8th Week in Japan, 1st Area. The Spirit can fill in the gaps.

When faith, work and endurance is the message,...

James 2: 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

When work is done, the message from Christ is:  Matthew 11: 

28 ¶Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Hello Everybody!

A New investigator and new potential investigator this week!! WOOOHOOOOOOO!!!! Obedience to the Lord is paying off :D

It is true what you mentioned about Japan.  Often Japanese people may say "Ah Bukyō."  Which means I'm Buddhist.  I could ask them what their favorite teaching is and they wouldn't know, they just claim the religion because their parents were that.  Sister Riggs got that often.  I felt impressed to go back and stop this mom that we biked past and she wasn't interested.  I had a thought pop in my head that was something like, "Sometimes you follow the Spirit and get rejected to get the right timing to meet the right person."  The next lady we stopped was interested in our message. We exchanged numbers and have talked on the phone! :)

That's a good idea about the index card with a scripture or positive thought written on it!  I do hand out chirashi [flyers] to people that aren't interested if they'll take it. I don't have as much email time today. We had other stuff to do like with an investigator and grocery shopping.  My comp is waiting for me.  I'll try to email more next week I'm so sorry!!!

This week has been great, but a bit different.   Since I've become area Senpai [Senior, a position of more responsibility], my Japanese is already noticeably improving and I can understand a bit better.  I was worried before about doing things right, but Sister Nagano [The Mission President's wife] called at the beginning of the week and comforted me.  Sometimes, I feel like I have the memory of a goldfish [probably due to having to remember so much right now, brain overload].  I give about 80% credit of my memory to the Spirit.  The Spirit has really lead Sister B______ [new companion] and me where we needed to go.

Even though I got lost sometimes [the Japanese address system can be a challenge], the timing of finding people was perfect. We were going to a member's house to give a gift to a young woman and I couldn't remember what apartment it was they lived in.  We walked a little further by the doors and there was the member we needed to talk to outside!  She just got home and her daughter was home.

We also were going to visit our investigator, and again, I couldn't remember the apartment number.  I was checking doors and double-checking and I couldn't remember where she lived.  But then we saw her on her bike.  She just arrived home and we were able to talk to her and invite her to read her scriptures!

We have a list of less-actives that we want to visit.  None of them were home this week.  We dropped a birthday card off at a less-active's house, I___ Shimai [Sister I____].   After we left, there was a lady I felt we needed to talk to that we passed.  She wasn't interested in our message. I remember thinking as we were turning around on our bikes to go speak to that lady, "sometimes the Spirit tells us to speak to people, even when they aren't interested in our message, so we can have the right timing to meet the next person who God has prepared."  The next lady we talked to spoke English. Her name is S______! She goes to a Japanese Christian church and was interested in our message. We exchanged phone numbers and will be meeting soon!! 

Take care,   Parker Shimai

Sent from my iPad

A thank you to Google translate:  https://translate.google.com/   It's a handy tool when you need it!

Here's a webpage with some typical gospel vocabulary words in Japanese:

http://www.freejapaneselessons.com/for-LDS-Missionaries.cfm    It also has audio.

The most important gospel word in Japanese, is, Jesus Christ  [ Iesu Kirisuto ], because he is our Savior [ Sukuinushi ]

Cultural note:  Parking lots in Japan, filled with bicycles too, not just cars

Mt. Fuji, image from a Google search

7th week in Japan -- 1st area; Earthquake status

From Kirsten's mom:  For those of you who might be wondering, Kirsten is fine, as are all the other missionaries.  I was so busy today, I didn't read the news, and didn't even know about the earthquake until I got the email from the Japan Tokyo mission office (gosh, I love those people for keeping the parents informed!)

