New Year's Day started with a bang. Actually because it was Sunday, activities started on Monday with the Mission President giving all of the missionaries a "full" P-day. Normally P-day ends about 5 PM and the missionary work resumes, but on this special day the missionaries were allowed to look at one missionary appropriate movie and then sight-see in the local area, with an encouragement from President to get to know the Japanese culture by visiting some of the temples or shrines. Activities started with lunch at a members house (taco bar) and then watching "Finding Dori". That was great fun for the District.
After the movie we got on the train and headed to Miyajima Island, with its huge Tori gate and Itsukushima Shrine. See my post from November 7 for more information on this area.
When we arrived at Miyajimaguchi train station, I noticed that our group of 10 missionaries had grown significantly. It seems that the missionaries from the Hiroshima District had the same idea.
By the time we arrived on the island and made our way towards the shrine, we had grown to a group of over 40 missionaries, a handful of Ward/Branch members and a couple of investigators.
Because the tide was out, we were able to actually walk out to the Tori gate (something you must do) and actually touch it. Similar to a wishing well, people had jammed coins into openings in the wood on the Tori gate for good luck.
The Tori gate looked amazing at sunset, with everything having a golden hue.
The weather cooperated and it was a beautiful evening.
The great thing about this time of year, living in Japan, is that Christmas extends out over several days, if not weeks, as packages make their way through the postal system. On Wednesday, a special gift from my good friend James arrived. You have to understand that we share the same love for the finer things in life like bacon and Slim Whitman music, and as occasions arise, we try and find something unique to share. James outdid himself this time.
Not trying to make any sort of political statement here, just enjoying the humor of life. I am excited to see how this turns out. I hope it has a full head of "hair" by the inauguration on January 20th.
The work goes slow here. I get so excited when I hear than my grandson Elder Dover, in the Honduras San Pedro Sula East mission, is having 40+ lessons a week. We'd be happy with that many contacts, but we find joy with what the Lord brings to us. We have two part-member families that we are working with and pray that the Spirit will touch their lives. We a truly looking for the "one" and not the "ninety and nine". We are finding joy in the work here and are so thankful that we have an opportunity to serve in this part of the Lord's vineyard.
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