week 46: blessings from heaven

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zone conference and a quick visit with Gawrys Shimai!!

こんにちは！

MERRY CHRISTMAS!  I love you all so much! This week was really crazy!
We had a lot of meals with members and built a lot of relationships! We also met with Maria a lot this week! She taught me how to make Philippino food! It was way yummy! We had two Christmas parties that were both an adventure. The first was the American branch and they did a luau and Santa Claus came (he was tan haha!) It was fun! Then next one was more traditional and we put on the nativity. I was an angel. It was so cool! We found a way to work with our branch president which was awesome! I don't have my planner on me, so sorry the summary of the week is shorter, but Merry Christmas!

Funny keiken:  So we were with Maria and just teaching a lesson, and watching as heaven was blessing her life right in front of us (super spiritual and amazing). After the lesson, she wanted to feed us, but she also wanted to teach us how to cook food from her country! So I was cooking this food and, if you know me, I burn toast so easily, so I was sure I'd ruin the food. But Maria helped us and we made and ate yummy food. Next she wanted to go on a walk with us, so we went and had a blast with her. It was funny because well, she's older than my mom and we are besties (not that that is a bad thing). We were with her for hours and hours talking. She is so amazing and talks often about how God has lead us to her.

Spiritual keiken:  So I got to skype my family! If you don't know my family, they are the best people in the world. I miss them so much but getting to talk to them for a short time was a blessing. I got to see them and joke with them. Not going to lie, I was way nervous to skype. It had been so long since I had talked to them, but it was just like old times with some added Japanese and some strange questions (thanks Lady and Jace!). 

New words:
しめる(Shimeru): wet, damp, moist (for those who know my mom, she despises that last word, so naturally, I wanted her to hear it in Japanese!)
きゅうじつ(kyuujitsu): day off, holiday

I love you all and can't believe how fast Christmas came. I'm so thankful to be here in Japan and I love every minute.  I miss you all! I know the church is true and that God loves each of us!

Love

Thompson 姉妹

Bits and pieces from family emails:
For Christmas eve, we went Christmas caroling with the bishop, his family, and a few other families in the ward.
For Christmas day, we all met up as missionaries and had a big party and games at the church. Then we were heading to a member's house for dinner.
Here on Okinawa, we really speak a combination of Japanese and English...Japanglish!
I tried a pigs ear...and I did NOT like it!
McDonald's here is really nice (it reminds me of JCWs back home) but the fries are just all wrong.
We are now spending 2 hours a day proselyting online...it's actually pretty cool and we're excited to see the work move forward. I've been able to use some of that time to reconnect with new members in other areas and check in with them. It's a great tool!
I will be trying out my bike for the first time since I broke my elbow tomorrow!!


This is Sister Anderson from one of the military branches.
She is related to a family in my home ward and it was 
so wonderful to meet someone with a connection to home!




Ward Christmas party!


 acting out the nativity...we're so realistic!
just look at that lovely angel! haha!







the Japanese ward knows how to make a dessert aka special Christmas Cake



watching the kids visit with Santa was a highlight of the night!








I got to tell Santa what I wanted for Christmas too!


















Minami Chan and Maria






video chatting with my family for Christmas!
The happiest thing ever!!!



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