Called to Serve

They sing like Bartholomew's

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Happy Birthday! Unfortunately, the quality on these videos is worse than the last ones. We'd redo them, but we don't have any batteries to power the camera any longer. It's the thought that counts, right? Love, Ryan.

I look really weird! Sorry. I love you guys so much! I hope you are having a good time in Japan. Happy birthday. Love, ashley
P.S. I am glad that you are feeling better, Grandpa!

The Twins Pre-school Christmas Program

Here's a few videos from the twins Christmas program this afternoon. They were taken on our old digital camera, so please forgive the quality. Enjoy!

Winter in Sendai

The elder on the right is our new office assistant. The elder on the left is finishing his mission in a week and will be heading home to Victor, ID. We are really enjoying Elder Edwards in the office. He's a very diligent missionary. Our office elders are wonderful.

This is a sight that is very common in Sendai. This is a persimmon tree. There are trees that have now lost all their leaves, but they still have the fruit on them. It is a popular fruit here and they use it in lots of things. It is not something we've acquired a taste for yet. There is always hope, but not much.

Dad wanted to show you how he dresses for bed. He wears his stocking hat, fleece pajamas plus a long-sleeved t-shirt, and sox. Just to make sure he's warm enough, we have a double flannel blanket, a bedspread, and a down-alternative comforter on the bed. We are saving the electric blanket for when it gets really cold! He's comfy and I can't move much for the weight of all the covers. We do keep warm. Our little kerosene heater in the living room has a timer on it, so we wait for 15 minutes after it comes on to get out of bed in the morning. We run to the living room and warm up for awhile before we shower, dress, and get ready for our day. It's quite a sight. I'm glad no one is around to video us.

This is your dad before he started eating his vegetables! He looks some better now, as you can see from the pajama picture. He was almost skin and bones until he gained some weight. He has had a hard time for the last few days. He's felt like he's trying to pass a kidney stone and has been in a lot of pain. It may just be a kidney infecton. He's promised to go to the doctor tomorrow. We have to take someone with us who speaks Japanese. If we aren't careful he's going to look like this (the above picture) again.

Seriously, we are doing well--except for the kidney problem, and we are loving our missionary service. We think of all of you and hope your holiday season is filled with love and service for others. We know that is what the Savior would have us do to celebrate His birth. We will try to do the same. Keep warm and safe. So far our coldest weather is in the 40s during the day and down to 29 at night. Usually, however, it's in the upper 40s and 50s during the day and in the high 30s to low 40s at night. We really can't complain. (Dad says I'm being pretty generous with my temps.)

Take good care of each other and spend time together during the holidays making memories that will last you a lifetime. Also, it wouldn't hurt if you posted on the blog. We might start a tradition for the New Year!!!

The Joy of the Journey (Ours in Sendai, Japan)

These machines are everywhere in Sendai. These three machines are just down the street from the Honbu (mission home). The kids (and the elders) frequent these a lot. They are just drink machines, but they have sports drinks, juices, as well as soda pop and hot chocolate. They are kind of expensive, but they are certainly popular!

This bush is in the planter in front of the mission home. It was so pretty the other day with the sun shining on it. It almost looked like it was on fire. Dad ran home to get his camera so we could have a picture of it. We continue to be surprised as fall leaves don't turn all at the same time. It is a gradual process and is still going on in spite of the fact that we woke up to snow on Wednesday morning. The snow was gone mid-morning, but it had covered the cars. Dad had planned to take pictures of it, but it was gone before we could.

The children here walk a long way to school. We were out for a morning walk last week and saw these cute little girls holding hands and walking to school. Their school is about three blocks beyond that tall building you see in the distance. They had already walked several blocks before Dad took this picture.

(I posted the pictures after I wrote the following, but this blog has a mind of it's own. So, even though it is NOT posted as it was written, hope it's okay.)

It seems like a couple of days ago that Dad told me it was my turn to do the blog. I talked him out of that foolishness and let him do it. When he told someone that this was our weekly letter to our family, it made me feel guilty that I make him write all the letters. So, this week you'll get a letter from me and perhaps a few pictures if I find some I want to send.

