Dear Family,
A new senior missionary couple, the Pierces, arrived from Meridian, Idaho this week. They have a military support assignment and will be serving at the Marine Air Base at Iwakuni. We met them the day after they arrived, and after a brief orientation, we drove with them to their field of labor. Iwakuni lies 250 kilometers north and east of us here just 100 km short of Hiroshima and like most cities in Japan it is a seaport. The Pierces are situated in a large house at the entrance to the base. The Iwakuni base is home to 5000 Marines and bustling with construction to accommodate 5000 more. It was fun to get to know the Pierces as we drove up there together. The branch president and his family welcomed us at their home on the base with a BBQ rib cookout. We stayed the night and did a little sight-seeing en route back home the next day. We walked over the beautiful arched bridge and took the tram to the mountain top and the castle. 
At 78, my brother, Daniel, passed away last week after a series of strokes that had left him struggling for the last several months of his life. Other than the death of our older sister, Joy, 80 years ago, somehow I never imagined that one of us eight surviving siblings would be the first to go. It was hard to be so many miles away and not able to attend the funeral. Daniel was an undeviating and loyal friend of many Christ-like attributes, a kind and gentle man of great spiritual strength, and an unassuming yet compelling example to me throughout his life. Despite the loss, we feel greatly comforted by the assurance the gospel brings. We know that if we are faithful and endure to the end, the great sealing power of the priesthood will bring us together with loved ones in eternity.
Sunday we made our last visit to the Kurume Ward Sunday services where our son, Daniel, and his family attend. It was the children’s program in sacrament meeting and so we were able to see our two little grandchildren participate. What a wonderful church-wide tradition – once every year to have the children present the entire program in sacrament service. We were reminded of the Book of Mormon account of the Savior’s visit to the inhabitants of the American continent shortly after his resurrection. The resurrected Jesus teaches and ministers to the people for several days, taking especial care to minister to the children. Then, in startling fashion, he in effect, turns the microphone over to the children; “and he did loose their tongues, and they did speak unto their fathers great and marvelous things, even greater than he had revealed unto the people; and he loosed their tongues that they could utter.” (3 Nephi 26:14) What a joy it was to see our grandchildren with the other little ones, singing their hearts out and expressing their sweet reflections on the family and the Savior.
Afterward we drove down to Omuta for a final visit with our daughter-in-law’s family. The parents, Yoshiaki and Toruko are so gracious and kind. As is common in our Japanese experience, we returned to apartment in the evening warmed by many expressions of love and carrying many gifts. Oh yes, and the sisters serving in our ward heart-attacked your mother's desk and cluttered it with paper cranes in honor of her birthday.
We send our love and blessing over the miles, from your faithful far-eastern correspondents,
Mom and Dad
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