March 28 - 29, 2009
Aaaannd of course blogspot takes out all the formatting ARGH >:(
10:30pm
THE DRIVE THERE
San Leandro, California --> Las Vegas, Nevada
100+ members waited at church for the two buses. I thought about STF, and how I wasn't going to it. The past few weeks, everything is pointing to how awful of a decision it was for me to go to college right after high school. After sending in my scholarship essays and finally getting accepted at CSUEB, I was like NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO I wanna go to NGA!! Or STF!! Or service somewhere, somehow!!! Why, why, why did I go to college right away!! I want to gain experiences and strengthen my faith, and have colorful memories to share with my husband because, because... I want my husband to have done a year of service. I need to do one year too. But my mom told me... that it's okay, everyone has their own way.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Slept on an off on the bus (11:30pm - 10am), it was FREEZING, my neck ached, my back hurt, my legs were cramped, but at least I fell asleep to Super Junior's SORRY SORRY haha XD
We stopped around 7am at a McDonald's (I went there before, I'm sure of it!). I mean, we invaded it XD
Arrived at the hotel around 10:15am, waited in the lobby area for our room keys. Met up with lots of members!!! We got our key and went up to our 11th floor. My mom and I shared a room with the Osaka family. The view wasn't as I had hoped for, but it was okay... =\ I wanted to find the stairs but I couldn't!! I was so excited about the stairs goshdarnsitall, racing down... ;___;
THE ACTUAL EVENT
I SAW KINESHA!! WINNA!! MISOOK!! RON!! Omo I miss them so much already... Oh! And other people from Cheongpyeong, winter workshop (that I don't REALLY know, so I didn't talk to them), STF...
Hyung Jin Nim is so gentle and kind, and his words are softly encouraging.
In Jin Nim is gentle and kind too, and very close to us. Yes, usually I felt really far, like the True Family are superstars and I am a mortal, a nobody. But In Jin Nim really brings us closer, like one family under God, as we should be. I love In Jin Nim! <3
Kook Jin Nim was so funny!!! XD He was so grateful for our "warm welcome" because when people usually see him, they run XD They run away because if you have to talk to him in private, he's probably going to fire you!!
At the first event, with all the guests, we watched that well-known slide show. But it never gets old. I always want to cry when the Spirit music stars, and we see the people in Israel crying and hugging...
The person who spoke at the second event, to members only, before True Family was so funny, he kept saying "exciting" instead of "excited." Then both Hyung Jin Nim and In Jin Nim used that to joke and everyone laughed a lot XD
We watched a couple slideshows/movies about the Blessing (OMG OMG!!!!!!!!!! DAVID D'OR AND JUSTIN KIM!!!!! I had heard of Justin Kim before but not really his music, and then I heard "blessed child" in his beautiful, beautiful song and I wanted to run home to the computer and search and download it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) where Sharon, my friend from Cheongpyeong was loved by the camera!! :D Also, there was True Father, throwing cake LOL and In Jin Nim's barbeque with STF.
"What will you do with your life..."
We all stood and clapped and clapped, and then WOOSH!
My Il Shim ring flew off my finger.
GAH!!!
My first thought was oh no oh no oh no I neeeeeeeed that ring!! I need it to give it to my husband just like Deanne and Kwanchai did exchanging their Il Shim rings!!!! I can't get another one, it'd be so empty and cold and worthless!! Everything that's gone into that ring!! Everything, and everything I stand for!! NO NO NO!!!!!!!
I was on my knees in my skirt for the next ten minutes, searching and searching. Mie, Rie, Mrs. Osaka, my mom, and the people that sat by us were looking too, moving chairs, lifting table cloths, all to help me look for my ring.
One member (lots did, but this sir specifically) asked what I was looking for, and I said my ring. He asked where I was standing where I lost it, how hard I was clapping, what finger it was on, then began lifting chairs and looking around for me. He asked if we'd looked in our bags. I looked through mine three times before, and my mom looked in hers once, but we looked through again. And it was in my mom's bag!!
The man burst out laughing heartily. And after we all laughed, my mom shook his hand and asked for his name.
"??? Tidwell." (I forgot his first name)
I hope we can meet again so I can return his kindness ^^
AFTER THE EVENT
Dinner was a $15 per person buffet. Lots of members were there yay ^^
I was standing in line, waiting for my mom who had gone somewhere, when someone behind me said "yeah, service for peace!" I knew he was commenting on my shirt, and I looked around nervously.
He said hi, and I said hi, but then he looked closer at me and said he remembered me.
It turned out to be Mark!!! :D
~~~
We heard the Mori family singing happy birthday to Aika!! Then a few minutes later, staff of the buffet came out and sang with them again lol!!! :)
After dinner (I had mostly pizza ><;) my mom went to bed while I went with the Zinkes, Osakas, Watanabes and Vicky, Sueja, Toby and Mrs. Califano to the Las Vegas. I thought, we're in Las Vegas, why not see it for a few extra bucks?
