Sayonara, Albrechts

I guess you could say that the past couple of weeks have been full of HIGHS and LOWS.  On Thursday, June 21, we held an all-mission "good-bye" conference for the Albrechts.  All 169 missionaries, plus we 10 senior missionaries, were in attendance.  We had a very spiritual morning with wonderful talks and instruction by President and Sister Albrecht. 

Then at about 11:30 we broke for lunch.  Elder G had ordered 200 subway sandwiches from the base and had bought individual packets of potato chips and about 18 cases of soda (also on base) for the event. The missionaries all thought they had died and gone to heaven! Then the Albrechts furnished ice cream for sundaes--with all kinds of toppings--and Sister Albrecht's 5-inch chocolate chip cookies as well.   We also played some "How well do you know the Albrechts" games, and some guess-how-many-candies-are-in-the-containers games (winning them if your guess was the closest). At 1:00 a church musical group from here in Japan (Bless Four...google them) gave a free one-hour concert.

They have lived and performed in America and have done so here in Japan as well, performing at Tokyo Disneyland, on TV, etc.  This was followed by a great testimony meeting in which all the missionaries who were returning home on July 17 bore their testimonies as well as the Albrechts.  It was a really, really nice day!  Everyone was thrilled with everything, and from beginning to end it could not have gone more perfectly!  It felt comparable to pulling off a big wedding!  ha!

Next, on Thursday, June 28, we had a "seniors" missionary conference at Fussa (near Yokota AFB where we  spent our first 3 months).  Including President & Sister Albrecht, there were 12 of us in attendance.  

One of the couples (Harrisons, third from the left) had just arrived on Saturday, the 23rd.  Ironically, we were the ones who picked them up at the Narita airport that day.  And on the way home we were visiting, when they asked if we knew a Randy Galbraith (Elder G's brother); we wanted to deny it (ha), but we soon learned that they had spent 3 years together at Upper Heyford in England.  What a coincidence!!!  Sister Harrison also knew one our other sisters-in-law, Marie, who is  married to Bruce!  Randy told us that Brother Harrison had retired from the air force reserves as a brigadier general.  Oh, they also have 12 children!  They're an amazing couple!  After the conference we all went to Chili's on the base, and President Albrecht paid for lunch for all of us.  It, too, was a very, very nice day.  I had to laugh because Sister Albrecht said we'd never know how much she enjoyed talking and socializing with adults!  I guess after constantly working with and listening to hundreds of 19-year-olds,

that some "senior company" can be quite rewarding!

The very next day President Budge and his almost-19-year-old daughter arrived.  She will stay for about three weeks and will then leave for the MTC to prepare for her mission to Sapporo, Japan.  How, you ask, can a 19-year-old female go on a mission?  Well, we learned that sons of mission presidents can go at 18, and daughters can go at 19.  Interesting, isn't it?!

Somewhere between SLC and Seattle, President Budge's 13-year-old son lost his passport!  Consequently, he and his mother had to stay at his brother's home in San Francisco while they waited for a new passport and visa.  I'm sure they did not want to start their mission like this.  

The Budge family has lived in Tokyo for many years...2 year mission (for him), then the family spent 5 years here, went home for a few years, returned for another 10+ years, retired at 49 and went home for 3 more years, and are now back for 3 more.  Obviously, President Budge is very fluent in Japanese.  He had been the owner of a bank here, sold it, and then retired before he was 50 years old.  However, the Church currently has other plans for him!  His family plans to attend an English-speaking ward; we're assuming it's because they want their son to have some American friends, etc.  And it's also

the same ward they attended here for over 10 years.

And then, "all of a sudden," it seemed, the Albrecht's last day had arrived.  Saturday, June 30, was a very sad day as they finally left for Orem, Utah, that morning.

We took one parting shot of President and Sister Albrecht, us, the two office Elders, the three Assistants, the two Sister missionaries, and the Kodama couple from the ward before they boarded the van. 

 I know we'll come to love the new leadership, but it just won't be the same.  President and Sister Albrecht were close to our ages for one thing.  But, most importantly, they were both excellent examples to us of how to live your religion--not just by church attendance and keeping the visible commandments, but also by truly loving everyone, desiring to serve them and to introduce them to a happier way of living, and choosing peace over contention, just to name a few of the many attributes they lived and taught us. 

Although they, too, were sad to be leaving many wonderful friends and experiences behind, they did have much to look forward to.  One thing they were excited about was meeting SEVEN new grandchildren born while they've been over here!  Sister Albrecht has since emailed me that they slept most of the way on their 11-hour flight back to America.  Without a doubt, I', convinced that this was the best sleep

they've had in three years!

Sayonara, Albrecht fufu!

Forever in Debt

In the scriptures we read how we are always in debt to the Lord.  He blesses us, so we repay Him with our gratitude and/or our obedience; but then because we did that, we receive further blessings and are still found "wanting," yet again a "debtor."  Well, I'm experiencing somewhat the same phenomenon here in Japan.

