Sunday, October 5, 2008

October 5, 2008

Dear Family & Friends,

Well, we survived Transfer Week again!! Things went smoothly—partly because we only had 6 missionaries leaving and 6 arriving, so we can get everything done much faster. We get three great breakfasts: Tuesday was pancakes and scrambled eggs, Wednesday was Breakfast Casserole and cinnamon rolls, and Thursday was French Toast. Then we also get lunch on Thursday, which was Lasagne. This is one week where we all gain weight!!! even though you would think we would burn it right off with how busy we are.

We had such a fun adventure on Saturday—we became kids again! Because the last of the Hill children, Andrea, and her husband and family came on Friday, the Hills took them and all us office missionaries to a great park called Showa Kinen. It is huge!!! We had to rent bikes to get around the park. We would ride to different places, park the bike, enjoy whatever activity was nearby, then get on our bikes and ride further, etc. Now I know you are all shocked—when was the last time you saw Mom/Pat/Trish on a bike?! But I did it (we even have photos to prove it).

The activities we participated in were: miniature golf (Japanese version is a series of putting greens without any silly stuff), a huge hammock play area (a series of nets strung out for the kids to play on), a humongous bouncing dome (air trampolines), several climbing hills that look like Central American Incan temples, a dragon area of different sizes of dragons with colorful mosaic tiles on them, and a couple of roller slides (like what you see at the post office or airports only these are for people and not packages).

There were gardens we didn’t get to see, an observation tower, and a museum in honor of the Emperor Showa whom the park is named after. We plan to return for another fun outing to see these other things.

Jim has finally had success in doing some money transfers—he has been waiting for the fix to occur in SLC at the main computer center there, and it has finally happened!! Yeah!!!!!!

Our thought for the day: President Abraham Lincoln was once criticized for his attitude toward his enemies. “Why do you try to make friends of them?” asked an associate. “You should try to destroy them.” “Am I not destroying my enemies,” Lincoln gently replied, “when I make them my friends?” We are trying to make many friends here in Tokyo, Japan. And we are so grateful for all of you dear family and friends.

Love, Jim & Pat

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