President's Message September 2010

Elders and Sisters of the Japan Kobe Mission,

The summer heat is fading and autumn will soon arrive. It has been hot this past month. We appreciate your diligence, especially during this hot and humid summer season. This summer Sister McIntyre and I have enjoyed travelling to Okayama and Shikoku and meeting so many wonderful members in these areas new to our mission. It has been a wonderful experience putting the mission together with these new areas and additional missionaries. The mission consolidation is now complete. We have fully integrated the mission and the missionaries. I feel that we are unified in this work and truly focusing on our purpose as missionaries. Elders and sisters, now it is time to move forward with greater faith, an enlarged vision and to more fully fulfill our purpose as missionaries in this part of the Lord’s vineyard.

Recently among the members and missionaries here, there has been talk about the dream of having a temple built within our mission boundaries. The stake and district leaders in the mission are excited about the possibility of this. We can help this come to pass as we strengthen the church here by finding and baptizing the elect and helping the members have greater faith to open their mouths and share the gospel with those around them. I know it will happen. When? That really depends on the missionaries’ and the members’ faith and obedience.

As you all know, in July we received instructions from the brethren and the missionary department to alter our schedule by reducing the frequency of interviews and zone conferences with the missionaries and increasing leadership training and other in field training and time with the missionaries. We were also instructed to focus our training as teachers on eight specific principles drawn from the scriptures and Preach My Gospel. This past month we have started to implement this new schedule and training focus. It truly is an inspired change!

Shortly after our first leadership training sessions in Kobe and Okayama, I had the chance to teach two lessons with the assistants here in Kobe. In both lessons we focused on the principles learned and practiced in our leadership training. At the end of the lessons we invited our investigators to pray. In both cases, when first invited to pray at the end of the lesson, each of them refused. One said he would do it next time and the other said he was not ready to pray yet in front of people. In both cases however, we did exactly what we practiced in our training and both investigators ended the lessons with a wonderful prayer. It is a joyous occasion in heaven when someone prays to their Father in Heaven for the first time since leaving His presence and coming to this earth. What a blessing it is to be a part of that event. There is nothing quite like it! Both of these investigators are now working towards baptismal dates. I can personally testify to each of you that we need to follow the prophet and do exactly as we have been instructed to do. Obedience truly is the price. We must have the Faith to be obedient. We must have the Faith to be Bold and invite others to repent and come unto Christ. Faith is the Power. The principles we have learned, and will continue to focus on to become better teachers of the gospel, enable us to truly help people feel the Spirit and become converted. Let’s review these principles.

1# The Doctrine of Christ – Our Missionary Purpose
The doctrine of Christ is focused on the atonement of Christ and the first principles and ordinances of the gospel. All must come unto Christ and repent and be baptized. (See 2 Nephi 31, 3 Nephi 9, 11 and 27) Once baptized, they are given the gift of the Holy Ghost and continually nourished so they might endure to the end. Our purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ. People come unto Christ through faith in His atonement, repentance and baptism. As missionaries when we truly understand the doctrine of Christ and our purpose, we will be bold and not hesitate to invite people to be baptized. We have been taught in Preach My Gospel and received direct instruction from the brethren to invite people to be baptized and set a goal to work towards baptism in the first lesson. Since we have started doing this more faithfully as a mission, we have seen a significant increase in our investigators with baptismal dates.
#2 Role of Holy Ghost in Conversion
The Holy Ghost plays a critical role in the conversion process. First we must teach with the Spirit and be worthy of the Spirit’s guidance. (See D&C 42:14) The Spirit testifies of truth.
#3, #4, #5 The Process of Revelation (Prayer, Book of Mormon and Church Attendance)
We can help people receive personal revelation through the Holy Ghost and come to know for themselves that what we are teaching is true by inviting them to pray about the things we teach and ask Heavenly Father if they are true. We help them know if these things are true by inviting them to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. (Moroni 10:3-5) If the Book of Mormon is true, then Joseph Smith was a prophet and our message is true. We also help them feel the Spirit and become converted by inviting them to attend church. At church they will learn more about the gospel, feel the Spirit, make friends and learn to obey the Sabbath day. Helping people do these three things, Pray, Read the Book of Mormon and Attend Church is critical to helping them receive revelation and become converted to the gospel.
#6 Teach People, Not Lessons (PMG p. 177)
Inviting people to be baptized is actually the easy part. Once they agree to hear the gospel message, we need to do all we can to help them know for themselves through personal revelation that the gospel is true and that they truly do need to be baptized to begin to follow Christ. As we invite them to read, pray and attend church, we need to listen to and follow the Spirit. The Spirit will guide us and help teach to the investigator’s needs. We also need to listen to our investigators to truly understand their needs. We do this by asking inspired questions that help us teach by the Spirit.
#7 We Invite, They Commit, We Follow Up
As we follow these principles and the guidance of the Spirit and invite people to come unto Christ, we must remember that our main role is to invite and teach them how to find the truth for themselves. They are the ones that commit. Once those we teach commit to be baptized, obey a commandment or read and pray, we need to do all within our power to help them succeed and keep those commitments. However, our success as missionaries is not based on them keeping their commitments, but on our commitment to be bold and invite them to do these things and then follow up with love and support to help them come unto Christ by keeping their commitments.
#8 How to Begin Teaching
Lastly, to be great teachers, we need to start out our lessons right. We need to make sure those we teach understand our role and their role in this process of learning about the gospel and finding truth. We need to let those we teach know up front what our purpose is and why we are teaching them. We should not be afraid to let them know we hope and expect them to come unto Christ through baptism. We need to promise them they can know for themselves these things are true. As we do this, we will find that our investigators will be more sincere and not question our motives. They will be more open to accepting commitments we extend and progress quicker to baptism. Some may choose not to listen. But we can feel assured we have done our part by boldly opening our mouths and inviting them to repent and come unto Christ. When we are honest and up front with people and show Christ-like love for them, people will come to respect us as missionaries and respect the church as a whole. And even if some choose not to listen, they will not have a negative impression of the church or of you as a servant of the Lord.

Elders and Sisters, I know that following these principles of teaching will help you be a more effective missionary. They will help make you a successful missionary. I know they may seem hard to do for some of you at this time. I am aware some of the members are nervous about being so bold with those we teach. But when this is done properly through the Spirit with a love for those you teach, it really works and never comes across overbearing. I promise each of you in the name of Jesus Christ, that this is the way we are to do it. It is not the Japan Kobe Mission way or President McIntyre’s way. It is the Lord’s way. Whether we choose to follow this or not is really a question of how much faith we have in the Lord and His servants. It really is simply a question of faith.

May we all become great Preach My Gospel missionaries as we focus on Being like Christ, Doing the leading indicators and Teaching by the Spirit and these eight principles. Now let us move forward as faithful servants of the Lord in this wonderful part of His vineyard.

Love,
President and Sister McIntyre

President's Message July 2010 - Unity

Welcome to the New and Improved Japan Kobe Mission!

Elders and Sisters,

Sister McIntyre and I are so excited to welcome our 32 new missionaries assigned to Kobe from the Japan Hiroshima Mission. Today we celebrate the creation of a new mission, united in purpose and power.

