The Light
Japan Kobe Mission: September 2000
"Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the son of God. I am the Life and the Light of the world." --D&C 11:28
President's Message
On the last Sunday of August, five wonderful people were baptized. What is so exciting is that several of them had problems right up to the last minute. However, with perseverance and the guidance of the Spirit, the missionaries involved prayed and worked tirelessly to help these fine brothers and sisters find the path that allowed them to resolve their concerns and be baptized. President Hinckley has said that we should never give up working with someone who is sincerely preparing for baptism. During August we saw many missionaries exercising faith and courage in continuing to assist and support a yoteisha who was struggling. I express my gratitude to all for I know how hard you are working. And a special thanks to those who stuck with a struggling yoteisha, brought the Spirit into their lives; and helped them begin on the journey to eternal life. Truly ". : . how great shall be your joy with (them) in the kingdom of my father! " D&C 18: 15
During August we saw 11 missionaries successfully guide a person to baptism for the first time as a senior companion. I was particularly happy about this because our training during August was focused on conversion, specifically how to "mamoru" our wonderful investigators through the conversion process and thereby experience the joy of their baptism with them. Seeing these skills successfully put to use so quickly tells me that we as a mission really want to learn and to grow. We are a young mission at the moment. But we have enthusiasm and energy and desire. And the experience of August tells me that we are rapidly increasing in our Skills.
I feel more like a Zion Mission all the time. Your personal conversion is helping us become of one heart, focused on Jesus Christ. I have appreciated many of you sharing with me personal spiritual experiences you have had that are foundations for your testimony, Hearing these experiences has brought great joy to me as your mission president. During September we will focus on individual preparation. This will reinforce the new skills we are learning and spread the opportunity of guiding people to baptism to ever more missionaries. We want there to be "no poor" among us, just as in the City of Enoch. Hymn #219 draws on the words of Alma in Mosiah 18:27-29 and reminds us:
Because I have been given much,
I too must give;
Because of thy great bounty,
Lord, each day I live
I shall divide my gifts from thee
With every brother that I see
Who has the need of help from me
We have been given many gifts from the Lord. This month I'd like us to focus on two, the opportunity we have to learn, and the opportunity we have to share what we learn. Our individual preparation will make us more effective in guiding people to baptism. It will make us better at touching hearts and sparking interest in contacts, right in the first few sentences we say to them. It will make us better speakers of the Japanese language, enabling us to teach more clearly and powerfully. It will assure that we know well the scriptures we teach. It will provide us with an ever growing understanding of the doctrine of the gospel, the priesthood, church organization, temple blessings and eternal life.
Let's rejoice in the blessings the Lord has given us. Let's use every minute of our morning schedule to enhance our knowledge and skills. Let's take every opportunity to share this knowledge and these skills "with every brother that I see", Elders, Sisters, contacts, investigators, yoteishas, and members.
I express my love to you and testify that we are engaged in a sublime and eternal work, even the salvation of Heavenly Father's children. In the name of his holy Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
President Robertson
Dear Wonderful Missionaries,
We recently received a letter from a missionary outside of our mission. He asked our assistance in knowing how to deal with missionaries who don't take the white handbook guidelines seriously, who think people will join the church more readily if you just have fun with them and "skip all the religious stuff", and so forth. Alter reading this and trying to send our best advice, I got on my knees and thanked Heavenly Father for sending all of you to us. We are so grateful that we have a mission full of mature-thinking, hard-working. Savior-loving, dedicated, obedient missionaries. We feel it an honor to work with you. We continue to get positive comments about you from many of the members. We should make a "Light" column full of the great things they often tell us about you. Thank you for seeing the better path and taking it. We are so blessed.
