A Unique Military Mission

The rainy season has arrived on Guam and so have a new missionary couple. Even with international borders being closed, the missionary support by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continues. The Micronesia Guam mission welcomes Elder and Sister Richards, called to the Military Relations Mission in the Japan Tokyo South Mission assigned to the Yokosuka Navy Base. Happy to accommodate, Guam brings this senior missionary couple into their time zone as well as being able to work with military here on the island until Japan's border opens.

Elder Richards was born in Logan, UT. He attended the Church College of New Zealand (an LDS high school) followed by the Church College of Hawaii (now BYU-Hawaii). He served a mission to the Northern Far East Mission, their headquarters being in Tokyo. Elder Richards has taught Primary, served in Young Men, Sunday School, Elders Quorum, Branch Presidencies, Bishoprics, and on High Councils.

Sister Richards is from Glendale, California. Her previous callings include serving in Primary, Young Women, Sunday School, Ward and Stake Relief Society Presidencies, and Seminary.

Both Elder and Sister Richards have served in scouting. They previously served a home mission where they were called as Service Missionaries in the state of Maryland managing a church clothing donation center in conjunction with the Baltimore, MD, Stake Bishop’s Storehouse. They both served as ordinance workers in the Orlando, FL Temple

Elder Richards spent most of his career in the military, joining the army, completing his bachelor’s degree at the University of Texas then becoming a commissioned Officer in the US Army.

“When our calls came to serve a Military Relations Mission in Japan, we were very excited!” Sister Richards tells how Elder Richards had served in the same mission as a young Elder. Her family had also lived at Camp Zama, Japan.

Elder and Sister Richards, although currently called to Japan, have not been able to cross their borders as they are closed for the virus. They started their 23-month mission with on-line MTC training October 12^th. They have now completed 10 months of their 23- month mission serving from home in a variety of unique ways. They arrived in Guam in July and are currently working temporarily in the Micronesia Guam Mission as Military Relations Missionaries to the Joint Region Marianas military installations. This allows for them to be in the same time zone as Japan for any remote service they can give as well as bless the lives of our areas military families.

In their final comments they express how “This has been a great time of study and spiritual growth for each of us and we are grateful for the many ways the Lord has blessed us. We have been able in turn to serve our Heavenly Father’s children. We are thankful for our Priesthood leaders who support and guide us, for our family members who love and encourage us, and for Heavenly Father to whom we pray, His Son, Jesus Christ, on whom we lean for support, and the Holy Ghost on whom we rely for inspiration. We know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is Christ’s true church, and we are honored and blessed to be a part of gathering Israel in these the latter-days.” Japan doesn’t know what they are missing.