There was a 5.6 earthquake last night (Japan local time), felt in the southern Ibaraki Prefecture, and the Tokyo, and Saitama Prefectures (Kirsten is in the Prefecture [county] of Saitama).   From what I understand, there was a lot of swaying going on; some people reported things coming off shelves, furniture moving, some elevators stopped, and the Metro stopped; some nuclear plants were shut down or checked as a precaution.  There continue to be smaller aftershocks in the 4 range.   In the picture below, the bigger earthquake (5.6 mag) is the orange ring (and Okegawa is in the orange ring)  The yellow and light green circles are more recent quakes (smaller magnitude also) and Okegawa is possibly *not* in those rings, or maybe on the very outer edge.

HOWEVER, one detail I forgot about momentarily:  I don't know where Kirsten was at the time.   There was an emergency transfer yesterday, in the evening, and Kirsten traveled into Tokyo I believe, probably on the Metro, because her companion Sister Riggs, got transferred in order to accomodate a sick missionary sister that had to be moved to a location closer to medical help. Sister Riggs also got a change of assignment along with her new location, in that she is now a Sister Trainer over several areas of the mission.   Kirsten returned to Okegawa and will be a senior type companion while her new companion Sister B_____ gets familiar with the Okegawa area. 

The earthquake occurred at 5/16/2016  9:23pm local time.   I am trying to imagine Kirsten's response.  I don't know if she has ever really felt an earthquake before, unless it was a very very slight rolling.

She probably felt some panic at first.  When the earth first starts shaking, one wonders for a moment how strong the shaking will get as the seconds tick.   I hope she isn't in a big earthquake like the one that happened in Southern Japan last month.   I guess we'll hear next week a lot more about the transfer and the ground moving.

We are studying Japanese earthquakes a bit, and have found out that Japan uses an early earthquake warning system (gives a few seconds, maybe a minute warning, depending on how close a person is to the epicenter.  Japan has lots of seismic monitoring stations.   Casualties have gone down with the warning system in place.   Also most of the earthquakes are on the coast, or off-coast, or at islands.   Being inland will possibly lessen some of the risk.   

If you want to hear the warning chime (for the earthquake warning system), go to:    http://www.nhk.or.jp/sonae/bousai/    

The site is in Japanese, but look on the page *currently in the lower right side of the page* for the thick bright green bar with the audio symbol on it.  Click that, and it will play the earthquake warning chime.

Signing off, K-Mom

6th Week in Japan -- 1st Area; Pondering Honor

Sister Kirsten Parker with Sister Riggs, visiting an elderly beautiful Japanese woman

This part is written by Kirsten's Mom:   Sorry readers for my delay in getting this next post out.  I was really exhausted and I didn't think I had much subject matter from her this week (it was mostly personal communication, along with 3 pictures).   In re-reading the personal letter, I found some inspiration with which to write:  Honor.  In May and June in the United States, we have several holidays which honor our foundations in life:  Our parents (Mothers' Day and Fathers' Day) and also Memorial Day, which used to be called Decoration Day (decorating the graves)--1st time was in May 1868 to commemorate the fallen dead from the US Civil War, which now we have as a day to remember all our dead, both from family, friends, and military dead.

Kirsten gave me several sentences of thanks for being her mother.   Then she shared this quote:  As Jeffrey R Holland said in October 2015 General Conference, "No love in mortality comes closer to approximating the pure love of Jesus Christ than the selfless love a devoted mother has for her child...

This kind of resolute love “suffereth long, and is kind, … seeketh not her own, … but … beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” Most encouraging of all, such fidelity “never faileth.” “For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed,” Jehovah said, “but my kindness shall not depart from thee.” So too say our mothers."

Similarly, fathers are very important to the well-being of families.   I would reiterate that righteous fathers are very important too.   Studies have been done about the effect of having both mother and father in the home, and that each parent contributes something which the other parent cannot do equally.   It is unfortunate that in many societies, the role of good parents, male and female, is being torn to shreds.  Anything else is not the exact replacement of a good mother and good father in the home.  

