May Activity Update

We have recently assigned additional missionaries to the Hirakata area of the Osaka Stake. Hirakata was the old headquarters for the Osaka Mission. The old mission home and offices still stand on the property next to the nice three story church building. The Hirakata district now consists of 4 elders and two sisters who all live right there on the church property.We took a picture of them after interviews on May 15th. The next day there were two convert baptisms in the area, the first in some time. Pictured above - Sister and Pres. McIntyre, Sister Kogawa, Elder Murphy, Sister Yamashita and Elders Bahr, Campbell and Honma.The sisters live in the old Mission Home Residence. They occupy just the first floor and are very happy to be there! The elders all live in the elders quarters in a separate building over the old mission offices.While I was in Tokyo at the Mission President's Seminar, Rika took Julie to Himeji Castle. It is only a little over an hour drive from Kobe. They went on the tour of the inside. Below is a shot of the town out of one of the windows. In other news, for some reason, James wanted to get a buzz cut. We did not argue. Julie and I were happy to help him out.He started a trend as three of his friends came home from school the next day with him and asked us to cut their hair too.
We wanted to leave his half done.
The buzz boys. James is on the far right. To be thirteen again!!
More updates soon!

Swine Flu in Kansai

Please don't worry, but the swine flu has infected our mission. The flu showed up in Kobe City a little over a week ago. Schools closed in an attempt to contain it, but it has found its way to several other parts of the mission including Osaka and Kyoto. The Japanese government is taking a very cautious approach to this even though it appears to not be much more dangerous than the seasonal flu. Missionaries have continued to proselyte with no real restrictions, but they have been instructed to be cautious, wash hands often (luckily the Japanese bow and do not normally shake hands) and avoid large crowds or people with symptoms. Ricky and James have been out of school all week, but have been told they can return to school next week. Other cities are closing their schools now though. Usually they close them for a week in hopes of allowing the virus to die out before it can spread further. No missionaries have contracted the flu, nor have any members to my knowledge.

I was in Tokyo for about three days this past week for a mission president's seminar. While I was gone, the assistants and Sister McIntyre picked up our new office couple, the Pypers, from the airport. The Japanese all wear masks to prevent "getting" sick. We have been assured this will have little affect, but the Japanese still wear them. When the Elders walked into the terminal, there were people, mainly high school students going on a school trip, packed into the terminal. For some reason when they saw the two American Elders they were surprised and started clapping. The Elders ate it up.

There has been no deadly cases of the flu, but the situation has began to have in impact on the work. The church policy is for us to strictly follow the government's directions and when a city closes its schools and asks that you not hold any big gatherings, church meetings are cancelled. As a result, we have had some baptisms postponed and this coming Sunday there are no meetings being held in several parts of Osaka and all of Kyoto. In fact, stake conference in the Kyoto Stake was completely cancelled. This month has turned out to be a challenge as we seem to have had a wave of bad luck and have lost many people scheduled for baptism for various reasons and now a flu epidemic. We have been seeing great success this year in the mission but it currently feels like the adversary has stepped up his activity to thwart our efforts from all directions. We can't baptize people unless we can get them to church! Nevertheless, we will move forward and establish and strengthen the church in Kansai.

On a related note - To our surprise the other day, while the elders were in the front of the church, a black car pulled up and a man got out and introduced himself as a member of the Yamaguchi Gumi (The Japanese Yakuza). That is one of the most famous crime groups in Japan. The Yamaguchi have their headquarters just a few blocks from the mission home. He handed the elders three boxes of surgical masks and said since the flu broke he thought we might need them. For those not familiar with the Japanese crime syndicate, these are the real thing. They have however, over the years been friendly to the church and can often be seen looking after the neighborhood. One year a couple of them showed up with bags of candy at a primary holloween party. At the time of the Kobe earthquake the church and the Yamaguchi Yakuza were the only groups to provide water and support to many people in the immediate area in the days following the disaster. Just an interesting side story about the mission. I would post a picture of their headquarters but they may see it and try and find me!

Monkeys Monkeys Monkeys and Maiko in Kyoto - May 2009

Julie is here until mid June and we only have one or two Saturdays open between now and then. Finding some family time is not always easy for us. Teenagers have so much going on especially at the end of a school year. Trying to get them all together for a family activity is sometimes a challenge. We have two stake conferences this month which will take up two of the weekends. We wanted to take what time we had and do something fun. So this past Saturday we spent the day in Kyoto and visited Arashiyama.Julie had never been to the monkey park so we took her on the hike up the mountain.Kyoto City in the background. It was a beautiful, clear, warm day. The monkeys were active as usual. There were several newborns, the youngest being born in the morning of the day we visited.

Mommy is giving Jr. a little massage. This little guy was about one month old.

Ricky and James found a friend getting some shade. The baby on the right was just born and still had the umbilical cord attached.

Mom and young.

This is the alpha male monkey. He is about 26 years old. The Japanese monkey lives about 30 years on average.

To feed the monkeys, we have to get in the cage. Julie and James feeding them bananas.

