Quiet Rescue

Quiet Rescue                     Nov. 25, 2010        

She saved my life, not in an amazing moment of rescue, but by slow teaching and love.  I avoided a path that I believe would have resulted in death.  I met Jane when I was 16.  I couldn’t find a job so I told the women in Relief Society I would do odd jobs for them.  She heard that and hired me.  She had a house cleaning company and we went around together, just the two of us. 

She had had a pretty hard life because of the decisions she had made as a teenager.  I saw in her one of my possible future selves.  I was 16 and I just wanted to be different from my three goody-two-shoes older siblings.  I was willing to do whatever that took.  But she showed me what was down that road.  I started to see the consequences of my actions before I made decisions.  I saw that this path would end with drugs, disease and even death.  Those who try to toe the line between good and evil don’t realize that the line is moving—you just don’t notice as darkness deepens and then you are entrapped and it’s too late.  Jane told me all about it, supported me, talked me through decisions and helped me see what would make me happy, the real kind of happy.

She asked me why I wanted to serve a mission.  I said, “Because my patriarchal blessing says so.”  She said, “That’s not a reason.”  So I thought about it and realized that a mission is not about me.  It’s about God and serving others.

Jane has since then returned to some of her old problems.  I once told God that at the judgment bar I would stand between Him and her.  That she was good.  He could punish me in her stead.  I would suffer for her.  That is when I understood a small fraction of the Atonement and Jesus Christ’s love for us.  She made me who I am in many ways and it is definitely thanks to her that I am here in the Japan Nagoya Mission today.

January 2011 New Missionaries

Tonight, President and Sister Baird went and picked up 2 new elders at the aiport. Elder Tanida and Elder Gottfredson! They are both wonderful young men. We cannot wait to see the wonderful things they will be able to accomplish!

From left:  Elder Orme (AP), Elder Insch (AP), Elder Tanida, Elder Gottfredson,
President and Sister Baird,
Outside the mission home on the first morning.

From left:  Elder Gottfredson, Elder Tanida, President and Sister Baird

Elder Tanida (right) and Elder Freeman - Ise

Elder Takahiro Tanida is the only member of the Church in his family, but he loves them greatly and is very proud of them.  He is from Akashi, Hyogo, Japan, and was baptized in 2009.  After reading the Book of Mormon eagerly, it filled him with the spirit of God.  He is always willing to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

"If there would be a "face" to this mission, it would be Elder Freeman.
He is just a wonderful example of what a missionary should be like."
(Quote from a great missionary who worked with Elder Freeman.)

Elder Gottfredson(left) and Elder Palmer- Nanao

Colleyville, Texas is home to Elder Kevin Gottfredson.  Elder Gottfredson
lived in Fukuoka while his father was a mission president.  He is 
a good cook, taking simple ingredients and combining them to form a 
more complex food that is enjoyable.

Elder Palmer has been called "a wonderful musician," by another elder.  

That elder also went on to say, "Elder Palmer was one of the 

best missionaries!  He was a miracle worker."

December 2010 New Missionaries

Tonight, we welcomed in 5 new missionaries to our mission. Elder Kusume (Tokyo), Elder Duarte (Brazil), Sister Inoue (Kumamoto), Elder Soliai (Hawaii), and Elder Kishi (Kumamoto)! It was a cold night, but that did not put out the dendo fire in them! They went straight from the airport to the mission home preaching the gospel to those they met! They are a fantastic group and will accomplish many miracles!

The Elders stop to strike a pose on the first morning outside of the mission home!

Sister Inoue (right) and Sister Koyama- Fukutoku

Sister Asako Inoue is from a family of four.  Her younger sister is in the Tokyo mission at the same time as Sister Inoue is serving.  Her parents are humorous and make them laugh.  Sister Inoue is grateful she was born in this family, even though her parents are more strict than others.  She loves nail art and she always volunteers to do friends nails for their wedding. Sister Mana Koyama is from Hokkaido, Japan.  Her parents joined the church and both served missions.  She likes music and reading.  Sister Koyama enjoys quiet places, and she always keeps her promises.  She is easily moved to tears and loves the Book of Mormon.  She wants to always share her love for that book with others.

