O-Shogatsu and Seijin no hi

Our yummy O-Shogatsu spread!

Our temple missionaries, who are mostly Japanese, wanted to put on a traditional Japanese New Year dinner for all of us gaijin (foreigners), so we all got together and had a wonderful evening of food, calligraphy lessons, orgami and traditional games. It was great. They were delightful hosts, good cooks and patient teachers! Although the food was different, it was delicious. Oiishi desu!

Sister McArthur was a little nervous about the fish head that was so graciously given to her!

A first attempt at calligraphy. It says Buraun Shumai ...or Sister Brown!

19 year olds are the same everywhere. They couldn't stop giggling!

This was also a holiday called "Seijin no hi", which is a coming of age day. Everyone who is turning 20 during the new year is honored in their prefecture and many attend the shrines and then go out and party. The girls usually rent, or possibly inherit a ceremonial kimono for the occasion. They are beautiful and very elaborate, with long flowing sleeves and are usually made from silk and brocade. A good ceremonial kimono takes a year to make and costs several thousand dollars.

These lovely young ladies spent the morning getting beautiful for their big day of celebration!

Had a great experience this week. A young sister from Mongolia arrived at the JMTC to be a missionary but did not have her endowments (no temple in Mongolia...yet!) Sister McArthur was busy greeting all of the other missionaries so she asked Elder Brown and I if we could escort Sister Gamurbata through the temple. She was such a delight. She speaks Russian, Japanese, and English besides her native Mongolian! So here we sat in the temple in a Japanese session and listening on headphones with many other languages...this is certainly a worldwide church!

Sister Gamurbata and Sister Brown in front of the Tokyo temple.