Sunday, April 8, 2012

April 2 - 8, 2012, We love to see General Conference

The long wait is over, General Conference is finally here in Japan. We did take time to watch some of the Saturday conference before we watched it at the Stakehouse Saturday and Sunday. It is so good to get the messages from the Prophets!

Cherry Blossom viewing time is here. This our second time to see the cherry blossoms in Japan. The cherry blossom viewing time is the height of the Japanese tourist season. We went to the Kumamoto Castle again this year to see the sakura (cherry blossoms). It was a wonderful day and we visited with people from Taiwan as well as with some from here in Kumamoto. We also traveled to Kurume, Oita, and Nobeoka this week and saw the beautiful sakura all along the 450 kilometer trip!

Same place we had a picture taken last year.

Kanaida, Lawson, Bagley, Oba, and Christensen Choro entering the Castle grounds.
Sakura on the Castle wall.

Beckstrand and Watanabe Choro caught up to us.

The tour group.

Lawson Choro showing his patented moves.

Kanaida and Bagley Choro. We love the red hedges here in the spring.

Oba and Lawson Choro.

Tuesday was a two zone Zone Conference. We finished transporting Choros to their apartments Monday night at 11:30 and started transporting again Tuesday morning at 7:30. At the conference we learned how to commit investigators to be baptized and how to hear or feel the Spirit. Tom committed to write in his journal again and Bess committed to act when prompted, without second guessing.
Bad spot on the camera.
Sister Margetts, Sister Sakamoto, and Bess. The Sakamotos and Margetts go home in June.

A test of faith. Apina Choro, on the ladder, is deathly afraid of heights. He exercised faith by falling backwards off the ladder.

Kobayashi and Miyagawa Shimai. Like those jowls? Round puff balls.

A picture of President and Sister Margetts on the cake at lunch. Not at all flattering!!

Wednesday, lunch with Uchida Shimai, Beckstrand Choro, Watanabe Choro, and Tokuzawa Shimai. Shabu-shabu at the MK cafe. oishii!

Stennett and Fujisawa Choro, Kurume celestial companionship. (bad spot on the camera lens gomen!)

Takahashi and Everett Choro, Oita celestial apartment.

Eckman and Gregory Choro, Nobeoka celestial Choro

Scenery along the highway. Forsythia bushes and sakura.

There are lots of bridges in Japan. Aren't they beautiful!

Saturday and Sunday we watched Conference. The teachings that jumped out at us were:
The atoning sacrifice that Christ made for us and how we need to use it everyday to become better.
How we gain promptings from the Holy Ghost and how we should act on them as soon as we get them.
The importance of the family and how we need to put them first, after Gospel, in our lives.
We need to enjoy all members of the family and mend any problems with family members.

We are looking forward to studying the teachings, learning more and putting the things we learned to use in our everyday life. We are so blessed to be here in Japan and have received so many blessings and have learned so much about the Gospel, ourselves, and the people of Japan!

Remember, President Monson tells us, "You can't be right by doing wrong, you can't be wrong by doing right".

We love you!
Mom and Dad,
Grandma and Grandpa,
Tom and Bess

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