Now, some people may argue, "but my mother or father was..." gone, or mean, or distant (emotionally unavailable or unconcerned).  I recognize that not everybody grew up with this ideal model in their home.  However, there is still room to be grateful.  Our mothers and fathers gave us life.  Life is an opportunity to learn from experience to choose good over evil.  It is the opportunity to gain wisdom and develop our talents, and then assist others in their walk through life.   Our parents minimally, probably changed our diapers, fed us, clothed us, or had us go to school.  They taught us to not touch fire, or reminded us to be home by dark.  If nothing else, maybe we got good genes from them:  strong legs, hard-working hands, a quick intellect, witty humor, some other talent, or if lucky, a nice-looking face.  Sometimes, parental words of warning and restraint, came from their experiences, as they have become judges of character, and could and can sniff trouble coming a mile away.   Young people should not be defiant, but grateful for instruction.   Young adults should not be defiant either, thinking, "I'm over 18 I can do what I want!"  This is a teaching of the devil, because such a rebellious attitude leads to a spirit that cannot discern or does not care when they are falling into sin.  [Wicked] Adults are the perpetrators of the worst things in this world, not children {okay, there are some wicked children now, but you know what I mean by this}.  

Our ancestors may have given us a great legacy, or they may have simply endured a difficult life so that we could be here at this time.  We can take inspiration from their ability to endure, when we pass through our own trials.

Just as we honor our parents and ancestors for what they contributed to us, we should also honor our Heavenly Father, and our Lord:

Hebrews 12: 

9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 

The apostle Paul from the New Testament had knowledge that in the last days before the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, that society would fall apart and people would fail to care about true law, would hate being told what to do, and would discard and destroy good values.

2 Timothy 3:

1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, [boy, isn't this prevalent right now, labeling good people with proper values as "hateful"]

 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: 

from such turn away   [do not embrace their ways].

The apostle Paul then goes on in chapter 3 to explain that lust would drive people to do bad things, and that in spite of their smartness they still would be clueless about what is really true, and that deception of the issues would abound, and that one day, the folly (in colloquial language = foolishness or stupidity) of their choices that they thrust onto society would be known by everybody.

The following passage is similar to 2 Timothy 3 about what would be the predicament [in these last days]:

2 Corinthians 6:

9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

*****

Another observance in the May - June time frame, is honoring the laws given by God, called Shavuot by the Jews.  49-50 days after the first Passover in the Spring, the Hebrews received the 10 Commandments (etc). at Mount Sinai. This was the Old Covenant. Originally, all were invited to go up the Mount to see God [Too scared of dying in God's presence, they just sent Moses to the mountain top.  Moses later lamented that he wanted everybody to be prophets with the Spirit.  Numbers 11:29].      The New Covenantal promise of Christ that he would send the Comforter (the gift of the Holy Spirit) was given to the ancient Saints on Pentecost (Acts 2), which coincided with Shavuot.   The Holy Ghost fell upon many people, and about 3000 were converted to the Lord on that day, and baptized.  Easter is actually supposed to coincide with Passover week.  If it did, Pentecost would always be on the same date as Shavuot.   

Please take this time to remember gratefulness for that which your parents and ancestors have done for you.   Remember your Heavenly Father everyday, and every Sabbath Day, remember to keep it holy.

Takoyaki

Kirsten also sent this picture.  I am not sure if this was food served at a home.   It looks yummy, but trust me, it's got a list of ingredients which for a American (or at least me) could be an acquired taste. http://www.justonecookbook.com/takoyaki-recipe/

She also mentioned that she finally got to visit the home of the bishop, by appointment {for those of you who don't know what this means, it is the leader of the local church congregation}.   The Japanese people can be exceptionally busy due to long work or school schedules.   Working with the church leadership and membership is crucial to doing effective missionary work, because fellowship is the glue that brings people together.

Signing off, K-Mom

5th Week in Japan -- 1st Area. Recap on Shibuya, and this week's mission work

This picture was taken at Shibuya when I was in Tokyo last week. 

 [For those of you who haven't heard of Shibuya before, it is a special {geographical} ward of Tokyo, like a suburb.  Some of the things which Shibuya is known for are its very large and busy railway station, a fashion district, nightlife scene, and also it has Information Technology businesses. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shibuya].

