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

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

Mission President's Message - November 1999

What a wonderful time to be missionaries and what a wonderful place to be, in the Japan Kobe Mission. Once again you have demonstrated your faith in bringing nineteen wonderful people to the waters of baptism during the: month of October. We rejoice with you and with them in contemplating the great opportunities that now await them.

As a mission we are learning to believe in Christ, nothing doubting, and to ask the Father in the name of Christ for those things that will help us bring more souls to Him. As companionships you have talked with the Lord about your area and what you can accomplish, with His help, between now and the end of the year. The goals you have set with the Lord are truly inspiring. I know that He will bless you as you discuss these goals with Him daily. I promise you that as you ask for specific guidance each day, listening for impressions, then discussing and acting on them, you will feel the presence of the Spirit in your daily missionary work as never before.

These things are helping our faith to increase. Now we need to increase our actions to keep up with our growing faith. James taught his brethren of the House of Israel that faith alone is not enough. He reminds us that if someone has need of food or clothing and we simply say to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," but give nothing to them, it is of no help. (James 2:14-26) We demonstrate our belief, our faith when we go and do something to help. In our Zion mission, we focus on finding, teaching, baptizing and strengthening. These are the works that demonstrate our faith and that will result in our areas receiving the blessings we have each felt impressed to make as goals for the remainder of the year.

As a mission we are working at over 60 hours per week. This is wonderful. We don't need to work more hours. We do, however, need to focus these hours on only those activities that will help us meet the goals we have set with the Lord. This is a true principle and brings great blessings as we understand it and live it. The Spirit will lift us beyond our best to the Lord's best. I testify that this is true.

I love you all. Let's work hard and stay focused.

Sincerely,
President Robertson

Dear Wonderful Missionaries,

Isn't the fall weather great? Hope you were able to take in some undokai. Of course the Athenians must have their day, as well as the Spartans. (Isn't this ancient Greece?) So, on November 3rd (Japan's 10th official holiday of the year) Bunka-no-Hi is observed--celebrating Japan's culture. Many festivals are held to recognize art, sculpture, drama, movies, music, flower arranging, etc.. Government awards are given to those who have made significant contributions to Japan's culture. You might ask your members and investigators about local exhibitions or programs.

In October, the Shingu Elders "scooped" this holiday by offering to their community a wonderful piano concert featuring our Elder Jones and Elder Laverty at the keyboard. 112 people (mostly non-members) attended this event that not only celebrated musical talent and skill but also introduced many to the gospel, which of course is why it was planned. If any of you have a concert planned as a finding/fellowshipping tool, let us know! We love Japanese bunka (could you tell?) as well as effective finding tools like concerts.

It's not a holiday, but an annual event occurs on November 15th. Shichi-go-san is a delightful opportunity to take pictures of Japan's best natural resource, it's beautiful children. (See the Japan Times article below describing this event.): It's a potentially good finding method as well.

Americans celebrate Thanksgiving in November by having a very big feast with family and/or friends and by focusing on their many blessings of the year. Sister Carmichael, et al., what holidays do Australians have in November? And how about New Zealand, Mongolia and Brazil? Missionaries from these countries, let me know what happens in your country and I'll share this info in future "Lights". (Part of being of one heart and one mind, deshoo?)

The 11th official Japanese Holiday is called "Labor Thanksgiving Day" and is on November 23rd. (See the Japan Times article below.) It basically honors workers like America's September Labor Day does.

Now, for Eikaiwa Ideas in November:

• How about having your class bring in photos of themselves or their children at a shichi-go-san celebration. They could describe the photos to the class. This could be an activity following a lesson on words of description.
• You could key off of American Thanksgiving and have your class list things for which they are thankful. Then, depending on skill level, have them take an item from that list and build a sentence or paragraph about it to share with the class. For lower level classes, you could give them a sentence pattern to use like: I am thankful for _________ because __________. More advanced students could do a freestyle paragraph, and then talk about what it would be like to be without those blessings.
• The word, "Thanksgiving" itself can spark a lesson on compound words or serve as a model for practicing the difficult "th" pronunciations. Ask your class to help you make a list of "th" words. Then drill them on how to "stick their tongues out" when they say words with "th" in them. Bring a mirror and have them practice in a way they can see their tongues.
• A service project to aid a local charity might be a fun activity.
• You could also use a hymn of gratitude (even from the children's songbook) and have the class translate a verse from Japanese into English.
• A fun activity is "I Am Going on a Trip". Everyone sits in a circle and the teacher/leader begins by saying, "I am going on a trip and I will take a __________. The next person repeats the first statement and then adds an object of their own choosing. That continues around the circle. The English is learned by repetition. You can coach those who have difficulty remembering what everyone chose to take. It's a little easier if you do it by picking items that start with A, then B, and so forth through the alphabet.
• I think I will teach my class the song, "Autumn Leaves" (if whoever borrowed my tape returns it-little hint).
• There is a standardized Eikaiwa Curriculum that the Osaka Stake uses that was developed by talented Irie Kyodai. If you want copies of that, let us know. - Also, some have asked me for the Lesson Plan I use. Here it is:

  7:00-7:10

  All classes meet together in the chapel for welcome, introduction of new members, song (in Japanese), prayer, and announcements.