Elder Soliai (right)and Elder Hooton- Fukui

Elder Kastle Soliai hales from Wahiawa, Hawaii.  He comes from a family of 10 children.  Elder Soliai enjoys games that involve strategy and wit.  He likes to read, go to the beach and enjoy friends and family.

Billings, Montana is home to Elder Tyler Hooton.  He started
on his way to medical school by studying biology for a semester
 before his mission.  He enjoys debate, basketball, anything
to stay in shape and fixing things.

Elder Kishi (right) and Elder Ogaki- Ueda

Elder Ibuki Kishi, from Kumamoto, Japan calls his family beloved.  He loves them with all his heart, especially his sisters.  He has 11 siblings and says everyone is always cheerful and they get along great.  

Elder Shunya Ogaki is from Hyougo, Japan.  His family are all members of the Church.  His dream is to be an elementary school teacher and has already begun preparations at the university.

Elder Duarte (right) and Elder Da Silva- Fujieda

Elder Danilo Duarte says, "To be a missionary is to be happy."  From the huge city of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Elder Duarte is a happy person.  He loves to laugh out loud, make new friends, and spend time with his family of six, including his wonderful grandmother.    He says they are all hard workers, love God and people, and are Mormons. 

Elder  Julio DaSilva is very good at Judo and placed third in nationals one year.  He also 
plays soccer and volleyball, and likes to surf.  He is a reader and enjoys 
meeting new people.  College, hopefully at BYU, is in his future.  
He is a happy person who tries to see good in everything.

Elder Kusume (right) and Elder Fujishima- Meito

Tokyo, Japan is home to Elder Hiroshi Fujishima.  His older and younger brothers are the only members of the church in his family.  His older brother joined first and set the example for his two brothers.  Elder Fujishim loves sports.  When he plays, he is very happy.  He also enjoys cooking and likes to invite friends over for food. His goal is a temple marriage and a happy family.  He gets confidence by trusting in Jesus Christ and His Atonement.

Elder Yuichiro Kusume has two brothers.  He is in the middle.
Elder Kusume wants to be like his father because he is good at both
job and family.  He and his brother like to joke, but his mother is serious.
She is sweet and has a pure heart.  He loves basketball and football, 
especially watching games on TV.  World Cup gets him most excited. 

Someone Who Changed My Life

Written by Elder  Voss,   Dec. 3, 2010.

Someone Who Changed My Life—Kelly Mann

At the age of about 12, I began to get to know this man.  Our friendship started to grow as he became my Sunday School teacher, and then invited me one week on a fishing trip.  From that one experience, I began to love fishing and during the summer we would have fishing trips almost every weekend.  Throughout my high school years we became very close friends and shared a lot of great experiences. 

He had had a pretty rough life up till the point where he joined the church, and had many health problems as a result of car accidents and a stroke.  Some people might have felt broken and depressed after the kind of experiences he went through, but he was not.  His love and testimony of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and this gospel, was a light that shone through in everything that he was.  The strength and inspiration that I received from him buoyed me up through the struggle that I had, and kept me on the right track when I might otherwise have gone in other directions.

When I was 17, we went on an all night fishing trip to a favorite pond that we knew.  It was a great night.  We caught fish, and I remember us both being very happy and tired as we drove home.  

The next morning in church, I received a phone call from his wife saying that during the night he had passed away.  I struggled.  I had never experienced the death of someone who was that close to me, and at the time I literally felt like a huge piece of my life, of who I was, had been ripped away.  For a very long time, I felt utterly lost whenever I allowed myself to think about all the experiences we had together and the friendship we had built.  

