Tsunami of 2011--Follow-up

The following letter is from Bro.Nozomi Watanabe, from the Tokyo Japan Mission Accounting Department.  He freely gave permission for us to share it on the blog, explaining that he wants the word to get out that there is still a great deal of help needed to recover from the Tsunami of 2011.

I finally went back to office today! I had been to Ishinomaki –city from last Wednesday to last Friday.

I would like to share the picture I took last week. It already passed more than a year from great disaster at Tohoku area.

Through looked around Tohoku area last week, I felt they still need a lot of help!

お疲れ様です。

先週参加したボランティアツアーの写真をシェアいたします。

今回は雨天のため牡蠣の種つけはキャンセルになり、急きょ石巻市にある相川小学校の瓦礫の仕分作業をしました。

First day was raining and we could not go to fishing port to help Oyster things, but we went to Aikawa Elementary school and helped to separate countless trash.

屋上まで津波で覆われたそうです。多くの生徒は先生の指示のもと裏山に避難し難を逃れたそうですが、

この日学校を案内してくれた地元のおじいさんのお孫さんをはじめ、多くの方が亡くなられたそうです。

Whole school was covered by Tsunami. Most of the students were guided to escaped to the mountain behind this school by their teacher.

However, still many citizen were dead on 3/11 at here, including a grandson of a man who guided this school to us this day.

全ての天井が抜け落ちてました。

Whole ceiling of this building were fallen down.

ところどころに相川小在学生が残していったと思われるメッセージが書かれていました。

Aikawa school students left many message on the blackboard and walls.

On the above picture`s message says “Remember 3/11”.

学校の隣にある体育館です。ひどい有様でした。

This is a gym next to school. It easy to tell that 3/11 was a great disaster.

午後にはテレビでおなじみのさんさん商店街にいきました。

牡蠣やホタテの食べ歩きができたり、地元の様々な特産品を購入することができます。

私は初めてマンボウの刺身を試食しました。意外とおいしかったです。

This shopping street is build by a citizen who lose their business and shop by Tsunami.

We ate many tasty Oysters, Scallops, fresh Seafood, and many other local food at here. I ate a Mola fish for the first time in my life at here! It was good than I expected!

かまぼこコロッケです。とてもおいしかったです。今度自分でも作ってみたいと思います。

This is fish cake fry. It was so good, and I would like to cook it by myself next time!

石巻産の生わかめが入ったロールケーキです。甘さ控えめの生クリームの味の後からほんのり磯の香りを含んだワカメの味がします。なかなかの美味でした。

Those white and green spots are not blue cheese, but fresh seaweed! It was tasty!

2日目のホテルでの夕食です。右上の赤身はクジラの刺身です。初めてクジラの刺身を食べましたが、癖もなくとてもおいしかったです。

写真には写ってませんが他にホタテの蒸し焼きがありました。次の日の朝食も大変美味でした（＾＾）。

This is what we ate at the hotel for dinner. Red meat on the right side of this picture is a whale`s raw meat. It was my first time to eat a whale`s raw meat. I love whale and hesitated to eat them, but It was so good! I wish I could eat more!

まだまだ多くの瓦礫がそこらじゅうの放置されている状態でした。

Many trash were still left all around.

よく見るとこの建物は津波によって真横に倒れています。

The building on the picture was came down right behind the ground by Tsunami.

何もない平地に見えますが、津波前は多くの家々が立ち並んでいた場所です。

今は悲しいほどに何もない平地になっています。

Looks like this picture shows any particular building but just a flat field. Sadly, many building and house were here at this place before Tsunami.

