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
November 23, 2003
November 23, 2003
Dear Whoever Reads This:
It will soon be Thanksgiving, although the Japanese don’t recognize it as one of their holidays. Sis. Banks has invited all the missionaries in this immediate area to have dinner in their apartment. Her and Mom are working out the details and everyone that comes will help with the dinner, so it won’t be hard on one or two people, there will be about 25 of usfor dinner. It should be a nice day. We miss not being home with our family but this will be second best. We hope all of you will have your families together and have an enjoyable time.
This past week was new missionaries coming in, returning missionaries going home and transfers. It was hair-raising! The 11 new miss. were supposed to arrive here Tues. evening; but just at the last minute, Pres. Banks got a call from SLC that there plane was late because of bad weather and they would not be able to leave until the next day. That would put them here on the same day that the Elder’s going home would be coming in. So Pres. Banks decided to rush the orientation for the new miss. so that they could leave for their new areas on Thurs. afternoon.
The new miss. were an ‘up-tight’ bunch. They got through with their orientation just before 1:00 PM and some of them had to catch the train at 1:15. They had to gobble down the nice lunch that Sis. Banks had prepared and headed out for the train station. On the way 3 of the missionaries turned up missing and Pres. Banks had to stop and look for them. One new Elder was waiting up in the Bank’s Apt. and thought he had been left and he started hyperventilating ( fortunately his train didn’t leave until 2:30 PM.). They all made their train connections but one of the new Elders got confused and didn’t meet his new companion until 10:45 that night.
Meanwhile, The two AP’s were supposed to stay in the mission office and answer the calls from the transferring missionaries and direct them to their new areas. The AP’s had disappeared (I guess helping Pres. Banks with the new miss.) and didn’t show up until later in the day. The phone kept ringing with questions from the transferring missionaries. The regular office Elders were on their P-day and only Mom was here to answer their calls and help them with their questions. She didn’t know their schedules so they just had to wait and call later when the AP’s finally showed up. Anyway, I think even Pres. Banks had a headache by the end of the day. By Thurs. night my finances were so bald-up that I was into the next day before I could get the books balanced. We did attend an excellent testimony Thurs. evening with the Banks and the returning missionaries. I guess that all’s well that ends well.
Yesterday was our P-day and we went over to the Hyaku-en store (nothing priced higher than 100 Yen, about .85, our money). It is an amazing place to shop! We came back loaded.
We were tickled to get pictures on the internet from Matt and Jen. We have them made into prints now and Mom has them all arranged in her photo albums. She has a nice collection. I guess it is time to close. We appreciate your calls and internest messages. Until next week---
Love from the Ropas Senkyoshi
Dear Whoever Reads This:
It will soon be Thanksgiving, although the Japanese don’t recognize it as one of their holidays. Sis. Banks has invited all the missionaries in this immediate area to have dinner in their apartment. Her and Mom are working out the details and everyone that comes will help with the dinner, so it won’t be hard on one or two people, there will be about 25 of usfor dinner. It should be a nice day. We miss not being home with our family but this will be second best. We hope all of you will have your families together and have an enjoyable time.
This past week was new missionaries coming in, returning missionaries going home and transfers. It was hair-raising! The 11 new miss. were supposed to arrive here Tues. evening; but just at the last minute, Pres. Banks got a call from SLC that there plane was late because of bad weather and they would not be able to leave until the next day. That would put them here on the same day that the Elder’s going home would be coming in. So Pres. Banks decided to rush the orientation for the new miss. so that they could leave for their new areas on Thurs. afternoon.
The new miss. were an ‘up-tight’ bunch. They got through with their orientation just before 1:00 PM and some of them had to catch the train at 1:15. They had to gobble down the nice lunch that Sis. Banks had prepared and headed out for the train station. On the way 3 of the missionaries turned up missing and Pres. Banks had to stop and look for them. One new Elder was waiting up in the Bank’s Apt. and thought he had been left and he started hyperventilating ( fortunately his train didn’t leave until 2:30 PM.). They all made their train connections but one of the new Elders got confused and didn’t meet his new companion until 10:45 that night.
Meanwhile, The two AP’s were supposed to stay in the mission office and answer the calls from the transferring missionaries and direct them to their new areas. The AP’s had disappeared (I guess helping Pres. Banks with the new miss.) and didn’t show up until later in the day. The phone kept ringing with questions from the transferring missionaries. The regular office Elders were on their P-day and only Mom was here to answer their calls and help them with their questions. She didn’t know their schedules so they just had to wait and call later when the AP’s finally showed up. Anyway, I think even Pres. Banks had a headache by the end of the day. By Thurs. night my finances were so bald-up that I was into the next day before I could get the books balanced. We did attend an excellent testimony Thurs. evening with the Banks and the returning missionaries. I guess that all’s well that ends well.
Yesterday was our P-day and we went over to the Hyaku-en store (nothing priced higher than 100 Yen, about .85, our money). It is an amazing place to shop! We came back loaded.
We were tickled to get pictures on the internet from Matt and Jen. We have them made into prints now and Mom has them all arranged in her photo albums. She has a nice collection. I guess it is time to close. We appreciate your calls and internest messages. Until next week---
Love from the Ropas Senkyoshi
November 16, 2003
Sun. Nov. 16, 2003
Dear Family and Friends,
This has been a good week. We have been especially excited about Matt and Jen’s new baby boy, born Nov. 12, in Mesa, AZ. He was 8 lbs. 1 oz., 20” long and seems to be very healthy. They plan to name him Wade Matthew. (Now the G. Roper family name will be perpetuated.) With three new births in our immediate family since we have been on this mission, Mom feels like we are really missing out. But we feel blessed to be here and know that all the new babies have been born without complications and are doing well.
I have been anxious to go out to Iwakuni (a short train ride from Hiroshima) and see some of the things I remember when I was here before. So Friday was a beautiful day and we decided to go out there Sat. But Sat. was rainy so we changed our minds and plan to go out there on a clear day. We went shopping instead.
Pres. and Sis. Banks got back from their conference in Tokyo late Thurs. night. They had an enjoyable time. Elder Neuenschwander, who is a member of the Pres. of the Seventy was there and conducted the meetings that included all the Mission Pres. from the Asia North Area (Japan & Korea). Elder Neuenschwander helped our family out when I had my fall, a few years ago. As part of the conference, The Presidents and their wives all attended a session in the Tokyo Temple while they were there. Surprisingly things went along quite well here in the mission while Pres. Banks was gone.
Today in Sac. Meeting they announced the death of the mother of one of our faithful Priesthood holders. She was only 55 and not a member, so the burial was following the Buddhist traditions and several ward members were absent from our meetings to go pay honor to her. We have a lot of admiration for the faithful members who are dedicated to their Testimonies and give up family members and traditions that are not compatible with the Gospel.
Marie reported that our neighbor in Cedar City, Coralee Rawlinson (Marvin Ogden’s daughter, originally from Delta) is in the last stages of cancer. They finally had to amputate her arm. On the way home they went to a restaurant to eat and a little boy ran into her and knocked her down which broke her jaw, that really added to her pain and problems. The mother of the little boy just feels terrible. She doesn’t have long to live. Her husband served as a Bishop in an SUU ward when I was there.
Again we thank you for all your communications with us and how well things seem to be for you and your families. Keep sending us those great pictures!
Love, Ropa Choro and Ropa Shimai
Dear Family and Friends,
This has been a good week. We have been especially excited about Matt and Jen’s new baby boy, born Nov. 12, in Mesa, AZ. He was 8 lbs. 1 oz., 20” long and seems to be very healthy. They plan to name him Wade Matthew. (Now the G. Roper family name will be perpetuated.) With three new births in our immediate family since we have been on this mission, Mom feels like we are really missing out. But we feel blessed to be here and know that all the new babies have been born without complications and are doing well.
I have been anxious to go out to Iwakuni (a short train ride from Hiroshima) and see some of the things I remember when I was here before. So Friday was a beautiful day and we decided to go out there Sat. But Sat. was rainy so we changed our minds and plan to go out there on a clear day. We went shopping instead.
Pres. and Sis. Banks got back from their conference in Tokyo late Thurs. night. They had an enjoyable time. Elder Neuenschwander, who is a member of the Pres. of the Seventy was there and conducted the meetings that included all the Mission Pres. from the Asia North Area (Japan & Korea). Elder Neuenschwander helped our family out when I had my fall, a few years ago. As part of the conference, The Presidents and their wives all attended a session in the Tokyo Temple while they were there. Surprisingly things went along quite well here in the mission while Pres. Banks was gone.
Today in Sac. Meeting they announced the death of the mother of one of our faithful Priesthood holders. She was only 55 and not a member, so the burial was following the Buddhist traditions and several ward members were absent from our meetings to go pay honor to her. We have a lot of admiration for the faithful members who are dedicated to their Testimonies and give up family members and traditions that are not compatible with the Gospel.
Marie reported that our neighbor in Cedar City, Coralee Rawlinson (Marvin Ogden’s daughter, originally from Delta) is in the last stages of cancer. They finally had to amputate her arm. On the way home they went to a restaurant to eat and a little boy ran into her and knocked her down which broke her jaw, that really added to her pain and problems. The mother of the little boy just feels terrible. She doesn’t have long to live. Her husband served as a Bishop in an SUU ward when I was there.
Again we thank you for all your communications with us and how well things seem to be for you and your families. Keep sending us those great pictures!
Love, Ropa Choro and Ropa Shimai
November 9, 2003
Sun. Nov. 2003
Dear Family and Friends,
It has been good to hear the good news (and even the bad) from so many of you this past week. We appreciate it that all of you seem to be in good health.
I was just thinking it has been exactly 12 years ago today that we moved into our new home in Cedar. Also we began our mission just 13 moths ago, yesterday. Time marches on whether we want it to or not.
The fall has been especially beautiful here this year. Yesterday the day was so nice that Mom and I decided to go over to the Hiroshima Castle. We found that we could walk from here in about 20 minutes. The castle is located in a mote that is surrounded by water. When we got over there they were having a flower exhibit –all kinds of mums arranged in a fantastic display. We took several pictures. On our way to the castle, at a Buddhist Shrine near the castle, we noticed that many little kids, the little girls dressed up in their bright colored kimonos and little boys dressed up in their little yukatas were there with their parents. It must have been a special commemoration of some kind. We asked to take several pictures (which the Japanese are delighted to let you do). We visited the castle and returned by way of a park, a baseball stadium and ended up over where the a-bomb memorial stands. We had a very interesting day.. I am in charge of setting up earphones and translating equipment for our Church meetings. A few days ago, Sis. Gollier called us and told us to expect about 10 English-speaking visitors at Sacrament Meeting this morning. We had everything set up but none of them showed up. But the person that Bro. Gollier and I are assigned to home teach was there. We have tried on several occasions to contact him, without success, and so after Church we met with him for a few minutes and finally completed a visit. Hopefully we are set up again for next month. I think I have told you about him –a returned missionary from SLC that after his mission came back and married a local Japanese Sister, had two children and then divorced. He teaches English here. He is very discouraged and doubts he will ever go home and leave his children here. It is a sad case indeed!
