Hello Family and Friends,
Here’s a new update on how we’re doing.
Visitors
You’ve already heard about how we love our YSA Family Home Evening that we started having every Monday night. Well, apparently the word got out.
We were notified a few of weeks ago that Brother Brad Wilcox of the General Young Men’s Presidency and Brother Mark Pace, the General Sunday School President would be coming to Japan for a visit and were hoping to attend our branch Family Home Evening. As you can imagine, that set a lot of things into motion for us. Here’s how it went down:
On Saturday night last week, Brother Pace and Brother Wilcox did a nationwide devotional broadcast for all the YSA in Japan, and it originated from the Tokyo Stake Center next door to the temple. We were able to attend and most of those who were there in person were from our branch. You can see a recording of the broadcast here:
You’ll see us appear in that video at the 9:04 mark. The entire Asia North Area Presidency – Elder Wada, Elder McCune, and Elder Esplin also attended with their wives. Our institute students and YSA branch members were really excited to attend this event in person.
You can see at the end of the video (1:54:53) that all the general authorities and general officers stayed after the meeting to personally greet every young single adult. A big line formed. This was so kind of them and must have been exhausting. They didn’t leave the building until after 10:30pm.
Then on Monday around 2pm we started working with the Murakamis on FHE prep. We advertised the event heavily and expected a lot of members to come. Sister Low and Sister Murakami and a super kind YSA member made 120 rice balls (onigiri おにぎり). That took 60 cups of rice and about a quart of furikake flavoring to make. They turned out great. Elder Low made 7 gallons of tonjiru miso soup that also turned out pretty good.
Meanwhile President Murakami opened the overflow rooms and rearranged our chapel to fit tables and chairs for 100. Then Elder Low and President Murakami strategized on what we could do for a FHE activity or game. It’s crazy, but we both had been so busy that we didn’t have time to plan something until 45 minutes before the meeting started. The interpreters and security people walked in 20 minutes ahead of the meeting to find us still trying to figure out what we were going to do. In the end, we decided on a modified version of Pictionary using Book of Mormon stories.
We had just over 100 attendees show up for FHE and the room became standing room only. Once again, all the general authorities and officers and wives came, and all jumped in and played with our YSA kids. Then Brother Wilcox, Brother Pace, and Elder Wada spoke.
For the end of the meeting, Sister Low had asked that all the YSA stand and sing for our visitors. “A vocal gift” as President Murakami called it. They sang one of their favorite songs, “I’ll Find You, My Friend.” Whenever we send off a young missionary in our institute classes, the students stand in a circle around the new missionary and sing that song. This time 100 of them stood and sang it to our visitors, in powerful four-part harmony. All of our visitors were reduced to tears.
Then we served the food and talked and laughed together. At the end of the meeting Elder McCune came up to Elder Low: “You’ve got the most amazing fun missionary assignment in Japan.”
“Yes. It really is. We’re living a dream.”
Honestly, it was a magical night.
Mission Reunion
Five months ago, Elder Low got a call out of the blue from a Brother Orita. He didn’t remember him, but apparently, they served together at the same time as young missionaries in Sapporo. Brother Orita told us about a planned mission reunion and asked if we could attend. Of course we said we would, and we blocked out the day on our calendar.
That day was last Saturday. Between that first phone call and the actual reunion, Brother Orita called us about 8 times to confirm that we’re still planning to attend. “Man, we better not miss this one,” we told each other. We still haven’t figured out how Brother Orita found us or our phone number. But he had tracked us down and wasn’t going to let us off the hook.
As we walked into the building for the reunion, Elder Low warned Sister Low, “This could wind up being either very cool or very weird.”
Sister Low said, “I’m preparing myself for the ‘weird’ option.”
About forty old missionaries attended. Elder Low was the only American. Most of them served a year or two before Elder Low served, so we didn’t know them well – except for one. There was one old missionary there who was very close to Elder Low back in the day.
Elder Shimoda. Some of you may have heard Elder Low talk about Elder Shimoda before. When Elder Low first arrived in Japan as a young dumb kid 42 years ago, Elder Shimoda was in the same district. He was older and wiser than all the young American missionaries and patiently put up with our immaturity and ignorance.
He hated it when his roommates would eat the food he had bought without asking. So he purchased a Sharpie pen and would write his name on his groceries when he came home from the store. The characters for his name are simple: 下田. The milk carton, the cereal box, the bag of chips – everything had 下田 written on it. If you opened the fridge, you would see dozens of 下田 written everywhere inside. His favorite treat was large puffed marshmallows. Once, when Elder Shimoda was in the bathroom, one of the young American missionaries broke into the marshmallow bag and wrote 下田 on every marshmallow. Just terrible.