Over time I began praying to Heavenly Father, asking to understand the reason or purpose behind him being taken back.  From those continued prayers, my study of the plan of salvation, and a series of experiences in the temple, I received a very strong impression that he had fulfilled the purpose that Heavenly Father had assigned him here and that he had another mission on the other side to fulfill.  

From these experiences the great thing that I have carried is gratitude.  Gratitude for the incredible example and influence that he was in my life, and for the sure knowledge of the plan of salvation and Heavenly Father’s love and purpose for us, that I was able to gain from him.

The gospel is true!

My Miracle Was Me

Written by Sister Eve Hart 

Would it be egotistical to say my miracle was me?  It was.  My miracles are as numerous and as beautiful as the petals of a blooming sakura tree.  They included me, the way the Lord worked through me, and the people who have changed because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I was anti-social and had low self-esteem when I came to Japan.  I awoke from American dreams to the cement suburbs of Japan.  It was a depressing feeling.  I hoped in my heart that something would take me away from a land of no family, an unknown tongue, and a job that stretched me beyond my social limits.

Over time, I learned from my encounters with hardship and disappointment.  I read the scriptures and studied the language.  I wasn’t willing at first, but I was obedient to the sense of duty I felt to God.  I wanted to become better and be like those I saw around me.  I grasped for the love others had for their investigators.  It was through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that I found the desire to change and enough love for myself and others.

I learned to love, to work, to speak Japanese, to believe in myself and others, to trust in the Lord.

A land I first resented I feel anguished leaving behind.  The gospel of Jesus Christ and the people that have been refined by it have become the most important things in my life.

And I can even be social, on occasion.

Four Companions, One Experience of a Lifetime

Written by Elder Benjamin Stachowski

On March 31^st, 2010, I began my service in Japan, starting in a small branch just south of the mission office known as Nonami.  The area was being reopened after several months of no missionaries.  It was there that this story takes place. 

My first Saturday in the mission field was an interesting one.  Still not having my feet under me, my trainer took me to Eikaiwa, which for the day was a trip to the neighboring area of Toyota, because their class was holding a BBQ.  Our class was made of an active member, Brother John, a Filipino, two non-members who only had interest in English, and finally Morimoto Kyodai.  Morimoto Kyodai had been baptized about a year or so before through the English class, but his testimony wasn’t particularly strong and he had gone less active.  However, he loved and respected the missionaries.

Back then my Japanese was about as good as every other bean choro, mainly due to a lack of self confidence and being worried about making mistakes.  Morimoto Kyodai took me and my companion out to dinner several times, and I basically just sat and listened.  This continued through my next two transfers as my second companion was Japanese, and the two of them would talk a lot.  However, slowly but surely we were building a good relationship with him.

He continued to come to Eikaiwa every week without fail, but we couldn’t get him to come to church more than once a month.

Then the unexpected happened. I was called to become senior and trainer.  Despite being a great challenge, this opportunity was a marvelous blessing.  Without a senior companion to rely on, my language skills vastly improved, and I was able to better understand what members, investigators and Morimoto Kyodai were talking about.  We began visiting Morimoto Kyodai once every one to two weeks, helping him with English and sharing gospel messages.  He didn’t realize it, but slowly his faith was building again.  He started coming to church more frequently, attending Sunday School and learning more of the teachings of Jesus Christ.

My third companion transferred away and I began training a new missionary.  We started to meet with Morimoto Kyodai once a week, often with the Elder’s Quorum President.  As we met, he continued to open up, letting us know the things which concerned him, and through the Spirit we resolved these together.  By this point Morimoto Kyodai was coming to church each week again.

As the New Year approached we began teaching about the Melchizedek Priesthood and the responsibilities and blessing that are with it and teaching “the oath and covenant of the Priesthood.”  Japanese was particularly fun.

