CAJ Report

JONATHAN SIMS CHRIST'S AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN

And the things you haveheard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrusted
to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. II Timothy 2:2
II Timothy 2:2
VOLUME 2
EIRST QUARTER 1982
NUMBER 1
CONTINUING STUDY
The major project of this new year Is the attempt to^ finish
the course of studying Japanese at Tanguage school. The work has
become tedious and sometimes one might easily be tempted to quit.
My class has been covering the material at a quicker pace than
other classes, which has seemed to add to the pressure that is al
ready almost unbearable through studying five days a week, being
in a class four hours a day. The teachers have helped to ease the
strain a little by adding new types of learning experiences, es
pecially as we are getting up into more advanced levels of study.
For example, part of the class period each week is allotted for
giving a short talk about our hobbies and things that we are in
terested in. Each student also has the chance to speak in chapel
several times a year. I spoke in February on the 23rd Psalm, which
continues to be a source of comfort during the strain of language
study.
Tests are continually making every student humble by reveal
ing weaknesses in language ability. As one seems to feel good in
finishing a new lesson, the test always proves he has not really
mastered the material as he might have thought. In any case, my
test scores have been lower this term than I would have preferred,
but my teacher has allowed me to stay with the class and proceed
into level four. I am learning to adapt to more difficult tests
which now include such assignments as defining new words in Japanese,
explaining the meaning of some sentences in the lesson and making
sentences using particular expressions in addition to what we have
done before.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
Leading in Sunday Worship
Helping with the local
congregation here in Mejirodai
proves to be a wonderful oppor
tunity to apply my language
learning to practical situat
ions. I have been given oppor
tunities to preach in addition
to the weekly chance to lead
the song service, the respon
sive reading and reading the
scripture text during the Sunday
AM Worship Service. I preached
on the fifth Sunday of January
and the members expressed their
thankfulness for the message as
well as praise for my progress
in language ability.
This year, on two occasions, the Sunday School teacher I assist
each week was not able to attend because of the flu, which has been
widespread this year. As a consequence, it was left to me to teach
the class of around thirty-five 4, 5 and 6th graders. Both times I
was unsure of myself as far as controlling the noisy bunch, and was
tongue-tied trying to explain the meaning of the lesson, but after
each experience I felt like I had accomplished something. Having
observed the teacher and helping each week by asking questions, the
new experience of teaching the class solo seems not really as de
manding as it might have been months earlier.
NEW ENGAGEMENTS
uni,
An Engagement Service
Another Engaged Couple
One of the difficulties of the work in Japan is making it
possible for young Christians to find other Christians to marry.
When the Churches are small and few people attend who would be a
potential partner, it becomes quite frustrating. The major conse
quence is that Christian girls marry non-Christian boys or in a few
cases vice versa. That has been the case for the couples in the
pictures abo.ve^ _.The _gi rls. have .become Ch.r.Tstians , but not fi ndingL__
Christians to marry are now engaged to non-Christians.
Engagements in Japan are formal, being conducted officially
as an "engagement ceremony". The services for both couples were
conducted here at the Church and it was the first time for many, if
not all, of the relatives and friends to be in a Church. Whether
the fiances will become Christians is yet to be seen.
I am very grateful for your prayers and hearing of additional
support being designated for my work here in Japan. The Lord has
answered your prayers on my behalf through keeping me healthy
through the full schedule of language study and Church work and com
forting me during frustrating times in language study. Without your
prayers it might be easy to think of giving up working in a diffi
cult field where the language, even for a "missionary kid" is not
easy to understand. But with your prayers, I know the Lord can use
me here to lead the Japanese to respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ
Field Address
Jonathan Sims
3-33-7 Mejirodai
Hachioji-Shi
Tokyo, Japan 193
C. A. J. - Jonathan Sims
P.O. Box 13277
Chesapeake, Virginia 23325
Missions Services Assoc
Box 177
Kempton, IN 46049
Forwarding Agent
Jesse Inge
909 Neptune Avenue
Va. Beach, Va. 23464
(804) 420-6028
Permit #48
Non-profit Org,
Postage Paid
Chesapeake, Va,
-'I'L 22 1982
CAJ REPORT
JONATHAN SIMS .... R I S T S AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrusted
to reliable m^ who will also be qualified to teach others. II Timothy 2:2
Voltane 2 Second Quarter 1982 Number 2
MOVING RIGHT ALONG
Perseverance In the study of the Japanese language has brought
positive results. One week of the summer term Is over and my class
has finished level four of the course at the Japan Missionary Lang-^
uage Institut^e. ~Iin.s exciting to~eirteRP^the fifth andr hlg^hest 1ev^
of study at the school. At the completion of this level five, we
will be able to graduate from full time study to full time appli
cation of our learning. I have become stronger through the strain
of language acquisition, but It Is primarily through strength that
the Lord has provided In answer to prayer on my behalf, that I have
been able to continue In my study. Thank you all for your prayers.
