Dec. 22, 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, 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