Jack is Helping

This is Jack.

He is helping me to box up some books.

He thinks the boxes are a fort.

He is also protecting us from evil monsters.

Oh.  Hi, Mom.  Just keeping us safe from scary monsters.

Have a great weekend, everybody!  And stay away from scary monsters!

Meanwhile, Back in China...

Daniel and Livia in the Forbidden City

The Chinese branch of our family is settling into life in Beijing, China very nicely.  They do get to play tourists on occasion, as evidenced by the above photo of my nephew and sweet little Livia in the Forbidden City.

The photo below shows chubby baby Olaf in a rather bare apartment in the Capital city.  (Daniel says it's huge.)

Daniel with baby Olaf

I'm anxiously awaiting more photos of life in China, but they are slow in coming.  Daniel is busy with work and he laments that internet connections are slow at times.

I can't wait to learn more about life in Beijing!

Kyoto Castles

Kyoto has 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, more than 1600 Buddhist temples and over 400 Shinto shrines.

Here are a few photos of some of the temples and shrines, that my neighbor George recently visited, and the beautiful gardens that surround them.

This almost looks like a peaceful caretaker's cottage (above).  What do you think?

The details of these ancient structures (below) are exquisite.

This (below) seems like an idyllic country scene.

I love how the pagoda (below) peeks above the roof line of the village.

Even the placement of the trees seems deliberate.

These structures have a fairytale-like quality.

I think the time of year (late summer/early fall) is just perfect in these photos.

An old covered bridge - reminding us that the winters can be hard here.

These zen gardens are so lovely.  Why do I have the urge to run through the sand and leave my footprints behind?  I'm such a brat.

Someone has taken the time to rake these so beautifully, leaving no trace of themselves behind.

Have a peaceful day!

The Diary of Anne Frank

The Whittier Community Theatre does an excellent job portraying this classic dramatization of a young girl's diary, the story of Anne Frank and her family.

The cast of Diary of Anne Frank

Anne Frank and her family hid in the attic of an Amsterdam business building during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands.

The theatrical version of this story has touched audiences world-wide since its premier in 1955. Now, 70 years after the end of World War II, it is more meaningful than ever.

There are only two performances left: 

Friday, November 20th, and Saturday, November 21st, at 8 p.m.  

Ticket prices are $15 General Admission, $12 for Seniors (62 and above), Juniors (under 18), Students and Military with current ID.  

Call 562-696-0600 for reservations.

Don't miss this gem. The Diary of Anne Frank is a celebration of the resilience of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming odds.

P.S.  Help the WCT feed the less fortunate this Thanksgiving by bringing a non-perishable food item to the basket in the lobby.  If you do, you will receive a free goody from the snack bar at intermission.  All contributions will be donated to a local Whittier food bank.

Hiroshima Peace Garden

Perhaps it is appropriate that I post this today, in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris and other places around the globe.  These are the gardens of the Hiroshima Peace Garden and Museum in Hiroshima, Japan.

The Children's Peace Monument

This area was once the political and commercial heart of the city.  After the bomb, it was a wasteland.  Four years after the bombing, it was decided that area would not be redeveloped, but instead devoted to a memorial dedicated to the victims and the promotion of peace in the world.

The Cenotaph at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

There are two main buildings here which explain the history of Hiroshima and the aftermath of the nuclear bomb which was dropped on August 6th in 1945 at 8:15 a.m. and killed 140,000 people.

Many of those who died passed away from leukemia, one of the side effects of radiation from the bomb, many months after the bomb dropped.  

The stories told here are very moving.  

 

It's important for us to understand the lessons of history.

The Peace Memorial Museum

It is a quiet place for contemplation and thoughtful remembrance.  Some find it emotionally upsetting.  My friend said he found it sad, but also beautiful and peaceful.

In the scriptures we are commanded:

And again I say unto you, sue for peace, not only to the people that have smitten you, but also to all people; and lift up an ensign of peace, and make a proclamation of peace unto the ends of the earth; and make proposals for peace unto those who have smitten you, according to the voice of the Spirit which is in you, and all things shall work together for your good. - Doctrine and Covenants 105: 38-40 

We have also been told that there will be no peace in this world except for the peace that Christ brings to each of us through His gospel:

Peace I leave with you, Jesus told his disciples, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

The Lord, through the prophet Isaiah, also admonishes us that true peace comes only through obedience to the commandments of God:

O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments!  then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.. - Isaiah 48:18

Guess Who Comes Home soon?

Elder Anders (right) and Elder Householder

Guess who is coming home in less than two weeks?  Yes!  Elder Anders!

After serving the people of Texas with honor, he is returning in all his earthly glory just in time for Thanksgiving!

I don't think he can believe it, either!

Woo-Hoo!

Tokyo Skytree

The Skytree

The Tokyo Skytree is located in the Sumida district of Tokyo, Japan.  It's actually a broadcasting tower, but it also houses a restaurant and observations decks.

The tower is the primary TV and radio broadcast site for the region surrounding it.

It's very tall, measuring 2,083 feet in height. It has been named the world's tallest free-standing tower by the Guinness World Records people.

The tower is quakeproof, having a central shaft that is resistant to earthquakes.  It was designed to absorb 50 percent of the energy from an earthquake...

... which is good, because it's in earthquake territory!

Work on the structure began in 2008 with a groundbreaking ceremony and was completed in 2012. The first week it was open, 1.6 million people visited it!

There have been problems with chunks of snow and ice falling from the tower during the winter and damaging roofs of buildings in the neighborhood!  Apparently the jury is still out whether it was a good thing to build this huge tower in this neighborhood.  Many complain that it has brought little economic benefit to the area, despite record numbers of tourists.

In spite of this, it's really a rather incredible tower.

George took this really cool photo of Tokyo from one of the observation decks:

The View from the Sky Tree

I love that nighttime skyline with its contrast of dark and light.

Would you be frightened to ascend to the top of a tower like this?  It may be intriguing, but I think it seems a bit scary, too!