July 14th

Yes, here is my knitting project done with chopsticks! (You can tell I am desperate!) I put elastics around the ends so it wouldn't slip off. I got this idea when Sis. Jennings of the Busan Mission mentioned that eating with the metal Korean chopsticks was a lot like eating with knitting needles! I had some yarn and so decided to try it. I will let you know how it turns out. I am trying to make a little blanket for Paige's new baby boy to be born in November. There was a whole bush of these flowers that we saw last night on our walk. They look like marigolds but they weren't individual plants.

No Parking - except for this car!

A kitchen store tucked in among the apartments.

These were some sort of modern art sculptures that had water spraying out from them.

Here are Elder and Sister Dimick - Merrill and Merle! They are going home in two weeks. They have been here making DVD's about the various areas in the North Asia Mission. He has been involved in the making of many of the Church films on the movie lot in Provo. He has also been involved in working with the Tabernacle Choir and they have worked in the Conference Center - filling and emptying it for conferences and other events. They have also been Mission parents in Alabama. We will miss them!

All in all, it looks like a great day. I went to a temple session yesterday - it was in Japanese but they have headphones where I could have it translated into English. The temple is now open again after a two week break. There is new carpeting and it is so nice!

And one more - isn't this so cute - a bike for everyone in the family!

July 13th

One thing I have been thinking about lately is the effect of music. Here are the two hymn books that we use here - the first is in Japanese and the second is in English. In the Japanese hymn book, the words are in romanji (Japanese with our alphabet). You see just the lyrics on one side and the music and lyrics are on the other.

Here is the same hymn in the English hymn book.

It is so wonderful to realize that the hymns of the restoration are being sung in many languages throughout the world. When we are singing, I feel so good to know that no matter where I am, the familiar melodies are the same.

It is comforting to hear the Saints singing! I have noticed that everyone sings here and with gusto! Even the 12 and 13 year old deacons sing! And there is an added bonus for me - if I don't have an English hymn book, I can just sing the first verse over and over and no one will notice!

July 11th

This is a real estate ad we got in our mailbox -it was in English so I thought Dan might like to see it. Here is what it says: Thinking about moving within Tokyo? Then, you got to call me! I have worked as a real estate agent over past 10+ years exclusively on high-end rental properties in upscale residential area. My property expertise help you find the right accommodation, and get the best deal possible. Most of all, with this flier you can get the discount 75% off the commission*. My principle is to provide professional agent service by reasonable price. *commission is 25% of one month rent. Then he lists his name, license, education, language- English, Chinese and (Ilove this one) Family: Me, my wife, and Toy Poodle drawn above is "him"! We had the sisters over for dinner again - here is Sister Wells' new companion - Sister Yakata who is brand new. Sister Wells goes home in a month.

We still love to look up and see how tall the buildings are. The staircases are almost like art!

Most Japanese do not show PDA (public display of affection) and so I caught this couple holding hands and snapped their picture. Also, note her high heels!

Dogs are a big part of people's lives. You see people out with their dogs in all sorts of outfits and with little doggie strollers. There are lots of shops devoted exclusively to dog items. Here is one.

Today's Tidbit -

Until 1868, education was limited to males of the upper class. Today, all Japanese children must complete ninth grade, the final year of junior high school. After age 15, school is no longer compulsory - yet more than 95 percent of students complete high school, because without a diploma, job opportions are severly limited. Boys and girls take all their classes together, from science and language to home economics and shop, and they learn starting in the first grade to clean their classrooms and their school every day in teams. The school year begins in April and ends the following March, with 220 school days divided into three terms. Summer vacation is the longest, lasting from July 20 (OceanDay) to the end of August, with some variations. The national government has always been a strong presence in Japanese education, as indicated by the Ministry of Education, Sports, and Culture, which screens school textbooks and establishes a uniform curriculum. When students move to another part of Japan, they may very well continue using the same textbook on the same page where they left off.

One key notion is minna issho (everyone together/the same). Rather than praising a child's innate ability or I.Q., teachers repeatedly reinforce the idea of ganbaru (trying hard). Before high school, students are not tracked by ability level into different reading or math levels; instead, each class represents a heterogeneous mix of talent and interests. All student are expected to put great effort in their studies, as well as in mandatory after-school clubs that commence in junior high. Students who move on to high school must call fort strenuous effort - most are coached on passing the stiff subject-based entrance exams at an after-school juku ("cram school") that they attend on a daily basis. Almost half of Japanese young seek a university degree, many with the goal of interviewing for jobs with prestigious firms.

Everyone in Japan studies English from grades 7-12 and in university. However, the primary goal of English class is to pass the problems on the entrance exams for high school and university - and since the students are so busy, they don't have much opportunity to learn to speak English. In addition, most Japanese teachers of English rarely have the chance to speak the language. Teaching methods still involve translation and memorization of vocabulary, again in preparation for exams.

SO - be thankful for your education in the States! Here the idea is to work together and not be different - there, you can be an individual and "do your own thing"! Enjoy your long summer vacation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

July 9th

This is a picture from the other day that I didn't get put on the blog - here is a little Japanese doll in a kimono! We have seen so many shrines but this is one of the only Christian churches (besides our temple) that we have seen!

More fun signs - be sure to keep off the Kindergarten!

