Febuary 12 - 19, 2012 Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Another tired missionary on P-Day, Watanabe Choro taking advantage of our "recliners"

The is the week we have been waiting for! We have all been so excited waiting to hear from Elder Dallin H. Oaks. Monday and Wednesday we had English lessons with Elder Tashiro in his preparation to be able to visit with Elder Oaks. We also visited members and a part member family this week delivering cookies and rice crispy treats and inviting them to come to the special Stake Conference this Sunday to hear Elder Oaks speak.

Tuesday afternoon we delivered the goodies that we brought home from Iwakuni last weekend for the Shimizu/Tsuboi Choro. Poptarts and Cocoa Puffs!

Eikaiwa Wednesday night was based on Yellowstone Park, the weather and nature. We all had a good time learning new words and working a word search.

When Saturday finally arrived, we left for Fukuoka at 6:30 am to be at the meeting where Elder Oaks was going to talk to all the missionaries in the Fukuoka Mission. The missionaries in Okinawa would have a video hook up to watch and the rest of us traveled to the Fukuoka Ward building. We had the missionaries from Nobeoka, Burton and Hayase Choro, travel with us. We arrived at 8:00 and visited with old friends and new while we waited for the meeting to start.

Elder and Sister Oaks, Elder and Sister Hallstrom, Elder and Sister Ringwood, Elder Tashiro, and President and Sister Margetts arrived at 9:00. They first formed a line and we each got to shake their hands. This took about 35 minutes. We were seated at the end of the line where Elder Oaks was standing. It was so much fun to watch the interactions and expressions of the young missionaries! We also got to shake their hands. Wish we could have seen our own expressions. Both the Hallstroms and Elder and Sister Oaks remembered, as we told them we were from Annabella, a young man named Magleby that they had met in an airport just recently also from Annabella!!

President and Sister Margetts talked to us first. Sister Margetts read Doctrine and Convents 84:88. Talked about angels being round to help us with the work and the importance of reading the scriptures daily. President Margetts read the Dedicatory prayer from the Fukuoka Temple: "We pray for the missionaries, both those from Japan and those from other nations, that they may be magnified, that they may be rewarded in their labors, that their faith may be strong and their testimonies of Thy work sure and certain. Lead them to those who will accept the truth."
He then talked about Doctrine and Covenants section 1.

Elder Tashiro told of the change in his live when he joined the Church 40 years ago. Said we need more members helping with the missionary work.

Sister Hallstrom instructed us about standing upright be for God and read from: Job 1:1, Amos 7:7-8, and 2 Chronicles 20:12. We need to stand upright before God and keep our eye on Christ so we can do what we should.

Elder Hallstrom asked us what we expected from this meeting and read from D&C 43:8-9 about why we hold meetings, to instruct and edify and have a desire to do better, If we are edified, we stop something we are doing or start something we should be doing.

Sister Oaks told us how there is a very fine line between happiness and misery. Used D&C 35:24-27 and Ephesians 4: 4-11 & 15 as references.

Elder Oaks instructed us on desire. What we desire will come to pass if we want it enough. To truly be happy we should all desire Eternal life. Desire comes from within each of us. We cannot give desire away to anyone else. We can only do all we can to awaken desire in others only if it is within them.
Then he talked about the importance of commitment. If we repent and come unto Christ with a full purpose of heart (commitment) we will be forgiven of our sins. He talked about timing. The most important thing is to do the right thing at the right time. D&C 64: 32 "But all things must come to pass in their time." Do all you can and then wait on the Lord.

Dendo Power!!

More power!

Bagley, Jeffrey and Mitton Choro.

Missionaries headed back to their areas.

We traveled in a snow storm! We did not know that the storm would effect our Sunday activities. It snowed for three days in Fukuoka. The old timers cannot remember the last time it did that. Sunday morning there were three inches on the ground and Elder Oaks and Elder Ringwood needed to travel to Kumamoto for Conference. The Expressway was closed, so they had to take side roads for 30 minutes before they could enter the Expressway. Their driver, Elder Triffit from Australia had driven in snow only once before, Saturday! While we waited in Kumamoto, Elder Triffit was white knuckling the slick roads, and loving every minute of it. They arrived safely, only about a half hour late!

At conference today, Elder Ringwood talked about singing a hymn in your mind to control thoughts. He taught about Nephi and how he did what the Lord commanded, see I Nephi 3:7. Nephi had a desire to learn from the Lord and followed through on that desire. He then received many blessings. Nephi also prayed for his brothers when they made fun of him. Have we ever thought of doing that or just of fighting back? He also reviewed the story in Luke 19. Zacchæus wanted to see Jesus so he climbed a tree. Jesus came to the tree and called him by name and wanted to eat with him. We learn from this story that Jesus knows us each by name.

Sister Ringwood (Elder Nelson's daughter) spoke on the importance of reading the scriptures everyday.

Sister Oaks reinforced her love for the Nehonjin people. She switched from Nehongo to English so quickly that her translator had a hard time keeping up with her. She taught us that all of our afflictions in life will be turned for our own good if we endure them well. See D&C 98:3.

Elder Oaks taught us how to be happy in this life. Acknowledge that God exists. Be faithful to Him and His teachings. We must have a correct understanding of Gods nature and attributes. We each need to know the path we are pursuing is in accordance to His will.

We left Conference so filled with good thoughts and a desire to share what we have learned with others so there you go!

Bishop Koide and family.

Watanabe and Clements Choro attacking the Chinese dumplings. See the steam?

Wang and Watanabe Choro.

Li and Wang, the cooks, holding the deep fried bananas.

Tonight was an excellent finish to a wonderful day. Li and Wang invited us to supper. The most delicious Chinese food ever!!!

Love,
Grandpa and Grandma
Dad and Mom
Tom and Bess