January 2012 Finishers

This week, we said good-bye to a really great group of missionaries! It was a large, energetic group of 9 wonderful missionaries! Elder Boss, Elder Hooton, Elder Pearson, Elder Adachi, Elder Curtis, Elder Transtrum, Sister Clark, Elder Valentine, and Elder Stachowski. They are all great missionaries and we will miss them! We love them so much and are so grateful for their examples and their service.

Seated, left to right: Elder Transtrom, Sister Clark, Elder Valentine, Elder Stachowski
Standing: Elder Boss, Elder Hooton, Elder Pearson, Elder Adachi, Elder Curtis, and Sister and President Baird

Of Elder Stachowski, another elder said, "He is a very handy elder.  He can fix anything, any time, anywhere."

One of Elder Valentine's former companions said of him, "He has a very big heart...and an even bigger appetite."

Elder Hooton has a great sense of humor.  One missionary said he was one of the funniest people he has met.  Elder Hooton also enjoys fixing things, and has fixed everything from a dryer to a computer.

Sister Clark loves to teach and be involved with learning.  She may become a language teacher, likely teaching Japanese.  She likes most any activity where there is learning involved.

Sister Clark and Sister Baird at the mission home

Elder Pearson says he doesn't show much emotion, so people can't always tell how he is feeling about something.  But he is almost always positive and doesn't think he has any enemies.  He has finally fulfilled his life-long dream of serving a mission.

Elder Boss is hoping for a business/marketing degree and is interested in advertising. He is a good friend, organizer and has a good sense of humor.  He lived in Japan for 10 years, but attended an American school.

Walking into Chubu Airport

Elder Transtrum knew how to dendo, according to one of his former companions.  He knew how to work hard and, when the time was right, he knew how to have fun.  He also had very good Japanese.

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.   

From West Valley City, Utah, Elder Derrick Curtis thinks soccer is the all time best sport in the world.  He also loves to read and plans to become an engineer or architect.  Elder Curtis likes to do what he is supposed do.

The Friend of Reason

Written by Sister Chalet Severson                   Nov. 25, 2010

When we were asked to tell our companions about a person who has shaped our life, I didn’t even need to think.  I knew exactly who that person was for me.   Her name is Candy Rendon.

She’s about ten years older than I am and has been an older-sister figure in my life since I was about 12.  We first met at church.  She was the camp director in my ward.  I had just moved into the ward and was a little on the quiet side.  Well…on the outside. Inside I was wild and rambunctious.  When I first met Candy, there was something different about her.  Not your normal leader.  She was way young, but was very grown up at the same time.  I don’t know what or why it was, but I instantly had a bond with her and knew we would be good friends.

Once camp came we went on a hike.  At the tail end of all the hikers was me, my friend Sam and Candy.  Candy, being the one trying to hurry us up, kept teasing us on how we were so slow and that we were young.  We should be faster than her.  Well, that’s all it took to bring the prankster out in me.  Once we sat down for a rest, I slipped a rock into her backpack.  This continued for about 10 more times as we continued our hike.  Once we were getting closer to the top, she was getting further and further behind.  The teasing now was aimed towards her and how she was so slow.  Once at the top, we all sat to eat our lunch.  She opened her back pack and found the rocks!  It then turned into dodge the rocks!  I was running, she was throwing.  We have been inseparable ever since.

Every big decision in my life, she was who I turned to.  She has been the voice in my head, the friend of reason.  I have always had her back and she’s had mine.  She continued on to become Young Women’s President and an even bigger influence in my Gospel life.  She was the person I wanted to be like as a young girl and now as I’m grown, I still look to her for guidance and a sister to spend time with.  I’ve lived with her right before my mission and was able to spend lots of time with her and her kids.  She’s an example to me.  She’s the definition of love and friendship.  She’s not just my best friend.  She’s my family, my sister.

Chalet Severson is third from left on front row.
Back row includes Elder Sorenson, Elder Stachowski, Elder Voss, and Elder Amussen
Front row, Sister Mimaki, Sister Shibata, and on right, Sister Harada

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.

October 2010 New Missionaries

This week, we welcomed 5 very nice elders into the mission! Left to right: Elder Pedersen (Utah), Elder McClellan (California), Elder Augusto (Brazil), Sister and President Baird, Elder Flint (Australia), and Elder Bardzinski (Australia)! It was great seeing their faces and meeting them for the first time! We know they will be great!

A picture of the missionaries with their trainers in the Meito church.

Elder Augusto (right) and Elder Jorgenson- Suzuka

Elder Julio Augusto is from Curitiba, Brazil.  He is the 8th Elder Augusto in his extended family.  He enjoys singing and has a great voice.  He also likes soccer and technology.  He wants to build robots and will study mechancial engineering.  He is a happy person, a quick learning and a hard worker.

