Wow. What a week. As we sit here on a Monday evening, after an especially long day, we reflect on how exhausted we are, but in a good way!  Sometimes we ponder whether we are doing enough and other days we remind ourselves that we are both in our sixties and are not expected to keep up with the young missionaries. Several weeks ago, our Mission Leader (President) asked us to give him our thoughts on whether we could use another pair of Senior Missionaries like us (Military Relations) to help us.  We wrote up what we thought two sets of missionaries could do here if we divided up the workload of Camp Zama, NAF Atsugi, and shared the effort at Camp Fuji. He agreed and so did the powers-that-be in Salt Lake City.  We had a phone call with Elder and Sister Melton, presently from Herriman, Utah who had just received their mission call to serve as Military Relations Missionaries in Japan, at NAF Atsugi.  They expect to be here in November. We are super excited to welcome them to share the work with us.  

 It is now officially the "rainy season" in Japan and Tuesday, when we made our trip to the Tokyo Temple was no exception.  We drove and it rained buckets all the way there and back. Still, we had a wonderful experience in the Temple with many of our mission's young Elders and Sisters there.  This next week will be the same with many of our young missionaries attending, especially those from our own Zone and District. It will also be the last Temple session for our current Mission Leaders.  President and Sister Node will leave soon and make way for our new Mission Leaders, President and Sister Tueller. We meet them on July 4th.  We will dearly miss the Node's, but I am sure we will grow to love the Tueller's. 

One of Sister Nelson's Mother's Day gifts finally made it through the mail system.  She was excited to wear it this week while, with "Fran's" help, making and baking cookies to share. She shed tears our first week or so over how awful the oven was, but she has mastered it and bakes and bakes and bakes for all the places we serve. She would give any of the Keebler Elves a run for their money.

One of our special friends, a young single adult in our branch, Hosea turned 22 and we took him out for dinner with one of his friends (Moka). They took us to a new, but nearby, restaurant that was really fun and had some great food. We enjoyed our time with them, and they enjoyed being treated to a nice meal. 

Our weekly District Council (and lunch) was special this week because we had two birthdays to celebrate. Sister Nelson also had a request for Mac and Cheese!  She spent some time researching and experimenting to find an awesome recipe.  She succeeded and the Mac and Cheese (was Shells and Cheese), with emphasis on the Cheese.  There is no such thing as too much cheese... we added hotdogs to the meal and it was great.  For the birthday dessert, we found Marie Calendars Razzleberry Pie.  Along with Ice Cream, that too was a big hit with our District's 13 missionaries.  

The Camp Zama community put on the "Junior" version of Willy Wonka this week featuring a couple of folks from our branch, so we couldn't miss that.  Afterward, we did our favorite Sushi-Go-Round restaurant for dinner.  All in all, it was a pretty good day.

Our previous P-Day was cut short last week, so this week we made the trek by train to Kamakura to see the "Hydrangea Temple."  It is really the Meijigetsu-in Temple, but because of the amount of Hydrangea blossoms it boasts during June, it earned its nickname.  It is a popular spot and there was no shortage of visitors walking through the grounds and garden while we were there.  Fortunately, it was also a great weather day.  It had rained buckets that day before, so it was nice to enjoy clear blue skies and the beautiful gardens as well.

We have struggled to get the right amount of communication exposure for the services we hold each Sunday at Camp Fuji.  We have been waiting and waiting for the chaplain there to help us.  We finally took matters in hand and produced our own.  We got the chaplain's blessing and we happily posted them in some spots that we hope will help get the word out more effectively.  This past Sunday we were blessed as two non-member Marines came in.  One of them we had shared cookies with the previous week and so he came back for more, but let us have a short church service with him first.  He also had invited his Lieutenant to come along.  Both were interested in what we had to say and after some earnest answers to their many questions, we gave both of them a Book of Mormon and our testimony. A special day for us as we have continually prayed to be able to reach someone at Camp Fuji as we go week after week. 

