Basic Alumni Website FAQ

Profile FAQ

Uploading Pictures

Posting Messages FAQ

Comments FAQ

Other FAQ

Is this an "official" mission website?

This site is in no way an official affiliate of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or the respective Mission Home Office. Although this site is designed to compliment and illustrate the teachings and beliefs of the before mentioned church, no content within this site should be taken as official church policy or doctrine. This site was created in order to help returned missionaries re-establish or maintain associations with those with whom they served, and to inform them of reunions planned for their respective jidai (era). Back to Top

Is this website maintained by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

No. The website is not maintained or directly affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church has its own public communications department for making official statements. Anything read on this site is not to be construed as the official view of the LDS Church. Back to Top

Is this site run by the mission?

No. It is not run by the actual mission and has no direct connection with the mission home office or the Church in any way. Back to Top

What is this website all about?

As we all know, as time slips by, it is often easy to lose track of those we were once close to. This site was created to provide a common meeting place and to provide resources for those that served within the mission to maintain or re-establish contact with those with whom they served. Back to Top

How do I register?

If you are a returned missionary, click on the "Alumni" link. At the top of the page click on Alumni registration or at the bottom of the page click on "Add Profile." Read and follow the 'Entry Notes' at the top of the 'Add Profile' page to guide you through a successful registration; there are certain required fields and password format requirements. Enter your profile information and click the "Submit" button located at the bottom of the registration form. If you have received your call to Sendai, or are family representing someone currently serving in the mission, click on the "Currently Serving" link. At the top of the page click on Current Missionary or at the bottom of the page, the "Add Profile" link. To register as a friend or member, click on the "Friends/Members" link. At the top of the page click on Register or at the bottom of the page, the "Add Profile" link. If you make a mistake during the registration process, you can update your profile later on. Back to Top

How do I update my profile?

If you would like to edit your profile for any reason, such as if information such as your address or email change, go to the Alumni/Current Missionary/Friend link and pull up your own profile. Click 'Edit Profile' -- you will need your username and password to enter and edit information. Back to Top

I added/edited my profile. Why aren't the changes online?

Your registration/edit will usually be reviewed and approved by the webmaster/site maintainer within 24 hours, at which time you will receive a 'approval notification' email, and your listing will be available for others to see. See our disclosures about privacy and personal information. Back to Top

Help, I've lost my password!

First, open your own directory page--the one with your profile and your name on it.

With your profile page open, Click on 'Edit Profile.'


1. Leave both the Username and Password input boxes blank.

2. For this one time, you may ignore the two security image words that appear.

3. Click the 'Request Password' link that appears in Orange in the lower right-hand corner of the login box.

A system-generated password (that expires in a few hours), is then sent to your currently listed e-mail address. You then login with the Username and temporary Password from the email, and can update and/or edit your profile, including modifying your username and password to something easy for you to remember. If you have changed e-mail addresses since setting up your profile, and no longer have access to your currently listed e-mail address, you will need the webmaster to help to update your account. Click on "comments" to submit a help request. Back to Top

How do I select my companions when I add/edit the profile page?

First, make sure you've designated yourself under 'title' as either 'elder' or 'sister'. Next, make sure you select mission president(s). RMs who have registered (and who served under those presidents) appear in the 'available' companion list. Highlight their name, then click on 'select' to move them to the 'selected' list. Repeat for each of your registered companions. For companions that have not (yet) registered, consider listing their names in the 'comments' text box at the bottom of the form as "other companions not yet registered:". Back to Top

How do I turn ON/OFF email notifications?

You can choose to receive General Announcements, Profiles posted from your era, and all other content (message, news, pictures, stories, guestbook, reunions). Click on the Alumni link on the homepage. Search for your own profile. Then click on Edit profile. You'll need your username and password to edit. At the bottom of the profile are three questions that deal with content emailed to you. Simply select yes or no. Back to Top

How do I add a picture?

There are two places on the alumni site where you can upload a picture.

The first is in your own alumni profile where you can add a picture of yourself. To do this, simply find your profile on the alumni site. Then on the bottom of that page is a link to "Edit Profile" which will allow you to make changes and updates to your profile. One of the changes you can make is to add an image. Just above the field for where you input your address you will see a field for "Image:" and a Browse button. Click the Browse button which will allow you to find the image file (a .jpg or .gif image type; 150k size limit) you've stored on your computer. When you find the picture you want to add, simply double click it. This will insert the correct information into the image field. Then all you have to do is click the Save button at the bottom of the page. The change will not be displayed until the webmaster receives notification of the update and approves it.

The second place to add a picture is the alumni photo album. Click on the "Pictures" link on the navigation list. You will then see a link at the bottom of the page to "Add Picture" which you will click. Then you will see a page where you can add a Title for the picture and a Caption for the picture. Below that you will see the field for the "Image:" and here you will do exactly the same thing as you did to add a picture to your profile. Once the image is selected and information is in the image field, then simply click the button "Add Picture" to upload it to the website. Make sure you wait long enough for the picture to upload before closing your internet browser or going to another page. You will see a new page once the upload is completed.