3日目に参加した布草履を制作している「うみねこハウス」です。

This is “Umineko House” where we donated our T-shirt and made “Nuno Zori”

今回は帯の部分のみの作成でした。まずはたくさんあるTシャツの中から本体にあった色の帯を作るためのTシャツを選びます。

完成姿を想像しながらTシャツを選ぶのはとても楽しかったです。選んだTシャツを細く3つに切り三編みにして帯を作成します。

このあと編んだ三編みを本体にくくりつける作業が大変な力仕事でして一日に一足作るのが限界というのもうなずけました。

教えてくれた地元のおばあさんたちはとても元気で、冗談もたくさん飛び交って作業中ずっと笑顔と笑い声が絶えませんでした。

This is what I made this day with “Senssei”. It was fun to chose T-shirt to use. To making a Nuno Zori was hard works than I expected. Even skilful person would take a day to make only one zori. People in Umineko House were filled with power. They smile always, share some jokes, and the house were filled with laugh all day. We had a great time at here.

(Yes, this is me! You finally see who you talk with on the phone!)

Facebookで「ママサポーターズ」と検索するとうみねこハウスの詳しい活動内容がみれます。

If you search by “ママサポーターズ” at Facebook, you can learn about their activity more.

お昼は近くの漁港の市場で海鮮丼をいただきました。大もりで1300円と安くておいしかったです。

We ate a lot of fresh local seafood at Ishinomaki for launch. It was so good!

帰りの佐野パーキングエリアにて。

栃木レモン１０％使用と上には書かれていますが、下のほうには無果汁と表記されています（笑）。

This is what I found at Sano Parking Area on the way back to Tokyo. On above, it says this ice contains 10% local lemon, but when I saw below, it says contains 0% fruit. Which description is right?

Inochi no Michi, June 2012

President Baird’s Message

The Book of Mormon is truly Another Testament of Jesus Christ. In my own experience of reading and marking references to Jesus Christ, I wrote the number of references at the bottom of the page. I was astonished how high it was.

It is interesting to see that many are discovering for themselves that the Book of Mormon really is Another Testament of Jesus Christ. A recent article in the Deseret News, a daily newspaper from Salt Lake City, referred to an article by Stephen H. Webb who is a professor of religion and philosophy at Wabash College. There has been a great debate in the U. S. press about whether Mormons are Christians. Mr. Webb’s conclusions are quite interesting. He writes:

                “Mormons are more Christian than many mainstream Christians who do not take seriously the astounding claim that Jesus is the Son of God.”

                “Mormonism is obsessed with Christ.”

                Webb says he reached his conclusions as a result of reading the Book of Mormon.

                “Everything that it teaches is meant to awaken, encourage and expand faith in him.”

For me, the crowning event in the Book of Mormon occurs in 3 Nephi. In 3 Nephi Christ appears personally to the Americas. After several chapters (3Nephi 11-18) of wonderful instruction the people disperse for the night with the expectation of being taught again the following day. In 3 Nephi chapter 19 verse 1 the Savior’s departure is noted. We are then treated to an amazing lesson of faith—the members don’t simply return home, they ACT! Look at verses, 2, 3 and 5.

2.            “And it was noised abroad among the people immediately, before it was yet dark, that the multitude had seen Jesus, and that he had ministered unto them and that he would also show himself on the morrow unto the multitude.

3.            “Yea, and even all the night it was noised abroad concerning Jesus and insomuch did they send forth unto the people that there were many, yea, an exceedingly great number, did labor exceedingly all that night, that they might be on the morrow in the place where Jesus should show himself unto the multitude.”

5.            “And behold the multitude was so great that they did cause that they should be separated into twelve bodies.”

That is the power of members in the work. Member influence is expansive. Member excitement is contagious in exactly the way Preach My Gospel tells us on page 160. “Association with members is important because it softens people’s hearts and often leads them to investigate the restored gospel.” When those who heard the wonderful teachings of Jesus Christ, “noised abroad” their experience, “an exceedingly great number” responded to the invitation and came to receive the word.

Not only do we see the power of member influence in the experience of Christ’s visit to America, we also learn the power of deadlines in creating urgency and persistence. The members reached out “immediately” and “before it was yet dark” and then they continued to deliver the message “all the night” long. These members were hungry to share what they had learned with all they knew. They worked quickly and persistently to invite others.

