HIROSHIMA JAPAN COUPLE MISSION
Oct. 2002 to April 2004
Oct. to Dec. 2002
In August 2002 after about two weeks I went to the mail and there was a large envelope from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At home with trembling hands we opened the envelope and immediately read the letter from Pres. Hinckley; “You have been called to serve in the Hiroshima Japan Mission”. Our assignment was to be the Mission Office couple. I was overjoyed! Nearly 50 years before while serving in the Japanese Mission I had been assigned to the Hiroshima District for 14 months. It was my favorite area!
Our Mission call indicated we would be in the Senior MTC for 2 ½ months to study the Japanese Language. I remembered some of the language from my first mission so the language training taught Shirley the basics of the language and helped me improve my skills.
We started our language training on Oct. 18. We lived in the Senior MTC in Prove. Our training was at the regular MTC (approximately 1/2 mile each way) and thank goodness we had our car there so we didn’t have to walk back and forth We were the only ones in the Sr. MTC studying Japanese. The language training here was very good compared with the way I learned it. They have so many good teachers, materials and computer labs (designed especially for the Church), and such a systematic way of presenting it all. We attended many wonderful assemblies while we were in the MTC and met several General Authorities.
We had an early Christmas with our family at Marie’s home who was at the time living in Springville. We said our final goodbyes to our family. We especially missed our grandchildren. We left our car for Chris to take home to Cedar on one of his trips down there. Matt and Jen lived in our home in Cedar City until Matt’s Dental school began in Mesa, AZ., then Marie’s family moved in from Springville and Chris started his new job in St. George.
After almost 3 months in the MTC, on Dec. 16, 2002, early in the morning the MTC bus loaded us and our belongings and took us to Salt Lake where we boarded a United airline to Osaka, Japan via San Francisco. At Osaka after clearing customs and just getting started to see about getting tickets on the Shinkansen to Kyoto, up walked Pres. Banks. He had come clear to Osaka to meet us and make sure we made all our connections to Hiroshima. What a special effort that was on his part. By the time we got to Hiroshima we were very well acquainted with him. When we pulled up to the station in Hiroshima we looked out the window and there stood Sis. Banks and two Elders holding a huge sign to welcome us. We really felt special by the time we got to the our apartment where there was a little Christmas Tree all decorated on our table, flowers, the door to our apartment all decorated, and a plate full of delicious goodies to eat. A far cry from the welcoming I got on my first mission. (Senior couples really have it made!)
Since the Senior couple we were replacing had returned home about 3 months before, Pres. Banks had assigned Elder Chris Jones to serve as the Mission Financial Elder until I arrived. Elder Jones was assigned to train me for awhile until I became acquainted with the Mission Financial procedures and became Mission Financial Elder. I had a small office inside the main office equipped with a computer, vault to store the money, etc.
Elder Robertson was assigned to train Shirley to be the Office Secretary. That included taking care of the mail, notifying and keeping track of missionary transfers and their assignments, and generally taking care of all things connected with the office. One of the first things she did was rearrange the office so that each of the office Elders could have their own space. Since it was the Christmas season Sis. Roper spent most of her time forwarding letters and packages to all the missionaries. Things in Japan come to a complete standstill until after New Years.
The Mission Office doesn’t open until 10:00 AM. That gives us time to study our Scriptures and language in the mornings before we have to open the office. Right now there are six Elders that work in the Mission Office. One Elder is training me and one is training Shirley. Two of the Elders are native Japanese Elders who speak very little English; and two Elders are serving as assistants to the President. Pres. Banks said that right now all the missionaries in the Mission (137 or them) seem to be doing very well. We have been impressed with what we have seen. We met some of them at the Provo MTC and they arrived here before we did.
I was slow in learning my job because of my memory problems and it was easier for Elder Jones to do things himself than walk me through everything. I did soon learn the places I needed to go like the bank, post office, and where the ATM machines were located. Everything in Japan is done by cash. Checks and checking accounts are not used because money is transferred by wire all over the islands. The only way we could get our money from home was with a debit card that transferred money right out of our bank acount at home to ATM machines in Hiroshima.
This morning Sis. Banks drove us around the immediate area to show us where all the shopping places are and helped us get a few things we needed. Pres. and Sis. Banks left this afternoon for zone conferences until Saturday. We are really excited about our mission.
On Christmas eve all the hombu (mission home) missionaries were invited over to Bro. & Sis. Tanaka’s home for dinner and Christmas caroling around their neighborhood. We had an enjoyable time. The caroling was fun and seemed to be well accepted by those non-LDS neighbors.
Christmas was quite uneventful. The Branch had a Christmas party and we began to get acquainted with some of the Ward Members. We brought some candy with us and exchanged them with the Elders. We received some strange Japanese type goodies, tried them and gave the rest to the Elders. They really went down on them.
On Christmas Day we had a zone conference here in the Hiroshima District. We attended most of the conference along with getting today’s Christmas Mail delivered to all the Missionaries that were here. We were introduced and gave a little of our background and family info. There were about 40 Missionaries in attendance. Everyone seemed interested to know that I served as a missionary right here in Hiroshima 48 years ago. After our introduction, all the missionaries came through the line to meet us (much like a wedding reception) and gave us a little gift of some kind. We were really loaded up! Our Mission Pres. and his wife both gave excellent talks on the atonement (Christ’s gift to us). This afternoon we went to see about getting lined up on my medicine and got back in time for the missionary testimony meeting.
Tonight we met with all those who are attending English study class, which I think we will be teaching. English study seems to be a way of proselytizing (as it was when I was here before). We surely hope you had a good Christmas and I’m sure we had one we won’t forget for a long time.
On our first Sunday we attended our Sunday meetings in the chapel here in the mission complex. It is interesting to take the elevator down to the second floor where the chapel is located and we hold our Ward meetings. It is a comparatively large ward, about 77 members. We were interested in the make-up of the members. There were two families whose husbands were American returned missionaries who served in Japan and the mothers were Japanese. Two members (Japanese) were from Brazil; several missionaries serving in the Hiroshima area and the rest were local members. In the High Priest group there were ten present. It is remarkable how the Church has grown since I was here before -barely one Branch with one or two Priesthood members at the most. with the missionaries living there serving as Branch Pres. and taking care of most of the Church services. For Church Shirley and I were asked to introduce ourselves and tell about some of our family Christmas traditions. We did it in English and had Elder Robertson translate for us.
On the day after Christmas (which was Christmas at home) was P-day for our missionaries so everyone was anxious to get on the phone and talk to their families. Pres. Bank made a rule that a limit for a call home was 30 minutes.
I find that my language skills are really lacking. I can carry on a simple conversation but I had trouble understanding the talks and lessons that were given in Church today. Everyone tells me that will gradually improve as I go along. (I hope they are right.) Shirley is doing well with the language she learned at the MTC. Getting used to the way the Japanese speak the language is different, but as we get used to the way they speak it, I’m sure it will become easier.
After Christmas we took our little Christmas Tree out and got our apartment straightnend around. Our apartment was very small -one room and a bath. We had a double bed, small table, refrigerator, gas stove, washer and dryer, and a microwave. The bathroom which was no bigger than a closet, consisted of a shower, toilet and shelves. The apartment had heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer. It was located on the same floor as the Mission Office, which made it very convenient for us.
Our preparation day was scheduled for each Saturday. On one of our first P-dats we got on a street car on the other side of the Hiroshima Station and went into town to look around. The shopping areas of Hiroshima are huge and we strolled around from street to street and shop to shop being careful not to get lost. The Hiroshima Station is a large complex full of underground shops and to get on the other side of the station we walked under the station.
On the second Sunday we were there, we went out to Takasu to attend Church. One exciting thing was that we contacted Sis. Tawara by phone and she agreed to meet us there at the Church. She is no longer active in the Church and so we visited for a few minutes and she returned home so we could attend the meetings. I learned from her that Sis. Naito and her husband (who eventually joined the Church) had moved to Tokyo to be nearer her family. They are active and later I called her on the phone and had a good visit with her. It was fun to visit Takasu and we learned we could ride the densha directly from the Hiroshima station. During our Mission, Pres. And Sis. Banks drove us out there when there was a District conference and we also watched General Conf. broadcasts in that building.