The new Kobe Mission consists of approximately 140 missionaries working in 6 stakes and 3 member districts. We have over 17,000 members and 30 million people living within our boundaries. What a blessing it is to serve here with each of you at this choice time.

This past month was one of our best ever for moving the work forward here in the Japan Kobe Mission. We saw a record number of convert baptisms and significant increases in our mission key indicators. But most importantly, we have witnessed many miracles happening throughout the mission in our finding efforts and in our investigators’ lives. We know this means you are exercising great faith, for we are taught that, “For if there be no faith among the children of men, God can do no miracle among them; therefore he showed not himself until after their faith.” (Ether 12:12) We are confident that in the months and years to come we will continue to see greater miracles and blessings within the bounds of this mission. Faith truly is the Power.

As we come together as fellow missionaries from the Kobe and Hiroshima missions, we are reminded of the importance of being unified in this work. When we, as missionaries and a mission, are united with our Father in Heaven, the Savior and the Holy Spirit in this work, we will be endowed with Power and Authority to bring people unto Christ and further establish the church in this land. This is our purpose as missionaries!

The first step to becoming unified with our Father in Heaven and the Savior is to keep the personal covenants we have made with them. Elder Holland taught,



“The key to the work is the keeping of covenants by individuals…It is then when an entire mission is united by the strength of every missionary’s integrity, every missionary’s covenant keeping –That is when we move mountains. When there is so much unity and power, and endowment from heaven, coming to every individual in the mission, then nothing can stop the work from progressing.”



So the first step to further unifying our mission, is to be sure we are keeping our covenants as individuals, and that means being exactly obedient to the commandments and mission rules. Obedience is the price. Obedience gives us access to the guidance of the Spirit. And the Spirit is the Key to conversion and revelation.

To further understand how we can become more unified with the Godhead and as a mission in this work, allow me to share with you how the Godhead is unified yet remain distinct individuals. (I paraphrase from the Articles of Faith by Talmage)

The Godhead is unified in Attributes, Powers and Purposes. They are one in Love, Knowledge and Mercy. They are united in all things.
- The mind of any member of the Godhead is the mind of the others.
- They see and understand alike.
- Under any given circumstance they would act in the same way.
- They are guided by the same principles of unerring justice and equity.
- Yet they are distinct individuals with unique roles.

The unity of the Godhead is further evident in the following scriptures which represent the purpose or mission of each individual member of the Godhead.

Heavenly Father: (Moses 1:39)
For behold, this is my work and my glory, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

The Son, The Savior, Jesus Christ: (3 Nephi 27:13-15)
…I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me. And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men, even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they by evil. And for this cause have I been lifted up; therefore according to the power of the Father, I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their works.
(We can only obtain immortality and eternal life by coming unto Christ through faith in His atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end.)

The Holy Ghost: (See D&C 20:27, John 14:26, 2 Nephi 33:1)
The mission of the Holy Ghost is to bear witness (testify, bear record) of the Father and the Son and of truth, to teach all things, to bring man to a remembrance of who he is and his divine potential. The Holy Ghost leads us or teaches us to come unto Christ.

Our purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. Our purpose as missionaries is perfectly aligned with the purposes of the Godhead. As we understand and strive to fulfill our purpose as missionaries, we become one with the Savior in this work.

Our Heavenly Father has provided a way for His children to return home to Him. That way is in and through Christ. “…There is no other way or means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ. Behold He is the light of the world. Behold he is the word of truth and righteousness.” (Alma 38:9) Christ is the Reason!

To become more unified in this work, we should focus on Christ and His atonement. We should acquire His attributes. We should focus on the Savior in all that we do.

For we labor diligently to write to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do…and we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophecy of Christ…that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. (2 Nephi 25:23,26)

We should submit our will unto the Savior as He submitted His will unto the Father. When we become one with the Savior, we will be one with the Father. And the Holy Ghost will be our constant companion and one with us. In his great intercessory prayer, the Savior commands us to be one as He is one with the Father, that men may believe that He is the Savior.


That they all may be one as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they may also be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (See John 17)

As we focus on the Savior and His Atonement and strive to be more like Him by developing the Christ like attributes, we will also become more united with our companions, mission leaders and the members.

So, as we move forward as the New Japan Kobe Mission, we can become more unified as a mission by focusing on the following two things. We must first be obedient and true to our covenants as individual missionaries. This will keep us worthy of the Spirit and unite us as individuals with the Savior and give us the guidance of the Spirit.
Second, we must be united as missionaries and as a mission in our purpose, powers and attributes. Our purpose is clear, invite others to come unto Christ! We fulfill our purpose by following the principles taught in the scriptures and Preach My Gospel (Our Doing). We can be united in our attributes by focusing on developing the attributes of Christ (Our Being). As we do these things, we will begin to see and understand alike, we will see how God sees. Our actions and attitudes will be aligned with the Savior’s. And in any given circumstance, we will act as the Savior would act or as He would desire us to act. As we do these things and develop these attributes we will truly be one as a mission and one with the Savior in this work. And with this unity comes power from Heaven, and the work will move forward at a miraculous pace. Of this I can promise and testify in His name, even Jesus Christ, amen.

You are the greatest and this is the greatest mission! We are honored to be one with you in this work!
Love,
President and Sister McIntyre

President's Message May-June 2010

Elders and Sisters of the Japan Kobe Mission

Sister McIntyre and I attended a wonderful baptism this past week. The man who was baptized commented in his testimony that when he came to church the first time, he was warmly greeted by the members and he felt a wonderful spirit. He said everyone was so kind and friendly. He said those feelings he had at that time helped him exercise the faith to commit to be baptized. He said he did not know everything about the gospel yet, but he knew it must be good. I believe that when he was baptized that day, he did not necessarily “know” the church is true. However, he certainly felt something good and had hope that it is true, and those feelings and that hope led him to exercise his faith in Christ and accept baptism.
I visited some with him at the baptism. I am confident that if he continues to study the gospel, and is properly nourished and fellowshipped by the members, he will someday have a burning testimony of the gospel and even become a leader in the church here in Japan. But for now he has simply planted the seed of the gospel in his heart, hoping it is a good seed. He is doing all this based on the good feelings he had when he listened to the missionary lessons, read, prayed, and met the members. Those good feelings are from the Spirit. And the Spirit is the KEY to conversion. This is the process or experience people have when they are converted to the gospel.
Alma taught, “Now, as I said concerning faith – that it was not a perfect knowledge-even so is it with my words. Ye cannot know of their surety at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a perfect knowledge.” (Alma 32:26)

And so it is with our investigators. I am confident that when most people accept baptism, it is exactly as Alma describes it in Alma 32 and as the man whose baptism we attended. Our job as missionaries is to help people plant the seed. To help them exercise that particle of faith to an experiment upon the words of Christ.
Alma says “…yea even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.” (Alma 32:27)
As Alma continues and compares the conversion process unto a seed he says that after planting that seed (the gospel) in your heart “…if it be a true seed, or a good seed…behold, it will begin to swell within your breast; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves, it must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea it beginneth to be delicious unto me.” (Alma 32:28) Finally in verse 29 Alma says these feelings will cause your faith to grow, but he continues that even with increased faith, you will not have a perfect knowledge.

