Week 34 - Kanagawa Japan

Whew! I feel like it`s been way longer than just one week, since I last wrote, but oh how time is funny!

Things have been good here, the weather has been absolutely crazy! It started off relatively hot, walking/ riding around all day, you`re just dripping in sweat, and then it rained and it rained and it rained, and you come back all wet (don`t worry I have a cuppa that keeps me relatively dry for a couple of hours :) I meant to bring my camera cord to show you a lovely picture of me in my happy rain get-up, but sorry, I forgot it! next week!). The rain finally stopped, but I can`t figure out which I prefer best: winter, coming home frozen, summer, dripping in sweat, or rainy season, completely soaked! Haha, it`s fun to have things mixed up a bit though!

I have my first sunburn of the season though, don`t worry, it doesn't really hurt, but for a while I was quite the little red tomato! Haha, luckily it will quickly turn to a tan, and from here on out I shouldn't burn really at all! In Japan though, really different from America, they don`t like tan skin at all. In fact they avoid it at all costs basically. Even to the extent that they wear long sleeve shirts, or arm length gloves, giant hats and use pretty sun-protecting umbrellas. Amazing how different cultures can be! Probably a lot healthier though, not so many people getting skin cancer.

I need you to teach me a few Spanish phrases! We have an investigator who is from Peru, and she can speak Japanese and English, but her parents can`t speak either- well the dad speaks a little Japanese, but they came to church and didn't understand very much at all, we're looking to find a translator to teach them, but can you help me- I know "ola, como estas, moi bien" yeah about that much. Just simple things, obviously I won't be able to teach them full lessons, but at least help them feel a little more comfortable in Japan. Thanks!

Oh and this is interesting, I'm learning Shyuwa right now- Japanese sign language! Yeah crazy huh, I'm still trying to get Japanese down! But we have a few deaf people in our ward, including 2 ward missionaries (a couple) so all the missionaries who work in the Kanagawa ward get to learn sign language to communicate with them and others. It's fun and pretty simple- a lot more than spoken Japanese!

Anyway so that is basically my life right now! Transfers would be this week, but their pushing them back until next week, however I'm pretty sure Saiki Shimai and I will stay, we whitewashed (neither of us have been in this area before) so for them to move us is highly unlikely. Also that's when the rest of the Tokyo Missionaries will be coming back! YAY! We'll also be getting the first American sisters to come in since Sister Adams, Lynch, and I, so that's excting! It seems like they have it on an every four transfers pattern for American sisters coming to Tokyo. But who knows!

Anyway Love you all lots!!!!

Sister Erin Benne