Sayonara Japan

Dear wonderful Everyone,

They say the older you get the faster time flies.  We also say the 'less time left on our mission the fastest time flies even faster".  (Don't ask me what that means because I don't know.)  We've had to move out of our apartment and we're leaving for home Thursday.  Everyone has been so much more than kind.  We've had special notes and sweet little presents and sweet big presents and lots of hugs and love from the kind people in the office, the Area Presidency, in the ward and everywhere else.  Just to clarify, since we're still missionaries, the hugs for me were from the 'sisters' and the hugs for Elder Chandler were from some of the good brothers.

I guess I'll have to add some of the photos and things after we get home as there just isn't time now as we busily try to train our replacements, pack, and head on home.

We'll see those of you in Utah soon!

Goodbye Tokyo - Hello Home

Yes, we've been home for a few days and didn't write before we left.  Actually, we got a bit sick and we got busy training our replacements, Elder and Sister Maetani, but we were lucky to get well enough and everything done enough to go home.  Fortunately, we're well and happy at home now but we miss Tokyo, our friends, fellow office workers, Church members, missionaries and all the great people, sights, and sounds of Japan.  It's been a great eighteen months and it went by in a flash.  We loved serving a mission and we're planning to go again on another mission to who-knows-where in a year or maybe two.  Everyone should go on a mission; it's a wonderful experience where you forget yourself and love to serve the Lord.  The blessings are great and the joy and happiness you feel is worth all the sacrifice and work.

Here's a few of the photos of some of our friends and co-workers as we left and some of our family as we came home:

And of course, we will dearly miss our wonderful Area Presidency and their wonderful amazing wives.

Unfortunately, we didn't get photos of everyone who bid us good-bye and many of our dear family who kindly welcomed us back, but we hope they all know how much we love them, and those we left how much we miss them, and for those who are here how glad we are to see you.

We love Japan and the dear people in Japan and WE HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN!

SAYONARA EVERYONE!

Weird foods in Japan

Since we haven't done anything much this week except go out to eat and walk and shop for food, I thought I would show some of the food that are or have been offered in Japan. I'll admit that we haven't seen many of these "delicious foods" that follow but, believe me, we have seen plenty of different foods.  Elder Chandler is much more adventurous than I am and he has enjoyed many more "delicious" foods than I have.

Aren't these cute watermelons?  Unfortunately, we've never seen them but even if we did, we couldn't afford them as I understand that they are equivalent to about 100 dollars each.  (They grow them in boxes.) Even regular watermelons are very expensive, too.

Frito flavored Mountain Dew

Dried lizards for soup

Kentucky fried chicken flavored potato chips

Basil seed soft drink

Charcoal Ice Cream

 Eel soda

Curry lemonade

Frosting dipped Cheetos

Horsemeat, Octupus, and Chicken Ice Cream

Meat Pringle Chips

Natto- (rotten beans)  Many people eat this every morning for breakfast because they think it is really good for you.  Many of the senior missionaries do, too.

I'm sure you heard about the black squid juice hamburger buns, black cheese, etc. that was offered here at Halloween.

Candied Squid

Herb Shiso Pepsi, White Yogurt Pepsi, Cucumber Pepsi

Salmon Doritos

Soybean, blueberry, cheesecake, and baked potato Kit Kats.

Black pepper added to fruit gum

Rose menthol gum that is supposed to make people's sweat smell like roses.  (Not a bad idea when people are crammed in on the trains.) Fortunately for us, we've never been on a train as stuffed as these below, but the secretaries in the office do every day.
rush hour cramming on the train in Japan

more cramming

These are just cream filled cookie kind of things but the name isn't the best.

Salty brine Oreos

Okonomiyaki- what we had had bits of octopus in it.

Scallops and mayo flavored chips

Black Black Gum (Spicy Caffeine Gum) which looks a little like the Black Jack gum that we had as kids but it isn't harmless like that gum was.  The ingredients in this gum are caffeine, oolong tea extract, sugar, erythritol,gingko, chysanthemum flower extract, cacao, gardenia, niacinamide and gelatin.

And last but not least Wasp Crackers.  (That's one way to get rid of those pesky insects!)

Did you know that even senior missionaries and the young missionaries here in Japan have emergency kit back packs with water and some food, emergency blanket, flashlight, etc, etc in case of disasters, earthquakes, etc. It gives us some peace of mind to know that we are somewhat prepared. For even more peace of mind, it is even better to have food stored for a year, and to use and rotate that food. For good ideas on storing food, here's a quick link below with some good thoughts.

Food Storage

HAPPY NEW YEAR, everyone!