More Christmas Merriment Dec. '11

Can you believe that Dad is a singer now? He enjoys participating in groups - soon he'll be ready for a solo! I took this cute picture of two pizza delivery men. They were nice to oblige me!

Quilts that we took over to the group home. They will be welcome as it is getting colder at nights now.

Family Home Evening potluck was a big success. The Grames went all out for decorations and the food was wonderful!

More White Elephant gifts!

The Stevensons opening their gift.

This is blurry but I want to include it. Grandma Uneo is such a delight. She is President Wada's mother-in-law and lives with them.

A surprise visit from Chris Anderson from St. Charles and her friend, Sandy S.! They came to Tokyo for a few days and stopped by to see us.

We enjoyed having the missionaries for dinner - all six of them. Two are going home this next week and there are transfers for the others. We always have fun with them.

Making scones for the office party - yes, all we do is go to parties!

The office was closed for 3 hours and we enjoyed a wonderful meal, more White Elephants, and messages from our leaders.

This is Bishop Ohata (without the hat) who has been such a great friend to us. We went to his home for dinner last month.

Santa (Elder Grames) and the elves (office managers) ...

Having fun with Elder Stevenson - he was a good boy and got his Christmas wish!

It was a big kiss from his wife much to the delight of all!

We sang at the office party - looks like Dad was cut off but he was there at the end.

Then the Japanese office workers sang to us. It was just beautiful and they all seem to love music and have beautiful singing voices.

Brandon Brooks came to dinner after church one Sunday. He is Becca Hales husband. Becca is a close friend of Paige. Fun to have company!

This little baby Emily is such a doll! She will be 1 on Christmas day and was so cute with Santa. Today I sat right behind her and tried to get her to smile at me.

Now it is the Branch Christmas party! Here are the elders - such great guys.

Little Zoe is so cute. I asked her if I could take her picture and she struck a pose!

These are the Johnson girls - Lexi had just flown in from college and was so tired. One other sister looks like she was tired also!

Sendai Zone Conferences Dec. '11

We rode the Shinkkansen up to Aomori for the start of a week of zone conferences. Here we are before we left for the first conference - President and Sister Rasmussen, the Donahoes and us.

It was interesting to learn that if you have an errand to run and there is no parking place, you can just put on your blinkers and leave your car in the street while you are gone! Everyone has to go around you!

A White Elephant exchange was done at each conference. It had to be white and cost less that 200 Yen. ($2.00). Here is the first group before they opened the packages.

And after - there were some funny things!

This big box of gifts was sent to the mission from missionaries who had served in that mission years before. Sister Aoyagi organized the project. They were little stockings with candy and small toys to be given to whoever they felt needed a boost.

Poor Sister Maki fell on her bike the night before and chipped a tooth - hence the mask. She is one of the last two missionaries to be located after the earthquake. Such a sweetie!

This was a fun While Elephant gift - a picture of the elder in white!

Group picture!

Missionaries who served in Sendai in years past sent messages to the people to cheer them at this hard time.

Is there anything cuter? This is an elder who remembered Larry from when he was here last year and visited his home for Family Home Evening.

His nametag ...

I thought I was getting a hard boiled egg for breakfast. Nope! It was raw!

Sign in a kitchen in one of the chapels.

Another zone ready for presents!

Here's one - well, it is WHITE!

Loved our drinks in Hello Kitty glasses!

The Morioka chapel from across the pond.

Persimmons on a tree.

Here is a meal that we were served -better than a bento box!

Star shaped carrots!

More gifts !

Well, it is white and very useful! It had part of the mission scripture written on it!

This was a big group!

This elder loves Elder Gibson and gave him a tie!

He got a white rabbit's foot as his gift.

Another fun sign at our breakfast!

Rice cookers at every available plug.

Ready for English or Japanese interpretation.

Japanese hymnbook ...

Do you love the pointed toes of the elders' shoes?

CTR candies that a former missionary sent to share with the Sendai missionaries.

Choose The Right!

Red and green ties for Christmas!

President and Sister Rasmussen were such fun people and are doing a tremendous job.

Sweet Sister Missionaries in red and white!

Fun music!

We even got gifts at one conference!

This was what I got - some rolls and marshmallows!

This elder got the sack of white balloons. Inside each was a note and a little gift. There was even a tie in one!

This drink is "cow piss" and it is actually quite good.

We ended up in Nigata and came home on the Shinkansen from there. What a wonderful trip! Glad we were able to go up to the Sendai Mission twice. We were up there before the earthquake and tsunami, etc. and then 9 months later. This is probably the most prayed for mission in the Church!