This morning Marie called and gave us the good news that Bruce has agreed to let her and Chris adopt their little kids. I think Bruce has sunk so low that he realizes he isn’t in a position, or will be in a position to be a father to Spencer and Jocelyn. This is something we have hoped for but not expected.
Tomorrow, Pres. and Sis. Banks are going to Tokyo for a Mission Presidents seminar. They will be gone for four days. We hope things will be OK here while they are gone. One thing is they won’t be any farther away than the telephone.
They told us in Sacrament Meeting today that this nice fall weather usually only lasts until Sept. So we are having an exception! It is time to close and get this sent.
Love, Gary & Shirley/chichi & haha senkiyoshi’s
P.S. Ann, I wanted to add a separate comment to you. I was so disheartened to hear about Kays’ problems---again. What is going on in his life that is causing him to go through marriage after marriage? I don’t know the in’s and outs of what’s gone on for sure but I’m wondering if he should bail out so soon, there are a lot of people’s lives affected and there is a temple sealing involved. What happened to perserving and just doing your best no matter what the other person does? Did Joanne tell him to leave or did he just leave on his own? Sometimes I just think it’s just to easy to walk out of a situation when the going gets tough instead of knuckling in and making sure things work someway. I don’t know but going through four failed marriages isn’t good.
My heart aches for him and I am so very concerned about his welfare and well-being. How is Ray advising him? You may remember that Ray and Rinda started the whole Kay and Joanne thing in the first place. I’ve never heard a word from either Ray or Kay except for Ray last Christmas. Are their fingers broken so they can’t e-mail? This is a very disappointing development and I pray that it may be resolved from a gospel perspective and with the eternity of the marriage covenant in mind.
I really appreciate you keeping me informed about things. We really enjoy the missionary work and, like you, can’t believe how fast the time is going! One thing, would you please send me Scott’s mailing address?
Bye for now, Love Shirley
Dear Family and Friends,
It has been good to hear the good news (and even the bad) from so many of you this past week. We appreciate it that all of you seem to be in good health.
I was just thinking it has been exactly 12 years ago today that we moved into our new home in Cedar. Also we began our mission just 13 moths ago, yesterday. Time marches on whether we want it to or not.
The fall has been especially beautiful here this year. Yesterday the day was so nice that Mom and I decided to go over to the Hiroshima Castle. We found that we could walk from here in about 20 minutes. The castle is located in a mote that is surrounded by water. When we got over there they were having a flower exhibit –all kinds of mums arranged in a fantastic display. We took several pictures. On our way to the castle, at a Buddhist Shrine near the castle, we noticed that many little kids, the little girls dressed up in their bright colored kimonos and little boys dressed up in their little yukatas were there with their parents. It must have been a special commemoration of some kind. We asked to take several pictures (which the Japanese are delighted to let you do). We visited the castle and returned by way of a park, a baseball stadium and ended up over where the a-bomb memorial stands. We had a very interesting day.. I am in charge of setting up earphones and translating equipment for our Church meetings. A few days ago, Sis. Gollier called us and told us to expect about 10 English-speaking visitors at Sacrament Meeting this morning. We had everything set up but none of them showed up. But the person that Bro. Gollier and I are assigned to home teach was there. We have tried on several occasions to contact him, without success, and so after Church we met with him for a few minutes and finally completed a visit. Hopefully we are set up again for next month. I think I have told you about him –a returned missionary from SLC that after his mission came back and married a local Japanese Sister, had two children and then divorced. He teaches English here. He is very discouraged and doubts he will ever go home and leave his children here. It is a sad case indeed!
This morning Marie called and gave us the good news that Bruce has agreed to let her and Chris adopt their little kids. I think Bruce has sunk so low that he realizes he isn’t in a position, or will be in a position to be a father to Spencer and Jocelyn. This is something we have hoped for but not expected.
Tomorrow, Pres. and Sis. Banks are going to Tokyo for a Mission Presidents seminar. They will be gone for four days. We hope things will be OK here while they are gone. One thing is they won’t be any farther away than the telephone.
They told us in Sacrament Meeting today that this nice fall weather usually only lasts until Sept. So we are having an exception! It is time to close and get this sent.
Love, Gary & Shirley/chichi & haha senkiyoshi’s
P.S. Ann, I wanted to add a separate comment to you. I was so disheartened to hear about Kays’ problems---again. What is going on in his life that is causing him to go through marriage after marriage? I don’t know the in’s and outs of what’s gone on for sure but I’m wondering if he should bail out so soon, there are a lot of people’s lives affected and there is a temple sealing involved. What happened to perserving and just doing your best no matter what the other person does? Did Joanne tell him to leave or did he just leave on his own? Sometimes I just think it’s just to easy to walk out of a situation when the going gets tough instead of knuckling in and making sure things work someway. I don’t know but going through four failed marriages isn’t good.
My heart aches for him and I am so very concerned about his welfare and well-being. How is Ray advising him? You may remember that Ray and Rinda started the whole Kay and Joanne thing in the first place. I’ve never heard a word from either Ray or Kay except for Ray last Christmas. Are their fingers broken so they can’t e-mail? This is a very disappointing development and I pray that it may be resolved from a gospel perspective and with the eternity of the marriage covenant in mind.
I really appreciate you keeping me informed about things. We really enjoy the missionary work and, like you, can’t believe how fast the time is going! One thing, would you please send me Scott’s mailing address?
Bye for now, Love Shirley
November 2, 2003
11/2/03
Dear Folks,
We are enjoying ourselves here at the MTC but will be glad when our training is finished and we will be in Japan. I can’t believe the number of missionaries that go in and out of here. We are starting to seem like old fixtures here. We are enjoying having some of our classes up at the MTC. All those young missionaries are so full of it and love to chat with us. On Saturdays we have been going to the Provo Temple. It is beautiful and I think I’m about able to get around inside without loosing my way. I thought it was a small Temple but inside it is big and they have sessions every 20 minutes. Many of the workers are young college kids and they are equipped to take care of many languages. They do a huge amount of work there.
They are working us to death with this language training. (The head can absorb no more than the seat can endure.) I don’t know how they work the language business because a few don’t have to learn their language, but most do. One of the missionaries said she thought it had to do with their Mission Pres. If the Mission Pres. recommends that the Sr. Missionary learns it; that’s what happens. However we learned today that we will probably be among the last Sr. missionaries that will train for languages in the Sr. MTC. Evidently they are going to try a program of having the Seniors learn their languages in their own homes. The MTC will be in contact with them by phone each day and give them assignments and answer their questions. I can’t believe that will work very well; anyway we are glad we are learning it here. They say they just don’t have room for the Sr. Missionaries that have to stay that long, here.
One couple going to Taiwan said they were not to learn the Mandarin language. However, their visas have not arrived yet so they put them in the language program so they will have something to do until they can go. They are not happy about that! Even though its a lot of work, we are glad for the opportunity, and they do such a good job of teaching it. Shirley has learned how to introduce herself, give her testimony, and prayers, all ready. The language rooms in the MTC sound like the Tower of Bable. It is interesting that with all the missionaries coming in each week, we haven’t met one other couple going to Japan. There are so many going to Russia, the Baltics, Indonesia, Mongolia, and Africa.
Tues. night was the Missionary Devotional. The speaker was Elder William H. Bradford of the 1st Quorum of the Seventy. I was especially interested because I met him on my first mission. He was a Missionary in Japan and in the Mission Home while they were trying to find out what was wrong with his health. They ended up sending him home for surgery and he didn’t return to Japan. I was in the Mission Home with him for about a week. Much of his speech last night was about his experiences in Japan (I think he was there about two years). After the program we went up and talked to him for a minute. He was interested that I was going back to Japan and we reminisced about our experience there. I remember I was impressed with him at the time.
This has been a terribly cold day! And last night was is a hard night for all the kids to dress up and go Halloweening. Most everything has frozen here and we hate to see winter set in. It even snowed last night a little here. We miss hearing from you guys and will be glad when we can be hooked up to the Internet. Anyway, we are thinking about you.
Sayonara, The Ropers
Dear Folks,
We are enjoying ourselves here at the MTC but will be glad when our training is finished and we will be in Japan. I can’t believe the number of missionaries that go in and out of here. We are starting to seem like old fixtures here. We are enjoying having some of our classes up at the MTC. All those young missionaries are so full of it and love to chat with us. On Saturdays we have been going to the Provo Temple. It is beautiful and I think I’m about able to get around inside without loosing my way. I thought it was a small Temple but inside it is big and they have sessions every 20 minutes. Many of the workers are young college kids and they are equipped to take care of many languages. They do a huge amount of work there.
They are working us to death with this language training. (The head can absorb no more than the seat can endure.) I don’t know how they work the language business because a few don’t have to learn their language, but most do. One of the missionaries said she thought it had to do with their Mission Pres. If the Mission Pres. recommends that the Sr. Missionary learns it; that’s what happens. However we learned today that we will probably be among the last Sr. missionaries that will train for languages in the Sr. MTC. Evidently they are going to try a program of having the Seniors learn their languages in their own homes. The MTC will be in contact with them by phone each day and give them assignments and answer their questions. I can’t believe that will work very well; anyway we are glad we are learning it here. They say they just don’t have room for the Sr. Missionaries that have to stay that long, here.
One couple going to Taiwan said they were not to learn the Mandarin language. However, their visas have not arrived yet so they put them in the language program so they will have something to do until they can go. They are not happy about that! Even though its a lot of work, we are glad for the opportunity, and they do such a good job of teaching it. Shirley has learned how to introduce herself, give her testimony, and prayers, all ready. The language rooms in the MTC sound like the Tower of Bable. It is interesting that with all the missionaries coming in each week, we haven’t met one other couple going to Japan. There are so many going to Russia, the Baltics, Indonesia, Mongolia, and Africa.
Tues. night was the Missionary Devotional. The speaker was Elder William H. Bradford of the 1st Quorum of the Seventy. I was especially interested because I met him on my first mission. He was a Missionary in Japan and in the Mission Home while they were trying to find out what was wrong with his health. They ended up sending him home for surgery and he didn’t return to Japan. I was in the Mission Home with him for about a week. Much of his speech last night was about his experiences in Japan (I think he was there about two years). After the program we went up and talked to him for a minute. He was interested that I was going back to Japan and we reminisced about our experience there. I remember I was impressed with him at the time.
This has been a terribly cold day! And last night was is a hard night for all the kids to dress up and go Halloweening. Most everything has frozen here and we hate to see winter set in. It even snowed last night a little here. We miss hearing from you guys and will be glad when we can be hooked up to the Internet. Anyway, we are thinking about you.
Sayonara, The Ropers
October 26, 2003
Sunday Oct. 26, 2003
Dear all of you who read this,
We had an interesting Sac. Meeting today. It was the Primary’s annual program. There were about 12 kids participating and how they could sing! I’m sure it followed the outline that was presented throughout the Church. It was interesting how the leaders tried to stay out of sight –hiding behind the pulpit, sneaking around on hands and knees, and trying not to let their voices be heard as they prompted the children. They had some attractive visual aids and the program was well done.
