Haymond Family

Hello everyone!!  I am glad to hear that everyone is doing so well.  I do have some bad news, from now on I won`t be able to look at pictures online…blasted internet is too slow!

From that little hint you can tell that, yep, I got transfered!  I am now in the area of Kagoshima in Taniyama.  It is in the very southern part of Kyushu, and the ocean is about a 20 minute bike ride away.  It is lovely down here.  Even now the temp is in the 70`s or so.  I have also been given the new assignment of Senior companion. The Lord has blessed me greatly!  I am looking forward to giving all of my heart, might, mind, and strength to Him. 

My new comp is in her third transfer, Yashima shimai.  She is so sweet! From Northwest of Tokyo and is 28 years old.  She converted about 9 years ago and has a wonderful testimony of the gospel.  I can already tell we are going to have a blast together!

Taniyama is a branch, but I`m not sure why…they have 40 members or so and a very nice big church.  I spoke this past week in Sacrament meeting and everyone was very sweet afterwards when we chatted.  One member Kikunaga shimai wants to become a missionary so badly (55 years old or so), but her husband isn`t as gung ho…so she attends our district meeting every week and helps us a lot!

Our apartment is dencently sized; I can shower, brush my teeth and cook something all at the same time!  Plus, we have 3 portable heaters…I kind of take that as a bad sign!  Ah…now I have the memories to share about crazy apartments!

Our investigators here are all eternal ones.  What a good challenge!  One is even from Poland, so we teach her in English.  I met her Sunday and can`t help but feel that her baptism is near.  Another is Risa, she is 20 and has had a rough life.  She wants to get baptized, but still hasn`t quite grasped the real reason for it, of a belief in what it is for.  I can`t wait to use the wonderful Christmas season to find some new investigators!

Well,  That is how things are going in this half of the world!  Sorry, Rach, I could`t see the pics of Lucy.  Thanks for letting me know about Halloween, how fun!  Kim, Mel, Lor, Kare; how was Halloween???

Kare good luck!

Mom, and Pap; thank you for all of your updates.  I love hearing about everyone and everything!  A last Christmas request might be…maybe, a surprise might be fun! I am glad you all went to Bretts wedding.  I have realized how important it is for a family to show love.  In Japan they really don`t and I can see the difference in a family when they do.

OK, love you all soooooo much!  Ode, good luck with your new job!  You will be awesome at it!

Love you all lots!

Sister Haymond

Hey everyone,

Sorry I didn’t write last week, we were gone the entire day up to the mountains!  We saw Mt. Aso, a volcano, a gorge, and lots and lots of pretty views!  It felt so good to be in the mountains again!  I took lots of pics, I will maybe send them in a couple of weeks when I have some more time.

First off: Mel and Walt…CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!  Wow, Phoebe Sage, cute!  How big was she? When exactly was she born?  Do you have anymore pictures. Thank you Pap for the one you sent!!  Oh, and Walt, good luck in the Bishopbric!  That is awesome.  You will do a great job.

Rachel and Walt:   Happy Birthday yesterday!  I hope you have lots of fun. Eat lots of cake, and don’t burn the house down with all of the candles!

OK,  these last couple of weeks have been very, very busy!  The stake president was changed last week, so we had Elder Evans visit.  He is amazing!  We were able to participate in the Saturday Evening session where he spoke directly to the YSA.  He gave great advice about praying, making choices, etc.  He was such a powerful, humble speaker.  You could almost cut the spirit with a knife.

We are teaching the “Catholic” lady, she still won’t take the BOM, but we got her to commit to praying.  She is really fascinated with the fact we have a living prophet.  So are next lesson will get her to commit to read the BOM and pray about it.

Eri’s baptism is this Saturday!  Yeah!  She turns 20, so she won’t need parents permission.  She really loves the church.  She reads the BOM daily. Her faith is amazing.  I am so excited that I get to see her baptism….I’ve been able to be with her through the whole process!

The next transfer is the 13. I have a feeling I might be leaving Kumamoto, but I’m not sure yet.  We’ll see!

Oh yeah, I was able to go Trick-or-Treating!  One of our investigators teaches a little kid English class, so she had a party and we went to several stores where the kids “trick or treated” and received candy that had already been passed out. :)  They really had no idea what they were doing, but it was a blast!