Preach My Gospel recommends a way for members to be anxiously engaged in “noising abroad” the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. On page 172 missionaries are encouraged to help members make a list of names. That is the purpose of the Fulfillment and Follow-up activity that we use so skillfully now in the Japan Nagoya Mission. The instructions on page 172 continue with the recommendation that members prayerfully select someone they would like to prepare to hear the gospel. When we conclude the first fulfillment and follow-up meeting it is essential to ask the member to pray for the people they have listed. Such an invitation to pray should be accompanied with a promise that the member will be guided by the spirit. The names came by revelation—ideas about these names will come by revelation.

The second time we meet in fulfillment and follow-up is for the follow-up meeting. During this interaction we help members to solidify plans to help prepare people on their list to receive the gospel. As a mission we still have room for improvement on this part. We can be guided by the instruction on page 220 of Preach My Gospel that suggests individuals and families would be well served by having a mission plan including goals, initiatives and activities for specific people. Goals could include a personal baptism goal.

Like all other goals, goals associated with ward, family or individual mission plans should be time bound. Again we receive wise guidance on page 172 of Preach My Gospel. As part of the follow-up meeting missionaries are encouraged to help members set a day by which they act. Action could include monthly visits with a spiritual message or it might be an invitation to participate in an activity—like Family Home Evening. Preach My Gospel reminds us, “setting a date give members a goal and helps them exercise faith.”

The activity suggested on page 172 of Preach My Gospel along with guidance to help wards, families, and individuals to have a mission plan is the essence of the Lord’s way by which we can help accomplish the prophecies made about the growth of the church in Japan. The example of the saints at the time of the Savior’s visit to America demonstrates the power. The Book of Mormon really is the key stone of our religion and gives us guidance in all things. I am grateful for this simple example of the power of members reaching out to others—immediately and persistently. May we go and do likewise is my prayer. In the name of Jesus Christ whose church we represent. Amen.

The Effects of a Baptism

What happens when one person gets baptized?  Here is a perfect description of how lives are changed.  Thank you, Sister Ana-Lisa Clark, author of this post.  

Sister Clark, left, and Sister Nishimuro

This story begins in September when my companion Sister Nishimuro and I were trying to chase down 10-year-old girl who was scheduled to be baptized a week later.  We had to finish preparing her for her interview the following morning and were a little stressed out when she didn’t answer the phone and couldn't be found at home.  Her mom told us she had gone to play at a friend's house. Sigh! Fortunately, it was only next door so we decided to go and see if we could meet her.

We knocked and to our surprise, a kind-looking , beautiful brunette woman opened the door.  “Is Yara here?” we asked apprehensively.  “Oh yeah, she’s in here playing with my son.  Come on in,” she said warmly as she let us inside.  We talked to Yara and invited her to come with us so we could prepare for the interview.  As she was getting ready to go, we started talking with the pretty brunette mother, and found out she was Brazilian and spoke good Japanese.  She had been in Japan several years and was both working and studying at a  university.

We started telling her about being missionaries and found out that she had grown up Catholic.  We explained our purpose and started talking to her about prophets.  I asked her, “What would you think if there were a real prophet on the earth today?”  She paused…”I don’t know.  There are fake prophets, too…”  She then described a man she had seen on TV--a man in Brazil who claimed he was Jesus Christ.

We gave her a restoration pamphlet, exchanged names and numbers and promised to come back.

Over the next couple of months we weren’t really able to stay in touch.  We talked on the phone a couple of times, but whenever we came to her home she was gone.  We kept checking and didn’t forget her.  

Left to right: Sisters Clark, Takatsu, and Goodale
(We haven't yet baptized the "sister" in back.)

A couple of months later we came back—this time I had two new companions, Sister Goodale and Sister Takatsu.  We were able to meet her and teach her more about the Restoration. When we asked if she wanted to know if Joseph Smith was a prophet, she answered, "Yes."  Yay!