Tomorrow, Bro. Walker, one of the area authorities will be here to talk to the missionaries. Three Zones of missionaries will be here tomorrow, then Bro. Walker and Pres. Banks will travel to two other locations and meet with the missionaries there. Last night as I was coming into the office, Bp. Oba met me in the hall looking for Pres. Banks. I told him he was gone to Ube. He said he had a funeral scheduled for Monday in the chapel and hoped it wouldn’t interfere with anything the mission was doing. I told him about mission conference Mon., and he went into a huge panic! So I got on the phone and called Pres. Banks and told the Bishop he better talk to him. When he hung up he was really relived. Pres. Banks told him we would move our Conf. out to the Takasu Chapel. Mission Presidents are great problem solvers!
Mom (and the rest of us) is having a problem with an office Elder from Australia. His name is Elder Hollis and he says he knows Austin and Meredith. His accent and voice quality are annoying, plus he is always talking and making funny noises while he works along with a “Tiny Tim” tremolo to his voice. The worst part though is he thinks he is a computer specialist and Pres. Banks has put him in charge of the computers. Last week he erased several programs on Mom’s computer that she has to have to complete the letters Pres. Banks has assigned her to write. Now he is trying to restore them and in the meantime Mom has busy herself doing other things while he fiddles around trying to get them reinstalled. She is enduring patiently and hopes to soon get back to work. We are encouraging Pres. Banks to send him out into the mission and appoint a new recorder for the office.
Tues. or Wed. a Bro. from the Tokyo office is coming here to audit my books. I don’t know exactly what that entails but I’m sure it is another safeguard to see that the Church funds are handled correctly. I will be glad to have that over with.
We got an e-mail from Afton telling about Nate Lovell (my cousin who built our home in Cedar). He and one of his boys fell off the roof of a home they were building in Cedar Canyon and was nearly killed. His partner (“Chop” Cropper) made it off the mountain and they flew him to SLC. His neck is broken in two places, along with other bones. He is expected to live, but what shape he will be in, I guess time will tell. Very reminiscent of my accident.
We also so got Kathleen and Wilmer Anderton’s family newsletter and she reports how well she is feeling since they installed a pacemaker. Her family seems to be doing well. We appreciate receiving their periodic newsletter. We are also grateful for all the communications we receive from all of you. We hope you are all well and have a Happy Halloween.
Love Gary & Shirley
Dear all of you who read this,
We had an interesting Sac. Meeting today. It was the Primary’s annual program. There were about 12 kids participating and how they could sing! I’m sure it followed the outline that was presented throughout the Church. It was interesting how the leaders tried to stay out of sight –hiding behind the pulpit, sneaking around on hands and knees, and trying not to let their voices be heard as they prompted the children. They had some attractive visual aids and the program was well done.
Tomorrow, Bro. Walker, one of the area authorities will be here to talk to the missionaries. Three Zones of missionaries will be here tomorrow, then Bro. Walker and Pres. Banks will travel to two other locations and meet with the missionaries there. Last night as I was coming into the office, Bp. Oba met me in the hall looking for Pres. Banks. I told him he was gone to Ube. He said he had a funeral scheduled for Monday in the chapel and hoped it wouldn’t interfere with anything the mission was doing. I told him about mission conference Mon., and he went into a huge panic! So I got on the phone and called Pres. Banks and told the Bishop he better talk to him. When he hung up he was really relived. Pres. Banks told him we would move our Conf. out to the Takasu Chapel. Mission Presidents are great problem solvers!
Mom (and the rest of us) is having a problem with an office Elder from Australia. His name is Elder Hollis and he says he knows Austin and Meredith. His accent and voice quality are annoying, plus he is always talking and making funny noises while he works along with a “Tiny Tim” tremolo to his voice. The worst part though is he thinks he is a computer specialist and Pres. Banks has put him in charge of the computers. Last week he erased several programs on Mom’s computer that she has to have to complete the letters Pres. Banks has assigned her to write. Now he is trying to restore them and in the meantime Mom has busy herself doing other things while he fiddles around trying to get them reinstalled. She is enduring patiently and hopes to soon get back to work. We are encouraging Pres. Banks to send him out into the mission and appoint a new recorder for the office.
Tues. or Wed. a Bro. from the Tokyo office is coming here to audit my books. I don’t know exactly what that entails but I’m sure it is another safeguard to see that the Church funds are handled correctly. I will be glad to have that over with.
We got an e-mail from Afton telling about Nate Lovell (my cousin who built our home in Cedar). He and one of his boys fell off the roof of a home they were building in Cedar Canyon and was nearly killed. His partner (“Chop” Cropper) made it off the mountain and they flew him to SLC. His neck is broken in two places, along with other bones. He is expected to live, but what shape he will be in, I guess time will tell. Very reminiscent of my accident.
We also so got Kathleen and Wilmer Anderton’s family newsletter and she reports how well she is feeling since they installed a pacemaker. Her family seems to be doing well. We appreciate receiving their periodic newsletter. We are also grateful for all the communications we receive from all of you. We hope you are all well and have a Happy Halloween.
Love Gary & Shirley
October 19, 2003
Sun. Oct. 19, 2003
Dear Family and Friends,
It is Sunday and time to write again. Thank you for all your phone calls, e-mails and letters. We are glad to hear that no one seems to be having any serious problems. We are enjoying beautiful weather here. The temperatures are just right and we have only had rain about two days during the past two weeks. Japan is very beautiful this time of year.
Last week we received pictures and a note from Mike and Ness concerning the blessing of little Bri. Over to Best Denki store, they have a machine that you put in your computer disk or the memory from a digital camera and it will print off what ever you request. We had the pictures printed and enjoy them at least once a day. Also Mike reported about the ‘Y’ games, which made Mom’s day. We hope Jeff’s family trip to California was successful. I remember how we used to enjoy the UEA break each year. Did any of the rest of you travel?
I am learning how to use the digital camera that you gave me. I haven’t mastered how to send the pictures to you by e-mail yet, however; so you may have to wait until we get home to see them.
We are glad last week is over. The 3 new missionaries came in on Wed., instead of Tues. which was transfer day. It is always hard for the missionaries going home to say their last farewells. I remember how hard it is to leave and face the rest of your life. On transfer day we had several changes in the Office staff. I’m sure most of it will be for the better.
Thursday evening, we went up to the Bank’s Apt. for Pres. Bank’s farewell speech to the missionaries going home and hear their testimonies. It was all very good. One of the returning missionaries is Elder Nielson, the medical Dr. from Brazil. He made some interesting comments about his mission and the Appendicitis operation he had. He has been a very effective Zone Leader and besides being a medical Dr. in Brazil, he speaks three languages well and is only 26 years old. While he was here he gave the missionaries flu, typhoid and other shots they needed. He also has a sister who is a medical doctor at Duke University Medical Center in No. Carolina. He said all of his family joined the Church and they are good members.
We have noticed that so many of the Japanese people have bow legs, knock knees, feet that turn out or in , or are crippled and can hardly get around. Pres. Banks says it is because the Japanese used to sit on the floor on their knees, for hours. They don’t seem to do that so much now. Now most of the Japanese sit on chairs. I hope they will develop straighter legs and their posture will improve. Mom thinks it could be a lack of calcium in their diet.
We are still battling mosquitoes but with a gadget that we keep plugged in that helps keep mosquitoes away, and spraying once in a while, we are staying on top of them.
Until next week, Sayonara-
Love from the Ropers
Dear Family and Friends,
It is Sunday and time to write again. Thank you for all your phone calls, e-mails and letters. We are glad to hear that no one seems to be having any serious problems. We are enjoying beautiful weather here. The temperatures are just right and we have only had rain about two days during the past two weeks. Japan is very beautiful this time of year.
Last week we received pictures and a note from Mike and Ness concerning the blessing of little Bri. Over to Best Denki store, they have a machine that you put in your computer disk or the memory from a digital camera and it will print off what ever you request. We had the pictures printed and enjoy them at least once a day. Also Mike reported about the ‘Y’ games, which made Mom’s day. We hope Jeff’s family trip to California was successful. I remember how we used to enjoy the UEA break each year. Did any of the rest of you travel?
I am learning how to use the digital camera that you gave me. I haven’t mastered how to send the pictures to you by e-mail yet, however; so you may have to wait until we get home to see them.
We are glad last week is over. The 3 new missionaries came in on Wed., instead of Tues. which was transfer day. It is always hard for the missionaries going home to say their last farewells. I remember how hard it is to leave and face the rest of your life. On transfer day we had several changes in the Office staff. I’m sure most of it will be for the better.
Thursday evening, we went up to the Bank’s Apt. for Pres. Bank’s farewell speech to the missionaries going home and hear their testimonies. It was all very good. One of the returning missionaries is Elder Nielson, the medical Dr. from Brazil. He made some interesting comments about his mission and the Appendicitis operation he had. He has been a very effective Zone Leader and besides being a medical Dr. in Brazil, he speaks three languages well and is only 26 years old. While he was here he gave the missionaries flu, typhoid and other shots they needed. He also has a sister who is a medical doctor at Duke University Medical Center in No. Carolina. He said all of his family joined the Church and they are good members.
We have noticed that so many of the Japanese people have bow legs, knock knees, feet that turn out or in , or are crippled and can hardly get around. Pres. Banks says it is because the Japanese used to sit on the floor on their knees, for hours. They don’t seem to do that so much now. Now most of the Japanese sit on chairs. I hope they will develop straighter legs and their posture will improve. Mom thinks it could be a lack of calcium in their diet.
We are still battling mosquitoes but with a gadget that we keep plugged in that helps keep mosquitoes away, and spraying once in a while, we are staying on top of them.
Until next week, Sayonara-
Love from the Ropers
October 5, 2003
Sunday, Oct. 5, 2003
Dear Family and Friends,
Today has been a red-letter day, especially for Mom. While all the immediate family was together in Cedar City for Matt and Jen’s baby shower, they called and Mom was able to talk to about everyone. We are happy you were all able to be together and seemed tobe having a good time (even without us). Anyway it was good to hear from everyone.
We had Church today because we won’t get to see conference until next weekend. We are scheduled to go out to the Takasu ward next Sat. and Sun. where they will pick up conference via satellite –both in Japanese and English. We are looking forward to that. at Church today there was a fellow there from Utah. When he found out my Mother was a Lovell he became suddenly interested. He said his wife’s grandfather was Ben Lovell from Leamington. If I remember correctly, Grandpa Lovell and Ben were brothers. It is interesting how you go clear around the world and meet some of your family! But I have decided that if you are in the Church, it’s a small world. Just like Mom found out that her and Sis. Gohaller are distant cousins. Most good LDS people who come into Hiroshima find the Church and attend meetings here, even if it is predominately in Japanese. It’s the Spirit and partaking of the Sacrament that counts.
