On the Sakura Tunnel Street walking to Maya Mountain. 10 minute walk from the mission home.
At Gokoku Jinja
Posing at the shrine.
The Japanese sakura
View of the main gate of the shrine.
Finally feeling like spring here!Saturday, April 3, 2010
Cherry Blossoms in Kobe
Gokoku Shrine a two minute walk from the mission home.
On the Sakura Tunnel Street walking to Maya Mountain. 10 minute walk from the mission home.
At Gokoku Jinja
Posing at the shrine.
The Japanese sakura
View of the main gate of the shrine.
Finally feeling like spring here!
On the Sakura Tunnel Street walking to Maya Mountain. 10 minute walk from the mission home. At Gokoku Jinja Posing at the shrine. The Japanese sakura View of the main gate of the shrine. Finally feeling like spring here!
Friday, April 2, 2010
Transfer Week!
We welcomed 9 new elders to the Kobe Mission this past week. One is from Australia, one from the Philippines, 2 from the US and 5 from Japan. All attended the MTC in Provo and arrived together. Two of the Japanese elders were in Sister Erika McIntyre' class in the MTC. She is now a teacher for the Japanese missionaries at the MTC.
Front row left to right - Sister McIntyre, Elders Toring, Tateishi, McKellar, Tsushima and President McIntyre. Back Row - Elders Matsukura, Nakamura, Cannon, Kuroda and Usui.
Welcome dinner with the family.
Above - Departing Group Dinner. We returned 5 five great elders this week as well.
Elders Remund, Capener, Ito, Maeno and Lytle pose with their cards and cake.
Front row left to right - Sister McIntyre, Elders Toring, Tateishi, McKellar, Tsushima and President McIntyre. Back Row - Elders Matsukura, Nakamura, Cannon, Kuroda and Usui.
Welcome dinner with the family.
Above - Departing Group Dinner. We returned 5 five great elders this week as well.
Elders Remund, Capener, Ito, Maeno and Lytle pose with their cards and cake.Recent Baptisms From the Field
Yabuuchi Shimai in Yamato Koriyama with Elders Kurose and Price.
Yanagida Kyodai in Amagasaki with Elders Ritchie and Honda.
Sawai Kyodai in Nabari with Elders Chamochumbi and Imi.
Yoshino Kyodai in Hashimoto with Elders Coburn and Sjavik.
Yanagida Kyodai in Amagasaki with Elders Ritchie and Honda.
Sawai Kyodai in Nabari with Elders Chamochumbi and Imi.
Yoshino Kyodai in Hashimoto with Elders Coburn and Sjavik.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Happy Birthday President!
Sister McIntyre made President a great cake and apple pie for his birthday!
The office missionaries also brought treats and everyone enjoyed a small celebration!
Another older and hopefully wiser!
The office missionaries also brought treats and everyone enjoyed a small celebration!
Another older and hopefully wiser!Monday, March 29, 2010
Kobe Mission Area after July 1, 2010
These may be hard to see due to the small size, but we just finished creating the area map of the new mission boundaries after the consolidation of Hiroshima. We are adding the light blue areas (Okayama Stake) on the left and the whole island of Shikoku (the long purple and grey island areas) at the bottom. The geographic size of the mission is doubling. 
The expanded mission will have 64 church units with approximately 17,500 members and a population of about 30 million people. Each color grouping above represents a stake or member district within the mission.
It will be a much more time consuming job for us to travel the whole mission for interviews and conferences every transfer, but we are excited by the opportunity and look forward to having about 40 more missionaries and meeting many more wonderful members throughout Japan.
The expanded mission will have 64 church units with approximately 17,500 members and a population of about 30 million people. Each color grouping above represents a stake or member district within the mission.
It will be a much more time consuming job for us to travel the whole mission for interviews and conferences every transfer, but we are excited by the opportunity and look forward to having about 40 more missionaries and meeting many more wonderful members throughout Japan.Sunday, March 21, 2010
Weekend Baptisms in the Fukuchiyama Member District - March 2010
Brother Kishida was baptized in the Toyooka Branch this weekend. Brother Kishida's daughter Keiko Johnson and her family flew in from Utah to be at the baptism and Brother Johnson (son-in-law) perform the baptism. Sister Kishida has been a member for nearly 40 years and was one of the first members in Toyooka. This past year or so Brother Kishida has been studying the gospel diligently and was taught by several missionaries that served in the branch. It was a very special and long awaited baptismal service. The end of last month, Elders Shepley and Everts challenged Brother Kishida, who has had some health concerns, to fast and pray so that he could be baptized on March 20th. He accepted the commitment and we were able to witness a wonderful baptism on that day. Brother Kishida is looking forward to attending the temple and being sealed as a family and doing temple work for his family.
I cannot emphasize the importance of the work we do among part-member families. Creating eternal families is central to our purpose as missionaries. We are gathering the blood of Israel. Is there not a better place to look for that blood than in a home where the blood already exists? We have seen an increase in baptisms among spouses, children and parents of members. These are truly answers to the prayers of faithful members. Many have prayed and been faithful for years in hopes of seeing their loved ones come unto Christ. We must be mindful of these people and patiently work with them and their loved ones to help them come unto to Christ.
Toyooka Branch members after the baptism.
Fukuchiyama Castle from the car on the drive to the river.
We love the Fukuchiyama District and the wonderful members there!
I cannot emphasize the importance of the work we do among part-member families. Creating eternal families is central to our purpose as missionaries. We are gathering the blood of Israel. Is there not a better place to look for that blood than in a home where the blood already exists? We have seen an increase in baptisms among spouses, children and parents of members. These are truly answers to the prayers of faithful members. Many have prayed and been faithful for years in hopes of seeing their loved ones come unto Christ. We must be mindful of these people and patiently work with them and their loved ones to help them come unto to Christ.Toyooka Branch members after the baptism.