Have we told you before how much we love being missionaries? Well, we do love it very much. As you men all know from having done it, it is such a blessing and trust to represent our Savior as we go out and share His gospel with His children. We feel it a great privilege. We are also amazed at the love we have developed for His children here in Japan. As we meet people in Eikaiwa, on the street, in stores, etc., we feel a love for them and realize how much Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love them.

The Japanese people are very kind. I've said that before but I'd like to share an example that happened to us this week. Dad had been taking his shoes off without untying them (None of you grandchildren have ever done that, have you?) and the other day when he did it, his shoe came loose from the heel. We were at the mall trying to find the shoe repair store (one of our office elders had looked in the phone book and told us there was one there) and were having no luck. So, I walked up to a salesperson in a shoe store, took out Dad's broken shoe and showed it to her. She excused herself for a moment and then came back and led us to the other end of the mall, into a little area behind the grocery store, to a shoe repair place. She then stood there with us while two other people were being helped. She explained to the man what we needed and then left. I was amazed at how kind she was. The man repaired Dad's shoe while we waited and then when I tried to ask how much we owed him, he crossed his hands and shook his head. He charged us NOTHING! How cool is that?!

Yesterday was a busy one. A lady by the name of Miho Suzuki has been coming to our home on Saturday mornings for several months to have me help her with English. (She doesn't like being in large groups so doesn't come to our Eikaiwa classes. She was meeting with Sister Karlinsey, so I just took over when she left.) Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, Miho told me her birthday was the 23rd of November. I invited her to come a little later this past Saturday (22nd) and told her we'd have lunch with Dad, too. So, I made her a little pound cake, lemon chicken, and a card. She seemed to really enjoy herself. Dad helped her with her English lesson while I got lunch on the table. Then last night at 5:30 we had the Matsune couple come again. They are the ones whose picture is in our earlier blog. Elder Porter and Elder Edwards came and had dinner with us and then we had a discussion on faith in Jesus Christ. It went quite well. I do hope they felt the spirit. Elder Edwards asked Matsune san to say the closing prayer. He is Buddhist and hadn't really prayed, so they gave him a little pamphlet that shows how to pray. When he finished (he prayed in Japanese, of course) and then left, Elder Edwards said it was the best 1st prayer he had heard on his mission. Matsune san told Heavenly Father that he had learned some new things and needed to study more. All in all, it was a great day.

Today was the Children's Sacrament Meeting program. They had different children come stand in the audience by the primary chorister (who was seated on a bench) and lead the songs. Other primary children took turns playing the songs. I was amazed. Some of really small children were funny to watch. When they were supposed to signal to the children to stand, they'd kind of nod their heads or partly raise their hands. It was so cute. I'm always impressed with how musical the Japanese people are. Most of the choristers in the wards in our stake are young high school students. The choir director is also a high school student.

We love you all and pray for you many times daily. Our poor Japanese prayers on the meal always include "kazoku" (family) in our "thanks" and our "please bless." We KNOW He is mindful of you and is pouring out tender mercies on you. He is also blessing us so very much! The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the "Only Way" and will bring us happiness as we live the teachings of the Savior and keep His commandments. We will also be blessed as we find people with whom we can share the gospel. Please try to give referrals to the missionaries. It is, by far, the most effective way of bringing souls unto Christ. Have a great week and know that we love you, are thinking of you and praying for you, but would rather be here than anywhere else right now. It is where the Lord and our Heavenly Father want us to be.

Love,

Mom and Dad

Fall Break Photos II

Here are the rest of the photos. We stopped by Grandma and Grandpa's house and took a few pictures. I have fond memories of this place. I even had to look off the bridge at the canal where I threw so many rocks as a kid. That was one of my all-time favorite things to do at Grandma and Grandpa's.

Fall Break Photos

Here is the first set of pictures that I'll post from our trip to visit Evan, Stacey and family over Fall Break in mid October. We had a great time! Unfortunately I didn't think to take pictures on our trip down the Henry's Fork of the Snake River in the canoes (or at Evan and Stacey's for that matter). All of these pictures were taken on Sunday after we left church and as we were starting for home. I could only post 5 pictures in this post, so I'll make another post and add a few more. Sorry to be slow posting them. These were taken from my Blackberry, so they're not much, but they're at least a little bit of a memory.

As you can see, Hailey Bartholomew went with us on the trip. As you can probably tell, we took pictures at the Rexburg Temple and at the Sutton Cemetery.