Good Morning!
I hope you are all fine and that you are enjoying the nice hot, DRY weather. We are eternally damp.
It has been so great having Lindsay, Cydne, Brayden and Kirsten here along with Katheryn and Whitney. We have been busy!
Last night we went to Gifu and participated in the Cormorant fishing. It's where they take the birds (Cormorants) and put a ring around their neck and tie a harness with a rope. They have a big ball of fire hanging from the boat and the birds are on ropes that one man holds. The men beat on the boats which stir the fish up and makes it possible for the birds to catch them. The ring makes it so they can't swallow the fish. The man pulls them up to the boat by the harness and opens their month and dumps out the fish. I thought it sounded unkind but seeing it makes you understand that they take really good care of the birds. In the research Scott did, it said that Cormorants in the wild live about 4 to 5 years, but the ones that are used for Cormorant fishing live around 30 years or more because they are so well cared for. It was fun! I'm glad we had on mosquito repellant!
Right above the fishing was Gifu Castle, which is beautiful. You have to ride a cable car to get to it because there are no roads. Pretty Japan!
We had our first scary thing happen to us in Japan. It is such a safe place the Elders and Sisters can even leave their bikes about anywhere with their helmets and they are still there when they come back. I will miss that safe feel when we go home. I will also miss the cleanliness. I haven't been in a gross parking lot, street, park or bathroom. It's amazing. Anyway, we were on the freeway to the airport to pick up the Binghams, a couple coming here to serve. We were on the Expressway (it's like our freeway but it's 2 lanes) traveling along when a black car with dark tinted windows got in front of us. They started to straddle the middle line, making it impossible to pass them because they would weave in front of the car trying to pass. Then one of them hung out the window. We couldn't figure out what they were doing. They got right in front of us and then slammed on their brakes. Thank goodness Scott was alert he stopped without hitting them, the person in back of us almost hit us but swerved into the other lane. They kept doing it. Elder Eyring was with us and told us that Elder Heaton had had something similar happen to him one night, but that there had been a second car at his side that had turned off their lights hoping that he would swerve into them. It was the Yakuza (Japanese Mafia) and they do that tactic to collect insurance money. If you hit them from the back it's your fault no matter what. Scott finally got behind a bus that had come up to our side to get us out of their sight. I could see ahead and they were continuing to do it to others. The Expressway split and they went the other way to our relief. I felt pretty intimidated by it all. Helpless. I could see Scott trying to control the Scotch-Irish in him. He did things just right. We see cars like that (Yakuza) on the roads always, but we've never had any trouble, needless to say I hope that is never repeated. We keep our distance from them more now. Once again, thanks for your prayers!
Our sweet new friends, Megumi and Ryoko are so great. Ryoko called the missionaries and wanted to meet with them earlier than their appointment because she had questions. They've been diligent in reading the Book of Mormon, isn't that great?! It's been so amazing to see it all unfold to them. We love them. We went to the Nagoya Castle with them and the missionaries. Ryoko's two friends came too. It was so fun to meet them. They were beautiful girls.
We went back to the Castle festival the next night where the girls put their feet in with the 'Doctor Fish'. Wow...needless to say, you could hear Whitney squeal all over the Castle grounds, remember this is a pretty reserved, quiet people! The fish eat at your feet, that's right, it's like a pedicure. I'm so glad I was not put on this earth as one of those fish, doctor degree or not!
I can't believe all the incredible adventures we are having here. The places are wonderful but the stand out adventures are seeing my 19 year old daughter want to go back and give the "Doctor Fish" gentleman a pass-a-long card because she thought he was such a nice man and he'd want to hear the gospel. To have her tell him that this was something so dear to her, something that made her life so happy that she wanted him to have an open mind and learn about it. To have her and Kirsten find a cute little mother with 2 little children on the subway, then get to know her well enough to get her name and number and ask if the missionaries could contact them. It's seeing Elder Eyring talk to literally everyone and share the gospel with them. He has absolutely no reservations. To see these people with whom I associate, be so dedicated and concerned about their fellow men that they want to bring His truth.... to them. I can't believe I get to do this.
We love you all. We still wish you could all be here to see and experience this. I have come to understand that we can do this very thing at home....open our mouths, love someone back into the gospel.
Ja mata ne!
Sister Baird, Bonnie or Mom
Cultural Tip of the Week:
You can't find a drinking fountain anywhere (except in the church and they have a community cup)! You have to bring your own water or buy it.
P.S. To the Heaton's: It was soooooooo great to have you here. To see President Heaton and four sons sharing this adventure together, everyone of them speaking Japanese, AMAZING! It was impressive just to see you together. Thank you (Valerie too!) for the delicious treats and beautiful pictures! Come back soon.
