The Light
"Japan Kobe Mission: A Zion Mission"
September 1999

"they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there were no poor among them." --Moses 7:18

President's Message

Can you feel the quiet swelling that is taking place in the Japan Kobe Mission? Can you sense the Lord taking over control as we give Him our hearts Are you personally writing in your journal the miracles that are around us on an almost daily basis? "...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 to me." (Alms 32:28)

We should thank the Lord every day for the privilege of serving Him at this time, for He has truly responded to our change of hearts and poured out blessings upon us. Sacrament Meeting attendance continues to increase  across the mission. Baptisms are continuing their steady growth. Retention is improving across the mission and in many areas is truly remarkable These are some of the swelling motions that tell us that the seed of a Zion Mission is a good seed and is taking firm root across the mission

If, for some reason, you are not personally seeing it, get out your White Handbook and carefully, prayerfully reread it, paragraph by paragraph, cover to cover. As you do so, look for places where you may be skimping a bit, or cutting a few corners. Ask yourself if your heart is truly willing to do anything the Lord or His servants ask of you. Analyze how well your mind is focused on finding, teaching, baptizing and strengthening. Look again at your thoughts, your conversation and your living environment to be sure you are striving to keep them free from distractions, so that you dwell in righteousness and have the companionship of the Spirit. Finally, look at your own individual preparation to see how well you are striving to "stand on higher ground" so that you can take advantage of opportunities to lift your fellow missionaries. Reports from across the mission are very positive concerning improvements in our language capability through the implementation of the enhanced study techniques we have recently been taught. Let's look at all areas of individual preparation to be sure we are able to teach and lift and support as we would desire to do

The Lord is just beginning to bless this mission. There is much more yet to come. Let's continue to remove the obstacles to those blessings so that we may rejoice in them together, as missionaries, new converts, leaders and members. "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest" (Matthew 9:37-38) Our increased preparation not only allows us to be better laborers and to help fellow missionaries become better, but it encourages ward and stake leaders to participate more and to bring their members more fully into the work of the harvest. Thus our efforts will allow the Lord to continue and even increase the blessings on the Japan Kobe Mission area.

May we strive to be worthy of and participate fully in these blessings, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

President. Robertson

Dear Wonderful Zion Missionaries,

September is here! We did it! We're through August, alive and well! In mid-September we get the ninth national holiday of the year. I like this one more every year. Officially, it's called Keiro-no Hi meaning "Senior Citizens' Day" (see the Japan Times article for more information), but it happens to coincide with the traditional O-tsukimi (or moon viewing) celebration. So on Sept. 15th you can isseki ni cho by participating in honoring us old folks (and even older), and enjoy seeing the harvest moon as well. Several missionaries have asked for Eikaiwa ideas, Here are a few.

Both the September holiday and customs provide ideas and materials for Eikaiwa. Honoring grandparents, etc is a great way to teach family things or share ancestor stories or stress the gospel emphasis on caring for the aged, etc. You could tell a story, do some role plays (if your class has gotten comfortable with them), or teach a song. How about: "I Have a Family Tree" from the Primary Songbook (I taught it last year and they loved it). Or, if you prefer, you could teach a moon song. It seems almost everyone in Japan knows "Moon River'. Or, you could use another appropriate song that mentions the moon. I'm going to use: "The moon belongs to everyone, The best things in life are free..." and build a lesson around that. Also, there is a famous song that. people sing in connection with moon-viewing It talks about the shadows on the moon looking like a rabbit and even starts: "Usagi, usagi..." It is very short. Maybe your class could teach it to you and then you could translate it into English and sing it again. You might also ask your students how they celebrate this holiday or how it was celebrated when they were children (if you teach adult classes)

Missionaries from the U.S. could tell the class about Labor Day which happens this year in America on Monday, September 6th. (See picture for lesson building on careers, jobs, employment and such.) Hey, what happens in Australia, New Zealand, and Brazil in September? Sharing cultures can be very interesting for all ages and speaking levels.

There is a strong opinion (it's mine too) that we can have better finding results if we plan and teach better lessons at Eikaiwa. We'll try to help some more with this at zone taikais. And to our dear Nihonjin senkyoshi don't underestimate your value at Eikaiwa. Of course you are needed for initial mensetsus with new class members, but I often have two or more Nihonjin senkyoshi in my class. They add a wonderful spirit and can often respond to questions in a way that is very helpful to other class members. Remember, a number 1 rule for good teaching is: ENTHUSIASM and don't forget the last four letters are the most important. They stand for "I Am Sold Myself". People will love your class, English, you, and eventually the gospel if you are prepared, enthusiastic, and happy to be there and help them. OK, don't forget we love you! Keep up the good work Namakemono ni naranai de, ne!

