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Penelope's Baptism

Penelope's baptism went so well. I wasn't sure at first because it was so different then how things went when Tucker got baptized. First off, we were kind of on our own for planning. The church building doesn't have a font so we had to go to a different one on base to book the day. Our ward really didn't seem to care when we did it so we just picked a day that worked for us. Then we did all the planning. We asked people to fill all the rolls, talks, prayers etc. We even found someone to bring a keyboard because the building didn't have a piano. Then I made the program and we just brought treats and showed up.

Aside from me planning it the ward was super helpful. Everyone said yes to what we asked and people even came early to help us set up chairs. I was surprised by how many people came! They about tripled the amount of chairs we originally set up. We've only been her 2 months so we don't know people that well and I felt a little bad for Penelope because barely any family could come. But the ward really stepped up and most came out to the baptism. Lots even brought treats. I think everyone in this ward knows that family can't generally come to Japan for a baptism so they are extra supportive.

Penelope looked so cute we had to take lots of pictures. She was really happy that Grandma and Grandpa Woestman could come. She originally said the only people that could come were our family, both sets of grandparents, and her teacher. I told her that people from the ward would come and she was really upset about it. She told me she didn't want anyone to look at her. But that was about two weeks beforehand. I think she just needed time to process it because when the time came she was totally fine.

We did her hair in a crown braid just like I had when I was baptized. It is so perfect for being out of the way and she loved it. After the baptism she was super fast getting dressed. Tucker had been talking about how fast he was and she wanted to beat him. Tucker was fast, but I think she was way faster. She had me to help her, where as when Tucker did it Bob was getting himself dressed and couldn't help Tucker. Plus the boys had belts, shoes and ties to worry about. Penelope just took off her wet stuff and threw on her dress so quickly she still had water running down her face still as we walked out. Bob took about twice as long as Penelope, not that he was long. To give an you a sense of how long it was, everyone was singing primary songs and they sang two different songs before she came out, first verse only. Then about two more and Bob came out.

She was so cute in the jump suit. Two different people in the ward offered to let us use their dress to get baptized in, but Penelope was worried about the dress going up so we went with the jumpsuit.

I am so happy and proud of her. We had lots of talks before hand about what it means to get baptized. She even spent some time praying and really thinking about if this is what she should do. I am really glad she decided to get baptized.

I put a copy of the program on here just so we can remember for the future. Brother Serrano ended up not being able to make it and Bishop Lewis actually conducted. Sorry it is doubled, I printed it like this with the song lyrics on the back and then cut them in half.

Church in Yokosuka

lds

The church building here in Japan is pretty different than what we are used to. I don't think the church owns the building because church is just on floors three, six, and seven. There is no parking and one small elevator that everyone tries to use. We sometimes have done the stairs but seven flights in high heels while holding a baby can be a bit of a challenge. The elevator is obviously shared with the other people so it is weird to send the kids up to Primary on floor seven, while I am in Sunday school on the third floor.

It is also not a lot of space. We attend an American military ward so everything is in english and there is a good amount of people. The ward seems bigger than the one we came from, but we have at least half as much space. There are no pews just chairs set up, and they all get filled. The ward is also different because it is very young. All the adults are military related and the average age is 31. So lots and lots of poeple our age. There is basically no welfare because everyone is employed by the government and no one needs help moving either.

We've gone three times now, and last week was the primary program. We made it just in time! Tucker, and Penelope were nervous but memorized their parts and did a great job. Scarlett had a really hard time with it this year. I think because it is with all new people. She refused to ever practice her part and when it came time for the program I had to pick her up and set her in her seat. She was in the front row so we had a clear view of her silently crying almost the whole time. When she got up to do her part she grudgingly started in an obviously upset voice. Then some people laughed and she was done. She went back to her seat. I felt bad for her because she just seemed really unhappy. Leon didn't seem nervous and just said his part loudly and quickly. There are two sunbeam classes in this ward.

Most people park on base because it is so close and walk the rest. We were taking the bus to the base gate and then walking the rest. Two times people gave us rides back home. This week we walked back to the bus stop.

We took some pics while waiting 25 minutes for the bus.

Everyone in the ward is really welcoming and friendly. I think we will really like it once we get used to the building.

Temple Trip

Japan, lds, temple

I've wanted to go to the Tokyo temple for over six years now. We had plans to go while in Japan last time, but because we got sent home early we never made it. I thought I probably would never get to go so when we got the job offer in Japan I was excited to go to the temple. Then, while getting ready I looked online and saw it is going to be closed for up to three years for major maintenance starting next month! We made sure that we made it out before it closed.

It was quite the journey. We got up early and made it there relatively quickly, I'd guess around two hours. It takes us about 45 minutes to get to the train station. Because we don't have a car, we ride the base bus to the gate then walk to the station. Then luckily we made it on an express train that was about an hour, and then another short train ride and 20 minute walk through town and we were there.

The train was cr-ow-ded! We were all standing very close to people, the kids, especially Scarlett, were not happy about it.

We really had to book it through town to make it in time for me to feed Calista and go to the session.

It was an adventure going through in a completely different temple where everyone speaks a different language. I managed to get a name tag type badge that said English on it and that helped everyone to know I couldn't understand them. I also got to wear headphones.

Meanwhile the kids and Bob went to McDonalds and played at the park.

After a couple hours I rushed out and Bob went it. Then it was my turn to play with the kids for two and a half hours at the park. We found this pond with giant fish. The kids spent a long time throwing leaves into the fish and watching them try to eat their leaves. We also saw turtles in the water, something we never see in the wild in Washington.

I like the different manholes in Japan.

The park had all kinds of trails and paths, it wasn't hard to entertain the kids.

I'm not sure what these little shrines are about, but we find them all around randomly.

Tucker was begging to listen to the audiobook so we did that for about half an hour.

Then back to meet Bob.

While walking back to the train we ran into a group of Mario Carters. I really want to do this! It's a company that hosts real Mario Cart races through Tokyo, costumes and all. Awesome.

We saw this little hair cutting apron in the store and I thought of my sister.

The train rides home did not go as well as the ride there. We ended up on a much slower train and had to get off and switch trains an extra time. Then it was raining, the base bus stopped running by that time, and the closer base gate was also closed. So we had a good 45 minute speed walk home in the full out rain Saturday night after our 2 hour train ride back. Definitely harder than the hour and a half car ride to the Seattle temple but still worth it.

Temple Trip

lds, temple

We had an amazing ward temple trip a few weeks ago. Its the first one our ward has done since we've lived here and I thought it went really well. First we got together for a group picture.

Then we kind of split up. Bob and I went inside while other adults watched the kids. They spent most of the time in the church building next door, but they also took the kids on a small tour around the temple grounds. I'm so grateful for that because Calista needs to eat so often I can't leave her very long.

When Bob and I came back they had started in on lunch. We all ate burgers and different lunch type foods in the gym in the church building. Throughout the whole thing families were visiting the new discovery center. Once we finished eating we went to check it out.

Right when we walked in everyone got their own tablets. The kids were in heaven.

It was pretty cool how they have it set up. You log into family search on your tablet, then walk around to the different stations. You doc your tablet at a station and it pulls up all your info.

Some stations pull up your family history while others teach you about your name. There were stations where you can record a video of yourself that you will get sent to you in like 10 years. One of our kids favorites was a station where they took their picture and then dressed up their picture in pioneer type clothes.