September 15th in Japan is an "Isseki nichoo" holidav. (Do you know that Japanese proverb? It's similar to the English saying, "killing two birds with one stone".) The official holiday that is celebrated on a national scale is "Keiro-no-hi" (Senior Citizens' Day). This may be a great time to do something for the elderly in your wards and branches and maybe pick up some referrals at the same time. Maybe give a paper flower to all the elderly you encounter that day, or some such. Maybe you could extend an invitation to team about how their families can be together forever, a keen interest for those in the twilight years
The other part of the mid-September holiday is Otsuki-mi or moon-viewing. There is a wonderful song known by every person in Japan that starts "Usagi, usagi". It's about the rabbit you can see in the full moon. Ask any person anywhere: to reach you the rest of the song and they gladly will. It's a very easy jingle and maybe a good opportunity to get acquainted and do some quick BRT.
For Eikaiwa classes, you can talk about what your students did during the obon holidays. You can once more talk about ancestors and our common reverence for them. You can have them desribe a favorite relative or ancestor. You can look forward to the fall and discuss the change of seasons (good for lower level classes). You can talk about the upcoming Olympics in Australia (and emphasize how important to keep healthy bodies--Word of Wisdom opportunity). Ask them what their favorite sport is: participating sport and observing sport. You could talk about the sun and the moon and the stars in connection with Otsuki-mi (3 degrees of glory opportunity). You could sing "When You Wish Open a Star" and ask them to tell what they would wish. You could ask them to answer "If I could live on the moon, I would ....." There are endless possibilities. Elder Luck has the Honbu Eikaiwa learning simple songs (one each week) at the beginning of the evening (Row Your Boat and Twinkle Little Star and so forth). That can he a lot of fun.
Hope you are enjoying your Eikaiwa and Dendo opportunities. Many of the Japanese people have a delightful sense of humor. Don't miss getting acquainted with it. Of course, teach the gospel but do enjoy the basic goodness of the people in this country. Also, don't forget to keep drinking a lot of water, and keep eating balanced and nutritious meals. Keep those apartments clean (you'll be happier if you do)! Air the futons. Wash your bed linens once or twice a week when it's hot and don't forget two other things:
Gambatte you wonderful missionaries.
Love, Sister Robertson
2 small cans mandarin oranges
1 large can pineapple chunks
2 cups miniature marshmellows
3/4 cup coconut
1 pint sour cream
Drain the fruit well. Mix all ingredients and refrigerate overnight. Serve
1 cup pineapple chunks
1 cup mandarin oranges
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup fruit cocktail
1 cup sour cream
Drain fruit well. Then add sour cream and coconut. Let stand about 24 hours. Serve.
(You can use evaporated milk with a spoon or two of lemon juice as a sub for sour cream.)
Things you will need:
1 small package powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon butter or margarine
few drops of milk
few drops of vanilla
Things you will need:
1 small package powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 1/2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa
few drops of vanilla
If you have chocolate on your hands, you're eating it too slowly.
Diet tip: Eat a chocolate bar before every meal. It will take the edge off your appetite and you won't eat as much.
Chocolate covered raisins, cherries, orange slices and strawberries all count as fruit, so eat as many as you want.
The problem: How to get two pounds of chocolate home from the store in a hot car. Solution: Eat it in the parking lot.
A nice box of chocolates can provide your total daily intake of calories in one place. Isn't that handy?
If you can't eat all your chocolate, it will keep in the freezer.
But if you can't eat all your chocolate, what's wrong with you?
If calories are an issue, store your chocolate on top the refrigerator. Calories are afraid of heights and they will jump out of the chocolate to preserve themselves.
If you eat equal amount of dark chocolate and white chocolate, isn't that a balanced diet? Don't they counteract each other?
Put 'eat chocolate' at the top of your things to do today. That way you will get one thing done.