Just a thought:  In this picture, we are surrounded by very busy people, in a hurry to get somewhere.   Many of them look not-so-happy, worried, or maybe tired.  One of the beauties of the Sabbath is that people slow down for one day and rest, and contemplate the things that are most important in our eternal destiny.

Enough of Shibuya.   

Now, sometimes it's hard to remember everything that happened, but this past week, we have 3 progressing investigators, and 4 other investigators.  Every Thursday evening, we do weekly planning (as the manual Preach My Gospel  says on pages 147-150).  Last night we ate at a member's house with an additional member family.  I keep practicing my Japanese with them.  We have a lot of appointments with members, especially meal appointments compared to most.  This week I think we have 4 or 5 planned.  They like to feed us!  Some know English too, so it makes it a bit easier to communicate.  Everyone knows about Ghibli Films.  In the South Tokyo mission, there's a Ghibli museum.  A member gave me a Kiki toy (from Kiki's Delivery Service) and a little Totoro spirit toy (the yellow one).  I remember when I was really young, I watched Kiki's Delivery Service a bunch of times, I believe I was like 6?  And of course, since then, I have seen other Ghibli family films [For those of you not familiar, Studio Ghibli in Japan, via director Hayao Miyazaki, made some family-friendly animated films].  Heavenly Father has been preparing me for Japan all my life, in so many ways.   These films were just one way in which my preparation began, and they were my first introduction to the beauty of Japanese culture.  I've been drawing more recently too, for teaching purposes or on like birthday cards.  It makes me want to become better.

Someone told me, I think an apostle said this, but the first thing the members think about you (first impression) is not how well you can speak the language or how well you get along with your companion, but how happy you are.  So I try to smile all the time.  I think it helps a lot!  

Until later,  Parker Shimai

4th week in Japan -- 1st area. Tripping along by rail, and teaching new people

Part of the purpose of my blog is about my mission, of course, but being an American in Japan is pretty exciting.   So I like to share the experience of what Japan is like, as through my eyes.

We traveled by rail to Tokyo to go to the LDS temple.

Roof edging Japanese sky

Houses by the train rails

 

Trip in Fast Motion.  It is less than a minute, but it might loop on you and start again, and seem longer than a minute.  Try not to get dizzy.

Okay, moving right along, I liked the picture of the huge stretched-out limousine that I got in the email.  I sent that one to Sister Riggs too.  She said that it would be super funny if we showed this picture to Japanese people and told them that it was our car.  Hahahah lol!!   Because everything here is much smaller than America, cars too.  It's really funny (and adorable) when Japanese people are surprised and express it.  They go like, "EeeeeEEEEHHHH!!!" And then if we showed that picture and said, "This is my car." They would freak out. Ahaha!   Then we would tell them, "Just kidding." We would just show it to members probably (people that we are friendly with and we know would appreciate the joke).   The church members here are really nice.

So, I have previously commented in other posts about the food here and how I am enjoying it.  Another thing that I like, is the clothing.  It's easier to find modest, nice-looking clothing  here in Japan.  Modesty is what you put on your body but it is about your spirit being modest too, for the right reasons.   As a missionary, it is extra-important to be modest, because immodesty sends the wrong message and can bring about unwanted actions from others.  A person can still be modest and beautiful (or handsome if a young man) at the same time.   

As for missionary work this week,  We found a few new potential investigators--  Two moms that a member brought to kids' English class that we are teaching. We taught them a lesson about the church and what missionaries' purpose are.  And then on Thursday, we decided to go to this free Japanese class with the Elders in our missionary district.  There was a Filipino young woman there. After class, I commented on her cute clothes and we got into a conversation.  We talked about why we were in Japan and that we are missionaries.  She said, "Oh cool!  Can I come and join your church?"  She's golden!  She's Catholic but doesn't like the Catholic people here [I don't know why].  She went to a Jehovah's Witness church here too, but didn't like that either.  We are going to have lunch with her and talk with her about the church.  She's married to a Japanese man and ended up moving here. She's kind of lonely being a foreigner, so it's a great opportunity to become friends and teach her the gospel!

