Sendai Japan Mission 2011-2014: November Arrivals and Departures

Elder Norawong arrived alone this month from the MTC. He had quite an experience traveling alone from Provo and having to manuver his way through customs, etc. at the huge airport in Tokyo (He is an English speaking Elder from Washington State). We were proud of him but he was glad to be with fellow missionaries when he arrived in Sendai.

After a morning of training him, he found out he will be serving in Hachinohe.

(Do you love the new map I had made of our mission?)

Elder Norawong's new trainer is Elder Kano.

One last picture with the 3 Assistants and us.

Elder & Sister Tsuchida Finish Their Mission

The Tsuchida couple are amazing. They have been Mission President & wife in Sapporo, he was the Temple President in Fukuoka Temple and at age 78 (I think) they wanted to serve one more mission and came to Sendai. They served in Morioka the whole year and made a great difference in the Branch by loving the people and teaching them to love each other. We took the Tsuchidas to dinner the night before they left.

Elder and Sister Oyama Arrive in the Mission

The Jahanas went to dinner with us to greet the Oyamas to the mission from Kagawa, Japan.

They stayed the night at the Mission Home with us and I prepared them a real Japanese breakfast the next morning of miso soup, rice, cooked vegetables, scrambled eggs, fruit and juice. They will be a great addition to the mission and will replace the Tsuchidas in Morioka Branch.

Elder Dowdy and Bigger Go Home

Enjoying the sukiyaki dinner.

Gary loves to listen to the chatter of the nervous missionaries the night before they return home.

This Ice Cream & Chocolate cake in a glass dessert was spectacular.

I think Elder Dowdy ate two of them.

Elder Bigger

We had lots of experiences with Elder Dowdy and really love him like a son. His mother died in February which gave us lots of chances to be extra close to him and he was a wonderful Assistant to Pres. Rasmussen and a great, obedient missionary!