I spent almost 10 months working in Nonami.  Four companions, one amazing experience of a lifetime.  We finished helping Morimoto Kyodai prepare for the Melchizedek Priesthood, and a few weeks after I transferred to other fields of labor, he received the Melchizedek Priesthood.  And he is still active today.  The Gospel is true.

More Missionaries, A through I

There are several of our very wonderful missionaries who were here in the mission when we arrived, but who for one reason or another, didn't get their photos into our blog before they left.  We want everyone to know a little about each one of these great missionaries.  So, alphabetically, here they are:

Elder Shingo Adachi

Elder Nelson and Elder Adachi

Missionaries who knew Elder Adachi said he loves people and enjoys talking to them.  He always has a loving feel about him and is easy to love.  He had the privilege of serving in the mission at the same time as  his sister for a while.  We have had a chance to see Elder Adachi since he returned home.  He is now teaching seminary! Elder Miguel Beal Front, from left: Elder Katanuma, Elder Beal, Elder Eyring Elder McKenzie, Elder Hanson Wilsonville, Oregon is home to Elder Miguel Beal.  His father served a mission in Portugal, where he met Luis, who would later become his wife.  Elder Beal grew up speaking both English and Portuguese.  Elder Beal likes listening to music, archery, eating ice cream, and other things common to someone his age.  He would like to become an aeronautical engineer or graphic artist.  He says he is quite outgoing and is quick to adapt to change.  He hopes to become more independent while on his mission. Elder Johnny Biesinger Elder Jonny Biesinger has two sisters, both married, and he is from Sandy, Utah.  His mother is from Japan and served a mission in Osaka.  His family has hosted many Japanese students in their home over the years.  Elder Biesinger loves music and plays piano, drums, guitar, tuba and other instruments.  He also enjoys the good workout of sports.  He says he is loud, which can be good and bad.  He is very outgoing and is excited to serve in Japan with people he already loves. Elder Zachary Brown Elder Zachary Brown hales from Gilbert, Arizona.  Prior to his mission, he loved computers, anime and gaming.  He is savvy with technology and types fast.   He believes that wherever he ends up is where he is supposed to be,  but he would like to be a standup comic.  He says he talks a lot, is a comedian,  and learns quickly but masters a little more slowly. Elder Kylan Brox Elder Santin on the left and Elder Brox is on the right. From Las Vegas, Nevada, Elder Kylan Brox comes from a family of 9.  He loves swimming, piano, drawing, traveling, leadership and learning.  He loves making others happy, being creative, growing and improving.  He wants to go to Oxford University to study biology, medicine, sociology and business.  He likes to make others feel good about themselves and be a role model, and he keeps himself in shape.  He has always looked forward to serving a mission. Elder Fernando daSilva Elder Fernando Filho daSilva is from Manaus, Brazil.  He has 7 people in his family, and he and his brother are the only church members.  He likes to play soccer and volleyball.  He wants to learn to speak English and Japanese fluently and go to college.  He would like to own a computer company.  He is patient, enjoys talking to people, and always seeks to have the Spirit. Elder Heito deSouza Elder Heitor de Souza is from Sao Paulo, Brazil, and comes from a family who is strong and active in the Church.  He enjoys soccer for fun, and also participates in rugby,  karate, and basketball.  He relaxes by drawing and loves studying the scriptures.   His biggest dream is to study at BYU.  After graduating, he wants to go back to Brazil and help his country.  He would even like to be president of Brazil.  He says he is somewhat shy, and doesn't get mad easily.  He has had some wonderful experiences  with prayer and wants to be more humble to listen to the answers.  He has always wanted to serve a mission. Elder John Eitel Missionaries standing are Elder Eitel, left, and Elder Hansen Elder John Eitel is from El Dorado Hills, California.  He is very likable and has  a fun sense of humor.  Surfing is one of his favorite pursuits.  He was thankful  to learn and grow in Nagoya. Elder Henry Eyring Elder Eyring is third from left. Elder Walters is on left.  