Week 42 - November 19-24, 2013

 This week was a busy week.  We had 25 new missionaries from the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Provo arrive at the mission on Tuesday evening late.  This meant a lot of work to have everything ready for them.  We had those missionaries that have completed their mission come to honbu on Thursday.  Elder Koberstein and I had the opportunity to go to dinner with both groups.  We also went to the temple in the evening with the returning missionaries. Saying welcome to the mission is always exciting.  The in coming missionaries are so enthusiastic.  Saying goodbye for a job well done is always hard.  Those going home have been the leaders but now new leaders will develop to take their place.

I have been on my own in the mission office for over a week.  It has been a learning curve but I am learning.  Thanks to my wonderful husband, sons, work and education for helping me with computer skills.  This job would be very difficult without that knowledge before you start.  Mail merge is a program I had not yet learned to use.  Friday, I spent the day trying to figure out how to use it as I will be mailing to groups often and it will make my job so much easier.  I had been exposed to it during my training but did not remember how to use it.  I know that Heavenly Father helps.  I would think about the problem and try different things and an idea would come to me.  I know it was help from Heaven for which I am very grateful.

Saturday Terry and I took a bike ride the the International Center in Fukuoka and around Ohori Lake.  The International Center is in downtown Fukuoka.  There were many people.  It reminded me of the day after Thanksgiving shopping in the United States. There are Christmas trees and decorations up everywhere now but a noticeable lack of nativities that are a big part of Christmas for me.

I took pictures as we biked.  Fall is definitely coming to Fukuoka.  Some of the trees are turning yellow

and some are beautiful shades of orange and red.

Birds (ducks/loons) were swimming in the lake.  I am not sure what type they are though.  Can any one help me?

This picture of Elder Koberstein is looking at the castle site.  There is not a castle like in Kumamoto  today but maybe some day it will be restored.  The castle in Kumamoto has been restored.  The site where the castle in Fukuoka stood is being preserved.

This is a picture of the apartment building were we live.  We live on the fourth of five floors.  The picture makes is look like the building is only four stories high, but the elevator says there are five (one maybe a basement).  The hill in the front is very steep.  Elder Koberstein bikes up and down it but I choose to walk up and down.

We biked to church today.  On the way home from church we stopped by the mission office for a few minutes.  This is a picture of Elder Koberstein by the mission office sign we just discovered.  It is up near the front doors of the temple.  Missionaries generally use the back entrance but since it is very close to a zoo it is crazy busy most weekends and today was not an exception.  We have discovered, quite by accident, that going out the front is really much more pleasant.  This road has few cars and pedestrians to worry about.  Bikes can navigate easily were many cars can not.  We enjoy our bikes!  It is so relaxing to go for a ride after a long day.

Scripture of the Week

Ask, and it shall be given you, seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto you children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Mathew 7:7-11