Now behold, this marvelous missionary work is coming forth as a bud here in the Kobe Mission This is because everybody is working with all their might, sowing seeds and working to nourish them. Therefore, I expect that each and every missionary working to serve God is receiving bounteous blessings from Him. Everybody's working with all their might in the hot weather and I know that the day will come when the Kobe Mission will open like a beautiful flower. Right now, these buds are coming out from one seed. No matter what we do, we can't make this bud grow by ourselves. We need to rely on the Lord and nourish them. Our "flower" will open only when we rely on the Lord. Even when a seed :is planted in the field, if the Farmer isn't there to nourish it, it won't grow and will eventually die. We are the Farmers. We need to find these seeds, nourish then, and help them grow. If there is anything that you need to help grow these seeds, I want to help in any way that I can. But, if that's something that you want for yourself it is not the will of the Lord. Just like everybody else, I am human and I make mistakes so please forgive me. If I make a mistake, please let me know. I'll be here supporting everyone so that we can continue to work hard. I love each and every one of you! GANBARIMASHO! From, Elder Aoyama
Many of the good people of the world pray. But the trouble with many of our prayers is that we give them as if we were picking up the telephone and ordering groceries--we place our order and hang up. We need to meditate, contemplate, think of what we are praying about and for, and then speak to the Lord as one person speaks to another. "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord" (Isaiah 1:18). That is the invitation. Believe in the power of prayer. It is real, it is wonderful, it is tremendous.
I was in Europe a number of years ago at a time when tanks were rolling down the streets of a great city, end students were being slaughtered with machine-gun fire. I stood that December day in the railroad station in Berne, Switzerland. At eleven o'clock in the morning, every church bell in Switzerland began to ring, and at the conclusion of that ringing, every vehicle stopped--every car on a highway, every bus, every railroad train. The greet, cavernous railway station became deathly still. I looked out the front door across the plaza. Men working on the hotel opposite stood on the scaffolding with bared heads. Every bicycle stopped. Men, women, and children dismounted and stood with bared, bowed heads. Then after three minutes of prayerful silence, great convoys of trucks laden with supplies of food, clothing, and medicine began to roll from Geneva and Berne and Basel and Zurich toward the suffering nation to the east. The gates of Switzerland were thrown open to refugees.
As I stood there that chilly winter morning, I felt the warmth and the tremendous sense of security of a nation appealing together to God. I marveled at the miraculous contrast of the oppressive power mowing down students in one nation, and the spirit of a Christian people in another who bowed their heads in prayer and reverence--and then rolled up their sleeves to provide succor and salvation.
The marvelous thing about prayer is that it is personal, it is individual, it is the most intimate communication between us and our Heavenly Father. We should not hesitate to ask Him to bless us, to help us realize our righteous ambitions. We can ask Him for the important things that mean so much to us in life. He stands ready to help, strengthen, and comfort.
Recently, we've heard from many of our excellent missionaries who have taken the "big transfer" (home) and are doing very well.
Giles Shimai has spent the summer in New Jersey with her family. She sends her love, recommends the returning missionaries check out the Harry Potter books, and comments: "The road is rocky, steep, and looks impossible at times; but I know we are loved and will not be left stranded."
Semmler Choro continues to get up early and was called to be the secretary of the Elders' Quorum his first Sunday back. He too sends love to all.
Kayberry Choro is fully involved in his University studies. He is also serving in the YM's presidency. He is enrolled in two institute classes and loves learning more about the gospel, not to mention supervising the Deacons.
Patterson Shimai writes that she has not only healed (at last) from her bike accident injury, but she has been able to help her sister who is still serving as a full-time missionary in Japan. Sister Patterson met a girl, Yuki, from Japan and did a successful invite to hear the gospel. When the girl returned home, it just "happened" to be to the very area where Patterson Shimai's sister was laboring. A referral from around the world. Love those miracles.
Brickey Choro continued his missionary work by being a tour guide for Japanese tourists in Las Vegas. He never worked on Sunday and made certain that every one he led knew he'd been a missionary in Japan and also, that he did not gamble. Planting those seeds! He has since moved to Salt Lake City and joined the happily married ranks.
Enoue Shimai (now Matsushita Shimai) and her husband are pillars (our observation) in the Tanabe Branch and continue their missionary efforts. They will even be adding their own little potential member sometime next year.
Edwards Choro is taking institute classes, is a ward missionary, and as the son of the Primary President, often teaches Primary. (He bribes the children to sit reverently through the lesson by promising to teach them some Japanese if they do--it works!)
