June 22, 2003

Dear Family and Friends,
Again, we thank all of you who have contacted us this past week. We have received letters, e-mails and phone calls. We appreciate all the blessings that you are receiving as well as the many we enjoy.
Today was Hiroshima’s Stake Conference. It was held out in the Hatsukaichi Ward area, about 45 minuets south of Hiroshima. We rode out with Pres. and Sis. Banks in the Mission 3-seater van along with four Sis. who are working here in this area. The Conference was really good. We didn’t have a special visitor so they had several members talk, Pres. and Sis. Banks talked and the Stake Pres. Mom and I wonder why they always have Pres. and Sis. Banks talk and none of the other Stake Pres. members talk (I guess it is just the way they are used to doing things). Elder McCoy and Payne (the AP’s) translated for us. On the way home, Sister Banks was saying something about being tired a lot, Mom said ,”Yea, The other morning when Gary got up he said he felt like Last Years Birds Nest, but I say it’s better to feel like one than to look like one.” They all had a good chuckle out of that.
They arranged to have the Conference in a beautiful building that is no more than 3 or 4 years old. Inside it was all decorated in granite, with a spacious hallway with granite or marble steps on each side going up to the second floor where the auditorium is located. As we were coming down the stairs, I told Mom I felt like we were going to Cinderella’s Ball. Pres. Banks doubts that they charge money when charitable organizations use the building.
We have had four sick Elders staying here in the Mission Home. Pres. Banks says that it is requiring so much of his time taking care of the sick that he is getting behind in his other missionary work. Pres. Banks has asked the Church to more carefully screen the missionaries they send here and make sure they have no history of illness that might flair up during their missions. It is also very expensive for the Church to stand the cost of all the medical tests, etc. One of the Elders who has been here just a little longer than us returned back home in the States. Friday. I think he has been sick more days than he has been able to work.
Next week Pres. Banks has asked the two medical Doctors serving here in Japan (one of them is Andrew’s uncle Robert) to spend a day each in the different areas of the Mission, talking to all the missionaries about health concerns. At the meeting here at Hiroshima, Mom and I got roped into singing a special number in the missionary meeting that they will have here. A few weeks ago, when they were planning the Meeting here with the Drs.; Elder Betherds the AP volunteered the Mission Home missionaries would furnish a song. Two weeks later Elder Betherds was transferred. Mom tried to get the rest of the Elders together for the song, but it turned out to be such a hassle, that finally Mom and I agreed to take care of it. We are going to try to sing a special arrangement of Secret Prayer, accompanied by Sis. Banks. When you’re in the Mission Field you have to do the best you can with what you’ve got!
We have had a little problem in our apartment with mosquitoes since the raining season began. Mom had three or four bad bites. So yesterday we had one of the Elders buy us a little electric device that is supposed to get rid of the mosquitoes in our apartment. We hope it works like its supposed to. So far I haven’t had any bites, but I can remember how bad they were when I was here before. More than one morning I woke up with one or both eyes swollen shut.
I didn’t think I would ever really enjoy studying the Old Testament, but Mom and I are studying it now with the CES manuel that goes into depth on interpretation. It is really interesting and meaningful.
We were interested to learn that Lee and Dixie Morrell received their Mission Call to Hawaii to teach at BYU Hawaii. Things change so fast at home that we will have allot of catching-up to do when we get back.
I better close this letter now. Until next week,
Love, Gary & Shirley