Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Konnichi wa!!

Konnichi wa!!  That means “hello” in Japanese.

On December 19, Russ was called by President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency to serve as the president of the Japan Sapporo Mission from July 1, 2017 to July 1, 2020.  Jeni was called as a full-time missionary and Russ’ companion.  We will be entering the MTC in Provo, Utah, on Saturday, June 24 to attend the New Mission Presidents Seminar.  Our mission covers the island of Hokkaido and is far north where it snows a LOT.  We will live just across the street from the newly-dedicated Sapporo Japan Temple, which is very exciting.

Kacie will go with us and complete her senior year of high school at the Hokkaido International School (English-speaking).  She is very excited! 

Our mission serves three stakes of the Church and one member district with four small branches.   The mission normally has about 100 to 110 young missionaries.  About 1/3 of them are native Japanese.   Most of the others are from the U.S. with a few from other countries.

We are very excited and pretty nervous.  Jeni will post updates on this blog as often as she can find the time to do it.  We are thinking she will provide updates about once or twice a month once we arrive in Japan. 

In the meantime, we are very busy with countless preparations, volumes of training, and Japanese tutoring.  I don’t know that we have ever felt so busy.  In a way, our mission already started in December. 


Jeni, Kacie and Russ will be speaking in our ward sacrament meeting on Sunday, May 28, 11:00 AM at our Church building:  600 East Swallow Road, Fort Collins, CO  80525  All are invited to attend.

Russ served in 1972-1974 in the Nagoya (yellow) Mission.  We will be going to Sapporo.


December 19 just after opening our mission call.

Sakura Sayonara!