We had a big Halloween party for the four wards here that was a big hit.  It was like a mini festival!  Games, candy, pumpkin pie, the whole lot!   Most of the people were non-members and everyone had a family picture taken, and we as missionaries now have the chance to take it to their homes and try to also deliver a little spiritual message.  Whoohoo!  New investigators!

I have to say that something I have been studying a lot lately is the Holy Ghost.  It is essential to the work!  I know I can’t do any of this on my own.  As I read the scriptures or study PMG I really focus on what I feel in my heart.  It is amazing what the difference is.  I can say that my testimony is strengthening every day.  I can’t wait to get out and tell people the joyful news of the gospel!  Everyone…it is TRUE!  I don’t think I ever really grasped it before my mission.  Now I am only beginning to. But I feel as Lehi did when he ate the fruit from the tree of life: it is the sweetest above all and I want everyone to eat of it.  Please read your scriptures daily.  Please read the ensign.  What good is a living prophet if we don’t feast on his words!???  I have realized that a testimony comes one step at a time, and we must continually climb.

One last interesting little thing from last week.  We visited one of our Eikaiwa students who loves American movies (she is in her late 60’s , but loves all the old movies and new movies)  I was embarrassed when I had to explain to her that everyone in America doesn’t think of sex as a game. Everyone doesn’t drink all the time.  How annoying that the movie industry is shaping our image!  And it is not a very good one!  No wonder people
think we are a corrupt society.  How very sad.  At least I was able to straighten out one persons view.

Well,

Good luck voting!  Let me know how things go!  Oh, Ode,  thanks for the pics!  Wow, you and Jess, married!  That is the first picture I have seen of you as husband and wife!  Glad you had fun in Sanfran.  I hope halloween was fun.  Please send some pics!  Mom and Pap (and Dave and Marsha) how goes the cruise???  I’ll let you know that before I even got your email, I was praying that you could find people.  Thank you for always setting a missionary example, everywhere you go!!!

Oh, and for some reason a lot of the emails from the 20 didn’t come through until today.  Thank you Chum for you voting advice (actually me and the Prisbey’s are sending them out today, special mail), and sorry Kimbob, I didn’t get yours either.  How are your munchkins????

Everyone, I love you lots and lots.  Have a great week!  Let me know any cool news about the elections.  Thanks!

Love,

Sister Haymond

Walt and Melanie’s baby girl arrived on Wednesday! (10/22/08) From Wayne:

“We have a new baby girl, that is, Melanie and Walt McRoberts have a new baby girl born today, Wednesday, October 22, 2008.  She weighed in at 5lbs. 9oz. and measured 18.5 inches long.  Her name will be Phoebe Sage McRoberts.  She’s cute, sweet and everything else that is nice.  She will have pretty eyes, I’m sure.  I just haven’t seen them yet.”

Hello everyone.  The weather here is finally starting to cool off a little bit.  However, in the mornings it is still around 70!  We have been very busy streeting and housing a lot.  I have to tell you all of something I have learned this past week. That is, the power of the Book of Mormon.  Up until now I have used it, but when you ride your bike and suddenly stop to talk to someone its difficult to balance your bike, walk with them (or run if they try to run away immediately, though I do stop when they decide to run into the street-it happens fairly often :))  But we decided to try to use it every time…and the result has been amazing.  We have found two new people to teach this week!  Whoohoo!  I know for a certainty that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.  It is truly this life’s guidebook, for our happiness here and for the eternities!  Read it daily and you will be all the happier.

Yesterday after church we got a phone call from a previous investigator. She wanted to come and talk with us.  Her name is Miyuu; she is 17 and was an investigator about 3 years ago.  We chatted for quite a while.  She is very mature for her age and due to her family circumstance (her real Dad left when she was 3, her Mom re-married and got divorced) she has a lot of interest in raising a good, loving family.  I am very excited to see where our lessons together take her…i.e. the baptismal font!  We even have the same Birthday!  Oh, and she wants to go to NYC, maybe one day we will come stay with you, Kim and Dan.

Nothing else really exciting has happened.  Although I do have a favor to ask: will you advise me on my votes for Utah.  I got my ballot and I am not sure about anything!  I don’t want to waste any of my votes.  Arigato ne!