The Church demolished the old home where I lived, purchased some land behind the lot and constructed a beautiful two story Church Building. There is a nice chapel upstairs and District offices on the first floor. I have many fond memories of that area.
I had forgotten how cold it was during the winter in Hiroshima.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
December 2002
Dear Family,Mer, would you please e-mail this to just the immediate family members this time? I am including some information on phoning, time schedules, etc. It was enjoyable to talk to you and E. on the phone, today. Its sounds like everyone had a great Christmas.Sun. Dec. 22, 2002We have had an enjoyable day. We attended our Sunday meetings in the chapel here in the mission complex. It is a comparatively large ward, about 77 members. We were interested in the make-up of the members. There were two families where the fathers were American (returned missionaries to Japan) and the mothers were Japanese. Two members (Japanese) from Brazil. Several missionaries serving in the Hiroshima area and the rest were local members. In the High Priest group there were ten present. It is remarkable how the Church has grown since I was here before (barely a Branch with one or two Priesthood members at the most and the missionaries serving as Branch Pres. and taking care of most of the Church services).There is another ward in the western part of town. They have constructed a new church building on the property where I lived before. They tore down our building (it was a regular Japanese home that had been converted into Elder’s quarters and where we held church); then constructed a new church. I am anxious to se that building. (Property is so expensive and hard to get here in Japan, this same thing has happened in many of the missions in Japan). We are anxious to see if there are any members still living or who have remained active from when I was here.Our Mission Pres. says the Church is encouraging college age Japanese members to attend school at BYU or BYU Hawaii, so they can be around other Church members and see how the Church really functions. This also helps them break away from traditional family practices that are contrary to good Church activity.I find that my language skills are really lacking. I can carry on a simple conversation but I had trouble understanding the talks and lessons that were given in Church today. Everyone tells me that will gradually improve as I go along. (I hope they are right.) Shirley is doing well with the language she learned at the MTC. Getting used to the way the Japanese speak the language is different, but as we get used to the way they speak it, I’m sure it will become easier.Right now there are six Elders that work in the Mission Office. One Elder is training me and one is training Shirley. Two of the Elders are native Japanese Elders who speak very little English; and two Elders are serving as assistants to the President. Pres. Banks said that right now all the missionaries in the Mission (137 or them) seem to be doing very well. We have been impressed with what we have seen. We met some of them at the Provo MTC and they arrived here before we did
Wed. Dec. 18, 2002Dear Family,Well we’re here in Japan! We arrived about 9:30 PM last night. We are so excited to be here.Boy, what a day yesterday (Monday) turned out to be. We were up at 5:00 AM getting the last of our things stuffed into our suitcases. The MTC missionary was on the job at 6:30 to take us to the airport. We got all checked in and on our way to San Francisco at about 10:00 AM (about 1:00 hour late) and made it to San Franscico in time to get on our connecting flight at 12:00 PM. We were on a big 747 plane that was completely loaded. We didn’t have to have any of our luggage inspected and got to Osaka without a hitch, after crossing the international date line and arriving in Osaka at 6:30 PM on Tues.At Osaka after clearing customs and just getting started to see about getting tickets on the Shinkansen to Kyoto, up walked Pres. Banks. He had come clear to Osaka to meet us and make sure we made all our connections to Hiroshima. What a special effort that was on his part. By the time we got to Hiroshima we were very well acquainted with him. When we pulled up to the station in Hiroshima we looked out the window and there stood Sis. Banks and two Elders holding a huge sign to welcome us. We really felt special by the time we got to the our apartment where there was a little Christmas Tree all decorated on our table, flowers, the door to our apartment all decorated, and a plate full of delicious goodies to eat. A far cry from the welcoming I got on my first mission. (Senior couples really have it made!)Today we have been getting all our stuff moved in and put away. The mission home and office is really nice. We really like our apartment. It is compact in size and very convenient -nice modern bathroom, well equipped kitchen, washer and dryer. Much like Afton and Howard’s apartment in Hong Kong except a little smaller, I think.This morning Sis. Banks took us around the area to show us where all the shopping places are and helped us get a few things we need. Tomorrow we start in on our assignments at 8:30 AM. Shirley will be the mission secretary and I will be the mission financial secretary. Pres. and Sis. Banks left this afternoon for zone conferences until Saturday. We are really excited about our mission.When Pres. Banks gets back next week, he is going to help us get lined up on an e-mail connection. In the meantime I will send this to Marie on Pres. Banks’ e-mail and have her forward it to you. Have a wonderful Christmas. Right now you can write to us on Pres. Banks’ e-mail. His address is bradbbanks @ aol.com.Love, Gary & ShirleyDec. 29, 2002
Dear Family and Friends,
Sunday
Yesterday, Shirley and I did our Sat. work and then got on a street car at the Hiroshima Station and went into town to look around. The shopping areas of Hiroshima are huge and we strolled around from street to street and shop to shop. Saturday is our P-day and about the first time we have had to look around. We are having trouble getting an ATM machine to take our credit cards. So far we haven’t found one but I am having the bank look into the problem. If they don’t work on our cards we will have to go to plan B. (I’m not sure what that is.)
We took our little Christmas Tree out and we seem to be getting more and more straightened around. While we were shopping today, we bought some pie tins and a rolling pin and are ready to make pies. We made a couple of apple pies and considering the oven (I finally figured out how to turn it on) and everything being so different, the pies turned out pretty well. We have allot of interesting goodies sitting around the house. Some we brought and others were given to us by the different missionaries at the zone conference on Christmas. Some things looked so bad that Shirley gave them to the Elders here and they really went down on them. Shirley is a really a good sport and samples each of the goodies (at least once).
Today we went to our Church meetings. One of the Elder’s translates for us during Sacrament meeting. We have a new missionary and one or two other people here from Brazil and one of the missionaries speaks Portuguese and he translates for them. We are getting acquainted with quite a few of the Ward members. I am looking forward to attending Sunday Meetings in the other Takasu Ward (where I was when I was here before). I may find someone I know.
Dear Family,
Mer, would you please e-mail this to just the immediate family members this time? I am including some information on phoning, time schedules, etc. It was enjoyable to talk to you and E. on the phone, today. Its sounds like everyone had a great Christmas.
Sun. Dec. 22, 2002
We have had an enjoyable day. We attended our Sunday meetings in the chapel here in the mission complex. It is a comparatively large ward, about 77 members. We were interested in the make-up of the members. There were two families where the fathers were American (returned missionaries to Japan) and the mothers were Japanese. Two members (Japanese) from Brazil. Several missionaries serving in the Hiroshima area and the rest were local members. In the High Priest group there were ten present. It is remarkable how the Church has grown since I was here before (barely a Branch with one or two Priesthood members at the most and the missionaries serving as Branch Pres. and taking care of most of the Church services).
There is another ward in the western part of town. They have constructed a new church building on the property where I lived before. They tore down our building (it was a regular Japanese home that had been converted into Elder’s quarters and where we held church); then constructed a new church. I am anxious to se that building. (Property is so expensive and hard to get here in Japan, this same thing has happened in many of the missions in Japan). We are anxious to see if there are any members still living or who have remained active from when I was here.
Our Mission Pres. says the Church is encouraging college age Japanese members to attend school at BYU or BYU Hawaii, so they can be around other Church members and see how the Church really functions. This also helps them break away from traditional family practices that are contrary to good Church activity.
I find that my language skills are really lacking. I can carry on a simple conversation but I had trouble understanding the talks and lessons that were given in Church today. Everyone tells me that will gradually improve as I go along. (I hope they are right.) Shirley is doing well with the language she learned at the MTC. Getting used to the way the Japanese speak the language is different, but as we get used to the way they speak it, I’m sure it will become easier.
Right now there are six Elders that work in the Mission Office. One Elder is training me and one is training Shirley. Two of the Elders are native Japanese Elders who speak very little English; and two Elders are serving as assistants to the President. Pres. Banks said that right now all the missionaries in the Mission (137 or them) seem to be doing very well. We have been impressed with what we have seen. We met some of them at the Provo MTC and they arrived here before we did.
