maybe the word of wisdom. He smokes and wants to quit, but Its difficult.

One funny thing though, he wants to be baptized, but he doesnt want anyone else to see. We told him that the ward would probably attend, and he wanted to know if there was any way to avoid that. Come to think of it, it would be pretty scary for someone to be baptized in front of a lot of people, but he'll remember it as a good experience later. :)

He's all set, but just needs to overcome smoking. Its just wierd though, because he doesnt have the slightest problem with anything that is required of him. Usually people have big problems trying to adjust their lives to the standards of the church, because in all honesty its a really difficult thing. But he is willing to try, and is simply waiting to 'feel ready'. He hasnt got his big spiritual witness yet, but he feels good about it and wants to go foreward with it.

If you could simply pray for Tetsuo-san to have the strength to overcome smoking, and the faith to get his answer, that would help him so much.

Now for some Q's & A's:

1. What is your church schedule on Sundays? We need to figure out a time for the Mother's Day Phone Call.

Church in Kawasaki

9:30 Get on the train (1H)

10:30 Ward Planning (Missionary Work)

11:30 Priesthood Meeting

12:30 Sunday School

1:30 Sacrament Meeting

2:30 Set up appointments with members

3:30 Leave Church on Train (1H)

4:30 (about) Get back to apartment

That whole block is pretty booked solid. But I would probably be able to make the call before or after. I havent heard a single word form anybody about calls yet, so I still dont know when they will actually happen. All I know is that it will be like the Christmas calls. We will call you first (5 min) and set up a time, then you'll call us. Ill be sure to include more details next week when I find out.

(Elder Fukunaga is having a difficult time making his Mother's Day phone call. Too bad he picked a phone booth that is over 60 years old.)

2. Are the people in Japan worried about the swine flu? I noticed that people in Japan sometimes wear face masks in public.

Everyone wears masks when they are the slightest bit sick. If they have a sore throat, or a cough, or a runny nose they will wear a mask. Some people just wear masks because they think they are cool, or dont want to talk to other people.

Its not an epidemic or anything, just everyone in japan wears those face masks. Kinda wierd when I got here, but now Its just normal. Missionaries do it too if the get a cough. Its just polite.

I dont think many people in Japan are worried about swine flu. Its just rare and Mexico is so far away. Nope, not much fear over here. :)

3. The Kato Family said they may try to visit your church. (This is the wonderful family that Martin stayed with in Japan when he visited 3 years ago, as a high school student.)

Yup, they called and are coming to Sacrament Meeting.

However, Sacrament meeting isn't really the best place to chat and talk about old times, so Im seeing If we can't meet at a members house or go somewhere afterwards.

I cant wait to see them! WooooO!

4. Japanese is difficult. We've been trying to learn a little here, incase we ever go to Japan. But there's this thing you add sometimes at the end of certain phrases and it sounds like "hakuna matata" It's so confusing to know when to use that.

Yes, that is really hard in Japanese. For example, 'If it won't be warm'... becomes 'atatakakunakattara'. Or 'It must have been warm'... 'atatakakunakerebanarimasen'.

5. I would like to get your egg nog recipe. Would you be willing to share?

I have the Egg Nog Recipie! Here it is;

1 Egg

3 Cups Nog

Mix.

(just kidding :)

Ok, here we go;

The Tokyo Missionary's Noggin Fogger Egg Nog;

1 Egg

1 Cup Milk

1/4 Tsp. Vanilla (probably extract)

3 Tbsp. Sugar