Japan Day 2- Church with Rasmussens and the Tokyo Temple!!

I was wide awake at 3am this morning and could NOT sleep! We got up for church and it’s an hour commute taking 2 trains and it started at 9 so it was an early morning! I love Japan— it’s so clean and orderly!! There is no trash (or trash cans!) anywhere and also no graffiti to be seen anywhere... so refreshing, especially for such a huge city!  Church was great, they are in an English speaking ward so it was all the same! Good talks and lessons in CFM today!! We rode the trains home (more like a subway but was above ground for a lot of it too) and Becky fixed such a yummy typical Japanese dish called Shabu Shabu. It’s veggies and pork steamed in a spicy broth and you take it from the pot on the table and eat it with a yummy sauce called Goma sauce or sesame dressing (Rasmussens call it nectar of the gods and they were RIGHT!) with a citrus soy sauce... to die for! And so filling. We ate it with rice and chop sticks... I’m still figuring out how to eat with them... I'll get a lot of practice on this trip!!

We walked 25 min to the temple site where they are renovating the temple and Greg explained everything they’re doing. It’s fascinating and quite amazing what they’re doing and they’re also building an annex that will hold offices for the area pres. and other things and also has a chapel, etc. Greg also showed us the 2 other complexes he’s in charge of building— housing for the area president and mission homes for 2 missions here and there is also a high rise apt. building the church is building as an investment property. (To rent out to people.) So Greg is overseeing the construction/renovation of 4 major buildings!  We walked back— lots of walking!! We walked a total of 6.1 miles today and did 50 flights of stairs! (Becky has a fit bit!) Pretty good exercise I’d say!! We came back and had creme brûlée that Becky had made earlier and it was so good! We enjoyed that after working up another appetite from all that exercise today!! I LOVE this country!  The people are so gentle and gracious... for a city this big and with so many people you'd think I'd feel claustrophobic, but I don't!!  I think I could live here! The people are extremely honest and the crime is really low.  Becky explained that if I left a $100 bill on the sidewalk, the next day it would still be there, it would just be propped up on the edge of the sidewalk to you could see it and take it!  That is absolutely AMAZING!  It's all about honor and the Japanese take this very seriously and teach it to their kids!  We could all learn a lesson from them!!!

Becky made us a package of Valentine's treats-- her favorites here in Japan.  These were on our beds last night when we arrived at their home.  She is so thoughtful and we have so enjoyed being here with her family!  So much fun!!!!