Akemashite o medeto gozaimasu! (Happy New Year!)

Tashibu fufu, one of the incredibly faithful couples in our ward

To announce... we are staying! 

Dearest, Beloved Kazoku!!!

You are so great. I sure love you. I can't believe how fast and slow time is ticking, time is so weird on your mission. We have had an incredible week. 7 of our investigators came to church this week... and did I tell you, we are sinking on our roots for transfer #4 together as the Takamatsu Sisters! ha ha. No transfer!!!! I LOVE BEING SISTER DOBSON'S COMP!!! WE LOVE IT HERE!

Things are going so well though. Izumikawa San (our beautiful, golden contact who we love so much) is moving forward to her baptismal date on the 20th, and her cute 8 year old is doing so well. One of the boys hasn't been able to come to church yet, so he can't make that date, but we are rooting for them. They are so cute. We made quiet books for them and the other kids that come to church!

We taught a "walk through" plan of salvation and the Gospel of Christ, complete with backpacks and compasses (receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost). They loved it! We had another pretty amazing miracle. The first deaf family we met, the mother has had a hard time coming to Church and really progressing. We put her name on the mission fasting list this month - praying that she would come to Church. But Heavenly Father knew what we would be praying for even before the actual prayers, and guess what?! The faith of our mission helped--after Church started, Haruka Chan (her cute 9 year old) walked in, towing her sweet mom for her first time coming to our Church. It's a miracle!!  

We have miracles every day. I can't tell you how blessed I am to be in this area, and how much I love it. I LOVE BEAUTIFUL TAKAMATSU AND I LOVE YOU.

Sunrise from our apartment window...

Sunset from our apartment window...

We are all on our quest of discipleship. We show every day how we honor our Savior. What a privilege to live! Shogatsu was this week as well, it is like the Christmas of America as far as big-ness. Everything shut down from Tuesday-Thursday and people are with their families. They go to the shrines and pray. A few members had us over for traditional food, it was so much fun!

Miracles, miracles, miracles. We think there is a way this sweet lady in our ward who is really old and probably has a little dementia can be baptized. Her son is so happy. Haruka Chan bore her testimony in Church, even though I'm not quite sure how much she understood about testimonies... most of it was about her skiing trip. haha...oh, well. Watching our beautiful investigators, sitting in that chapel...what a privilege to be a missionary!

Did I tell you I love you? I hope you all have a happy and heavenly new year!

The work is true! Onward, upward, and outward--in showing our love for Him. It is His work, and I testify with all of my heart that it is true!

Sister Anderson

 Here is Yoshiko Shimai who we taught in Akashi.  She got baptized!!!!!

Yummy!

  

Christmas is coming!!!! The Gospel is true!!!!

Hey Fam!!

Merry Christmas to... me? You are so sweet!! Thank you!  Grandma and Cami - the divinity and caramels are soooooooooooooo yummy!!!!  You know how to cook it up!

Today needs to be kind of quick because we are limited on computers, but can I just say I love you! I know that anything that comes to us in life can make us stronger, so many of you have shown me that. That is all through the Lord. Because of Jesus Christ, we do not have to face life alone. Isn't that amazing?
Some of our investigators are doing really well, and others not so much, and others aren't listening any more. I love Heavenly Father so much. I can't imagine seeing your children feel your love and still want to leave, I can't imagine what that would be like as an earthly parent, nonetheless a Heavenly Parent. 

I cut my hair today, but only a little bit! (It will be long when I come home, don't worry Dad.) Christmas is such a special time of year. We are teaching an incredibly special investigator. I know that the Lord truly is preparing His children, that there are forces on the other side helping us. The sweet, funny grandmother we met we are now teaching, and she came to the Christmas party on Saturday.

 The ward did a beautiful play illustrating the effect Jesus Christ can have on our lives. She came the next day to Church from that play even wanting to hear MORE about God!! She likes to be called "Rachel" because that is the name she picked, and is a kindred spirit for those who catch it. She researched up on Mormons even though we just started teaching her and is a little hesitant about giving up her Frappacino, that is the only thing she can't decide if she should give up or not. She uses every English word she knows when she talks. She is so great. Special experience of the week: We were teaching her and I pulled out a little picture of the Savior, and she picked it up so carefully, and said: "I have this feeling that this is my older brother." Tears came to my eyes. She had had another experience that would make her feel like that too, but I am just amazed at the people He is preparing. They are valiant and they are waiting.

