Hello!

Hello family,

Another week has come! I had a lot of fun Skyping you for Mothers Day (which I actually don't think I ever mentioned since it was early... Happy Mother's Day, mom!) and have been very busy this week. My thoughts are kind of scattered today so I'll try to organize them into bullet points.

Funny things:
Getting corrected on my chopstick method when a member and her husband took us out to ramen. Unfortunately you're supposed to hold a chopstick like you do a pencil, and I haven't held a pencil correctly since I started writing. I can get the job done but apparently it's not very beautiful.

After I finished the opening prayer at kids' Eikaiwa, one of the 4-year-olds kept his hands clasped together, muttering things for about thirty seconds before opening his eyes. I think his first time ever saying a prayer. His mom asked him what he was saying and he told her he was asking Santa Claus for presents. Eh, he's almost there I guess. This was the same kid who lifted up Yamauchi Shimai's skirt last week.

Cultural experiences:
I ate raw horse meat. It was kind of sickening, but an investigator and her boyfriend took us out to a really nice place and we somehow ended up making a deal that if we ate the meat, they'd come to church. We do what it takes.

Participating in Radio Taiso, a dance aerobics/stretching fusion that happens every morning at the park near our apartment. Over 100 old people go to it every morning, wearing their spiffiest jogging suits.

Feeling an earthquake while we were in the temple today. They took a rest during the winter, but now that it's getting hot again I guess they'll return.

People I met:
Abu, a girl about my age who was crying on a park bench so we went over and sat down next to her. She'd just gotten her heart broken and told us all about it. Even though she's Buddhist she appreciated us sharing about God loving her and being able to helps her through anything. There is truly no hardship that the gospel won't help us through.

Mo, a funny older lady who waits in line next to a local bakery every day around four, when they sell the day's bread ends for really cheap. She took us to a Chinese restaurant and we taught her about the Restoration. She didn't seem to interested at first, saying she just liked us, but then she said she wanted to come to church and accepted a challenge to read out of the Book of Mormon. You never know.

A lady in my ward who'd been unable to come to church for years because of work, but has just quit her Sunday job a week or so before we called her out of the blue. Then she came to church that week and had a good time - not a coincidence!

May, who moved here a couple months ago from Syria. She's an architect and an amazing artist. She was so happy to meet other people who speak English!

Sad things:
Ru's family decided to wait until his uncle comes home in a couple months from his mission so that he can baptize him. So it will happen eventually just not this Sunday. I know he's ready and of course I'm disappointed and hope it turns out okay, but this is their decision, not mine.

Miracles:
The day after we met May we went with her to a baptismal service the ward was having for an 8-year-old. We also showed her the church and she loved it! Especially the art. We went with her to church the next day, to the English ward (she got to meet the English sisters, and soon we'll pass her off to them to be taught) and she loved that as well. My first time going to church in English in a long time and it was strange. The members were so kind and welcoming though. Two of them invited us over for dinner with her - for that night and the next week - and we're not even in their ward! We taught May about the Book of Mormon and Joseph smith before dinner, and we set a goal date for her to be baptized if she finds out that it's true!

Pictures: the cute kid who got baptized; a gift from one of the other sisters' investigators. In natural ink!

Well, times up and my hand hurts. Typing on an iPad isn't the most fun. Love you all and hope you have a great week!

Anna

Cute boy who was baptized.

Canned squid?  In natural ink?