Mission Report Feb 2001

Mission Report, February 2001

The following information is taken from the NFE Returned Missionaries Assoc. Newsletter

Brother McCune, Editor

The Japan Fukuoka Mission has experienced the highest baptismal month in several years but a concern over declining member referrals. Increasing member-missionary sharing is the mission president's desire.
January had 10 baptisms, 2 member referrals, 1 housing find, 3 self-referrals, 1 old area book investigator follow-up- find, 2 Eikaiwa referrals, and 1 eight year old son of an inactive mother. The mother has also come back to activity.

An older RM sister of one of the missionaries gave her younger brother some sound advice in a letter to him. The mission president quotes it as good advice.

"Every Sunday night we would call and make member presentation appointments - one per day, and we would block out only 1 hour of time. We never would go to eat, and we would only stay for 30 minutes MAX. You want to create the image that you are extremely busy and that you are teaching lots of people. They will think you are really good. No camping out or chit-chatting. We would sometimes show them a 10-15 minute clip from "Called to Serve" and then leave them with a card with our names/phone number on it, and a BofM to give away plus a few pamphlets . . . We'd close with a prayer. That was it.

"If they like you, they will get you people to teach! Especially the big guns. They always think about people they could introduce to the church, they're only waiting for 'the right missionaries.' Think about it . . . if you were in their shoes, would you have a bunch of goof-balls teach someone you'd been preparing for years to bring to church? No way! You want THE BEST!!!! So be the best, and the referrals will start coming in. This happened for me in one area, and we had 12 member referrals within 6 weeks of starting this in a 'dead' ward."

Meetinghouses Completed

Unit Name Stake/District Completion Dedication

Maebaru Ward Fukuoka Stake Dec. 15 Dec. 23

New Property Purchased

Unit Names               Stake/District            Date of Purchase            Item

Nagasaki Br.           Nagasaki District           Apr. 5, 2000
(Has a plan to move from current purchased building.)
Fujisaki Ward         Fukuoka Stake              May 24, 2000          Parking Lot
Fukuoka Ward       Fukuoka Stake              Dec. 8, 2000            Parking Lot