I’ve decided to keep a blog about Daniel’s mission so anyone who is interested can follow what he is doing. I’ll include quotes from his letters of things that would be of general interest and any other information that I may gather about the places that he is serving.

Daniel called us from the Los Angeles airport on Monday morning. Bryce and Beccy, Kiffer and Nichole, and Alisa and Cameron were all here with Joseph, Joshua and me when the call came. It was fun to talk to him and we could tell that he was really excited to be on his way to Japan. Then, last night President Daniels called us to let us know that he had arrived safely and was sitting there in the mission office with him. He told us that the mission has a blog that we can follow as well. If you’re interested, the address is: http://japansapporomission.blogspot.com

Here are the first two e-mails we received from Elder Gandy on his first day in Japan:

I am here and my new companion is Elder Todd and he is amazing and my mission president is amazing to. My first area is Obihiro and I am way excited. Typing is hard so just wait for my next week. I love you all.

Elder Gandy

I have some time to type more of what has happened. I just barely got back from a baptism and they had all the new missionaries bear their testimony. I did it and it went well. We did an orientation early and I am excited. Japan is AMAZING! I went to Sapporo`s best ramen shop and it was really good. The missionaries here are amazing and so friendly. I slept in a Futon last night and it was so comfortable. My thoughts are all over the place right now, so sorry about the random experiences just placed here and there. At the baptism I talked with one of the ladies there. She asked me about my family and I accidently said I had 2 fathers when I meant to say 2 younger brothers. It was funny and she understood what I meant. The language is pretty fun. I going to go and I love you all very much.

Elder Gandy

Obihiro, Hokkaidō From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Location of Obihiro in Hokkaidō

Population

(March, 2009)

168,532

- Density

275/km² (712.2/sq mi)

City Symbols

- Tree

Silver Birch

- Flower

Fritillaria camschatcensis

- Bird

Lark

Obihiro (帯広市 Obihiro-shi?) is a city located in Tokachi, Hokkaidō, Japan.

Obihiro is the only city in the Tokachi area. The next most populous municipality in Tokachi is the town of Otofuke, with less than a third of Obihiro's population.

The city has approximately 500 foreign residents (as of 2008). [1]

The city contains the headquarters of the fifth division of the northern army of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. It also hosts the Rally Japan World Rally Championship-event.

In 2008, Obihiro was designated as a 'model environmental city' in Japan. [2]