Another Transfer Week - We really love these weeks

We returned 6 great missionaries this week. Elders Murayama, Shultz, Kimura, Lessard and Sister Ichikawa. The longer we are here the closer we become to these missionaries and it is harder to see them go. They testified that the last months and weeks of their missions were the best. All worked diligently to the end. Elder Shultz found many new investigators his last week and had one person commit to baptism after meeting and teaching him for the first time last Sunday.

We had a great dinner the night before they left.

Below are Elders Murayama and Rasmussen. Elder Murayama returned home after serving in Kobe for 9 months of his mission. He serve the last few months here as my assistant. Elder Rasmussen is 6'7" and even when standing on the couch Elder Murayama is not quite as tall as his companion! We will miss him as he returns to Hokkaido. Hope he can see Sister Erika McIntyre there and give her our love.

Sister Ichikawa also served in Kobe and we went to lunch this past week with the Kobe missionaries to wish Elder Murayama and Sister Ichikawa farewell. Elder Christie also transferred from the mission office in Kobe to Amagasaki this week. Below are Sisters Ichikawa and Tsuda and Elders Rasmussen and Nicerio enjoying some shabu shabu.

We sat next to them and ate yakiniku. Below are Elders Murayama and Christie with us.

Sister Ichikawa was picked up by her parents who live in Saitama near Tokyo. They drove all night to pick her up and had breakfast with us. They are not members of the church, but supported her on her mission. Sister Ichikawa and Sister Tsuda had a wonderful baptism this past week in Kobe before going home!

Elder Westover's parents also came to Japan and met us at the mission home. They will enjoy a week of seeing the sights before returning to the US.

Here are the returning missionaries again.

We have 5 new wonderful missionaries! 4 arrived from the MTC in Provo and one from the Japan MTC.
Above are our new elders from left to right - Elder Oshiro from Okinawa, Elder Drake, Elder Reading, Elder Neider and Elder Monson. These are well prepared missionaries that are going to serve the Lord wonderfully here.