Apostle Week

 

We have rode our bikes up City Creek Canyon several times for exercise.  The scenery is beautiful but the roads are steep.  This is a picture of the Utah State Capitol from this view point.

President M. Russell Ballard

President Dallin H. Oaks

Elder Dale G. Renlund

This week has been apostle week.   The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is led by revelation from a living prophet and apostles just like Christ’s day.  Living in Salt Lake City brings us in close proximity to the Prophet Russell M Nelson and the twelve apostles.  Last Sunday, we mistakenly went too early to church.   We ended up walking into the middle of a sacrament meeting.  We thought it was prelude music playing before our church started but it was actually an interlude piece.  It was hard to find a seat but we found one two rows from the front.  President Ballard was looking straight at us from the podium.  President M Russell Ballard is the acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.  On Wednesday early morning, we walked past President Dallin H Oaks out for a walk with his security guard.  President Oaks serves as first counselor in the First Presidency.  On Thursday, we attended a Church History department broadcast with Elder Renlund.  Elder Renlund talked about how we all became witnesses of Christ when we took upon Christ’s name at baptism.

While we wait for visas….

We are finding small miracles in our ability to work with the Japan Kobe Mission Office.  Technology makes it possible for us to attend staff meetings, meet with the Mission President and his companion, train with the couple we will be replacing, and even fulfill an assignment of working with an English Connect Class on Saturday nights (ALL Japan time). Fred has learned that another missionary is working remotely as financial secretary for a mission office in Singapore.  He will help Fred learn how he can fulfill his responsibilities for Japan from here.  I have been contacted by the North Asia Area Medical Advisor.  I will have a medical council this week with this advisor and my mission president.  I will probably start helping the missionaries in Japan this week.

We have been assigned to serve in the Church History Library for the Salt Lake City Headquarters Mission while we wait for our visas.  We will be assisting with member records project until the Church History Library opens.  It has been closed because of COVID.  If we are still here, we will also begin training for duties in the library.  We have been assigned a zone and attend zone and mission devotionals and conferences multiple times a week.  The Salt Lake City Headquarters Mission understands that we are waiting for our visas.  Our responsibilities with Kobe will take priority over things we are doing here.