We'll start with Tokyo and my Sunday in Sendai!
Tokyo was not in my mission, but we flew in there late Saturday night and were able to meet one of my favorite people in the whole world, Rie!! She lived in Provo for a year learning English after my mission and spent Christmas with my family that year, so this was a fun reunion for everyone!! Rie took us to this nice yakiniku restaurant in the Tokyo Train Station, where we stuffed out faces with wonderful Japanese food....except for my mom. She only ate the sticky rice...haha!! :o)
Look at this feast! it was so good! veggies, meat, and all the works!
Here's mom trying to figure out a way to stay busy so she doesn't have to try the food..haha! :o) Then she tried it and liked it---go figure. silly mama! Dad was a pro with the chopsticks!
We love you, RIE!!!
Next we took a train and headed to SENDAI!!
I spent over half of my mission in the city of Sendai! I was so excited I was able to go to church in Kamisugi.....I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE kamisugi!!!
My fam in front of the Kamisugi church- i spent 9 months coming to church here......
With Miki Hikichi and her son Masato. Miki was one of my investigators. She was amazing!! She would ride her bike to church every week when she was 9 months pregnant! Such an amazing girl!!!!I love these members!
With Sugawara Shimai--- the best stinking ward missionary ever!! she took such good care of us! :o) i love her!
With Nagaoka shimai. possibly the only family in japan with 7 kids :o)
Hosoi Shimai is the most enthusiastic, hyper Japanese member ever!
Bunya shimai!!
Date Shimai!!---I love her!!!
Us and the Satoh family! It was Sho-kun's farewell the day we came!
Walking to the Satoh's apartment for Sunday lunch...check out that mamachari (the bike!!) I loved riding those things :o)
It was a feast!! complete with sushi and all the works! Once again, mom love the sticky rice :o)After lunch, we left them with a little crockett music :o)
Next...after a quick snooze and not enough time to get hungry again, we headed to the Furukawa's for Sunday dinner! This was the most wonderful ward missionary leader and family in the world!!!
By special request, they made us hirashi rice and cheesecake... it was delicious!!!!ORIGAMI fun!! It was so cute, all the kids teaching us big kids some of their favorite origami. did you know in japanese ori= to fold gami=paper :O) pretty cool, eh?!
And of course we ended the night with a little music...in true crockett fashion- no practice and making up the words :o)
Sunday was such an amazing day!! It was so much fun getting to see and introduce my family to so many friends that i love so much! The feelings I had for this amazing place and these amazing people all came rushing back...and the language came back a little, too---thank goodness :o) The way they politely bow and awkwardly hug :) , the way the would try so hard to say all the English words they knew so my family wouldn't feel left out, the cute little masks they wore to not get others sick, the way we could all laugh and joke even though matt and my parents could hardly say anything to them, seeing the members and investigators i worked with still going strong and trying to be the best they could be, and the instant love that my family felt for them and they felt for my family was something i will never forget!!
One day down...a week to go! :o)