For example, the first experience was when our neighbor brought us some awesome pastries! They were literally to die for.  Well, within a week I thanked her by giving her some American sweets.  But then she soon gave us more goodies, so I then reciprocated.  So she then did likewise!  And then I did so again, followed by her repeating the cycle!  I think she's "one up" on me at this point.

My exercise friend, Junko (pronounced June-ko), has given me at least three t-shirts; and each time I've tried to repay her with American candies or baked goods.  Even when I think I've caught up with her, out of the blue she brings me homemade apple jelly or some Japanese rice crackers or some little trinket.  I totally can't catch up to her!  (Not the best picture, but better than nothing.)

The last "spiraling-out-of-control debt experience" involves the ladies at the park with whom I exercise every morning.  First of all, I believe they got wind of my "lack of wardrobe change." (Who brings more than one exercise shirt when you are allowed only two suitcases for 18 months, right?) when they witnessed my good friend, Junko, giving me some changes of attire.  So, one morning the exercise leader brought me a very nice t-shirt with a matching overblouse to go with it!  I was totally shocked by her gesture!  So in an effort to say thank you to her, the next day I brought her homemade banana bread and brownies.  But then the very next day, four ladies came with a bag of "hand-me-downs" and proceeded to shower me with five more shirts, both for summer and winter.  I then reciprocated the next day by bringing everyone a mint pattie.

All was well.  We're even, or so I felt.  

Well, just last Sunday President and Sister Albrecht were given a bushel of potatoes (right out of the muddy ground) as a farewell gift from one of the members.  Of course, since they left Saturday, they could not use the potatoes, so they passed them off to me to distribute.  I knew I could never use that many, but I did know many ladies at the park who could.  Hence, I went to the park early the next morning (only after washing all the potatoes and plugging my sink!) and hid the box of potatoes in the bushes.  After we were finished exercising, I told them "Chotto matte kudasai!" (Wait a minute, please!).  I then retrieved the hidden bushel of potatoes and about 20 plastic bags and told everyone to dig in.  I naively thought nothing much of it as everyone only got 6 or 8 potatoes each.  To me it was not much of a "gift" at all.

Holy Moly!  The next morning after exercising, a number of them encircled me and showered me with gifts!  I received the following:  a small "back pack/purse that will be perfect for our sightseeing trips, a fanny pack that will be great for my Saturday long walks, a cosmetic bag, a cloth bag, two wash cloths, rice crackers, and a marvelous assortment of origami--two origami boxes with a dozen origami spinning tops and 5 origami decorations (all of which were made with the grandchildren in mind)!  I was so overwhelmed!  I was embarrassed that they had done so much for so little, but I guess I asked for it.  Most of those items are in the picture below as well as all the shirts previously contributed to the "shirt-poor gaijin."

The next morning I brought a big typed Thank You sign in Japanese.  (I think I'll forego gifts from here on out!)  I had the Elders at the office help me with words I did not know.  The trouble was that most of the ladies don't read "Romanji," which is Japanese characters spelled out with our Roman alphabet.  Junko tried to read it to them, but they were so chatty that I believe they didn't understand it all.  Anyway, she took the sign home and planned to translate it back into their very difficult kanji and read it to them the next day.

Anyway, the circle goes round and round.  They give, you thank them in return, and so they give in response to your thanks!  Never-ending circle!  But I guess that's better than a vicious circle, right?

PS  Since posting this post (ha!) I have an update:

Junko just gave me another shirt this morning (a new Izod still in its package) in response to the 40-lb watermelon we gave her on Saturday.  The shirt was another gift to her that was too big, thank goodness.  As for the HUGE watermelon,  an older guy who comes to English class (and to English gospel doctrine, yet he is not a member) gave these HUGE watermelons to us, the Elders, the President, and three to the Ward in general!  Since everyone here had them, I couldn't very well share with any of those people.  Also, Junko has six people living in her house, so I figured she would be the best recipient.  

I emailed her Saturday and told her to call the office.  When she did, a Japanese Elder told her to come to the office with a car.  She showed up on her bike as no one with a car was home.  We hefted the HUGE watermelon (bigger than a basketball) in its box and tied it to her back fender.  She looked pretty wobbly as she, a tiny 90-pounder, took off; but she did say later that she was able to ride all the way home as opposed to having to walk her bike.  This morning we joked about her having watermelon

for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  

We estimate the cost of each watermelon to be around $40.  And the donor of all six of these is just a taxi driver!  So far, we are noticing that the Japanese don't count pennies when they give gifts to people.  Like, the first pastries given us by our widowed neighbor, a Church member, must have cost her at least $20.  Maybe because most of them don't have car expenses like we all do, they are more apt to be generous when it comes to gifts.  Who knows?  Amazingly, generous people, the Japanese!