1 February 2010
Again, did not write in my journal this week. As a matter of fact we got home at 10pm last night and started our daily planning at 10:30, the time when we usually go to bed.Yesterday, Monday, we left at 11am and headed to Tsuruse station whereupon we met with Shuuto Shimai ad Domon Shiai. My companion went with Shuuto Shimai to have a lesson with Sakata Rina ad I stayed there and walked with Domon Shimai to Yamaguchi-san's house for a lesson.I taught about faith and how we can help our faith grow. With the help of the Gospel Principles book I was abe to find four helpful scriptures which references I wrote on 4 cards for her. The lesson was a bit crazy because Yamaguchi-san has a 2 or 3 year old boy who talks and dances. Sister Domon has a 3 year old girl and a baby.
We were supposed to meet up at 1:30 at the station but got a call from Sister Shimomiya on a public phone saying sister Shuuto had lost her cel phone because they had fallen. Well, Sister Domon's baby was crying. She'd nursed her during the lesson but the baby was still upset. It had aso begun to rain. I walked to the car about 5 minutes away, holding the little girl's hand, the baby crying all the while. We got to the car but the little girl had to use the bathroom so we went into the drug store. Then sister Domon had to circle around in her car for about 10 minutes cause she couldn't find a parking space but then decided to stall ille
gally in front of the station, where we waited in a parked car for another 20 minutes.
I felt bad about all of this, especially because Shuuto shimai is pregnant. Although not far enough along to tell at first glance that she it, it was still a bit of a rough day for everyone. She and my companion had falled while running across a railroad track when the blocker things were coming down. Sister Shuuto had toppled over while ducking under at which point her cell phone had fallen, something which they had to go back and search for, only to find it wouldn't turn on.
We had had plans to visit a less active but then decided to go to Mister Donuts and reccouperate, talk about how the two lessons went, and things had gotten a bit short on time cause of the cell phone incident so we wet to Urawa church. As for Sakata Rina, it was a good lesson. My companion learned about some personal problems of hers. She really opened up.
At Urawa it was FHE but before that we met with Lin. The rain was begining to turn into snow. We ate at a CHinese Chain restaurant. Lin is going back to China for two weeks or so. She got baptized very recently, speaks fleuent Japanese and English. She is nervous to talk to her parents about serving a mission because they are a bit against her becoming a member of the church.
By the time we got hom at around 10, it had turned to real snow and it was sticking. We woke up this morning to snow everywhere. It has since melted but stuck long enough that I would consider it legitimate.
Well, that was Monday.
Sunday also was hectic. We went to meet up with twowomen who were going to go on splits with us so we coud go to two wards, Koshigaya ad Kasukabe, but the Koshigaya one didn't show up so my companion and I and the woman from Kasukabe went to Kasukabe ward. She was the Bishop's wife. She needed to get to the church quickly so she took us in a taxi.
Church was great. I forgot my nametage though. It is my 2nd time this transfer and the 2nd time on my mission! I have never been to the Kasukabe ward so people were a bit confused when I wore my companion's spare nametage.
We met a girl named Liz at church. She is fron Utah. She is here for 3 months teaching English and will go home about the same time as me. We invited her to fhe on Mondaybut she didn't come on account of the rain.
After church a member of the Seventy came and spoke. There was also a shokujiai after. Don't remember in English, where everyone eats a meal after church... a social? The fireside was great. I understood most of it, which was incredible to me expecially since we speak only English as a companionship. I saved 50 words in my dictionary to learn later. I was amazed that I understood enough to actually take notes. Who ever thought I would do that!?
After church we went to a member of Sakado's ward house (Tetoanui family) and ate dinner with them and a couple by the name of Butler. Bro Tetoanui is from Haiti and speaks perfect english. He met his wife at BYU=Hawaii. His wife is Japaese but lived a good part of her life in England so speas english and her accent was hard to place at first but when I found out she lived in Englad it made sense. BRother Butler is from LA area and served a mission in Oaklahoma but is now less-active. He was married to a Japaese woman with whom he had 3 kids if I am not mistaken but they were divorced about 2 years ago ad around that time he married the woman he is married to now. She is not a church member but is a bit open to the gospel so the Tetoanui couple and their way cutw three young kids (all speak english and Japanese) are being kind to them and sharing their beliefs.
Well, as for the other days of the week I don't have much detail. It is just driving me nuts cause I can't get things down in detail.
On the 30th we had a lesson with Sakaguchi-san (teach her little kid english and share a gospel message) at the church but she didn't show up. Then we waited to meet Miho, a girl we met on the bus, at our lunch appointment but she didn't show. We had a lesson at 3 at Urawa church with Mibuki-chan. Her mom was there for most of it, whcih was good. I think I've told you Mibuki's situation before... In the eveing we met with Eba and her daughter Mizuki and helped then plan what they are going to say at Mizuki's baptism. THe mom is kinda nervous cause Japanese is not her first language.
On the 29th We had a lesson with Koto-chan at 2:30at Urawa church but she did't snow cause shehad to go to school and we felt kind of bad cause a joint had come. At 5:30 we had district meeting. Yes, district meeting in the evening, at Urawa. Then we had Outreach following that in the same building.
An "Outreach" Young Adult Activity. Em is in the blonde in the back...
Thursday we also met with Eba shimai. I stood up to leave an realized I didn'T have my nametag, but then Eba Shimai saw it under the couch. Whoa. I had brought along some cake that I made for them. You take a pancake mix and put in some sugar and an egg and a banana or two and also some of whatever you like (like vanilla, but we did't have any) and then put it in.... the rice cooker! Yes, it makes cake!
Met with Irisa Shimai that Thursday morning, a less-active of Fujimi-Kawagoe ward and watched The Testaments DVD. This woman used to babysit my companion on occasion.
Oh, and for the grand finale of today (I have 10 more minutes) I will rehearse unto you what happened Wednesday. We had an appointment to meet with an active member named Domon Shimai (but a differet one). She had invited a less-active mom friend over for lunch. Well, we searched on the wrong side of the road for the house (went by bike) and ended up 15 minutes late. Then whe it was time to go we realized we did't have time to rideto the station ad then take the train to where we needed to go. So, we had to leave our bikes their ad Sister Domon drove us to the station.
We barely made it. We met Nakasone Shimai at the station. She is about 50 or 60 and Japanese but grew up in Peru. She is from Saado ward. We wanted to take her to come see Sataka Rina with us because we were struggling with the Spanish. Well, Nakasone Shimai had walked 30 minutes to the station to see us. We got on the train together and we to the station where Rina lives. The it was a 10 minute walk to her house. We were like 15 minutes late ad had a time limit because Rina would only be there so long cause she had to go somewhere. On top of that we had only been to the house once and weren't 100 percet sure we could get there in one piece, but my companion remmebered. I was worried about Nakasone Shimai because I coudl tell she was kinda tired. Well, we made it there and had a short lesson then al of us walked back to the station. I took a picture of me pushing her young boy in the stroller. So, then we went back on the train with Nakasone Shimai ad she had to go another 30 minutes by foot back to her house.
Mission Christmas Party December 24th. Emily is playing the goofy carol medley she arranged
as her zone sings to the mission president and the other missionaries
Well, I must be off. Oh, and we taught Eikaiwa on Wednesday night.
Next transfer we heard more news about changes in the area. Our apatment might close altogether and we might go live over in Urawa. Nothing is final. A hard part in adding to the process is that President Dorff, the stake president, had a hernia so is in the hospital for a bit.
Well, trully must be off. I love you!
Sister McMahan
No comments:
Post a Comment