Elan here....Emily has landed in Japan! She has been assigned to the Kanagawa Ward in the Yokohama Stake. Hence, the famous "Great Wave of Kanagawa" woodblock print to your left... 神奈川沖浪裏 !!!
We received a brief phone call from Em on Christmas Eve. She spent her first night in the mission home where she slept on a futon. The next day, the kind mission president and his wife treated the new missionaries to a Christmas luncheon. President Hill interviewed Emily, they had orientation and then Emily was sent off to Kanagawa with her companion, Sister McMurtrey. Emily says Sister McMurtrey is a wonderful trainer and "her Japanese is AMAZING!" Apparently, the name "McMurtrey" is difficult for the Japanese people to pronounce, so Sister McMurtrey goes by "Mic Shimai." And the two sister missionaries have decided that Emily will go by "Mac Shimai." The "Mic and Mac Shimai" traveled to their apartment by train on Christmas Eve, stopping by a member's home for a dinner appointment. Em giggled as she told us they took off their shoes upon entering the home, ate rice with chopsticks and, of course, sat on the floor. Mic Shimai invited Mac Shimai to testify in Japanese at the close of the appointment. All in all, it was a busy first day in Japan. Em indicated that they would spend Christmas Day contacting in the park, having lunch with a less-active member and then attending the Kanagawa ward Christmas party that evening. Wow! She's hitting the ground running!
To those of you who made Christmas ornaments for Em's tree (see photo below) you'll be happy to know she laminated those ornaments and put them on a flip-ring "for the days when I don't get a letter." :)
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