Elder Nick Whipple ('99-'01) sent a faded copy of a handwritten "Eien no Tomodachi" for the web site on 22 Oct 2000. According to Nick, it is
"a 'piece' that some missionary wrote out a long time ago in the MTC (maybe 2-4 years ago). ... I don't know who wrote it, ... but maybe someone can fill you in from the Kobe page. Some people kind of consider it the mission song."
Robert Smith (smirob22@hotmail.com) provided the following information on 21 Dec 2000:
"This was written by a Japanese Elder named Hayashi. I may have a meishi with his name on it, I'll check. He wrote it in about Sep. of 1998. I don't think he was in the MTC."
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(Received from the Kobe mission home, 18 January 2000.)
| On the 1st day of dendo a hito said to me | gokuro sama desu |
| On the 2nd day of dendo a hito said to me | kekko desu |
| On the 3rd day of dendo a hito said to me | mimi ga toi |
| On the 4th day of dendo a hito said to me | me ga mienai |
| On the 5th day of dendo a hito said to me | Sokka Gakkai |
| On the 6th day of dendo a hito said to me | Bukyo yakara |
| On the 7th day of dendo a hito said to me | dara mo inai |
| On the 8th day of dendo a hito said to me | te hanasenai |
| On the 9th day of dendo a hito said to me | kyakusan kiteru |
| On the 10th day of dendo a hito said to me | shukyo chigau |
| On the 11th day of dendo a hito said to me | wakai hito inai |
| On the 12th day of dendo a hito said to me | Eigo wakaranai |
| BUT | |
| On the 13th day of dendo a hito said to me | Senkyoshi desu ka? Kirisuto Kyo? Manabi tai yo Dozo o hairi Kazoko issho Inotte ii yo Josefu Sumisu ka? Ii hito mitai Shinnnji tai yo Ocha ga kirai Kohii mo Kyokai ni kimasu Itsu baputisuma ukemasho |
by Elders Richard Pyper and Paul Anderson
(Songs for a missionary conference held at Abeno Branch, Osaka, in 1969)
(Tune: The Sound of Music)
The hills are alive with the sound of Dendo,
A song full of words we've all heard before.
And as you look back on your time of Dendo
These memories come to your heart once more.
(Tune: My Favorite Things)
Mugi and sobas, the taxis, the fud,
Lesson plan, verb chart, the cold rain, the crud,
Holding street meetings at twenty below --
This kind of challenge can help you to grow.
When the dog bites, when the doors slam,
When my spirits fall,
I simply remember a few of these things,
And it doesn't help -- at all.
(Tune: The Lonely Goatherd)
Ev'ry week there's a new report form
Lay-ee-o-da-lay-ee o-da-lay-ee-oo.
M-l, M-2, M-3, M-4, Lay-ee-o-da-lay o-da-lay.
Write in the box ev'ry thing that you do
Lay-ee-o-da-lay-ee o-da-lay-ee-oo.
Better do it right, or the Pres. will write you
Lay-ee-o-da-lay-ee o-da-lay.
Oh, oh, fill up ev'ry box, oh
Oh, oh, do it ev'ry night,
Oh, oh, add up all the hours
So your total comes out right.
(Tune: So Long, Farewell)
So long, farewell,
O yasumi nasal.
It's ten o'clock
And time for beddy-bye.
It's really time to go to sleep.
Turn out the pickin' light.
(Tune: When You're Sixteen)
When you're six months going on seven months
Elder, it's time to think,
In one month or sooner you'll have a junior,
Elder, you're on the brink.
When that happens, after it happens,
Nothing is quite the same,
Because now you know when hours are low then
You will get all the blame. (continued)
Gone is the simple greenbean life,
Those carefree days are through.
When juniors complain their seniors "reek"
They're talking about you.
You may think this kind of a challenge
Never will come to you.
Elder six months going on seven months,
Wait a week or two.
(Tune: Do Re Mi)
Do -- a dode, a brand new dode,
Re -- that day will come I know.
Mi -- to me that will be GREAT.
Fa -- so far away I'11 go.
So -- let's hear that telephone.
La -- there's lots to pack and stow.
Ti -- a tea box of my own,
That will bring me a new do-ri-o-o
Do -- a dode, a brand new dode,
Re -- that day will come I know.
Mi -- to me that will be GREAT.
Fa -- so far away I'11 go.
So -- let's hear that telephone.
La -- there's lots to pack and stow.
Ti -- a tea box of my own,
That will bring me a new dode.
Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do-ri-o.
(Tune: Climb Ev'ry Mountain)
Climb ev'ry staircase, search ev'ry place.
Contact ev'ry triffid, find that golden face.
Teach ev'ry lesson, find the humblest souls.
Labor hard and study 'til you reach your goals.
The goals that will lead you along the right path,
Ev'ry day of your life for two years and a half.
Teach ev'ry lesson, find the humblest souls,
Labor hard and study, 'til you reach your goals.
(Tune: The Sound of Music)
The hills are alive, with the sound of Dendo,
A song full of words you've all heard before.
And as you look back on your time of Dendo,
These memories come to your heart once more:
There's the time that you taught your first lesson and
There's the time that you stopped that first man.
There's the warm happy feeling when you know
That you've given all you can.
The gleam in the eye of the one you taught
That warms your heart to the core,
As he testifies and gives thanks that you came to his door.
Someday you'll look back on your time of Dendo.
The years pass, but still, memories abide.
These times will return with a grand crescendo
Of joy inside.
(Written in 1970's at the old Hawaiian LTM in Laie as part of a skit. It's sung to the tune of a song they used to sing on the TV show, "Hee-Haw". Submitted by Dave Harmon)
Oh, I remember the first time,
I walked through the front door.
A hundred senkyoshis all lined in a row.
Their mouths were a-flappin'...faster than lightnin':
"O-hayo gozaimasu, o-genki desu ka?"
CHORUS
Why....oh why....did I leave home?
How'd I end up on this rock in the sea?
My '56 Chevy and all them kanojos...
Signed them there papers and phhhhht! I was gone...
A-sufferin' through sixty-eight hours of bumpo
My brain almost melted and runned on the floor...
Them senseis spoke Eigo I thought was Nihongo
All I could say was...."Moichido....?"
Why....oh why....did I leave home?
How'd I end up on this rock in the sea?
My '56 Chevy and all them kanojos...
Signed them there papers and phhhhht! I was gone...