As missionaries we must understand the Doctrine of Conversion. Likewise we must understand the Experience of Conversion. When we teach we must help our investigators know when the Spirit is giving them an answer to their humble prayer about the gospel and baptism. Time and time again, I hear about investigators who are “waiting” to get an answer. In many cases, after talking with them directly or the missionaries teaching them, it usually becomes apparent to me that they have probably already received an answer. The problem is they have failed to recognize it or acknowledge it and we, as missionaries, have failed to help them realize this.

Helping People Become Converted:
For people to be converted to the gospel and receive baptism they need to understand the doctrines of Christ (as we teach in our lessons) and they need to feel the Spirit. The understanding of true doctrine and the feeling of the Spirit will build faith and help people make and keep commitments that lead them to baptism. President Boyd K. Packer has taught that true doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. When people understand the teachings and then feel in their heart through the Spirit that these teachings are good, they will then begin to have the courage and will to change. For an investigator or new convert, it is probably better to say that they feel the gospel is true, rather than they know the gospel is true.

The Doctrine and Experience of Conversion:
The Spirit is the Key to conversion. Elder M. Russell Ballard has taught: “True conversion comes through the power of the Spirit. When the Spirit touches the heart, hearts are changed. When individuals…feel the Spirit working with them, or when they see evidence of the Lord’s love and mercy in their lives, they are edified and strengthened spiritually and their faith in Him increases. These experiences with the Spirit follow naturally when a person is willing to experiment upon the word. This is how we come to FEEL the gospel is true.” (PMG p.93) We must help our investigators feel the Spirit and experiment upon the word. This means helping them make and keep commitments, including the commitment to be baptized.

As missionaries, we must teach with the Spirit and be worthy of the Spirit to facilitate the conversion experience. “And the Spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith, and if ye receive not the Spirit, ye shall not teach.” (D&C 42:14) As we teach with the Spirit, He will carry the words “unto the hearts of the children of men.” (2 Nephi 33;1) If the recipient of the word truly has a desire to know the truth, he will open his heart and give place for a portion of those words. And the Spirit will enter his heart and he will FEEL the message is good or true. We must not shy away from testifying at that moment. We must acknowledge and tell people when the Spirit is present in a lesson. We should let people know those good feelings they are having when they read, pray or attend church are from the Spirit and the answer they are looking for.

The conversion experience requires people to change. People will usually not change unless they are invited to do so. Our purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ. People come unto Christ through baptism. People prepare for baptism by making and keeping commitments that help them repent and prepare to receive that saving ordinance. “As people choose to keep commitments, they will feel the power of the Holy Ghost more strongly and will develop the faith to obey Christ. Thus you should help the people you work with grow in faith by inviting them to repent and to make and keep commitments.” (PMG P. 93)

Preach My Gospel Missionaries are bold, but not overbearing. They are not afraid to ask people, through the Spirit, to repent. This means talking about baptism often and inviting people to come unto Christ by receiving that saving ordinance. It is my prayer that we will go forward with boldness, declaring the doctrines of Christ through the power of the Spirit. We should never be afraid to invite someone to keep a commitment or be baptized. This is what we have been called to do. It is our purpose and how people come unto Christ. Further, we should not hesitate to invite people to change and be baptized because we worry that they may not be able to endure to the end. While we must do all we can to help them stay on the path after baptism, enduring to the end is ultimately their choice. Likewise, we should not hesitate to baptize people when they “feel” the gospel is true, but think they need to wait until they “know” everything. When people have a desire to change and feel what we are teaching is good, and they understand the basic doctrines taught in the missionary lessons, they are ready for baptism. Of course they will need to be interviewed, and commit to follow the commandments. They will also need continued support and to be nourished by the members with the good word of God. But we should do all within our power to help them enter that gate and begin their journey on the path to eternal life and exaltation. That gate is baptism.

I pray each you can come to better understand the Doctrine and Experience of Conversion. To do so, I challenge each of you this next week to prayerfully read Alma 32 again. Spend some time during your personal and companion study in Chapter 4 of Preach My Gospel. Then boldly go out with the power of the Spirit and invite people to come unto Christ! For that is our purpose and it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
“…My Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me…” (3 Nephi 27:14)

May the great missionaries of the Japan Kobe Mission never shy away from or shrink in their duty to assist the Savior in this glorious purpose!

In this mission we find, teach, baptize, and confirm people and establish the church by helping them endure to the end!

We love you. You are the greatest!
President and Sister McIntyre

President's Message March 2010

Elders and Sisters of the Japan Kobe Mission,

The weather is warming and Spring is in the air. Soon we will be enjoying the Sakura here in Japan. It is a wonderful time of year to be out among the people sharing the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

Recently my thoughts have been focused on the gospel and the blessings it can bring into the lives of those who choose to live it. The gospel is the good news. It is not complex or hard to understand. The good news is that we have a loving Heavenly Father and he has a plan for us. The Gospel teaches us why we are here and what our potential is. The good news is that we can find true peace and joy in this life and in the eternities. The good news is that even though we die, we will all rise again, as the resurrection is gift to all mankind. The good news is that if we choose to follow Christ, we can become cleansed of our sins through His atonement and return to our loving Father in Heaven. The good news is that we can live as families and progress throughout all eternity. In short, the good news is that no matter what we may face in this life; trials, hardships, illness or any kind of adversity, we can have hope in Christ and the Plan of Salvation.

As missionaries we preach the gospel. We teach the doctrine. But are we sufficiently promising blessings (the fruits of the gospel) to those we teach? There are many blessings that come from understanding and living the gospel. One of the greatest blessings of the gospel is JOY.

In 1 Nephi 8:10-12 Lehi says regarding the fruit of the tree he beheld “…whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.” After partaking of the fruit he says, “…it filled my soul with exceeding great JOY.”

As King Benjamin taught his people and witnessed their change of heart because of the gospel he noted that “…they were filled with JOY having received a remission of their sins and having peace of conscience because of their exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ…”

In D&C 59:23 we read: “… learn that he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come.”

This joy and peace comes from the knowledge of who you are, why you are here and that you can return home to your Father in Heaven. This knowledge gives one confidence and hope.

We had the opportunity to hear from Elder Oaks this past month. In his remarks to the members the night before our meeting with him, he spoke about the need for members to feel the joy of the Gospel. In our meeting, he taught us that it is not enough to just open our mouths but we need to make sure we are inviting people to learn. He also taught us by quoting President Harold B. Lee who said that the church is not a retirement home for the righteous, but a hospital for sinners. As I thought about his remarks and our work here as missionaries, again I wondered if we are teaching people sufficiently about the joy, or the fruits of the gospel. Many people are prepared to accept the gospel. They are searching for something better in their lives. The problem is that most people do know where or how to find it. In D&C 123:12 we read:

For there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they not where to find it.

Many people may not seem interested in hearing about the gospel when you first approach them. They may be intimidated by religion in general or you and your name tag. But if we talk about the joy of the gospel and the happiness we have because of the knowledge we have of the gospel, we may find that more and more people will open their hearts to the gospel message.

