Week 4 – Okinawa!

Okinawa is lots of fun!!!
…but there are a lot of hills…

So, I finally got my bike last Tuesday. I took out 7万円 (70 thousand Yen*), but only ended up using about ５万 (50 thousand yen), so I held onto the extra money…until we ran out of grocery money.

I guess it’s because I got to the mission field so late, but there wasn’t any money on my MSF (missionary support fund) card last p-day.
Elder Garrard and I still managed to buy groceries, but we had to eat a lot of Ramen…which isn’t a bad thing.  We did manage to buy all our groceries with 2000 yen**

*About 700 U.S. Dollars.
**About $20.00

We finally were able to meet with our kyudousha (Investigators)!
One of them came to church this week, and we taught her the Restoration.
We committed her to read 2 Nephi chapter 31, and she seems really willing.
Her name is Sachiko san. She worked on the base, and knows English.

Other than that, we’ve been working on finding new investigators, and contacting old ones.
We’ve had some good door to door contacts, but no new investigators yet. Oh well, we’ll just keep working.

We did have a miracle last week
–we went to visit the dendou shuunin (Ward/Branch Mission leader), and his wife gave us six referrals!! We’ve only managed to contact three so far, but wow!
Elder Garrard says that’s the most referrals he’s gotten in a day.

We’ve also been working with some less active members. There’s one sister in particular that we’re trying to reactivate. She’s had some health issues, but she seems like she really wants to come back to church. I think she just needs some extra encouragement.

The members here are really nice!
They gave us a bunch of food this Sunday, and they’re easy to talk to.
Our big goal as a companionship is to get nakayoku (Become buddies/friends) with the kaiin (members).
Since it’s PCS (Permanent Change of Station) season, there should be a lot of new members to get to know.

In fact, a family just moved in from Wright-Patt air force base, and they apparently know the Hancock family. Huh, small world!**

** Elder Houseknecht’s father used to work at Wright-patt air force base and the Hancock family was in the same ward

I love you all so much!!!
Thanks so much for your support and prayers!! I feel your love every day!

Have a blessed week!!
-Elder Houseknecht