Well, Elder Shimoda was at the party and when we figured out who he was we had a wonderful reunion. We got so excited and shared pictures and stories. Elder Shimoda told us, “You know, that mission was the happiest time of my life. I loved being with you all.”
“. . . He did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.”
Elder Low learned that many of the people we taught and baptized on his mission are now great leaders in the church. Bishops, stake presidents, and temple workers. Many of the people we taught have had families and sent their own children on missions. It really is a Marvelous Work.
In the end, we decided that the reunion was neither cool nor weird. But it was a lot of fun and we made some great friends.
End of Semester
The Winter Semester at the Shibuya Institute ended this week. We taught our final Eternal Marriage class last Tuesday. About 35 students showed up for the final class. That’s great, considering the first week of the semester had only 13 show up. Once again, the word must have got out.
For the final class we cooked a big pot of curry rice for the students. They stayed after and ate and laughed and talked with us until late at night. We have really grown to love these kids. Both of us promised them all that God’s richest blessings are waiting and will come. And we told them we loved them. It’s really hard to put into words the feelings we have for these people. It’s hard to explain. We’ve grown very close, and we can’t imagine what our life would be like if we hadn’t met them.
And the new semester is right around the corner. This time, we’ve been asked to teach the “Big Night.” Friday night is when we usually see the most people show up for institute and after class we have “gathering time” that goes into the night. We’ll be teaching the curriculum from Come, Follow Me. Honestly, Elder Low is a little intimidated about this one. Last semester’s Come, Follow Me teacher was Brother Honda, and he’s probably the most amazing institute instructor on earth. It’ll be hard to follow him.
To kick off the upcoming semester the Institute had a big two-day event this week for new incoming students. These are kids who have just graduated from high school. The event was held at a modest resort way out in Chiba prefecture and we were asked to teach two classes on the morning of the second day. So we got up at 4am on Thursday and left the apartment at 6am and got on the train for the long ride up to Kashiwa in Chiba. Brother Takahashi, the Director of Institutes for Japan picked us up at the station and drove us out into the country where the venue was located in time for our first lesson scheduled to start at 9am.
During the first lesson, Saori began to bear a powerful testimony. It was so powerful that earth began to shake. Literally. Actually it was just a 5.2 earthquake that happened as she taught. We were a few miles from the epicenter and the whole room rocked and rolled. Books fell off shelves and windows rattled. Alarms went off on all the phones in the room at the same time. But our students were merely annoyed at the inconvenience. We feel earthquakes multiple times a week. A 5.2 doesn’t even make the news.
Another 3rd Sunday
The third Sunday of the month is the week where YSA members who aren’t in our branch are invited to attend church with us. Sacrament attendance usually doubles, and we cook a lunch for everyone after the block of meetings.
This week we cooked cream chicken stew. President and Sister Node came to visit and spoke in sacrament meeting. Both of them were incredible speakers. Once again, we’re completely amazed by our mission leaders. Afterward they came downstairs and saw the mealtime. Over 85 YSA kids sitting together, happy faces, laughing, eating, talking, enjoying each other in a crowded, noisy room. They stared at the scene, speechless. Elder Low told them, “It’s a miracle, right?”
Yes, it is.
Just watch this short clip. You’ll get the idea:
More Missionaries
As the COVID restrictions are finally winding down in Japan and visas are opening up, and as more young people are choosing to serve, our mission is growing. This week we received 9 new missionaries. And more will be coming. We now have 10 missionaries assigned to our YSA branch. No kidding. 6 elders, 2 sisters, and one senior couple. Take a look at our Ward Mission Council meeting last Sunday:
With the Elders Quorum and Relief Society leaders in attendance, this has turned into a fairly big and important meeting. Our branch is taking the work seriously and we carefully discuss each companionship’s needs and how they can be helped. We’re amazed to see this go down every week. And it’s working. We had another baptism this month and new and returning friends continue to show up at church and FHE.
While we’re having this adventure, we continue to miss you all, especially our family, our children and grandchildren. Please know that we worry and pray about each of you. We love you and want the very best for you. We pray all is well and safe at home.
Grandchildren: please don’t forget to pray for Grandma and Grandpa Low. We love you.
Elder & Sister Low
Elder & Sister Low 