Preach My Gospel teaches us that the Book of Mormon, which contains a fullness of the gospel, can help answer the questions of the soul (PMG p.107). When we open our mouths and talk with people we should talk about these questions of the soul. Carefully follow the guidance of the Spirit as you determine what to say to each person you visit with. And invite them to learn the answers to these questions. As we do this and then testify about the peace and joy we have received through the gospel and knowing the answers to these questions, we will find the elect. When they hear the message, they will not harden their hearts, but open them up and receive you and your message.

This is a great work and we are honored to be engaged in it with each of you. Let us go forth and find the elect by opening our mouths and sharing the joy of the gospel and inviting all those we meet to learn of these eternal truths.

May the Lord bless each of you!
Love
President and Sister McIntyre

December President's Message

Our Beloved Kobe Missionaries,

The year is nearing an end and what a wonderful year it has been! I hope we all appreciate the wonderful blessings we have enjoyed this past year as a mission. We have seen many marvelous miracles this year throughout the mission. I want to thank each of you for your faith and diligence in fulfilling your sacred calls as missionaries and representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The past several weeks we have focused on the theme “The Spirit is the Key” as we have worked to better recognize and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost. While the Spirit is the Key to this work, we must never forget that CHIRST is the REASON. This time of year, perhaps more than any other, we should be bold in opening our mouths and sharing the message of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. During Christmastime many people here in Japan become very curious as to why we have this holiday. You might be surprised at how many Japanese really do not know the meaning of Christmas. Christmas is not only about the birth of the Savior, but also His life and His role as Savior of the world. The good news of the gospel is that Jesus Christ was born, taught us how to live, and atoned for our sins. The good news is that He prepared a way for all of God’s children to return home to their Father in Heaven and partake of eternal life and exaltation. This good news is central to the message we share. Without the Savior and his infinite sacrifice, there would be no gospel to share. He is the Reason for this wonderful season. Further, Christ returned to the earth and restored His Gospel through the boy prophet, Joseph Smith. He gave us another testament of His divinity and plan of salvation, the Book of Mormon.

This is the Good News we missionaries must share. God loves all His children and we must declare that message to everyone we can. We must continue to pray that the Spirit will guide us to the elect, those who will hear the voice of the Lord and harden not their hearts. To me, that is what Christmas is all about.

Remember – THE SPIRIT IS THE KEY and CHRIST IS THE REASON!

As we close out this year and begin a new one, I hope we can remember the importance of gaining the trust of the members and working in unity with them to share the wonderful Gospel message. Wards and Branches will soon be creating and finalizing their mission plans. We can help them in this process. President Eyring has taught us that there will again be a great harvest of souls here in this land of Japan. He says it will be miraculous and this miracle will occur when there is a change of heart among the members in Japan and we as missionaries, exercise greater faith. We must show love towards and encourage the members and leaders we work with to share the gospel with their friends and relatives. We must show them our faith by our diligence. We must always be an example unto them and do all we can to gain their respect and trust. To be trusted by the members we must become trustworthy. You become worthy of someone’s trust when you keep your promises and when you show them love and consideration. May I suggest a few simple things you can do as missionaries to better gain members’trust:

1. Remember members’names. When you greet them use their name.
2. Always be on time to meetings and appointments.
3. Never criticize or speak ill of any leader or member.
4. Always work diligently and show the members you are serious about your call as a missionary.
5. Keep all the rules and always behave as a servant of the Lord should.

There are many more things you can and should do. But start by focusing on these. We will see an increase in our baptisms next year if we can become more united in this great work with the members. We look forward to studying with you how we can effectively do this in our district meetings and zone conferences this transfer period.

Sister McIntyre and I love each of you are very proud of the work you are doing. We pray everyone can experience a white Christmas and always remember the reason for this wonderful season. Christ is the Reason!

May the Lord Bless Each of You!

Love,
President and Sister McIntyre

Zone Leader Council September 2009

Right after transfers we held Zone Leader Council in Kobe. We planned and prepared for the upcoming zone conferences and studied together how to be better leaders and missionaries. We will hold 4 zone conferences over the next two weeks. We are focusing our teachings in zone conference on the Doctrines of Christ as outlined below in our monthly message.

President's Message - September 2009

Summer is ending and the weather is beautiful. This is a wonderful time of year to be out talking with everyone about the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ!
In Preach My Gospel, we are taught by President Packer that “true doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behaviors”. To bring people unto to Christ, which is our purpose as missionaries, we need to help people make changes in their lives. This is done by helping them make and keep commitments that lead them to a life in harmony with the laws and ordinances of the gospel and the commandments of God. We help people make and keep commitments by Preaching the Gospel and teaching them the Doctrines of Christ.
In the Book of Mormon the Savior clearly declares His Gospel in 3 Nephi 27.
“behold I have given unto my gospel, and this is gospel which I have given unto you- that I came into the world to do the will of my Father...that I might be lifted up upon the cross...that I might draw all men unto me...” (see 3 Nephi 27:13-15)
The Gospel of Christ, what we preach, is the good news. The good news is that all men have been redeemed from the fall and given the gift of eternal life. The wonderful news is that Christ lives! He is our Savior and there is plan for us to return home and obtain exaltation. This is the message we share. Within the gospel can be found the Doctrines of Christ. A doctrine is a statement of belief, an eternal truth or teaching. Doctrines are supported by principles. Principles are natural laws that govern the outcome of our actions and choices. Understanding the Doctrines of Christ and living according to gospel principles will lead us back to our Heavenly Father.
Below are three Doctrines of Christ that are critical to our work as missionaries.
1) Christ, in 3 Nephi 11, declares His doctrine. This was the first thing He taught the people after His appearance. Standing before Nephi, He gives him the authority to baptize the people and commands him to do so after He ascends to heaven.
“...I will declare unto you my doctrine...the Father commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and believe in me. And whoso believeth in me and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they shall inherit the kingdom of God.” (See 3 Nephi 11:31-34)
All men must be baptized to be saved. There is no other way to exaltation. We must be bold in our invitations to come unto Christ and be baptized!
2) The prophet Alma as he leaves for his mission to the Zoramites, (who were formerly Nephites and members of the church) shares with us another doctrine of Christ. I call it “the doctrine of the less-actives”. In his pre-mission prayer Alma prays for “power and wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee.” He says, “Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them are our brethren...” (See Alma 31:34-35) Bringing souls unto Christ and preaching the gospel includes bringing back our brethren that have strayed. We must work closely with the members to help them bring the less-active members back to Christ.
3) Lastly, in Jacob 5 we have the wonderful allegory of the wild and tame olive tree. This represents the doctrine of the gathering of Israel and the restoration of the gospel in these last days. This Doctrine of Christ, which states the elect will be gathered, is the work we are engaged in. We read in D&C 29:7
“And ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of my elect; for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts.”
As we gather the elect, we graft back in the natural branches. Elders and sisters, it is my prayer we learn these doctrines and become bold in teaching them to the people of Japan. Liken the following verses unto yourselves.
"...call servants, that we may labor diligently with all our might in the vineyard...that I may bring forth again the natural fruit, which natural fruit is good and the most precious above all other fruit...let us go to and labor with our might this last time, for behold the end draweth nigh, and this is the last time I shall prune my vineyard.” (Jacob 5: 61-62)
May we go forth and teach the Doctrines of Christ as we serve in the Lord’s vineyard!
President McIntyre