Ozasa Shimai (and others) are doing well in the new Fukuoka Temple area. Enjoying being able to attend the temple more often.
Wynder Choro is attending the University of Colorado at Denver. He writes: "...the missionary work is continuing. I have had the opportunity to speak at some baptisms, teach new member discussions and it looks like my neighbor will go to church with me on Sunday. I have also gone on lots of splits and have been called as a Ward Missionary. It has been a good experience to see how things are from the other side of the fence. And, even though I am on the other side of the fence, the work is just as exciting."
Yoshida Choro has served this past year, almost since he arrived home, as the Branch President in the Miyako Branch. Even though he traveled a great distance to fulfill this calling, he was faithful and has just recently been released. He says he is still using things he learned on his mission.
Elders Shawn Jones and Nate Tanner recently paid us a visit. They followed the directions and traveled together "for safety". They were here on business but took every opportunity to support the missionary work here as well. Great to see them.
A common thread among almost all the letters from RM's is how much they miss the mission, how fast the time really went, how they long to be full-time missionaries again, and how they want to tell the current missionaries to not waste their time. Every precious moment counts. And, they all continue to pray for our success. THANKS! So, that's this month's "Voices from the Dust". Love to hear from you when you return. Send us any advice you may have!
It seems that is all I do is to pay bills. Rent. MSF. Medical. Phone. Denki. Denwa. Suido. All sorts of bills. Most of them are bills that are very legitimate. BUT! There are many bills that are way too high. I know that if you were home and had phone, gas and electric bills like the ones that I pay here, your parents would have a tizzy. We have many, many phone bills that exceed $100 per month (10,000 yen). Be aware that the phone company bills per-call here, local or long distance. Thy do not simply have a flat rate like we have in other countries. I'm sure that you can cut down on the phone calls to those that are truly necessary. Before you call someone, make certain that it is a thought-out legitimate call. Get your business done and hang up. Don't simply chit-chat for the fun of it. These bills are paid with the Lord's funds - not yours!
There is nothing closer to godliness lest it be cleanliness, but some of the water bills are horrendously high. They fluctuate all of the way from 3,000 yen every two months to 18,500 every month. Why? Be careful how much water you use. Just don't stand under the shower in the morning simply to wake up. Be very careful how you use the Lord's funds. Live as though you had to pay all of the bills that you accrue in your apartment. Learn early because that is the way you will have to do once you start your own household. Let me know if there is anything that I can do to help you in any instance. Thanks.
Elder Pyper
One lady wrote:
During my second month of nursing school, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"
Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank.
Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. "Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet: many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello' ".
I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.
Dear Fellow Servants of God:
This is the Kobe Mission, the place you talked about with God in the pre-existence. You both were excited. You both knew it would be an amazing experience. Our Father told you that only you could do what he wanted done in that area. You promised him that you would find the people he wanted you to find and you couldn't wait to do it. Then you came to the place you talked with God about. See, God knew that you would forget, so he told one of his friends, President Robertson, to help us. God knows where the people waiting for us are and He knows how we can help them. God has provided a way that we, as missionaries, can effectively teach these people and mamoru them to baptism and on to the temple. President Robertson receives the necessary revelation and teaches it to us so we can find our eternal friends. It's so great! God provides a way for us to do everything. We just need to do what he tells us. It never ends. Remember who you are and how many prayers are offered that are searching for the truth.
WE LOVE YOU!!
Wunder Choro and Thompson Choro
Hey Missionaries,
Since last transfers, I have taken Elder Blatchford's place as recorder here in the mission office. It is great to be in a place where I can view the progress of the mission. I can see that you are all doing great things here in the Japan Kobe Mission. Thanks for working so hard! Things are still very new to me and I'm just starting to figure out all of my responsibilities. I have just a couple of requests that would help me out a lot here at the mission office.
