We'd love to be part of the gift exchange. Just let us know who we are assigned to and we'll get going on it.
As for emails to my phone, cc it if you reply to this mail in the next 36 or so hours, but after that (knock on wood) I should be online at home with a decent connection, ending these 3 plus weeks of hellish phone typing and attachment-opening wishing. Plus I should be able to join in the Wessman blogstranvaganza that I have felt neglectful of (by me, not of me that is).
Our ward is great, with a good combination of age groups from primary to singles to releif society and elders/high priests...i just got your mail to my phone. haha...so anyway, it's great, but as is the case in most wards, there is akways a need for priesthood holders, so we'll see what happens. Our ward is meeting two train stations away from where we live - about a 30 minute trip - but we will move into a beautiful new church in our ward area on December 5th or so. So everyone is really excited about it. Rightfully so, too. It really is a nice building, one that actually looks like a red brick church, with three stories, areally nice chapel, but alas, no gym. Not that the church should spend the enormous amount of money it would take to add a gym to the building, but it would be cool. But the other thing about the church is it has a parking lot! This is a rarity and a luxury. Kiyomi is really enjoying church in Japanese, and says she is learning a lot more than in the States. That's to be expected, though. The members in Japan are so amazing. I had forgotten somewhat just how much they dedicate to activities, meetings, service, etc., even though most men work 60 hours or so a week. It's impressive. As for jobs and school, Kiyomi is interviewing at various companies. She's trying to find a good combination of salary, commute time, atmosphere and job content. This can be tough, since most decent jobs are in central Tokyo, and even though most firms will pay transportation costs, the commute time usually hovers around an hour, and that's on a very crowded train in most cases. But one job we are really hoping she can get is working for CES (yes the church one) in the institute building, which is located in Shibuya. Shibuya is one of the main parts of Tokyo, sort of akin to Times Square in New York. In a good way. This job would obviously provide Sundays off, good atmosphere, decent pay, etc., so it would be nice. We will see, though. I am looking at different school options, the best of which seems to be to enter International Christian University (ICU), which is located on our train line in Musashino City, where my mission home and last area are, and coincidentally next to the station where I righteously punched a man. ICU is a very well respected university in Japan, and has a unique feel, being a christian intstitution. My last ward mission leader, Ken Inoue, has a lot of connections with people, one of whom is a the President of ICU, so he's arranged a meeting for me. We should know how things work out in not a long time. I am also going to used clothes stores, trying to drum up business for Niftytrhreads. There is a lot of oppurtunity for wholesaling used clothes to the many "furugiya", or used clothing shops. I've gotten one order so far, which the guys in Provo are putting together and sending. I have had a lot easier time than I though I'd have getting my foot in the door in this business, which gives me a feeling that there might me a gap to fill in the market. People I've talked to at shops, including front line workers and owners of shops, have been really friendly and surprised to see a foreigner who knows their business and can communicate fluently. Making business cards, a must have in Japan, was also a good move. So hopefully I can cultivate a customer base and get a system of shipment, ordering and collecting money before school gets going, and thus have a job I can do while going to school.
Well, I should get going, but hopefully I will be connected to the magnificent World Wide Interweb this time tomorrow and sending/posting copious amounts of messages thereby.
Until then,
Derek
PS feel free to post this on the appropriate blogs.