Bro. Gohaller is my home-teaching companion. The person who we are home-teaching is the returned missionary from Utah that came back and married one of the Japanese Sis., has two little girls and now is divorced (I think I told you about him a few weeks ago). Anyway Sis. Gohaller invited us all over to their place (including the Bro’s new Japanese girl friend, not a member) to dinner and we would do our home teaching at the same time. However, when we got over to the Gohallers’ they had received a phone call from the Bro., saying that he was sorry but they wouldn’t be able to make it. So we had a nice dinner and still didn’t get our home teaching done.
Yesterday, (Saturday) we had an enjoyable day. Two people from our English class invited us to spend the day with them. They drove us to a beautiful Island called Kamagari. It is one of hundreds of small islands ( over 700) surrounding the main Japanese islands. They have build a long bridge (similar to the Oakland Bay bridge in California) connecting it to our island. First they drove us to a beach area, where we had dinner at a wonderful restaurant with a great view of the ocean. The food those two ordered looked scary! Raw fish, called sashashimi and cavier. Mom said, No Way!” After we finished eating we walked down to the beach and watched the ocean (which was loaded with seashells since the tide was out). Then we went through two museums and then attended a tea ceremony. We of course, didn’t drink the tea but those who we were with did. Then on the way back home we stopped at the Hiroshima Port and walked around the seashore and watched people fishing. It was all very interesting. We were impressed with the people who took us. They spent a lot of money on us and are very good people but not interested in the Church except for how it’s helping their English to improve.
Last Tues. evening we went to a returning home dinner with Pres. & Sis. Banks for Elder and Sis Lowe, who left for home on Wed. They have been serving as regular missionaries in the Takamatsu area. We went to a really nice Japanese restaurant. At our table they had two pots of boiling water that were built down into the table along with a small frying grill, which we put in thin slices of beef, chicken and pork. Then we put in many different kinds of vegetables and scooped out on to our plates what we wanted to eat along with our rice (it was a lot like sukiyaki). There were several different condiments to spice it up with. It was delicious and we had an enjoyable evening.
Now the weather is beautiful here. The temperature is mild and we haven’t had rain for about two weeks. Mom and I do a lot of walking. We are very well and appreciate this great opportunity. Keep up the good work at home!
Love, Dad & Mom.
Dear Family and Friends,
Today has been a red-letter day, especially for Mom. While all the immediate family was together in Cedar City for Matt and Jen’s baby shower, they called and Mom was able to talk to about everyone. We are happy you were all able to be together and seemed tobe having a good time (even without us). Anyway it was good to hear from everyone.
We had Church today because we won’t get to see conference until next weekend. We are scheduled to go out to the Takasu ward next Sat. and Sun. where they will pick up conference via satellite –both in Japanese and English. We are looking forward to that. at Church today there was a fellow there from Utah. When he found out my Mother was a Lovell he became suddenly interested. He said his wife’s grandfather was Ben Lovell from Leamington. If I remember correctly, Grandpa Lovell and Ben were brothers. It is interesting how you go clear around the world and meet some of your family! But I have decided that if you are in the Church, it’s a small world. Just like Mom found out that her and Sis. Gohaller are distant cousins. Most good LDS people who come into Hiroshima find the Church and attend meetings here, even if it is predominately in Japanese. It’s the Spirit and partaking of the Sacrament that counts.
Bro. Gohaller is my home-teaching companion. The person who we are home-teaching is the returned missionary from Utah that came back and married one of the Japanese Sis., has two little girls and now is divorced (I think I told you about him a few weeks ago). Anyway Sis. Gohaller invited us all over to their place (including the Bro’s new Japanese girl friend, not a member) to dinner and we would do our home teaching at the same time. However, when we got over to the Gohallers’ they had received a phone call from the Bro., saying that he was sorry but they wouldn’t be able to make it. So we had a nice dinner and still didn’t get our home teaching done.
Yesterday, (Saturday) we had an enjoyable day. Two people from our English class invited us to spend the day with them. They drove us to a beautiful Island called Kamagari. It is one of hundreds of small islands ( over 700) surrounding the main Japanese islands. They have build a long bridge (similar to the Oakland Bay bridge in California) connecting it to our island. First they drove us to a beach area, where we had dinner at a wonderful restaurant with a great view of the ocean. The food those two ordered looked scary! Raw fish, called sashashimi and cavier. Mom said, No Way!” After we finished eating we walked down to the beach and watched the ocean (which was loaded with seashells since the tide was out). Then we went through two museums and then attended a tea ceremony. We of course, didn’t drink the tea but those who we were with did. Then on the way back home we stopped at the Hiroshima Port and walked around the seashore and watched people fishing. It was all very interesting. We were impressed with the people who took us. They spent a lot of money on us and are very good people but not interested in the Church except for how it’s helping their English to improve.
Last Tues. evening we went to a returning home dinner with Pres. & Sis. Banks for Elder and Sis Lowe, who left for home on Wed. They have been serving as regular missionaries in the Takamatsu area. We went to a really nice Japanese restaurant. At our table they had two pots of boiling water that were built down into the table along with a small frying grill, which we put in thin slices of beef, chicken and pork. Then we put in many different kinds of vegetables and scooped out on to our plates what we wanted to eat along with our rice (it was a lot like sukiyaki). There were several different condiments to spice it up with. It was delicious and we had an enjoyable evening.
Now the weather is beautiful here. The temperature is mild and we haven’t had rain for about two weeks. Mom and I do a lot of walking. We are very well and appreciate this great opportunity. Keep up the good work at home!
Love, Dad & Mom.
Septermber 28, 2003
Sunday Sept. 28, 2003
Dear Family and Friends,
We have enjoyed your phone calls, e-mails and other communications this past week. About a week ago, my laptop computer started acting up. Every time I went to turn it on it would require me to go through a series of system checks before it would allow me start up the computer (which required about 30 minutes each time). So then I started leaving the computer running all the time. When Bro Killian (the computer specialist from the Tokyo office) was here I had him look it over. He couldn’t tell what was causing the trouble, but said he had a feeling that it was on its way out! Well he was right. Day before yesterday it went off and hasn’t been on since. Yesterday I took it over to computer repair Dept. at Best Dept. store. They checked it over and were pretty sure the hard-drive was shot. Anyway to repair it they estimated up to $1000. Since I only paid $300. for it to start with I have decided to junk it and start using my office computer. I guess that’s what I get for buying second hand. I did save my important things on a disk before the computer went out. So much for that.
Yesterday (Sat.) was a beautiful day here. The sky was clear and it wasn’t really hot so Mom and I decided to go out to Miyajima Island. We went as far as we could by streetcar and then took a ferryboat over to the island. We had a nice walk and saw most of the island. Up at the top of the mountain they say there are wild monkies. We thought we might like to see them but they told us there are only a few now and we probably wouldn’t see them even if we went up. So we will try that another time.
This weekend Pres. Banks invited all the District Presidents (regular members, not missionaries) from throughout the mission to come here for a conference. The Pres. didn’t have room for them to sleep in his apartment, so he had the Mission Office Elders sleep over with the regular missionaries and turned their room over to the guests just for Sat. night. They finish their meetings today and will soon be returning home. Sister Banks acted stressed so we offered to make a cake for them, she sure snapped us up on that. We asked the Elders how they slept (on the floor) and they said they made it through the night, but it wasn’t quite like sleeping in a bed.
In a little while we are going over to the Gohallers for dinner. Bro. Gohaller and I are assigned to home teach a Utah member who married a Japanese member after he we are all going to meet for dinner. So along with home teaching, we are also doing some misprevious letter). Now he is engaged to another Japanese girl who is not a member, and sionary work. I hope he’s not jumping from the fry pan into the fire.
We are getting along well and thank the Lord for this wonderful experience. We hope things continue to go well for all of you.
Love, Dad & Mom
P.S. This is Haha senkiyoshi. I know Dad won’t tell you about this so I’m putting in my two cents worth. Do you remember the talk that President Eric Shumway gave the BYU devotional in March before we came, that was on KBYU? Well President Banks is using the segment about Dad’s experience with Kajiyama San (the person who dad contacted on a streetcar and who was later baptized). As President Banks goes around to each Zone Conference and speaks to the missionaries he gives this presentation to illustrate how important it is not to miss opportunities to contact people. President Banks told me it is really fun to watch the missionaries faces when dad’s picture and story comes up because a ripple goes through them as they realize who it is and they begin poking each other and saying “Hey, there’s Elder Roper who’s in the Mission Home, that’s cool etc.”
Dear Family and Friends,
We have enjoyed your phone calls, e-mails and other communications this past week. About a week ago, my laptop computer started acting up. Every time I went to turn it on it would require me to go through a series of system checks before it would allow me start up the computer (which required about 30 minutes each time). So then I started leaving the computer running all the time. When Bro Killian (the computer specialist from the Tokyo office) was here I had him look it over. He couldn’t tell what was causing the trouble, but said he had a feeling that it was on its way out! Well he was right. Day before yesterday it went off and hasn’t been on since. Yesterday I took it over to computer repair Dept. at Best Dept. store. They checked it over and were pretty sure the hard-drive was shot. Anyway to repair it they estimated up to $1000. Since I only paid $300. for it to start with I have decided to junk it and start using my office computer. I guess that’s what I get for buying second hand. I did save my important things on a disk before the computer went out. So much for that.
Yesterday (Sat.) was a beautiful day here. The sky was clear and it wasn’t really hot so Mom and I decided to go out to Miyajima Island. We went as far as we could by streetcar and then took a ferryboat over to the island. We had a nice walk and saw most of the island. Up at the top of the mountain they say there are wild monkies. We thought we might like to see them but they told us there are only a few now and we probably wouldn’t see them even if we went up. So we will try that another time.
This weekend Pres. Banks invited all the District Presidents (regular members, not missionaries) from throughout the mission to come here for a conference. The Pres. didn’t have room for them to sleep in his apartment, so he had the Mission Office Elders sleep over with the regular missionaries and turned their room over to the guests just for Sat. night. They finish their meetings today and will soon be returning home. Sister Banks acted stressed so we offered to make a cake for them, she sure snapped us up on that. We asked the Elders how they slept (on the floor) and they said they made it through the night, but it wasn’t quite like sleeping in a bed.
In a little while we are going over to the Gohallers for dinner. Bro. Gohaller and I are assigned to home teach a Utah member who married a Japanese member after he we are all going to meet for dinner. So along with home teaching, we are also doing some misprevious letter). Now he is engaged to another Japanese girl who is not a member, and sionary work. I hope he’s not jumping from the fry pan into the fire.
We are getting along well and thank the Lord for this wonderful experience. We hope things continue to go well for all of you.
Love, Dad & Mom
P.S. This is Haha senkiyoshi. I know Dad won’t tell you about this so I’m putting in my two cents worth. Do you remember the talk that President Eric Shumway gave the BYU devotional in March before we came, that was on KBYU? Well President Banks is using the segment about Dad’s experience with Kajiyama San (the person who dad contacted on a streetcar and who was later baptized). As President Banks goes around to each Zone Conference and speaks to the missionaries he gives this presentation to illustrate how important it is not to miss opportunities to contact people. President Banks told me it is really fun to watch the missionaries faces when dad’s picture and story comes up because a ripple goes through them as they realize who it is and they begin poking each other and saying “Hey, there’s Elder Roper who’s in the Mission Home, that’s cool etc.”
