district conference

we had district conference today, again. we just had one the end of last month. don't worry, this one was different. at the last one, we sustained a new district presidency. this one was a broadcast from salt lake for all the stakes in japan. it was good. different but good. i can now say i know how others around the world feel when they have to listen to a translated version. a couple of the speakers spoke in japanese (don't ask who, because i really couldn't tell ya), but sister dalton the young women's general president and elder perry spoke in english. elder perry actually had his translator stand off to the side of the podium. so he would say something, pause and we would hear it in japanese. the others just had the translation overlaid. so listening to elder perry's talk was like listening to it twice. kinda cool. didn't understand a thing said in japanese, but it was cool. it was interesting during the intermediate hymn, as the choristor was japanese, therefore singing in japanese, and the words on the screen were in japanese. it was kinda hard to stay with her though as the japanese translation is a little off word/beat wise from the english. it's cool to think though, that everyone, japanese and american, were all singing the same thing at the same time. that is one thing i love about the chuch. it doesn't matter where you go in the world, the church is the same. we all believe the same thing, teach the same thing, sing the same hymns, read the same scriptures. it's just amazing to me to think about. i think that has been one of the things that has helped me most since moving here. to move to a foreign country, but know that there is a group of people where i will still fit in, is a great comfort. the branch here, as small as it is, is fantastic. i don't know what i would do if i didn't have the church in my life. what a blessing!