The Furutani Family, a wonderful family in Toyooka, will be moving to Yamaguchi Prefecture next week. We are so sad to see them go. Brother Furutani has served in the District Presidency for several years. This weekend we had the chance to say goodbye one more time and get this picture with their family. We love their cute girls who always brighten up the church whenever we visit.
Sister Miyagaki was baptized in the Fukuchiyama Branch. She was found and taught by Elders McGuire and Solomon.
Members of Fukuchiyama Branch attending the baptism at the river. Second baptism at this river in the past month!Sister Miyagaki was baptized in the Fukuchiyama Branch. She was found and taught by Elders McGuire and Solomon. Fukuchiyama Castle from the car on the drive to the river. We love the Fukuchiyama District and the wonderful members there!Saturday, March 20, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Recent Converts
Sister Takagi was baptized in Hanayashiki Ward by Elders Bennion, Kurose and Neider.
Elders Monson and Capener baptized Brother Kawamoto in Hirakata Ward.
Brother Miura was baptized in Yamato Koriyama Ward by Elders Imai and Price.
Brother Takashima was baptized in Nabari Branch by Elders Buerger, Chamochumbi and Imi.
Brother Takinami was baptized in Himeji Ward by Elders Kimura and Andreasen.
Brother Ikeda was baptized in Hanayashiki Ward by Elders Kurose and Bennion.
Elders Monson and Capener baptized Brother Kawamoto in Hirakata Ward.
Brother Miura was baptized in Yamato Koriyama Ward by Elders Imai and Price.
Brother Takashima was baptized in Nabari Branch by Elders Buerger, Chamochumbi and Imi.
Brother Takinami was baptized in Himeji Ward by Elders Kimura and Andreasen.
Brother Ikeda was baptized in Hanayashiki Ward by Elders Kurose and Bennion.
Recent Pictures From Kobe
Elder Hobson shows his face cookie. It was his birthday this week and we had our little fun in the office.
Office staff and Kobe district.
Elder Hobson's cookie from Sister McIntyre
We hit Mister Donuts in Abeno after lunch during our interviews. Elder Escalante shows of his strawberry bear donut. President McIntyre loves donuts!
On a recent preparation day we went downtown in Osaka to Umeda with the Pypers and ate crab and shrimp at the New Hankyu Hotel. Great as usual. They also served the famous poisonous Japanese puffer fish which we ate and fortunately survived.
At our recent interviews in Mikunigaoka, former Elder Kunihiro showed up to say hello. He will be off to BYU Hawaii in a few weeks. Now Brother Kunihiro!
Got a shot of mom with the boys the other night. They are both bigger than her now and almost bigger than dad (well Ricky already is). Rick is still trying to decide between BYU Hawaii and Provo.
Office staff and Kobe district.Elder Hobson's cookie from Sister McIntyre
We hit Mister Donuts in Abeno after lunch during our interviews. Elder Escalante shows of his strawberry bear donut. President McIntyre loves donuts!
On a recent preparation day we went downtown in Osaka to Umeda with the Pypers and ate crab and shrimp at the New Hankyu Hotel. Great as usual. They also served the famous poisonous Japanese puffer fish which we ate and fortunately survived.
At our recent interviews in Mikunigaoka, former Elder Kunihiro showed up to say hello. He will be off to BYU Hawaii in a few weeks. Now Brother Kunihiro!
Got a shot of mom with the boys the other night. They are both bigger than her now and almost bigger than dad (well Ricky already is). Rick is still trying to decide between BYU Hawaii and Provo.Wednesday, March 10, 2010
March 2010 Zone Conferences
At our recent zone conferences we asked members to join us and let the missionaries practice teaching them lessons. We practiced committing people to come to church, accept baptism and read and pray about the Book of Mormon.
Missionaries also worked in their zones and practiced with each other as well.
Teaching members in Higashi Osaka
Teaching each other.
Working within the zone. Osaka North Zone.
Teaching members in Kyoto.
Member practice in Kyoto, Shimogamo.
We also celebrated Elder and Sister Pyper's 54th Wedding Anniversary at the Kobe Zone Conference. 54 years of Joy! We love the Pypers!
Relief Society Sisters prepare meals for our conferences. This was the meal from Higashi Osaka.
Higashi Osaka Members that prepared lunch for everyone. Thank You!
Some of the cooks from Kobe Stake at the Kobe Conference.
They made us Taco Rice and it was really good!
More Kobe members preparing Taco Rice.
In Kyoto we had a buffet style selection of various Japanese dishes. The missionaries really enjoyed it.
A shot of some of the food at the Kyoto Conference.
Thanks to everyone! They were well fed and well trained!
Missionaries also worked in their zones and practiced with each other as well.
Teaching members in Higashi Osaka
Teaching each other.
Working within the zone. Osaka North Zone.
Teaching members in Kyoto.
Member practice in Kyoto, Shimogamo.
We also celebrated Elder and Sister Pyper's 54th Wedding Anniversary at the Kobe Zone Conference. 54 years of Joy! We love the Pypers!
Relief Society Sisters prepare meals for our conferences. This was the meal from Higashi Osaka.
Higashi Osaka Members that prepared lunch for everyone. Thank You!
Some of the cooks from Kobe Stake at the Kobe Conference.
They made us Taco Rice and it was really good!
More Kobe members preparing Taco Rice.
In Kyoto we had a buffet style selection of various Japanese dishes. The missionaries really enjoyed it.
A shot of some of the food at the Kyoto Conference.
Thanks to everyone! They were well fed and well trained!
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