  7:10-7:30

  Move to individual classes, welcome and I have each student answer the question: "How was your week?" Other students may ask the presenting student a question if they like.

  7:30-7:40

  Hatsuon practice. I especially drill difficult things like "th", "l and r", "s" at the end of plurals, etc.. If you want copies of my drill sheets, let me know.

  7:40-8:05

  Lesson and drill. (For example, recently we taught and then practiced how to give gaijins directions using a very simple map.)

  8:05-8:15

  Class activity, song, game, special student presentation, guest, etc..
  

  8:15-8:30

  All classes reconvene to sing the same song as the opening but this time in English, to pray, and to have a five minute gospel lesson (usually in Japanese).
  

I have taught English to Japanese children and adults in two different schools and privately. I think they really appreciate advanced preparation and making it fun as well. The Frys teach the advanced class in Kobe and have lots of good ideas for students who speak fairly fluently. Hope all this helps!

Now, don't forget to air those futons, stay warm, use space heaters carefully, keep drinking water, be careful on your bikes, and know we love your!!!

Don't doubt the Lord! He will help you do his work!

Lots of love,

Sister Robertson

P.S. See the following recipe for easy and economical "fall" food.

Miso Soup

Things you will need:
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon fish broth seasoning
2-3 tablespoons miso paste
1/2 block tofu
1-2 chopped green onions

1. Bring water to boil. Add fish broth seasoning. Cut tofu into small cubes
2. Dip about 1/2 cup of the boiling broth a small bowl. Add the miso paste and stir until miso is dissolved.
3. Add the dissolved miso paste to the broth. Add the tofu cubes. When the mixture boils again, turn off heat.
4. Pour the soup into small bowls and add the chopped onions on top.

Shichi-go-san

1. Shichi-go-san literally means seven, five and three.
2. This celebration is held on November 15th.
3. This ritual is held as a celebration for children who have reached the ages of seven. five and three years. 
4. Family members hold this celebration by dressing their 7, 5 and 3-yeay-old children in their best clothes.
5. On this day, parents and children together go to shrines and visit relatives.
6. Memorial pictures are taken of the children in their best clothes.
7. A type of candy called chitose-ame is sold on this occasion.
8. Sweet candies used to be considered a substitute for the mothers' milk.
9. For three-year-old girls, the day is also celebrated as the day they wear kimonos with sashes for the first time.
10. For five-year-old boys, it is the day when they can wear hakama, a kind of divided skirt.
11. For seven-year-old boys and girls, it is considered the last important event of their childhood.

Labor Thanksgiving Day

1. November 23rd is Labor Thanksgiving Day.
2. This day was established in 1948.
3. It is a day set aside to recognize the importance of labor.
4. This is the day when gratitude is expressed to the working people.
5. Farmers celebrate the rice harvest.
6. City-dwellers have no particular celebration; most of them spend the day resting.
7. Formerly, the day was called niiname-sai, the Harvest Festival, held in the Imperial Household.
8. The Harvest Festival was a rite in which the Emperor dedicated the new rice of the year to the gods.
9. The significance of thanksgiving days in America and Japan is different.
10. We are told that turkeys and pies are served at dinner in the States.
11. The Japanese don't have such a custom on this holiday.

Message from AP

Hai Hai Doumo Doumo Doumo,

Elder Masters......

Yes Yes Thanks Thanks Thanks,

Elder Amakasu...,

Hello everyone, how's it going? We're doing really good! This past month we went on splits with your Zone Leaders, and we had some amazing experiences! Our Zone Leaders, Elder Coder, Fisher, Keyes, Mustard and Wunder are truly called of God. Each Zone Leader attested that they have the best District Leaders and that they are truly thankful for their leadership and support. They also talked about each companionship and how hard you have been working. There have been a lot of miracles and success stories. We feel that it would be a great opportunity for the mission to begin hearing and sharing their successful methods of missionary work to the rest of the mission.

This year, since the Zion Taikai, we have concentrated on becoming a Zion Mission. Uniting (Mosiah 18:21) together. Now we're on higher grounds than we ever were, and let's continue to pull each other up! This month we want to share with you what is called, "The First Steps."

