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.

Dinner with the Endos and Kozue's Family

We love when we are invited into a home for a meal.  It is always a delightful and cultural experience.  Japanese people are gracious and giving and are excellent cooks.  We always are treated like we are a king and queen. 

In a traditional Japanese home, everyone sits around a low table in the living room.  Cushions are provided for sitting on.  During the winter, the table is covered with a blanket and everyone puts their feet and legs under the blanket as there is a heater under there for warmth.  Most Japanese homes don't have central heating, so that heater is important.  There is usually a toyo heater going in the room, too.  Below is a picture of one.  The homes are not well insulated, so the rooms are cold.  

Dinner at Sister Endo's home

Sister Endo is a wonderful sister in the branch.  Her son is our young branch president.  She had them and all of us missionaries to dinner a few weeks ago.  It was a delicious and delightful cultural experience.  They made sukiyaki for us.  Sukiyaki is made right at the table.  Meat and vegetables are cooked in a delicious sauce. 

I love, love these dear people.  Sister Endo is a kind and good person.  We discovered that she and are just a few days apart in age, so I call her my Japanese twin.  She loves that!  The young Endos are expecting their first baby any minute.  We are so excited!!!

Frying the meat.

This is a picture of Ken and  the very common little heaters that are in nearly all  Japanese homes. 

Adding the sauce.

They use chopsticks to stir and serve the food

Itadakimasu (said "eat a dockie moss") is always said after the prayer and before you eat.

Each person has a little bowl.  You crack a raw egg in it and whip it up with your chopsticks.  Then you put some of the hot sukiyaki in the egg and eat it with some rice.  You can see there are other side dishes, too, but I couldn't tell you what they were.  They tasted good!  The whole dinner was delicious!!  Good food with dear friends!

The highlight of this evening is when we asked everyone what their hobbies were.  Each told of something they really enjoyed doing.  When we got to President Endo, he turned to his wife and said that his spare time now is spent in preparing for their baby and planning how to be good parents.  It was just such a sweet and non-Japanese response.  Theirs will be a Christ-centered home.  What a joy it is to see the gospel in action in a non-Christian nation!

Kozue's Family

You know Kozue.  She was married recently and I reported her Sweet Honey Pancake Party.  She lived with her parents before marrying.  They live over an hour from Tsuruoka.  She and her husband came home for the weekend last week and they invited us to dinner on Saturday night.  She is the only member in her family.  She longs for her family to have the gospel.  They used to be opposed to the church, but have softened lately, especially after they came to their daughter's reception.  They are such nice people.  We thoroughly enjoyed the evening with them. 

The drive out to their beautiful home in the countryside was absolutely gorgeous!

Kozue's Dad.  He went deep sea fishing Saturday morning to provide much of our meal.  He caught squid and fish.  Koz's mom fried the squid to perfection for fried calamari.  It was just delicious. 

The morning's catch

Koz's Dad made that fresh fish into sashimi (raw fish- a delicacy in Japan)  It was delicious.  They serve it with soy sauce and wasabi.

Koz and her mother cooked delicious tomato soup right on the table.  It was a tomato-based soup full of delicious things: chicken, wieners, and lots of vegetables.  She also made a delicious green salad.

Another of the morning's catch.  You can see the heater in the background.

This is Koz's delightful family: Koz, Ken, her mom, her very cute and funny sister, Chika, her dad, and her husband.  I brought cream puffs for dessert.  What a fun evening we had!

At the end of the evening, we were sent home with gifts -(you always leave with gifts!)  A beautiful head of cabbage cut that day from their garden (cabbage survives the snow and cold.  It's amazing) and a Costco box of brownie mixes to use in our missionary labors.  When you leave a Japanese home, they don't just say goodbye at the door.  They all (every one of them) put on shoes and come out to the car with you.  Then they bow and wave and bow and wave and shout Goodbye until you are out of sight.  It is a royal send off. 

We feel honored to have been invited into each of these homes.  The meals were delicious and the company, even better!  Itadakimasu!!!

Spring is Coming!

On my walk this morning, I saw this beautiful sight!  It is sure evidence that spring is coming soon!

Ken's New Friend

Meet Blackie.  I’ve been waiting to introduce you to him, in hopes that I could get some more “chummy” pictures of him with Ken.  That isn’t happening, so hopefully this post will have an addendum at some point with a picture of Ken with a crow on his shoulder. 

One of the first things Ken noticed when we moved in this neighborhood was a crow with a broken wing.  Of course he couldn't fly, so was confined to our neighborhood.  Ken named him “Blackie.”  Blackie was usually in sight of our apartment.  We would observe how his family (three other crows) would watch over him.  We would see them bring him food.  So Ken started taking meat scraps out to him. Ken does a certain whistle and then puts meat scraps or bread for the crow.  But Blackie is wary and won’t approach the food until Ken goes back inside.  Ken did this for quite some time.  Blackie would definitely take notice when he would hear Ken’s whistle and would watch intently as he put the food out. 

  Then the snows came.  Heavy, amazing snows.  And Blackie disappeared.  We don’t know where he went, but we feared he had met his fate.  But his three friends were still around, so Ken kept putting out food.  He noticed they would come get the food and take off with large amounts in their beaks.

Then, when the snow started to melt and things warmed up a bit, Blackie was back.  He is around again now.  So are his friends/family.  Ken continues to feed them, but they still won’t come near him.  So where did Blackie go during the blizzards?  We can only assume that he found shelter somewhere and that his friends/family continued to bring him food.  It’s really quite amazing when you think about it.  We’ll keep you posted!

Blackie's friends/ family watching over him.

Blackie's family.

Ken putting out the food.  This was before the heavy snows came.

Blackie eating the food.