President's Message August 2009 -Greatness

Elders and Sisters,

Just over a year has past since we arrived in Kobe. We are grateful for this opportunity to serve with you. You are truly wonderful missionaries and we love each of you.
This past year we have witnessed a marvelous work begin to transpire in the Japan Kobe Mission. We have enlarged our vision, increased our faith, lengthened our stride and as a result, through your faith and diligence, we have seen an increase in converts and more excitement regarding missionary work among the members. But this must be just the beginning!
We have worked hard to become “Preach My Gospel” missionaries by following the principles outlined in that guidebook and the scriptures. Preach My Gospel missionaries are good missionaries. They follow the program, are obedient to the rules, and feel the Spirit work through them. They are successful missionaries. (See PMG P. 10-11) As I think back to where we were as a mission a year ago and where we are today, I see great progress and could not be more pleased with what we have accomplished. Nevertheless, as I have pondered what the Lord would have us do to continue to fulfill our purpose as missionaries and move the work forward at a faster pace, I have realized that there is still much we can do to improve. Lately I have felt we have become a “good” mission. But my desire, and I believe the desire of the Lord, is for us to become a “great” mission and each of you “great” missionaries.
The difference between good and great is very subtle. And the world’s definitions of greatness vary. Let me explain some of the attributes of true greatness as I see it by sharing some examples. Think about these two great historical individuals from modern society, Mother Theresa and Ghandi. Both these individuals are considered great by most people who are familiar with their lives. Why? What sets them apart from other people? As I thought about this, I realized they are not considered great for what they did or accomplished per se, but for what they did for others and the examples they set. Neither held positions of formal power or authority nor sought for such recognition. But the legacy they left was the impact they had on millions of people through their service, sacrifice and examples. This kind of greatness is not the same as the greatness that may be achieved by an athlete that scores the most points or wins the most championships. That kind of greatness is based on what they accomplished largely for themselves. In a sense it was for personal glory or satisfaction. That kind of greatness is not lasting and will eventually fade or even be forgotten.
Now think of the Savior, the greatest of all. The great sacrifice for each of us individually and all mankind, the atonement. It is what the Savior did for each of us that defines His greatness. It was in His doing the will of the Father and not himself. It was His great example of a perfect life. Service, Sacrifice and Example!
The difference between being a good missionary and a great missionary may be found in your attitude and motivation. Your desire to serve, your willingness to sacrifice and what kind of example you set will certainly define what kind of missionary you become and how you will be remembered when you complete your mission. That will be your legacy. Are you here to score a lot of points or compete with others? Or are you here to serve the Lord and help others come unto Christ through your service, sacrifice and example. Are you here to do your will or out of obligation to fulfill your duty or someone else’s expectations? Or are you here to do the will of the Father because you love Him and your fellowman? You can follow the program and go through the motions and be a good missionary. Or you can be great missionaries by doing the will of the Father in all things as did the Savior.
Through our service, sacrifice, and example we will help people come unto Christ. Each of you has the potential to influence the lives of hundreds, even thousands, of people through your work here. We help people come unto Christ by inviting them to make and keep commitments. As we teach true doctrine, testify and show a good example, people will begin to have faith in Christ and the courage to keep commitments and obey the commandments. These commitments prepare people to make and keep covenants. The first covenant people need to make to prepare to return to our Father in Heaven is made through the ordinance of baptism. Be bold in your efforts to invite people to change and keep commitments. It is how they repent and come unto Christ. It is how you will play a role in helping them come unto Christ. It is how you will influence the lives of people as a missionary and how you will become a Great (Preach My Gospel) Missionary. Don't settle for good, when you have the potential to be great.

May we strive for Greatness and to be more like the Greatest of all, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

President and Sister McIntyre

Transfer Focus- President's Message June/July 2009

This past transfer, we have been focusing on the small and simple things we should do as missionaries. We are also continually striving to become more like Christ as we serve as His missionaries. In order to become more effective Preach My Gospel Missionaries, we should look to the scriptures for examples and clues as to how to apply gospel doctrine and missionary principles. This will help us know what those small and simple things are that we should do. Once we identify, learn and understand the doctrines and principles in the scriptures, we must then liken them unto our situation and efforts here in Japan as missionaries. To “liken” means to create a mental bridge between understanding the doctrine and living the doctrine. (See PMG p. 110) President Packer taught that true doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. (See PMG p. 19) As we study the scriptures and come to understand true doctrine, we will change, our investigators will change and the members will change. This is not only applicable to doctrine, but also to principles of missionary effectiveness such as finding, teaching, building trust, etc. found in the scriptures and Preach My Gospel.
In our zone conferences this month, we will study four specific passages or stories in the scriptures so we can better understand the doctrine and liken the scriptures to our efforts here in Japan.
1. John 4 – The story of Christ and the woman at the well
2. Acts 8 – The Story of Phillip and the Eunuch
3. Acts 17- Paul’s sermon on Mars Hill
4. Alma 17 -18 – Sons of Mosiah and Ammon with King Lamoni
These passages of scripture demonstrate some wonderful principles of missionary work and they feature some of the greatest missionaries of all time. Before you study these chapters, pray for the Spirit to open up your mind to understand better the missionary principles taught in these chapters. Then, as you read, have your Preach My Gospel and study journal with you and take careful notes as to what the Spirit teaches you. Cross reference the scriptures with PMG and pay particular attention to clues that will help you become a more effective finder, teacher and missionary. Think about what these passages are teaching you about natural conversations, talking with everyone, find when you teach and teach when you find, asking for referrals, following the Spirit, teaching for understanding, preparation and planning, the importance of and the qualifications for baptism, building trust, the power of service, who will accept your message and many more wonderful principles and concepts from Preach My Gospel. Remember, Preach My Gospel is a tool to help us better understand the scriptures and apply them to our work as missionaries.
As we come to better understand these doctrines and principles in the scriptures and then begin to liken them to our service as missionaries, we will become more effective missionaries.
We are truly seeing the work move forward here in the Japan Kobe Mission and I know it is because of your great faith and diligence as missionaries. We are grateful to each of you for your hard work and sacrifice each day. May the Lord continue to bless you and this mission with great success!
Love President and Sister McIntyre

New Transfer Focus - May 2009 President's Message

Dear Elders and Sisters,
The past few months we have focused on developing Christ like attributes. Becoming more like the Savior is a lifelong process. Do not be discouraged in your quest. During your mission and throughout your life continue to work on your “Being.” Our “Doing” also plays an important part in becoming a successful missionary. I know the Lord will bless each of you in your efforts in both these areas (being and doing) as you exercise faith and diligence and continue to DO those things we have been taught to do as the Lord’s missionaries.

I love Alma 37. This chapter consists of Alma’s commandments to his son Helaman. Alma teaches us some wonderful principles in this chapter that we need to understand to become successful missionaries. In verses 6 and 7 he teaches:

Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me, but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise. And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purpose; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.