There are so many miracles everyday!!

Love, Parker Shimai

4th Week in Japan -- 1st area; Temple Tuesday P-Day

Sister Parker with Sister Riggs, at the Tokyo Temple grounds

I-Spy game:  Find the golden angel symbolic of Revelation 14:6

Good morning, lovelies!!
Sorry my P-Day is today instead of Monday this week, because we are going to the temple. We go to the temple once every transfer and when we do, our P-Day is on Tuesday.    

~ 11 hours later.... ~

So the Tokyo Temple was really pretty! They had an English session.  Our zone and Tokyo West Zone went together.  I love endowment sessions.  They're so cool.  The Holy Spirit is so peaceful in there.  It relieves stress and clears your mind just being inside.  I learned that it's going to be closed in August for a year for reconstruction.  So I'll only get to go to the Temple like 3 more times I think.  After the Temple, the sisters in our zone went to a Hawaiian restaurant that has all-natural food. It was really good! 

Okay, this part (the rest of this post) is added by Kirsten's mom so people not familiar with an LDS temple and the doctrine behind it, can have some of your questions answered.   There are a bunch of scripture passages mentioned and explained.   Maybe it's a bit much for some of you to read (I like to be thorough).   You can jot down the references listed, and read them from your Bibles at your convenience.  If you wish to reference any LDS (Mormon scriptures) and are good at finding your way around a website, you can go to https://www.lds.org/scriptures/   It also has the Bible online (KJV) along with some study aids.  

I do have a picture at the bottom of this blog which is worth seeing if you wish to skip the paragraphs of scriptures.  Please first read my FYI paragraph immediately below this one, before skipping to the picture art at the the bottom of the post.

[FYI, for those not familiar with Mormon Christianity, the temple endowment service is in a quiet building called a temple, open to faithful members; it is a re-enactment of the Biblical Creation story (movie style), along with ceremonial promises which the attendees make with God to be, in summary, good people.  It is done for oneself, or for the dead (as a proxy attendee) as in Mormonism they believe that all people, living and dead, are entitled to make covenantal promises with God, through the gospel of Christ, to follow Him and live according to his precepts.   Baptism is also provided in temples in a separate area, mainly for the dead who are baptized by a living proxy (often a direct descendant or other living relative).   NO we are not creepy people who dig up the dead and dunk them, according to foul rumors.   That is the stuff made up by demented or paranoid people looking for lies and sensationalism.   I mean, that's just gross!!!  Some others pick on Mormons for their time and money spent doing genealogy to identify the dead, quoting 1 Timothy 1:4.  In a study aid at lds.org/scriptures, it says: 

In 1 Tim. 1:4, Timothy is urged to give no heed to “fables and endless 

genealogies.” The reference is probably to exaggerated stories of the heroes and patriarchs of early Hebrew history, such stories being at that time very popular among the Jews. Paul’s denunciation of “endless genealogies” was not of the scriptural and spiritually rewarding study of one’s ancestry (as even the Lord's ancestry was included in the New Testament) but was a criticism of the self-deceptive practice of assuming that one can be saved by virtue of one’s lineage. See Matt. 3:9 and Luke 3:8, wherein John the Baptist rebuked those who put too much emphasis on ancestry and attempted to use lineage as a substitute for righteousness (see also 1 Ne. 17:34–35). See also Adoption. ]

Scriptural backing for ordinances (which are recorded in books and now also, electronic format)  for the dead comes from the New Testament,  Revelation 20:12 ,  1 Peter 4:6 and 3:18, and others,  as well as commentary from modern revelation (especially D&C 128).   While Jesus Christ's body lay in the tomb, He opened the spirit world for missionary work.   This is because He had finished the atonement and thus the dead qualified to have the opportunity to receive the gospel while they await their resurrection.

The account of Jesus' baptism showing that immersion baptism is required, is recounted in the Gospels.

