MIYAKO VISIT WITH ELDER YAMISHITA

Elder Yamishita has tried to visit all the small branches that were most effected by the March 11 disaster.  Miyako was particularly devistated. Two of these members in the picture are in temporary housing because they lost their homes.   It is interesting that the church was not damaged at all by the tsunami.  The water seemed to go around it and not through it.  Truely a tender mercy!! 

 Sister Fatama loves to have her picture taken.

She was baptized this past year and is a friend to the missionaries.

The Branch President's daughter.  She is a doll.

6 GO HOME IN JUNE

When the missionaries come into the Honbu on Thursday afternoon, they are busy taking care of necessary things before they leave the mission.  They must have a final interview with President Rasmussen, which is about 2 hours long each.  They must also see Elder Thomas to take care of any final financial obligations and receive their passports.  I ask them each to write a final testimony for my book that I keep on every missionary.  We also have a Testimony meeting together.  After all of that is complete, we can sit down for a fun Sukiyaki Dinner.

 Our group picture.

Front: Elder Dowdy (AP), Pres & Sis Ras, Sister Tanaka, Elder Ikeda (AP)

Back: Elders Watanabe, Dick, Lay, Kurita & Shaw

 Sister Tanaka

Elder Kurita

 Elder Watanabe

 Elder Dick

 Elder Lay

 Elder Shaw

 Elder Shaw received the Alma O Taylor award.  The reward is for reading the entire Book of Mormon in the foreign language (Japanese for Elder Shaw)  A pin for the lapel is given.

 Congratulations Elder Shaw.

Friday morning at the airport before Elder Shaw and Elder Dick fly home. 

Two great missionaries.

Elder Lay and Elder Kurita.

Elder Kurita and Sister Tanaka at the airport.  We put them on a train to the Sendai Eki (train station) where they will take the Shinkonsen home. The Assistants went with them.  Gary and I took Elders Lay and Watanabe back to the Honbu where their parents were waiting to pick them up.

The Watanabe family.  President Watanabe is a Stake President. 

We really enjoyed meeting the family.
 

The Lay family from Ogden, Utah.  Sister Lay is from southern Japan.  They were going to do some traveling around the mission and then go visit Grandparents in Southern Japan before returning home.  A very nice family indeed.

We rushed back to the Eki to say goodby to

Elder Kurita and Sister Tanaka before they left.  Whew!!

DISTRICT LEADER TRAINING REUNION

After the new District Leader Training was over, this mini-reunion happened outside as missionaries who were going home arrived at the Honbu and other transfers were happening today.  It is always fun to see the joy on their faces as they see each other.  Also some tears as good-bys were said.

This picture includes DL and companions,

some missionaries going home, and APs.

Elder Everett, Yoneda and Ikeda

Elder Preston and Everett (Doki)

 Elders Fukuta, Takei, Dick and Preston

Elder Carter

Elder Merkley and Ikeda

Elder Miyaki was sobbing to have to say

goodby to his trainer/friend Elder Dick.

Elder Dick also trained Elder Christensen. 

They pioneered Yokote together.

Now Elder Christensen is training Elder Hirao. 

 (A proud father, son and grandson~as they say in the mission)

Elder Preston, Everett and Kurita.

Elder Mizuochi and Ishida

Silly faces.  Elders Kurita, Ikeda and Takai

Saying goodby to a companinon.  Elder Yoneda and Preston.

Our happy Elder Takai.

Another goodby as a companionship, Elders Dowdy and Fukuta. 

Elder Dowdy is now an AP.

6 ARRIVING MISSIONARIES IN JUNE

 We welcomed 5 Japanese and 1 American Missionary in June. 

They were an extra impressive group.

 Standing together in the airport with the Assistants and the new missionaries.

 Later that evening, we enjoyed some soup and bread with them.  Afterwards, we twisted Elder Dowdy's (our new AP) arm to entertain us with his magic show.  It is the funniest presentation I have ever seen.  We all laughed and enjoyed our time together. 

 Elder Dowdy is so obedient, he would do anything his President asked of him--with a smile!!

 He lifted his jacket over his head and when he lowered the jacket

his head was "magically" turned to the side.

 ......and then to the other side~all while we were clapping to a beat.

 Then he made one leg disappear..

 Sister Yoshikawa from Osaka, Japan.

 She will serve with Sister Furukawa in Tagajo.

 Sister Takatsuka from Kanagawa, Japan

She will serve with Sister Bohnet in Tagajo

Sister Shuto from Yokohama, Japan.

She will serve with Sister Mukaitani in Niigata.

 (They were friends before the mission and attended Institute together.  We did not know that when they were made companions.)

Elder Yamamoto from Tokushima, Japan.

He dropped out of school in High School to go to work to support his family after his Father died.  He also can do full body push-ups using two fingers and he holds the record for the greatest number of push-ups done at the MTC.  

 His trainer is Elder Juchau and they are in Hochinohe.

Elder Haltli from Eden, Utah.

 His trainer is Elder Mizoguchi and they are in Ichinoseki.

Elder Hirao from Osaka, Japan.

His trainer is Elder Christensen in Kamisugi.

One last picture with our Assistants to the President before Elder Juchau leaves the Honbu and returns to the field as a Trainer.  Thanks, Elder Juchau!!

Group picture with the new missionaries and their trainers before leaving for their new areas.  We are thrilled to have them in the mission.