Elder Jacob Jorgensen calls Mesa, Arizona his home.  He comes from a close and loving family and has four great sisters.  Elder Jorgensen loves drawing, piano, cross country and track, and academics and he is a hard worker.  He has looked forward to serving a mission all of his life and would have chosen Japan because he has many Japanese friends.

Elder Flint (left) and Elder Valentine- Fukuroi

Elder Jake Flint is one of several great Australian missionaries, coming to us from Brisbane.  Elder Flint loves to read, play basketball, study physics and play classical music on the piano.

Elder Christopher Valentine looks forward to marriage and a great family after his mission.  He loves music and playing the saxaphone.  He likes bringing people happiness, so he knows a mission is the perfect way to do that. 

Elder McClellan (left) and Elder Warner- Ueda 

Elder Thomas McClellan has three younger brothers in his family.  He is from Los Gatos, California.  Before his mission, his favorite things to do were soccer, badminton, drawing and making memories with his brothers and friends.  He has a goal to live to 100, just to say that he did it.  While he’s living that long, he plans to build a McClellan Family castle. He also plans to send a “hello” three years and five years into the future, then see how far off he was.  He describes himself as calm and calculated, yet somehow still spontaneously fun.

Alpine, Utah is home to Elder Brett Warner and he loves to act, to show people who his is and what he can do.  Elder Warner recently lost his mom to cancer, and he hopes to serve and help others as she did. He is a very loyal friend and loves to learn.  During the trial of his mother's cancer he grew closer to the Savior and found Him as a friend.

Elder Bardzinski (left) and Elder Stachowski- Nonami

Elder Steven Bardzinski is from Werribee, Australia. Elder Bardzinski is a twin and his brother is serving in Equador.  He loves Japanese music, graphic design and photography.  He was an exchange student in Japan before his mission. One of Elder Stachowski's former companions says he is very smart.  He enjoys chess, is kind, and knows how to do what he needs to do.

Elder Pedersen (left) and Elder Jackson- Toyama

Hurricane, Utah is home to Elder Christopher Pederson, and he enjoys reading and cooking.  He loves to study the ancient world and history.  He enjoys singing and is working on becoming a public speaker. Elder Marcus Jackson has the advantage that his mother is from Japan and his father speaks Japanese.  He is from West Point, Utah but has also lived in Japan.  He enjoys calligraphy, piano, listening to music, going to the temple and making food.  .

August 2010 New Missionaries

We welcomed in our first group of 4 great elders! Elder Voss (California), Elder Brown (Australia), Elder Cruz (Brazil), and Elder Rust (Indiana)! They all looked great and ready to go to work. It was so great to talk to them and get to know them! They are a great group!

Left to right: Kathryn Baird, Whitney Baird, Sister and President Baird
Elders Voss, Brown, Cruz, and Rust

The elders on their first morning in the mission home!

Elder Rust and Elder Valentine- Fukuroi
Elder Ryan Rust (right)  hales from Evansville, Indiana. His parents are both teachers. Elder Rust wants to become a doctor. He loves to be in nature, usually on a bike or ATV. He also has a black belt in karate. 

Elder Christopher Valentine was born at Misawa AFB in Japan.  He has lived in several places throughout his life.  He is the elder brother in his family, with six younger siblings.  

Elder Brown (right) and Elder Stachowski- Nonami

Elder Michael Brown (right) is from Australia. His family (4 boys) enjoys sports and outdoor activities. Elder Brown loves to read. He is a hard worker and also enjoys studying the scriptures.

Elder Benjamin Stachowiski is from down under, Castle Hill, New South Wales, Australia.  He has also lived in Poland, New Zealand, and the UK.  He loves to learn and considers reading a hobby.  He has been a DJ and loves sports.  Electrical Engineering is his field of study. 

Elder Voss (left) and Elder Kutney- Toyota
Chico, California is where Elder Adam Voss (left) calls home. Both of his parents served missions. Elder Voss's greatest dream has been to serve a mission, but other goals include a good education, marriage, and earning Shadan rank in Danzan Tyu Juijitsu. He wants to share the peace and happiness the Gospel has brought into his life with others.

Elder Terrance Kutney hales from Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Elder Kutney says nothing beats reading a good quality book except reading the scriptures.  He also loves rugby and loves to follow politics.  He plans to go into International Relations. 

Elder Cruz (right) and Elder Jorgenson- Suzuka

Elder Andre' Cruz (right) comes from Sao Paulo, Brazil and has one younger brother and sister.  Before his mission, he loved to play soccer and be with friends. After his mission, he wants to go to school and work hard so he can get married.  

Elder Jacob Jorgensen calls Mesa, Arizona his home.  He comes from a close and loving family and has four great sisters.  Elder Jorgensen loves drawing, piano, cross country and track, and academics and he is a hard worker.  He has looked forward to serving a mission all of his life and would have chosen Japan because he has many Japanese friends.