Letter Home: On stickers and pet onions

Dear Mom,

Thank you for sending the [Halloween] stickers. Kids in Japan love stickers. Whenever there were kids, Sister T. would hand out stickers. I was planning on buying some next month at the dollar store for the purpose of handing out stickers to kids.

How is the fish? [Fine] How are the caterpillars? [They became butterflies] 

No pets here - besides my companion was growing some onions which was her pet for last transfer. Due to malnutrition (the lack of dirt) it died. Somewhat attached, it wasn't until this morning that Sister S. threw it away.

Letter Home: To her youngest brother

"I stand out here because I am fair skinned, tall, and my hair is puffy and wavy.  This is to my advantage because it is easier to get an opportunity to talk to people."

Useful Quote

LDS Teaching: The Central part of all that we stand for, teach, and live

"The Savior's suffering in Gethsemane and His agony on the cross redeem us from sin by satisfying the demands that justice has upon us. He extends mercy and pardons those who repent. The Atonement also satisfies the debt justice owes to us by healing and compensating us for any suffering we innocently endure."

—D. Todd Christofferson, "Redemption"

He Is Risen

The Savior Suffers in Gethsemane

Letter Home: Differences between Okinawa and Miyazaki

Okinawa	Miyazaki
We are either going up or down hills on our bikes	Flat
Hot temperatures	Cool temperatures
More apartments	More houses
Strong breeze from typhoons	Small breeze
Moist air	Dry air
Diversity in cultures & races (due to military bases?)
Unique words and phrases and intonation	Japanese
Strong sense of Okinawan identity & independence from ‘main land’ Japan	In Miyazaki, Okinawa is seen as exotic and a foreign place
Typhoons are routine	Typhoons are feared

New Area: Miyazaki (宮崎市 Miyazaki-shi)

Miyazaki is the capital city of Miyazaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan.

 

http://www.miyazaki-city.tourism.or.jp/en/index.html

"Located on the coast and crossed by several rivers, Miyazaki City enjoys scenic views of both ocean and nearby, verdant mountains. It is a popular resort destination for Japanese tourists. The city of Miyazaki is 5 cities merged to one. Miyazaki City is known for its excellent surfing conditions year-round." (Wikipedia)

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g298215-Miyazaki_Miyazaki_Prefecture_Kyushu_Okinawa-Vacations.html#22605288

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miyazaki_Prefecture

"Beautiful coastline facing the Pacific Ocean. Miyazaki boasts many shrines involved with the myth of the birth of Japan. Miyazaki faces the Sea of Hyuga in the Pacific Ocean in the east and is surrounded by mountains on the other three sides.  These mountains create a barrier against the winter wind, which, with the effect of the warm Pacific current, keeps the climate of Miyazaki mild."

 http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/regional/miyazaki/

Jesus Declares the Parable of the Lost Sheep

http://4.bp.blogspot.com

"God's light is real. It is available to all! It gives life to all things. It has the power to soften the sting of the deepest wound. It can be a healing balm for the loneliness and sickness of our souls."

—Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "The Hope of God's Light"