Other than that, we had a kokan this week, the Christmas Party was so fun, we tried to play hot and cold with the 60 people there, and I think that might be kind of an American game... not to mention one of the Bishopric members said (after I used a word I'd found from my dictionary that day), "The missionaries use hard words! What they meant is..." ha ha ha. Christmas is so soon, so excited to talk to you, I'll forward you info about the call, but your Christmas day, between 8 and 11 in the morning here, feel free to email the Dobson's maybe... 

I LOVE YOU! The Savior is THE reason we are. We are so incredible blessed. Keep our beloved investigators in your prayers and for us to find those He is preparing.  We also got a referral this week from a member who became on investigator! Starting the journey!

I love you. His work is true!
Sister Anderson

PS Nate, my prayers are with you!  I hope your knee surgery goes well and you recover quickly!

PPS I loved all the pics of the Christmas parties - so fun!  Happy birthday to all of you who celebrate in December!  I can't believe Seth is five!

PPPS  Thanks to all my sweet friends and family members who wrote to me this week!  I LOVE YOUR LETTERS!!!!!

Here are the answers to Marissa's questions:

.what is your companions whole name? Nicole Allyse Dobson
.where did  you get your bed where you sleep in Japan? It was in the apartment already!!
.are Japanese foods spicy? Some of them are! Like curry! Sometimes you can choose how spicy too. :)
.could you tell me some Japanese words? Love-ai tree- ki Marissa-Mah-rii-sah -Heavenly Father--Ten no Otosama. (Ten no Otosama wa Marissa chan o ai shite imasu!) means* Heavenly Father loves Marissa!

More food pics for anyone who loves food! Look at how cute they are in Japan... I know a lot of you foodies will really love these pics!

 Celebrating! Sister Missionary exchange...

A lady we are going to start teaching who is half Mongolian and grew up in Russia but speaks Japanese... and likes hats!

Transfers and tender mercies...

Hey my beautiful fam!!! 


How are you doing? :)
Wow the Lord attends this work! We got transfer calls this morning... but before that, we got a call on Saturday night with a surprising announcement. They are closing Tokushima for Sisters and only Elders will be here from here on out!  There is a new "sisters" area opened that my companion is going to. Knowing we were leaving made yesterday a pretty emotional day! So, having that said, we both knew we were leaving but we didn't know where. This morning, I found out that I will be going to... AKASHI for the summer!!! Isn't that crazy? It's so fun because it's the place I got to kokan (exchange), and with the same companion! I loved that kokan so much, and I already love and look up to my new companion a ton. Her name is Ishiyama Shimai and she is Japanese! It was funny because the kokan was so short (1 day) and I learned so much. Akashi is a great place, and I feel really excited to get to work there. 


It really is such a tender mercy. I know that it is where the Lord wants me. It's a little hard because we are handing off our investigators, I've started praying for the Elders a lot more ha ha. I bore my testimony in Church on Sunday and just cried! At the end of the meeting, Asuka San asked what we'd said last and I explained again we were leaving, and she started to cry a little bit which made me cry again, and I quickly beckoned the Elder that is staying here to come to talk with her. She finished the Book of Mormon and fasted with us yesterday. She is doing SO WELL. I am so excited for her. I know when she recognizes all that she is feeling and the growth she's had step by step, she will be even more prepared for this next step in her life. Take care of our friends Elders! ha ha. They will and the investigators will do great, because the Lord will take care of his Children--all of us.

So! We taught Asuka San a few times this week. It's crazy with all the things changing. Missions are amazing. I have felt the Lord in my life so much this week, especially when I was having hard times. He is so great and so close to us. We got to testify to a less active and I just cried as I bore my testimony about the Savior. It is amazing because He knows what His children need, and we get to be a part of it.

 Asuka is in the blue dress...

I'm not going to lie... I'm a little nervous (and excited) for this new adventure in Akashi! Yesterday the Bishop called a totsuden (sudden?) meeting with the missionaries. When we walked out of his office, the ward was standing there and broke into singing "Called to Serve." One of the Elders is headed home... and we are being transferred - it was so incredible. The ward is so sweet and made us cards - they must have done it so fast because I'm pretty sure they found out at Church that we were leaving. I'll include the ward pic--this is our Tokushima ward!