We started bringing Brazilian members to help us teach, and that was how the miracles really started.  We first brought a 22-year-old girl (Midhore) who could translate from Portuguese to Japanese.  As we finished the lesson Mayumi suddenly asked the girl, “What’s your last name?”  “Aratake.”

“No way!  I work with your mom!  And two years ago my husband worked at the same place as your dad!”

Wow!  What a connection!  Not a coincidence.


 The next week we brought Midhore and her father, Brother Aratake with us.  He brought such a great priesthood presence.  Despite his slight build and soft voice, he invited Mayumi and her husband into the lesson and set the stage with gentle but great authority.  When he taught, he taught with power, emphasizing and expounding on our simple statements as a second witness.  We sat in awe...and then as we invited Mayumi and Andre to be baptized, he took the next step, telling us to take out our planners and invited them to commit to a date.  That night he was our hero!

Mayumi continued to progress, waking up early in the morning to read the Book of Mormon.  She even brought it to work.  We heard reports from Sister Aratake that she was talking about the church at work, and refusing to hear bad talk about it from others.  Sister Aratake was impressed.  She told us Mayumi was seeming brighter and happier.

With Aratake’s help, Mayumi attended church for the first time and found she knew other members there from past jobs.  Though it had been several years in some cases, they remembered each other and welcomed her warmly into the Brazilian members' circle.  We couldn’t believe our luck.

We continued meeting with her.  We started bringing either Brother or Sister Ashikawa, English-speaking Brazilian members who lived near Mayumi and Andre, actually in the next building over.  Mayumi read almost everything we asked her and warmly welcomed our daily calls/texts.

One Sunday, however, when we were expecting her to come to church, she didn’t show up.  After our meetings when I called her to see what happened, she said, “This morning I got up and ready to go to church on my own.  But when Jean (her 7-year-old son) saw that I was leaving he cried and said, ‘Don’t go!  You’re always leaving!’”

When I heard her say those words my heart was pricked—how could we encourage her to do something that would hurt her family?  Her precious son?

We testified the Lord wanted her and her family to come to church together—and asked if her son (and husband) could come.  She said, “Jean said, ‘I don’t want to go.’”


Sigh.  We just continued teaching and praying for her--praying for a way for her son and husband's hearts to be softened so they would go to church together.

The next Sunday, Christmas Day, she came!  Apparently my face really lit up when I saw her because she laughed and said she wanted to take a picture (of my face).

We knew it must have been a sacrifice to come on Christmas, away from family, etc., but the challenge wasn’t over.  We knew we had to figure out a way to win over her son so he would come to church with her, but we felt powerless to do so.  Before he had always seemed to like us, but for a while he hadn't been responding to us.  Perhaps he felt we were taking his mother away from him.

One evening, on our way to a lesson with Mayumi, we stopped by the Ashikarwa family as we often did—and to our surprise found that Jean was there playing with the Ashikawa children.  Sister Ashikawa explained, “Mayumi called this morning and asked if he could come here because her and her husband have to work.”

We were excited.  Mayumi and Andre trusting members like that was a really good sign. They were becoming friends.  Later at Mayumi’s house, we asked Jean, “Will you come to church with us?  Rebekah and Helaman will be there."  He looked up with big eyes and said, “I’ll go.”

Since then he accompanied his mother and the Ashikawa family to both church and our Saturday children’s Eikaiwa class. The Ashikawa family thrived as they helped Mayumi and Jean.  They started making it to church in time for sacrament meeting--quite a fete with three young children!  The Ashakawa family children were especially happy.  They love church and they were excited to have a new friend to play with there.  The Primary teachers were thrilled, too.  “Jean is such a good boy.”

Mayumi was happy when she attended Sunday School and Relief Society combined with Priesthood for Brazilians.  She was always absorbed with what was discussed and really had good comments of her own.  For example, to the question "How can we work to decrease the power of evil in the world?" she answered, "We can share the Gospel."  Wow!