This principle of small and simple is key to our success as missionaries. This principle is taught in many places in the scriptures. In the book of James we read;

Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

Becoming a successful “Preach My Gospel” missionary is governed by this same principle. I am continually amazed at how simple the formula is to become a successful missionary. While we sometimes feel the work is hard, and it can be trying at times, what we have been commanded to do as missionaries is actually quite simple. I pray we do not forget the promises of the Lord to His servants and this principle of small and simple things. We have been taught and commanded to DO some small and simple things everyday and every week as we serve as missionaries. It is these small and simple things that lead us to success and help us feel the true joy of missionary service.

In the D&C the Lord teaches us that out of small things proceedeth a great work:

Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.
Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days.

The Lord also taught this principle to the Nephites. The Liahona pointed the way they should travel in the wilderness and it only worked according to their faith.

…and it was written and changed from time to time, according to the faith and diligence which we gave unto it. And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things. (1 Nephi 16:29)

The Lord works miracles according to our faith and diligence. However, sometimes things He asks us to do seem so simple or unimportant that we forget or neglect to do them. Alma understood this and taught it to his son Helaman in Alma 37:40-41

And it (the Liahona) did work for them according to their faith in God; therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day. Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means it did show unto them marvelous works. They were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their journey;

Elders and Sisters, let us not be slothful in DOING those things we have been commanded. Keeping the daily schedule, prayer and fasting, planning daily and weekly, opening our mouths and speaking with people wherever we go using natural conversations. These are small and simple things that will allow the Lord to do a great work through us. Diligently DOING these things shows our faith and diligence to the Lord and qualifies us to be found worthy to see the blessings of successful missionary work.

I love the words of the Lord to the Saints as recorded in D&C 123

16 You know, brethren, that a very large ship is benefited very much by a very small helm in the time of a storm, by being kept workways with the wind and the waves.
17 Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.

May we cheerfully and diligently DO in faith all those things that have been asked of us as missionaries, no matter how small or simple they may seem. As we do so, I know with the utmost assurance we will continue to witness the miracles of the Lord here in the Kobe Mission.

May the Lord Bless Each of You!
President and Sister McIntyre

President's Message March 2009

Becoming a Preach My Gospel Missionary
Developing Christlike Attributes
In our last round of Zone Conferences we learned about the two dimensions of a Preach My Gospel missionary. The first dimension deals with our “Being.” Our being comes from our character, our inner-self. It is what we are becoming. Being a PMG Missionary means we strive to become like our example and Savior, Jesus Christ. We become like Christ by acquiring and developing the attributes of Christ. The second dimension deals with our “Doing.” To become a PMG Missionary, we need to do the things missionaries do. These two dimensions of Being and Doing are essential to becoming a successful missionary. To ensure we do the right things in the correct manner, we first must focus on our being. Just as faith precedes the miracle, our being precedes our doing. If we can nurture our being, our doing will not miss the mark.

The Lord has called you to His work, and He invites you to follow him. The invitation to follow Christ is an invitation to follow His example and become like Him. (PMG P.115)


Preach My Gospel introduces us to nine Christlike attributes. These are taught and found throughout the scriptures. In D&C 4 we have a wonderful list of eight of these attributes. In verse 5 we are taught that Faith, Hope and Charity qualify us for the work. These are the first three attributes of Christ. Further, in verse 6 we are told to remember Virtue, Knowledge, Patience, Humility and Diligence. These are the next 5 attributes of Christ as listed in PMG. Obedience, the first law of heaven and the price we pay for access to the Spirit, is the ninth attribute of Christ.
Christlike attributes can be developed if we desire them. They are gifts from God. To obtain these gifts, we must humble ourselves (which is an attribute of Christ) and pray for them. It is only through sincere desire and the help of the Lord that we can truly cultivate these attributes fully in our lives.
As you study and strive to develop these attributes, you will notice that you can develop them by doing them. For example, we learn charity by serving others. When we have charity, we desire to serve others and to be obedient to all God’s commandments. Exercising Faith gives us Hope to receive blessings. Humility prepares us to learn and gain knowledge. Knowledge through diligent study helps us understand God’s plan and our purpose here, which strengthens our faith. Working on one attribute can strengthen another. They are interconnected and complementary. I believe the Apostle Peter understood this when he referred to the sum of many of of these attributes as the Divine Nature.

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature…giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:4-8)

As missionaries, we represent the Lord Jesus Christ and His church here on earth. We must work daily to develop these attributes of Christ so that we may not be barren nor unfruitful on our mission and throughout our lives.
We can develop these attributes by following the guidance in PMG. First, choose which attribute you would like to focus on. Write a definition for it. What does it mean to you? Support your thoughts with scripture. Get into the scriptures and learn more about the attribute. Make notes in your journal about what you learn. Then, set specific goals in your missionary planner of things you will do to help you develop this attribute. Share your goals as appropriate with me or your companion. This will help you be accountable to yourself and help you follow through on your plan. Pray for help to develop the attribute and to achieve your goals. Evaluate your progress and start again.
There is a wonderful success formula for becoming Preach My Gospel missionaries. It is very simple. “Be” a missionary and “Do” missionary things.
May we continually strive to be more like our Savior, He whom we represent, by developing these Christlike attributes. We love each of you and are so proud of who you are (your being) and all you do (your doing).

Love President and Sister McIntyre

President's Message February 2009

Dear Elders and Sisters,
Sister McIntyre and I again want to express our love and gratitude to each of you for your diligent service as missionaries in the Japan Kobe Mission. It truly is an honor and a blessing to serve with you.
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.

President Benson taught that “The Spirit is the most important single element in this work. With the Spirit you can do miracles for the Lord in the mission field.” The Spirit will help you draw upon the knowledge and skills you have developed to help you teach more powerfully. (See PMG p. 176)

The Spirit will give you confidence to open your mouth. A bold missionary is not rude or annoying. Rather he is not afraid to testify of Jesus Christ and the restored gospel. He is confident in, and understands his purpose, and therefore is not afraid to ask others to make and keep commitments. His power comes from his faith in Christ and he knows that the Spirit is the key. So he strives to be worthy to have the Spirit with him always.

As missionaries, the need for the spirit is two-fold. First, we must have the Spirit ourselves and second, we must help those we teach feel and recognize the Spirit as part of their conversion process. The first always precedes the second. In other words, we must first obtain the Spirit ourselves, so we can teach and testify in a manner that the Spirit can work through us to allow those we teach feel and recognize it and be converted.

“Seek not to declare my word, but first to obtain my word, then shall your tongue be loosed; then if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men.” (D&C 11:21)

How can we ensure that we are worthy to have the Spirit with us so we can be successful missionaries? The first criterion for having the Spirit is personal worthiness. Obedience is the price. Obedience to all the commandments and the mission rules and guidelines is essential. Sincere repentance can bring the Spirit back if you do not feel the Spirit and need to make changes in your life or mission.

