Ryohei Honma Comes to Visit From Japan

Ryohei Honma was baptized in the Tsuruoka Branch in Japan while we were there on our mission in November, 2016.  It was a miracle baptism.  He came to our English class one night.  He went up to Elder Walker Mirakami and asked, "What do you guys do?"  He said, "We teach English, but we also teach about Jesus Christ."  Ryohei replied, "I want to learn about Jesus Christ."  Three weeks later, we blew up the portable font again and Ryohei entered into the fold of God.  To read about that please go here:

We were so happy to welcome Ryohei here in America.  He came to spend a week with us.  It was a wonderful week with a very special young man: 

Welcome to our home.  We picked up Ryohei at the shuttle office on Monday afternoon, May 7, 2018.

That evening we had a barbecue with Don and Ada and a FHE where we talked about the importance of temple covenants.

Tuesday
We left early on Tuesday morning to travel to Bryce Canyon.  We stopped at the Cedar City temple on the way.

Cedar City temple

Near Bryce Canyon, we saw this smoke and were concerned until we saw a sign that said it was a controlled burn.

We forgot the chips- so 8.5

Beautiful Bryce Canyon

Can't get enough of this beautiful national park.

We saw deer and even saw anteloupe right on the road.  I was too shocked to take a picture.

Wednesday morning, Ryohei and I ran errands and prepared our slow cooker dinner while Ken was serving in the temple.  In the afternoon, we went to the temple to do baptisms.  Ken baptized Ryohei and Ryohei baptized Ken.  They did my family names.  I watched and cried.  We are grateful to Ken's brother, Don who helped verify Ryohei's recommend, which he didn't have with him, so that we could do this.  It was such a sacred experience.  I can't explain very well the feelings I had seeing Ryohei in the baptismal waters again, doing work for my kindred dead.

That evening, Ken had Elders quorum presidency meeting.  So I took Ryohei out to meet my sister, Pam and her husband, Roger.  We had a delightful visit.  Pam and Roger are always the perfect hosts.

After visiting Pam and Roger, Ryohei and I went to the temple visitor's center.  The sister missionaries showed us a video about a famous Mormon family in Japan- Blessed 4.  They are kind of Japan's version of the Osmonds- wildly popular in Japan.

Thursday

Thursday started with Ryohei and Ken hiking the two temple quarry trails in St. George.

Ken and I serve as ordinance workers in the temple on Thursday afternoons.  After our service, we picked up Ryohei and took him to experience Café Rio.

Friday, Ken took Ryohei to Zions National Park.  There, they hiked several trails.

On Friday afternoon, we traveled down to Las Vegas so Ryohei could meet the Prince family.

We got Ryohei's favorite Church's Cain fried chicken for dinner.

Ryohei is so good with the kids.

Homemade frozen yogurt for dessert

And game night.

Later that evening we drove down the strip so Ryohei could see it.

Gabbi sang the song for us that she was going to sing in church the next day for Mother's Day.

William is ready to eat

Gabbi's soccer game

Kenny

Cheerleaders

Thanks Brian and Michelle!

We hurried back to St. George on Saturday afternoon to attend a Hinton/ Hintze reunion.  Ken's mom had a sister named Jenny.  They were very close.  They each had eight children that were about the same ages- Ken's family mostly boys, and Jenny's family mostly girls.  We held a reunion of the two families.  Don put together a slideshow of family memories.

We never got a good picture of the group.  Here we are watching the slideshow.

Ken's family.  Can you pick out Ken?

Then each of us gave a short presentation on our family and life.  This is Jim reporting.

The Hintons then went to dinner together.  Some of Rick and Sherrie's family were with us as they had just finished running a Ragnar race.

Afterward, we served chocolate cake at our house.

It was so fun to have Ryohei with us for Mother's Day and to have him in our church on Sunday.  Ken had been asked to speak in our ward.  He used Ryohei as an example in his talk on how to treat women, as Ryohei is so good to his widowed mother.
Monday morning, I took Ryohei to meet the shuttle as he was headed to Provo to visit elders there for a few days before heading home to Japan.

Goodbye, Ryohei!  Until we meet again!!!