Kobe Stake Conference and More Pictures From the Missionaries!

This past weekend we attended the Kobe Stake Conference. Rika and I spoke in both sessions. I also had the opportunity to address the priesthood leaders in a separate session on Saturday. In the Sunday session, on the front row of the chapel sat 6 men who were baptized earlier this year. 4 of them were presented to be advanced to the Melchizedek Priesthood and made elders. Another young convert (16 years old) spoke in the session. Other new converts sat in the congregation. Rika spoke before me and in tears, addressed each of these brothers. We had the opportunity to attend most of their baptisms and have come to know some of them fairly well. What a blessing it was for us to see the church being established in the Kobe Stake. Our work (missionary work) does not end with these wonderful baptisms. These brethren were greatly stregnthened by the members and through the Kobe YSA Outreach Program. We are grateful we have been blessed to see this unfold here.

Here are some new pictures from the field!

Mamoru Sakata was baptized in the Higashi Osaka Ward. Here he is with Elders Johnson and Starks.

Brother Kubota was baptized in the Kawachi Nagano Ward. He was taught by Elders Solomon and Kimura until the week before his baptism. Elders West and Suzuki joined them after transfers.

Elders Obata and Capener taught and baptized Brother Hoshiyama in the Sakai Ward.

And young Brother Adachi was baptized in the Toyooka Branch by Elders Oshima and Mizuguchi. Pictured here with them is also Brother Miyamoto who is originally from Toyooka, but attends Himeji ward in the Kobe Stake. He was one of the brothers to become an elder at stake conference.