Strong Man

A couple weeks ago we had a Stake Party.  It was like a carnival and they had one of those things where you try to ring the bell by swinging a hammer.   These aren't great pictures but it was fun to see strong man, Uncle David, ring the bell.

This last weekend was Melissa's Road Race.  Its a very scenic 10k or 22k road race in Banff.  Congratulations to Stong Men Uncle David and Uncle Jon for completing the 10k.  These 2 brother-in-laws have been great examples to me.  They ride bikes to work.   Because of their encouragement I started to ride to work as well a few years ago.   David lent me a bike so I could commute 2 years ago.  Jon lent me a bike so I could commute last year.  Thank you Jon and David.    (This year Jon's bike has been safely parked in our garage).   I need to start riding again.

I wish I could have run with them at Melissa's with them this year.  I was registered in the 22k - you have to register in February and it fills up in a couple hours.   Last year David and I ran the 22k (he finished a time zone ahead of me...but I finished).   I had full intentions of doing it again this year (at least back in February).  But I haven't run in months (plus we had our Bishop's Retreat on the same day - probably a good idea to the Bishop to be at the Bishop's Retreat).   I ended up passing my race bib to someone else.   I need to start running again. 
 

Proof that I was really did run in Melissa's last year (or that I am good with Photoshop)


Watch an upcoming blog entry for my running story.

"My Spidy Sense is Tingling"

I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Some people call us Mormons.   We come in all colours, shapes and sizes (and that's just my family).   One funny thing about Mormons is that they seem to have a special "Spidy Sense" when it comes to picking out other Mormons.  There has been many times when I have picked them out of a crowd and there have even been times when I've been picked out of a crowd.

Just this week I was reminded of one of these occasions.  I'm not big into Facebook - I don't really understand it.  But because of my kids I have an account.  Recently I received an invitation on Facebook to be a friend of one of these fellow Saints that we met about 4 years ago.

For Spring Break in 2004 we went to Disneyland.   One day Judy and I and the 4 youngest were on the Mark Twain Riverboat.   Being Japanese I wanted to take a picture of my family.  Another Japanese looking young man beside us on the boat asked if he could take a picture for us.

Here's the picture he took (Its also the picture that motivated me to start running - another story for another day)

We started chatting with this young man.  He asked me if I was Japanese.  I told him I was from Canada.  He was Japanese American.

  

He asked if I spoke Japanese.  I said I spoke a little.  I asked him the same question.  He said he spoke some and that he lived in Japan for a while.   When I first saw him and his young family I thought - "This guy could be Mormon" - but now my Spidy Sense was really tingling.   I replied that I lived in Japan for a couple years as well.  He asked why I was there.  I said I was there with my Church.  He said "What church was that?"  (I think by now we both had it figured out but still too reserved to ask right out - must be the Japanese culture).    I can't remember who said it first but  "Oh - you must be LDS" finally came out.

His name was Tim and we had a nice visit.  We had several things in common besides belonging to the same church - he was Japanese American - I'm Japanese Canadian (close enough).   We both served missions.  He was from Ohio and was a seminary teacher.  At that time only Alana was in Seminary so he chatted with her about that for a while.  He was there with his wife and 3 kids.   We exchanged email addresses and went on our separate Disneyland adventures.

Since then, we have exchanged a couple emails.   But when he invited me as a friend on facebook I found out that we have some other important (scary) things in common.

I love headlamps.  Your hands are free when you use one.  It points in the same direction you are looking.   I use it when camping, working on the car, BBQing in the dark and even reading in bed.  Why wouldn't everyone use one?   I have a mission to convert the world to headlamps even if its one person at a time.   I love people who use headlamps.   Its like running into another Mormon.  There is an automatic bonding.

Having said that take a look at this recent picture of Tim.

Do you see what's on his head?
   

Compare that picture to this one of Alana, Jenelle and me at a recent Father and Kids Camp.

What do you see on our heads?

You will also notice that Tim is cooking with a dutch oven.  I also love dutch oven cooking but I'm not nearly the expert my dad is.

Grandpa Takahashi and his pineapple upside down cake.

  

Thanks to all those people like Tim who live their lives in such away that you can tell they are different.  Whether its because you wear a headlamp because you are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ is Latter-day Saints.   

