<Begin Segment 10>

[Translated from Japanese]

TY: Sal... Your religion is the Nichiren-shuu, right? How did you practice the Nichiren-shuu in Salt Lake City?

AT: There was nobody. They didn't have it. Since it wasn't there, the reverend was coming over from the camp. Then, he recited a sutra at my house, and, well, everybody, there were some people who practiced the Nichiren-shuu, right? Since he was coming, I asked them, then there were quite a few people who said that they actually practiced the Nichiren-shuu. But, there was only Bukkyokai there, so they said that they visited Bukkyokai. Later on, when I said, "Then, when the reverend comes over again, why don't you ask him to stop by at your house to recite a sutra of the Nichiren-shuu?" They said that as long as they could use my place it was enough. But later on, when someone said, "My house is large, and I'll open up two rooms so that we can get together when the reverend comes," then, what, about eighteen people showed up.

TY: In Salt Lake City, then, there must have been many Japanese, Japanese Americans.

AT: There were many. There were many farmers. And, quite a few of those who evacuated.

TY: They must have been the ones who evacuated, relying on their relatives who lived there.

AT: It wasn't just us. There were quite a few people who evacuated from here and there. They said that there were quite a few vacant houses, but all those vacant houses were closed up. They were happy about it. And, country people, farmers had very good nature. When they were farming, they said, "Oh, you must be having a hard time. They are nothing good, but we made them, so please eat," and they brought vegetables over like this. So, we hardly bought any vegetables for a long time. So, I said that I needed to do something, something. Then, I was learning how to grow potatoes. Those potatoes, I made them and took them over, then, "Oh, where did you buy them?" I said, "No, I didn't buy them. I made them." Then, they said, "Oh, these are so rare," and they were happy eating the potatoes. So, we were in Salt Laki for five years. I said, "Papa [Ed. note: husband and wife sometimes used English to call each other "Papa" and "Mama."], Salt Laki is nice, too, huh?" But, it wouldn't be any help if we just hung around forever, we didn't return even when the Frye told him to return, but we finally returned.

TY: When you say that there was Bukkyokai in Salt Lake City, it was the Bukkyokai which was made by the farmers who had lived there earlier?

AT: That's right. That's right. So, the reverend was humble and a very good reverend. And, Bukkyokai wasn't that big either. Christian Church, there, they have quite a different name from Christian.

TY: Mormon, they are Mormons, aren't they?

AT: Mormons, they are Mormons. There were many Mormons. The Mormon Church was fantastically beautiful. We visited there.

TY: Is that right.

AT: I said we lived there for five years, but we walked around quite a lot.

TY: Were there Japanese who were Mormons...

AT: Oh, many had been converted to be Mormons.

<End Segment 10> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.