We have talked about Impressions and following them the past months. Heavenly Father has given us impressions for a couple of reasons. One is to show us the way to those who He has prepared. Another is to see if He can trust us with His chosen ones. Joseph Smith, (Elder Richard G. Scott reemphasizing his ideas) said to write your impressions down and follow them, that you may know for yourself the difference between what is the Spirit and what is you. President Robertson repeated this message again last month at Zone Taikai.

Having felt really good about the message, and now that we know how and what we need to accomplish, we are really excited to do this. Then as companions we thought, "We have a Vision. We have the plans. We have the resources. Now TODAY or actually RIGHT NOW what do we need to be doing to accomplish this?" After asking each other the same questions, we made specific plans on what to do for that day. And we plan for the next day the night before. You're Q's are the same way. Bring the Spirit to them and help them feel the Spirit. Then challenge them with something that is specific enough that they may know what they should do.

We Love you and pray for your Yotei's every night. We pray for the mission. We know we are moving this great mother ship to Zion. Let's do it His way, then we'll have His power.

Elder Masters and Amakasu

Favorite Scripture

3 Nephi 19:25-28

25. And it came to pass that Jesus blessed them as they did pray unto him; and his countenance did smile upon them, and the light of his countenance did shine upon them, and behold they were as white as the countenance and also the garments of Jesus; and behold the whiteness thereof did exceed all the whiteness, yea, even there could be nothing upon earth so white as the whiteness thereof.
26. And Jesus said unto them: pray on; nevertheless they did not cease to pray.
27. And he turned from them again, and went a little way off and bowed himself to the earth; and he prayed again unto the Father, saying: 
28. Father, I thank thee that thou has purified those whom I have chosen, because of their faith, and I pray for them, and also for them who shall believe on their words, that they may be purified in me through faith on their words, even as they are purified in me.

Message from Financial Secretary 

Elder Fry 

Baggage Shipment

Many of you are paying too much for shipment of your baggage and bike, by using the more expensive Takkyubin service. When you transfer, make sure that the missionary who will be handling your shipment knows how to obtain the lower cost Yamatobin service using the instructions in Section 10 of the Robe Binder. Incidentally, with Yamatobin you also can ship your bike on the same receipt as the suitcases for one low cost. When you submit a combined receipt for reimbursement, deduct one-third of the total cost for the bike. Using Yamatobin enables both you and the mission to save money.

Emergency Reimbursements

It is necessary to redefine the conditions under which Emergency Reimbursements will be paid. The Sanwa Bank recently has imposed a commission fee for transferring cash into a missionary account, whereas there is no charge for transfer with the automatic payment on the 1st and 15th. Therefore, to save money it is important that we try to make all the reimbursements by the automatic payment method. In order to meet these payment dates, it is necessary to receive your reimbursement form in the office by the 7th and 21st of each month. Any forms received after these dates will have to wait until the next payment date. Those of you in outlying high travel cost areas where you spend up to 10,000 yen in a two week period should get into the habit of mailing forms every two weeks by the 5th and the 19th to meet the deadlines. Forgetting to mail in your form on time, even though the total exceeds 10,000 yen, does not justify an emergency reimbursement, and you will have to wait until the next payment date, UNLESS you phone Elder Fry and plead poverty.

Apartment Maintenance

With the approaching winter season, now is the time to check your kerosene space heaters to be sure they are working properly, and that you have a supply of kerosene. Remember that purchase of up to 2000 yen of kerosene per month is reimbursable with receipt. Missionaries in those apartments with air conditioning units should be sure to remove, wash and replace the air filters which are located inside the cover of the unit. Also, if your kitchen vent has a filter, it is time to replace or wash the filter.

Message from the Secretary

Dear Missionaries:

A thought for this month. " Let us follow the Lord's advice and example instead of becoming a judge. Let us try to live a life of love, trust and forgiveness. We need to forgive each other. First of all, believe in yourself, trust your companion, your family, the members and your leaders, Give all to the Lord."

November is a special holiday for the Americans, it is Thanksgiving on November 25. We should give thanks for our heritage, let us give thanks this year for being in Japan Kobe serving the Lord. Being thankful for the Lord blessing us with good health, the ability to get out each day and share the gospel with someone in need of the Lord's blessings. Thanks for your hard work.

Love ya, Sister Fry

Year 2000 Preparation

The Missionary Department is taking seriously the potential for some problems during the first week or so of the new year. While everyone is working diligently to assure that computers can process the new dates correctly, there seems to be a high probability of confusion and turmoil during these few days. As a mission, we are responding to this by requesting that each companionship begin NOW to acquire a little food, water and other needed personal items each week until year-end.