Second, we must invite the Spirit and ask for guidance and strength from our Father in Heaven. As a missionary, we invite the Spirit into our lives and daily activities when we start out the day with Prayer and Scripture Study. The missionary morning and evening schedule is designed to help you invite and keep the Spirit with you always. Obedience is the price. Obedience to the schedule (morning and nightly study and planning) qualify you for the guidance of the Spirit. Pray with faith morning and evening and throughout the day as you seek out and teach people. Effective prayer invites the Spirit and takes great effort. (see PMG p. 94)

As a missionary the Spirit will help you know where to go? What to do? What to say and how to teach more effectively. The Spirit will lead you to scriptures to help you learn and to help you teach others about the restored gospel. The Spirit is the Key.

As you teach people the gospel, testify boldly, use scriptures and share personal spiritual experiences. All these things will help you bring the Spirit which you have with you, unto the hearts of those you teach. (see 2 Nephi 33:1) As you teach with the Spirit and those you teach feel the power of that Spirit, they will be able to make and keep commitments and progress towards baptism.

I testify to each of you that this is the Lord’s work. It is only through the Spirit that we can truly be successful and move it forward. May we all live worthy and strive to have the Spirit with us always.

May the Lord bless each of you.
Love,
President and Sister McIntyre

A Happy New Year Message to Our Missionaries

It is New Year's Eve here in Japan and we have a holiday sports activity and zone conferences starting tomorrow. Here is a copy of our message in this transfers newsletter.

Dear Kobe Missionaries,

How wonderful it is to start out this New Year with all of you here in Japan serving the Lord. We have just had a wonderful end of the year celebrating the birth of our Savior and seeing the most convert baptisms in a single month since the mission reopened over a year and a half ago. What a blessing it was to see so many people come unto Christ this wonderful time of year. And several were actually baptized on Christmas day. It truly was a white and wet Christmas in the Kobe Mission.
Many missionaries experienced the first baptisms of their mission this past month. How I desire each missionary in the mission to have the opportunity to be a part of that wonderful conversion process culminating with one of God’s beloved children entering the waters of baptism. Our purpose is to find, teach, baptize, confirm and establish the church in Japan. We have made great progress in fulfilling this purpose in the past several months. But we can and will gradually learn to do even better. We have emphasized the importance of baptism to all of you. This is how people repent and come unto Christ. Mormon taught the “first fruits of repentance is baptism.” (Moroni 8:25) Baptism is central to our purpose as missionaries. We must continue to emphasize its importance and help all those we teach understand that it is the gate that all must enter.
However, “your success as a missionary is measured primarily by your commitment to find, teach, baptize, and confirm people and to help them become faithful members of the church who enjoy the presence of the Holy Ghost.” (See PMG p. 10) I think all missionaries want to baptize. I certainly hope you all do! But you must remember that the number of baptisms you have does not make you a successful missionary. A successful missionary is fully committed to being a "Preach My Gospel Missionary." According to Preach My Gospel, a successful missionary will:

- Feel the Spirit testify to people through him
- Love people, including his companion and desire their salvation
- Obey with Exactness (all the commandments and mission rules)
- Live to have the Spirit and know how to follow the Spirit.
- Develop Christlike Attributes.
- Work effectively everyday.
- Help build the church wherever they are assigned to serve.
- Warn others of the consequences of sin.
- Teach and serve other missionaries.
- Go about doing good and serving others.

So as we begin a New Year here in the mission, I ask all of you: Are you a successful missionary? Do you obey with exactness? Does this list of characteristics above describe you? When we truly become Preach My Gospel Missionaries and are fully committed to our purpose, we will feel the Spirit, love our missions, love our companions and the Japanese people, and be successful missionaries. And in many cases, baptisms will follow as a natural result.

Let us continue to have faith and hope, two of the attributes of Christ, to see an increase in the harvest. But in doing so, we must remember that people have the agency to choose whether to accept our message.

“Your responsibility is to teach clearly and powerfully so they can make a correct choice. Some may not accept our message even when they have received a spiritual witness that it is true…You should not, however, become discouraged; discouragement will weaken your faith…and you will have greater difficulty following the Spirit…When you do your very best, you may still experience disappointments, but you will not be disappointed in yourself.” (PMG pp. 10-11)

As we begin a New Year, it is my prayer that each of you will recommit to be a Successful Missionary. Success is a choice. When we choose to be a Preach My Gospel Missionary we start to choose success.

I testify to each of you that the Lord has given us the tools and a plan to follow. When we use the tools and follow the plan, we will be successful. As a mission we will continue to focus on fulfilling our purpose and inviting people to repent through baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost. And I know that as we do this, the harvest will increase and each of you will be not only happier, but wonderfully successful!

Much Love,
President and Sister McIntyre

President's Message October 2008

Elders and Sisters of the Kobe Mission,
We have made it through a hot summer and the cooler fall season is upon us. Kansai is beautiful in fall and it is a wonderful time to be outdoors meeting people and sharing the gospel. I want to thank all of you for your faith and prayers. We are seeing more and more miracles each month. I have been pleased to see how so many of you have taken the challenge upon yourselves to show your faith by talking with as many people as you can each day and are being blessed of the Lord for doing so.
I have received many letters that explain how you went the extra mile in your finding efforts, yielding few or no results at the time, only to find that a member brings a friend to church on Sunday or you stumble upon a person who is really prepared to hear the gospel message outside of your normal finding activities. When we set worthy goals, show our faith to achieve them and ask the Lord to help us, we can see miracles. As I have shared with you before, that is how faith works and often how blessings come. I pray you will all continue to push yourself knowing that the blessings come in due time. In D&C 64:33 the Lord admonishes us:

Wherefore, be not weary in well doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.

The truth is we have reason to rejoice and not be weary. New investigators, progressing investigators, yakusokusha and baptisms were all up for the mission this past month. I know our small efforts will continue to produce great results if we are steadfast and faithful.

This transfer period, we want to continue to build on what we have been studying and working on the past few months. Most wards and branches now have a mission plan. We must continue to build a good relationship with the members and help each unit in the mission fulfill and achieve their mission plans. We must continue to open our mouths and exert our own efforts to find the Lord’s elect. In addition, many of you are now seeing the number of people you are teaching increase. We want to focus on helping our investigators progress towards baptism. In order to accomplish this we will be focusing on the following:

1) Being bold without being overbearing in seeking and obtaining commitments (both in our finding efforts and in our teaching)
2) Learning how to plan better for our investigators
3) Learning how to use the Book of Mormon more effectively in all that we do

As we continue to do the things we have been, like finding 2 new investigators each week, and start focusing on helping our investigators progress, I know we will see an increase in the harvest here and a change in the hearts of the members in the Kansai region.

This month we will have the opportunity to hear from President David F. Evans, our Area President and a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. As part of our preparation for meeting with him in our zone conferences, he has asked each of you to study the attributes, character and behavior of the great missionaries found in the Book of Mormon. Before zone conference, please read Mosiah 17 through Alma 42 in the Book of Mormon. Please note the faith and attributes of great missionaries and prophets such as Abinadai, Alma, The Sons of Mosiah, Alma the Younger and Amulek. As you read about these great men, liken their experiences unto you and your mission. Think about what you can do to be more like them. We are looking forward to hearing form President Evans!
Know that we love you and know that you have been called to this work to succeed. May the Lord’s choicest blessing be upon each of you as you are steadfast and immovable in your faith and works.

