BFF - Best Friends Forever

I never thought I'd think in terms of youthful acronyms, but what follows is exactly that:  Best Friends Forever!  Headed to Japan what seems ages ago, Elder G and I had no idea of the vast number of friends we would make:  from young missionaries to senior couple missionaries, from ward members (Japanese and Philippino) to Japanese nonmembers attending our Eikaiwa (English conversation class) and the ladies of the  taiso (exercise) classes I attended in the park.  If friendships were to be weighed, we would not have been allowed home on the plane!  We truly carried with us a lifetime's supply of
friendships and treasured memories.

We began by making friends with five wonderful couples at the MTC.  We thoroughly enjoyed our learning experiences with them. Some of them were there on their 2nd--or 7th--mission!!!

Our very first Tokyo mission friends and role models were
Mission President Steve Albrecht and wife, LeAnn.

And our second Mission President and wife were Todd and Lori Budge--

also equally wonderful people who replaced the Albrechts on July 1st.

We replaced Elder Woody and Sister Shirley Arnell

as Military Relations Couple in Fussa.

And  we replaced Elder Clint and Sister Jean Hobbs

 at the mission office in March.

Our first set of elders who introduced us to mission life were 

Elders Christensen and Graham

Elder Christensen and his new companion, Elder Nemoto, and we visited a referral, 

Chizuko Yabe, a nonmember with Utah connections.

We treated President and Sister Albrecht to our favorite restaurant,
 Bubba Gump Shrimp House, before they left for home.

Our wonderful, ever-knowledgeable guides, Elder Alan and Sister Eileen Bridge,
were temple missionaries from North Carolina (with ties to Utah).

What a pleasant surprise it was when we ran into our former Fukuoka Mission president,
Elder Kan and Sister Yaeko Watanabe.  We met them when we lived  in Iwakuni 40 years ago,
and they are now Japan Tokyo missionaries serving right from their home in Tokyo!

Elder Dick and Sister Gayle Powell from Idaho Falls were our
replacements when we left Fussa for Tokyo.

Elder Mike and Sister JoLynn Johnsen from Stansbury Park served at Yokosuka.

 Here are Elder Dick and Sister Gayle Powell again at our favorite stop!

Elder Scott and Sister Tanya Harrison from Sandy first served at Camp Zama.
Later, when we left for home, they replaced us in the office.

Somebody else!

 All of us senior sisters together had a great time looking at the Christmas lights.

Senior couples Johnsens, Arnells, and us attending one of many conferences

Sister Powell (of Mrs. Powell's Bakery fame) shared her cinnamon roll secrets

 with a few of us before the Albrechts left for home.

Before the Hobbs returned home, we served lunch in our tiny apartment.

Senior couples said goodbye to the Albrechts at Chili's before their return home.

President and Sister Albrecht's last day

The Albrechts had just one day in which to "turn over the reins" to President Budge
before returning home.  Sister Budge & Danny were still enroute due to Danny's lost passport.

Our last Kunitachi district meeting before heading to Tokyo

Our last Eikaiwa meeting in Fussa

We were treated to a fantastic yakiniku meal by one of the military families at the base.

Branch President Skabelund and family, Maki and Hikari,
treated us to our first "rotating" sushi meal before we left Fussa.

Elders Willard and Merrell cooked an awesome okonomiyaki meal

at a restaurant near Mt. Fuji.

Two helpful brethren from PBO treated us to shabu-shabu

after a training session in the mission office.

The first mission office group we worked with:  Elders Willard, Nakamura,
Cooper,  Eguchi, and Cook, and Sisters Nishigaki and Tsuchida

Three office elders downing sushi--Nakamura, Willard, and Cooper

And here are Elders Cook and Nakamura doing the same!

Our second set of office elders--Cooper, Nakamura, Eguchi, Andrus, and Brown

And a third set of office elders--Fujinaka, Hansen, Hamada, Willard, & Mori--
and Sister Stevenson

Elder Hamada was always clowning around!

And so were the rest of the guys!

And even the gals!!!

We fixed Taco Rice one night in our tiny apartment for the office elders.

And another night we fed the Sisters roast beef!

Here we are, admiring the cherry blossoms with SENIOR couples as well as the PBO

 couples (me, Sisters Donahoe, Johnsen, Grames, Rich, Bridge, and Meisman)

The "other halves":  Elders G, Donohoe, Johnsen, Grames, Rich, and Bridge

 One of our outings was to Asakusa with the Harrisons, Johnsens, Powells, and Bridges. 

President and Sister Yamashita taught us the Obon dance at PBO's FHE,
which we attended monthly.




President and Sister Yamashita's beautiful daughter was there on Spring Break.

One of our favorite outings was the Sankei-en Gardens tour with
Bridges, Harrisons, and Johnsens.

We also toured the origami factory with Johnsens and Bridges.

Brother & Sister Jousenn of the NAKANO Ward
fixed us and the Nakano Sisters an entertaining meal of takoyaki (fried octopus)!

A fantastic dinner was provided to all the office and sister missionaries by the Kaneko family.
Brother Kaneko formerly owned a restaurant, which was evidenced
by the wonderful meal he served!

Numerous times we were invited to "Dinner and Discussion" at Yuichi Uchida's home.
Guests this time were Shigemi (Nakano ward member) and Hiroshi (Eikaiwa student).

