Improvement Era, 1946 by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Religion

Tokyo Conference

By Lt. Burton F. Brasher

IT was spring and the cherry trees were in bloom, and Tokyo was beautiful. The University of Utah campus has one or two cherry trees, Washington, D.C., has many, and these places are beautiful without cherry blossoms, but Tokyo-Tokyo needed its cherry trees. They lined the Imperial Palace moat, the bomb-scarred avenues, and the park driveways, and with the cherry blossoms, out came the Japanese people, out of their shell of desolation and despair.

Spring brought hope to the Japanese people: their years of total war had ended, their first election in more than a decade and the occupation seemed to give them a new freedom, and the cherry trees were in bloom.

Spring also brought hope to the American servicemen: the chance to go home seemed to come closer; the mail service was improved; spring had returned; and the cherry trees gave them something of beauty to appreciate.

In the midst of the spring weather, across the moat from the palace grounds, a general conference was held on April fifth.

With all due respect to general conference on Temple Square, the Tokyo conference was also designated as a general one; held the same day, with the same spirit uniting the men and women in the name of Christ. Those in attendance dressed slightly different: khaki predominated; sisters were few in number; civilian men numbered only two; Japanese natives, a score; but it was an inspirational session, a reunion of brothers, cousins, and missionary companions. In every aspect possible, it was a Temple Square general conference.

CHORUS SINGING AT TOKYO CONFERENCE

PHOTOGRAPH OF ASSEMBLY AT TOKYO CONFERENCE

-Photographs by T/c Mickey Portillo of the "Pacific Stars and Stripes."

The organ, an olive drab field instrument that probably played for services on Iwo Jima, was played beautifully by Red Cross worker Marjory Tate of Tooele. The choir hadn't practiced long together, but it performed well under the direction of Mrs. Flora Salm Martin of Honolulu, finance department employee, with solos by Richard R. Clawson of Salt Lake City, a member of the Tokyo Military Police battalion, and Paul Grimshaw of Cedar City of the First Cavalry Division. The assembled congregation sang "Praise to the Man," with the same conviction that it has been sung in the tabernacle. Lyle Tregaskis of American Fork, Utah, member of the First Cavalry Division, led the singing. It was necessary for Alexis Tanner and James V. Terry, both of Salt Lake City, to administer the water three times to complete the passing of the sacrament to all the four hundred seventy assembled members, but the spirit of humility and reverence never left the gathering.

CONFERENCE was held in Tokyo on the island of Honshu and into the city came men from every major island, from the Philippines, and from the Asia mainland. Five train carloads journeyed together from Osaka, Kyoto, and Southern Honshu, a five hundred mile trip.

Via jeeps and cargo trucks, visitors saw the battered city of Tokyo. In the Diet building (Japan's capitol building) they saw the emperor's throne and Tojo's former chair.

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