My Christmas list:

• An Odometer for my bike (has two trips, speed, timing capability)
• A few toothbrushes (the Japanese have no idea about dental hi-gene, the toothbrushes here would do a good job at cleaning the grout in your tile!)
• EFY CD’s
• Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration (the one that is in the church’s theatre right now, is it on DVD yet????
• My retainer to get fixed - the blasted thing snapped the other morning!  I will be sending it out, please get it fixed ASAP!
• Little things from Seagull Book (small things to give people)

OK, I think that is enough ideas.  Oh yeah, not sure how the phone call will work out, the 25 is transfer day!

Well,

Kimbob, yep!  I got your email, I think…I saw the professional pics of all your tiny munchkins, was that it?  Sorry, I thought I mentioned how excited I was to see all of those pics!  I love to here from you!  Please, keep on emailing!  I loved the ice cream as well, though I did feel a little sick afterwards.

Lori and Eden, Hisashiburi!!!  Holy Cow, Are you two still living???!!! Haha.  Yep Eden, I am very nice to the people here.  I don’t hit them, bite them, punch them; I am very nice!  I teach them about Jesus Christ and how much He loves them.  Do you know “I am a Child of God”?  I will teach you it in Japanese when I get back.  I don’t play in the garbage either.  Although
we do have to take it down to a bin two times a week.  They don’t know the beauty of a giant black can!  Lor, I’m glad to hear you just laughed at your situation with the car.  I have realized how good it is to not get angry or frustrated.  There is no place for it.  Just live and laugh!  The Lord will take care of the rest.

Pap, Keith Prisbey and Kandice Olsen say hello!  You were all in the same graduating class at Highland, 63′!  Elder Prisbey says that he remembers the two of you not having much promise, but you both ended up marrying well! 

I love you all so much!  Thank you for your prayers, your faith, and for your letters!  Here are some pictures that I’ve taken over the last few weeks!

Love you all lots and lots!  The church is true, and as I say to just about everyone here, it’s not “Just” a religion, it is true happiness!

Love,

Haymond shimai

I am writing from underneath the house of the Lord here in Fukuoka!  Yep, the mission offices are right underneath it.  This weekend has been absolutely amazing!  We were able to attend every single session of conference…holy cow was it incredible.  I listened intently to every single word. I felt like I was truly listening for the first time.  I guess what I mean is that it finally has started sinking into my heart.  Oh how grateful I am for this experience.

I am thoroughly loving my new companions.  It is amazing what you can learn from others.  These two don’t really speak for much English, so I hear a lot more Japanese.  It is a blast!  Oh yeah, we cover two wards, Nagamine and Kumamoto.  We are kept very busy, last night we had a big curry party at our Stake Pres house.  How grateful I am for members who help us!

Life here in Japan is flying right by.  I loved Pres. Monson’s talk about enjoying the journey, how true that is!  I can’t really believe that I am almost half way done.  I feel like my mission is just starting, now that I actually understand the people!  Ah well, I will just have to make up for it by working harder!

Last week I met a lady on the street as we were headed home, and just doing some streeting on the way.  We talked for about 20 min.  We have  a meeting tomorrow night!  I am so excited!  She has a lot of interest.  She went to Catholic schools her whole life.  I will let you know how it goes!

I have really come to realize that there is no place for fear on a mission.  I know the Lord is with me.  I can know what to say.  My favorite scripture is D&C 68:6!  Be of good cheer everyone!  No matter what the economy does, just remember that we all have mansions on the other side. 

I love you all!  Rachel and Spence!  Holy cow a little BOY!! Congratulations!  Omedeto!  Pap, thank you so much for all of the pics, they were so fun!  I can’t wait to go to the cabin and roast a real hot dog!  I am glad to hear the yard is going well.  Oh yeah, the mission office has had the package for the last week and a half or so.  Thank you! Mel, good luck!  I hope your tiny runt comes soon.  If Mom and Pap are gone, someone please write me!

OK, must run up to the temple!  I love you all.  Remember, the work is true.  Good luck this week with the snow, its still in the 70’s here! In the morning.

Love,

Sister Haymond

Hey everyone!  Yep, I am still here in Kumamoto, I survived the transfer.:)  Nishino shimai headed back to Hokaido after serving a faithful 1.5 years.  Omori shimai was transfered to Nakatsu, just North of Fukuoka City.  I am now with Sasayama shimai (she was my trainers comp before I came!), she is from near Tokyo, is very sweet,  and a very hard worker.  I am grateful for this chance to learn much about being a senior from here.  And yet again, I am with a beanchan…her name is Bunya shimai, from near Sendai, Japan.  Even though she is brand new, she took a lot of missionary prep classes before coming.  She is almost like an old pro!  We are going to have a blast together!