We had our fair share of Red Cross volunteering and other things as well during the week, but a couple of especially meaningful events make for a memorable one and help us get ready for the coming week. 

     

Our mission Week 13 Red Cross-ing and other stuff

Red-crossing and other stuff

We spent some more time with the Red Cross this week, amongst other activities. Both the Red Cross offices here in Zama and Atsugi are getting new directors, so consequently, they need volunteers to staff the offices whenever possible. So we did both offices this week. It's usually pretty quiet, but you never know when an emergency call might occur. Red Cross offers what they call the Hero Care Network to notify families/soldiers of emergencies. Red Cross messages are the way to do that. When new soldiers/sailors in-process they come by the office and give us their contact information, which is then put into the database. Now you are up to speed on all things Red Cross office. 

Speaking of the Red Cross, after completing about a three-hour on-line course, we both took the three-hour "hands-on" CPR/AED training this week. We found it very interesting and educational. We can now say we know how to do both CPR and AED. I can't say one ever wants to have to do either, but if necessary, we now know how. I'm not sure what ever happened to ResuAnnie of CPR in the olden days, but we took a picture of the "dummies" we trained on. We failed to get their names. 

We also found some marines in the USO lounge at Camp Fuji this week. They were all sitting around eating pizza, and I told them they looked like they needed some brownies and rice krispie treats. They agreed, and we enjoyed visiting with Luke, William, Dalton, and Law. We told them we'd be back next week, and they requested Chocolate Chip cookies. The marines at Camp Fuji are out training for 2-3 days in the woods and then back in for 2-3 days. Repeated over and over again, so we never know when or if we will see anyone when we go there. The drive is beautiful, and we love helping marines find joy, even if it's just in brownies. 

Last Monday, we traveled to Tokyo for a Tokyo-wide senior missionary FHE(Family Home Evening). It basically consisted of a group of about 40 old folks around 65-75 years old getting together to eat and play silly games. And it was a farewell for Pres and Sister Node. I lost it when we all sang God Be With You Til We Meet Again in Japanese. We were the only Military Relations missionaries there. The rest were office missionaries and area office missionaries. They loved the American food I brought from our commissary here on base. They don't have access to any of that. Surprising how much one loves "real" cheese and Daisy sour cream. Oh, and let's not forget Pace Picante Sauce. I left it all there for them to "fight" over when we left. 

We then headed further into Tokyo to RON(remain- overnight), A military acronym I learned from an old colonel I live with. We stayed in a swanky Hilton Hotel using our Hilton points. We had our temple shift the next morning, so it seemed like a good idea to RON rather than make the drive twice. Driving in Tokyo isn't hard. It just takes a long time to navigate the roads. The temple is only 27 miles away, but it takes about 75 minutes to get there. Last week, we took the "long" way home because we got on the wrong road. That trip took 2 hours. So much for navigating with Siri. Most of the time, she gets it right. Sometimes it's just unclear, and we make a wrong turn. 

Here's a little more on Fran. I sent a random picture of her. We purchased an inexpensive stand mixer for all the cookie-making and other baked goods I make for various occasions. I've never had a friend named Fran, but she has been a real joy to have after mixing everything with a fork. I'm pretty sure she'll stay here when we leave. Maybe I should have given her a Japanese name like Franiko.

We also helped with an Army 5k Fun Run this week. There were not a lot of runners, but it was all around the base, so they needed some volunteers to stop traffic every now and then to let the runners pass. It is always fun to see people running races. It reminds me of all the times we watched Brad's parents. Brad and I are NOT runners, but we do enjoy a good two-mile walk in the mornings. 

Friday was the second time we attended our mission Zone Conference. It was our last conference with the mission leader and his wife, Elder, and Sister Node. Their replacements will be here in a couple of weeks. We joined with all the young missionaries from 2 different zones for some great training and encouragement to keep doing "the work." The Japanese Relief Society sisters fed us taco salad and chicken nuggets. There weren't any leftovers! Young missionaries can really put away the food. It was great joining with them and we were challenged by Pres. Node to "commit to be life-long disciples of Christ." I know we have witnessed his example of that. We will miss them both. 