Since we have bean working with a new stats program here at the mission office, the month's stats are programed to show the month's progress to the very last day. So, it is very important that the DL's turn in the stats for the last week of the month as quickly as possible so that the month's stats can be ready for Zone Conference at the first of the next month. Also if the DL's could get regular weekly stats to me as soon as possible, that would be very helpful too.
Also, as recorder, I take care of baptism records. It is very important that I receive all baptism and confirmation records (together) as soon as possible, especially at the end of the month. First, after you have received both baptism and confirmation report, fax them to me (together), and then mail the originals to me as soon as possible. This will help me a lot for making weekly and monthly reports.
Well, that's about all out of me. Thank you for all you do. Keep up the good work. Give 'em Heaven.
Love,
Elder Heywood
| Twamura Sanae | 8/6 |
| Fujisawa Kyoko | 8/6 |
| Han Li Yan | 8/13 |
| Tmal Mikuki | 8/13 |
| Marcello | 8/13 |
| Kishii Mihuki | 8/20 |
| Enoki Mihiko | 8/20 |
| Watanabe | 8/20 |
| San | 8/20 |
| Kono Midori | 8/26 |
| Kono Mika | 8/27 |
| Sakubata | 8/27 |
| Maeda Hiroko | 8/27 |
| Morita | 8/27 |
| 9/7 | Nishi at Kobe | 10 AM |
| 9/8 | Higashi at Toyonaka | 1 PM |
| 9/11 | Kita/Kyoto at Shimogamo | 10 AM |
| 9/14 | Sakai/Minami at Wakayama | 10 AM |
| 9/15 | Chuo at Abeno | 10 AM |
| 9/6 | Higashi at Toyonaka Kawanishi, Ibaraki, Hitakata |
9:30 AM |
| 9/22 | Nishi at Kobe Kobe, Kitarokko |
10:00 AM |
| 9/25 | Nishi at Akashi Himeji, Miki |
12:00 PM |
| 9/27 | Kita at Sasayama Kita at Fukuchiyama Maizuru |
9:30 AM 12:00 PM |
| 9/29 | Kyoto at Fushimi Joyo, Otsu |
10:00 AM |
Dear Special Missionaries
Elder Pyper and I have been in Kobe and at the Honbu for five months. I have had the opportunity to learn all of your names and have met many of you personally or talked to you on the phone. What a pleasure it has been!
We had the opportunity in August to attend the Taikai in Wakayama with the Sakai and Minami Missionaries. We enjoyed it very much and we were doubly impressed with the great members that those Zones have. We were able to see more of our beautiful mission area and the Japanese countryside. What a great place to be doing the Lord's work. Hopefully we will be able to get to all of the Zones in the ensuing months.
If there is anything that I might do to make your missionary work more fruitful, please call on me for help. I love you and pray for your success each day.
Love, Sister Pyper
| Taoka, Yuki | 09/06 |
| Hunt, Kendell | 09/10 |
| Fisher, Jake | 09/10 |
| Endo, Reiko | 09/13 |
| Gledhill, André | 09/13 |
| Bird, Learon | 09/14 |
| Cochran, Paul | 09/15 |
| Kamisaki, Armando | 09/17 |
| Shinnae, Satoko | 09/22 |
| Bateman, Brandon | 09/24 |
| Beagley, Kyle | 09/25 |
| Anderson, Nathan | 09/28 |
| Figuerres, Kevin | 09/29 |
| Yergensen, Drew | 09/30 |
Leauanne, Mika
Wunder, Kelii
Laverty, Dane
Salt, Caleb
Hayashi, Izumi
Yamanaka, Kazusa
Enloe, Parker
Harmsen, Samuel
Danley, David
Dahl, Heide Lynn
Campbell, Tyrel
Olsen, Stephen
Young, Kathryn
Gledhill, Brian
Holt, Joshua
Banks, Trevor
Wilks, Jeoffrey
May there always be work for your hands to do;
may your purse always hold a coin or two;
may the sun always shine on your windowpane;
may a rainbow be certain to follow each rain;
may the hand of a friend always be near you;
may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.