June 7, 2003

Sat. June 7, 2003
Dear Family and Friends,
The rainy season in Japan was supposed to begin on June 1. So far it has been a month without rain. (May seemed to be more like the rainy season. It rained several time a week.) We have enjoyed hearing from most of you during the past week. I believe we got Marlene back on track, but Ray’s e-mail keeps coming back ‘unable to send’. We are sorry that Jocie is down with chicken-pox. We hope she doesn’t have as severe a case as her mother, Marie had.
Today Mom and I walked downtown. We were surprised at how many women and girls were wearing the traditional kimono. It must be a holiday or special occasion. We haven’t seen many kinonos since we have been here. When I was in Japan before the older women wore kimonos as their everyday dress and the rest of the women and girls wore them most of the time. The Japanese people have become very Americanized in their dress. We like to walk through the stores and see what is on the market now.
Last week, two of my crowns came off. I talked to Dr. Kiribayashi (in our bishopric) and he suggested a Dentist friend of his so I got an appointment and went last Thurs. It was an interesting experience. Four young nurses prept me and the Dr. came in and went to work. He took special pains to get them on just right and I’m sure it will be a long time before those crowns come off again. All in all they worked on me for an hour and a half. I began to wonder if I would have enough money to pay the bill but as it turned out it was only 1800 yen ($15.25). The Dentist pointed out some other dental problems I am having and scheduled me again next Thurs. to do some more. I was impressed with the beautiful office and the up-to-date equipment he had. Matt said I should have waited until he finishes with dental school. By then I’m afraid I won’t have any teeth left to fix.
Last Wed. they had Zone Leaders Conference here. After it was over Sis. Banks fixed dinner for everyone, including us. She served ‘Okinawan Tacos’ (a plate of rice with tomato sauce and all kinds of toppings, topped off with fruit salad and an ice cream desert). It was a delicious meal and we all ate up in the Bank’s large living room. (I think there were about 25 of us there.) It always amazes me how much food missionaries can put away!
One of the new Assistants to the Pres. (Elder Betherds) that has only been here a short time was sent back into the field. He was an excellent missionary and is credited with many baptism’s, but he had some personal habits that got on their nerves. He always had to know what was going on with everyone, couldn’t keep his hands off the mail while Mom was trying to get it sorted and distributed, was highly opinionated and I think it bothered the Banks’ to go on all those trips throughout the mission with him. Anyway I’m sure that it is more profitable for him to be doing regular missionary work. Our new AP is Elder Papne. Elder Bethards is a zone leader now and we saw him and several of the other Elder’s that have worked here in the mission home, at the Zone Leader’s Conference.
Also, we mentioned about Elder Miyamoto going home to Brazil last week because of his injuries. Besides everything else, he missed his flight and had to stay over two extra days with the Elders in Kobe then to top it off he fell down stairs at the airport and hurt his injured leg even more. What luck! Now Monday, Elder Baba (a Japanese Elder) is being released to go home early because of some health problems he is having. Pres. Banks says that since he brought him into the mission home 25 days ago, he has slept 20. Elder Smith (Andrew and Marlene’s uncle) has been working with him during that time. He also has been an outstanding missionary and was one of the Zone Leaders. Pres. Banks really hated to release him.
We hope all of your families are well. It is always nice (for the teachers and students) to get school finished up in the spring. The kids here have a spring break and then its back to school. They go year around. We are enjoying ourselves here and it seems the time is going fast. Until next week, Sayonara.
The Ropa Senkyoshii’s