It's Sunday afternoon and the crowded house we're staying at is peacefully empty. I just got back from driving for the first time in Japan. Except for hitting the window wipers at least 4 times (instead) of the turn signal it went very well. The streets are more like extend-a-sidewalks in most places so learning how to swerve around cars, bikes and pedestrians without landing in the rice patty is quite the feat! I'll post a picture of our little boxy black car when we get one. It's cute! And I can't really blame it for not having AC. It gets us around.
Church
Joey tells me that church starts at 10 or 10:30 everywhere in Japan. We arrived before 10 and climbed 3 flights of steep stairs to the "church" or 4 spare green cement floored rooms. The folding chairs were set up with a small podium at the front. I didn't see any kids but the Bishop got up and starting giving announcements (I assume that's what he was doing, Joey wasn't translating at that point.) We soon realized that church was backward here. But because it was a 5th Sunday men and women were combined. Ah ha! There are quite a few Americans in the branch. Almost half of the people attending today were English speakers. One just had a baby, and two others are pregnant. All their first child. My they're brave!
For Sunday school a few dividers were brought out and they split the room. The nursery leader was sick today so Callan came with us. He got pretty restless part way through Sunday school and the rest of the meeting was a challenge. For Sacrament meeting they removed the dividers and handed out little earpieces to the english speakers. I guess all the return missionaries in the bunch take turns translating for the rest of of the non japanese-understanders. Luckily today Jamie and Mike (the teachers we're replacing) spoke and had Fumiyo (our boss) translate for the Japanese speakers. It was quite enjoyable but a little confusing. After church the "candy man" in the ward gave Callan about 5 cookies and a whole package of crackers. He ran around witht he other kids and seemed quite at home! I think we'll make some good friends, English and Japanese, in the coming months. And Callan will get more attention than he'll ever need! They all love his blonde hair!
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3 comments:
It is so fun to keep up with you as you add information about your adventures. I spent most of Saturday playing catch-up with the accounting.. I very much want to avoid the last minute stuff I had to do to prepare 2004 information for the accountant. Spent three hours at a condo meeting.. time will tell if anything we talked about will get done. Dad took some benadryl for itching this a.m. and slept soundly through Sac Mtng and most of S.s... gave up and went home during the combined meeting. See you later!
Hi Joey, Mel and Callan!! What did you mean when you said that church was backward in Japan? Also, why does it being a 5th Sunday mean that men and women were combined? Speaking of those American couples who had babies in Japan - can we expect a new baby in the family by the time you come back? Hah Ha Hah Hah!!! I love you all!
Hey,
This is pretty fun. We may get a lot better acquainted while you are gone as we have had virtually no communication since we met you last in Provo. Haven't seen any pictures of your young 'man' but bet he is keeping you busy. We have been having a hot dry summer and as we both are getting(78,75) older and slower(can't judge the speed with which we move), things take more time to get done. I think if I envy your in an area, it is the idea that you have so much more energy. Some of the things you do, I don't pine for but the traveling, I really do. LaVerl hates to leave here and it is like pulling teeth to get him to go anyplace. So I am glad a friend of one of my daughter's put us on her e-mail account and she gets a good deal in that. So I have become a little more active on the computer. It takes me many place and I'm glad you Mom hooked me up with you. Hope to look in on you often. Enjoy you time there and learn all you can. See ya
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