Marugame Branch's Saturday clean-up!

Yesterday we went to the Marugame LDS Branch's recently purchased plot of land to pull weeds. It's a great location right on Route 11, the main highway in the area and easily accessible. Unfortunately the branch has to have an average weekly attendance at Sacrament Meeting of 80 or 85 to actually build the church building. Today was a pretty average day at church and there were only about 50 people. There are more member in the branch boundries but there are lots of less active members who rarely attend. It's sad when you see how diligent these active members are, some who have been attending church in the same rundown old building for 30 years! But the plot of land is a hopeful sign!!

The missionaries pulling weeds and picking up trash. (There wasn't a whole lot to do, I think the plot was recently cleared, but it was nice to be together with the church members on their own piece of land!)
Callan and Fumiyo (our boss) stopped to have a little chat.

After (a little) work Callan and Elder Itakura kicked the ball around for a bit.

Br. Morimura, Sister Yamaji (the Primary president and Branch president's wife) and me picked up a pile of weeds.

Maybe someday soon there will be a beautiful new Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on this piece of land and the Marugame Branch will be a Ward!! :)

(By the way, Saturday was a holiday so nobody had to work, includng us! Yippee! Usually we only have Monday off)