Heart Attack

The weekend of February 18 & 19 there were three meetings that we were able participate in via the internet, that were presided over and we received counsel from, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Sister Holland and members of the Asia Area Presidency.  The broadcasts originated from the Tokyo/Nagoya area

It started with a Young Single Adult devotional on Saturday night where all YSA/SA were invited to submit questions for Elder Holland to respond to during the devotional. Sunday morning we had a multi-stake conference and then Sunday evening a Japan-wide devotional. It was wonderful to hear the words of an Apostle. Very inspiring!

Being a missionary here is always full of surprises.  On Thursday afternoon we opened our front door discovered that we had been “heart” attacked by the Elders and Sisters.  It was so sweet, with all the little hearts pasted to our door with sweet little messages on them.  We have really come to know and love the Sisters and Elders serving here, and a love for missionaries everywhere.

We rounded up the usual suspects, but they all denied knowledge of the event.

On Saturday, 25 February 2017, we had the opportunity to ride down to the Fukuoka Temple on a Branch temple trip and do some temple work for the first time in 6 months. I was able to do the endowment work for Thomas Henrich Strumpler [sic].  He was born in Germany in 1780 and was my great-great-great-great grandfather.  It was such a special blessing to be able to do this important temple work for one of my direct ancestors.  Imagine what it must be like for him waiting over 200 years to have this work done for him.

On the way home from Fukuoka, we stopped for dinner at a toll way rest stop.  BTW it's about 4 hours one way to Fukuoka from Iwakuni and about $60 each way in tolls.  At the rest stop, I had a wonderful bowl of ramen but it came with a most unusual spoon.  I am not really sure what I was supposed to use this for.