Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Do You Ever Wonder What Became of Them?

Do you ever wonder if that 18 months or 2 years as an LDS missionary paid off? I found this story on the InnerWeb this afternoon. It began with a knock on a door one night in the winter of 1995. I was the one who rapped on the door...

Excerpted from
Japan Kobe Mission Blog 2008-2011 McIntyre Family Mission


After conference today we held a baptism for Brother Aritoshi of the Ako Branch. He was taught and baptized by Elders Nishio and Novak. This was a special service as Elder Nishio's parents and his older brother were in attendance. Elder Nishio is from Tsuyama in the Hiroshima Mission and his father was transferred here and then called as bishop of one of the wards in the Kobe Stake. His brother has been called to Fukuoka and will report in March. It is a special and unique thing to get a picture of a baptism with your family on your mission. To add to the irony, his home ward, Tsuyama, will become part of this mission in July as well with the consolidation of Hiroshima. Not sure where to transfer him going forward!


Gallery:

●First white dude from left - Elder Novak, don't know him
●First Japanese dude from left - Aritoshi, don't know him
●Second Japanese dude from left - Elder Akihito Nishio, met him when he was 5-years-old and now serving as a missionary for the LDS Church
●Third Japanese dude from left - Yoshito Nishio, met him when he was nine or ten and will begin service as a missionary for the LDS Church in March 2010
●Fourth Japanese man from left - Toshiaki Nishio, met him through his wife Yoko and now serves as a lay-minister for a congregation
●First Japanese woman from left - Yoko Nishio, knocked on her door one night and asked her what she knew about Jesus Christ and if she's like to know more
●Second white man from left - President Mcintyre, head of the Kobe Japan LDS Mission
●Second Japanese woman from left - Sister Mcintyre, wife of President Mcintyre

So was it worth it? I'd go back in a heartbeat. But, some friends of mine now have the reigns and I have all the confidence in the world in them.

1 comment:

Rach said...

Wow, that's pretty cool, small world.