A few days a go after interviews in Kyoto we drove to Otsu and inspected the elders' apartment. There is a famous restaurant in Otsu called the Mifuji Shokudo. To the missionaries it is simply known as "The Dirty." It is an old little place that has been operated by a married couple for decades.
The missionaries call it "The Dirty" because it is old and dirty. Never look in the kitchen! Anyway it is famous and has been featured on TV and in publications for years. It is mostly famous due to the large portions served at very reasonable prices. That is always a big hit with the elders.
The guys next to us ordered this.
We went for some simple noodles and a Katsu Curry.
It was dirty, but the owners were very nice and the portions were big. The taste was not bad either. So we have checked off another thing on our mission bucket list. We ate at the dirty.
The guys next to us ordered this.
We went for some simple noodles and a Katsu Curry.
It was dirty, but the owners were very nice and the portions were big. The taste was not bad either. So we have checked off another thing on our mission bucket list. We ate at the dirty.
And they had fun trying out the obstacle course.
We had both dining rooms full with about 30 people. The Kobe missionaries invited some of their investigators to join us as well.
Sister McIntyre made her a cute face cookie as well.
Sisters Ise and Pyper both worked hard with Sister McIntyre to prepare such a big meal for all these servants of the Lord. And it was delicious!
This new group is unique in some ways. All the elders come with some Japanese ancestry. Elder Enta is Japanese and from Japan. Elder Price is quarter Japanese as one of his grandmothers is Japanese. The other three elders are half Japanese all having Japanese mothers. It is a great group and we are excited to work with them.
Sister Inoue and Yamashita help Sister Ise and Sister McIntyre in the kitchen.
Elder Christie served in Kobe twice and for almost half of his mission. When we arrived he was working in the office and was a great help to us in getting started in our new calling. He is fully bilingual, half Japanese, half American, and went to school at BYU Hawaii before coming back on his mission here. For the past several months he has been serving as my assistant here in Kobe again. Of course Sister McIntyre thinks he was her assistant and gave him his Assistant to the President's Wife apron.
On our morning run on his last day in Japan, we made it to the park just in time for the sunrise. Elders Matsuoka, Christie and Sister McIntyre show us why this is called the land of the rising sun!
Then they admire the work of the Lord! (sporting their custom made I Love Kobe T-shirts made by Elder Matsuoka's mother)
This was transfer day and Elder Matsuoka transferred after 6 months as the mission commissariat and Elder Christie returned home. It was a beautiful morning and yet a little sad to see these great missionaries move on.
This a shot of the mission home property today take from the same angle a little farther back across the street. You can still see the old wall running along the road. Today the Kobe Stake Center and mission offices also stand on the property.
These were the old letters. Note sure how old they were, but they date back anywhere from 15 to 20 years ago. Erika and Sammy summer of 2008!
Here is the new lettering. A little smaller but shiny gold!
Here is a picture of the current home from about the same spot.
Here is a current shot of the church and mission home further back from the same angle.
The church today from the front driveway of the mission home and our basketball court.
Front of the Kobe church today. The mission offices and missionary apartments are directly behind the church.
Entrance to the Kobe Mission Office behind the Kobe Chapel.