On Saturday, we had intended to go to see a Hydrangea festival about an hour from here, but our CPR training ran longer than we thought, so we just hopped on the train down to Yokohama, a port city for Japan. We decided to walk around Chinatown, although I don't think there were a lot of Chinese people there. Lots of different foods, smells, trinkets and stuff. We didn't buy anything, and it was pretty hot, so we opted for a mango and a strawberry smoothie and trained it back home. On the way home we enjoyed a traditional Japanese ramen from a favorite shop we like here. 

All in all, it was a great week of helping out where we could, making cookies for others, and trying to get ready for the much warmer temperatures that are coming. Summers in Japan are very hot and humid. 

Hope you are all doing well and enjoyed your Fathers on Father's Day. The Father here was treated to a nice hotel stay and a new summer kimono. More about that later. 

Love to all, 

Elder and Sister Nelson

Our Mission in Japan: Week 12 -- don't forget your umbrella!

Minasan, Konnichiwa (Greeting Everyone!) We are in the midst of the rainy season here in Japan.  It allegedly lasts for another month.  What that means is that rain is forecast as "possible" just about every day.  We look out of our balcony at the sky and it may look clear and nice or cloudy and gray, but that is no accurate gauge for the real weather.  So, we have our umbrellas nearby.  On the bright side, it is very very green now and there are lots of flowers in bloom -- now, especially, the hydrangeas.  Beautiful!!

Monday evening we hosted our first Single Adult activity at our apartment. We had two missionaries and one member who brought a non-member friend, so it was a great first start. We aim to reach more of our single members and give them a place to gather, at least weekly.

Tuesday is our trip to Tokyo to serve in the Tokyo Temple for the day.  We always look forward to and enjoy our Tuesday Temple experience. We especially enjoy seeing the missionaries come through.  Most everyone we work with is Japanese, so my Japanese gets a good workout and Kim does a lot of smiling and nodding. The Japanese people are always so kind and patient with us.  

We are helping quite a bit with the Red Cross, both at NAF Atsugi and Camp Zama. At both locations, the staff directors are leaving and relying upon volunteers to carry the load until they have backfills arrive.  We are also slugging through the paperwork and prerequisite training to be able to volunteer at the Health Clinic.  We are doing the online (about 5 hours worth) training to be able to take the Red Cross CPR/AED course this coming Saturday.  We also are doing some online courses covering computer security and HIPPA (yuk).  And, as we are finding out, nothing happens fast, today, or even tomorrow...and everything takes a lot of time.

Our Red Cross efforts this week included doing another briefing during the Camp Zama "newcomers" orientation.  We are looking good in our Red Cross shirts!  I think we wore them three different times this past week.  We also got our official USO t-shirts and name tags in the mail. 

This past week was transfer week for the young missionaries so we have said goodbye to a few and welcomed a few new ones into our district.  Our weekly district council meeting that we attend featured Sister Nelson bringing spaghetti with meatballs, salad with Olive Garden dressing, and garlic bread! The 14 missionaries in our district made pretty short work of a lot of food.  They really enjoy the break from Japanese food and are always very thankful.

Later that day (Friday), we hopped on the train and headed for downtown Tokyo and the Temple again. This time, we met our Camp Zama Branch youth, a few parents, and leaders for a youth temple trip. We took the train instead of driving and it was actually a nice break from the traffic stress, but it involved lots of standing and walking. We experience one of the most crowded train rides to date on our way home.  Before heading home, we took the time for a Friday night date night dinner at the "Tiger Gyoza" restaurant.  We are still amazed at how inexpensive it is for us to eat out in Japan because of the current exchange rate.

Saturday, bright and early, we donned our Red Cross shirts once again and headed to NAF Atugi to help with their Family Fitness Day.  We caught a break from the rainy weather and it was a beautiful, but HOT, day. Our job was to hand out cups of ice-cold water, so we had lots of visitors to our table! 