Bishop's Retreat

On Saturday we had our ward's Bishop's Retreat.   The Bishop wanted to do something where we could get out of the city and experience some of the beauty of the world God created for us.   He wanted to talk to the youth in a mountain setting.    Fortunately Calgary is only an hour away from the mountains.   We went on a hike on the Grassi Lake Trail.   Its a short uphill hike to some little mountain lakes.

Third Ward Youth that went on the Retreat

The view from the parking lot

    

The bishop and his lovely wife on the hike

"we hid ourselves in the cavity of a rock"

1 Ne. 3: 27

Hiking around Grassi Lake

The group at the trailhead

Brother Jenson had a great feast prepared for us

Make your own sandwiches

The youth frolicked in the forest playing Frisbee golf

More frisbee golf

  

The ride home - we went in a 12 passenger van.  It made the bishop's wife a bit teary because it reminder her of the 15 passenger van we used to drive.  (Can you find Judy in this picture?)

The Bishop talked about tender mercies (1 Nephi 1:20) and shared about when he was a young missionary in Japan.

Takahashi Choro on his bike (1980)

Although I look like I should speak Japanese before my mission all I knew were a few Japanese food terms like sushi and shoyu.   Even after 2 months in the LTM (Language Training Mission) when I got to Japan it took me 2 weeks before I could even recognize my name.  My first companion in Japan was a young Japanese elder who didn't speak much English.  It was a challenge for me.  I often didn't know what we were doing until we did it or where we were going until we got there.   One day in my first week in Japan I followed my companion on a 45 minute bike ride to teach a man a lesson.   As soon as we got on our bikes to return home it started to rain - and I mean it really came down.   As I rode home I remember feeling cold, wet, homesick, lonely and discouraged and I wanted nothing more than to go home.   I didn't feel that this was what I had signed up for.   But the Lord knew of me and my feelings.  That first Sunday in Church I met a sister in in the branch that spoke English.   We chatted in English and she asked about my family.  Turns out that I had a picture of my family that I carried with me in my White Missionary Handbook.   I showed it to her and she looked at it.  She pointed to my mom and said - "I know this lady!"    I said that it was probably someone who looked like here because my mom had never been to Japan and this sister had never been in Canada.   But she was sure that she had talked to my mom.  She started describing her and said things like "She's very friendly" and "she likes to talk".  Sounded like my mom.   As we talked more it turns out she was in Utah visiting some friends and was touring the LTM in Provo the same day my parents dropped me off.  After we said our goodbyes and the missionaries go out one door and the families go out another door, my mom was waiting in front of a big map of the world in the main hallway.   This sister was also standing there and they started talking.   Apparently they chatted for some time.  And it turns out that this sister was the first member of the Church (other than missionaries)  that I met as a young, homesick missionary in Japan.  I truly consider this a tender mercy of the Lord because He knew that I would be lonely and discouraged.  My family wouldn't be there, but He arranged that my mom and this sister would meet so that when I got to Japan this sister would be there to encourage me by telling me how my mom felt about her son going on a mission to Japan.   I felt much better after that.


I told the youth that they they may all experience those times of discouragement, loneliness, etc, but the Lord will show them tender mercies to help them through these challenging times.

One Ringy Dingy

  

On September 12, 10 digit dialing was introduced in Alberta.   Even for local phone calls you must now dial the 403 area code .     For awhile to get us ready there would be an annoying message reminding you about about 10 digit dialing and then your call would go through.   Now if you forget the area code you get a very annoying message saying that this is a local call and then tells you to hang up and dial 10 digits.  


While Alana was here for the summer she discovered that if she called certain number she could get room service downstairs at our house.   check her blog entry about it.    Now she would be advised that she would have to hang up and try again.  


I don't like the idea of 10 digit dialing but that's not what this post is about.   It just reminded me of when I was a phone operator.   Back in 2005 I was working at TELUS and the union decided to go on strike.  Managers were all assigned front line jobs that union workers would normally do.   As a manager my assignment was to be a telephone operator.    At that time the Lower Mainland of British Columbia introduced 10 digit dialing.  It was confusing for customers and many ended up calling the operator for help.   I was one of those operators.    

Being a phone operator was not something I would want to do for a living - it takes a special kind of person.  Because of the strike we worked 10 - 12 hour shifts 6 days a week.   The good part was that they paid us great overtime and brought in catered meals 2 times a day.   But as the strike went on they cut the meals and the overtime.   Not getting fed and no big overtime cheques really took the enjoyment out of being an operator, but every day there were some memorable calls.   I thought I would share some of my favorites.