Julie and Ricky teasing one.Just having some fun during the hike down the mountain.In Arashiyama we found a little Maiko and took pictures with her. Maiko are apprentice geisha.Later we went to downtown Kyoto for dinner and shopping. We stayed at a hotel in Kyoto and enjoyed the Japanese onsen bath provided. Julie and Rika in their yukata going to the bath.The next morning, Sunday (and Mother's Day), we attended sacrament meeting in Shimogamo Ward and then drove over to the Katsura Ward to attend their sacrament meeting in the afternoon as well. Both wards are located in Kyoto. The kids were great to attend church twice, all in Japanese.

This is the Katsura church building. It is a renovated building converted into a church. Getting out to the 40 plus wards and branches in the mission for church is not easy. Even if we attended a different ward or branch every week, it would take at least a year to hit every unit. When you consider that we have stake conferences and general conferences as well, not to mention attending church as a family in our home ward from time to time, getting to every unit once a year is actually a challenge. When possible, visiting two units in one day is a bonus for us we cannot pass up!

May 2009 Mission Tour

Elder Stevenson, of our Area Presidency, and Sister Stevenson conducted a mission tour this past week and instructed and taught us in two separate conferences.

Two conferences were held. One in Ibaraki for half of the mission...

...and the other in Kobe for the other half of the mission. All missionaries in the mission attended at least one of the conferences. Among many things, we learned some foundational principles of missionary work (Obedience, Diligence and the Spirit). During the afternoon of both conferences, he led the missionaries in an in-depth study of 2 Nephi chapters 2 and 9. They were amazing meetings and much was learned and re-learned about the doctrines of the atonement, the resurrection, the plan of salvation, and the law found in these chapters.

Not related to the mission tour, but we just got a shot of the spring festival parade that went right in front of the church and the mission home. Many believe these portable shrines, that are carried with two poles running parallel along each side, are symbolic of (or originated from) the Israelites carrying the Ark of the Covenant before them into battle. That is speculation, but one of the many really interesting similarities between ancient Israel and the traditional Japanese Shinto religion. This shrine was so big it was supported by wheels underneath. Most are smaller.

We did not get to attend, but Elders Varjao and Kurose sent in a picture of Sister Utsumi's baptism from the Kakogawa Ward in the Kobe Stake.

The Sword of the Spirit - Kimono Pictures Taken Last Year

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!! 2009 About this time last year we visited a great studio in Harajuku, Tokyo to take some fun kimono family pictures. Seems like a long time ago, but it was only a year ago this month.A few months after these shots, we were in the MTC. It took a couple hours to get everyone dressed and all the make up applied to the girls. Rika said it was hard to smile because it felt like her face would crack.
Erika had no trouble smiling. She continues to do so on her mission in Sapporo. Julie as well. Our two little dolls.
Samurai don't smile much and Ricky and James played the part well.

The girls...

...and the boys.

As missionaries, perhaps a picture with a sword in hand is an appropriate image. The sword is the only offensive tool found in the whole armour of God. We girt our loins with truth. We shod our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. We wear the breastplate of righteousness, and above all we take the shield of faith to protect us from the fiery darts of the adversary. Finally we cover our heads with the helmet of salvation. But it is the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, that we take into battle against the adversary as we boldly open our mouths to make known the mysteries of the gospel. As missionaries, we obtain the word through the Spirit and through that same Spirit we take the Word unto the world. (Ephesians 6)

Nothing is more powerful or influential than the Word of God.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for it is right. Honor thy father and mother (which is the first commandment with promise) Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Sister McIntyre had wanted to take these pictures for some time and we finally got them done before moving from Tokyo. Some great memories! But perhaps an even greater message for missionaries.

Happy Mother's Day!

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

Transfers April/May 2009

We returned four great missionaries this past week. Elders Edfrennes, Cook and Fell and Sister Sadler. They came into the mission home on Thursday for interviews and dinner and departed Friday morning May 1st.We had a great dinner followed by final testimonies and dessert Thursday night.This transfer we welcomed 9 new missionaries to the Kobe Mission. 7 are from Japan, one from Australia and one from the US. This transfer increased our ratio of Japanese and Sister missionaries in the mission.

Elder Kurose celebrated his birthday here in the mission home so Sister McIntyre made him a birthday cake.The new missionaries starting with the Sisters on the front row - left to right Sister McIntyre holding Sammy, Sisters Kina, Ho, Kaneko and Yamada. Elders in the back Pres. McIntyre, Elders Emery, Uehara, Kurose, Honma and Kudo.

This is a unique group for us as we usually have more foreign missionaries and one or two from Japan. This group was the opposite. They are all extremely well prepared and excited to be here. I am confident they will have a great positive impact on the work here in the Kobe Mission. It was a good transfer week. Next transfer (mid June) will be the biggest of the year. We will return 12 and get 14 new missionaries (8 Japanese and 6 foreign).

Julie in Tokyo

Julie appears to be in her element in Shibuya and Harajuku, Tokyo this past week.Crepes in Shibuya. Brings back a lot of memories. Hachiko square in Shibuya with Liz and Becka.

Yes, Julie loves Tokyo. It is just a little different than Provo, Utah!