The sites and scenery from Okinawa

The capital city of Naha reminded us of Athens, Greece

Brief History. Okinawa was the central governing island of a chain of islands known as the Ryukyu Kingdom. In 1879, it was annexed by Japan.

Shurri castle

The native language is Okinawan but everyone has also learned Japanese. It is most famous for the Battle of Okinawa, the last major battle of the war in the Pacific (mid-April to mid-June 1945)before the Japanese surrender.

Peace Cornerstone Museum - History of the Battle of Okinawa

After the war, the country was occupied by American forces up until 1972 when control reverted back to Japan.

One of several displays of the 14,009 American war dead who lost their lives here

The US Armed Forces has considerable presence in Okinawa through treaties with the Japanese government. Okinawa is the key strategic base in the Pacific for deployment for potential military action in Asia or for humanitarian aid in natural disasters.

A commemoration of Japanese war dead - 77,166 Japanese soldiers died on Okinawa. 42,000 -150,000 Okinawans also lost their lives during the battle of Okinawa.

Touring Okinawa together

The politics on the island are mostly quiet at present but in the past there was dissatisfaction during the time of the American occupation.

A couple from mainland China came to Okinawa for their wedding. They wanted a picture with Louisa.

The economy. Okinawa depends on both Japanese economic development and the economic boost the American military brings to the island.


Another wedding party taking pictures on the beach

There is a lot of tourism from Japan. The weather is subtropical and there are a number of hotels and beaches that are beautiful.

The tourism possibilities of Okinawa haven't been well marketed in the United States.

It has a pleasant climate quite similar to Hawaii and a friendly, welcoming population.

The lifestyle here is not nearly as work oriented as the main islands of Japan. There is a lot of sugar cane production and small farm agriculture.

Dinner at a Okinawan restaurant famous for featuring locally grown organic produce. It was a popular buffet of a variety of Japanese and Okinawan foods.

Photos of Okinawa. During our visit here, we are discovering the charms of Okinawa.

Darlene and Trace, April and Tyler - no kids along at the Peace Memorial 

Some of the highlights are the beaches, a world class aquarium, ancient castles, museums and cultural events.
                      The Aquarium



Self-explanatory

Two whale sharks - world's largest fish - whales are mammals

Sea turtle - up close and personal

Lionfish

Beautiful colors



Nonni and Preston encarcerated by the Ficus Tree

Tea ceremony and Japanese dancing lessons

 

          Limestone caves and rocky beaches

Japanese landscaping is exquisite

Scenes from Beijing and Okinawa

Heavenly Temple in Beijing

We are having a great time visiting our son Tyler, his wife, April and their three children, Preston, Lincoln, and Louisa. Another son, Trace, came over to Okinawa from Seattle for a visit while we are here.




April and Tyler - she is expecting their fourth child in June



We have been catching up on each other's lives, seeing the sights, and unwinding from our mission routine.

Beijing. We spent an overnight layover in Beijing and managed to see a few things while we were there.

Kites flying high in Beijing

It was interesting to see Beijing and the progress the Chinese are making in modernizing their city. In our taxi trip to the central part of the city, we visited the Heavenly Temple and the Pearl Market.

It looks quite similar to other big metropolitan areas in the world. We didn't see any developing nation environments in the main part of Beijing or by the fancy new airport.

 

We arrived after visiting hours

The flowering trees on the grounds were beautiful

We then browsing at the Pearl Market - a giant department store that specializes in jewelry. We also ate a delicious fast food while we were there.

There were over thirty shops just like this one

And some like this one

 

Back in the air. Taiwan looked older and less modern than we expected. Of course we didn't see skyscrapers or modern buildings near the airport. The airport seems rather old from the outside but inside it was interesting. 

Floral display at Taiwan airport

We know. We spent 5 1/2 hours waiting for our flight to Okinawa.

View from Tyler's home on Okinawa

Arrival in Okinawa. We saw everyone at the airport except for Lincoln. Unbeknownst to us, he was hiding until we noticed his absence. Everyone pretended that he was forgotten at home and starting panic reactions. Then he popped out of his hiding place. We arrived on April 1st. The joke was on us.



Our welcoming committee

Trace filled us in with amazingly sparse detail on his social life and became much more conversant on his job and everything else. It was great to see him again.

We did a little shopping while Tyler and Trace were doing some scuba diving.



Two recently certified scuba divers - Tyler and Trace

Afterward we enjoyed some real cheesy pizza with April and Louisa.




Louisa and granddad having a conversation

The next day we visited Lincoln's school - it was authors' day and a few children were picked to read their stories to the class and the visitors. He was one of the featured writers.

We have a lot more to see and do in Okinawa while we are here.

Zanpa Point

 

It's over - bittersweet moments

 

Sister Missionaries at the testimony meeting

We spoke in church at the Unur Ward along with two other missionaries who were being transferred to different areas, Elder Norlund and Sister Matthews. AK, the big tall Kazakh, did our translating. 

I am between the Bishop of the Unur Ward and his wife - Darlene is by her piano student, Enkhjin, and her mother

I gave him my last copy of the my marriage book I had left in Mongolia after the meeting. Darlene and I took up the lion's portion of the meeting. 

Darlene concluded her remarks with a testimony in Mongolian. Many appreciative members came up to shake her hand afterward for her efforts to learn the language. 

We were close to a few families in the ward. With more time, it would have only gotten better and better, just like in the Sukhbaatar Branch.

We enjoyed a lunch of hamburgers - our last meal in our refrigerator. We went to the church and had a final interview with President Benson. He expressed appreciation for our work and the impact it has had on the church in Mongolia.

We then had dinner along with the Gardners in the Benson apartment. 
We enjoyed interacting with their children for the last time. 

Mary Ann - a real scamp

John playing "twunkle, twunkle, little twunk, I wonder why you stunk". He liked the new title for his song.

President Benson and Sister Benson prepared a lovely roast beef dinner with mashed potatoes and gravy with fresh rolls. Yum! Yum!

Next up was the testimony meeting. We had a number of young missionaries show up who wanted to express their final goodbyes. 

We have grown close to a number of them as we served together. 

Ourselves with Puujee and Ulziika, two sisters who will help carry the banner of Family History in Mongolia

Buyan-Nemekh wasn't too happy about our leaving

The meeting went on a half hour longer than scheduled. We will miss our associations with them as well as the other senior couples. 

One young Elder said he had been told he would make lifelong friends on his mission. He had no clue it would be with "old" people.

After the meeting, we said our final goodbyes to each other and to the members who attended. We took a lot of pictures with members and missionaries. What memories we have of Mongolia. 

Pres. Benson encouraged us to talk about our missionary experience here in Mongolia when we return to The United States. I don't think we needed much encouragement. 

We have made a lot of new friends, had wonderful, rich experiences, had fulfilling work, and were immersed in a unique culture in one of the most far-flung places in the world. The gospel has taken root here and the soil is good. 

It can't get any better than this - except for going home to family and loved ones from whom we have been separated for too long. It is time to be home. It is time to spoil our own grandchildren.

Darlene with her piano student Isabel

Keep looking at this blog - at least for a couple of weeks. En route we will spend 11 days with our son and his family on Okinawa and another son will come from Seattle to join us. Part of our trip involves layovers in Beijing, Tapei, and Shanghai. The adventure continues.

We will be in St. Louis by April 13 and will be released as missionaries that day. We will be bursting to share more of what we have loved and experienced here in Mongolia.

It it over. It is time to relax.