Mon. Dec 23
It has been a beautiful, warm, sunshiny day here, today. A mountain of mail is being delivered here everyday which has kept Mom really busy (forwarding the missionary’s mail out to them in the mission). You can tell its getting close to Christmas.
The ward had their Christmas party this evening. They asked Mom and I to tell some of the Christmas traditions our family has. We did it in English with one of the office Elder’s (Elder Robertson) translate for us. It was a fun party and we enjoyed watching the little Japanese kids. They had little packages of goodies for each.
Sis. Banks said the e-mail we sent to Mer last week, evidently didn’t go through. I’m afraid she stills hasn’t got her computer’s e-mail up yet. Any way we re-sent it to Sherry and eventually we hope you will get it so that you will know we are here.
Tues. Dec. 24
Today we were happy to receive e-mail from Marie and also from Matt & Jen, so I guess our first one went through. They are still trying to get our e-mail connected up. Until then we will continue to impose on the Banks’.
Tonight, all the hombu (mission home) missionaries were invited over to Bro. & Sis. Tanaka’s home for dinner and Christmas caroling around their neighborhood. We had an enjoyable time. The caroling was fun and seemed to be well accepted by those non-LDS neighbors.
Dec. 25, Christmas Day
Today they had a zone conference here in the Hiroshima District. We attended most of the conference along with getting today’s Christmas Mail delivered to all the Missionaries that were here. We were introduced and gave a little of our background and family info. There were about 40 Missionaries in attendance. Everyone seemed interested to know that I served as a missionary right here in Hiroshima 48 years ago. After our introduction, all the missionaries came through the line to meet us (much like a wedding reception) and gave us a little gift of some kind. We were really loaded up! Our Mission Pres. and his wife both gave excellent talks on the atonement (Christ’s gift to us). This afternoon we went to see about getting lined up on my medicine and got back in time for the missionary testimony meeting.
Tonight we met with all those who are attending English study class, which I think we will be teaching. English study seems to be a way of proselytizing (as it was when I was here before). We surely hope you had a good Christmas and I’m sure we had one we won’t forget for a long time.
Dec. 26,
Today we had a mountain of Christmas letters and packages to forward to the missionaries. Today was P-day for our missionaries so everyone was anxious to get on the phone and talk to their families. Pres. Bank made a rule that a limit for a call home was 30 minutes.
Sherry, there are one or two things that I wish you would check on for us. I have charged some things on my Capitol One credit card. Would you please watch for those bills and pay them off when they come?
Also they tell us here that the most economical way to phone is to have the call originate in the US and use a phone card. The best deal on a phone card is one purchased at Costco. Would you please purchase a $20. or $25. card for each family (including one for Mike and Vanessa)? Then you can call us instead of us calling you.
Here are our phone numbers:
Wed. Dec. 18, 2002
Dear Family,
Well we’re here in Japan! We arrived about 9:30 PM last night. We are so excited to be here.
Boy, what a day yesterday (Monday) turned out to be. We were up at 5:00 AM getting the last of our things stuffed into our suitcases. The MTC missionary was on the job at 6:30 to take us to the airport. We got all checked in and on our way to San Francisco at about 10:00 AM (about 1:00 hour late) and made it to San Franscico in time to get on our connecting flight at 12:00 PM. We were on a big 747 plane that was completely loaded. We didn’t have to have any of our luggage inspected and got to Osaka without a hitch, after crossing the international date line and arriving in Osaka at 6:30 PM on Tues.
At Osaka after clearing customs and just getting started to see about getting tickets on the Shinkansen to Kyoto, up walked Pres. Banks. He had come clear to Osaka to meet us and make sure we made all our connections to Hiroshima. What a special effort that was on his part. By the time we got to Hiroshima we were very well acquainted with him. When we pulled up to the station in Hiroshima we looked out the window and there stood Sis. Banks and two Elders holding a huge sign to welcome us. We really felt special by the time we got to the our apartment where there was a little Christmas Tree all decorated on our table, flowers, the door to our apartment all decorated, and a plate full of delicious goodies to eat. A far cry from the welcoming I got on my first mission. (Senior couples really have it made!)
Today we have been getting all our stuff moved in and put away. The mission home and office is really nice. We really like our apartment. It is compact in size and very convenient -nice modern bathroom, well equipped kitchen, washer and dryer. Much like Afton and Howard’s apartment in Hong Kong except a little smaller, I think.
This morning Sis. Banks took us around the area to show us where all the shopping places are and helped us get a few things we need. Tomorrow we start in on our assignments at 8:30 AM. Shirley will be the mission secretary and I will be the mission financial secretary. Pres. and Sis. Banks left this afternoon for zone conferences until Saturday. We are really excited about our mission.
When Pres. Banks gets back next week, he is going to help us get lined up on an e-mail connection. In the meantime I will send this to Marie on Pres. Banks’ e-mail and have her forward it to you. Have a wonderful Christmas. Right now you can write to us on Pres. Banks’ e-mail. His address is bradbbanks @ aol.com.
Love, Gary & Shirley
Sunday Dec. 1, 2002
Konichi wa....(hello)
It is time to write again. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving Day and a good week. We were able to get away in the afternoon. Marie and Chris invited us and Elaine to eat Thanksgiving dinner with them with Chris’ family in Springville. We had a wonderful meal and a good time.
Thurs. morning all the missionaries assembled to see “The Other Side of Heaven”. Afterwards Elder and Sis. Groberg talked to us about his experiences in Tonga and then answered many questions that some of the missionaries asked. It was really interesting, faith promoting, and inspiring. Elder Groberg indicated that he was my age (68) and I figuered out that we were at the ‘Y’ at the same time and on our missions at the same time. My mission was certainly nothing like his.
That evening we attended a fireside with all the missionaries. It was a testimony meeting with special musical numbers in between. Some of the missionaries told about their conversions and the sacrifices they have made to be members of the Church and to be going into the missionfield at this time. Very enjoyable.
Our departure date has been moved to Mon. Dec. 16. We hope we will be ready by then. Friday we had a substitute teacher for one of our language study sessions. He had a unique way of teaching Japanese. He had made up some little songs with certain grammar rules. Shirley was having trouble using the ending for some of the verbs, so he taught her a ‘rap’ song that goes like this: “i, kunai, katta, kunakatta desu”. He also taught us a song to the tune of “My Favorite Things” that teaches how to use the particles in Japanese. Now I hear her singing these songs all the time (they really seem to work).
They have had to depend on me to accompany the singing in Priesthood Meeting. Pres. Rowe was complimenting me on sticking to the piano when I was young. He said that he had started but fizzeled out and then others commented that they had too. I said, “But you didn’t have a mother like I had!” We finally got to see Tony Wilson. He seems to be doing well with the language for having been here two weeks.
Our family is coming up here today for a pre-Christmas get together at Marie’s. It will be exciting to see everyone.
We appreciated e-mails from Ann, Mike, and a letter from the Dutsons. Afton, thanks for all the details about your house, your candle fire, and your trip to Branson. It is a blessing that your living room roof didn’t come down. That just goes to show you are living right! Even though it was a big mess, it was good you were able to have Thanksgiving there and I’ll bet it turned out nice. So good you decided to go ahead with the remodel when you did. I was surprised to hear that the Church is tearing down that beautiful building where you worked in Hong Kong. We were so impressed with your facilities there. However, the Church has to keep up with expansion and I’m sure the new building will be really nice also. We really appreciate Marie and Chris keeping the e-mails going and all of the family doing special things to help us get on our way.The MTC here is a really inspirational place. We will certainly remember our stay here. We notice that this is the second or third marriage for many of the couples here. There are also some single sisters here. Evidently they don’t allow single men to serve missions. Its also interesting that every couple who are learning a language said they stated on their application that they did not want to learn a new language. Does that tell us something?
Christmas is on its way. It sounds like a big job that we will miss out on, but it is a good family time. We hope you are all doing well.
