This has been a crazy week! We have toured the mission and met all our missionaries. They are amazing! Today (Sunday) we spoke in a little branch in Ueda. It's a place up by Nagano. It was absolutely beautiful. I don't think there is a place on earth that has more tunnels though the mountains than Japan. I couldn't even begin to count the ones we went through to get there.
The members in the little branch in Ueda were so sweet. Most if not all, are converts. I have been praying (with great hesitation) to have the Lord bless me with the desire to learn Japanese. It's hard. As I met the members from Ueda and Chiba (less than 30) I felt this overwhelming frustration that I could not communicate with them. Their spirits were so large, I wished I could talk to them about all their stories. I had the desire to speak Japanese so I could learn from them. It's funny how the Lord answers your prayers.

After sacrament we all sat in a circle and the Relief Society served a special lunch for the branch. As we sat there the Relief Society President put sushi on chairs in front of us. She had made it special, just for the four of us. (Can you believe that? How sweet. She also gave us an origami box.) Everyone was so excited to have us try it. I thought Whitney was going to cry, I felt like crying too. Trying to look excited, I took my chop sticks, which by the way, I'm getting better at, and popped one in my mouth. To my surprise it was wonderful! They had put crabmeat in it with yummy vegetables and the seaweed was good! Katheryn tried it and liked it too. So we did okay!

These members love the gospel so much. They are wonderful.

Cultural tip for the week:
The Japanese have the most amazing bathrooms! Maybe you have to be here toexperience it. On the side of the toilets they have this little panel (not all have all the buttons but all have at least the warmer) One is the toilet seat warmer. Yes, it's warm like a heating pad! They have bidet buttons, they even have a music note button, that one plays a flushing sounds so you don't feel awkward in public stalls. I saw my first (squatter)toilet today, which is a toilet in the floor, not to interested in that! As we have checked the missionaries apartments I discovered another great idea, they have the sink on top of the toilet tank, it's part of the toilet! The water starts automatically when you flush and then turns off automatically. Wow, they have thought of everything. Most places have a shower room where you shower off then you step in the deep bathtub to soak. I think they have not only the market on tunnels but bathroom features as well, nobody does it better! Enough potty talk. (I couldn't resist that last remark! I hope I haven't been inappropriate, I'm just amazed!)I love you all. We miss you but I think we are going to love it here in Japan with all these amazing missionaries who want so badly to serve the Lord with all their heart, mind, might and heart and the humble Japanese members. Thanks for your emails, letters and support. It makes being away so much easier.

Ja mata ne!

Sister Baird, Bonnie or Mom
P.S.
Pictures:
Ueda branch
Japanese Beetle. It freaked the girls out, it was great!