Cousin Daryl

I was taking 411 calls and I didn't talk to the caller.  The number came up on the computer and all I had to do was say "Please hold for the number" and hit a key on the keyboard.  When I said my line the customer yells, "Doug" in the phone.  It was my cousin Daryl S.    He recognized my voice from that one short phrase.  We had a nice chat.    This is amazing when you realize on busy days I could take 100 calls/hour

The Country of Africa

I was taking 411 calls and a guys asks for the number for the Embassy of Africa.

Me:          "Which country in Africa?"

Caller:      "You know - Africa , I'd like the number for the African Embassy"

Me:          "There are several countries in Africa.  Which one would you like?

Caller:    I want the country of Africa.

Me:         Africa is not a country sir, Its a continent. 

Caller:    What are you talking about?   I'm looking for the embassy for Africa.

Me:         I have listings for several of the countries in Africa.  But no listing for Africa.  

Caller:    Why not

Me:         Because its not a country sir, its a continent,.

Caller:    OK, If you're so smart name some countries in Africa.

Me:         Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt......

Caller:    STOP - you are telling me Egypt is in Africa?

Me:         Yes.

Caller:    If Egypt is in Africa why aren't they all black?

Me:         There are several countries in Africa where they are not all black.

Caller:    Name one.

Me:      South Africa.

He says some things I can't repeat and hangs up.

Prime Minister's Home Number

Taking 411 calls again.  

A caller calls and asks for the Prime Minister's home phone number.

I look and can only find the PM's office number.   I tell the caller this

She gets a bit sharp with me and says she needs the number because she as a personal friend of the PM.

I tell the customer that the home number must be unlisted.

She has some attitude and says that she's a personal friend and that the PM was expecting her call and he would be waiting.

I ask if I could give her the number for the PM's office. 

She starts to yell at me because I'm letting the country down and that we shouldn't keep the PM waiting.  She reminds me that she is personal friend.

My response was "If he's such a good friend and wanted you to call,  why didn't he give you his number himself".

Fun 411 Call

I got a 411 call from a cell phone  for the address of a market in Calgary.   It just so happened that I drove by the market the day before so I knew exactly where it was.   I asked the caller where they were.   At first she asked why I wanted to know.   I told her I just drove by the market and knew where it was.   She told me where they were so I directed her to the market.   I would say things like "on your left you will see.....".   She'd sound amazed and say "YEAH".    I'd tell her where to turn and was on the phone for about 2 or 3 minutes.   When she saw it she was so excited and she commented that it was the best phone support she's ever experienced.    If I was a real operator I probably would have been fired, but there was one very satisfied customer. . . and I had fun too.

CIA Agent

Get a request for a collect call to the US Embassy.  The caller doesn't have the number so I look it up.  While I'm looking it up he says that he's a CIA agent and he tells me his life is in danger and he needs to talk to the people at the Embassy.    He also tells me that he has a new identity so they may not know who he is.   I'm thinking to myself, if I was a CIA agent I wouldn't be telling anyone and I don't think I would be making a collect call to a number I had to ask the operator for.   I did get the number - They didn't accept the call (probably because they didn't recognize his new name).

911 Call

I get a 911 call from a cell phone.   I ask if its police, fire or ambulance.   

I don't know

You don't know?   Are you hurt?  Do you need an ambulance?

No

Do you need the police?  

I don't think so.

Do you need the fire department?

I don't know.

What is the emergency?

Well.......its kind of embarassing.  I'm stuck on a toilet.

I didn't want to think about this but all sorts of images went through my mind.  None were very pretty.   I made a quick decision that this was a fire department call

I transfered the call to the fire department but I didn't release the call because I just had to listen in.

What is the emergency?

Its kind of embarassing - I'm stuck on a toilet

You're stuck on a toilet?

Yeah, I can't get off.

Where are you?

I don't know.  I'm in the second floor of an office building.

What building.

I don't know I came with a friend to a meeting.

Do you know what its by?

Wait, there's someone in the bathroom.   Excuse me.....can you help me.

You can hear a voice but can't make it out

Yes, please go for help.  Wait , where are we?

