Week 88 - October 6-12, 2014

The roof on the chapel in Kumamoto is finished for now.  We wonder why a part of the roof was not  redone.  The picture shows the truck being loaded with the scuffling used to go up and down on the roof while they were working on it. 

Monday morning we got up early and meet our Japanese teacher at Lake Ezu at dawn.  We jogged around the lake as the sun was rising.  It was beautiful.  The picture was taken on the bridge where we started our run.

This picture was taken after we completed our Wednesday morning jog.  I am on the elevator heading to our apartment on the eighth floor.

We are blessed to have a place to park our bicycles right outside our front door.  I guess, it is an advantage of end apartment in our building complex. 

On Saturday and Sunday we had the opportunity to listen to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Semi Annual General Conference.  It took place October 4th and 5th in Salt Lake City, Utah.  We watch the broadcast one week late in Japan.  It is translated in the Japanese language for the members here.  There was a separate room set up for all the English speakers where Elder Koberstein and I were able to watch conference in the English language.

Elder David A. Bednar directed his message to individuals who are not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He said,  "I will address a fundamental question many of you may have:  'Why are Latter-day Saints so eager to tell me about what they believe and to invite  me to learn about their church?'"

"The Church of Jesus Christ always has been and always will be a missionary church.  The individual members of the Savior's Church have accepted the solemn obligation to assist in fulfilling the divine commission given by the Lord to His Apostles, as recorded in the New Testament:

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.... (Matthew 28:19-20)

"Latter-day Saints take seriously the responsibility to teach all people in all nations about the Lord Jesus Christ and His restored gospel.  We believe the same Church founded by the Savior anciently has been reestablished on the earth by Him in the latter days.  The doctrine, principles, priesthood authority, ordinances, and covenants of His gospel are found today in His Church.

"When we invite you to attend church with us or to learn with the full time missionaries, we are not trying to sell you a product....We are inviting you to hear the restored truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ so you can study, ponder, pray and come to know for yourself if the things we are sharing with you are true."

I know the Church of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth in these latter days.  Because of this knowledge, Elder Koberstein and I have spent the past 19 months in Japan serving as missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  The scripture below is found in the Book of Mormon and explains how you can know of its truth.

Scripture of the Week

Moroni 10:4-5

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.

And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.