If you are flat, you can use this garbage dumpster!

This reminds me of the little penguin video that Paige sent us!

Mariners poster and fun toys in a little shop.

How would you like to go into this bar?

I think this is ingenious! Instead of having hundreds of political signs all over, they just have one board and you put your poster here. Japanese people have a lot of wonderful ideas!

A tree trimmer (look closely in the branches to see him).

A painter at work.

We have a little book that gives a lot of help to foreigners and people planning to live in Japan. I am going to give some tidbits from it once in a while. Here is a fun one - watch out and don't let your belly show!

"In Japan, the stomach is the center of wellness, so it should always be covered. At night, kicking your futon covers off and exposing your stomach to the air is a sure way to catch a cold. Parents sometimes tease their children by saying,"If you don't cover your stomach, the Thunder God will come and snatch your oheso (belly button)."

July 8th

We had an amazing experience yesterday that shows you that the Lord does care for us and helps us. Rulon had such a busy day with phone calls. Consequently we didn't get out for a walk until about 3 in the afternoon. It was drizzling but we decided to go anyway. I had to mail a letter for Sis. Robertson. They are on a leave now and she asked me to mail letters on certain days to the embassies. The Robertsons are the public affairs directors here and do a lot of work with people in high places. Anyway, we just mailed the letter and I stepped into the 100 Yen shop to see if they had any fabric in. I was pleasantly surprised that they had a few nice pieces. I looked out to see Rulon talking to a man and a woman. This is the amazing part. They were with his brother, mother and their three boys - all crammed in this tiny car. They were visiting the brother who lives about three hours away - in Japan. They had been up by the temple and found it was closed. So they had decided that they would come back next week when it was open. Somehow, they wound their way around and ended up spotting Rulon and knew he was a missionary. They wanted to know if there was some way they could check on the accommodations at the temple annex. (There are rooms available for those who come to do temple work for a small fee.) We told them that they could follow us back to our apartment and we would take them over to the church office building to find out more information. So we walked in the rain back home with this tiny crowded car following us. Rulon took the man over to the office and I invited the family to come up for cookies and milk! I knew I was inspired to make cookies yesterday!!! It was good for the little boys to get out and stretch. This family had a very interesting story. He was a Muslim from Iran and she was a Jew from California. Both joined the church and found each other later in life. I know she served a mission in Ireland. They had these three little boys (I thought maybe they were grandsons). The mother-in-law spoke no English. We had a good visit while Rulon helped the brother go look at the rooms. So this family's prayers were answered through us! It was a wonderful example of the Lord's love and care for his children. Their name is Yousethpour. Hope we get to see them next week at the temple.
They took this picture of us. Note the droopy hair - mine, not his!

This is from our evening walk - this is a public bathroom right along one of the streets - for men only - no door, just a urinal! (Why am I so interested in toilets?) (Blurry because I took it while walking - was embarrassed to stop and shoot a picture although there was no one it it at the time.)

This is on a building we walked past - some sort of glass.

I think I may have taken a picture of this before but it is another example of art along the street for everyone to enjoy.

I guess the message of this post is - know that your prayers are heard and answered by angels on earth! And we got to be the angels this time.

Jusco Trip (2nd Time)

Yesterday we went on the bus to Jusco again. It is a huge department store and where I bought my sewing machine. I needed more fabric and Rulon indulged me! The Dimicks had taken us before but today we did it on our own! We had to make a transfer and we weren't sure that we were headed in the correct direction. We were almost ready to get off and take another bus back. There was a woman in the seat across the aisle who had smiled at us when we got on so I asked, "English?". She responded in an Indian accent but in English! I asked her, "Jusco?" and she said that was where she was going! So she showed us where to get off and in the store tried to help us find things. She was an angel and I felt that I had been prompted to ask her for help. I have found that I need to be open to the promptings that I feel. These were school children on our bus. They always make me smile! So cute!

This flower clock is in front of Jusco.

Some politician trying to get people to listen to his ideas. Maybe the missionaries should rent one of these loud speaker trucks and go about proclaiming their message!

A poster - 50 years in Asia for Time Magazine.

From the bus window - a worker patching the street. I think the uniforms are great! They look more professional.

Looking down from an overpass - look at all the motorcycles in the parking lot. They take up so much less room than cars do.

At Jusco, we ate lunch at McDonalds. Here is a poster trying to get people excited about working there.

This time we just got basic cheeseburgers. They tasted good - ketchup is a bit sweeter here.

Boots, boots, and more boots!

Tanna asked me if there were Barbies here so I asked. They said they didn't carry them. Here are some of the Licca dolls that we saw. They were very cute and had lots of outfits.

A fireworks display- note the sign saying, "No Open Flame"!

Children playing in front of the Toy Story characters.

A poster - the kids will know who these guys are. Are they Power Rangers?

The play area in the store.

Hats galore! I think the children look so darling in them!

Is this a rainy country or what? Umbrellas and boots by the hundreds - all colors!

This little urinal was in the women's bathroom - it has an arrow showing where little boys should aim!

This small sink is provided for children. How nice not to have to lift them up to the big sink!

We also found our way home! It was an hour to get to the store, an hour back and two hours there. So, shopping takes a lot more time here. BUT, I got a lot more fabric and am set for a while!