November 30, 2003

Sunday, Nov. 30, 2003
Dear Family and Friends,
We hope everyone had as nice a Thanksgiving and we did. Sis. Banks invited all the missionaries from the Hiroshima Stake to dinner. She cooked the turkey and they purchased some items up to Costco, when they were up to Kobe last week. However, everyone that came was assigned certain food items to go with the meal. We had the pie detail. There were close to 30 people for dinner and it was a great success!
We had dinner at 4:00 PM and there was enough food so that everyone could get his or her fill. Nearly everyone went back for seconds and I noticed some of the Elders ended up with three big plates full of food, not counting desert (I don’t know where they put it all). Then after that, Sis. Banks fixed up leftovers for those who wanted to, could take some home. It was cold and rainy that day and after we got through with dinner, the missionaries had to go back out and proselyte. Unfortunately the Japanese people know nothing about Thanksgiving except most of the members have heard about it.
Last night I was in the office and some Elders came in and said that a Miyake San, the postmaster, was down at the front door to see me. So I went down and there he was with a big fish that he had caught and wanted us to have it. I graciously accepted it but wondered what to do with it. It was a yellow tail that he caught in the ocean out by Miyajima. I took it up to the apartment and cut off its head and tail and cleaned it. Mom held her nose and gave it a strange look and declared she wasn’t about to touch it let alone clean it! Then Mom called Sis. Banks and asked if they wanted some of it, and I ended up taking ½ up for them. Anyway we had it for dinner today and it was very good.
Miyake San is not one bit interested in the Church but has made good friends with the Sr. couples from the states that have served here. He is trying to learn English and every chance he gets he speaks English to me. He is very friendly. Every time I go over to the Post Office, he comes out and talks with me and then walks back over here with me. He is a very interesting person!
Today in Sacrament Meeting, one of the member’s and her little boy (about 10 months old) was sitting in front of us. The little boy turned around and got interested in Mom and wanted to come back with us. So he had the best time on Mom’s lap. Finally his mother had to leave Sac. Meet. and take her husband home because he was ill, and ask Mom if it would be all right to leave him until she got back. He was really good and they got along fine, but he was a big baby and I think Mom was a little worn out by the time she returned. The kids here are really cute and remind us of our grandchildren at home.
Everything here is decorated for Christmas and very commercial (even though most people don’t even know what Christmas is about). We hope you won’t try and send anything over to us for Christmas (except maybe photos of the family) because we have everything we want and need (if we do need something, Sherry sees that we get it). Tonight we are going up to Pres. Banks apt. and watch the Christmas video that the Church has sent out with the Dec. Ensign.
I guess it is time to close. We have enjoyed many e-mails and telephone calls again this week. We hope you have a good week.
Love from the Ropers