Feb Interviews and Akita Trip

Because the weather is so bad this time of year in Aomori, we decided to take the Shinkonsen (bullet train) to the land northward. It is very expensive, but Gary can get so much done during travel time. He is reading letters from Missionaries in this picture. He LOVES reading them but they never end so he has to stay on top of them. He reads every missionary's letter every week and many of them get a response from him to prove it.

A familiar sight: Gary checking us into a hotel.

While Gary has one of the companionship with him, I have the other one visit with me. Sometimes the room fills up with missionaries waiting their turn for the interview. I love to talk to them and learn a lot of interesting things during our visits.

Elder Yoneda, Guevara, Ishida & Kendall

At the Eki in Aomori. This was a display of the big Matsuri celebration in Aomori every year.

We drove to Aizuwakamatsu to do interview there and afterwards we took the 4 Elders to a Ramen place for dinner. Missionaries always appreciate a dinner invitation.

This nice lady served our ramen. In our effort to be friendly and introduce ourselves as missionaries, we became good friends in 30 minutes with her so we got a picture together.

MMMMmmmmmmm. Oishi!

Gary and I ordered a katsudon with miso soup instead of a ramen.

Leaving Niigata after interviews was in a blizzard. Because of the mountain passes throughout our mission, we drive through many tunnels like this one.

We drove up north again to Akita in the blizzard. At about Kitakami, we were routed off the freeway onto the surface roads. Not sure why, but the roads were full of snow and the banks at the side of the road were high. It took us amost 4 hours to go what should have taken an hour.

A winter wonderland!

We arrived in Akita Saturday late afternoon and went straight to the church where we found many Branch members and missionaries shoveling out the parking lot. Gary and I grabbed a shovel to helped with that process and it was done in no time. The missionaries (2 sisters) had asked us to speak to some Young Women in the Branch about how to prepare to be a missionary. When we actually got to the meeting, there were two sisters in two different families and their moms; ages 12, 13, and two 9 year olds. It was a fun hour with them. Gary is so good at building a good relationship with them and getting to know them and having fun with them before giving them a few brief pointers on the topic of the day. He gave them (including the moms) an assignment to read the first chapter of 1 Nephi and circle the words they think are important (family, parents, prophet, etc) and report back to the missionaries how it went and they would report to President Rasmussen.

Saturday evening we went to the home of the Checketts for dinner. He served with Gary in Japan as a 19 yr old missionary so it was nice to talk old times with them. His wife is Japanese but speaks perfect English. I especially enjoyed the evening with them because I could understand everything that was said. Yiippeeee!

Sunday at church was as usual. Gary and I spoke. We were able to meet this family in the picture who are from the Islands. It was no coinsidence that Sis Tehei, who is from New Zealand, was sent to Akita and found this family who was baptized many years ago but didn't stay active long. They were ready to come back to church and are doing great in the Branch now.

On the drive from Akita to Kitakami to the Seminary graduation

These are Seminary students in the Morioka District, some of which graduated.

Dig in to the refreshments!!! (typical teenagers)