Sorry, we weren't able  to identify the other two elders. Henry Eyring is from Rexburg, Idaho.  He has a delightful sense of humor.  And yes, most of you may know his grandfather.  Elder Eyring talked to absolutely everyone he came in contact with. He was the perfect example of opening your mouth.  He said all of his expectations were met on his mission, especially the promise of more happiness than ever before.   Elder Yuta Fujiwara Elder Fujiwara is on the right.  He and Elder de Souza are teaching Buzz how to be a missionary. Kyoto, Japan is home for Elder Yuta Fujiwara.  His family is six members strong and he has a sister and a brother who are older than him, and a younger sister.  His mother is good at making the family laugh.  Elder Fujiwara is a good skate boarder.  He also likes to draw pictures on the computer.  He would like to design things in the future and have a happy family, treasuring the time with them.  He wants to also be a good example.  He has a good ability to focus, can feel love for everyone and makes friends easily. Elder Ross Hansen Elder Eyring and Elder Hanson, on right Elder Onda and Elder Katanuma on left. Gleneden Beach, Oregon is home to Elder Ross Hansen.  His father owns a small company that does a lot of business in Japan.  Elder Hansen enjoys computers, technology, and sports, with interest also in math, science, politics and economics.  He will continue pursuing a degree in electrical engineering and economics when he gets home, with a long-term dream of working for NASA or national defense.  He says he is reserved and can be a perfectionist, but he strives to be be tolerant and accepting of different opinions.  He is especially grateful for the scriptures and prayer. Sister Eve Hart From Puyallup, Washington, Sister Eve Hart comes from a family of six children.  Music has been an integral part of her family, school and church life.  She plays piano, sings, writes poetry and creative fiction, and journals.  She hopes to become an editor and would eventually like to publish a book (or several).  She says she is spontaneous, self-motivated, and something of a perfectionist.   Elder Scott Heaton Elder Eyring, left and Elder Heaton Elder Scott Heaton comes from Provo, Utah.  Elder Heaton is a very capable young man, a natural leader and has a wonderful testimony.  He developed a deep love for the people in Japan, which is good, because his father and all of his older brothers served in Japan as well.  He called his mission "greater joy than he had ever experienced." Elder Craig Howells Elder Howells is seated in white shirt. On his right is Elder  and on his left is Elder daSilva Standing from left, Elder Beal,  Elder Warner and Elder Onda, From Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Elder Craig Howells has six siblings.  He loves his family, and has an exceptionally close relationship with his grandfather.  He loves all sports, and has a natural gift with soccer.  He also plays basketball, and does jumps on a bike.  He likes to read, especially biographies, histories, or philosophy.  And he loves the scriptures.  He studied Portuguese for three years in college.  He really enjoys school a lot, and may major in zoology, and get a masters or PhD.  He says he never shows anger physically, is comfortable speaking with strangers, and likes to help others who have problems. Sister Deina Ige Seated:  Sister Ige,  Sister Wright, and Sister Koyama Standing:  Sister and President Baird, Elder Eyring, Elder Beisinger, Elder Heaton, Elder Wright and Elder Stevens Sister Deina Ige hails from Provo, Utah.  Her father is Japanese, but has never lived there and doesn't speak the language.  She has two older sisters and a younger brother and she loves her family.  She enjoys karaoke, piano, running, basketball, baking, outdoors, medical stuff (She is studying nursing.), and reading.  Sister Ige calls herself easy going and carefree.  She is easy to get along with.  She likes to make sure everyone is included and feels welcome.  She has always known the Gospel is true. Elder Daiki Ishijima Elder Daiki Ishijima comes from Matsudo, Chiba, Japan.  His parents have both served missions, and all four children in the family plan to do the same.  Elder Ishijima is first to do so.  He loves piano and trombone, and also enjoys children, including handicapped children.  Naturally, he plans to become an elementary school teacher.   He has often worked with the missionaries and it has strengthened his tesimony.