Fred and Paula’s Most Excellent Adventure

 This was a busy week and we accomplished much. We opened 3 apartments which includes preparing the furnishings, moving, and setting up the apartments.  We had several strong missionaries helping us with these tasks.  These missionaries dedicate up to two years of their lives to the service of the Lord. They are strong and valiant. They serve with a lot of energy. Their faith and diligent attitude is impressive.  Their purpose is to bring people to Jesus Christ.  This scripture about the stripling warriors in the Book of Mormon describe the young missionaries serving in Kobe: "And they were all young men, and they were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity; but behold, this was not all-- they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted." Alma 53:20 We also welcomed more missionaries to the mission.  We have doubled our mission in a few weeks.  My work as nurse has picked up with missionaries getting sick and a coup

  Hydrangea's are beautiful this time of year. I love the variety of color even on one plant.  I am used to seeing one color per plant but these bushes have multiple colors on one bush.  It reminds me that the unique character of each person blesses the world around us.  I have enjoyed getting to know each missionary as I have served here.  They bring strengths and personalities that bless the mission as a whole.  There are missionaries that are so shy, others who are bold, others who are always happy, others who are serious and accomplish many things. God didn't make us the same. We shouldn't feel like we need to be like everyone else.  Your unique characteristics are exactly what you need to be.   Kobe has 1.5 million people living here. There is very little space so every thing is compact. Cars are small. Houses are small. Kitchens are small. Even food is packaged in small containers. Yet much can be done even in a small space.  We have been watching a neighbor grow thes

This week, we were able to catch up on a lot of our office work.  I was able to make address labels in kanji for our new apartments.  I think that is a bit of a miracle since I can't read kanji at all. Next week, we open another apartment and receive several new missionaries.  I continue to study Japanese everyday. This week I have been memorizing a scripture in Japanese. It is super challenging but I almost have it.   And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would  ask  God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not  true ; and if ye shall ask with a  sincere heart , with  real intent , having  faith  in Christ, he will  manifest  the  truth  of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. Moroni 10:4 また，この 記 き 録 ろく を 受 う けるとき，これが 真 しん 実 じつ かどうかキリストの 名 な によって 永 えい 遠 えん の 父 ちち なる 神 かみ に 問 と う ように，あなたがたに 勧 すす めたい。もしキリストを 信 しん じ ながら， 誠 せい 心 しん 誠 せい 意 い 問 と うならば， 神 かみ はこれが 真 しん 実 じつ であることを， 聖 せい 霊 れい の 力 ちから によってあなたがたに 明 あき らかに してくださる

Some of you have asked what happened last week.  We have received 22 missionaries just in the last 6 weeks.  It's crazy sauce around here.  We've opened 7 apartments with 5 more soon to be opened.  We are building bunk beds, fixing bicycles, making cookies, hosting a missionary in our home, packing boxes, shopping for essential items, packing more boxes, more shopping, and breaking down boxes to be recycled.  This doesn't include our office duties and caring for the missionaries.  It is our pleasure to be in the service of the Lord. We did see a really cool castle on the top of a hill.  It is in Tottori 2.5 hours from were we live. We traveled there to deliver and assemble a bunk bed.  We were hoping we could stop by the castle on our way home but unfortunately the road was closed. "All the beauty in the earth bears the fingerprint of the Master Creator" Gordon B Hinckley