When World War II ended in September of 1945, I was on Okinawa as a pilot in the US Army Air Corps preparing to invade the Japanese mainland. In November, 1945, I was transferred to Itami Air Base in Osaka which is now the Osaka International Airport. In January, 1946, I was transferred to Fukuoka where we lived in Japanese factory worker dormitories and flew surveillance missions keeping track of ships on the Sea of Japan. We were flying from Ashiya Air Base north of Fukuoka because the Itazuke Air Base, which is now the Fukuoka International Airport was just beginning to get under construction. I was stationed in Fukuoka for about seven months and was very favorably impressed with the city and the people. It was here that I first began to study the Japanese language. When I left Fukuoka in July of 1946 to return to the USA, I took with me these favorable impressions and pleasant memories, although I had no idea at that time that I would be returning to Japan as a missionary later in 1948.

It was my privilege to be one of the first five missionaries to reopen the work in Japan and we arrived in Yokohama aboard the USS General Meiggs on June 26, 1948. Although I served as a missionary in Japan until February of 1948, I was never assigned to labor in Fukuoka. I was however very much interested when Elder Ted Price, Elder Murray Nichols, and Elder Swenson opened the Work in Fukuoka in November of 1950.

When I arrived back in Japan as Mission President on December 9, 1955. I learned that the Fukuoka Branch had been closed. President Robertson had already sailed for home before we arrived to take his place, so I did not know why the Fukuoka Branch had been closed, but I felt very strongly that it should be reopened. I can find no record in my journal of the date it was reopened but my journal entry for January 6, 1956, states I flew to Fukuoka that day and met with Elder James Jackson Jones, Jr. and Elder Richard Austin who were already there. The Fukuoka Branch grew in membership and strength over the years and Sister Andrus and I have very pleasant memories of our visits to Fukuoka to meet with the missionaries and members.

We especially remember Brother Yoshizawa who has always been a pillar of strength there.

What a great blessing it is to now have a beautiful temple in Fukuoka! We rejoice with all the members and missionaries whose combined efforts made this possible!

This is a memory from some members -- Paul and Cindy Ashcraft.

pnh0cra@pnh10.med.navy.mil

We were not missionaries, but a very young, newly married couple stationed on the Navy base in Sasebo. We were both 19 years old, the same age as missionaries new to the field. We were the only American church members in town, except for a family who lived on the economy and were not military (Richard and Shinobu Warner). We developed a strong love for the missionaries and it was returned by these great, wonderful young men. We were their link to the U.S. by providing peanut butter and Hersheys chocolate and they were our link to the gospel. 

I remember once incident as we were traveling to the mission home in Fukuoka to receive our temple recommends, Elder Chris Metts and another Elder who's name escapes me, were traveling with us and our 1 year old daughter (who is now 16!) and we were pulled over by Japanese police. The look on the officer's face was undescribeable as he realized we were gaijines. Naturally, Elder Metts spoke for us and we were verbally scolded at Elder Metts' expense. Once at the mission, we were met by Pres and Sister Tsuya and had the most moving experience of our young lives. My husband being set apart as an elder brought tears to everyone's eyes. We did not serve as missionaries, but I feel so close to these memories of Sasebo and if it weren't for the efforts of those young Elders, I know in my heart we would not have returned to the U.S. with temple recommends in hand and had our daughter sealed to us in the Los Angeles Temple.

I served 9 months in Omuta. We had an elderly lady, Tokanaga Shimai, in the branch, who insisted that the missionaries go to her house several times a week, where she would insist on feeding us. She would also supply us with beef and eggs to take back to our apartment, and would take us shopping for pens and ties. She told us every time we went to her house about a dream she had where the Lord took her to the missionary's apartment and showed her their empty refrigerator. She explained that the next day, she went to their apartment, which was right were it was in the dream, and their refrigerator was empty. That is when she started supplying the missionaries with food. Whenever the Zone Leaders came to visit, we would have a Yakiniku tabehodai, trying to get rid of all the beef she had given us before it went bad. One day, Tokanaga Shimai called and told us (not asked us) to come to her house. We had a full schedule that day and apologized, telling her we could not make it. She apparently called the Mission President, because we soon got a phone call from the APs, asking us to free up some time to go visit her.

Tokanaga Shimai also apparently had the President's ear. She would tell us before transfers that she had called the President, and told him who should or shouldn't be transferred from Omuta. Amazingly, as I recall, she was usually right on target. After 9 months, she told me that she had informed the President that I should go to one more place before I went home. I did the next transfer.

She will truly be blessed for her generosity.

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