We get to watch conference this coming Saturday and Sunday.  I am so excited I can hardly stand it!  It is true Pap, when I watched the last session in the MTC I held my breath at every single word that was said.  I can only imagine how much more that is going to be this time!  Plus, next Monday we get to go to the Fukuoka temple!  It is *sports day*, so it is the stake temple day.  I am so excited!  It seems like forever ago that I went for the last time in the Provo temple.

This past week we were so busy packing and transfering it just flew right by…lets see…Eri chan is still progressing along nicely.  Her brother is absolutely amazing.  He joints with the lessons and always bears the strongest testimony.  He has decided that his mission is the Kumamoto Mission. So he is doing his part to bring everyone he knows to the gospel. It is so fun to see all of the members here.  They have to work so much harder at being faithful latter-day saints here in Japan.  Not saying that anyone has it easy, but they are surrounded by tea (its in the culture), most jobs work on Sundays, however, this past week my district leader shared a portion of a talk that President Eyring gave when the Tokyo shinden (oops!  temple) was dedicated.  He prophecied that one day the people in Japan will be proud to talk about Jesus Christ.  That their kids will talk about Him to their friends.  And that many will come into the waters of baptism.  He said, `I don`t know how it will happen, but it will occur`.  It was a very powerful testimony meeting that we had afterwards. I know that through the faith of the wonderful members here in Japan, this place will explode with baptisms.  If anyone ever tells you that Japan doesn`t have many baptisms, tell them to read D&C 4…if we have the faith, the `field is ready to harvest`!

Kare-I am glad to hear that Creed is using one of my favorite words!  I even got my last two companions to use it quite frequently. :)  Our langauage was quite the mix of English and Japanese…oh it was soooo fun! My two comps right now hardly know any English, so i am learning the langauge even more now. Good luck with twins, tell Ains to give them a love from me!

Pap and Chum- Thank you for letting me know about the elections a little more.  I am leaning towards McCain (elder Bodily`s sister works back in DC and sent a specs sheet on each of them)  I am glad to hear the high school crowd is doing well.  Tell them hello if you see them again.  Oh, I did get the letter, but not the package yet.  Thank you for all of the pictures and stickers!

Deb- I am so glad to hear you are doing so well!  I am absolutely loving my time here in Japan. I can`t even begin to describe how much I am learning; my love for my Savior seems to double each and every day.  I can`t believe that I have the chance to tell these people of His love for them.  Thank you, thank you for your lettter!  I do think my eyes are getting a little more squinty too!

Everyone, I love you all so much.  Please write anytime. Let me know when anyone is born…and send pictures!!!!! I would like to see at least one of Ode and Jess`s wedding, please.

The gospel is true!  We all accepted this opportunity and our Father`s plan before we came to this earth…I get the privelige of helping others realize that.  How cool!!

Ai shite iru da yo! Kono dendo suru keiken wa tanoshii sugiru! I love you all!  This mission experience is too fun!

Love,
Sister Haymond

Hi everyone there in the hot, dry Salt Lake area!  It sure has been rainy today, with the weather even getting a little bit cold! :)  For now it is a nice break, but apparently Kumamoto is one of the coldest places in Kyushu.  There are mountains surrounding it so there is a bit of a “bowl effect”.

Today has been a blast!  It is the last P-day of the transfer so we tried to do it up big!  For starters we had basashi, in layman terms that is “uncooked My Little Pony”!  Yep, good ol’ raw horse meat.  And I know you are wondering and yes, I did, I neighed before eating it!  Really the taste wasn’t bad at all.  The worst thing was the texture.  A little too chewy!

We then all headed for a nearby onsen, a Japanese traditional bath.  OK, it was fun, however, they have something against wearing clothes!  You can only wear your birthday suit!  Oh, it was weird as could be!  (the mens and womens are separated)  I pretty much stared at the ceiling the entire time.  But I did enjoy being in a hot pool again.

Tonight we have a talent show with the YSA.  We are going to perform a traditional Japanese Samba (yep, sounds like an oxymoron, but it’s true), with a few American twists thrown in.  i.e. the cotton eyed joe, macarana, and the hula…I am planning on taking video of it.