Jesus Christ also told his followers to baptise all nations, in Matthew 28.  Water baptism by complete immersion (which is the ONLY form of baptism symbolic of the promises given to us by Christ-- you just have to think about this to realize why it's true), and then baptism by spiritual fire of the Holy Ghost (another promise given based upon our continued faithfulness when a person is confirmed by the ordinance called, Laying on of Hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost).

Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 

1 Peter 4:6

6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

1 Peter 3: 18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

 20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

1 Corinthians 15:29:Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?

Matthew 28: 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

 19 ¶Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Jesus Christ knew that the descendants of Israel had been scattered and would be further scattered throughout the earth.  He knew that many of them had fallen and would fall out of covenant (as prophesied in Hosea 1:9 and other scriptures); they had and would intermingle with the Gentiles and forget their identity.   The gospel, even in the Old Testament, allowed provision for converts from those who were not descendants of Abraham, yes it is a gospel for the world.  The Jews who are of the ancient covenant, need to be brought into the fullness of the covenant through Christ, as do the other non-Jew but still part Israelite descendants.  Many of these souls are deceased, and that is why the gospel word is for them also.  It is inferred that present and past peoples need to be brought into the gospel, as written in Malachi (Old Testament), chapter 4, verses 4-6

4 ¶Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

5 ¶Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:

 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Often with scriptures, there is more than one meaning that can be derived from them.  It refers to 1.  the disobedient descendants getting converted to the correct teachings of their ancestors (not the false traditions);  2. The righteous ancestors hearts will guide their children's (descendants') hearts back to them in remembrance of them, as well as to the gospel, and that this will be achieved through genealogical work and gospel ordinances such as baptism in temples, bringing the dead fathers back into covenant with Christ,  3.  In the end times (before the armies of the world are converged upon the Jewish nation, that Elijah would perform a work to turn the heart of the still unconverted Jews to Christ (as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Moses (etc)  accepted Christ whether they realize it or not).

*****

Mormons believe that Moses and Elijah returned to the Latter Day Saints on April 3, 1836, to reopen the gospel to all peoples, both living and dead, and to the Jews also.  As promised in the scriptures, God said that he would gather His people again.

Moses and Elijah appeared together to a transfigured Christ, also to Peter, James and John in Matthew 17 of the New Testament.   They also heard the voice of Heavenly Father coming out from a bright cloud, introducing Christ as the son of Heavenly Father, that he was well-pleased with him, and that we should listen to him.  Heavenly Father also introduced Jesus Christ as His Son (and that he was well-pleased with him) at the baptism.  Matthew 3.   Two times the Father witnessed that he was well-pleased with Jesus.   There is a scriptural rule in the Bible about two or three witnesses being important to establish truth.  That is why there are two witnesses from the Old World (Bible) and two witnesses from the New World (Book of Mormon, and, Doctrine and Covenants).   {In Deuteronomy 17:6 in fact, a person never received the death penalty by just one witness.}

Some people believe that Moses and Elijah will make other appearances too, in the Last Days (some people think Revelation 11 applies here).   The Jews set an empty seat at the Passover meal dinner table, for Elijah.

D&C 110:11-16  Moses & Elijah appear to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland, Ohio temple, on  Sunday, April 3, 1836.  This was during the Passover season of 1836.

Right now 4/26/2016, it is also during Passover, because the Hebrew calendar is based on the moon and the sun, not just the sun.

Now you know why the LDS church is a missionary church.   We are commanded to spread the gospel among the living, and to facilitate the gospel ordinances (such as covenant-making baptism) for the dead.  As it teaches briefly in the New Testament, they have missionary work going on in the realm of the dead.

Some people may argue that a person was already baptized while they were alive.   Baptism for (not of) the dead is still offered to them, and performed by proxy because a deceased person may not have received all needed teachings associated with their baptism when they were alive (thus making their covenant attached to only a part of needed teachings), OR, they might've fallen away into a life of spiritual laziness or sin, and thus need to renew their covenant with the Lord.