Sunday we attended church and later made our weekly trip to Camp Fuji. It makes for some great fellowshipping opportunities, but also a lot of driving.  On the way home from Camp Fuji we did the traffic jam crawl so our trip home was long... 

We are alive, well, and trying to be patient with each other and how long it takes to get places, how long it takes to get things done, and patient with the fact that not every week is going to be super exciting.  Still, we are grateful for our blessings, our health, and the privilege of serving the Lord as missionaries. The Church is true and the Gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone...even if they don't know that yet. 

Week 11 USOhhhh No!

 Week 11 USOhhh No!

Hello from the heart of Japan. We have been having a lot of very rainy days which makes for lots of green things growing EVERYWHERE!  Most Japanese people carry umbrellas every day because it rains often, and when it's sunny, they don't like to get tanned. We now own several ourselves. So much for talking about the weather. Here is how our week went. 

We started out last Monday by cleaning up the USO lounge at Camp Fuji. And it was disgustingly dirty. The lounge is in the same building as the base chapel and has cooking facilities for the marines who are there for short periods of time. Well, let's just say some marines don't know how to clean up after themselves. The stove, sink, and floors were filthy and had not been deep cleaned for a very long time, if ever. I love to clean, so Elder Nelson and I set out to give it a deep clean. 5 hours later, we were pooped, and the lounge was looking awesome. We did have a group of about 6 marines come in to watch a movie on the big screen TV there and we said, "Oh we are cleaning up the lounge today, are you here to help?" The look on their faces was hilarious. Blank stares all around as if to say, "She's kidding, right?" And no, we didn't make them help us. It was their "day off" because it was Memorial Day. Anyway, things are a lot cleaner at Camp Fuji USO right now. 

Our temple shift was pretty quiet this week. Most of the missionaries attending came down from further north of Tokyo, so there were just a few of them. Brad and I are continuing to learn new responsibilities each week in the temple. Last week, there were about four of us who spoke English. Brad communicates just fine, and I do a lot of nodding and basically observe my jobs. We love being in the temple.

We have been "trying" to do our training and paperwork to volunteer at Behavorial Health here at Camp Zama. There is so much red tape. We hope to be able to volunteer there once a week. We are also still volunteering with the Red Cross several times a week in the office. We will be getting a new Red Cross Director here in Zama as well as at Atsugi this summer. We will be patient as they make those adjustments. 

We also had the sweet experience of going to two different orphanages here with the base chaplain, some public affairs folks, as well as the Elder Strong, a humanitarian missionary for Japan. The chaplain brought some gifts for the children, and we met them and saw lots of sweet, happy faces. It really tugged at this old grandma's heartstrings, and I wanted to scoop them all up and hug them. This was our first meeting, and we hope to be able to return to do some fun activities with them more regularly. The children deserve all of the love and care we can and/or are allowed to offer. 

This week was also the Zama High School graduation, which we attended to see 3 of our branch members graduate. The class is a booming 60 students with a cumulative GPA of 3.75. They are a pretty smart bunch of young people. Saturday night, they had a group graduation party, and we made a 7-layer Dip and Veggie Tray. Sounds like me, right? 

District Council every Friday continues to be a fun time. Our district has really grown to about 16 elders and sisters. This week, we fed them sloppy joes, and it was fun to see those who had never had a sloppy joe try them for the first time. It was all thumbs up for them. The big hit was the berry trifle which many of them had not ever had. There was nothing left! Transfers had us saying goodbye to one sister returning to Bolivia and an Elder heading to another district. Meanwhile, still contemplating what to feed them this week. Maybe try lasagna again. 

We finished off the week with a lot of baking: cookies, brownies, and Rice Krispie treats for Seminary Graduation, Linger Longer at church, Camp Fuji treats, and Single Adult FHE tonight. I broke down and ordered a stand mixer. It's tough mixing everything with a fork. 

Hope you are having a great week, and we will, too. Love to all....forever,

Elder and Sister Nelson

PS.  Check out the "bullet-train" delivery of sushi at a restaurant we tried out.