Las Vegas Thanks CIG Missionaries

As Japanese Cheon Il Guk (CIG) missionaries in Las Vegas prepared to return to Japan, the group was invited on a day-long sightseeing trip in Los Angeles on July 27 in thanks for their hard work, before joining forces with the KODAN witnessing team for a day of outreach activities at Pasadena Community College.

Since the summer of 2010, missionaries have been coming consistently to Las Vegas. They first supported the local community by distributing copies of True Father’s autobiography and then transitioned into witnessing. Currently they work with the Collegiate Association for the Research of Principles (CARP), Universal Peace Academy (UPA) and the Las Vegas Family Church in outreach activities. Since 2010, there have been more than 40 missionaries in Las Vegas. 

Cheon Il Guk missionaries were first introduced in 2013, but those going to Hawaii and Las Vegas, called HL missionaries (for Hawaii and Las Vegas), go through a separate application process to come to the United States. Japanese members decide to apply as missionaries because they want to deepen their understanding of their faith and have trust in God to send them to various places in the world. This also serves the dual purpose of allowing them to travel.

The team currently consists of six women around the age of 23, three of whom are preparing to return to Japan soon. 

On July 27, 2015, as a token of appreciation from the Las Vegas Family Church to the Japanese missionaries for all their hard work and dedication, Reverend Doo, the pastor in Las Vegas, invited them to go on a day of sightseeing in Los Angeles.

“I haven’t been to the ocean in a while, and the ocean waves were so impressive,” commented Eri Yamashige, a Japanese missionary. This is her first time in the United States, and she plans to stay for eleven months. “Spending time in God’s creation is an excellent way to re-energize after witnessing and taking care of guests every day.”

On the morning of July 28, the Japanese missionaries and local members joined the witnessing activities at Pasadena Community College. Mrs. Naoko Hiraki, who has been consistently introducing students to the Divine Principle for the past two and a half years, explained the proper method and proper attitude to have while approaching students.

“After hearing Naoko-san’s explanation, I wanted to go forth with more confidence when I witness to students,” declared Kayo Ikeda, who came to the United States for the first time in June and is leaving this August. 

Rose Doo, a Unificationist-born high school student living in Las Vegas, went witnessing for the first time. “Although there were very few people who took the time to listen, I felt accomplished when they actually did stop to talk to us,” she commented. 

Below are a few short thoughts from the missionaries and local members who participated in the sightseeing trip and witnessing experience: 

Kayo Ikeda: “I am really grateful for Reverend Doo who, out of his big heart, took us to visit Los Angeles.”

Eri Yamashige: “I felt so much love during these last two days. Even though we witnessed for only a short time, I learned many things. I am grateful that I was able to go.”

Yuka Ogura (here as a missionary for the third time): “This time we went to Los Angeles, and I learned two things. The first thing is that God raised us by means of the natural world. Light and dark, shape and form, all the things explained in Principle are found in the natural world. Man and woman cannot become complete alone, but only as one pair to exist as the full expression of God. 

“The second thing is that through witnessing, when I met people, I was able to understand God’s heart to save a single person. Even at his lowest point, God saved this one person, and now is his time to live for the sake of others. I saw the desire in my guest to honestly grow and bring joy to God, love others and become closer to God.”

Overall, it was a good experience for both those who were witnessing for their first time and those who have been witnessing more consistently. “Even though I only went out for a short time, I felt that all the answers that I had been searching for during the previous 40-day condition became clear to me at that moment,” reflected Kaori Kinoshita, who has come to the United States as a missionary four times. 

The Japanese missionaries were able to experience many beautiful and amazing locations around Las Vegas, and we hope that they will be inspired to share their positive experiences with others and to come back in the near future.