Another Birthday in the Office

Elder Shepley who just transferred into the Kobe area had a birthday this week and we celebrated it with some treats and his cookie. Looks just like him!

Sister McIntyre loves to make these.

Two Elders Return with Honor - May 2010

Elders Harvard and Smith returned this week after two years of service. This was a special group for us as we first met them in the MTC when we were preparing to come to Japan and they were two of the first missionaries we welcomed to Japan after we arrived. We have served with them for their full missions. Sister McIntyre spoiled them with several treats. Face cookies and aprons.

Elder Smith was known for his cooking Japanese food and Elder Harvard served in the office for 6 months and was dubbed assistant to the president's wife because of the nice things he did for her.

Dinner with the family on their final night in Japan.

These elders have grown so much and we are sad to see them leave, but happy to send off such fine young men after completing their missions.

New Missionaries May 2010

We welcomed 7 new missionaries this transfer. Sisters Kadekaru and Shields and Elders Draper, Kawamura, Kobe, Lystrup and Knight.Dinner with the family before we sent them out to their new areas.
Lunch the first day was sushi.
The new sisters with the Kobe Sisters.
Elders Knight and Draper with Elder Burton.
Elders Kawamura, Kobe and Lystrup with Elder Hobson.

Baptisms! Yes, We Do This In Japan!!!

Some more great pictures that show why we are here! Elders Stennett and Andrews with Brother Oono in Wakayama, Sakai Stake.

Elders Varjao and Lee with Brother Sawano in Otsu, Kyoto Stake.

Elders Bennion and Imi with Sister Marby Dano in Nabari, Osaka Stake.

Elders Lee and Nakamura with Sister Watanabe in Otsu, Kyoto Stake.

Elders Imai and Escalante with Brother Murata in Habikino, Osaka Stake.

Elders Tateishi and McLaws with Brother Inokoishi in Fushimi, Kyoto Stake.

Elders Reading and Kanno with Brother Kawagoshi in Katsura, Kyoto Stake.

Maizuru Branch Conference

This past Sunday we held Branch Conference in Maizuru. Here is a picture of some of the members and the Fukuchiyama District leadership.After the meetings we had a potluck meal with everyone. This is smaller branch working very hard to grow. They have a wonderful plan and are working closely with the elders to find, teach, baptize and reactivate people.

One of the members (Brother Amano) made this cake for the potluck!

The name "Maizuru" means dancing crane. There are many cranes and other wild birds and animals in this part of Japan in the mountains and along the coast of the Japan Sea.

Shimogamo Shine - World Heritage Site Near Church in Kyoto

We recently held a missionary fireside in Shimogamo, Kyoto as part of their ward conference. Before the fireside we stopped at the Shimogamo Shrine next to the church and took a few pictures. This is world heritage site and a very large and shrine.

We have past it a hundred times, but this was the first time we went in and actually saw it. Very nice gardens and greenery.

Omikoshi During Golden Week

During Golden Week there were several festivals here in Kobe. We were able to catch the giant Omikoshi going down the street right in front of the mission home and church. This one was so big it is on wheels. Often they are carried on the shoulders by of the participants.

Many believe these are designed after the Ark of the Covenant from ancient Israel. If you have seen many, there certainly is some remarkable similarities and some interesting connections between the ancient Japanese religion of Shinto and ancient Israel customs and symbols.

April in the Mission 2010

We enjoyed a Chinese Dim Sum lunch with the missionaries in Abeno after interviews.

Zone conferences in Mikunigaoka. These sisters prepared lunch for 55 missionaries!

They loved it!

It was a big meal and delicious!

Some recent baptism pictures from the field. Elders Childs and Tibbs with Brother Kishimoto of the Sekime Ward, Osaka Stake.

Elders Kimura and Wiser with Sister Nakamura of the Himeji Ward, Kobe Stake.

Elders West and Mizuguchi with Brother Nagai in the Shingu Branch.

Elders Wade, Ritchie, Nielson and Campbell with Brother Sakai in Hirakata Ward, Osaka Stake.

Elders Emery and Johnson with Brother Yanagihara of the Kawachi Nagano Ward, Sakai Stake.

Sister Fujihara with Elders McConnell, Smith and Varjao of the Kita Rokko Ward, Kobe Stake.

Elders Kodama and Neider with Sister Urasoko of the Sennan Ward, Sakai Stake.
Elders Oshiro, Shinozaki and Manning with Brother Hanzawa of the Kobe Ward, Kobe Stake.

Zone Conferences in Ibaraki. Our great lunch helpers!Birthdays! Everyone lined up to be sang to and get a birthday gift from Sister McIntyre.Lunch time!Some of our great Sister Missionaries at the conference.During our interviews in Kobe, several of the missionaries wanted to try the chicken katsu challenge at lunch. If you can eat it all in 30 minutes it is free. The picture is deceiving. The meal includes about 2 pounds of rice and 25 pieces of fried chicken cutlets. Even if you could eat all that, the 30 minute time limit does you in. Luckily, they give you a doggy bag!

Everyone thought Elders Ritchie and Smith could do it.A valiant effort, but time ran out.Elder Wiser - good try!And representing the Philippines, young Elder Toring - sorry!

Elder Novak gave it a great effort too, but fell short.

Elder Harvard tried too. Elder Bunderson was worried from the get go.

Actually, little Elder Kimura came the closest of this group.But as you can see, he too came up short. I actually discouraged them from trying, but there are some things a young missionary needs to learn on his own!

Interviews in Iwade finished with yakiniku, a missionary favorite.

So if you think we teach and interview missionaries and then eat, you are right. Then we do it again and again and again.