September 21, 2003
Sunday, Sept. 21, 2003
Dear Family and Friends,
We hope you are all well and have had a good week.
The Hiroshima Stake sponsored a Temple excursion yesterday, so Mom and I decided we should go. We followed our usual buss schedule -leaving Hiroshima at 7:30 AM. which puts us in Fukuoka in time for the 12:30 session and we also attend the 2:30 session. As soon as the session is over we hurried out. and barely made it to catch the 5:00 PM bus and headed home. We got home a little past 9:00 PM. It was a tiring day but we had a good day at the Temple. Most of the members from our area that go arrive in Fukuoka on Friday and stay over Sat. The first session we attended was over-flow and the second session was larger than usual. The Hiroshima Stake members support the Stake sessions well, considering the expense and the time required to get there. We try to go every month.
Last Tues. morning, Pres. Banks took Elder Hollingshead to Osaka to catch the plane home. He waited until Sis. Bank’s plane arrived and brought her home. We are all really glad to have her back. She was gone about five weeks. Because of her health condition, her Dr. in SLC as well as her parents encouraged her not to come back to Japan, but she felt a strong obligation to the mission to return. Pres. Banks told her that if she has serious problems again, she can go back as often as it is necessary, but feels it is important for both of them to complete their assignment. Japan is a difficult place if you have medical problems.
The day after Sis. Banks returned, we had Zone Leaders Conf. here in Hiroshima. Sis. Banks and the two ladies that help her prepared dinner for all those who came (including the Mission Home staff). The Zone Leaders are in meetings all afternoon, have dinner at about 5:00 PM and then go back to their areas. We really enjoying mingling with the ZL. We know most of them quite well and they are an outstanding group of Elders.
The temperature here has finally started to cool down. We have had very little rain the past week and Mom and I enjoy getting out and walking. Next week (on Tues.) is another holiday in Japan. It is something to do with the equinox (the first day of fall, I think). Anyway it is a good excuse for another Buddhist holiday. My friend over to the Post Office always keeps me up-to-date on the holidays and when the PO will be closed. He has had a personal relationship with all the couple’s in the Mission Office. He doesn’t seem to have any interest in the Church but likes the missionaries and tries to talk in English with us.
Across the street from the PO they have been tearing down a huge building which covered a city block. It is several stories high. As they tear it down they enclose most of it in plastic and have water sprayed around to control the dust. They have several trucks hauling of the debris as it comes down. The Postman says they are going to construct a new apartment building in its place. We have been interested in watching the progress.
We look forward to your letters and phone calls. It was just a year ago (1-week after General Conf.) that we started our mission in the Provo MTC. That has been a fast year. We are having a wonderful experience here.
Love, Senkyoshi-tachi
Dear Family and Friends,
We hope you are all well and have had a good week.
The Hiroshima Stake sponsored a Temple excursion yesterday, so Mom and I decided we should go. We followed our usual buss schedule -leaving Hiroshima at 7:30 AM. which puts us in Fukuoka in time for the 12:30 session and we also attend the 2:30 session. As soon as the session is over we hurried out. and barely made it to catch the 5:00 PM bus and headed home. We got home a little past 9:00 PM. It was a tiring day but we had a good day at the Temple. Most of the members from our area that go arrive in Fukuoka on Friday and stay over Sat. The first session we attended was over-flow and the second session was larger than usual. The Hiroshima Stake members support the Stake sessions well, considering the expense and the time required to get there. We try to go every month.
Last Tues. morning, Pres. Banks took Elder Hollingshead to Osaka to catch the plane home. He waited until Sis. Bank’s plane arrived and brought her home. We are all really glad to have her back. She was gone about five weeks. Because of her health condition, her Dr. in SLC as well as her parents encouraged her not to come back to Japan, but she felt a strong obligation to the mission to return. Pres. Banks told her that if she has serious problems again, she can go back as often as it is necessary, but feels it is important for both of them to complete their assignment. Japan is a difficult place if you have medical problems.
The day after Sis. Banks returned, we had Zone Leaders Conf. here in Hiroshima. Sis. Banks and the two ladies that help her prepared dinner for all those who came (including the Mission Home staff). The Zone Leaders are in meetings all afternoon, have dinner at about 5:00 PM and then go back to their areas. We really enjoying mingling with the ZL. We know most of them quite well and they are an outstanding group of Elders.
The temperature here has finally started to cool down. We have had very little rain the past week and Mom and I enjoy getting out and walking. Next week (on Tues.) is another holiday in Japan. It is something to do with the equinox (the first day of fall, I think). Anyway it is a good excuse for another Buddhist holiday. My friend over to the Post Office always keeps me up-to-date on the holidays and when the PO will be closed. He has had a personal relationship with all the couple’s in the Mission Office. He doesn’t seem to have any interest in the Church but likes the missionaries and tries to talk in English with us.
Across the street from the PO they have been tearing down a huge building which covered a city block. It is several stories high. As they tear it down they enclose most of it in plastic and have water sprayed around to control the dust. They have several trucks hauling of the debris as it comes down. The Postman says they are going to construct a new apartment building in its place. We have been interested in watching the progress.
We look forward to your letters and phone calls. It was just a year ago (1-week after General Conf.) that we started our mission in the Provo MTC. That has been a fast year. We are having a wonderful experience here.
Love, Senkyoshi-tachi
September 13, 2003
Sat. Sept. 13, 2003
Dear Family and Friends,
It is time to write again. Many of you have communicated with us this past week. We really appreciate it. We are glad Marie & Chris’ baby blessing turned out so well. That is an occasion we are sorry we missed. We got some nice pictures from Chris and Marie and also from Mike and Vanessa and their new little ones. They are really cute. Marie also sent us some pictures of Afton and Howard’s Golden Wedding, and the Roper family reunion in Fillmore, that was great to see familiar faces. We talked to Matt on the phone the other day and he asked us to let you know that he has been so busy with school he hasn’t had a chance to answer his phone calls from you yet. His dental school in Mesa, AZ is pretty rugged, but we are glad he is able to keep up. There just doesn’t seem to be enough time (for any of us). We also received a copy of Aunt Kathleen’s family newsletter. They have had an exciting summer. Some of them indicated that they attended the Lyman Reunion in Fillmore and got to see Alan and Lori. Kathleen has a new pace-maker and she says she is feeling so much better. At the end of every day, Mom says: “Boy this has surely been a big day!” With only two new missionaries coming in and two going home, transfers went much smoother this time. Sis. Barlow (one of the missionaries going home) and her companion, Sis. Umatani; sat in my office and cried and cried because Sis. Barlow was going home. Friendships made in the mission field are some you never forget.
Thurs. evening was the testimony meeting for the departing missionaries. Mom and I have hounded Pres. Banks since we arrived to tell us the story about the walnut tree in Pres. Hinckley’s back yard that was removed by Pres. Banks and his brother, sawed up and made into the beautiful podium in the Conference Center. He has put us off because he has been so busy. But since the testimony meeting was short, Pres. Banks told us the whole story. All we had heard about it was what Pres. Hinckley said about it in the General Conference. It was really interesting and Pres. Banks said he had it written up and would give us a copy. I won’t go into details about it here but when we get home we will make sure you get a chance to read it. We will be glad to get a copy and it will be enjoyable reading for our whole family.
We have had Elder Hollingshead (a missionary from SLC, related to the Hollingsheads in Delta and Minersville) who came into the Mission Home, ill, about two weeks ago. His chest and stomach has given him so much pain, yet the Drs. here have examined him up and down and claim they can’t find anything wrong with him. So this morning, Pres. Banks told us that Tues. he will be going home. He really hates that because he has worked so hard and has a pretty good knowledge of the language. I’m sure he will be able to complete his mission later on. It is a big responsibility for the Mission Pres. in cases like that and it will be better for him to get under the care of Drs. in the US. Here in Japan, the doctors usually attribute any illness to stress. Our missionaries just don’t get the care here they can get at home.
Last evening, Mom and I were walking over to Best’s Dept. Store. As we ware crossing the street, Mom noticed a wallet laying on the street. We stopped and picked it up and looked around to see if anyone had lost it. We didn’t see anyone so brought it home. We had one of the Japanese Elders here look at the contents (there was a drivers license, credit cards, streetcar pass, and other papers in it, plus about 15,000 Yen ($150.) in it. The Elders found a phone number and got in touch with him this morning. Of course he was overjoyed. He came over a little while ago, and brought a sack of chestnuts. I can imagine how grateful he was.
We try to go over to Bests at least once a week to use one of their messaging chairs, that they have as demonstrators. You sit in it and it automatically gives you a great back, shoulder, neck, head and leg message. It is really keeping Mom going. I suppose since they have those chairs here, they also have them back home.
The rainy season should have ended last month, but we can’t tell when it is or isn’t the rainy season. It continues to rain about 1/2 the time. When I was over to the Post Office yesterday, the man told me that Sept. and Oct. is the typhoon season. I said I thought we have just had the typhoon season. So I guess we can plan on typhoons and rain anytime. We are really enjoying our mission and it is going fast. We appreciate good health and the opportunity to serve.Sayonara, Ropa Choro to Ropa Shimai (Haha & Chichi)
Dear Family and Friends,
It is time to write again. Many of you have communicated with us this past week. We really appreciate it. We are glad Marie & Chris’ baby blessing turned out so well. That is an occasion we are sorry we missed. We got some nice pictures from Chris and Marie and also from Mike and Vanessa and their new little ones. They are really cute. Marie also sent us some pictures of Afton and Howard’s Golden Wedding, and the Roper family reunion in Fillmore, that was great to see familiar faces. We talked to Matt on the phone the other day and he asked us to let you know that he has been so busy with school he hasn’t had a chance to answer his phone calls from you yet. His dental school in Mesa, AZ is pretty rugged, but we are glad he is able to keep up. There just doesn’t seem to be enough time (for any of us). We also received a copy of Aunt Kathleen’s family newsletter. They have had an exciting summer. Some of them indicated that they attended the Lyman Reunion in Fillmore and got to see Alan and Lori. Kathleen has a new pace-maker and she says she is feeling so much better. At the end of every day, Mom says: “Boy this has surely been a big day!” With only two new missionaries coming in and two going home, transfers went much smoother this time. Sis. Barlow (one of the missionaries going home) and her companion, Sis. Umatani; sat in my office and cried and cried because Sis. Barlow was going home. Friendships made in the mission field are some you never forget.
