Osaka, Japan

From the March 12th to the 17th, 2016 we were in Osaka, Japan for the DTA cluster meeting.  Bishop Gerald Causse presided over all the meetings. I learned that the Asia area is divided in four parts. The Area offices are located in Japan, Hong Kong, New Zeland and Manila. All the areas overlook different countries of Asia except for Daniel's area is just the Philippines because the membership is the largest in Asia.






The first day we went to the hotel and ate at the Launch. The next day we went to Church and had our own little meeting in English with the other DTA's It was great! That evening we ate dinner together as a group.


The cluster meeting started the next day on Monday.  Bishop Causee went over some scriptures about the priesthood and we also shared some thoughts on the role of the agent or the DTA.














 It was wonderful. than we separated and had our sisters's session and like always it was amazing! We received the book by Elder Nelson: Accomplishing the impossible.






We went to an activity that day
where we saw deers and beautiful scenery. We also went to another activity and dressed up with kimonos on Tuesday. From left to right: Georges Bonnet,  Daniel and Veronica Almeida, Debbie and Gary Porter, Carey and Adam Aalders, Bishop Gerald and sister Valerie Causse, Joseph and Toni Crandall and Brent and Debbie Buckner.

On Wednesday, we went all together to take the bullet train to Kyoto where a lot of these pictures were taken. We saw a bamboo forest and two temples. We got a ride on a carriage and went shopping. We also got to eat authentic Japanese food on this trip of course.

The most amazing  thing that has always amazed
me is how orderly, neat and clean the cities in Japan are. How nice, sweet and soft spoken the so polite the people are there also.
We stayed at the Marriott in Osaka which happens to also be the tallest building in all of Japan. The very top has an observatory on the 60th floor.

Over all it was an incredible cluster meeting. I sent Adam and Carey Aalders who were in charge a thank you to express our gratitude for their love, dedication and hard work. They had very talented and incredible and thoughtful people working for them who went out of their way to make sure we were all taken care of. No detail was overlooked including the wonderful high quality gifts such as chocolates and treats, a  cute apron and special towel, a nice picture and picture frame, and one of a kind beautiful pottery made by Elder Taiichi Aoba.

We were  showered with so many gifts and activities but mostly we felt of their genuine desire to please us. from the moment we stepped into Japan at the airport to the time we had to go home, we felt so welcomed and special. The standard was set very high on this occasion.