He get the name of the building and the address and give it to the dispatch operator.

The voice must have gone for help because you hear more people coming into the bathroom and talking to the caller.

The fire department operator asks questions like are you injured, etc

A few minutes later you hear the fire department arrive.

The call is ended so I don't know what happened.   But do I really want to know?

There were lots of these crazy calls.   On some I'm sure it was someone just having fun with the operators - but they seemed so real.   There were also lots of complaints - about everything from the weather to the government - not just TELUS related.   The saddest thing was all of the lonely people who just wanted someone to talk to.   I learned a lot  but its not something I would want to do again.

Peachy

Last Saturday after the food drive we went Brenda and Dave's to pick up some peaches that we had ordered through Uncle Kevin's Provident Lifestyle COOP .  (He's doing a great job and I think he really enjoys it)

We got home and mom and Candi and I spent about an hour doing some peaches for freezing .   We got about 12 big freezer bags.

Last night I made some fresh peach smoothies with some of the peaches we didn't freeze.

Fresh ingredients and proper preparation are crucial for a tasty smoothy.

    

Care and caution must be taken not to overfill the blender like I did.  Good smoothy may be wasted.  Did you know that there are 3 times stuff can fly out of the blender?  1-when you turn it on and it goes all over.  2- when its blending and 3-when you turn it off and this big bubble of air comes up and splashes as if you dropped a rock into the blender. 

  

It was worth the effort.

    

(Note:  Yes, my eyes are open in all the pictures.  Its a cultural thing - I'm Japanese!)

On Saturday after the food drive and doing the peaches mom and I drove to Cardston to go to the temple.   Nephew Matt Lowry has his mission call and will be heading to Mexico.   He was going through the temple for the first time so we thought we would join him and his family.   His cousin Will was going through as well - his is going to California on a mission.

Matt with some family members.

(Doesn't the Cardston Temple remind you for Laie Hawaii Temple?)

Raving Fan update

I have a followup to the Raving Fan posting.

As WestJet promised there was a credit in my account later that night.  However the credit was for $300, not the $450 I was expecting .  Right on their website it said the Fuel Surcharges were from $20 for short haul flights to $45 for long haul flights.   I just assumed Hawaii was a long haul flight.   $45 x 10 = $450.  Today at lunch I sent a quick email asking for clarification.    Again they responded quickly.   Turns out that transborder flights are calculated differently because there are US surcharges included.  It turns out that I only paid $27 per flight in Fuel Surcharges.   $27 x 10 = $270.  Yet I got a credit for $300.    I only want to get back what I paid so now I'm asking why I got more that $270.  The person who responded said that they simply rounded the $27 up to the $30/flight to match the numbers in the press releases.  And then close by asking me if this is okay and wishing me an enjoyable trip.

Even when I questioned them, they come back and make me feel good about my choice to go with Westjet.   The went beyond expectations.   That's how you make raving fans.

I'm going to be in the Guiness Book of World Records

Well, not really me, but we were all part of a city-wide food and together the members of the six LDS Stakes in Calgary achieved the goal and collected over  500,000 pounds of food for the Calgary Inter-faith Food Bank.  


This Food Bank press release explains what we did.

Last year nearly 90,000 Calgarians used the food bank.   Nearly 45% of these were children.   

What started in our ward as a service project many years ago has turned into this city-wide food drive that now holds the world record for the most food collected in one day.  They estimate that the food collected on Saturday is worth over $1,000,000.

We don't knock on doors.  A few days before collection day we pass out bags with an information sheet to all the homes in Calgary.  The idea is that people will fill up the bags and leave them on there doorstep Saturday morning.   

On Saturday morning we go around and collect any bags left out.

Jenelle kept count

Our driver and navigator

We then take them to one of 6 drop off sites in the city (1 per stake).

The missionaries were there in full force

From there the food is loaded onto these trucks and taken to the Food Bank.  We filled up 2 and a half of these trailers at our drop off location.  
(Purolator donated the use of the trucks and the drivers).

Purolator had some young looking drivers

SteveO was operating the folk lift

The fork lifts were donated as well.

I had to add this one just because. 

I hope that this is a world record that gets broken soon and is broken often.

Read more about it


Calgary Food Bank Website

Calgary Herald
Calgary Sun
Edmonton Sun 
Cape Breton Post (Not much must happen there)