3 Weeks and No Longer

This week was pretty busy for us. On top of our normal teaching responsibilities at our schools, there were a few other events that we were involved with like Halloween Eikaiwa, shaving my beard, the International Festival, and District Conference.  I’ll try to let the pictures do the talking!

This is what the missionaries looked like when we went to Eikaiwa this last week. Pretty awesome! From left to right, we had a duck, monkey, funny face?, and ninja.

This is Emily teaching everyone at Eikaiwa how to carve a pumpkin minus the pumpkin. We actually used some other weird vegetable that was green because orange pumpkins over here are way too expensive!

First, cutting the top opening of the "pumpkin."

Next, scooping out in innards.

After drawing the face, cutting out the eyes, nose, and mouth.

Wiping the "pumpkin" clean.

Put in the candle and turn off the lights and... walah!

Aren't we so cute! Well, it was a little sad that we never really had costumes this year, but at least we carved a pumpkin... sort of...

This is the whole Eikaiwa gang that showed up for our festivities.

This was the look that I gave when I knew I was going to be shaving later that day.  This is the longest I have ever let my facial hair grow out... 3 weeks and no longer...

This was me after I shaved... lol. Actually, this is what I would look like if I had a fu manchu. Pretty awesome, huh? Jealous? It's ok, Emily wouldn't let me keep it.

We got to help at the International Festival in Aizu on Friday night and Saturday morning. Friday was just set up. Saturday we got to help in the "kid's corner." I know it doesn't look like I'm doing anything there... Actually, I wasn't doing anything there, but most of the time I was playing card games like slap-jack and old maid. It was a ton of fun!

This is Emily playing Jenga with one of the kids and his parents.

We were also supposed to help with the American booth with activities but spent all our time at the kid's corner instead. But this is what it looked like... all decked out in Halloweenness.

We had masks at the American booth that kids colored and then got to wear around everywhere. There were tons of booths for both food and activities from a bunch of other countries like Ireland, Scotland, South Korea, China, Canada, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and some others that I can't recall at the moment.

We didn’t take any pictures at District Conference but one of the things I really enjoyed about it was during the Priesthood training. We talked about ways that we can better know and get closer to Christ. An analogy was given in regards to friends and family. If you want to get to know a friend or family member better, what do you do? You try to talk more with them, spend time with them, and serve them. Just like we develop relationships with those around us, we can strengthen our relationships with Christ by talking with him more (praying), spending more time with him (studying the scriptures, going to church, etc.), and serving him (“when ye are in the service of your brethren, you are only in the service of your God”).

Anyways, we love you all very much and you are always in our prayers!