I had no idea what the Las Vegas Strip was.
The crescent moon was hovering in the black sky over the brightly lit South Point hotel when we got on the first bus. We sat for a long time, I was wondering just how far we were going to have to go, when we realized we had missed out transfer spot. So ugh, we rode for a long time, then jumped off and got onto a double decker bus! :D We sat on the second floor of course.
We drove by the "pyramid" and "sphinx" that I didn't see really, then got off because traffic was sluggish. All together I think we were 16 people? Big group, mostly younger BCs. We walked around the streets, overwhelmed by the smell of smoke and beer.
The one store we entered was the M&M store. Stacks and shelves of rainbow colored products!! goodness graciousnesses. It was expensive. ??????! Then we kept walking.
I can sum up Las Vegas in one sentence, from what I saw that night.
I thought I was in the center of hell.
Streets and gutters littered with disgusting bits of advertisement, and the people standing and handing them out! To even young people!!!!!!! It was DISGUSTING. Guys that looked evil, smelled horrible, and needed to seriously wash their mouthes and brains out. Girls that needed some clothes, families that needed to get their children OUT of that atmosphere, billboards with gross ads, videos with sickening, flashy beer ads. People making out, dancing ugh, being drunk. I could hardly breathe, the odor was so harsh. My nose already bled twice today, seriously. I wanted out. I couldn't stop thinking, "soul selling."
There were good parts. The water show was amazing, beautiful <3 The lights and huge buildings were cool too!! But I was so afraid of being there. More than for myself, for my younger brothers and sisters there with me. I wish they didn't have to see it all.
I stuck so close to our group, anyone who was closest to me, I think I must've annoyed them. Closer then their shadow, lol... I wanted to see the lights and statues up above, but didn't want to lose anyone! I was so sure that one of our big group would get separated. I must've gotten on especially Mrs. Watanabe's nerves. Masazumi and Kouki too... ><;
We went into a casino to go to the bathroom, the Monte Carlo. It was in... "France" I think. In the women's room, my nose bled, again, for the third darn time. Really it hurt to breathe outside, I don't know what everyone else felt. I washed my hands and went outside, looking for the others.
Everyone was gone.
I put my glasses on quickly.
They were still gone.
And just being alone for those few seconds, people started looking at me. Me, the short, four-eyed t-shirt + granny capri wearing 18 year old, thought I was the center of attention in the world. I know I'm 18. I've been 18 for three months, physically. But honestly, in my mind, I'm still 13. I swear. I look like out on the outside, and I feel it on the inside. And I like looking young, but right now, I was kinda scared.
I ran down the thick red and gold carpet past the slot machines and scary people, and burst out into the night. I still couldn't see them anywhere. Thinking that maybe they forgot me and walked a little ways on (we were a big group), I ran down the steps and street.
I ran until there was a huge crowd of drinkers, smokers, scary people in on the sidewalk. I looked around but couldn't see anyone I recognized, and I thought that they couldn't have possibly gone that far yet. I didn't take that long in the bathroom! So I ran back up the stairs and went back to the casino. I stood just inside the automatic glass doors, fidgeting and trying to be invisible. I knew, I knew that we had only come to the casino to use the bathroom, so they should not be still there. I knew it, but I didn't know what else to.
This guy started coming towards the door. I stared down, pretending I was just waiting for my parents or something. Then the guy changed his steps to come directly to me. I was nervous yeah, but thank goodness, he turned away and just went outside.
Really, I felt like I was the center of the world and everyone was looking at what I was doing, lol. A 13 year old, in the casino, unaccompanied! So I left. I waited outside by the huge water fountain. Waited, looked around for a friendly, familiar face. leaned on the pillar thing and wrote in my journal, like how it was 11:15pm. But I thought I looked weird so I put my stuff away and just looked at the fountain.
I knew I was doing the only logical thing. Thank You, Heavenly Father for giving me the ability to think rationally and logically!!! I had laid out my options:
1) walk down the street, hoping to catch up to them
- that was stupid, there's like a million people out here! a million drunk people.
2) find a phone and call my mom to call Mrs. Zinke (because I didn't know her number)
- I hadn't seen any phones around but really, I am stingy. Even this stingy, yeah... not wanting to spend money while I'm lost in Las Vegas near midnight without a cell phone
3) take the bus back to the hotel
- but then they wouldn't know you were back, and might look for you! stupid idea, but last resort.
4) wait where they know they last saw you, and hope they will realize you're not there and come back
- the smart thing to do, right?
So I did!
I waited, and a guy came up from behind and stood next to me, looking down into the water of the fountain like I was. After a little bit, he spoke to me.
"You're not thinkin' of jumpin', are you...?" he asked, joking.
I laughed, relieved he was so friendly, and said no, no. He left.
I started praying, lol. Heavenly Father, please let me find some BCs, or please let BCs find me. Please let me find the Zinkes or please let the Zinkes find me...
And right when I was praying (with my eyes open, mumbling...) I saw a flash of black and white behind a thick white pillar.