The goal of graduation on December 17 Is becoming clearly seen as
possible.
Level five has until now consisted of a book of nine long
lessons mainly for the acquiring of new vocabulary, learning more of
the many characters used In the writing of Japanese and study of
formal language. As former students have seen weakness In the book.
It Is In the process of being revised. My class will be the first
to test a new revision of the contents of the material In level five.
It promises to be a challenge, but at the same time directly appli
cable to proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Christian news
paper and Christian jnaga7.1nes rather than from secular Japanese
school materials. The new nine lessons will provide us with skills
for finding definitions of words on our own, using standard Japanese
dictionaries. With the other skills we will be learning, preparing
sermons and such In Japanese will be smoother and meanings of our
messages will be more readily understood.
THE WORK PROGRESSES
In addition to helping In Sunday School and leading In the
Sunday A.M. Worship service every week, I have the opportunity to
preach on special occasions. On May 2, Dad and Mom were at a camp,
so I preached. Again on the 30th of May I delivered the message.
Dad usually preaches forty minutes each Sunday, while my sermons
have been just twenty minutes or so. On the 30th, my message took
the normal time for Dad*s messages. The difference basically be
tween Dad*s sermons and mine Is that Dad writes an outline In
English and freely communicates the message In Japanese. In my case,
I spend almost all of the preparation time I have writing out a
manuscript in Japanese. Because of the time demand of full time
language school, as well as preparation for the Sunday School
lessons, there is limited time for me to rehearse the delivery of
the sermon. "Reading any material is not a good way to communicate
a message" was one of the principles I learned In preaching class
at Bible College, but that Is about all I can do right now. In
time, I will be much more freely able to communicate a message with
out having to keep looking at my notes all of the time. As It Is,
my.ability to communicate Is getting better because of my language
study.
iiEHK
WISDOM
FROM
GOD
Every fifth Sunday, our congregations in Tokyo gather for fellow
ship and mutual encouragement ill the work of communicating the Gospel
of Jesus Christ. On May 30th, we had the largest gathering that I
know about- ninety people total from about ten congregations. The
James Dobson films "Focus on the Family" have been adapted and trans
lated into Japanese. We saw these films, which are really appre
ciated here in Japan. Families are drawn apart because of stress on
loyalty to company and falling apart from once held values by a new
generation where many tend to rebel against values of morality and
standards held by previous generations. Much prayer is needed so
that Christian principles of a new lifestyle in Christ can be seen
through strong Christian families before there is no time left.
A BUSY SUMMER AHEAD
On July 23, the last day of the summer term of language school.
Dad and Mom will be leaving for the States for about six weeks.
During their absence, I will be maintaining the work here in Mejir-.
odai. Vacation from language school will allow full time to prepare
for camp, VBS, preaching and attending the ALL Japan Convention of
our Churches of Christ (Christian Churches). At the missionary
gathering, I am scheduled to deliver a message in English for a
change. The Monday after Dad and Mom arrive back in Tokyo on Septem
ber I will resume language study for the last leg before complet
ing the course of study at school.
I am very grateful for the support which you have been providing
financially and especially through prayer. There is no better source
of strength than that which comes through our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ. He has and is providing all that I need to do His Will.
Let us continue in our efforts to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ
as time is running out, praying that all may be able to hear and res
pond to that Gospel before it is too late.