Thurs. evening was the testimony meeting for the departing missionaries. Mom and I have hounded Pres. Banks since we arrived to tell us the story about the walnut tree in Pres. Hinckley’s back yard that was removed by Pres. Banks and his brother, sawed up and made into the beautiful podium in the Conference Center. He has put us off because he has been so busy. But since the testimony meeting was short, Pres. Banks told us the whole story. All we had heard about it was what Pres. Hinckley said about it in the General Conference. It was really interesting and Pres. Banks said he had it written up and would give us a copy. I won’t go into details about it here but when we get home we will make sure you get a chance to read it. We will be glad to get a copy and it will be enjoyable reading for our whole family.
We have had Elder Hollingshead (a missionary from SLC, related to the Hollingsheads in Delta and Minersville) who came into the Mission Home, ill, about two weeks ago. His chest and stomach has given him so much pain, yet the Drs. here have examined him up and down and claim they can’t find anything wrong with him. So this morning, Pres. Banks told us that Tues. he will be going home. He really hates that because he has worked so hard and has a pretty good knowledge of the language. I’m sure he will be able to complete his mission later on. It is a big responsibility for the Mission Pres. in cases like that and it will be better for him to get under the care of Drs. in the US. Here in Japan, the doctors usually attribute any illness to stress. Our missionaries just don’t get the care here they can get at home.
Last evening, Mom and I were walking over to Best’s Dept. Store. As we ware crossing the street, Mom noticed a wallet laying on the street. We stopped and picked it up and looked around to see if anyone had lost it. We didn’t see anyone so brought it home. We had one of the Japanese Elders here look at the contents (there was a drivers license, credit cards, streetcar pass, and other papers in it, plus about 15,000 Yen ($150.) in it. The Elders found a phone number and got in touch with him this morning. Of course he was overjoyed. He came over a little while ago, and brought a sack of chestnuts. I can imagine how grateful he was.
We try to go over to Bests at least once a week to use one of their messaging chairs, that they have as demonstrators. You sit in it and it automatically gives you a great back, shoulder, neck, head and leg message. It is really keeping Mom going. I suppose since they have those chairs here, they also have them back home.
The rainy season should have ended last month, but we can’t tell when it is or isn’t the rainy season. It continues to rain about 1/2 the time. When I was over to the Post Office yesterday, the man told me that Sept. and Oct. is the typhoon season. I said I thought we have just had the typhoon season. So I guess we can plan on typhoons and rain anytime. We are really enjoying our mission and it is going fast. We appreciate good health and the opportunity to serve.Sayonara, Ropa Choro to Ropa Shimai (Haha & Chichi)
September 8, 2003
Dear Family and Friends,
It is time to write again. We hated to miss out on little Alyssa’s blessing, this weekend. It sounds like most of the immediate family were there for the occasion. That was a special effort that we appreciate. It did our hearts good to think of you all there together. Mar told us that Mike and Vanessa’s new little daughter was there and she is really cute. We would surely love to get a picture of her! It will be interesting when we get home to have three more grandchildren. We are sorry to hear that Chris’ good friend died suddenly, that was nice that they could go to his funeral. Anyway we are glad everything went well for the blessing. Sis. Golloher said that her daughter that lives in Las Vegas has just had a new baby girl yesterday. It is her first so Sis. Gollaher says she is leaving this week to go home and spend two weeks with her. I think that makes Mom pretty envious.
This has been a busy week for us. Tues. was the Hiroshima district conference held here. Mom got in on some of it but I couldn’t get away and missed it. Wed. and Thurs. Bro. Osako was here from Tokyo to audit our financial accounts and train on deficiencies. Also the computer specialist from Tokyo came and installed a new computer. That makes four computers for the missionaries in the office. Our problem isn’t so much not enough computers, but our office is only allowed two printers -no color printer.. One of the printers is in my office and the other one has to be used by 6 missionaries that work in the office. Much of Mom’s work requires a color printer. We had an old color printer that we received from Kobe when they closed that mission that she has been using. It has gone out so Mom and I decided that we would buy a cheap color printer to use while we are here and either leave it when we go or try to take it home with us. Hopefully that should solve many problems.Last week we were in our apartment and suddenly Mom yelled, “Gary, come here quick!” I went in where she was and there was a big cock-roach on the wall. It was 2 1/2 or 3 inches long (about the biggest one I have ever seen)! I grabbed the fly swatter and it scampered down the wall and right into the ‘roach-motel’ (trap). Inside the trap there is something that smells quite good but is lined with super sticky paper. That was the end of that roach. We haven’t seen anymore since, but we have several ‘roach motels’ scattered around the apartment just in case.
Next Tues. we are having 3 new missionaries come in and just 2 returning (1 Japanese). To have such a few is a switch but it will be good because Sis. Banks won’t be back until Sep. 15. and she is responsible for housing and feeding the new and returning missionaries. However, transfers will be Thurs., as usual, and we will be busy. Pres. Banks, as are the rest of us, anxious to have Sis. Banks back. Pres. Banks told me the other day that Sis. Banks on the way back, is going to stop off in Portland and see her new grand-daughter. We are glad she will be able to do that. Her Dr. in SLC has released her to come back and we hope she will be in improved health.
Things continue to go well for us. We were just remarking that we haven’t had as much as a cold since we have been here (just some tooth problems). That is a special blessing.. The Lowe couple who’s health has deteriorated, I was telling you about, are scheduled to go home Oct. 1. It is a problem for them to have to cut their missions short but they are thankful they could stay as long as they did.
We really appreciate the way you keep in touch with us and let us know how things are progressing at home.
Mom’s put in a special request that someone please keep her updated on the BYU football games. She has questions like who is playing quarterback, other positions, opponents, score etc.
Ai suru Ropa Choro to Ropa Shimai
It is time to write again. We hated to miss out on little Alyssa’s blessing, this weekend. It sounds like most of the immediate family were there for the occasion. That was a special effort that we appreciate. It did our hearts good to think of you all there together. Mar told us that Mike and Vanessa’s new little daughter was there and she is really cute. We would surely love to get a picture of her! It will be interesting when we get home to have three more grandchildren. We are sorry to hear that Chris’ good friend died suddenly, that was nice that they could go to his funeral. Anyway we are glad everything went well for the blessing. Sis. Golloher said that her daughter that lives in Las Vegas has just had a new baby girl yesterday. It is her first so Sis. Gollaher says she is leaving this week to go home and spend two weeks with her. I think that makes Mom pretty envious.
This has been a busy week for us. Tues. was the Hiroshima district conference held here. Mom got in on some of it but I couldn’t get away and missed it. Wed. and Thurs. Bro. Osako was here from Tokyo to audit our financial accounts and train on deficiencies. Also the computer specialist from Tokyo came and installed a new computer. That makes four computers for the missionaries in the office. Our problem isn’t so much not enough computers, but our office is only allowed two printers -no color printer.. One of the printers is in my office and the other one has to be used by 6 missionaries that work in the office. Much of Mom’s work requires a color printer. We had an old color printer that we received from Kobe when they closed that mission that she has been using. It has gone out so Mom and I decided that we would buy a cheap color printer to use while we are here and either leave it when we go or try to take it home with us. Hopefully that should solve many problems.Last week we were in our apartment and suddenly Mom yelled, “Gary, come here quick!” I went in where she was and there was a big cock-roach on the wall. It was 2 1/2 or 3 inches long (about the biggest one I have ever seen)! I grabbed the fly swatter and it scampered down the wall and right into the ‘roach-motel’ (trap). Inside the trap there is something that smells quite good but is lined with super sticky paper. That was the end of that roach. We haven’t seen anymore since, but we have several ‘roach motels’ scattered around the apartment just in case.
Next Tues. we are having 3 new missionaries come in and just 2 returning (1 Japanese). To have such a few is a switch but it will be good because Sis. Banks won’t be back until Sep. 15. and she is responsible for housing and feeding the new and returning missionaries. However, transfers will be Thurs., as usual, and we will be busy. Pres. Banks, as are the rest of us, anxious to have Sis. Banks back. Pres. Banks told me the other day that Sis. Banks on the way back, is going to stop off in Portland and see her new grand-daughter. We are glad she will be able to do that. Her Dr. in SLC has released her to come back and we hope she will be in improved health.
Things continue to go well for us. We were just remarking that we haven’t had as much as a cold since we have been here (just some tooth problems). That is a special blessing.. The Lowe couple who’s health has deteriorated, I was telling you about, are scheduled to go home Oct. 1. It is a problem for them to have to cut their missions short but they are thankful they could stay as long as they did.
We really appreciate the way you keep in touch with us and let us know how things are progressing at home.
Mom’s put in a special request that someone please keep her updated on the BYU football games. She has questions like who is playing quarterback, other positions, opponents, score etc.
Ai suru Ropa Choro to Ropa Shimai
August 31, 2003
Sun. Aug. 31, 2003
Hello Everyone,
A special Happy Birthday wish today for Sherry. We are also excited about Mike and Vanessa new baby girl born yesterday. Those are some of the things we hate to miss out on but then its hard to be in two places at once. We are happy for your phone calls and e-mails.
We continue to be amazed at both the weather at home and the rainy season that continues here. Eventhough the rainy season should have ended by the last of July, we continue to have rain about 1/2 the time. We hope your weather is starting to cool down and we pray that you will get the moisture you need. Its starting to feel a little like fall here. Matt reports that they have been getting some rain in Gilbert, AZ and he is now head over heels in dental school while Jen continues in her executive job at Target. They are awaiting the birth of their first (a boy) in November.
Yesterday was our P-day and Mom and I went over to Hondori street to get her hair cut. She has found a person over there that cuts it about the way she likes it and he is in our price range. The sky was clear when we went in but it was raining when we came out. As we were walking home (it takes about 45 -60 minutes) I was noticing and thinking about the fact that there are few if any cement sidewalks here in Hiroshima. The Japanese islands were originally formed by volcanoes so they have an over-supply of granite rock. All the sidewalks are made, using squares of granite cemented together. There are several colors of granite and they make for unusual and interesting sidewalks. Occasionally you will see regular bricks put together with cement in place of cement on the sidewalks and in entrances. It seems like when I was here before we saw very few sidewalks like that. Right after the war nearly all sidewalks and roadways were graveled. What 50 years and a little prosperity can do for things!
Mom had a tooth break off, so Dr. Kiribayashi got her lined up with the same Dentist I went to. He arranged to have her tooth fixed in just one visit (instead of several like I had when I went). So Friday afternoon we went over to the Dentist. He was very careful and did a nice job on it. However, the nurses put a blanket on her (in this heat) and as fast as she took it off they would put it back on. They also covered her face and eyes with a towel. Cultural differences, I suppose. She was happy to get it fixed before it turned into a cavity.
We have some Elders here in the Mission Office now that are getting on our nerves. They replaced Elder Killian with Elder Hollis from Australia. Elder Killian could fix anything on a computer and Elder Hollis doesn’t know straight up about computers. His voice is course and loud in the Australian accent, and he can’t quit talking. Also one of the AP’s can’t keep his nose out of everyone’s business. There are things in the office that are confidential and some missionaries just don’t understand what that means! It will be interesting when Sis. Banks gets back and we’ll see which ones get on her nerves.
