I couldn't let this special time go by without a note home.  Happy Mother's Day to all you amazing, incredible mothers.  You are an inspiration to me.  I look at my children and realize they are far better parents than I ever was.  Thank you for growing up just the way I hoped you would.  

As a mother's day treat I have some hair salon names for you:

                                                         Sin--Miracles Arm Sin          Kolon Factory

We are having a wonderful time here in Japan.  The work continues to move forward.  That is such a missionary term-but it is what literally happens.

I think I told you about our cute 15 year old Kyoko.  She was baptized in March.  She has already introduced her friend to the gospel and he was baptized just a couple of weeks ago.  His mother was a little worried about Mormonism so the missionaries met with her and explained our beliefs.  She was comforted and felt that it would be a good thing for him and for their family if he was baptized.  They invited her to attend General Conference with them.  When it was over she was inspired and moved.  She told them that she thought it was something she'd like to be part of as well.  She is an investigator now as is Kyoko's family.  I don't think I mentioned this but the way Kyoko found the gospel was that she was very interested in learning English.  Years ago her grandmother had met the missionaries and taken English classes from them.  She told Kyoko to find them and see if they still taught English.  They do and in our mission they use the Book of Mormon as a text to teach English.  The grandmother also remembered loving the church hymns.  Kyoko's parents say they listen to the hymns every day now and they all sing them.  Thanks Art for your generous gifts (and your visit) of Mormon Tabernacle Choir CD's to their family as well as to many others. 

Katheryn was just here with her husband Micah and his parents, the Wiederholds. We had a fantastic time!  It was fun to be around family.  To remember all the things I love about Katheryn.  Her soft heart and her funny dry sense of humor.  I was so sad to see her go.  It's always hard those first couple of days after they leave.  The day she left I got a mother's day gift from Whitney.  Some fun things, among them was a notepad she had entitled "Mom----remember when?".    She had written on each page a memory.  I laughed and I cried.  I closed it, touched the cover and said, "I have a family." It was like a new awakening--a painful, heart-wrenching one -when you realize you miss something so much.  Sometimes I forget out of necessity.  It all came flooding over me--how much I missed them and the family dinners, picnics, trips, recitals, last day of school dance festivals, grandparent's day, weekly visits-- they are so far away.  Then immediately a sweet voice whispered a second part of a familiar phrase to my mind, "....here on earth, they are so good to me, I want to share my life them through all eternity.  Families can be together forever......"  It never ceases to amaze me how the Lord steps in and gives comfort when comfort is needed.  It was His Mother's Day present to me.   I am grateful for my family.  A family that even if we are separated temporarily, we will be together again, eternally.  I have felt separation and I am grateful for that knowledge.

I love you all.  From the land of the rising and warming up sun.

Sister Baird, Bonnie, mom or grandma

P.S.  Cultural tip:  I was in a  public restroom the other day and they had a sign posted that read (in English even!) This coming summer, due to power conservation we will be turning down the heated toilet seats to low.  I LOVE Japan!  I don't think anyone really needs heated toilet seats in July and August, especially here in Japan, but it's a treasured custom among the Japanese.