Why can't I upload my picture?

Knowing computers and how they run, we occasionally run into problems. Here a a few suggestions. Size limit is 150k, so you may need to downsize your photo or "save for web" using photo editing software. Filenames should be lowercase with no spaces or special characters. The image type should be GIF or JPG. Back to Top

How do I scan a photo to put online?

There are many good websites that already provide scanning tips and hints, help with fundamentals and other basic scanning information to help you get the most from your scanner. Here's a link to get you started in the right direction:

A Few Scanning Tips
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I posted a message. Why isn't it online?

All posts must first be authorized by the website maintainer before they are displayed online. Back to Top

What content is considered inappropriate?

Since most information on this Site is viewable to the public, we reserve the right to edit submissions for proper content. No commercial postings are allowed. Back to Top

How serious will my comments or suggestions be taken?

Your feedback and suggestions are always welcome. Such input is essential to the sucess of the Site. If you have something to say, regardless of how trivial, please let us know using a 'Comments' entry. Back to Top

Can I contribute to the website?

The most valuable contribution you could make would be to contact other RMs that you keep in touch with (or know how to get in touch with) and encourage them to register. We also have many who registered in the past but their email address is no longer valid (see 'Fix Your Email Address' list.) If a friend is listed, please inform them of the need to update their email address. The more complete each jidai's (era) alumni database, the more valuable it becomes. Additionally, feedback and suggestions are always appreciated. Please don't hesitate to use a 'Comments' entry. Back to Top

How can I contact a member I've lost contact with from my mission??

Call the Member and Statistical Records Division at the church office building. The phone number is (801) 240-3500. If you're not in the USA, or if you'd rather rather do things in writing, the postal address is:

Member and Statistical Records Division
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
50 East North Temple
Salt Lake City, UT
84109 USA

Request a copy of their "Membership Contact" form. They will mail it to you promptly. Fill out the form, which asks for information about the person's name, age, birthplace, and other facts that might be helpful in locating the one you are trying to reach. You will also need to make a brief statement about why you want to contact this person. Return both copies of this form to the address given at the top of the form. One of the copies of this form will be sent to the person you are trying to locate, who will then decide whether or not to contact you. If the person cannot be located, the office will notify you of that. Back to Top

I'm curious about the titlebar pictures that appear on each page. I think I know where ___ was taken.

I chose a variety of pictures that I hope remind you of your Sendai mission. There are 13 different sets of two that rotate randomly--you can view them all (eventually) by clicking the refresh/reload button on your browser. Here is a list describing where and when each shot was taken:

• left: thatched roofs (between Shinjo and Amarume on Rikuu West line (now called the Mogami-gawa line), 5/1975)
  right: red torii in snow (Sakata, 2/1976)
• left: two yochien (kindergarten) kids (Sakata, 4/1976)
  right: Matsushima (pine islands) 8/1976
• left: Nebuta matsuri (Aomori, 8/1978)
  right: Hanagasa matsuri (Amarume, 8/1981)
• left: rice harvest (Iwaki, 11/1975)
  right: door contact (Pilcher, Knight in Shiogama, 8/1976)
• left: yakiimo cart (Hachinohe, 4/1975)
  right: Hirosaki-jou (Hirosaki, 4/2000)
• left: tambo (rice paddies) with Choukai-san (between Sakata and Amarume, 6/1976)
  right: kid on red snow sled (Sakata, near Hiyoriyama- koen, 2/1976)
• left: vegetable lady cart (Iwaki, from church/missionary quarters upstairs window, 8/1975)
  right: knocking doors (Maruoka in Sakata, 5/1976)
• left: genkan handshake after prayer (Asay, Kiser in Ichinoseki, 8/1976)
  right: tiny island w/fall-colors (Towada-ko, 10/1976)
• left: Tsuruga-jou (Aizuwakamatsu, 3/2006, contributed by Trevor Lane Newcomer)
  right: boku/greaser pose (Ichinoseki, 9/1976)
• left: vegetable lady on train platform (between Iwaki and Koriyama on ban'etsu east line, 10/1975)
  right: Honma museum garden in winter (Sakata 2/1976)
• left: Hirosaki-jou and bridge (4/2000)
  right: mailman (Koriyama, 5/2000)
• left: jung-ken-pou over ice cream (Johnson, Seely in Hachinohe, 5/1975)
  right: obon-odori (Sendai, 8/1976)
• left: two happy shimai senkyoushi (Hirosaki, 4/2000)
  right: large group of shimai senkyoushi (Sendai Kamisugi, 4/1976, contributed by Marilee Dalton McQuarrie)

If you have a quintessential mission photo you'd like to see on the random rotating title bar, contact me (webmaster) using a 'comments' entry. Back to Top