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.