I hope you are all fine and that you are enjoying the nice hot, DRY weather. We are eternally damp.
It has been so great having Lindsay, Cydne, Brayden and Kirsten here along with Katheryn and Whitney. We have been busy!
Last night we went to Gifu and participated in the Cormorant fishing. It's where they take the birds (Cormorants) and put a ring around their neck and tie a harness with a rope. They have a big ball of fire hanging from the boat and the birds are on ropes that one man holds. The men beat on the boats which stir the fish up and makes it possible for the birds to catch them. The ring makes it so they can't swallow the fish. The man pulls them up to the boat by the harness and opens their month and dumps out the fish. I thought it sounded unkind but seeing it makes you understand that they take really good care of the birds. In the research Scott did, it said that Cormorants in the wild live about 4 to 5 years, but the ones that are used for Cormorant fishing live around 30 years or more because they are so well cared for. It was fun! I'm glad we had on mosquito repellant!
Right above the fishing was Gifu Castle, which is beautiful. You have to ride a cable car to get to it because there are no roads. Pretty Japan!
We had our first scary thing happen to us in Japan. It is such a safe place the Elders and Sisters can even leave their bikes about anywhere with their helmets and they are still there when they come back. I will miss that safe feel when we go home. I will also miss the cleanliness. I haven't been in a gross parking lot, street, park or bathroom. It's amazing. Anyway, we were on the freeway to the airport to pick up the Binghams, a couple coming here to serve. We were on the Expressway (it's like our freeway but it's 2 lanes) traveling along when a black car with dark tinted windows got in front of us. They started to straddle the middle line, making it impossible to pass them because they would weave in front of the car trying to pass. Then one of them hung out the window. We couldn't figure out what they were doing. They got right in front of us and then slammed on their brakes. Thank goodness Scott was alert he stopped without hitting them, the person in back of us almost hit us but swerved into the other lane. They kept doing it. Elder Eyring was with us and told us that Elder Heaton had had something similar happen to him one night, but that there had been a second car at his side that had turned off their lights hoping that he would swerve into them. It was the Yakuza (Japanese Mafia) and they do that tactic to collect insurance money. If you hit them from the back it's your fault no matter what. Scott finally got behind a bus that had come up to our side to get us out of their sight. I could see ahead and they were continuing to do it to others. The Expressway split and they went the other way to our relief. I felt pretty intimidated by it all. Helpless. I could see Scott trying to control the Scotch-Irish in him. He did things just right. We see cars like that (Yakuza) on the roads always, but we've never had any trouble, needless to say I hope that is never repeated. We keep our distance from them more now. Once again, thanks for your prayers!
Our sweet new friends, Megumi and Ryoko are so great. Ryoko called the missionaries and wanted to meet with them earlier than their appointment because she had questions. They've been diligent in reading the Book of Mormon, isn't that great?! It's been so amazing to see it all unfold to them. We love them. We went to the Nagoya Castle with them and the missionaries. Ryoko's two friends came too. It was so fun to meet them. They were beautiful girls.
We went back to the Castle festival the next night where the girls put their feet in with the 'Doctor Fish'. Wow...needless to say, you could hear Whitney squeal all over the Castle grounds, remember this is a pretty reserved, quiet people! The fish eat at your feet, that's right, it's like a pedicure. I'm so glad I was not put on this earth as one of those fish, doctor degree or not!
I can't believe all the incredible adventures we are having here. The places are wonderful but the stand out adventures are seeing my 19 year old daughter want to go back and give the "Doctor Fish" gentleman a pass-a-long card because she thought he was such a nice man and he'd want to hear the gospel. To have her tell him that this was something so dear to her, something that made her life so happy that she wanted him to have an open mind and learn about it. To have her and Kirsten find a cute little mother with 2 little children on the subway, then get to know her well enough to get her name and number and ask if the missionaries could contact them. It's seeing Elder Eyring talk to literally everyone and share the gospel with them. He has absolutely no reservations. To see these people with whom I associate, be so dedicated and concerned about their fellow men that they want to bring His truth.... to them. I can't believe I get to do this.
We love you all. We still wish you could all be here to see and experience this. I have come to understand that we can do this very thing at home....open our mouths, love someone back into the gospel.
Ja mata ne!
Sister Baird, Bonnie or Mom
Cultural Tip of the Week:
You can't find a drinking fountain anywhere (except in the church and they have a community cup)! You have to bring your own water or buy it.
P.S. To the Heaton's: It was soooooooo great to have you here. To see President Heaton and four sons sharing this adventure together, everyone of them speaking Japanese, AMAZING! It was impressive just to see you together. Thank you (Valerie too!) for the delicious treats and beautiful pictures! Come back soon.
7:16 AM |
Category: |
0
comments
Comments (0)