OMO! Vicky was wearing stripes!!
I quickly walked, and...
Vicky and Kaori appeared and they hugged me and told the others by cell phone they found me.
SAVED!!!!!!!!!!! ^^;
I knew I was all right, the whole time, and even excited about something interesting happening to me, but I was relieved to be back with BCs. Together we walked back to the group, where Mrs. Hongo hugged me, everyone kinda stared at me, and Mie told me to get a cell phone and from now on, walk in front of her so she could see me at all times XD
I love them <3
We climbed the stairs to walk on the overpass to the castle, past the statue of liberty? By now, though, I had taken off my glasses. I didn't want to see anything I didn't have to. Truthfully, I have really bad eyesight, but never wear my glasses because I think I look more stupid than I already am. So... taking my glasses off, I really had to watch where I walked in the dark *happy* We walked to the bus station and finally sat down. I think everyone was expecting me to be traumatized and crying, or something... they looked really worried about me ^^; But really, I was perfectly fine. Just disgusted by everything around me, you know...
I closed my eyes and started falling asleep on the bus, but the driver called out "those of you on the second floor, this is your stop to transfer to South Point..." so we were all like huh? what? really! come on, we have to get off! So we began filing out, and the bus driver goes,
"That's your bus to South Point coming! Hurry up!" We stumble to the street in the night and a bus zooms by us and coasts to a stop a ways away. Our bus!!
Some strangers in the lead, calling at us to hurry up, then Masazumi, living up to his legend of speed, then me and everyone else, we ran across the street for the bus lol!!! It was so exciting and invigorating!!!! XD ADRENALINE XP
We made it haha ^^
I never thought I'd be so happy to see a hotel/casino by the time we returned. That's where we can close our eyes, rest ouf heads, and forget the real world for a few hours. And then, it's on again with God's will =)
We got back past midnight and there still members, BCs, wandering around the casino!!! I was surprised. We went in the same elevator up to go to bed =)
As horrible of a time I thought I had in the center of nightlife in Las Vegas, I know why God let me see. He showed me just how huge of a job we have in front of us. To get me ready to know what we're facing. Yeah... it's a pretty big, scary thing to look at. But... True Father believes we can change "Sin City" to the "Shining City" for families. In Jin Nim believes too. So I believe too. I don't know what to do, or how to do it and what I personally can do, but... I'll keep my eyes open and... and just try.
March 29th, 2009
Slept like a rock. Got up 9am, breakfast of senbei, go downstairs.
OOMG--!! Why are members GAMBLING!!!!!!! I was SHOCKED OUT OF MY MIND. I thought, I thought we hated gambling!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But then my mom told me it's "okay" to gamble, just not thousands of dollars and stuff. But still, I stubbornly shook my head and still am against gambling.
Mrs. Hongo hugged me again, her hug was so soft! and asked if I was all right, like I was traumatized from yesterday <3 Mrs. Zinke came up to me too.
"So, we've learned a lesson from yesterday. Don't go to the bathroom, right?" I laughed XD "Just kidding."
"Um... go faster...?" I tried. He laughed.
"I think we have to have a buddy system. That's the lesson." He said something about coming again, what kind of experience it was... but ended with how we're going home. "Go back to your music, Jenny."
I will, yes I'll continue to try at music... =)
Then Mrs. Frothingham comes to me, hugs me, and tells me "you (second generation) are the hope of True Parents, the future, and Las Vegas!" :D
We left Las Vegas on the bus around 10am. We tried to watch Jackie Chan but it didn't work. We stopped for lunch in this one town.
"It's windy out there, Jenny," Shinghi said.
LOL, it was hecka windy!!! I couldn't recognize the people around me because of their billowed clothes, wild hair and squinty eyes! Dust blew in our faces and my mom and I went to Subway. In the bathroom, I met Mrs. Barker!! :D We sat out of the wind in Mr. Denni's "oasis" behind a building before going back on the bus. The wind was pretty awesome, except for the dirt ^^
Drove and drove, listening to music, sleeping, taking pictures of outside. Stopped at a rest stop that I swear my family has stopped at before, my mom bought hot chocolate, it was still windy but now my teeth were chattering.
Other than chapped lips, I got home perfectly safe with everyone around... 8? I hope everyone isn't too exhausted still, and feel refreshed from seeing the True Family =)
PBJ bagel <3
I know it looks really pitiful... but we were running low on snacks after two days of lunches! Saltine crackers, a sizzler candy, and gum ><; I want to give my dad more, but he's not Japanese so he doesn't eat rice bentos, or any Asian things for lunch...
Really pitiful... a ginger snap and a homemade lemon bar (the last one, made by my sister last Saturday).
I learned how to make egg sandwiches yesterday! Just for my daddy <3 Egg on dark rye sammich~
All packed up with a Fiber One 50 calorie Strawberry yogurt and water bottle, and ice :)
・智恵子おばさんからの可愛いハンドバッグ♥