Sayonara, Ropa Choro & Ropa Shimai
Wed. Dec. 18, 2002Dear Family,Well we’re here in Japan! We arrived about 9:30 PM last night. We are so excited to be here.Boy, what a day yesterday (Monday) turned out to be. We were up at 5:00 AM getting the last of our things stuffed into our suitcases. The MTC missionary was on the job at 6:30 to take us to the airport. We got all checked in and on our way to San Francisco at about 10:00 AM (about 1:00 hour late) and made it to San Franscico in time to get on our connecting flight at 12:00 PM. We were on a big 747 plane that was completely loaded. We didn’t have to have any of our luggage inspected and got to Osaka without a hitch, after crossing the international date line and arriving in Osaka at 6:30 PM on Tues.At Osaka after clearing customs and just getting started to see about getting tickets on the Shinkansen to Kyoto, up walked Pres. Banks. He had come clear to Osaka to meet us and make sure we made all our connections to Hiroshima. What a special effort that was on his part. By the time we got to Hiroshima we were very well acquainted with him. When we pulled up to the station in Hiroshima we looked out the window and there stood Sis. Banks and two Elders holding a huge sign to welcome us. We really felt special by the time we got to the our apartment where there was a little Christmas Tree all decorated on our table, flowers, the door to our apartment all decorated, and a plate full of delicious goodies to eat. A far cry from the welcoming I got on my first mission. (Senior couples really have it made!)Today we have been getting all our stuff moved in and put away. The mission home and office is really nice. We really like our apartment. It is compact in size and very convenient -nice modern bathroom, well equipped kitchen, washer and dryer. Much like Afton and Howard’s apartment in Hong Kong except a little smaller, I think.This morning Sis. Banks took us around the area to show us where all the shopping places are and helped us get a few things we need. Tomorrow we start in on our assignments at 8:30 AM. Shirley will be the mission secretary and I will be the mission financial secretary. Pres. and Sis. Banks left this afternoon for zone conferences until Saturday. We are really excited about our mission.When Pres. Banks gets back next week, he is going to help us get lined up on an e-mail connection. In the meantime I will send this to Marie on Pres. Banks’ e-mail and have her forward it to you. Have a wonderful Christmas. Right now you can write to us on Pres. Banks’ e-mail. His address is bradbbanks @ aol.com.Love, Gary & ShirleyDec. 29, 2002
Dear Family and Friends,
Sunday
Yesterday, Shirley and I did our Sat. work and then got on a street car at the Hiroshima Station and went into town to look around. The shopping areas of Hiroshima are huge and we strolled around from street to street and shop to shop. Saturday is our P-day and about the first time we have had to look around. We are having trouble getting an ATM machine to take our credit cards. So far we haven’t found one but I am having the bank look into the problem. If they don’t work on our cards we will have to go to plan B. (I’m not sure what that is.)
We took our little Christmas Tree out and we seem to be getting more and more straightened around. While we were shopping today, we bought some pie tins and a rolling pin and are ready to make pies. We made a couple of apple pies and considering the oven (I finally figured out how to turn it on) and everything being so different, the pies turned out pretty well. We have allot of interesting goodies sitting around the house. Some we brought and others were given to us by the different missionaries at the zone conference on Christmas. Some things looked so bad that Shirley gave them to the Elders here and they really went down on them. Shirley is a really a good sport and samples each of the goodies (at least once).
Today we went to our Church meetings. One of the Elder’s translates for us during Sacrament meeting. We have a new missionary and one or two other people here from Brazil and one of the missionaries speaks Portuguese and he translates for them. We are getting acquainted with quite a few of the Ward members. I am looking forward to attending Sunday Meetings in the other Takasu Ward (where I was when I was here before). I may find someone I know.
Dear Family,
Mer, would you please e-mail this to just the immediate family members this time? I am including some information on phoning, time schedules, etc. It was enjoyable to talk to you and E. on the phone, today. Its sounds like everyone had a great Christmas.
Sun. Dec. 22, 2002
We have had an enjoyable day. We attended our Sunday meetings in the chapel here in the mission complex. It is a comparatively large ward, about 77 members. We were interested in the make-up of the members. There were two families where the fathers were American (returned missionaries to Japan) and the mothers were Japanese. Two members (Japanese) from Brazil. Several missionaries serving in the Hiroshima area and the rest were local members. In the High Priest group there were ten present. It is remarkable how the Church has grown since I was here before (barely a Branch with one or two Priesthood members at the most and the missionaries serving as Branch Pres. and taking care of most of the Church services).
There is another ward in the western part of town. They have constructed a new church building on the property where I lived before. They tore down our building (it was a regular Japanese home that had been converted into Elder’s quarters and where we held church); then constructed a new church. I am anxious to se that building. (Property is so expensive and hard to get here in Japan, this same thing has happened in many of the missions in Japan). We are anxious to see if there are any members still living or who have remained active from when I was here.
Our Mission Pres. says the Church is encouraging college age Japanese members to attend school at BYU or BYU Hawaii, so they can be around other Church members and see how the Church really functions. This also helps them break away from traditional family practices that are contrary to good Church activity.
I find that my language skills are really lacking. I can carry on a simple conversation but I had trouble understanding the talks and lessons that were given in Church today. Everyone tells me that will gradually improve as I go along. (I hope they are right.) Shirley is doing well with the language she learned at the MTC. Getting used to the way the Japanese speak the language is different, but as we get used to the way they speak it, I’m sure it will become easier.
Right now there are six Elders that work in the Mission Office. One Elder is training me and one is training Shirley. Two of the Elders are native Japanese Elders who speak very little English; and two Elders are serving as assistants to the President. Pres. Banks said that right now all the missionaries in the Mission (137 or them) seem to be doing very well. We have been impressed with what we have seen. We met some of them at the Provo MTC and they arrived here before we did.
Mon. Dec 23
It has been a beautiful, warm, sunshiny day here, today. A mountain of mail is being delivered here everyday which has kept Mom really busy (forwarding the missionary’s mail out to them in the mission). You can tell its getting close to Christmas.
The ward had their Christmas party this evening. They asked Mom and I to tell some of the Christmas traditions our family has. We did it in English with one of the office Elder’s (Elder Robertson) translate for us. It was a fun party and we enjoyed watching the little Japanese kids. They had little packages of goodies for each.
Sis. Banks said the e-mail we sent to Mer last week, evidently didn’t go through. I’m afraid she stills hasn’t got her computer’s e-mail up yet. Any way we re-sent it to Sherry and eventually we hope you will get it so that you will know we are here.
Tues. Dec. 24
Today we were happy to receive e-mail from Marie and also from Matt & Jen, so I guess our first one went through. They are still trying to get our e-mail connected up. Until then we will continue to impose on the Banks’.
Tonight, all the hombu (mission home) missionaries were invited over to Bro. & Sis. Tanaka’s home for dinner and Christmas caroling around their neighborhood. We had an enjoyable time. The caroling was fun and seemed to be well accepted by those non-LDS neighbors.
Dec. 25, Christmas Day
Today they had a zone conference here in the Hiroshima District. We attended most of the conference along with getting today’s Christmas Mail delivered to all the Missionaries that were here. We were introduced and gave a little of our background and family info. There were about 40 Missionaries in attendance. Everyone seemed interested to know that I served as a missionary right here in Hiroshima 48 years ago. After our introduction, all the missionaries came through the line to meet us (much like a wedding reception) and gave us a little gift of some kind. We were really loaded up! Our Mission Pres. and his wife both gave excellent talks on the atonement (Christ’s gift to us). This afternoon we went to see about getting lined up on my medicine and got back in time for the missionary testimony meeting.
Tonight we met with all those who are attending English study class, which I think we will be teaching. English study seems to be a way of proselytizing (as it was when I was here before). We surely hope you had a good Christmas and I’m sure we had one we won’t forget for a long time.
Dec. 26,
Today we had a mountain of Christmas letters and packages to forward to the missionaries. Today was P-day for our missionaries so everyone was anxious to get on the phone and talk to their families. Pres. Bank made a rule that a limit for a call home was 30 minutes.
Sherry, there are one or two things that I wish you would check on for us. I have charged some things on my Capitol One credit card. Would you please watch for those bills and pay them off when they come?
