Hello!

I am at the same place as last week (sitting in a massage chair, sipping an icee and eating curry...) so I can`t print out emails, so just to make sure I have time for everything I will just send some pics and captions first, and then if I have more time write some more after!  Here we go!

Last week after emailing here we all played darts for a good two hours, because they had all these fun varieties of games you could play (for example you could try and take over Japan Risk-style if you hit the right numbers. We all fought fiercely over Hokkaido). I am not very good, but I managed to win a few games! Our arms may have been kind of sore the next day though...

This past week was Yukari Chan`s birthday, so we threw a little party! She turned 21, so I may have pretended a little bit that it was Amber`s birthday party (she turns 21 next month) since I won`t be there. It was a lot of fun to just chat and eat cake and such. It was her first birthday party! In America I feel like the saddest thing anyone could ever say is that they never celebrated their birthday at all, but in Japan that is sometimes more normal? Anyhow, I enjoyed being part of her first party and implementing strict American birthday rules, like the birthday girl has to eat the cake first. We got to meet again on Saturday which was great, especially because she is going to be gone all this week... on an archaelogy dig in another part of Hokkaido. Cool, I know.

We played in some parks...

And joined in on a ward picnic! We met them at the end of a long bike ride and chatted and ate good food.

We ran into one of the member of the Ebetsu ward while she was in her garden and got to help pick tomatoes, green peppers and cucumbers and even take them home with us! 

Today it is raining... reminds me of home! Everyone keeps saying that from Obon, which is a three-day Buddhist holiday starting today, Hokkaido starts getting cold. Summer went by super, super fast! Hopefully we get another few days of warm weather.

Today we stopped by the Ebetsu Glass studio for a few minutes. It was pretty small, but still cool. They have a window where you can watch people when they are blowing glass. I happen to think that the building is super cute.

Scripture of the Week

Alma 5:33-24 (Book of Mormon)

Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: repent, and I will receive you. Yea, he saith: come unto me and ye shall partake of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread and the waters of life freely.

Fun Japanese word of the week

Hakkutsu = excavation, dig