With much love,
President and Sister McIntyre

President' Message September 8, 2008

Beloved Elders and Sisters of the Kobe Mission,

What a wonderful time it is to be serving the Lord in this great land of Japan. 107 years ago this month, then Apostle Heber J. Grant dedicated this land for the preaching of the restored gospel and the harvesting of souls. From 1901 to 1923 the Japan Mission saw just over 100 converts. Dendo was hard, the language was hard and missions were long, most averaged much longer than three years. Since those early days, a great miracle has come to pass in Japan. Today we have branches, wards, stakes and temples. Nevertheless, I'll bet there were days when those first missionaries wondered if such a thing would ever be possible in this land. But they showed their faith and endured to the end and laid a foundation for the church in Japan.

The Lord leads His work and those first few missionaries found a handful of the Lord’s elect and gathered them (See D&C 29:7) in and taught them the gospel. After World War II, those members helped to re-establish the church in Japan at a time when the people of Japan were more prepared to hear the message. Over the last 50 years, membership in Japan has grown dramatically and there are now many strong families and members throughout the land. Yet the work today seems slow to many of us.

The prophet Moroni teaches us in Ether 12:6 that we should “dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.” Elders and Sisters, we receive blessings and can and will see miracles, after we have earned the right to see them by exercising our faith. The trial of faith may be different for different people, but the principle remains. Faith precedes the miracle. In Ether 12:12 we read: “for if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore he showed not himself until after their faith.”

I have witnessed a great increase of faith in our missionaries over the past several weeks. I know many of you are showing your faith by your obedience to the Preach My Gospel program and my counsel as your mission president. I have heard from many of you in your letters how you are talking with more people and opening your mouths. Lessons are increasing as a result and our average number of “new investigators” per week is slowing inching up. The Lord will require us to show our faith by our works. Many of you are already seeing small miracles in your dendo. Some are finding miracles in their personal lives as they are learning to love their missions more. We are on the right track. As we stay focused on our purpose, open our mouths and talk with everyone everywhere, the Lord will guide us to those elect that will “hear His voice” and we will see more people come into the waters of baptism. As we focus our conversations and messages on the importance of the family and the restoration, using the Book of Mormon daily as we find and teach, the Lord will bless us for our obedience and faith and the harvest will increase. I know this is true. And I know the Lord keeps His promises to us, when we are obedient.

In closing I want to share with you a quote from President Hugh B. Brown. This talk was delivered in the Abeno Chapel in our mission on April 21, 1967. Addressing the Japanese members he said,


“I’m telling you, you are going to live to see some marvelous things in connection with this Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...Some of you people who are listening to me tonight will live to see the day when there will be a Japanese man in the Council of the Twelve Apostles of the Church. I do not know when it will be. I will not live to see it. But some of you young people will live to see it and then you will realize that God loves the Japanese people. And some of you Japanese will be among the leaders of the church. I feel this in my heart tonight and I dare to make this prediction in the name of the Lord...It will take faith, courage and fortitude to remain faithful to the truth...you must be stout hearted men and women...I thank God that he planted the seeds of the gospel here in Japan and a few courageous folks have stayed with it until now when it is beginning to bear fruit.”

This is the Lord’s work and He leads it. Let us all be faithful, enduring to the end, withstanding the trails of our faith, knowing that the blessings come in due time.
We love you and are honored to serve in this, “the greatest mission in the world,” with you!

President and Sister McIntyre

President's Message August 1, 2008

Below is the first President's Message we wrote in our Mission Newsletter the beginning of August. The newsletter for the missionaries is called the Kansai no Kiseki. Our focus in the work has been building on the things we expressed in this first message and our direction has been evolving as we learn and follow the Spirit.

Our Dear Elders and Sisters of the Japan Kobe Mission,

We are so happy and excited to be serving with you in this great work. We have only been with you for one month, but we have had the chance to meet each of you personally and feel of your spirit and desire to serve the Lord and the Japanese people in this part of the Lord’s vineyard. Our testimonies have been strengthened and our family greatly blessed as we have talked with you and watched you over the past several weeks. Thank you for the fine example you are of the Savior, whom you represent, and his gospel, to our family and the people of Japan. Always remember who you are!
As I mentioned at our last Zone Conference, I have felt strongly we need to focus in a couple of areas to hasten the work and increase our harvest here in the Kobe Mission.
First, we must have the faith and hope that we can succeed in our purpose. I know we can find and see more of God’s children in this mission come unto Christ and into the waters of baptism. I am encouraged by, and believe in, the words of Alma. (Alma 13:24)

“For behold, angels are declaring it unto many at this time in our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word at the time of his coming in his glory.”

Here in Japan people are being prepared and angels are declaring it unto many. Our job is to find those people among the millions residing in our mission. It is a daunting task, but it can and is being done. My prayer is that we can all have the vision and faith of President Spencer W. Kimball who said,

“My brethren, I wonder if we are doing all we can. Are we complacent in our approach to teaching all the world?...Are we prepared to Lengthen Our Stride? To enlarge our vision? …I feel that when we have done all in our power that the Lord will find a way to open the doors. THAT IS MY FAITH.”

Second, we must hasten and increase our efforts to find those prepared to accept our message. Faith without works is dead. We must work like it depends only on our efforts and pray like it depends entirely on the Lord. When we show our faith by our works (and work effectively and smart) then the Lord will open doors.

Here are some areas we can focus on to start:

Working with Members - Our efforts must include the members. We are on the same team. We must build trust with the members. We can do this by serving them and showing them how serious we are about the work. We can start with the bishops and ward mission leaders. In some areas this may take more time than others. In some areas members are few. Whatever the circumstance, we must do it and we must begin now. That is Lord’s program.

Talking with Everyone – While we are building our relationships and increasing our efforts with the members, we must step up our own finding activities. Elder M. Russell Ballard has challenged missionaries to talk to 10 people everyday, outside of your normal “dendo.” The best way to start a conversation is to simply say “hello.” My challenge to each companionship is to work towards the goal of finding two new investigators each week. Right now our average is about .5 new investigators per week per companion set. If we can do this, we are enlarging our vision and lengthening our stride.

Focus on the younger people –A few years ago when President Boyd K. Packer was here in Japan he said the following,

“The Church will grow in Japan…almost everybody we meet, the stake presidents, the former stake presidents, were boys when they joined the Church. Their wives joined when they were girls. The Church in Japan has been built on the backs of the young people. We want to start that again.”

We will seek out families and others, but we should particularly make a concerted effort to seek out the younger generation. I think 17 – 25 year olds are at an age when they are seeking the truth and they are not yet set in their ways and bound by the traditions of their fathers.
These suggestions are simple. They probably are not new. But as we start our service with you here in Kobe, I testify to you that this is the place to begin and the direction we should go. As our journey continues the Lord will guide us and adjust our direction according to our faith and needs just as he guided Lehi and his family in the wilderness with the Liahona.

We have the greatest mission in the church here. And you are the greatest missionaries. We love each of you and look forward to serving with you. Know you are doing the work of the Lord. He guides and directs it. We will not fail if we simply follow Him and his prophets.

May the Lord Bless Each of You!

Love,
President and Sister McIntyre
(and Erika, Julie, Ricky and James)