Also they tell us here that the most economical way to phone is to have the call originate in the US and use a phone card. The best deal on a phone card is one purchased at Costco. Would you please purchase a $20. or $25. card for each family (including one for Mike and Vanessa)? Then you can call us instead of us calling you.
Here are our phone numbers:
Wed. Dec. 18, 2002
Dear Family,
Well we’re here in Japan! We arrived about 9:30 PM last night. We are so excited to be here.
Boy, what a day yesterday (Monday) turned out to be. We were up at 5:00 AM getting the last of our things stuffed into our suitcases. The MTC missionary was on the job at 6:30 to take us to the airport. We got all checked in and on our way to San Francisco at about 10:00 AM (about 1:00 hour late) and made it to San Franscico in time to get on our connecting flight at 12:00 PM. We were on a big 747 plane that was completely loaded. We didn’t have to have any of our luggage inspected and got to Osaka without a hitch, after crossing the international date line and arriving in Osaka at 6:30 PM on Tues.
At Osaka after clearing customs and just getting started to see about getting tickets on the Shinkansen to Kyoto, up walked Pres. Banks. He had come clear to Osaka to meet us and make sure we made all our connections to Hiroshima. What a special effort that was on his part. By the time we got to Hiroshima we were very well acquainted with him. When we pulled up to the station in Hiroshima we looked out the window and there stood Sis. Banks and two Elders holding a huge sign to welcome us. We really felt special by the time we got to the our apartment where there was a little Christmas Tree all decorated on our table, flowers, the door to our apartment all decorated, and a plate full of delicious goodies to eat. A far cry from the welcoming I got on my first mission. (Senior couples really have it made!)
Today we have been getting all our stuff moved in and put away. The mission home and office is really nice. We really like our apartment. It is compact in size and very convenient -nice modern bathroom, well equipped kitchen, washer and dryer. Much like Afton and Howard’s apartment in Hong Kong except a little smaller, I think.
This morning Sis. Banks took us around the area to show us where all the shopping places are and helped us get a few things we need. Tomorrow we start in on our assignments at 8:30 AM. Shirley will be the mission secretary and I will be the mission financial secretary. Pres. and Sis. Banks left this afternoon for zone conferences until Saturday. We are really excited about our mission.
When Pres. Banks gets back next week, he is going to help us get lined up on an e-mail connection. In the meantime I will send this to Marie on Pres. Banks’ e-mail and have her forward it to you. Have a wonderful Christmas. Right now you can write to us on Pres. Banks’ e-mail. His address is bradbbanks @ aol.com.
Love, Gary & Shirley
Sunday Dec. 1, 2002
Konichi wa....(hello)
It is time to write again. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving Day and a good week. We were able to get away in the afternoon. Marie and Chris invited us and Elaine to eat Thanksgiving dinner with them with Chris’ family in Springville. We had a wonderful meal and a good time.
Thurs. morning all the missionaries assembled to see “The Other Side of Heaven”. Afterwards Elder and Sis. Groberg talked to us about his experiences in Tonga and then answered many questions that some of the missionaries asked. It was really interesting, faith promoting, and inspiring. Elder Groberg indicated that he was my age (68) and I figuered out that we were at the ‘Y’ at the same time and on our missions at the same time. My mission was certainly nothing like his.
That evening we attended a fireside with all the missionaries. It was a testimony meeting with special musical numbers in between. Some of the missionaries told about their conversions and the sacrifices they have made to be members of the Church and to be going into the missionfield at this time. Very enjoyable.
Our departure date has been moved to Mon. Dec. 16. We hope we will be ready by then. Friday we had a substitute teacher for one of our language study sessions. He had a unique way of teaching Japanese. He had made up some little songs with certain grammar rules. Shirley was having trouble using the ending for some of the verbs, so he taught her a ‘rap’ song that goes like this: “i, kunai, katta, kunakatta desu”. He also taught us a song to the tune of “My Favorite Things” that teaches how to use the particles in Japanese. Now I hear her singing these songs all the time (they really seem to work).
They have had to depend on me to accompany the singing in Priesthood Meeting. Pres. Rowe was complimenting me on sticking to the piano when I was young. He said that he had started but fizzeled out and then others commented that they had too. I said, “But you didn’t have a mother like I had!” We finally got to see Tony Wilson. He seems to be doing well with the language for having been here two weeks.
Our family is coming up here today for a pre-Christmas get together at Marie’s. It will be exciting to see everyone.
We appreciated e-mails from Ann, Mike, and a letter from the Dutsons. Afton, thanks for all the details about your house, your candle fire, and your trip to Branson. It is a blessing that your living room roof didn’t come down. That just goes to show you are living right! Even though it was a big mess, it was good you were able to have Thanksgiving there and I’ll bet it turned out nice. So good you decided to go ahead with the remodel when you did. I was surprised to hear that the Church is tearing down that beautiful building where you worked in Hong Kong. We were so impressed with your facilities there. However, the Church has to keep up with expansion and I’m sure the new building will be really nice also. We really appreciate Marie and Chris keeping the e-mails going and all of the family doing special things to help us get on our way.The MTC here is a really inspirational place. We will certainly remember our stay here. We notice that this is the second or third marriage for many of the couples here. There are also some single sisters here. Evidently they don’t allow single men to serve missions. Its also interesting that every couple who are learning a language said they stated on their application that they did not want to learn a new language. Does that tell us something?
Christmas is on its way. It sounds like a big job that we will miss out on, but it is a good family time. We hope you are all doing well.
Sayonara, Ropa Choro & Ropa Shimai
Monday, June 23, 2008
December 28, 2003
Dec. 28, 2003
Happy Holidays to all our family and friends,
By now most of the holiday excitement has passed! We had a wonderful Christmas and looking forward to New Years, which traditionaly is the most celebrated holiday in Japan. I was just noticing that the bank will be closed five straight days next week, along with most of the Post Offices. I believe they will deliver the mail on most of those days and some of the central Post Offices will accept new mail.
On Christmas Eve, the Tanaka family held their traditional Christmas Eve Caroling party. We were invited again this year, but that was the day Pres. Banks was going to Osaka to pick up his children and so we didn’t have transportation to Tanakas. But at about 9:00 PM we had a knock on our door and there was the whole party group out in the hall to sing carols to us. That was really nice of them! The Japanese Shimai’s (sisters) brought us some delicacy that had something in it that Mom thought looked scary, it looked a little suspicious to me too, being that it had a big fat egg sitting in the middle of it and other little floaties in it. Mom got Elder Aoki to eat it and made him promise not to tell the sisters.
On Christmas day (your Wednesday) it was hard to get a phone line through because all of the missionary’s families were calling their sons and daughters. However, we did spend most of the time on the phone. The ones we didn’t talk to that day, called the next day (your Christmas day). It was fun to hear from all our family. We also received cards or letters from Afton (including a clever poem she made up). Dot (reporting on Misty and Austin’s new baby girl –Congratulations), Ann (bringing us up-to-date on Shirley’s family), Kathleen and Wilmer’s family newsletter and the 20th Ward Newsletter. Thanks to all of you.
Christmas Day we met Pres. and Sis. Bank’s son Joshua, and his wife; and daughter Annika. It was nice they could come and it really brightened the holidays for the Banks. They will be here for about a week. Annika is a hairdresser and has promised to cut Mom’s hair while she is here. The Banks’ other daughter Emily and her husband and little son were here last April for a week and couldn’t get off work to come with the family now. Yesterday, they rode out to Iwakuni sightseeing, and tomorrow they are going to Himeji to see a castle there. Pres. Banks’ work has slacked off this time of year so this is a good time for them to come.
I think I mentioned this before, but every year my postmaster friend, Mr. Miyake’s, brother-in-law goes hunting wild boar near here. This year while we were down to the Temple, Miyake brought a piece of the meat over for us but we were gone so gave it to Pres. Banks to give it to us. He put it in his freezer. It was a while before we heard about it, which was making Miyaki nervous. But we did get the meat and cooked it up last week. It tasted very good. Pres. Banks saved the piece Miyaki gave him until today (when the family was here) and they cooked theirs up. We all agreed it was delicious. It tastes more like beef than pork. We had heard that the smell was similar to antelope meat, but we didn’t find that to be the case. We all really enjoyed it.