A few weeks later when she was getting closer to baptism, she shared a dream she had had, with the Portuguese Sunday School Class.  (They were discussing Lehi's Dream.)  She dreamed she had been standing near the dirty river that runs by her home in Brazil.  But when she looked up at it, she realized it was clean.  Then she saw me and Sister Hunt beckoning to her, inviting her to come into the water.


The whole Ashikawa family participated in the baptismal service for Mayumi.  Sister Ashikawa prayed.  She always gave beautiful and heartfelt prayers. Rebekah and Helaman sang “I Am A Child of God” in Portuguese for the musical number.  Afterwards the Primary president came to me and said, “I have never heard Helaman sing—that was amazing!  Thank you!”

Best of all, Brother Ashikawa was able to perform the baptism.  Both he and his wife, but he especially had been strengthened as we used them to help us teach Mayumi.

Though it was no doubt challenging with three young children at home, they gave up time in the evenings to come teach with us.  And because of it, they found a new friend and renewed motivation.

The morning of the baptism was beautiful.  Sister Hunt and I were riding our bikes on our way to church when we heard a familiar sing-song voice cut through the frosty air. “Hey girls!”  It was Sister Ashikawa.  The whole family, all loaded in their van pulled up next to us.  “Today is a good day,” she said.  “It’s a wonderful day!” I answered back.  We arrived at the church together and began to prepare.  I was so impressed-- with three young children they made it to church so early.

Left to right: Mayumi, Andre, Sisters Clark and Hunt
Front: Helaman, Andre (son of Mayumi and Andre) and Rebekah

After Sister Ashikawa watched her husband baptize her new friend she came to me amidst a crowd of people, hugged me and with tear-filled eyes said, “Thank you for everything you have done for us.  I am so happy!”

Mayumi and Andre

One of the best moments ever!  Not only was one daughter of God baptized.  Two families were brought together and brought to church.  We couldn’t have helped either family without the other, and we had tried.  But God knew the way to bring them to Him, through each other.  I’m so grateful we got to be a part of this beginning of an eternal journey and friendship.

Brother and Sister Ashikawa, Mayumi and Andre, Sister Aratake

Hooray! Four Great New Missionaries, June 2012

The only thing better than getting new missionaries is watching them baptize.  We got four wonderful new missionaries this time.  Please meet:

Elder Ludlow, Elder Romero, (President and Sister Baird),
Sister Rogers and Sister Ishihara

 In case you can't read kanji, the sign at the right says this group of missionaries are all fabulous.  (Just kidding--about the sign, not the missionaries.)

Do think there are any butterflies in stomachs right now?

How can two sister missionaries who have traveled all day
 look so beautiful?

Dinner for four tired missionaries and off to bed.
Elders Kervinen and Ellsworth, AP's on left.

Next morning, they are all rested and ready to start training, but not before we get to be treated to a violin/cello rendition of "If You Could Hie to Colob."   

It was truly subarashii.

Sister Rogers and Elder Ellsworth, one of our AP's.

Sister Ishihara, left, with her new trainer, Sister Shimoji.
Notice the tissue (and if you have good eyes, you'll see a few tears
in Sister Ishihara's eyes.)
First, the spirit told President Baird to make these two companions.
Second, these two told President Baird that they were good friends.

Sister Inori Ishihara's parents and oldest brother all served missions.   She is from Okinawa, Japan and plays the French horn and flute.   She likes touching people's hearts by being bright, friendly, and optimistic.   She has received many blessings from prayer.

Sister Shimoji is a very happy, cheerful person.  Sister Shimoji listened to 
General Conference and as they talked about serving a mission, 
she felt inspired to go.  Even though she got a good job, 
she quit it to serve a mission.

Sister Inori Ishihara's parents and oldest brother all served missions.  

She is from Okinawa, Japan and plays the French horn and flute.  

She likes touching people's hearts by being bright, friendly, and optimistic.  

She has received many blessings from prayer.

Sister Rogers, left, and Sister Hunt

Sister Rogers comes to us from Brisbane, Australia and has two sisters  and six brothers.  She loves musical instruments and plays piano, violin,  guitar and sax.  She also plays basketball, soccer, and has a black belt  in Taikwando.  She will audition at the Queensland Conservatorium of  Music after her mission.

