Kindergarten/Pre-School Dance Festival

We gathered with many adoring parents, grandparents, families, and friends of little ones at the annual "Dance" festival of the Pre-school/Kindergarten where we volunteer sometimes.  It was held in this beautiful auditorium.  We expected a cute, little program, but instead were favored with a very professional and impressive concert of not only dance, but singing, choral reading, acting, and even drumming!  The lighting, costuming, props, and preparations were of the highest quality!

The curtain opened to reveal the youngest class with their teachers.  So cute!  One little guy on the end was just wailing his head off.

This may have been the most impressive number to me.  These children, just as you've seen a drum corp do, played quite intricate drum patterns.  It was great!

Applause!!!  You can see their leader in the back, and they were right with him.  These are just Kindergarteners!

Hat Dance

Each little one was introduced.

These little boys were so cute.

They shed their traditional Japanese robes and did an Elvis-like rock dance.

This was a cute springtime number.

They acted out the story of Little Red Riding Hood.  You can see the spring flowers, the grandmothers, and the Red Riding Hoods.  They had their parts learned so well and said them in unison choral reading. 

Here are the heroes- the woodsman.  Didn't I get a picture of the wolves?

These little girls did a traditional Japanese dance in traditional kimonos.

It was beautiful.

They also acted out the story of Sleeping Beauty.

This is after Sleeping Beauty wakes up and is presented with a big pie and cake that the bakers made.

This program marked the 50th Anniversary of the school.  Large balloons were released at the end and the audience sent them forward.  I thought it was a really fun idea.

At the end, the owner/leader of the school (a less active member of the church and why we go there) gave a speech, and then the children sang a really cute song all together.  She has owned and operated this impressive school for fifty years.

It made us realize that though we're in a foreign land and everything seems different, some things are the same worldwide.  Children are adorable everywhere.  They have loving parents and grandparents who are proud of them.  Just as in the annual sacrament meeting presentations, children were waving and parent and grandparents were waving back.  Most of the children were participating with all earnestness, but, just like at home, there's always one or two on the side "marching to their own beat," so to speak (as you'll see in the video.)   It was a delightful cultural experience that I wanted to share with you!

Mission Miracle: Seeking a Lost Sheep

One of the things we are trying to accomplish on our mission is to clean up the branch records.  There are literally over one hundred people on the records that we haven't met.  We went seeking one of those sheep the other day.  It was over a three-hour drive up the beautiful coast of the Sea of Japan to a town called Nikaho.  When we arrived there we stopped in a Post office and two convenience stores to get help with directions.  At the second convenience store, a kind lady lit up when we showed her the obscure address.  "I know that little town!" she said.  She said it was still about 40 minutes away and showed Ken on the map how to drive up over the mountain to get there.  She then showed him the general area the house would be in.  So, we set out over the mountain.  It was cold and the roads were icy.  It was a little spooky as the only other vehicle we saw was the big truck spreading salt on the icy road.   At one point, Ken said he thought we should turn around and go back, but I encouraged him to keep going.  We finally saw the little hamlet.  We drove around, but could not find a single person out.  So, Ken turned down a street and said, "I'll just knock on this door and see if they know them."  He "happened" to get an old lady that did know the young woman we were seeking.  She said she no longer lives there, but is now married, has a child, and lives near Tokyo.  She pointed out the home she was from.  We then went to that home and found an old man there (we assume her grandfather) that confirmed she now lives in Yokohama.  He wasn't able to give us the address.  So, though we didn't actually find her, we got some information that may help her to be found.  We may return in the summer and see if we can find her parents home.  We felt it was a miracle that we found that lady that knew the way and then one that knew the one we were seeking.  The Lord is in charge of this work!

Here are some pictures of our beautiful drive up the coast and back:

The beautiful Sea of Japan

Sea of Japan

Ken walking up to the home where he found the lady that could help us.

I love this picture of this old barn.

I snapped a picture of these window wind guards.  It shows how windy and cold it must be in the winter there.

This is the home where the sister we were seeking grew up.  It looks like a shack, but inside was gorgeous woodwork and flooring. 

Cemetery at Sunset

Sea of Japan at Sunset

Sunset

Happy Birthday, Elder Hinton

It was Elder Hinton's birthday on Wednesday. Wednesdays are busy here.  We always go to the Volunteer Center at the Community Center on Wednesday mornings, then we have English class on Wednesday evenings. So, there wasn't much hope for a day off.  That morning, Kristen and Shonna's families  facetimed us, and after we got home, Brian and Michelle skyped us.  It was so nice to see and talk to all of them and to hear their happy birthday songs.  After lunch, Ken was settling in for a long afternoon of Japanese study. but I suggested (quite firmly!) that he should go spend a couple of hours hiking by the lake and seeing birds. It was his birthday afterall.  So while I stayed home and made his birthday dinner and cake (that we took to English class), he had a fun couple of hours by the lake.  He was excited to add two new birds to his life list that day:

Japanese Green Woodpecker

Falcated Duck

Birthday Cake I made.  I made my daughter, Michelle's chocolate frosting for it.  It was so yummy!  If you want the recipe, go here.

That evening, after we were home from English.  In fact, it was about 9:30pm, the doorbell rang.  It was a dear friend- Imi.  She got off work at 9:00, then brought over this beautiful and delicious strawberry/pineapple cake.

I got him this neck warmer ( a great invention that they use here.)  He had it on his head.

The next day, a wonderful package arrived from our daughters.  Kristen had asked me what he needed and I suggested a tie might be nice.  So they sent three sweaters, six ties and deodorant, soap, and tissues for me(brands that I use at home and can't find here.)  We felt so loved. 

The top picture is of him in one of his new sweaters and ties.  Happy birthday, Elder Hinton!!

Cute Letter From Home

We recently received this cute letter from our six-year-old granddaughter, Gabbi. 

Grandma's crying, Gabbi's crying, Grandpa's crying, Everybody's crying.

Before we left, I taught Gabbi how to say "I am Gabbi Prince" in Japanese.  She sounded it out and wrote it on the back of the card.  I was so surprised she remembered it. 

Land of the Rising Sun

 We now think we know where Japan got it's nickname.

And the idea for their flag design.