JT - New Years!

Osaka Castle!  It was pretty cool.  We weren't able to go inside because it was closed for New Year's...

I am still horrible at selfies on an iPad...

We went with a big group of missionaries.

Elders in my district trying to look cool.

We call this the boy band...  Yeah, we're pathetic... :)

This is a "Mega Mac" bigger than a Big Mac.

We were exploring one day and came upon an interesting place.  We learned that Higashi Osaka is the Rugby capital of Japan!  Who knew?  Well, right now, the Japan High School Rugby Championship is happening here!  About 45 high school rugby teams from across Japan are here competing for the title.  We spent a couple days here trying to talk to people.  It's the closest thing I got to football so I wanted to enjoy it haha!  Next preparation day is the championship game and so we are gonna try to watch it.  Go sports 

 

Taught a group of kids at he rugby park and they wanted me to take a selfie with them.  This generation's form of joy...

After District Meeting on New Year's Day, we all went to a member's house to eat traditional Japanese food that they have every year on the week of New Years.  This member though is famous!  He has worked with Janice Kapp Perry and has sung the Japanese versions of most of her songs and now has made about 7 albums with Janice Kapp Perry and other LDS song writers.  One of the songs he did was "I'll Find You My Friend" in Japanese and in English!  He is such a cool guy.  And he lives in our ward!

We then go to another member's house who feeds us much of the same traditional stuff!  Way good and I ate way too much! 

Then they made Ice Cream cake!  That was really yummy.