Sister Hunt loves to work. She also finds that music energizes
 her mind and spirit. And she enjoys a sincere conversation.
 While she loves to read, she finds that reading the scriptures
consistently is simply a feeling that can't be replicated
 with other literature or philosophy.

Sister Rogers comes to us from Brisbane, Australia and has two sisters

 and six brothers.  She loves musical instruments and plays piano, violin, 

guitar and sax.  She also plays basketball, soccer, and has a black belt 

in Taikwando.  She will audition at the Queensland Conservatorium of 

Music after her mission.  

Elder Ludlow, left, with Elder Schade

Thousand Oaks, California is where Elder Matthew Ludlow  calls home.  He enjoys basketball and football and loves competition.  He hopes to eventually become a chiropractor.

Notice Elder Schade's huge smile.  It makes a lot of people happy.
He loves being out of doors and also plays the piano.
He knows from experience that prayer is a powerful tool.

Thousand Oaks, California is where Elder Matthew Ludlow 

calls home.  He enjoys basketball and football and loves competition. 

He hopes to eventually become a chiropractor.  

Elder Romero, center, with his trainer Elder Dinkel on left,
and Elder Gates on right (a threesome!)

From the great city of Provo, Utah, we get to have Elder Jose Romero.
  He is the youngest of 7 children and says his mother is an
incredible woman.  Elder Romero loves to rock climb, hike, bike,
 canoe and swim.  He loves a physical challenge, but he especially
 loves getting to know people better when he spends time with
 them outdoors.  He has had many wonderful spiritual experiences
 and is grateful for leaders who have taught him great things.

Elder Dinkel has a great smile that shows his enthusiasm for 
the work.   He knows lots of words and loves to use the big ones.  
Not everyone gets to train two people at once.

At the time of this blog post, Elder Gates has only been 
in the mission for  three months.  His trainer, Elder Dinkel 
says he's already very good with his kanji, takes part 
in lessons effectively, and is willing to share his great 
musical talent.  But the best thing is he is perfectly obedient. 

Sad and Happy at the Same Time is Possible, June 2012

Another transfer week has occurred.  We were so sad to see seven great missionaries bid us goodbye, but happy at the same time.  They were superb missionaries.  They will go forward in their lives in great ways.  We send them our love and confidence in their goodness.

Of course, we can't send them away empty.  They are smiling,
but they are thinking, "Wow!  I'm going to miss Sister Baird's
cooking."

Standing, L to R: Sister Goodale, Sister Inoue
Seated:  Elder Cruz, Elder Rust, Elder Brown, Elder Voss, and Elder Hollister

We love you all.  

Elder Michael Brown, says one of the other missionaries who worked with him, is a “way hard worker.”  He fills his schedule. Working hard, finding people, and teaching lessons make him happy.  He is very respectful to people.  One investigator said, “When I saw him, I thought that God can be seen in some people.”

Elder Voss has been called, "Tall, way tall!"  But this person also went on to say he is a very gentle person and a hard worker who helped make companions stronger and more reliable.  He is dependable.  And the best of all compliments:  "He was exactly obedient on his mission."

Elder Cruz was also exactly obedient!  He can work, work, work!  He is also talkative and he is a great Brazilian.  Another elder who knows him said he was determined, good at Japanese, and was a really great leader.  He is passionate about what he does.

Sister Goodale loves drawing, was a solo sister in the MTC, loves being outside and really loves talking.  She is also a great listener, always making any situation fun.

People who know Sister Inoue said she has very good English, she's crazy in a good way, and she is happy all the time.  She enjoys volleyball, cool guys (like the one who said these things about her!) and is very friendly to everyone.  She is always bright and smiling and loves children.

Elder Rust served as an AP.  He is always willing to help anyone at any time, and is always sensitive to other needs, especially those needing translation.  He  learned Japanese very well, in speaking, writing and reading, and is a very good translator.  He thinks before he reacts to situations and consistently leads by example.  He is well loved by everyone.