Field Address; Jonathan Sims
Mejlrodal, Hachioji-Shi
Tokyo, Japan 193
Laurel Avenue Church of Christ
Jonathan Sims (Ambassador to Japan)
P.O. Box 13277
Chesapeake, Va. 23325
Forwyding Agent: Jesse Inge
909 Neptune Avenue
Virginia Beach, Va. 2346ii
(804) 420-6028
Permit No. 4S
Non-Profit Org.
Postage Paid
Chesapeake, Va.
Missions Services Assoc.
Box 177
Kempton, IN 46049
OCT 4 1982
CAJ Report
VOLUME 2
JONATHAN SIMS CHRIST'S AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN
Andthe things you haveheardmesayin thepresence ofmanywitnesses entrustedto reliable
men who will also bequalified to teach others. // Timothy 2:2
THIRD QUARTER 1982 NUMBER 3
THE SPEEDY SUMMER
The six weeks in which dad and mom were in America and I was maintaining the work here
in Japan seemed to pass before I could catch my breath. It seemed that no sooner had I
returned from the airport to see them off, than I had to drive out to welcome them back
home from a good visit with supporting churches and family. During the so called "vacation"
from language school, the work of preaching in Japanese, helping a little with VBS and
going to the Convention, kept me quite busy.
During this summer, I tried for the first time while preaching in Japanese, not just
to read my sermon as such, as I had been doing so I wouldn't make mistakes in grammar and
such, but to preach a little more freely by referring to notes once in a while when de
livering the message. Everybody commented right away in that through "seeing my face"
they could tell that I was sincere in my message. I knew I made grammatical mistakes and
paused at several places when I knew what I wanted to say, but was at a loss of knowing
how to say it, especially for a Japanese person to understand.
Quite a few people in the congregation and neighborhood wondered how I would be able
to manage without mother's cooking when I was by myself. As the Lord is always alert in
providing for the needs of those who are doing His will, I didn't ever have a real deep
feeling of loneliness, even though it is tending to be more and more discomforting to
remain a bachelor. It was not really difficult to make my own meals and to everybody's
wonder, I didn't lose any weight. I did accept a number of invitations to talk and eat
with people in the congregation and in the neighborhood. During the six weeks the folks
were away, I spoke Japanese almost all the time, except when with other missionaries. Some
of the neighbors were amazed at the improvement in my conversational ability in Japanese.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
The attendance at VBS this year
was less than half the normal be
cause of our decision to stay in
.town, rather than ride out to a lake
in the mountains and stay in a rent
ed place. A VBS in the church build
ing seems to children to be too much
like regular Sunday School. Those
who came, however, seemed to enjoy
the activities and lessons. The mem
bers of the congregation really help
ed to make the VBS run smoothly, al
though the attendance was a little
lower than expected.
THE CONVENTION IN KOCHI
One VBS Class
The convention of the Churches of Christ (Christian) was held in the largest city
in the island of Shikoku. Because of the expense to travel to the island and the season,
the attendance was not quite up to what was expected. Of the four main islands of Japan,
Shikoku is the smallest. Compared with Tokyo the city of Kochi (pronounced like coach)
seems like a town, but the convention hotel was of the best qualtiy. It was very en
joyable to eat the special Japanese meals. The fellowship was quite warm among the two
hundred to two-hundred-fifty who attended. During one part of the program, the group
who came from each respective congregation sang either a special number or gave a testi
mony.
(continued on back)
fact'that seemed'eWdent at'the con-
vention was that it is getting time
for some of the missionaries to re- Morning Devotions at the Japenese Convention
tire, although few want to because of
the work that needs to be done, and
there are not very many new missionaries coming. Christianity still has not made much of
an impact on the Japanese society.
One of the major highlights of the convention was the celebration of the eightieth
birthday of one of our single lady missionaries. Vivian Lemmon came to Japan to work
in the 1930's, so has worked in Japan for almost fifty years. She had to return to the
States during WWII, but is still active in the work._ It becomes very difficult for
missionaries to "retire" to America when they have lived the major part of their lives
here in Japan working to communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Japanese,
The Missionary Convention
Vivian Lemmon
FIELD ADDRESS: Jonathan Sims, 3-33-7 Mejirodai, Hachioji-Shi, Tokyo, Japan 193
FORWARDING AGENT: Jesse Inge, 909 Neptune Ave. Virginia Beach, Va. 23464
(804)420-6028
LAUREL AVENUE CHURCH OF CHRIST
Jonathan Sims (Ambassador to Japan)
P.O. Box 13277
Chesapeake, Virginia 23325
Mssions Services Assoc.