Some have been concerned that if they transferred they would find no food in the apartment to which they transfer. As a Zion Mission, we need to all do our individual part and trust that every other missionary will do the same. Purchase rice, spaghetti, canned goods, flour, sugar, cereal and other items commonly used. Include some extra soap, toilet paper and cleaning supplies as needed to cover 10 days. Water can be stored in plastic soda bottles, as they are emptied. Further, make sure that you have a l0-day supply of personal prescriptions. If you have these sent from home, an early request would be advised.

If each companionship buys one or two extra day's food and supplies each week, by year-end there will be enough in each apartment to handle any problems. "...If you are prepared, ye shall not fear...." (D&C 38:30)

Year 2000 will bring us many great opportunities and blessings as we further grow the Church in the Kansai area. Let's do this little bit of preparation now so we can focus on those opportunities from the very first day of the year.

President and Sister Robertson

Missionary Corner

October Baptisms

!!! Congratulations!!!

Message from the Recorder

Hello! This is the season when it's good to feel the sun on our faces. It is the best season for eating. Is everyone growing his/her dendo-baby as well? Let's eat well and work well! In the mission office, we have the opportunity to receive many phone calls from church members as well as nonmembers. About half the phone calls are from missionaries. There are a few things that I have noticed from receiving these calls. For example, let's say that I received a phone call from Missionary
A.

Hayashi Choro: "Moshi moshi. Konnichiwa, Robe Dendo Honbu Desu."

Missionary A: "Dendo Bucho wa imasuka?"

I have a question to those of you who talk on the phone like this. Do you talk like this on the phone to your members and investigators?

If so, it's a big problem because this approach may be considered rude or ill-mannered. The investigators or their families may be annoyed or angered. Japan is a strict country regarding good manners. We can BRT or DRT (destroy Relationships of Trust) by the way we talk on the phone. I would like to suggest ways to be considered well-mannered in Japan. 

1. Greetings

Starting with "Moshi moshi, konnichiwa (konbanwa/ohayogozaimasu)" is considered good manners. However, please add these sentences:

• "Yabun osoku ni shitsureishimasu" if it's 9 p.m. or even 8 p.m. in the countryside.
• "Asa no oisogashii jikan ni shitsureishimasu" if it is early in the morning.

Those receiving these kinds of calls will be surprised how well mannered you are if you use these Japanese sentences, and you will surely be respected by them--especially gaijins.

2. Say your name

Before you get down to business, make sure you tell your name. When you call to someone's house, "Watashiwa senkyooshi no __________ choro/shimai to moshimasu ga, __________ san was irrashaimasuka?" Even when you call a portable phone, make sure you are talking to the right person. For example, "Watashi wa senkyoushino __________ to moshimasusga, ________ san de irrashaimasuka?" Please speak slowly and say your name. If you pronounce your name like it would be written in Katakana, Japanese people will be able to understand more easily. Moreover, "Irasshaimasuka" is better than "Imasuka?" because it is the polite form so please try to use it.

Unfortunately in the MTC, there doesn't seem to be sufficient training on how to make phone calls. However, we have many times to call someone when we are on a mission. Learning this we can see that it is a great opportunity to build trust if we keep well-mannered. It may seem difficult, but please practice these Japanese phrases over and over until they come automatically as a good habit.

When we do this and serve others, we forget our pride and we become like Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Let's share the light to the world! Love you!

Hayashi Choro

Missionaries Returning home November 11 

Missionaries Arriving November 9

Missionaries Arriving: November 18

Yuki Taoka     Chiba-ken

November Birthdays

Happy Birthday to you all!!!!!

Message from MSM

Dear Missionaries,

How are you doing? It is almost winter season. Let's work together. I would like to say that I am very thankful for all of you who have been very patient with me. I got a transfer to the field. Well, I would like to give a turn to Kirigaya Choro.

"Hey, Kirigaya Choro!" Hello, I am Kirigaya Choro. I haven't gotten used to work in the Honbu yet, but for my beloved missionaries, I will work like a slave. Please be friendly with me. I have some Onegai's today

1. When you need any repairs in the apartment (for example bathroom and toilet), please call me first.
2. Please order Books of Mormon earlier. 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.
3. If you get any bills or receipts for gas, telephone, or electricity, please send them to the Honbu as soon as possible.
4. It will take over one month to order meishi or name tags.
5. Please follow up constantly.
6. Please love me as well.
7. By the way, please love me!!!

It will be very cold weather. I appreciate all of your hard work. When we work and keep in touch with our Heavenly Father's work, He will give us help as we need it. When we think "trials" as a "blessing", we truly feel a lot of blessings.

Saito Choro and Kirigaya Choro

HAPPY THANKSGIVING
TO EACH OF YOU