Elder Hollister served as an AP.  Having been trained for a year at the Air Force Academy, Elder Hollister has great exercise habits, is self-disciplined, exactly obedient, and a very hard worker.  He is always ready to help and serve in any way he can.  He is an excellent planner and lived and breathed missionary work.

This is God's Work and He is Our Commander

Written by Elder Taylor Hollister

I have been so blessed on my mission to be a part of an uncountable number of miracles.  It is extremely hard to pick just one miracle that I want to write about, so I will write about two events in my mission that really shaped me to be the missionary I have become.

The first story starts on my first day in Japan.  As I was flying on the plane from Tokyo to Nagoya at the last part of a long day of traveling, I had an experience that shaped my whole mission.  I was super tired and I just wanted to sleep during the 45 minute plane ride from Tokyo to Nagoya, but for some reason I was restless and couldn’t hold still.  I sat in an aisle seat across from a Japanese woman named Yukie.  I got the strongest desire to speak to her, but I kept on ignoring it.  I had just gotten out of the MTC and I couldn’t speak Japanese at all.  I was so scared. 

The feeling got stronger and stronger, and I started to read from my Japanese Book of Mormon to practice Japanese and calm down.  As I read, I saw that the woman across from me was interested in a foreigner reading a Japanese book.  She asked if I could understand and I tried to explain that I was just practicing.  She seemed really interested so I eventually gave into the promptings and asked if I could move to her aisle to sit next to her. 

We talked for a while in mixed Japanese and English.  I pretty much said everything I knew how to say in Japanese and we read from the Book of Mormon together.  After I had exhausted my Japanese vocabulary, I asked her if she wanted to learn more and to my great surprise she said, “Yes!”   She said that she had been trying to find a Bible, but she couldn’t find one in any book store.  I had a free Book of Mormon pass along card that I got at the MTC before I left,  so I took that out and explained that she could call the number or go to the website and she could get a free Book of Mormon and Bible.  She took the card and by that time we had landed. 

We went our separate ways.  After that I just thought that I had to do that to start my mission off right and it was a good experience, but nothing would come from it.  I was assigned to serve in Shizuoka for my first transfer and about half way through the transfer I went to my first Stake Conference.   Guess who I saw there?  Yes, Yukie!  She came and after the meeting she ran up to me and said, “That’s him!  He is the one who gave me this card on the plane!” as she took out the pass along card.

 Apparently she looked up the website and found a church in her city of Fukuroi, which just happened to be in the same zone as Shizuoka.  She went to church by herself, started meeting with the missionaries in that city and had committed to be baptized.  I was able to watch her be baptized and participate in her confirmation.  I know that Heavenly Father is preparing people to receive His gospel.  As missionaries, we must follow the spirit and open our mouths to find those people. 

I would also like to write about my eternal friend Toru and his friend Nakamura.  After the large earthquake in March 2011, Toru wanted desperately to do something for those people affected by the disaster.  He thought that the only thing he could possibly do would be to pray for them, but he had never prayed and he didn’t know how to pray.  Luckily he had a friend who was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Toru asked his friend and his friend encouraged him to go to church in his city of Kasugai. 

At that time, I had just transferred to Kasugai and I met him.  We started teaching him and soon found out that he was one of God’s elect.  On his third Sunday attending church, he was baptized. 

We immediately did the Fulfillment and Follow-up activity with Toru.  He gave us four names of people that he would like to share the gospel with:  his parents, his older brother who was in the hospital, and a friend who he had no idea where he lived and hadn’t made contact with in years.  We committed Toru to pray for these people so that he would know how to share the gospel with them.

Elder Hollister, left, with Elders Kishi, Jessop, and Rust

 He did exactly that and eventually, via Facebook, he was able to find his long lost friend.  They came to church together and his friend, Nakamura ,became an investigator.  He took the lessons and with his friend as a tachiai, after the first lesson committed to be baptized.  