Love, Sister Robertson

Keiro-no-hi (Senior Citizens' Day)

1. Keiro-no-hi is a day marking respect for old people.
2. People show respect for the maturity and experience of the aged.
3. Such a degree of high maturity can only he attained with the advancement of age.
4. Senior Citizens Day is observed on September 15th.
5. It is a national holiday and is observed on a nationwide scale.
6. Appreciation is expressed to the elderly for their great contribution to society.
7. At the same time people pray for their lone life.
8. Many events are held across the nation on this day for the aged.
9. In the past it was said that a man's span of life was only about 50 years.
10. In recent years, however, the Japanese have come to enjoy a longer average life span than other countries in the world.
11. The average span of life for men is 75.54 years, and that for women is 81.30 years.
12. Indeed, Japan is entering the age of the so-called "aging society."

Otsuki-mi (Moon-viewing)

1. Otsuki-mi means moon-viewing on the night of the full moon in mid-autumn.
2. It is held on September 15th.
3. This is August 15th by the old lunar calendar, and that night is called ju-go-ya,, the night of the 15th.
4. It is said that ju-go-ya is the best night to view the moon.
5. People offer rice dumplings, watermelons, chestnuts other autumn fruits and vegetables to the full moon.
6. People place these things on a small stand or set of tables arranged on the edge of the veranda or near the windows of their home.
7. The sky in autumn is extremely clear and the moon shines like a polished mirror.
8. People in the past must have viewed the moon with great fascination and imagination.
9. Since the first manned rocket landed on the moon, people no longer look at it with such curiosity.
10. This traditional moon-viewing ceremony is now disappearing because of the smog and high-rise buildings in cities.

What I Want My Son to Know Before He Leaves on His Mission

(President James E. Faust - Priesthood Session: April 1996)

FIRST, you will be under call from the Lord Jesus Christ.
SECOND, your mission president is the Lord's representative.
THIRD, hard work is more important than intellect.
FOURTH, forget yourself in His service.
FIFTH, never permit contention in your companionship.
SIXTH, keep your bodies clean and healthy and living quarters clean.
SEVENTH, learn to love and serve the people among whom you work.
EIGHTH, study, ponder and teach from the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon and the New Testament.
NINTH, you must know that Lucifer will oppose you, and be prepared for his opposition.
TENTH, your own personal testimony is the strongest arrow in your quiver. 

I have often related that, in the early days of the missionary work in Brazil, where we now have over a half a million members of the Church, we did not have the Book of Mormon, the Pearl of Great Price, nor the Doctrine and Covenants translated into the Portuguese language. All we had were the Bible, a few tracts, our personal testimonies concerning the Restoration of the gospel, the Joseph Smith story, and our testimony of the living prophet. The harvest was not great. However, some of those who were baptized have for three generations remained faithful because they were touched by the powerful testimonies of humble missionaries almost 60 years ago. Now you cannot be responsible for whether or not those you teach will accept your testimony and join the Church. Do not feel that you must obtain a quota of baptisms to be successful. An old saying teaches that you can count the number of seeds in a single apple, but you can't count the number of apples in a single seed. The harvest is the Lord's. Your responsibility is to thrust in the sickle. The Doctrine and Covenants clearly records what is required of those who enter into the waters of baptism: "All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church."

If you have the Holy Spirit resting upon you, and you speak by that Spirit of words of the Lord as contained in the holy scriptures and as outlined by his living prophets, God will ratify your message in the hearts of those who are hearing you.

Now, my dear young friends, missionary work is not easy. In fact, it is often quite difficult, but the Lord is the greatest paymaster in the world. Dedicated missionary service is one of life's most fulfilling experiences. This is in large measure because of the divine agency which flows so richly from the Lord to His humble and obedient servants to bless the lives of others. I know this because I have seen it manifested in the lives of thousands and have felt it in my own life.

May the priesthood of God be prepared and worthy for any calls that may come, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Message from the Secretary

Hello! Super Missionaries!

Hope you are well. I am grateful for your hard work even in the heat of this hot summer.

I love to watch the summer clouds. Big, white and beautiful clouds trying to reach to heaven. I feel the great power of heaven as I watch the clouds move upward in their purest form.