 Ah, life. What else do you want to hear? I'll include some pics we took with people in Tokushima! How we love them. Oh my goodness. The people are amazing. Last night we got a call from this wonderful lady in the ward... oh wait, let's go back to Friday morning. Friday morning, we get this mail... 
...and we go out to find MacDonald's on our porch!! 

This same awesome lady calls us last night to bring us these beautiful little cakes. (Yamamoto Shimai). We love her so much!! Her son just left on a mission. I love my ward so much.

I have another pretty amazing experience to tell you about. The cutest Matsumura Fufu invited us over on P-day... to wear kimonos. This could be a once on a mission experience. :)
It was so fun. I had no idea the detail it took to get them just right. She is SO CUTE. You would love her Mom! They are the funniest, sweetest little couple. They make these gourmet meals for katei no yube (family home evening) and the missionaries switch off going. They are so sweet. I'll send some pictures of her getting my kimono right and the final product! So sweet. We made a fun card for them and took them Matsumura Kyodai's favorite dessert. They are so sweet.


I love this life. Up and down but the Lord knows us, and I know that. He is so good to us. How I love you sweet people!

The Church is true. I will mail you from Akashi. The Lord is in this work and we are always on the brim of miracles. I know it is true.

With love!
Sister Anderson

mo hitotsu shasshin

PS.  Also, since we are moving out of our apartment, I was doing some cleaning today. Sometimes you find all sorts of fun things cleaning out a sister missionary apartment... maybe I got carried away...

I found an old cookbook of Famous Mormon Recipes by Winnifred Jardine. I love this cook book!!! I got a little carried away thinking about the name and dressed up to be Winnifred Jardine with my cookbook.. oh P-day. :) love you!

Interesting info about our daughter's new city:

Akashi  明石 —  Special city  —明石市
is a city located in southern Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, on the Seto Inland Sea west of Kobe.
As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 290,776, with 117,392 households, and a population density of 5,907.68 persons per km². The total area is 49.22 km².

City symbols
- Tree Sweet Osmanthus
- Flower Chrysanthemums


Akashi was an important city during Japan's pre-modern period due to the presence of Akashi Castle, headquarters of the Akashi Domain. The city, in its current form, was founded on November 1, 1919.


Akashi is well known for Akashiyaki, a kind of takoyaki particular to the region. Small pieces of octopus (tako) are placed inside a ball-shaped mold containing a mixture of flour and eggs and this is then fried. Akashiyaki is often eaten by dipping in a thin soup. 



Hiroshi Watanabe: This photograph titled "Flying Octopus, Akashi, Japan" was taken in a city named Akashi in the western part of Japan, west of Kobe. In its fishing port, octopuses are caught in the summer, and stretched and dried under the sun. When it is dried and hardened, the shape is retained and it looks like a kite. People shred it and bite into it for taste and flavor. It is a Japanese version of beef jerky in the US. It is interesting to know that octopus in Japanese is "tako" and the word also means "kite," although Kanji (Chinese character writing that Japanese use) for each are different. I doubt dried octopus was used as a kite, but they probably used the word as they look very similar.

Uonotana (Uo-no-Tana, 魚の棚, lit."fish-shelf") is a 350-meter shopping arcade brimming with fish dealers comprising the majority of more than 100 retailers. Fresh seafood landed at the Akashi Port and auctioned off around noontime can be purchased at the stores shortly past noon. 


Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, also called “Pearl Bridge”, is located in Japan and considered as Japan’s finest engineering feat. Akashi Kaiko Bridge is the world’s longest suspension bridge in the world with a length of 3911 meters (12,831 ft). The Akashi Kaiko Bridge acts as a link between the city of Kobe and Iwaya by crossing the Akashi strait. The construction was finished in a span of 12 years which actually begin in the year 1986 and completed in the year 1998. Akashi Kaikyo Bridge plays an important role in providing three routes across the Inland sea.
Architecture
Akashi Kaikyo Bridge uses one of the finest architecture and technology which consists of three spans. The Akashi Kaikyo Suspension Bridge is designed in such a manner where the earthquakes and harsh sea currents doesn’t damage the bridge. The Kobe earthquake on January 17, 1995 is the best example for this bridge’s efficiency.
History
Before the construction of the bridge, boats and ships (ferries) were used to carry passengers and vehicles across the Akashi strait. Akashi strait is an international waterway which is approximately 1500 meter wide shipping lane. Akashi strait waterway is also one of the dangerous waterways before the construction of Akashi Kaiko Bridge due to some severe storms. During the year 1955, a severe storm was experienced in which two ferries were sank resulting in the death of 168 people. As a result, the Japanese government planned to develop a suspension bridge to cross the strait. Originally, the plan was to construct a railway bridge along with a road bridge. But the construction was restricted to a road bridge only consisting of 6 lanes.
Tourism
The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge was constructed in such an extent which also attracts tourism in Japan. Two amazing parks were built in the surroundings of Akashi Kaikyo Bridge for tourists. The two parks were named Maiko and Asagiri. The view from the park is a wonderful experience to the visitors as the view from there is absolutely magnificent. Both the parks can be reached by traveling through the coastal train line.

Miracles happen!

So...many of you know that our son, Nate, is in Asia.

We could almost hear the ecstatic scream half way around the world as he set foot on beloved Japanese soil!

He has been looking forward to returning to his ol' stompin' grounds for over six years! About that long ago, he played drums in a jazz band that performed at Universal Studios Japan. He was living in the boundaries of Jen's mission for a year. She even visited him when he was there! 

This trip, Nate will also visit Korea - the land of his mission.

And yes...the nice people at the airport allowed him to check his garbage can drum set! 

He worked for weeks to build a portable set that he could carry, pull, store extra items in, set up anywhere, and still be within airline luggage checking limits...not to mention one from which  he could make music! We nicknamed him "Maurice" (from Disney's Beauty and the Beast - haha, and only because Nate kept calling himself crazy! What an invention - complete with attached plastic buckets, a cymbal, bass pedal, foot tambourine, etc.!  He sits on a bucket to play the set, which is also stored inside the Rubbermaid garbage can/drum. You can see from the pic that his garbage can set is labeled with his name (right side up to transport, and upside down for when it is a drum). Amazing, right? Nate said he is glad he put padlocks on the lid to keep it shut (and protect the innards) - because people keep trying to put trash in it! :) You can see  more pics of his adventures on Face Book.

On May 9, Nate and his friend Yuri rented a car and took a morning road trip from Osaka to Tokushima. 

...and look who they found there!!!

Nate had contacted Sister Jen's mission president who gave him permission to see her!!! 

His report:

She is doing great and her Japanese speaking skills are fantastic - really doing well speaking this complicated language!  We are so grateful all this worked out, and these two kids of ours got to see each other half-way around the world from their home in Bluffdale!  

Miracles do happen...

On Mother's day (Monday in Japan)

we Skyped (sound only) our sweet missionary and had a glorious conversation - clear as a bell - another miracle!

The conversation included:

Souliers in California

Andersons in Colorado

Andersons in Georgia

Nate in Korea

And her Utah Sibs and Family

From our conversation we learned:

Sister Jen sleeps on a futon and hangs her clothes on a clothesline to dry.  

Her apartment has a washer and a shower.

She studies for about four hours each day.

Her legs are really strong from biking two or more hours every day.

She can not see the ocean from where she lives, but there is a beautiful river nearby.

The rainstorms in Japan can be fierce - the windows of her apartment rattle!

The strangest food she has eaten is octopus.

There are wonderful people who take good care of the missionaries.

That the Japanese language is hard for her to speak but she is getting better at it!  The   

         nieces and nephews told her that the "Madgab Game" she challenged them to do (see 

         letter on May 1st) is hard to figure out - so they know she is doing amazingly well  

         learning Japanese!

She was on TV the other day answering a question about Japanese food.

She prays a lot!

Sister Jen loves her mission and is so grateful for all the love and support!!!

When we were trying to make the call and were having some difficulty, I emailed the mission president's wife, Sister Zinke. When the call went through to Sister Jen, I let her know that we worked it out. Here is her reply:

Dear Andersons,

I am so glad that you were able to figure it out!  She is such a sweetheart...we love her so much!  We are grateful for her cheerful service!  Hope your day was wonderful.

Love,

Sister Zinke