He had many problems, including a smoking addiction to overcome.  We came up with a plan for him to quit where we, as missionaries, would give up our favorite food.  We worked together and he quit smoking one cigarette every day until one week before his baptismal date.  At that point, he quit smoking completely.  We would call him every single night to follow up about how he was keeping to the plan and encourage him.  He followed the plan and with the faith and prayers of many, Brother Nakamura was baptized by his long lost friend, Toru.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is true.  This is God’s work and He is our commander. I am grateful that He has been able to use me as His tool.

Inochi no Michi, May 2012

President Baird’s Message

I love to read about missionaries in  the scriptures. One of my favorite companionships is Alma and Amulek. We are first introduced to faithful Amulek in Alma chapter 8. But the stage is set for Alma and Amulek to become companions as early as Alma chapter 4. As chief judge, Alma observed great contentions in the land. He further observed that there began to be contentions among the members of the church. “There were envyings and strife and malice and persecutions and pride” among the members of the church in such great abundance that it became a stumbling block to those who did not believe. Alma determined to give up the judgment seat so that he could go among the people and “preach the word of God to them”.

Alma enjoyed success along the way but when he reached the city of Ammonihah the people rejected him and cast him out of the city. The scriptures record that this great prophet Alma was “weighed down with much sorrow, wading through much tribulation and anguish of soul…” I have felt that way sometimes; “weighed down with much sorrow”.

In the midst his disappointment God chose to send Alma back to Ammonihah. If I were the one being sent back to the place of my failure and discouragement, I am not so certain I would have gone willingly. Not so Alma, verse 18 records that, “after Alma had received his message from the angel…he returned speedily.” Because of his faithful and decisive action God prepared a wonderful companion to assist and serve with Alma.

Upon his return to the city Alma was hungry and begged food of a stranger as recorded in verse 19. What follows is an amazing lesson in what it means to be a good missionary companion. Amulek readily responds to Alma. The sequence is amazing—Amulek introduces himself—“I am a Nephite.” He turns his attention to Alma—“I know that thou art a holy prophet of God.” He acknowledges his assignment to be his companion—“thou art the man an angel said in a vision: Thou shalt receive.” Though junior companion Amulek was obviously the area senior—“Go with me into my house and I will impart unto thee of my food.” He sets the expectation that this will be a wonderful companionship and a blessing to himself and his whole family. He then “brought forth bread and meat and set before Alma.” Alma received gratefully that which was offered—“And it came to pass that Alma ate bread and was filled.” Alma 8:20, 21.

Some missionaries reflecting on this encounter think. Yes! That is the kind of companion I need! They might even say—“companion read this—it will help you to be a better companion.” I am not suggesting this is the kind of companion you should pray for. Rather, I suggest this the kind of a companion you should be. Whether a junior or a senior companion we should all strive to be more like Amulek and serve our companion with patience and love. Senior companions have a great responsibility to model this kind of companionship behavior to their junior companion. When I have been weighed down with sorrow, I have found that service to others is a sure antidote.

With the kind of greeting Amulek gave to Alma, it would simply be impossible for Alma to write home to his family—“I met my new companion—I think this is going to be a rough transfer. I hope God will give me a lot of patience. I’m really going to need it.” No! He would be writing home, “I just met Elder/Sister Amulek. I can already tell that he is going to be my favorite companion ever! I am so blessed to be able to work with a missionary like him/her.

So there it is. One of the great lessons we learn from Amulek is how to be a great companion. Ask yourself how you measure up. Ask what more you can do to make your companion’s life pleasant—filled with the fruits of the spirit--love, joy, peace. Pray to God and angels will guide you to be a better companion—to love and serve, to testify and to teach with power. Your experience can be much more like that of Alma and Amulek. But you must choose for yourself. If you choose to actively serve your companion like Amulek did, your mission experience will be a wonderful journey and it will be even more rewarding—I promise you! When burdens are lifted by a loving companion the weight on each is cut in half. When joy and success are shared, they are doubled. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.