"Keep all the commandments and covenants by which ye are bound; and I will cause the heavens to shake for your good, and Satan shall tremble and Zion shall rejoice upon the hills and flourish." (D&C 35:24)

Let's work on the basic values that we have been taught and become united and let the power of heaven bless the Japan Kobe Mission abundantly. Great and marvelous works of the Lord are going forward strongly. It is wonderful to have this opportunity to serve the Lord in the Japan Kobe Mission as a missionary.

LOVE YOU ALL!!

Sister Fry

Happiness comes from understanding and living the teachings of the Lord. It comes from not being critical of ourselves when we don't accomplish all we want to do.

By Richard G. Scott

Assistant to the President

As a missionary I have only one desire, the same as Ammon of old, "that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance." In order to be used for God's holy work we need to be pure and righteous. Righteousness is the goal of all of our Heavenly Father's children, but it is an attribute of the Lord's servants. We become more righteous as we obey the commandments, repent, pray and fast, and learn to recognize and obey communication from the Spirit. When we follow the Spirit, we become a. tool in the Lord's hands, and are imbued with the power necessary to accomplish the given task. However, "the powers of Heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness." The standard against which we measure our righteousness as missionaries is the White Handbook If we learn to govern ourselves by the principles in the White Handbook, then we will qualify ourselves to be guided by the Spirit in our work. Then we will truly become Zion Then we can rejoice, saying, "we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work!" I know that as we strive to be obedient, the Lord uses us to do his work, and miracles happen.

- Elder Mustard

Message from the Recorder

Dear Loving Kobe Mission Super Missionaries! You are GENKI! I, Elder Hayashi, have been promoted to the rank of recorder. I also absorbed the duties of the Free Dial system. I still lack experience, but I will do my best!

As recorder I see what kinds of miracles are occurring in the mission. My body trembles when I see the weekly statistics that the DLs send. It's truly wonderful! I'm thankful for everyone's enthusiasm. love, and eagerness. I have 3 favors to ask of those fabulous missionaries I Just talked about. First: the Baptismal records and the DLs Statistics I always wait for them with anticipation You must be busy, but please send them ASAP. If there are any bike accidents, please contact us immediately. Recently we have received a notice from the Tokyo headquarters that there have been numerous bicycle accidents m the Japan missions. They also notified us that these accidents could have been avoided if the missionaries would have slowed down. Please, everyone, do not speed along on your bicycles. Keep it to a Mama chari speed. I will report the specific number of accidents next month.

The Free Dial Project has begun and the fliers are flyin' in Motomachi and Yodoyabash. Currently the fliers are all located in Sekime, Hirano, Taisho, and the Osaka Shimai's apartments. Under the direction of the ZLs, missionaries who will be passing out fliers should contact a certain apartment before assuming your post at your assigned passing out area. Starting next month we will give you the fliers at interviews or zone conferences. In order to improve this project please fill-out and send (with your weekly statistic sheet) the "Feed Back Sheet" after passing out fliers. I would like to hear your input and improve accordingly.

We originally started this program to target businessmen who are usually out while you are tracting/housing. If indeed we receive many phone calls from this program, we will be able to provide manyu more referrals to areas surrounding Osaka. I would like your support. I am a man of many weaknesses, but with what I have (which is really just a little) I will try to meet your requests! If you need any new fliers, with new charts or summaries, corrections, investigator records or lists that might help, please call in. I'm waiting for your questions, opinion, or requests! But if I forget or make a mistake, I'm Sorry! (1 am trying to take good notes though.. ) 

Thank you for always. I Love You! I Love You!

Elder Hayashi

And again, the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith.

Message from MS Manager

Dear Missionaries, How are you doing? Autumn is a wonderful season. Let's work hard and keep up the good work I have a couple of Onegai`s today,

1. When you need any repair in the apartment, please call me first, I will arrange to get it fixed.
2. Please order the Books of Mormon before you are down to ten copies. I will send them as soon as possible. But recently, since we are passing out a lot of the Books of Mormon we do not have enough in stock. So please wait patiently for your new supply.
3. If you want anything else please order it as soon as possible. It takes about one month to make the name tags and meishi's.
4. If you get any bills or receipts for gas, telephone, or electricity, please send them to the Honbu as soon as possible
5. Please follow up constantly. When we try our best to follow God, He will provide us with what we need. When I think of the blessings that come with trials I feel really thankful to our Heavenly Father 

Elder Saito

Missionary Corner

August Baptisms

!!! Congratulations!!!

Missionaries Returning home Sept. 16

Missionaries Arriving Sept. 14

September Birthdays

Happy Birthday to you all!!!!!

Zone Taikai

Enjoy the Rest of Beautiful Summer Days!
Fall Days are almost here!