What's Shakin'?

(Elder Mumford surveys the city of Fujisawa, Japan, after a series of small earthquakes.)

Here is Elder Mumford's E-mail, dated March 15, 2010:

Dear Everyone,

We had a great week. The weather is finally turning warm, much to our relief. It has been a lot colder this winter than last, I think. (Even in Shonan, where it's relatively warmer). Also recently, there's been a lot of little earthquakes (just enough to feel it, but nothing in the apartment shakes or moves). We were teaching a couple in their home when a little one came, and when it was over we just continued the lesson. But no worries, we're all still fine, its not even close to dangerous. It just feels like a massage, especially when you're sleeping on the futons.

(Futon used for sleeping, in the Shonan missionary apartment.)

Thank you so much by the way for the letters/packages and everything. Its also a great comfort to me to know that people out there are praying for me. Sometimes I really feel that support durring the day.

This week, we actually couldnt meet Dr. K. We were riding to his house to meet, when suddenly I got a flat tire. We were extremely close to the apartment so we went back and fixed it really fast, but as we started out again, I got ANOTHER flat tire. So by then we were way to late to do much (it was kind of far away), so we had to scap it and simply work close to the apartment. We'll try to visit him again next Saturday. He said that usually Saturday is ok.

(Elder Mumford is not very excited about having to change TWO flat tires in the same day.)

This week is looking like fun. We are doing a second music night in Yamato this saturday, and so our zone is practicing a lot of hymns. It should be pretty good I think. We're having a great time together, and learning a lot.

Also, Yuji Ishikawa (the high school student we've been meeting with) will meet us again today. He loves the Book of Mormon and Jesus Christ. He's so cool, and I have no doubt that someday he will get baptized.

Anyways, there's not too many changes right now. Actually, Im not sure if I told you already, but the area right next to ours (Odawara) is recieving missionaries in 2 weeks. It has been without missionaries for 1 year now, and so Im glad that they can have them agian. We usually teach thier English class, so now we won't be doing that anymore.

These are rice vending machines. You can pay for 3, 5, or 10 kilograms of rice and they just pour it out.

Right next to the rice vending machines is this machine that said '10 Kilo, 200Yen'. So we were so excited about finding extrememly cheap rice, that we got a bag, and pushed the button. The machine started rumbling, and we waited... and waited... and waited, but nothing came out. Eventually we took a closer look at the instructions and it turns out the machine will CLEAN your rice for 200 yen, up to 10 KIilos, not actually give you the rice for that price. So we felt a bit silly sitting there patiently waiting for cheap rice to come out. Probably the passers by all thought we were wierd. But then again we are gaijin. :)

(In Japan, there is a vending machine for just about everything. Here is a bread vending machine.)

(Yes, Bread in a can, from a vending machine! Only in Japan!)

So I think we'll have fun for this last bit. I hope that I can stay here with Elder Matias for 1 more. I hope that all of you are working hard and having fun in whatever situation you find yourself in life. I cant wait to see you all once again. Thanks for the support! It really helps me day to day.

Have a good one!

-Elder Mumford

TOKYO, JAPAN