We learned how to make various forms of mochi at the home of a very sweet nonmember
whom the sisters were teaching.  Interestingly enough, she had attended
Wasatch High School as an exchange student many years ago!

  The Kodamas treated all nine of us missionaries to a fantastic shabu-shabu dinner.

The Hoopes family had us and the Powells over for Thanksgiving dinner.
This  amazingly-always-happy family truly impressed us with their loving, congenial spirit!
We enjoyed many a wonderful meal in their sweet home.

 We had a super wonderful dinner at Bishop Kanda's house with Sisters Vail, Barbour, and Stankowsky. 

Mayumi and her sister, Hiroki, were dear friends from Eikaiwa.  Mayumi had us for dinner in her home, and we were totally surprised to find out she and her husband had been to Branson, MO, a number of times.
They are country music fans and spoke pretty good English, so we had a great evening.

My very best Japanese girlfriend, Junko Takeda, gave me this kimono of hers.
The Hobbs brought us together, and our friendship flourished over the next eleven months.
She spoke some English, and I, some Japanese; so together we had lots of laughs--
and many tears upon parting!

We attended her concert in which she played the shamisen.

This picture was taken the day she came to pick up a 30-lb watermelon on her bike!

And this was taken when Junko treated Jim and me to dinner before we left.

Here she is standing out front of her home.

Here are Elders Willard and Hansen with our Eikaiwa student, Jiyu, 

who played Beethoven and other classical numbers beautifully

Favorites, Sisters Stevenson and Vail, with Yumi, a Nakano Ward member

Our Advanced English Eikaiwa class with "regulars" Okamoto-san, Hiroshi, and Yuichi
was held every Wednesday night.

After class we played games with all three classes.  It was always so much fun!!!

At the Eikaiwa Halloween party a student "mummified" Elder Fujinaka.

Here are Yuki, Jiyu, and Kiyomi at our Eikaiwa Christmas party.

Yuki & Kiyomi were darling newlyweds in our Nakano Ward.

Our "photo booth" was a great hit at the Eikaiwa Christmas party.  Here are Ken and office elders Hamada, Fujinaka, Mori, as well as Sisters Vail, Stankosky, and Barbour.

Eikaiwa students, Hara and Sakaguchi

Merry Christmas!

Dear, dear Baby Shimai continuously fed the missionaries meals

and always brought us treats when she came to church!

Tiny Vega, Grace, Baby Shimai, Mila, and Stephanly
were wonderful Philippino sisters in the Nakano Ward.

Santa Budge greeted me and awesome Sister Kuwahara at our Christmas party.
She is an Olympic-quality javelin thrower!

Three Japanese Sisters brought awesome stockings!  Sis Mano on the right is from Utah.

Sisters Wylie and Soderborg

Sisters Lundy, Long, and Wylie

Sister Vail and Elders Hansen, Kowalski, Nitta, and ...

Sister Julander said she'd never forget my taiso demonstration at the Sisters Conference!

A bevy of beautiful Sisters!

We met darling Seylene Duong from Cambodia at one of Yuichi's Discussion Dinners.
I felt impressed to send her home with a Book of Mormon.

I corresponded with her via email, and Elders Holden & Kinjo

 continued to give her the lessons.

Jim both baptized and confirmed her despite her request that I do so!

In addition to Seylene's baptism, we also witnessed the baptisms of others whom
our Elders  were teaching:  Komiyama was taught by the Fussa Elders.

They also baptized Danny, the 15-year-old son of a family recently reactivated.

Mitsuo was a pleasant surprise:
His attending church only to speak English turned into his conversion!

We signed our names on the Mission Quilt which Sis Budge made.

This is church member and painter, Allan West, and the two paintings of plum blossoms
I acquired before returning home; the second one was a gift from the mission!
His studio was filled with the most beautiful paintings!

Allan and Sister Budge

SAYONARA DINNER PARTY with our favorite senior couples

SAYONARA DINNER & PARTY AT THE MISSION HOME
Lovely dinner--with a surprise guest, Imanishi-san!

Sisters Stankowsky, Lundy, and Vail

Elders Crowther, Nakamura, Kowalski, Howard, Mori , and Imanishi-san

Two dear friends from taiso
("Origami friend" and "Bird-feeder friend")

Sis Kodama, Sis Harrison, Junko, and three taiso friends

Everyone singing the mission song

Even Imanishi-san gave it a try!

The Kodamas were stalwart leaders in the ward and stake
 who recently served a mission and continued to dote on the missionaries.

Awesome couple!

The Budges with their 13-year-old son, Danny

Handsome elders!!!

Asala and Yuka Wickamaarachige were in our English Gospel Doctrine class.
Asala shared teaching responsibilities with us.  Yuka is a translator for the Church.

 Elder G and Sis Stankowsky

Sisters Vail and Stankowsky, the current Nakano Sisters

 Elder Hamada, Assistant to the President

 Elder Kowalski, Assistant to the President

 Elder Crowther, Assistant to the President

 Elder Nakamura, Commissarian

Elder Mori, Recorder

 Dear-to-our-hearts Elder Howard, who just arrived yesterday

On January 29, 2013, the Harrisons became the new office couple.
We are certain that they will do a totally fantastic job!


This is everyone at the All-mission conference June 2012 with the Albrechts.