Sherri and Graham Asia North Area Mission

  WHAT DO WE DO EVERYDAY? We connect to our colleagues in Japan through computers to help support them in their important work across the Asia North Area. The Asia North Area includes Mongolia, Korea, Japan, and much of Micronesia. We are on these computers about 10-12 hours a day, sometimes maybe more.  The work never stops, we just have to find time to get out for a breath of fresh air - stretch our legs - and take pictures 😉 What did we study this week? Part of this week's study included one of our favorite prophets, Noah, and one of our favorite topics - Covenants and Tokens. Sometimes it seems like we under appreciate Noah.  His great grandfather, Enoch, saw the future of the world and knew that his great grandson was going to be the one to preserve the covenants and promises made to the fathers since Adam.   Noah became the father of the post flood human family.  He presided as the custodian of the covenants longer than anyone other than Adam.  ...

    The view of the rising of the sun on a landscape of island and ocean from the highest point possible is indeed a vision of the workmanship of God's hands.      My favorite part of the entire pre-dawn hike up Mt Lamlam was being with Sister Doxey who was thrilled by every flower, every bug, and every vista along the way and at the end of the hike. Loving life and appreciating all the workmanship of God's hands is part of what makes her so special.  She has a special gift for sharing the message of His love for each one of us and every living thing. We were blessed to join this group on the hike.   (left to right) Sister Doxey, Elder Read, Brother Ochiai, Sister Read, Bill Davis, Elder Armstrong, Elder Doxey While it's peak is only just over 1,300 ft above sea level, Mt. Lamlam's base is at the bottom of the Mariana Trench making it over 36,000 ft tall.  That makes it over a mile taller, from bottom to top, than Mt Everest (just over 29,00...

SILVER LININGS AND RAINBOWS  10-12 hour days on computers, raining season, and COVID spreading kept us mostly indoors this week.  We are very grateful when we have a chance to try to catch the sunrise in the morning.  One of the benefits of the rainy season is that cloudy morning mists added with a rising sun produces lots of rainbows.  They only last a few minutes so we feel blessed when they happen while we are walking.  The best one got away on a morning when neither of us took a phone with us and there was a full bow rainbow over the bay - no pictures of that one. We were studying about Noah this week.  So it is extra fun to see the bow that God set in the cloud as a token of the covenant he made with Noah and "every living creature of all flesh" when He brings the clouds. (Genesis 9:12-15) It is a good reminder to us of how God has been so good to us especially when we pass through the clouds and storms and see His array of light and joy on the other e...

      It is official!         The First Presidency announced May 22nd as the date for the dedication of the Yigo Guam Temple.    It will be the smallest temple in the church, but oh what a blessing it will be for the people of Guam and Micronesia!!     President and Sister Lopez will be the President and Matron of the temple.  Small world note: They are coming from the 17th Ward in Salt Lake, which is the ward our Zions Summit condo is in. We finally got a picture of us in front of the temple a couple of weeks ago.  We are so excited!  The amount of work that the temple start up team is doing is incredible.  Everything will need to be ready to go by May 4th when the Open House begins.  Rod and Lori Boss are on the Open House Committee so I am sure it will end up being spectacular. As I reflect on the history of temples since 1830, I see periods of excitement, soul stretching sacrifice, intense opp...

  2022 Starting in Guam?  Who Would Have Ever Thunk It? Working with the Area Office staff in Japan is a wonderful experience.  They are dedicated, reliable, capable, and happy people.   The challenges of working remotely, not being able to interact moment by moment during the day on things that require minute by minute follow up, are real.  We can see how our remote location adds work for the staff in Tokyo to compensate for our absence.   We also see how much extra we have to work to stay in sync with them as much as we can.  We love the work, and cherish the opportunity to be "anxiously engaged" every minute of every day. We find that we have to purposefully set aside some time every day to get out of our chairs and physically move our bodies.  We are blessed to be able to enjoy natural surroundings that give us relaxing relief. New Year's is the biggest holiday of the year in Japan.  Gradually, as the week progressed, more and m...

CHRISTMAS IN A NUTSHELL Sister Smith made this simple and powerful Christmas Tree ornament, that declares the meaning of Christmas in four words. Using a few objects that are natural to the environment here, that didn’t require a hurried last minute trip to the store, a list of things people they know might want or need, and a distribution plan, she cleverly crafted this object lesson. She managed her time to make a statement about the meaning of Christmas that can be remembered this year and many more for all to whom she had the opportunity to give. We were so impressed.  The message hit home with gentle power and had a warm reception deep in our hearts. Yes, the baby Jesus is the reason for a celebration.  He is the sum of what Christmas is about.  The figure of a baby Jesus lying in a nutshell is about as direct a statement as could be made.  It is Christmas in a nutshell.   While we did take advantage of a weekend day off from our daily service.  T...