There isn’t very much to report, this week. We have a lot of year-end work to be done and it is complicated because so many places here are on vacation. We always look forward to hearing from home. We hope the rest of the Holidays are good for you.
Love, The Ropa Senkyoshii-
Happy Holidays to all our family and friends,
By now most of the holiday excitement has passed! We had a wonderful Christmas and looking forward to New Years, which traditionaly is the most celebrated holiday in Japan. I was just noticing that the bank will be closed five straight days next week, along with most of the Post Offices. I believe they will deliver the mail on most of those days and some of the central Post Offices will accept new mail.
On Christmas Eve, the Tanaka family held their traditional Christmas Eve Caroling party. We were invited again this year, but that was the day Pres. Banks was going to Osaka to pick up his children and so we didn’t have transportation to Tanakas. But at about 9:00 PM we had a knock on our door and there was the whole party group out in the hall to sing carols to us. That was really nice of them! The Japanese Shimai’s (sisters) brought us some delicacy that had something in it that Mom thought looked scary, it looked a little suspicious to me too, being that it had a big fat egg sitting in the middle of it and other little floaties in it. Mom got Elder Aoki to eat it and made him promise not to tell the sisters.
On Christmas day (your Wednesday) it was hard to get a phone line through because all of the missionary’s families were calling their sons and daughters. However, we did spend most of the time on the phone. The ones we didn’t talk to that day, called the next day (your Christmas day). It was fun to hear from all our family. We also received cards or letters from Afton (including a clever poem she made up). Dot (reporting on Misty and Austin’s new baby girl –Congratulations), Ann (bringing us up-to-date on Shirley’s family), Kathleen and Wilmer’s family newsletter and the 20th Ward Newsletter. Thanks to all of you.
Christmas Day we met Pres. and Sis. Bank’s son Joshua, and his wife; and daughter Annika. It was nice they could come and it really brightened the holidays for the Banks. They will be here for about a week. Annika is a hairdresser and has promised to cut Mom’s hair while she is here. The Banks’ other daughter Emily and her husband and little son were here last April for a week and couldn’t get off work to come with the family now. Yesterday, they rode out to Iwakuni sightseeing, and tomorrow they are going to Himeji to see a castle there. Pres. Banks’ work has slacked off this time of year so this is a good time for them to come.
I think I mentioned this before, but every year my postmaster friend, Mr. Miyake’s, brother-in-law goes hunting wild boar near here. This year while we were down to the Temple, Miyake brought a piece of the meat over for us but we were gone so gave it to Pres. Banks to give it to us. He put it in his freezer. It was a while before we heard about it, which was making Miyaki nervous. But we did get the meat and cooked it up last week. It tasted very good. Pres. Banks saved the piece Miyaki gave him until today (when the family was here) and they cooked theirs up. We all agreed it was delicious. It tastes more like beef than pork. We had heard that the smell was similar to antelope meat, but we didn’t find that to be the case. We all really enjoyed it.
There isn’t very much to report, this week. We have a lot of year-end work to be done and it is complicated because so many places here are on vacation. We always look forward to hearing from home. We hope the rest of the Holidays are good for you.
Love, The Ropa Senkyoshii-
December 23, 2003
Dec. 21, 2003
Dear Family and Friends,
It has turned really cold here. In fact, yesterday it snowed on and off all day (between sun and clouds). Of course it didn’t snow enough so that it stayed on the ground but it was unusual for Japan. Some of the children in the ward, who came with their mothers to church, made several small snowmen (about 10 inches high) and put them on the railing outside the church building. They were really cute.
We told you about them asking Shirley to help with the food for our Ward Christmas party, last evening. Mom never could find out exactly what they had in mind (I don’t think they knew themselves). But anyway Mom came up with a recipe called ‘hay-stacks’ and they asked her to oversee it as the main course. Hay-stacks are cut-up chicken in a gravy sauce on rice, with cut up onions, pineapple chunks, tomatoes, mushrooms ect. on top, with grated cheese on top of that. One of the Relief Society ladies said she had tried the recipe a few nights before because she couldn’t imagine pineapple in it but she really liked it. And Mom made several pans of desert –a nut crust with a layer of chocolate pudding and a layer of regular pudding and cream cheese whip cream on top. Then we heard that they were asking members to bring potluck.
Anyway the party was widely advertised so as to get as many investigators there as possible. We really encouraged all our English class members to come and many of them did. After the program (which included a Christmas story from Mom); they started to set-up food all over the room and the hallway. They brought in some tarps to set some tables to put the food on but there was no place to sit! So everyone started moving chairs around the room to sit on. It looked so terribly disorganized to us, but everyone started eating. One of our English class ladies said she had looked all over but couldn’t find the
Dear Family and Friends,
It has turned really cold here. In fact, yesterday it snowed on and off all day (between sun and clouds). Of course it didn’t snow enough so that it stayed on the ground but it was unusual for Japan. Some of the children in the ward, who came with their mothers to church, made several small snowmen (about 10 inches high) and put them on the railing outside the church building. They were really cute.
We told you about them asking Shirley to help with the food for our Ward Christmas party, last evening. Mom never could find out exactly what they had in mind (I don’t think they knew themselves). But anyway Mom came up with a recipe called ‘hay-stacks’ and they asked her to oversee it as the main course. Hay-stacks are cut-up chicken in a gravy sauce on rice, with cut up onions, pineapple chunks, tomatoes, mushrooms ect. on top, with grated cheese on top of that. One of the Relief Society ladies said she had tried the recipe a few nights before because she couldn’t imagine pineapple in it but she really liked it. And Mom made several pans of desert –a nut crust with a layer of chocolate pudding and a layer of regular pudding and cream cheese whip cream on top. Then we heard that they were asking members to bring potluck.
Anyway the party was widely advertised so as to get as many investigators there as possible. We really encouraged all our English class members to come and many of them did. After the program (which included a Christmas story from Mom); they started to set-up food all over the room and the hallway. They brought in some tarps to set some tables to put the food on but there was no place to sit! So everyone started moving chairs around the room to sit on. It looked so terribly disorganized to us, but everyone started eating. One of our English class ladies said she had looked all over but couldn’t find the
December 14, 2003
Sun. Dec. 14, 2003
Dear Family and anyone else who might read this:
I can’t believe how near to Christmas it has become. The Japenese merchants are surely on to squeezing every yen they possible can out of a holiday that isn’t even commemorated by the Japanese. There is Christmas decorations and Christmas music everywhere. Yesterday we saw a shop loaded with Christmas nick-naks with a sign, “Happy Silent Night”.
We had Bus tickets to go to Fukuoka to the Temple. But when I got around to checking them out, they had us scheduled for Friday, instead of Sat. So I went back to exchange the tickets and they said the Bus for Sat. morning was full and sold out. So if we wanted to go and get there for more than one session, we decided to take the shinkansen (train). The price is overwhelming, but we made it down in one hour. (Mom noted how it took ½ hour to get from the train station to the Temple by bus.) Anyway we had an enjoyable day at the Temple. The first session we attended was full (they had to bring in extra chairs). But there were only about 15 people in the next session.
They had one American working in our sessions. We talked to him after and he said he has been in Japan 13 years. He originally served here on a mission, married a Japanese member and has six children (none of them speak English). He said he is originally from Ohio and now lives about ½ way between Nagasaki and Fukuoka and works in the Temple when he can. He is employed by a computer Co. and can’t afford to go to the States very often. We can’t imagine how that would be!
Friday morning Pres. Banks called all the Mission Home Elders into his office and announced that Elder Carter who is down in Takamatsu is sick and he was sending Elder Hollis down to take his place so Elder Carter could come up here and recuperate. We all tried to not act overjoyed that Elder Hollis was finally going! He told Mom: “I’s goin to the states some day an when I do I’s fa shu goin to stop in Ceda City and see ya all.” Mom said, “Don’t forget –and don’t forget how to speak Australian,
either”. He didn’t leave until late in the afternoon. He said it would take him all day to pack. But after ten minutes he was all packed and back in the office with nothing to do until he left, so it was a long day. But you can’t believe how quiet it is around here now!
