Transfer Week Aug 14 - 21, 2011

This was a very emotional week. We lost our Mama, Barraclough Shimai and a three transfer resident, Kim Choro. Kim Choro returned home after teaching us for 18 weeks. He helped us in so many ways! Barraclough Shimai has been with us here in Kumamoto since we came the first of March. She has been invaluable to us! Masson Choro from American Fork, Utah is our new only English speaking missionary here in the Kumamoto/Nagamini Wards. This is going to be a big change for us. We are going to have to work longer and harder on the language! We may not learn it on this mission, but it will give us a start when we get called to Apple Valley, California on our next mission. (Tom is losing it!) We are coming back to Japan. It has rained most of the week, so it is cooler!

District Pictures before we posed and three Choro get cream pie in the face.

Buffet at the Bus Station. Fontenet, Everett and Clements Choro.

Christensen and Sakamoto Shimai and Sakamoto and Christensen Choro. Sakamotos are transferring to Kagoshima as the Adachi Fufu died this transfer. The Savages down in Okinawa also went home. Watsons have replaced them. Elder Kim (who died) in the back.

Baba Choro, who died, his replacement Abe Choro, Oobayashi Choro and Uno Shimai who transferred.

Ito, Ito(Itu)Shimai with the Sakamotos.

One of Barraclough Shimai's other faces, Buckingham and Kim Choro. Buckingham Choro transferred Kitakyushu, he has been in Tsuboi as long as we have been here.

Tuesday we said good by to all the missionary we thought were going and ate lunch with both Districts. It was a festive time! We made some bad guesses on who was staying. We should have asked the Lord.

We were able to see the play, Doctor Korczaks Children on Wednesday. The Stake President's daughter was it it and gave us tickets to it. It was all in Japanese with no English subtitles. Darn! It was very well done and we read about it on the Internet later.
We also finalized the preparation for the Eikaiwa Luau party that night. There were about 90 people there and the food and entertainment was great. There were Hula girls, a Tongan Warrior, a Tongan Princess, and Christensen Choro showing his expertise on the drums.

Food for Luau.

More food and two Eikaiwa students in the Kimonos.

The entrance to the Luau took everyone through an introduction to the Gospel and the missionaries.

Our Family Bulletin and hobbies and a little about us.


The Ito Shimai made lots of Gospel related posts for the Luau.

Tobias and Kim Choro singing.

The Sopus practicing their dance.

The Sopus performing a dance.

Follow the Tongan lead and he will make you look silly. Sueoshi Kaneo in background. He is about our favorite Eikaiwa Student. Sure wish he would join the Church.

Maui family, minus Atou, Tuitu is hiding, Rogers Shimai and Barraclough Shimai.

Itu, Ito Shimai, two students and Masuda Shimai. Tom gave her his shell necklace. She loved it.

Matsuda Shimai and daughter Matsuda Shimai

Adella and Li Gang.

Kumamoto Missionaries before transfer. Oobayashi, and Kim Choro, Yamada, Barraclough Shimai, Bess and Tom. Itu and Ito Shimai in back.

Out with the old. Goodby Kim Choro.

Oobayashi Choro welcoming new companion Masson Choro.

Goodby Barraclough Shimai who transferred to Kurume.

Goodby Harada and Nakano Shimai who died.

Shaner Choro and his new workers pants. Says he is going to wear them for Halloween. Going home to China and then to BYU.

De Freitas and new companion Iino Choro, Tsuboi Ward.

Clements and "new bean" Hill Choro, Shimizu Ward.

On Thursday we said our goodbyes and hellos to the missionaries and the traveled to Honbu. We ate dinner with the returning missionaries and went through a Temple session with them. We are very excited for the opportunities that await them, but are sad to see them leave. It is hard to believe that time has gone by so quickly. We also got an additional assignment from the Mission President. We are now going to inspect the apartments in Kagoshima Zone as well as the five other zones that we are now inspecting. This includes the whole of Kyushu Island. We are excited about this, but are not sure how to juggle our time to be able to accomplish this. Guess we will ask a higher authority for help.

We traveled to the Tsuboi Ward again to meet the two shimai for the English Sunday School class on Sunday. They did not come. They did not come to the Temple Class that night either. Hope they can get enough faith to come back and learn more about the Gospel!

The Bishop of the Nagamini Ward bought headsets for the English speaking people, so only one person can translate for all of us. That will help a lot!

Another Clean Cement truck!

We love you! Remember, Faith without works is Dead. Fast and pray like your life depends on it, it does, and then go to work.

The Christensens,
Bess and Tom
Grandpa and Grandma
Mom and Dad