Konnichi wa

Yesterday we went to K.C.s good friend Naoya (Blair) mission farewell. We left during our Sunday school time and met Candice at the Granite Ward church house. (Very cool old church) There was a basket with translator ear phones there by the doors to the chapel. We got to see a some of K.C.'s friends that we hadn't seen since K.C's farewell. Also Jeff's parents were there and in talking to his mom I found out that Jeff had flown to Manila...right into a typhoon. They have had some pretty bad storms there lately. She said the mission president emailed the next day saying everyone was safe. He will be doing a service mission for a while now till they get all the flooding mess cleaned up. She said the typhoon season goes into November though so he will have a challenging start to his mission. Jeffs's mom said she was so worried about him, but then the thought came to her that Jeff is in God's hands now and no amount of her worry would help him, but God will help him...is there anyone who would take better care of him than our Heavenly Father? Her faith strengthened mine.

The old mission president of the Tokyo MTC spoke first. He said somethings that baffled me. He said that 4 sister missionaries had come in to see him. They were having a real hard time and he found out after talking to them that they believed all of the teachings of our church but did not have a testimony of Joseph Smith being a true prophet. I thought..."why would anyone serve a mission for our church if they did not believe in Joseph Smith and the first vision?"

He told them to fast and pray and read the pearl of great price about the first vision. They did this and all of them received a confirmation that it was true. After that they were able to have much success on their missions. He left a great message that was the missionaries have to teach with the spirit or they will get nowhere. I love how they just say everything plain and straight forward.

Hatsumi talked next...( I don't know how they worked that out) She spoke in Japanese though so I was glad we had the translator things. I think we missed about half of what she said though because she was saying lots of words but the translator guy had these real long pauses between what he would say. Anyway, what we heard was really good. She is a special person with a huge heart. She has taken this group of kids and been like a second mother and friend to all of them. At first I thought it was kind of weird that K.C. wanted to be over there all the time...even when Blair wasn't there. But when I got to know her, I could see why they love her. She is very humble and sweet and funny when she talks. . She would always tell K.C. to "have a fun! " She was someone they could all talk to too, and would give them good council and be a good example for them. Her testimony was so sweet and simple..."I have eye's to see...ears to hear, and a heart to love...I have everything...I am so blessed!"

Naoya gave a good talk too. He didn't have much time so he just shared a bunch of thoughts he liked. His sense of humor and some of his mannerisms reminded me of K.C. and hugging his tall skinny frame sure made me miss those hugs from my boy!

Candice came over after and we spent a lovely afternoon visiting and baking. Kelley dug these amazing new potatoes up (some sort of mutant gigantic red potato's...what kind of fertilizer did you use on those?) and we tried out the new pressure cooker with them. I was pretty nervous about using the pressure cooker. I have watched mom do it all my life, but always kept my distance for fear of it blowing up. That hissing sound just makes me nervous. So I read the instruction book, front to back and decided to go for it. ( with some back-up encouragement from Candice and Kelley)

Well Kelley got the potato's all ready and we loaded it up and put in the proper amount of water and put it on the stove. Before long it was whistling and rocking back and forth just like it said it would in the instructions! I turned down the heat and let it cook for the instructed amount of time. Then when the timer went off, I took it off the stove and put it under running water ( as instructed). But when I put it in the sink, I bumped it a little bit and the regulator tipped on it's side and it started screaming and blowing off steam! So then I started screaming and so did Candice. I knew it! I should not have been using a pressure cooker! Kelley comes up from downstairs shaking his head and says to tip the regulator back on straight. So I did and it stopped screaming and so did we. Ok. first try with the pressure cooker was a little bit rocky, but I have a feeling I will grow to love and appreciate this thing. Mashed potato's done in 15 minutes? Awesome!

Last night Kelley and I went to the Young Women in Excellence for our ward. It was such a cute program. Each of the girls talked about something they kept in their purse that related to one of the values and told about an experience she had had that went along with using this value. There are only about five girls in the ward but they are pretty amazing girls. When I think of what some of them have been through with family situations and other problems, I sure do admire them. I can see them each trying to find their own way to fit in and and get through these difficult teenage years and trying to make the best of the situations they are in.

After they all talked, they had all the girls and leaders come up to sing "Walk Tall, You're a Daughter" . Emily asked me if I would come sing with them cause they needed more leaders for their part. I'm afraid I wasn't any help at all. I can never sing that song without bawling. I don't know why...it guess the words just touch too close to home.

They had asked Kelley to give the closing remarks and he did a good job. He was actually pretty emotional too, talking about our experiences at girls camp. He sure is a sweetheart. Sometimes when I watch him when he is doing stuff like that or when he is outside visiting with the neighbors, or sending wake up calls to his girls in the middle of the night, or going to visit someone who is sick or needs a blessing, or comes home from work dead tired, but still acts interested in my day and makes me feel like a queen, or laughing that laugh he has with Chris, or making me frames or what ever I ask him for, or putting his arms around the kids and telling them he loves them, that's when I am filled to overflowing with gratitude and love for this man.