We talked to Dr. Kiribayashi in church today. He said he had picked up two doses of flu serum and would give us our shots next Sunday. We were afraid we might miss out this year.
Tonight we went out to the Takasu Ward to watch the replay of the First Pres. Christmas devotional. We really enjoyed it. It seems amazing how those three brethren can give so many great talks! They are certainly inspired.
It has been nice to hear from many of you this past week. It sounds like so far, everyone is escaping the flu. I hope that continues. Until next week---
Love, Gary and Shirley
Dear Family and anyone else who might read this:
I can’t believe how near to Christmas it has become. The Japenese merchants are surely on to squeezing every yen they possible can out of a holiday that isn’t even commemorated by the Japanese. There is Christmas decorations and Christmas music everywhere. Yesterday we saw a shop loaded with Christmas nick-naks with a sign, “Happy Silent Night”.
We had Bus tickets to go to Fukuoka to the Temple. But when I got around to checking them out, they had us scheduled for Friday, instead of Sat. So I went back to exchange the tickets and they said the Bus for Sat. morning was full and sold out. So if we wanted to go and get there for more than one session, we decided to take the shinkansen (train). The price is overwhelming, but we made it down in one hour. (Mom noted how it took ½ hour to get from the train station to the Temple by bus.) Anyway we had an enjoyable day at the Temple. The first session we attended was full (they had to bring in extra chairs). But there were only about 15 people in the next session.
They had one American working in our sessions. We talked to him after and he said he has been in Japan 13 years. He originally served here on a mission, married a Japanese member and has six children (none of them speak English). He said he is originally from Ohio and now lives about ½ way between Nagasaki and Fukuoka and works in the Temple when he can. He is employed by a computer Co. and can’t afford to go to the States very often. We can’t imagine how that would be!
Friday morning Pres. Banks called all the Mission Home Elders into his office and announced that Elder Carter who is down in Takamatsu is sick and he was sending Elder Hollis down to take his place so Elder Carter could come up here and recuperate. We all tried to not act overjoyed that Elder Hollis was finally going! He told Mom: “I’s goin to the states some day an when I do I’s fa shu goin to stop in Ceda City and see ya all.” Mom said, “Don’t forget –and don’t forget how to speak Australian,
either”. He didn’t leave until late in the afternoon. He said it would take him all day to pack. But after ten minutes he was all packed and back in the office with nothing to do until he left, so it was a long day. But you can’t believe how quiet it is around here now!
We talked to Dr. Kiribayashi in church today. He said he had picked up two doses of flu serum and would give us our shots next Sunday. We were afraid we might miss out this year.
Tonight we went out to the Takasu Ward to watch the replay of the First Pres. Christmas devotional. We really enjoyed it. It seems amazing how those three brethren can give so many great talks! They are certainly inspired.
It has been nice to hear from many of you this past week. It sounds like so far, everyone is escaping the flu. I hope that continues. Until next week---
Love, Gary and Shirley
December 7,2003
Sunday Dec. 7, 2003
Dear Family and Friends,
It is Dec., already! This is a wonderful time of the year, here in the mission field. So far the temperatures have remained fairly warm. We have some rain but it is still pleasant to be outside. Mom has had some rheumatism, but other than that we are staying well.
Last Thurs. all the mission office staff decided to go to a hospital down by the genbaku dome (Peace Park) and get flu shots. Elder Aoki said he had made arrangements but when we got there they were out of flu vaccine, so we came back without our shots. Today in Church I asked Bro. Kiribayashi (the Dr. in our bishopric) about it and he said he was sure we could still get them. He said he would check and get back with me. We hear that the flu is very severe in the US and feel safer here with a shot.
The Elder in the office (from Australia) is supposed to be transferred very soon. Pres. Banks can’t figure out what possessed him when he decided to have Elder Hollis come into the office. I think it was to help us here in the office develop patience. Basically he is a good Elder but it is talk, talk, and talk in that Australian accent. He thinks he knows everything and when I go to talk to one of the other missionaries he comes right over and answers my question. Everybody’s business is his business! The other day Pres. Banks got up tight when Elder Hollis told him that he needs to make sure he releases the emergency break on his car when he drives. Pres. Banks is a truck driver from way back! The other day I answered the phone and Elder Hollis said, “Sis. Lawson wants to speak to Sis. Roper”. I told Mom and she said she didn’t know any Lawsons. When she got on the phone she found out it was Sis. Larsen, the mother calling about her son that is serving here. It takes Elder HolliLast night we had another Elder from Brasil come in. He was supposed to have been here with the last new missionaries but he was delayed because his visa hadn’t arrived when the rest came. We are getting ready for nine new miss. to come in on Dec. 23, and fifteen returning missionaries to go home on Dec. 19. That has really kept Mom busy these last weeks. Even after she sends several letters home explaining everything to the parents, she still gets phone calls asking her the same questions she has already answered for them in the mailings. We have developed a really appreciation for Mission Pres. and their staffs.
The bishopric asked me to talk about the Savior on the sacrament meeting before Christmas. Mom felt real good about that, and thought she was off the hook. Then things took a turn for the worse. Last Sunday one of the ladies in the ward asked Mom if she s forever to explain the simplest things and repeating the obvious. He started explaining something and after about five minutes Mom said, “If you can’t say it in five words or less, forget about it!” and he kept on with the explanation until finally Mom just got out of her desk and left Elder Hollis standing there talking to himself. He is training Elder Wallace, who is taking his place as mission recorder, and he drones on all day long until we are about ready to scream! So much for that. would do a demonstration of a favorite Christmas recipe at the Ward Christmas Party, and Mom said “okay”. Then later that day she called and said they had changed their mind and now they wanted her to organize the whole Christmas dinner with American recipes. Mom’s starting to worry now and spent all week coming up with recipes/amounts for 50 people. She thinks they’re meeting today to talk about it but has a hard time to find out. Then the head of the Christmas Committee asked her if she would give a 7 minute talk at the party and Mom thought he asked her to pray, then after she said “Yes” she finds out she just said “Yes” to a talk. To go on with the story; they’re supposed to have a meeting on the 3rd Floor, but when she gets there nobody knows where so they have it in the hall with everybody passing by inserting their own comments here and there. The Bishop and Committee person are shocked to see all the planning that had been done and were unaware that that’s what she was supposed to do. The Bishop said, “Who asked you to do this?” Mom said Muranaka Shimai just as she was walking up. Then she reassured them that she had asked Ropa Shimai to do that, BUT now they had changed their mind and wanted to have a potluck dinner because it would be cheaper. By then Mom was in a daze not sure what was going on, but they said they would e-mail her and let her know.
I apologize that some of these letters don’t have much substance. But we are doing well and in spite of problems (as everyone has) really enjoy our work. We always enjoy hearing from home and every night Mom takes a few minutes and looks through all the family pictures we have collected. May you all be blessed with health this flu season.
Love, Ropa Senkyoshi
Dear Family and Friends,
It is Dec., already! This is a wonderful time of the year, here in the mission field. So far the temperatures have remained fairly warm. We have some rain but it is still pleasant to be outside. Mom has had some rheumatism, but other than that we are staying well.
Last Thurs. all the mission office staff decided to go to a hospital down by the genbaku dome (Peace Park) and get flu shots. Elder Aoki said he had made arrangements but when we got there they were out of flu vaccine, so we came back without our shots. Today in Church I asked Bro. Kiribayashi (the Dr. in our bishopric) about it and he said he was sure we could still get them. He said he would check and get back with me. We hear that the flu is very severe in the US and feel safer here with a shot.
