Japan 12 months 2 weeks-63

She really liked the decorations. 

a lot. 

making pizza. Thank you mother for the mix. 

Henmi Shimai's birthday cake. 

This was the BBQ party we had yesterday with the Nagano Family.

more BBQ party. 

and classy alcohol in the corner. 

Costco food with the Shinden family! 

We had a birthday party again! 

I took E.T pictures with the balloons I still have.

Getting ready to hike a mountain. 

This was a good one, but..... Well done SWENSON CHORO 

It was a great mountain. 

HAHAHAHAHA

I still try so hard.

too hard... 

Yes. 

finding. 

I know when I say a lot didn't happen this week it is a lie, but yesterday was just too amazing that it made it seem like nothing really happened this week. 

Earlier in the week it was Henmi Shimai's birthday so we went over to their house while they were not home and decorated it and then made a pizza for them. It was a lot of fun. (I felt like I was playing fugitive again while we watched them leave their house and ran as fast as we could when they passed the corner.) It was a great day. Later that night we went over to the Sinden family for a dinner. There was so much Costco food there. It felt like Christmas. 

We met with Ono san this week and he said that he was planning on giving the Book of Mormon back to us. We taught him a lesson and asked him about his desires and what he is doing on his own to follow God. He said that he was SO set on giving the Book of Mormon back to us because we were moving too fast for him, but at the end of the lesson he said, "Now I feel like I need to read all of it... Well I know what I need to do now." It was a good lesson. We just need to make sure he keeps reading. 

We went finding in a crazy area this week. It was on top of a mountain and you have to take a long road to get to the top. Basically it looked like Beverly Hills Sapporo. There were only HUGE houses up there. We were walking around and Swenson Choro sees a house that looked SO American. (I will take a picture when we go back) Outside of their house was a sign that said, "The Youngs" I hate talking to Americans because it is so awkward, but Swenson Choro wanted to ping the door sooo bad. He went up and pinged it. Next thing I know a JAPANESE woman comes to the door. She is married to a man named Frank from Portland. We have an appointment this Thursday... 

Okay now to the greatest miracle this week-

Going to Grandma's house on Sunday for dinner was on of my favorite things. I would look so forward to eating Suicide Rolls (The greatest rolls on the planet), mashed potatoes, avocado salad and whatever delicious meal Grandma decided to make. Well so far for the last 2 weeks we have been going over to the Nagano family's house for dinner every Sunday. The food is not the same, but I still get just as excited to go. We showed up at their house at 5:00 and they treated us just like family. At first they just wanted us to sit down and "rest" but then they needed our help to set up bbq pits. We got there a little bit early because we really wanted to teach a lesson before they stared to eat and drink. Well we weren't able to do that.... We went outside and ate TONS of lamb, asparagus, bean sprouts, and even bamboo! It was amazing. It got cold and dark so we went back inside and just started to hang out. It seriously felt like being at Grandma's house.  It was one of the greatest feelings, but we still couldn't get a lesson in. The last time we met with them we tried to teach a lesson and just talked, but they were half listening and a little buzzed from the alcohol. It didn't really work last time, so we were both nervous on how to start a lesson. Finally Swenson Choro looks at me and says, "we need to teach a lesson now." I was being a little baby and was scared, but I got over it and said, "can we share a little message real quick?" I was expecting them to freak out and come up with some weird excuses why they can't listen, but it was the exact opposite. Nagano Grandma says, "LESSON TIME! Everyone come sit down." Everyone came except the two youngest boys (both around 4 years old) and Nagano Grandpa. He was a little drunk and asleep on the couch... They sat down right in front of us and I was so scared. I didn't know what to say. I just opened my mouth and started talking about families and how we can be together forever. It was okay, but the spirit was only half there. I looked at Swenson Choro and he starts going off in English. (We are very blessed because the Nagano family can half speak English... but not that well..) Swenson Choro looks right at Shingo san (one of the dads there) and starts saying how much we can feel that he loves his family. It was pretty noisy up until then, but when Swenson Choro started to speak it slowly got quiet. Shingo san started to cry and his wife was confused and tried to hold her tears back. It was dead silent by that point. Swenson Choro was going off in English and they were half understanding what he was saying. Some of them don't even speak English, but were doing their best to understand. Shingo san then cut in and said, "Up until now it has been hard for me to believe in God. I still don't know if I can. But hearing the way you talk about families and how important they are makes me want to believe. I want to learn more." One of the husbands (Takuya san) then didn't understand what was going on. This family was feeling the spirit so strong and we all knew it. Takuya san then said, "OKAY! We have to leave or we will be home late." The lesson ended, but Shingo san said that he wants us to come over to his house this week and teach his family. 

It was one of the greatest lessons of my mission. I am so grateful for the spirit and for the guidance it gave us right when we needed it. We will now be going over for Sunday night Dinner at Nagano san's house every week. 

I love you all so very much. Be excellent to each other! 

-Mecham Choro.