Below is the Baptismal Service for Brother Li at the Higashi Osaka Church. He was baptized by Elder Tibbs and Confirmed by Elder Bushman. Also pictured are Elders West and Goody, who conducted the baptismal interview.
I don't think we have posted a picture of the Higashi Osaka Chapel before. It is a nice size older building in East Osaka.
Because Brother Li will be returning to China soon, the service was held in the morning on a weekday. But as you can see below, we had a good turn out from the ward for the meeting considering the time and day.
Brother Li is originally from China and discovered the gospel here in Japan. He was found through street contacting by Elders Bushman and Shepley. He is 23 and a wonderful young man who was very prepared to receive the gospel. We have great expectations for him as he returns to China.
Brother Matsumoto was baptized in the Nishinomiya Ward by Elder Burton. He was found through street contacting by Elders Shattuck and Johnson who taught him through last transfer. Elders Burton and Shattuck continued to teach him and baptized him this past week. He is 21 years old and has been to many activities for the young adults and attended church several weeks. He bore a very nice and simple testimony at the baptism. The Elders also had another investigator there who is scheduled to be baptized in March. 
Sister Okamoto was baptized in the Iwade Branch at the Wakayama ward building. She is pictured above with us and Elders Mauai, Wintz and Solomon. Mauai and Soloman have been teaching her and work in the Iwade Branch. Elder Wintz taught her while he served in Iwade and we let him come back to the area to perform the baptism. He helped her commit to obey the word of wisdom and had an important role in her conversion. Sister Inoue of the Iwade Branch spoke at the baptism and helped teach Okamoto Shimai every lesson with the elders over the past several months. Sister Okamoto was found through attending English class. After attending class for some time and seeing many missionaries come and go, finally Mauai and Wintz asked her to hear the lessons. It was the example of all these missionaries that helped her decide to listen. Iwade is a small branch, but they have had three baptisms in as many months. The branch president asked me to send more missionaries to his branch. He said the members are excited about the work and he needs more missionaries! I wish I had more to give and that all the branches and wards in the mission were making the same request!
I don't think we have posted a picture of the Higashi Osaka Chapel before. It is a nice size older building in East Osaka.Because Brother Li will be returning to China soon, the service was held in the morning on a weekday. But as you can see below, we had a good turn out from the ward for the meeting considering the time and day.
Brother Li is originally from China and discovered the gospel here in Japan. He was found through street contacting by Elders Bushman and Shepley. He is 23 and a wonderful young man who was very prepared to receive the gospel. We have great expectations for him as he returns to China.Brother Matsumoto was baptized in the Nishinomiya Ward by Elder Burton. He was found through street contacting by Elders Shattuck and Johnson who taught him through last transfer. Elders Burton and Shattuck continued to teach him and baptized him this past week. He is 21 years old and has been to many activities for the young adults and attended church several weeks. He bore a very nice and simple testimony at the baptism. The Elders also had another investigator there who is scheduled to be baptized in March. Sister Okamoto was baptized in the Iwade Branch at the Wakayama ward building. She is pictured above with us and Elders Mauai, Wintz and Solomon. Mauai and Soloman have been teaching her and work in the Iwade Branch. Elder Wintz taught her while he served in Iwade and we let him come back to the area to perform the baptism. He helped her commit to obey the word of wisdom and had an important role in her conversion. Sister Inoue of the Iwade Branch spoke at the baptism and helped teach Okamoto Shimai every lesson with the elders over the past several months. Sister Okamoto was found through attending English class. After attending class for some time and seeing many missionaries come and go, finally Mauai and Wintz asked her to hear the lessons. It was the example of all these missionaries that helped her decide to listen. Iwade is a small branch, but they have had three baptisms in as many months. The branch president asked me to send more missionaries to his branch. He said the members are excited about the work and he needs more missionaries! I wish I had more to give and that all the branches and wards in the mission were making the same request!
In between attending all these great baptisms, we have been conducting missionary interviews. Sister McIntyre always makes some goodies for the missionaries everywhere we go. This month it is Valentine cookies. Here are some of the missionaries in the Osaka Zone showing off their heart cookies! (Above Top - Elders West, Tibbs, Beecher, Stennett, Goodey and Bushman) (Above bottom - Elders Cutler, Maeno, Kanno and Latimer with Sisters Meyers and Kogawa in the middle) We have truly been blessed this week here in the Kobe Mission.
We are continually striving to become a Preach My Gospel Mission. We all know what it means to be a Successful Preach My Gospel Missionary. We have studied this and will continue to do so. This transfer I want to focus on one key component of what it means to be a Preach My Gospel Missionary. It can be found in our mission theme. The Spirit is the Key.
We hope she doesn't catch cold! We are glad it is a little warmer here in Kobe. Sister McIntyre just transferred and is still in the Sapporo area (Kotoni) but now with her new companion, Sister Nishimuro.
You got to love the missionaries who work in this kind of climate in the winter! Now we know why they call them the frozen chosen of Sapporo.
Ricky spent the week in Guangzho China for his school APAC basketball tournament. They made it to the championship game but ended up in second place. Ricky made the tournament all star team. Above is his team. Rick is right in the middle.
Waiting at the free throw line. #15
Awards ceremony after the tournament. Ricky is second from the right. 
The Senboku Branch has a wonderful building as seen above and below. Senboku is on the Southern end of Osaka towards the border of Wakayama.
On preparation day after ZLC, Sister McIntyre and I joined a few Elders on a hike up Mt. Maya. We took a picture overlooking the city of Kobe part way up.
It was a beautiful winter day with mostly sunshine. Although it rained the night before. This is walking distance from the mission home straight up the mountain.
It was quite a steep hike, but Sister McIntyre seemed have enough energy to climb on the rocks and pose for pictures. I am sure she learned these poses from the missionaries. The plum trees are starting to bloom. This is one of the first signs that Spring is near in Japan. February is probably the coldest month in Japan, but we will gradually see nicer days and more signs of Spring as the month goes by. This year the weather seems fairly mild in the Kobe Mission. 
Just included this picture below for fun. Elder Rasmussen give James a piggyback ride at the mall. The missionaries are a wonderful influence on our boys and it is a blessing to have them interact with our sons. James is 13 this month and average size for his age, but Elder Rasmussen is so tall that you would think he is carrying a little kid!
Sr Missionary Couples (the Painters and the Wades) greet several YSA on opening night.
The young adults enjoyed themselves. The missionaries brought many of their friends and we had about 15 non-members there.
The missionaries from Miki invited several of their English Class students and they were able to associate with the members and had a great time. Of course, Elders and young Sister Missionaries were excused from dancing.
