The past 10 days we have been making the rounds meeting and interviewing the missionaries in their various districts. We first started interviews with the missionaries in the Kobe Zone and conducted those at the mission offices. We then spent a day in Osaka at the Abeno church interviewing two districts there.
The Abeno church (above) is in the heart of Osaka and is at least 40 years old. I have the exact date it was built somewhere.
Above is a different angle. The van is the mission president's vehicle. Believe me it gets a lot of kilometers put on it.
Here we are a little closer up at Abeno with some of the Abeno district missionaries. It looks like Sisters Sadler and Yamashita and Elders Stufflebean, Williams and Fruen are with us.
We also made a trip to the Mikunigoaka church in the Sakai zone for interviews. Below is a picture of the district standing in front of the church with Sister McIntyre. The church used to be a fire station. The big garage doors on the left are where the fire engines would pull in and park. They make a nice place for our van now though.
What would the week be without finding an inexpensive all you can eat restaurant with the missionaries. In Mikunigoaka, the district took us to a nice shabu shabu place for lunch and they showed us how much they could eat. It seems they really look forward to doing this once a month or so when we come. The missionaries live on a very conservative budget, but seem to save enough for a meal out as a district once in while.
This past week we also made another trip to the Fukuchiyama branch. Here is a picture of the little church in a building we have rented out. We also took another picture of the Fukuchiyama Castle on the way home.
We have made Fukuchiyama a small zone consiting of two districts and 10 missionaries. It includes 4 small branches in the beautiful mountains between Kobe and the Sea of Japan.
Our week was topped off with a great Stake Conference in the Osaka Kita (North) Stake. The Stake President, President Kido, presided at the conference and he asked both Sister McIntyre and I to speak and participate in the two days of meetings. The theme of the conference was "becoming the light of the world" or "let your light shine." The main focus was on sharing the gospel so it was a wonderful missionary focused two days. On Saturday, I was asked to speak in the adult session as well as meet with President Kido and all the bishops and ward mission leaders in a priesthood leadership meeting. On Sunday both Sister McIntyre and I spoke in the main session and Ricky and James also attended with us. We are grateful to the stake presidency and all those others who treated us so kindly. We were given flowers to wear and provided with delicious meals between meetings. The missionary spirit is strong in this stake and we are seeing great blessings in each of the wards. Special thanks to Sister Kido and Tanaka for the meals and Presidents Kido, Matsubara and Tanaka of the stake presidency. Next time we need to take a picture with them!
Tomorrow Elder and Sister Evans arrive to start a mission tour which will consist of two combined zone conferences held on Tuesday and Wednesday. We are looking forward to being trained by a General Authority of the church.
This baptism was extra special for us as two other recent converts (from this year) participated in the baptism. Brother Nakase (next to Sister McIntyre below) and Brother Kojima (in the middle) were both baptized this year in the same ward. Brother Nakase is currently 16 and recently spoke at stake conference. Brother Kojima spoke on baptism and shared a great testimony at this baptism. He will be 19 next year and is already planning to serve a mission. He was baptized three months ago.
What a blessing it was for us to see them together at this baptism for Brother Kinjo. Immediately after the baptism, Brother Kojima said to me, "It is nice to have another friend in the gospel." I replied, "Yes, let's find many more!" Find, Teach, Baptize, Confirm and Establish the Church. That is our purpose and I felt like we are doing that in Amagasaki.
Earlier this week we had the chance to stop in Mikunigaoka and meet with Miyazaki-san and Sisters Glenn and Ho. Miyazaki-san is ready to be baptized this weekend and we are excited for her.
This was wax the mission vehicles week. I think the office elders and assistants really enjoy this assignment.
I always wondered what Sister McIntyre does while I interview the missionaries. I still don't really know, but Elder Ashmore looks like he is having a great time!
At our last zone conference the zone leaders, Elders Obata and Capener, did not turn in their apartment cleaning checklist so they chose their own punishment during lunch. They did push ups while singing the mission anthem. I think the song was longer than they thought.