This week we saw many miracles.  For starters, Eri chan, the 19 year old girl we have been teaching for the last month, finally made it to church for the first time.  She quite her job because they wouldn’t give her Sunday’s off, her faith is amazing.  She absolutely loved it!  She has become so much happier and friendlier since we first met.  I love seeing the joyful change the gospel brings into peoples lives.

Plus, on Saturday, after our child english class we decided that sushi sounded good, so we headed off streeting on the way.  I talked to a Mom and her little girls, they were super nice but nothing much happened. However, they showed up to church on Sunday!  And even stayed for the entire block!  Talk about how the spirit can guide us to the right place at the right time!  They are planning on coming next week.

The cool thing is too, I had to give a talk in Sacrament meeting, so I really tuned it to them; how each of us can  learn for ourself that Jesus Christ’s teachings are true.  It was really fun!  I didn’t even right out my talk at all!

Here is a little Japanese tidbit:   In the old days, if someone farted infront of someone else, the had to commit suicide!  It’s true!!  It was very, very bad manners!  I know you boys will all get a kick out of it!

Well, next week I will have more time to include some pics.  But we have to run and find our kimono’s!  Oh yeah, I will have a new companion this time next week!  I don’t think I will transfer, but it is Nishino shimai’s last transfer. :(  We have had a blast!

Good luck to all of you.  Mel and Jess…Happy belated B-day!!!!!!  Sorry about that, time got away from me!  Thank you all for your notes.  I have not gotten my package yet, hopefully tomorrow.  I love you all so much! Please read the scriptures everyday!  Love them!  Oh yeah, Al or someone, please tell me your thoughts on Obama and McCain.

Love,

Sister Haymond

P.S. I think I’m turning Japanese!

Bryce and Raven had their baby! Calder Allan Haymond was born at 6:05 am this morning (Sep 28). He was 7 lbs 6 oz and 20 in long. Raven and Calder are doing good. They are currently at American Fork Hospital.

Hello one and all!

Wow,  this week went by sooooo fast!  We had many lessons with our favorite investigator, Eri chan, a 19 year old who is changing as she embraces the gospel.  We taught her Mon., Tues., Wed., and Friday.  On Friday I was able to do Yoga in the morning with one of our investigators and that same night we did a YSA activity of Billy Blanks Boot Camp.  I had soooooooooo much fun.  Geez, I do miss regular exercising. 

I have really come to realize how important it is to keep the commandments.  All of our happiness truly comes from our Heavenly Father and He desires our happiness, hence the commandments.  Eri chan is desiring to keep all of the commandments and it is truly helping me see the importance of them.  When she doesn’t understand one she asks questions until we explain it completely.  She will be baptized on Nov 11, but hopefully earlier.

OH YEAH!  I past off all of my lesson masteries!!!!!  I had to teach all of the 5 lessons (5 min, 15 min, and 45 min), remember, these aren’t all memorized.  I have to create them.  I must thank my Father in Heaven that my language skills are really improving.  I had to teach most of them to members, less-actives, and recent converts..it was actually quite fun.

Well, there are 4 elders waiting here to write emails so I must make this short.  I love all of you so much!

chum, thank you for the package!  I am way excited for it. :)  You can send all of my letters to the mission home, it only takes about 1 more day to get to me. :)  I would still like to see some pictures of the wedding.

Pap, thanks for the pic of the fam!  Wow, everyone is so big!

The church is true.  It does teach of about kazou no taisetsusa (the importance of families).  How grateful I am we can all be together in the eternities.

Love,

Sister Haymond

Brad and Michelle had their first child on Friday!

During normal labor, the midwife decided the baby was distressed and called in a doctor for a second opinion. He thought it would be better for the baby to do a C Section. Much to Michelle’s (and Brad’s) dismay, she was in the operating room about 5 minutes later. Hayley Michelle Haymond was born at 6:56 pm Friday and was 5 lbs 15 oz and 20 inches long.

Hayley is awesome. All the nurses in the nursery at the hospital love her because she never cries or fusses unless she is hungry. Our completely objective opinion is that she is pretty cute, too.

Michelle had some complications during the operation (which Brad was lucky enough to witness - without any drugs) which necessitated, among other things, 3 units of blood and a night’s stay in the intensive care unit. She finally got to see our daughter for the first time (while coherent) Saturday afternoon.

They came home from the hospital yesterday (Sept 2). Since Michelle just started really walking again yesterday for the first time, the saga will continue.

Head over to www.bradandmichelle.com for some photos of the beautiful baby.