The Area Presidency asked us to set baptism goals for the final quarter of the year. When they asked us, the Tokyo South Mission had about 25 baptisms for the entire year. We don’t want numbers to drive us but we also know that goals are necessary in order to exercise our faith, stretch and grow. We reached out to our Zone Leaders and asked them to talk with their District Leaders and then come to Mission Leadership Council prepared with a number for their Zone. We were pleasantly surprised when the total added up to 71 conversions for our the Tokyo South Mission in the final quarter of 2024. Since that time we have focused on strengthening our faith in Jesus Christ, working more effectively and considering what we can do to be more obedient in order to receive this miracle. It has been wonderful to see the changes in our mission.

Since setting the goal, we have had five baptisms in our mission. We have also watched as our missionaries have worked harder and looked for the little miracles that God sends to them each day. Each Sunday evening our whole mission dials in for a Kiseki (Miracle) Call. Our call last week was a miracle in itself! The call is almost like a testimony meeting. In the past their have been long pauses of silence between shared miracles. Last week we couldn’t even fit in all the miracles. People would start with their miracle, talking over one another and then telling the other set of missionaries “go ahead and share yours first”. It was just one miracle after the other.

One of those miracles we got to participate in. We had gone out to Nakano to attend the baptism of a young man who goes by Tom-san. Tom is from China and he invited two friends from his work to his baptism – one female and one male. After the ordinance was performed and while we were waiting for Tom-san to dry off (Elders forgot towels and had to run to their apartment next door to grab them) we began talking with his friends. They were asking many questions about things they had heard about Christianity. The man said “I’m not sure I can agree with the fact that little babies must be baptized.” Steve opened his scriptures and had him read from Moroni 8. He had also heard that we do not allow our children to be educated before they are 20 years old. Steve once again shared the truth with him. Both friends ended up staying for Sacrament meeting, Sunday School and the potluck after. Both are now being taught by the missionaries.

Another miracle occurred when Laurie was able to locate her favorite companion, Tokie Hiyama, who just happened to live in the ward where the baptism took place. Earlier, someone had helped Laurie locate Hiyama Shimai and they had been in touch but hadn’t seen each other. After 43 years they are now in the same mission again. It brought back so many memories. Tokie was rare in that she has a great sense of humor. One night while getting ready for bed she stuffed several raisins into Laurie’s tube of toothpaste. By morning they were plump and juicy as Laurie tried to squeeze toothpaste on her toothbrush while Tokie snickered outside the bathroom door laughing as Laurie was was shouting about the black stuff coming from her tube of toothpaste.

Another Miracle

We attended another baptism in Azabu of Cid Seo, a Korean gentlemen. He remembered seeing the missionaries when he was nine years old and he never forgot that image. He is so grateful to find the gospel and bore a strong testimony of God’s love and how he wants to love others more himself. The ward came out in great numbers to support his baptism and missionaries brought another Japanese man who has been learning about the gospel, and English, for over twenty years. He was very attentive during the baptism and we are praying that he felt something and he too will have the desire to receive the ordinance of baptism.

Finding the Lost One

Ten new missionaries arrived this week. One, Elder Steward, arrived from Australia where he had been awaiting his Visa and the other nine came from the Provo MTC. As Elder Steward was getting off his plane he was approached by a man who asked if he had a Book of Mormon. Elder Stewart gave him his quad and the man was nice enough to say “follow me” and led Elder Steward through Customs in ten minutes. The other nine missionaries who had arrived at the same time on another flight spent the next 90 minutes waiting in line to go through Customs. While waiting at the airport with our APs, we met a family that had recently moved from the U.S. to Tokyo, the Browns. Their oldest son had returned the day before from his mission in Chile. He was still wearing his badge as he anxiously awaited the arrival of his little brother who was on his way from the Provo MTC to his mission in Sapporo. (They had been granted permission for the two brothers to see each other briefly so that it wouldn’t be four years before they saw each other.)

The missionaries for our mission, along with the missionaries for the Sapporo mission slowly trickled out from Customs. Since we already had Elder Steward, we counted the nine from Provo and headed to the place in the airport where we ship their bags to their new assigned areas. Our van is large but not large enough to put ten missionaries and their luggage in so we ship their luggage to their apartment, load the carry-ons in the back of our van and then our APs take them back to the Mission Home on the train. We were leaving the parking lot to grab the carry-ons at the front of the airport when we received a frantic call from our office that we had left one missionary behind. There were so many missionaries from the two missions visiting that we hadn’t noticed that we had left Elder Stewart behind. Elder Stewart had been absorbed in conversation with the missionaries heading to Sapporo and hadn’t noticed that we had left until Delta took all the Sapporo missionaries to catch their connecting flight. Luckily the Brown family was there and immediately called the Mission Office to report the problem. It was a miracle the Brown family was there and that we were able to safely retrieve Elder Stewart. We learned a great lesson and will always count and recount in various places of the airport so that we do not leave another missionary behind. Elder Stewart has had a little teasing about it since it happened but he is a happy good hearted missionary and just laughs along with everyone.

Happy Birthday to Steve

Steve has always celebrated his birthday near General Conference. This year in Japan, because we are a day ahead of the USA, the Area Presidency decided to have Fast Sunday the first week of October and the following week would be Conference. This is the first time in his life that Steve had to fast on his birthday. Laurie tried to make it as nice as possible when he could finally eat. The evening before, Blaine and Susan Burnett, the office couple in our mission invited us to dinner. Susan made the most delicious Chicken Enchiladas with white sauce. For dessert we had churros and ice cream and she even put a candle in for us to sing to him. We couldn’t function without the Burnetts. They are from Oregon and several years ago our friends, Jim and Jen Brown from Hawaii, were in their neighboring ward. Jim and Blaine served as bishops at the same time. What a small world when you are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Visitors from Hawaii

This month we have been blessed to have several visitors from Hawaii. Our old Bishop and friend, a professor at BYUH came with another colleague, and friend Ben Chase. They were accompanying a student who was presenting a paper in Malaysia. They stopped for just one night before going on to Malaysia. It was late when we walked over to show them the temple that is four mintues away from our apartment.

Next Landon and Megan Gold stopped by to visit. Landon was a student at BYUH when Steve was a Stake President. They have spent Thanksgiving at our house in Hawaii and after they finished school they just moved down the road. Landon would bow hunt pigs that would raid the farm where Laurie had a plot so she saw him often. They also happen to be good friends with our son Casey and his wife Rachel. Landon’s parent were with them. We learned what happens when someone pushes the Emergency button in the bathroom. Not sure how Landon’s father pushed that big button that says Emergency but alarms started going off in the house letting us know someone needed help in the bathroom. One minute later the Concierge from downstairs was calling to see if if she should call for assistance.

I guess you could say that our kid’s friends are also our friends. Kaylie and LJ Sikahema were in Tokyo celebrating their anniversary and we had a wonderful visit with them. We first met Kaylie and LJ because they were good friends with our daughter Erin in Provo. A few years ago they moved to Hawaii when LJ took a job at BYUH. Hawaii will always have part of our hearts! Kaylie and LJ came on the day we were watching General Conference. It was the first day in weeks that we didn’t have to dress up, put on make up and head out the door so we didn’t. We relaxed all day, soaking in all the conference talks. What a feast!

We love Tokyo! This is the most beautiful time of the year here. The mornings are crisp and perfect for our walk and then it reaches 75 with not a cloud in the sky. It is such a wonderful change from the hot, humid summer days when we were always dripping wet. We count ourselves so blessed to be serving here with the wonderful missionaries in our mission. We are stretching and growing daily through the experiences we have but we are enjoying every minute of it.