Pres. Banks gets phone calls from Sis. Banks everyday. She seems to be improving but her Dr. won’t let her come back yet. One of her daughters just had a grand daughter last week. However, they live in Portland, Oregon and Sis. Banks can’t even go up see the new baby! Pres. Banks says she is anxious to get back here and continue on with the mission.
We always pray for your safety and success. We feel very blessed to be able to serve a mission here. Lots of love to all of you.
Gary & Shirley
Hello Everyone,
A special Happy Birthday wish today for Sherry. We are also excited about Mike and Vanessa new baby girl born yesterday. Those are some of the things we hate to miss out on but then its hard to be in two places at once. We are happy for your phone calls and e-mails.
We continue to be amazed at both the weather at home and the rainy season that continues here. Eventhough the rainy season should have ended by the last of July, we continue to have rain about 1/2 the time. We hope your weather is starting to cool down and we pray that you will get the moisture you need. Its starting to feel a little like fall here. Matt reports that they have been getting some rain in Gilbert, AZ and he is now head over heels in dental school while Jen continues in her executive job at Target. They are awaiting the birth of their first (a boy) in November.
Yesterday was our P-day and Mom and I went over to Hondori street to get her hair cut. She has found a person over there that cuts it about the way she likes it and he is in our price range. The sky was clear when we went in but it was raining when we came out. As we were walking home (it takes about 45 -60 minutes) I was noticing and thinking about the fact that there are few if any cement sidewalks here in Hiroshima. The Japanese islands were originally formed by volcanoes so they have an over-supply of granite rock. All the sidewalks are made, using squares of granite cemented together. There are several colors of granite and they make for unusual and interesting sidewalks. Occasionally you will see regular bricks put together with cement in place of cement on the sidewalks and in entrances. It seems like when I was here before we saw very few sidewalks like that. Right after the war nearly all sidewalks and roadways were graveled. What 50 years and a little prosperity can do for things!
Mom had a tooth break off, so Dr. Kiribayashi got her lined up with the same Dentist I went to. He arranged to have her tooth fixed in just one visit (instead of several like I had when I went). So Friday afternoon we went over to the Dentist. He was very careful and did a nice job on it. However, the nurses put a blanket on her (in this heat) and as fast as she took it off they would put it back on. They also covered her face and eyes with a towel. Cultural differences, I suppose. She was happy to get it fixed before it turned into a cavity.
We have some Elders here in the Mission Office now that are getting on our nerves. They replaced Elder Killian with Elder Hollis from Australia. Elder Killian could fix anything on a computer and Elder Hollis doesn’t know straight up about computers. His voice is course and loud in the Australian accent, and he can’t quit talking. Also one of the AP’s can’t keep his nose out of everyone’s business. There are things in the office that are confidential and some missionaries just don’t understand what that means! It will be interesting when Sis. Banks gets back and we’ll see which ones get on her nerves.
Pres. Banks gets phone calls from Sis. Banks everyday. She seems to be improving but her Dr. won’t let her come back yet. One of her daughters just had a grand daughter last week. However, they live in Portland, Oregon and Sis. Banks can’t even go up see the new baby! Pres. Banks says she is anxious to get back here and continue on with the mission.
We always pray for your safety and success. We feel very blessed to be able to serve a mission here. Lots of love to all of you.
Gary & Shirley
August 23, 2003
Sunday, August 23, 2003
Dear Family and Friends,
Another week has gone by and its time for me to write again. We have been in touch with most of our immediate family and heard from many of the rest of you. We appreciate keeping up with things so well at home.
We had an enjoyable day (long day) at the Temple in Fukuoka, yesterday. This time we traveled by bus. We left Hiroshima at 7:30 AM and got home at about 9:30 PM. It was a beautiful day and it was nice to travel in the cool of an AC bus and enjoy the scenery. I was surprised at the large sessions we attended at the Temple. If attendance increases any more, they will need to consider a larger Temple. When our sessions were over, we came out of the Temple just as the bus we needed to take to the bus station pulled up and we made it just in the nick of time. Our bus home left Fukoka at 5:00 PM and if we missed that bus, the next one wouldn’t leave until 6:00 PM. So at 4:55 we arrived at the bus station and rushed in just as the bus had closed the door and ready to pull out. They saw us and opened the door and we made it! (As our family knows, when it comes to travel in Japan, they go by the clock whether you are aboard or not.) That wasn’t such a big deal, except it was better to get home at 9:30 instead of 10:30 and I marveled at how well things fell into place.
Sis. Banks is still in Utah and we really miss her. The Pres. said Friday that he had just talked to her on the phone and she was doing very well. He said if all goes well she will be back soon. We hope she doesn’t return until they are sure the medication is adjusted and she won’t have more problems when she gets here. Now that she is gone, Mom is the only woman in the office and she feels like the lone ranger. Some of those Elders there can come on pretty strong.
Today after Church, they had a baptism in our Ward. It was the 8 year old son of a lady who was baptized a couple of months ago. What an interesting situation that is! The father is a really strong member of the ward and they have 3 children. A year or so ago, the father and the mother were divorced (I think because the mother wasn’t that interested in the Church) and later she decided to become a member and was baptized. At that time they said they planned to be remarried and go through the Temple. But today they still haven’t remarried and all the family was there and the baptism was performed by the father. There are some interesting things go on here.
I have been assigned to home teach a bro. from the States who after he served his mission here, he came back over and married one of the Japanese Sis. They had two children and then things didn’t work out and they divorced. Now he has to pay child support for the children and he gets them a week or two a year. I think he is in a really tough spot! I think he would like to go home but doesn’t want to leave the kids. I think anyone should think twice before they marry out of their race and culture.
We are upset to hear about Betty Lou Jolley’s health problems. We sure hope she can get some help. She has a nice family.
I have just been reading the Church Section about Pres. Faust’s talk for the Lyman reunion in Fillmore. That sounds like an interesting event. I hope Alan and Lori held up under their huge food assignment.
We have really enjoyed the watermelons here, this summer. We have had 6 or 8 and there hasn’t been a clinker yet. When we buy them we cut them all up and store them in the refrigerator. As I have said, most of the fruits and vegetables over here are really good (in spite of their high cost).
It is time to close and get this sent. Sounds like everyone is back in school now. We are having a great experience here and our time is going fast.
Love from Chichi and Haha
Dear Family and Friends,
Another week has gone by and its time for me to write again. We have been in touch with most of our immediate family and heard from many of the rest of you. We appreciate keeping up with things so well at home.
We had an enjoyable day (long day) at the Temple in Fukuoka, yesterday. This time we traveled by bus. We left Hiroshima at 7:30 AM and got home at about 9:30 PM. It was a beautiful day and it was nice to travel in the cool of an AC bus and enjoy the scenery. I was surprised at the large sessions we attended at the Temple. If attendance increases any more, they will need to consider a larger Temple. When our sessions were over, we came out of the Temple just as the bus we needed to take to the bus station pulled up and we made it just in the nick of time. Our bus home left Fukoka at 5:00 PM and if we missed that bus, the next one wouldn’t leave until 6:00 PM. So at 4:55 we arrived at the bus station and rushed in just as the bus had closed the door and ready to pull out. They saw us and opened the door and we made it! (As our family knows, when it comes to travel in Japan, they go by the clock whether you are aboard or not.) That wasn’t such a big deal, except it was better to get home at 9:30 instead of 10:30 and I marveled at how well things fell into place.
Sis. Banks is still in Utah and we really miss her. The Pres. said Friday that he had just talked to her on the phone and she was doing very well. He said if all goes well she will be back soon. We hope she doesn’t return until they are sure the medication is adjusted and she won’t have more problems when she gets here. Now that she is gone, Mom is the only woman in the office and she feels like the lone ranger. Some of those Elders there can come on pretty strong.
Today after Church, they had a baptism in our Ward. It was the 8 year old son of a lady who was baptized a couple of months ago. What an interesting situation that is! The father is a really strong member of the ward and they have 3 children. A year or so ago, the father and the mother were divorced (I think because the mother wasn’t that interested in the Church) and later she decided to become a member and was baptized. At that time they said they planned to be remarried and go through the Temple. But today they still haven’t remarried and all the family was there and the baptism was performed by the father. There are some interesting things go on here.
I have been assigned to home teach a bro. from the States who after he served his mission here, he came back over and married one of the Japanese Sis. They had two children and then things didn’t work out and they divorced. Now he has to pay child support for the children and he gets them a week or two a year. I think he is in a really tough spot! I think he would like to go home but doesn’t want to leave the kids. I think anyone should think twice before they marry out of their race and culture.
We are upset to hear about Betty Lou Jolley’s health problems. We sure hope she can get some help. She has a nice family.
I have just been reading the Church Section about Pres. Faust’s talk for the Lyman reunion in Fillmore. That sounds like an interesting event. I hope Alan and Lori held up under their huge food assignment.
We have really enjoyed the watermelons here, this summer. We have had 6 or 8 and there hasn’t been a clinker yet. When we buy them we cut them all up and store them in the refrigerator. As I have said, most of the fruits and vegetables over here are really good (in spite of their high cost).
It is time to close and get this sent. Sounds like everyone is back in school now. We are having a great experience here and our time is going fast.
Love from Chichi and Haha
August 16, 2003
Sat. August 16, 2003
Dear Family and anyone who might be reading this,
Another week has rolled by. When Grandpa Roper (my Dad) used to call he would always ask, “How’s the weather down there?” I guess that is why one of the first things I like to mention is something about the weather. Right now it is raining again and sultry as can be! People comment on how much rain we seem to be getting here this year. We always make a comment on how dry it has been at home.
We appreciate and look forward to your calls and e-mails. That is surely a plus that we have over the regular missionaries. Mom is the one that sorts the mail that comes in, each morning. The Elders have been instructed by Pres. Banks that they are not to touch the mail until Mom has it ready. So the minute the mail comes in they hang around her desk and nag her to get busy on it and see if they have a letter. I guess we can’t blame them because there is nothing like word from home when you are on a mission! Sometimes after the mail has been sorted through, they’ll say “Where’s my letter?”Mom will say, “Didn’t you see it, I sent it airmail out the window.”
This week is what the Japanese refer to as ‘O-bon’ week when the Bhuddists honor their dead. They believe that during this week the spirits of their ancestors come and mingle with their families. The living family make paper lanterns and take food and place it around where the ashes of their family members and their tombstones are, so that their spirits will be excited to find their way. Anyway many of the stores are closed all week long. Mom wanted to get her hair cut and she called all week to make an appointment and no one answered. O-bon is the reason! When I was here before there was many festivals and we enjoyed watching the native Japanese dancing, etc. We haven’t seen much of that this year.
A few days ago, I had a scare. We keep all of the missionaries’ passports here in my the office. A missionary from South America had to renew his passport because his old one expired. When it came I called him and asked him what he wanted done with his old passport. He said to keep it there in the office. Well he called and said he needed his old passport because it had his Japanese & American visa in it. I looked where we keep the passports and it wasn’t there. Mom and I looked through the office and in everyplace we thought it might be and it wasn’t to be found. So Mom called the missionary and told him the sad news. Then we were all in a frenzy! I sat thinking and thinking about it and finally recalled that I had made a special file for him in my desk drawer. Sure enough, there it was. Mom called the Elder back to report that we had found it and he said, “Boy, that is good, now I won’t have to jump out of our 4-story window”! (Of course that was a joke.) But everyone was relieved, especially me. That’s what is scary about my poor memory and this job!
