Happy New Year, aka Shogatsu, here in Japan. They take the New Year holiday seriously here. Decorations, foods, family time, and worship. For us that meant some down time. I took a few pictures of the New Year’s decorations found on most businesses' doors and entrances. They are made up of bamboo, pine, and sometimes some mochi.
Because we were downtown Tokyo for the
weekend, we decided to go see the Tokyo Tower. It is an iconic tower about the
size of the Eiffel Tower. It was erected in 1958, and you can ride up to the top to look around Tokyo. It wasn’t very crowded, so it made it nice getting there and short lines to ride to the top. Of
course, Brad got lots of pictures, and even Mt. Fuji was peaking out.
The next day was NY Eve and we had our Zone
Conference at the Temple Annex. Lots of good missionary instruction, and we
helped prepare the soup for lunch. They also had some fun games for the young
missionaries who love to have fun. It was nice to spend some time with them. We
had an easy travel back to our apartment because the traffic was light, and we
may or may not have been in bed before the New Year. Tired old people.
New Year’s Day in Japan is when the
Japanese go to their temple and shrines to welcome the new year. They go there
to pray for prosperity, safety, and good health. Many of them also bring their
dogs. Dogs are treated very well here. Jackets, strollers, and dog biscuit
vending machines are standard. We decided to walk to our neighborhood shrine and
take a few pictures, and it was really fun. The weather was very mild, and lots of people were worshipping. I am so happy to be able to see the culture
here. Next week, we will be invited to
a mochi-pounding activity. Watch for pictures.
We also did an extra shift at the Tokyo
Temple on Saturday. They added an extra shift and were concerned they wouldn’t
have enough workers because it was holiday time. So, we tried our best to help
with all sessions being in Japanese. They put me in the baptismal for 2 ½
hours. Lots of smiling and doing my best to do what they wanted me to do. I met
some families that were visiting Japan, and we could talk in English. We
love serving in the temple. We also saw our previous mission president
and his wife, Pres and Sis Node. It was
so nice to visit with them. They are Japanese and still live here in the Tokyo
area. We hope we can see them in Utah when they come for conference.
Sunday, we were back at Camp Fuji with
services for a young marine stationed there. He is such a nice young man and we
love sharing time with him. And he also loves the cookies we bring.
He takes the extras to share with his buddies in the barracks. He will be here until
the end of March.
The new year has Elder and Sister Nelson recommitting to the gym. We have been letting too many excuses and cookies get in
the way of working out. We have a nice gym here, and we need to use it. All the
cooking and baking has wreaked havoc on our waistlines.
Hope your New Year has some happy plans. We plan on staying busy and appreciate all your love and support.
Love to all
Elder and Sister Nelson
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