Box 2427
Knoxville, TN 37901
Permit #48
Non-profit Organization
POSTAGE PAID
Chesapeake, Virginia
/ 9- JAN 7 J9SS
C. A. J. REPORT
JONATHAN SIMS ... CHRIST'S AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN
And the things you hccoe heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust'
ed to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others, II Timothy 2:2
VOLUME 2 FOURTH QUARTER 1982 NUMBER 4
CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES
The time for the special rememhrsuice of the birth of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ has arrived. Here at Mejirodai we are having the usual full sche
dule of activities to celebrate the season. Even though this report is late, I
hope that it will help to keep the mood joyful for a little longer.
On the nineteenth we had a noimial Sunday School, after which we remembered
Clirist's birth through a Worship Service and an afternoon musical program in
which everyone participated. Groups and individuals sang, played various musical
instruments and acted in skits. The program closed with a gift exchange in which
each age group gave presents to others in their same age group. The room was
filled to capacity with 56 adults (junior high included) and 14 children (up
through 6th grade included).
As soon as I finish this report, I must resume preparation for the upcoming
events. After the Christmas Eve Service on the 24th, the Sunday School program
will be held on Christmas Day. As Japanese school children begin their winter
vacation on that day, the program will help to set the mood for the season. As
we give attendance awards at that time, children will attend in anxious e3q)ecta-
tion.
GRADUATION FROM LANGUAGE SCHOOL
The main reason that this report is late is that the pressure of language
study put on by the teachers did not stop until after the last class session was
over, I have been set for the proper joyfulness of this season in that I have
been enabled to coii5)lete the course of study at the Japan Missionary Language
Institute. Through the grace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and the
strength He has provided, I have been able to persevere through the struggle of
intensive Japanese language study. Now I can direct my efforts toward direct
contact and comimmication of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
This Autumn term of study has been my best. Ufy classmate and I have fin
ished reading a book written by a Japanese as m introduction to Christianity
for other Japanese people. Being a graduate of Bible college, much of the mater
ial is not new, although it is interesting to note how the author expressed his
viewpoints of "Japanese" Christianity. In addition to reading the book, we also
read selected articles from one of the three major national Japanese newspapers.
It is a good feeling to be able to more and more understand how the Japanese feel
about various things and how they, express themselves in their own special un
assertive way (excepting the overly aggressive newspaper reporters and sales
men).
The teachers were more lenient during this Autumn term, than they have
been.in previous terms. Maybe it s6emed that \ray because the grading this,term
was based not on regular tests as we have had previously, but ofi essays we have
written in class on various assigned topics. Even so, after every class session
it was easy to feel inadequate in e3preSsitig myself. Members of the local con
gregation here have .continued to remark on my progress in communication ability.
But it takes a lifetime to really leam all of the Ins and outs of a language.
I am grateful for this painful experience of formal classroom study, without
which I feel nobody can really get a grasp of the foundation necessary to
communicate adequately any important message, especially the Gospel of Jesus
Christ.
May everyone continue to remember the joys of this season, and have a
Happy New Year. Ihank you all for your continued prayers and support through
which the Iiord has sustained me in thi^~year7 ^ ~~ *- -
Field Address
Jonathan Sims
3-33-7 Mejirodai
Hachioji-Shi
Tokyo, Japan 193
Laurel Avenue Church of Christ
C. A. J. - Jonathan Sims
P.O. Box 13277
Chesapeake, Virginia 23325
(
Missions Services Asso.
Box 2427
Knoxville, TN 37901
Forwarding Agent
Jesse Inge
909 Neptune Avenue
Va. Beach, Va. 23464
(804) 420-6028
Permit #48
Non-Profit Org.
Postage Paid
Chesapeake, Va.