Saturday, January 8, 2011

December in the Mission 2010

We held three special training sessions in the mission during December. We took those opportunities to also have special Christmas programs with the missionaries. During lunch we played some holiday games. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and feel the true spirit of Christmas at each session. The training focused on discovering and magnifying our gifts and talents and using them to serve the Lord as missionaries. We also enjoyed several missionary Christmas stories and learned more about the Savior, his life and mission, and the true meaning of Christmas. Elder and Sister Shimada trying to open a gift during our lunch games.
Lunch games during one of the trainings.

Elders playing the oven mitten game.
More fun!
Some parting treats from President and Sister McIntyre and pictures with the missionaries.President and Sister Iwaki joined us at the Osaka training. This is the group at the training held in Okayama.
Sister Shields had a birthday here in Kobe right after Christmas.
The Kobe district and our family celebrate with Sister Shields. Ricky and Erika were back with us from school.
Christmas dinner in the Kobe Mission home.Some singing after dinner.
Sister Kadekaru also had a birthday in Kobe.
She got a face cookie too!
President preparing Christmas treats for the training sessions.
Elder Hinton and his family visited us before departing Japan.
We stopped by to see Elder Escalante in Osaka before Christmas. He was bit by a dog and had stitches in his nose. Sister Escalante, his "real" sister, is also serving here and they are in the same zone. We took this shot of them and sent it to their mother.
Kobe City's Luminaria which is held every December in commemoration of the Kobe Earthquake.Sister McIntyre and Erika hanging on a tree in Nara park.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Dear President and Sister McIntyre,

It was so wonderful of you to send me the photo and reassuring email that Elder Escalante is well and that he was able to see his sister often as they are in the same zone!

You probably know exactly how soothing and comforting your words can be to a worried mother!

I was also pleasantly surprised to find out that their zone leader, Elder Kent Johnson, is the nephew to a good friend of mine from BYU. We performed together in a group called Lamanite Generation. This LDS world gets smaller and smaller all the time!

It was great to see that Ricky enjoyed his holidays home. My Keala did not come home for the holidays so Mama spent a lonely Christmas this year. However I was comforted with opportunities to provide service to others, and it was well spent!

Thank you again for all you do for our missionaries. I know you love them just as much as we do!

Sister Kokenes