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