The Elder in the office (from Australia) is supposed to be transferred very soon. Pres. Banks can’t figure out what possessed him when he decided to have Elder Hollis come into the office. I think it was to help us here in the office develop patience. Basically he is a good Elder but it is talk, talk, and talk in that Australian accent. He thinks he knows everything and when I go to talk to one of the other missionaries he comes right over and answers my question. Everybody’s business is his business! The other day Pres. Banks got up tight when Elder Hollis told him that he needs to make sure he releases the emergency break on his car when he drives. Pres. Banks is a truck driver from way back! The other day I answered the phone and Elder Hollis said, “Sis. Lawson wants to speak to Sis. Roper”. I told Mom and she said she didn’t know any Lawsons. When she got on the phone she found out it was Sis. Larsen, the mother calling about her son that is serving here. It takes Elder HolliLast night we had another Elder from Brasil come in. He was supposed to have been here with the last new missionaries but he was delayed because his visa hadn’t arrived when the rest came. We are getting ready for nine new miss. to come in on Dec. 23, and fifteen returning missionaries to go home on Dec. 19. That has really kept Mom busy these last weeks. Even after she sends several letters home explaining everything to the parents, she still gets phone calls asking her the same questions she has already answered for them in the mailings. We have developed a really appreciation for Mission Pres. and their staffs.
The bishopric asked me to talk about the Savior on the sacrament meeting before Christmas. Mom felt real good about that, and thought she was off the hook. Then things took a turn for the worse. Last Sunday one of the ladies in the ward asked Mom if she s forever to explain the simplest things and repeating the obvious. He started explaining something and after about five minutes Mom said, “If you can’t say it in five words or less, forget about it!” and he kept on with the explanation until finally Mom just got out of her desk and left Elder Hollis standing there talking to himself. He is training Elder Wallace, who is taking his place as mission recorder, and he drones on all day long until we are about ready to scream! So much for that. would do a demonstration of a favorite Christmas recipe at the Ward Christmas Party, and Mom said “okay”. Then later that day she called and said they had changed their mind and now they wanted her to organize the whole Christmas dinner with American recipes. Mom’s starting to worry now and spent all week coming up with recipes/amounts for 50 people. She thinks they’re meeting today to talk about it but has a hard time to find out. Then the head of the Christmas Committee asked her if she would give a 7 minute talk at the party and Mom thought he asked her to pray, then after she said “Yes” she finds out she just said “Yes” to a talk. To go on with the story; they’re supposed to have a meeting on the 3rd Floor, but when she gets there nobody knows where so they have it in the hall with everybody passing by inserting their own comments here and there. The Bishop and Committee person are shocked to see all the planning that had been done and were unaware that that’s what she was supposed to do. The Bishop said, “Who asked you to do this?” Mom said Muranaka Shimai just as she was walking up. Then she reassured them that she had asked Ropa Shimai to do that, BUT now they had changed their mind and wanted to have a potluck dinner because it would be cheaper. By then Mom was in a daze not sure what was going on, but they said they would e-mail her and let her know.
I apologize that some of these letters don’t have much substance. But we are doing well and in spite of problems (as everyone has) really enjoy our work. We always enjoy hearing from home and every night Mom takes a few minutes and looks through all the family pictures we have collected. May you all be blessed with health this flu season.
Love, Ropa Senkyoshi
November 30, 2003
Sunday, Nov. 30, 2003
Dear Family and Friends,
We hope everyone had as nice a Thanksgiving and we did. Sis. Banks invited all the missionaries from the Hiroshima Stake to dinner. She cooked the turkey and they purchased some items up to Costco, when they were up to Kobe last week. However, everyone that came was assigned certain food items to go with the meal. We had the pie detail. There were close to 30 people for dinner and it was a great success!
We had dinner at 4:00 PM and there was enough food so that everyone could get his or her fill. Nearly everyone went back for seconds and I noticed some of the Elders ended up with three big plates full of food, not counting desert (I don’t know where they put it all). Then after that, Sis. Banks fixed up leftovers for those who wanted to, could take some home. It was cold and rainy that day and after we got through with dinner, the missionaries had to go back out and proselyte. Unfortunately the Japanese people know nothing about Thanksgiving except most of the members have heard about it.
Last night I was in the office and some Elders came in and said that a Miyake San, the postmaster, was down at the front door to see me. So I went down and there he was with a big fish that he had caught and wanted us to have it. I graciously accepted it but wondered what to do with it. It was a yellow tail that he caught in the ocean out by Miyajima. I took it up to the apartment and cut off its head and tail and cleaned it. Mom held her nose and gave it a strange look and declared she wasn’t about to touch it let alone clean it! Then Mom called Sis. Banks and asked if they wanted some of it, and I ended up taking ½ up for them. Anyway we had it for dinner today and it was very good.
Miyake San is not one bit interested in the Church but has made good friends with the Sr. couples from the states that have served here. He is trying to learn English and every chance he gets he speaks English to me. He is very friendly. Every time I go over to the Post Office, he comes out and talks with me and then walks back over here with me. He is a very interesting person!
Today in Sacrament Meeting, one of the member’s and her little boy (about 10 months old) was sitting in front of us. The little boy turned around and got interested in Mom and wanted to come back with us. So he had the best time on Mom’s lap. Finally his mother had to leave Sac. Meet. and take her husband home because he was ill, and ask Mom if it would be all right to leave him until she got back. He was really good and they got along fine, but he was a big baby and I think Mom was a little worn out by the time she returned. The kids here are really cute and remind us of our grandchildren at home.
Everything here is decorated for Christmas and very commercial (even though most people don’t even know what Christmas is about). We hope you won’t try and send anything over to us for Christmas (except maybe photos of the family) because we have everything we want and need (if we do need something, Sherry sees that we get it). Tonight we are going up to Pres. Banks apt. and watch the Christmas video that the Church has sent out with the Dec. Ensign.
I guess it is time to close. We have enjoyed many e-mails and telephone calls again this week. We hope you have a good week.
Love from the Ropers
Dear Family and Friends,
We hope everyone had as nice a Thanksgiving and we did. Sis. Banks invited all the missionaries from the Hiroshima Stake to dinner. She cooked the turkey and they purchased some items up to Costco, when they were up to Kobe last week. However, everyone that came was assigned certain food items to go with the meal. We had the pie detail. There were close to 30 people for dinner and it was a great success!
We had dinner at 4:00 PM and there was enough food so that everyone could get his or her fill. Nearly everyone went back for seconds and I noticed some of the Elders ended up with three big plates full of food, not counting desert (I don’t know where they put it all). Then after that, Sis. Banks fixed up leftovers for those who wanted to, could take some home. It was cold and rainy that day and after we got through with dinner, the missionaries had to go back out and proselyte. Unfortunately the Japanese people know nothing about Thanksgiving except most of the members have heard about it.
Last night I was in the office and some Elders came in and said that a Miyake San, the postmaster, was down at the front door to see me. So I went down and there he was with a big fish that he had caught and wanted us to have it. I graciously accepted it but wondered what to do with it. It was a yellow tail that he caught in the ocean out by Miyajima. I took it up to the apartment and cut off its head and tail and cleaned it. Mom held her nose and gave it a strange look and declared she wasn’t about to touch it let alone clean it! Then Mom called Sis. Banks and asked if they wanted some of it, and I ended up taking ½ up for them. Anyway we had it for dinner today and it was very good.
Miyake San is not one bit interested in the Church but has made good friends with the Sr. couples from the states that have served here. He is trying to learn English and every chance he gets he speaks English to me. He is very friendly. Every time I go over to the Post Office, he comes out and talks with me and then walks back over here with me. He is a very interesting person!
Today in Sacrament Meeting, one of the member’s and her little boy (about 10 months old) was sitting in front of us. The little boy turned around and got interested in Mom and wanted to come back with us. So he had the best time on Mom’s lap. Finally his mother had to leave Sac. Meet. and take her husband home because he was ill, and ask Mom if it would be all right to leave him until she got back. He was really good and they got along fine, but he was a big baby and I think Mom was a little worn out by the time she returned. The kids here are really cute and remind us of our grandchildren at home.
Everything here is decorated for Christmas and very commercial (even though most people don’t even know what Christmas is about). We hope you won’t try and send anything over to us for Christmas (except maybe photos of the family) because we have everything we want and need (if we do need something, Sherry sees that we get it). Tonight we are going up to Pres. Banks apt. and watch the Christmas video that the Church has sent out with the Dec. Ensign.
I guess it is time to close. We have enjoyed many e-mails and telephone calls again this week. We hope you have a good week.
Love from the Ropers
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