Japan Fukuoka: Weeks 57 & 58: " My wife is like a tsunami"

Visiting a Shrine

Hi there.

Happy thanksgiving. 🍁 For Thanksgiving, because there is not really much turkey in Japan, I'm planning to cook up some spam stir fry. Try it. It's delicious with the right sauce.

So we're teaching this one investigator English.
"Let's practice with writing a letter in English to your wife."
"My wife is like a tsunami. She is scary."
"Well, for the sake of this letter, when you miss your wife, is there anything that reminds you of her? Like a flower or a bird?"
"A nightmare."
Well, we helped him remember, "smile" and "curry" and you can see the final result turned out alright in the picture below. He almost wrote "sweatheart" instead of "sweetheart," but it worked out and he was very happy with his letter.
"This is English that is alive. It breathes. I want to learn more English like this. Not textbook English." I really liked that comment. I can say the same for Japanese.

The English letter

These past two weeks, with the appearance of wreaths and tree ornaments around the local mall, I've asked people on the street, "What do you think the meaning of Christmas is?" Girls wear their school uniforms with the plaid skirts, button up jackets, and the long socks. Some of them wear hospital masks for colds, and their eyes dart around as they consider the question. They pause as the monorail above us races alongside a cool breeze and then say, "God?" "Jesus?" and the most common: "I don't know." I share the video "Light the World" with these people on the streets, and it feels like just yesterday when I first came to Japan and was doing this same thing. Amidst vibrant red candy canes and glittering Christmas trees, will this message about celebrating Christ's birth shine brighter? Just one person at a time learns a little bit more about Christmas. It doesn't feel like a lot, but it's still something.

"Heavenly Father, I am grateful for your eternal presence.
I am learning to be patient and that you are really there.
Sometimes I am afraid and I know that's lacking faith.
But I am beginning to understand that for me you have a plan." ("My Little Prayer")

I know God has a plan for the people of Japan. The church members in Japan are incredibly kind and devoted. I could write so much just about how they have helped us time and time again these past two weeks. I am so grateful for them.

Sister Rogers