Today (our P-day) we went over to the Best shopping mall. We sat down for a minute in what seemed to be comfortable lounging chairs. However the chairs were mechanical body conditioner chairs! They jiggles and squeezes you everywhere. We went through the cycle two or three times and Mom was amazed at how good her body felt. I’m afraid she’s going to want to take a turn every night after a hard day in the office. Have you seen anything like that at home?
We were sorry to hear that our neighbor next door, Mr. Ullery died. His health has been so bad that I’m surprised he lasted this long. He is not a member of the Church and he has told us that he is a medical Dr. and practiced many years in Saudi Arabia. We thought it was interesting that he came to Cedar to retire. His wife is bed-ridden and is a chain-smoker. He has been taking care of her. Now we wonder what she will do. Sis. Banks is still in SLC and we hope she is getting the medical help she needs so she can come back and finish her mission, they are trying to adjust her medications. We as well as Pres. Bans really miss her. We feel really blessed that all of you seem to be doing well.
Love, The Ropa Senkyoshi’s
Dear Family and anyone who might be reading this,
Another week has rolled by. When Grandpa Roper (my Dad) used to call he would always ask, “How’s the weather down there?” I guess that is why one of the first things I like to mention is something about the weather. Right now it is raining again and sultry as can be! People comment on how much rain we seem to be getting here this year. We always make a comment on how dry it has been at home.
We appreciate and look forward to your calls and e-mails. That is surely a plus that we have over the regular missionaries. Mom is the one that sorts the mail that comes in, each morning. The Elders have been instructed by Pres. Banks that they are not to touch the mail until Mom has it ready. So the minute the mail comes in they hang around her desk and nag her to get busy on it and see if they have a letter. I guess we can’t blame them because there is nothing like word from home when you are on a mission! Sometimes after the mail has been sorted through, they’ll say “Where’s my letter?”Mom will say, “Didn’t you see it, I sent it airmail out the window.”
This week is what the Japanese refer to as ‘O-bon’ week when the Bhuddists honor their dead. They believe that during this week the spirits of their ancestors come and mingle with their families. The living family make paper lanterns and take food and place it around where the ashes of their family members and their tombstones are, so that their spirits will be excited to find their way. Anyway many of the stores are closed all week long. Mom wanted to get her hair cut and she called all week to make an appointment and no one answered. O-bon is the reason! When I was here before there was many festivals and we enjoyed watching the native Japanese dancing, etc. We haven’t seen much of that this year.
A few days ago, I had a scare. We keep all of the missionaries’ passports here in my the office. A missionary from South America had to renew his passport because his old one expired. When it came I called him and asked him what he wanted done with his old passport. He said to keep it there in the office. Well he called and said he needed his old passport because it had his Japanese & American visa in it. I looked where we keep the passports and it wasn’t there. Mom and I looked through the office and in everyplace we thought it might be and it wasn’t to be found. So Mom called the missionary and told him the sad news. Then we were all in a frenzy! I sat thinking and thinking about it and finally recalled that I had made a special file for him in my desk drawer. Sure enough, there it was. Mom called the Elder back to report that we had found it and he said, “Boy, that is good, now I won’t have to jump out of our 4-story window”! (Of course that was a joke.) But everyone was relieved, especially me. That’s what is scary about my poor memory and this job!
Today (our P-day) we went over to the Best shopping mall. We sat down for a minute in what seemed to be comfortable lounging chairs. However the chairs were mechanical body conditioner chairs! They jiggles and squeezes you everywhere. We went through the cycle two or three times and Mom was amazed at how good her body felt. I’m afraid she’s going to want to take a turn every night after a hard day in the office. Have you seen anything like that at home?
We were sorry to hear that our neighbor next door, Mr. Ullery died. His health has been so bad that I’m surprised he lasted this long. He is not a member of the Church and he has told us that he is a medical Dr. and practiced many years in Saudi Arabia. We thought it was interesting that he came to Cedar to retire. His wife is bed-ridden and is a chain-smoker. He has been taking care of her. Now we wonder what she will do. Sis. Banks is still in SLC and we hope she is getting the medical help she needs so she can come back and finish her mission, they are trying to adjust her medications. We as well as Pres. Bans really miss her. We feel really blessed that all of you seem to be doing well.
Love, The Ropa Senkyoshi’s
August 10, 2003
Sunday August 10, 2003
Dear Family and Friends,
Another big week has passed for us. We appreciate getting communications from most of you during the week. We are glad that you all seem to be well and things are going along about the same as usual at home. I can’t believe it is about time for school to start again. The time goes fast!
August 6 marked 58 years since the A-bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. It is remarkable what a beautiful city Hiroshima is now compared to that time. On the evening of Aug. 5, one of our English class members invited us to a concert of a symphony orchestra and chorus performing a Mozart Mass held along the riverside, across from the ‘genbaku dome’ (a building that was left standing as a reminder of the tragedy of the bomb in the center of the Peace Park). There was a large crowd there and it was very interesting. It was terribly humid and hot. We sat on a rock on the other side of the river and listened to the concert. (Our backs ached that night when we got home.)
The next evening (Aug. 6) at the same place there was a special commemoration held. That consisted of making boxes about 2 feet square, cover them with colored paper (so you could see light through the box), and then lighting a candle inside the box. Hundreds of those red, green and gold boxes are floated down the river while different musical groups entertain along the bank of the river. It was an unusual and beautiful site! During that evening most of the missionaries from this area tracted many of the people that were there about the Gospel. It was an interesting night.
Last Tuesday, six new missionaries arrived (one Japanese Elder, one Elder from Canada and 4 Elders from USA). Wed. was orientation day and Thurs. they were sent out to their areas. On Thurs. 10 returning missionaries came to the Office and got checked out so they could leave for home Friday. That was a big day! There is nothing like 10 Missionaries hanging around all day with nothing to do. Those are hard days in the Mission Office. Thurs. night was their farewell testimony meeting in the President’s home. We always get invited to that and it was very interesting and humbling.
Pres. Banks told Mom (no one else knew it) that Sis. Banks was going home with the missionaries, this time. She is having serious health problems (fibermyalgia, thyroid) and if she can’t get some help from her Dr. in SLC, there is a chance that her and Pres. Banks will have to be released early. That would be a terrible shame because they are doing an excellent job. They have only served one year and have two years left. We are praying that she will get the help she needs and they will be able to complete their mission. That is hard for Pres. Banks (and the rest of us) while she is gone.
Mission transfers were Thurs. and Fri. One of the Asst. (Elder McCoy) was sent back out into the field and another, Elder Sanford was transferred in to take his place. Also Elder Killian (who works closely with Mom) is being transferred in two weeks. His replacement (Elder Hollis who is from Australia) came in Thurs. to learn the job, we love Elder Hollis’s Australian accent. Elder Killian is especially good at the computer and we will miss him. Last night we sent the elders a plate of chocolate cookies when they arrived home at 9:30 p.m. This morning at church they told us how much they enjoyed them. Elder Sanford said he gobbled down six of them and as a result had heartburn during the night. Elders are a special breed of people, they’ll eat anything and everything! They do love food.
Bro. and Sis. Gollaher went to the States last week for their summer vacation (they will be gone most of the month). Sis. Gohaller asked Mom to give her Relief Society lesson today, so I went in and heard it. It was on the Priesthood (from Pres. John Taylor’s book). It makes it more difficult to teach a lesson when you have to do it through a translator but she did a great job.
It is time to close. We love our work and feel blessed to have good health.
Love, The Ropers
Dear Family and Friends,
Another big week has passed for us. We appreciate getting communications from most of you during the week. We are glad that you all seem to be well and things are going along about the same as usual at home. I can’t believe it is about time for school to start again. The time goes fast!
August 6 marked 58 years since the A-bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. It is remarkable what a beautiful city Hiroshima is now compared to that time. On the evening of Aug. 5, one of our English class members invited us to a concert of a symphony orchestra and chorus performing a Mozart Mass held along the riverside, across from the ‘genbaku dome’ (a building that was left standing as a reminder of the tragedy of the bomb in the center of the Peace Park). There was a large crowd there and it was very interesting. It was terribly humid and hot. We sat on a rock on the other side of the river and listened to the concert. (Our backs ached that night when we got home.)
The next evening (Aug. 6) at the same place there was a special commemoration held. That consisted of making boxes about 2 feet square, cover them with colored paper (so you could see light through the box), and then lighting a candle inside the box. Hundreds of those red, green and gold boxes are floated down the river while different musical groups entertain along the bank of the river. It was an unusual and beautiful site! During that evening most of the missionaries from this area tracted many of the people that were there about the Gospel. It was an interesting night.
Last Tuesday, six new missionaries arrived (one Japanese Elder, one Elder from Canada and 4 Elders from USA). Wed. was orientation day and Thurs. they were sent out to their areas. On Thurs. 10 returning missionaries came to the Office and got checked out so they could leave for home Friday. That was a big day! There is nothing like 10 Missionaries hanging around all day with nothing to do. Those are hard days in the Mission Office. Thurs. night was their farewell testimony meeting in the President’s home. We always get invited to that and it was very interesting and humbling.
Pres. Banks told Mom (no one else knew it) that Sis. Banks was going home with the missionaries, this time. She is having serious health problems (fibermyalgia, thyroid) and if she can’t get some help from her Dr. in SLC, there is a chance that her and Pres. Banks will have to be released early. That would be a terrible shame because they are doing an excellent job. They have only served one year and have two years left. We are praying that she will get the help she needs and they will be able to complete their mission. That is hard for Pres. Banks (and the rest of us) while she is gone.
Mission transfers were Thurs. and Fri. One of the Asst. (Elder McCoy) was sent back out into the field and another, Elder Sanford was transferred in to take his place. Also Elder Killian (who works closely with Mom) is being transferred in two weeks. His replacement (Elder Hollis who is from Australia) came in Thurs. to learn the job, we love Elder Hollis’s Australian accent. Elder Killian is especially good at the computer and we will miss him. Last night we sent the elders a plate of chocolate cookies when they arrived home at 9:30 p.m. This morning at church they told us how much they enjoyed them. Elder Sanford said he gobbled down six of them and as a result had heartburn during the night. Elders are a special breed of people, they’ll eat anything and everything! They do love food.
Bro. and Sis. Gollaher went to the States last week for their summer vacation (they will be gone most of the month). Sis. Gohaller asked Mom to give her Relief Society lesson today, so I went in and heard it. It was on the Priesthood (from Pres. John Taylor’s book). It makes it more difficult to teach a lesson when you have to do it through a translator but she did a great job.
It is time to close. We love our work and feel blessed to have good health.
Love, The Ropers
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