Second Week In Japan

Another week has gone by and getting settled in is an interesting process. 

There were warnings over the weekend that we might get it with a Category 4 Typhoon on Monday, but fortunately it went to the east of us.  We had some wind and a lot of rain, but that was all.

Finally got my Post Office saving account set up.  We got checked in with Red Cross  to see what volunteering opportunities were there, and also with the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS).  The web-site for Red Cross to sign in and submit all your information was a real challenge.  NMCRS was a paper application and was much easier.

 Tuesday seemed like a day full of meetings, with district correlation in the morning.  It was good to meet and get to know all of the Elders and Sisters in our district.  We have 2 Elders and 8 sisters, so 5 companionships.

 The correlation meeting was really good.  Each  set of missionaries talked about the investigators they were working with, issues they had and then asked for suggestions on how to better reach the individuals.  It was really about individuals, not just reporting numbers.  You could really feel the Spirit in the meeting.

 They said that after a district correlation meeting like this they like to go eat lunch together.  In asking where they would like to go, they all wanted to go to the food court on base.  Taco Bell, BK, KFC, Subway and Pizza Hut were too much for them to resist, plus B-R Ice Cream for dessert.  All of a sudden the 18-19 year old side of them came out.  We signed them in and then escorted them to the Food Court.

At 6 PM they teach an English-Japanese class on base, but unfortunately no one showed up.  They said this had not happened before, so they were bummed.  After the class they all came over to our house when we had a Branch Missionary Correlation meeting that now included the Branch Mission Leader,  It too was a good meeting.

 We are still figuring our what our role is on base and in the branch.  We have a new branch president as of last Sunday so we didn't try to meet with him last week.  Figured his plate was full enough.  We are going to try and do that this Sunday.

 We hit a major complication for going on base on Thursday.  We were supposed to be at the NMCRS at  9 AM so we headed over in the car at about 8:45.   An hour later at the guard shack I am still trying to figure out why now I can't use my international drivers license like I have been for the past week.  Apparently there is a little known rule/regulation (except to one Japanese gate guard) that was now being enforced.  You can't drive on base with the international drivers license unless you have a Japanese Drivers license, without special permission from the PMO(Provost Marshal Office).  I had to go back home and then type up a request letter (they gave me a boiler plate letter), print that up and sign it and then walk on base and give it to the PMO.  The PMO supervisor said he would forward it up the chain and I should hear something in a "few" days.  Until then, if we want to go on base, we get to walk.  Fortunately the places we need to go are not far and we did all of our major grocery shopping last week.

 Thursday night, a couple from the branch took us to dinner at a yakiniku restaurant in town. It was fun having dinner with them and another couple from the NMCRS and a Japanese friend of theirs, but the meat was not that good.  Let's just say I have had better.  It was recommended by the Japanese friend, but the other couples also said that they thought it was not that good.  That's how you learn.

 Yakiniku

Popcorn ice cream

Last night we just walked around the neighborhood.  We did try the "world's best BLT".  It was good, but not as good as I remembered it.

This is the neighbor's garden near our house.  They are seriously into gardening.

Then we ran into the smallest, cleanest, cutest little garbage truck.  Some say I looked like I was ready to go to work with my matching blue shirt.

Still no Wi-Fi so have to go to a hotspot on base to connect so have not updated the blog since we got here.  I can't update it from a mobile device.  We are scheduled for the install on October 14th!  I was able to borrow a mobile Wi-Fi hot spot so that is how I am updating our blog.

I guess that is all the news for now.  We feel so blessed that we are able to serve here and again, thank your for your prayers and support.