Chistmas Season!

Hello again from snowy Hokkaido!

Christmas is getting close, so we have been having lots of fun enjoying the season with members and friends. Showing things with pictures is always better, so without futher ado here are the pictures of the week!

Since it tends to be chilly outside, we found ourselves once again at a delicious, warm ramen shop with our district. They have ramen shops all over Hokkaido! Apparently it is something they are famous for.

 

We also had a two day exchange this week, and it was a lot of fun! I got to work with Tokeshi Shimai, who is from Okinawa. She has just hit her 6 month mark, and we were able to get out and talk to a lot of people in the snow, as well as have a lesson with a great college student investigator and a couple of members.

When the exchange ended we met up with all of the sisters at the Sapporo train station again, and went out for our traditional lunch.

We also had a fun Christmas lunch at a members house.

On Saturday there was a young adult dinner, and then the ward Christmas party! It was a lot of fun, and we had a good amount of friends come and join us. The missionaries did a skit, and I got to be Rudolph. I'm sure it was a total hit.

The first of the group of pictures features necklaces made for us by Nobuya Chan. She made them from scratch, and they are super stylish with CTR in them! I will have to take a more close up picture soon.

And... Merry Christmas!!!

We have a big missionary party next week on Christmas Eve, which just happens to be p-day, so I probably won't be able to email... but I love you all and am sending lots of holiday wishes from Sapporo!

I hope that you all have the best Christmas ever. It's kind of weird to not be coming home this year for the first time, but it is really awesome to be able to share the spirit of this season and the real meaning of Christmas with others. We seriously have so many presents from our Heavenly Father -- personal guidance for our lives, love comfort and help whenever we need it -- that we need to be sure that we don't forget.

Love you all! Have lots of fun!!

Scripture of the Week:

Isaiah 43:1-2

But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire , thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

Japanese Word of the Week:

tonakai = reindeer