The day started out much as normal for Elder Bloomfield as he resumed his responsibilities of taking all the missionaries that were returning home to the airport and seeing them off. Then he headed back to the mission office to finish some things off. Around 9:00am Dad and I arrived at the mission home to find Elder Bloomfield still working on things and not ready to leave yet. We first went to the Mission home and met the Gustafson's (the mission president and his wife). They had nothing but good to say about Elder Bloomfield and were so grateful for all he had done for the mission. They were sad to see him go. After visiting with them for a bit, Elder Bloomfield was not packed yet, so Dad and I went and did a session in the Fukuoka Temple while he packed. After the session, we met in the mission office and helped him continue to pack up his desk and other items. When he finally finished, he said is good byes to the mission Elders and all others from the office and we took some pictures by the temple and we went to lunch at a favorite Ramen place with the Gustafson's.
Here is Elder Bloomfield and Elder Hoskins (the two AP's) pictures
Brother that worked in the office
Saying Good bye to his bike "The White Stallion"
In the office
Outside the temple and mission home (honbu)
Elder Bloomfield with the "new AP's" (Elder Hoskins and Elder Nelson)
The Bloomfield's and The Gustafson's
After Lunch, we said our final "Good byes" and headed to the Train Station where we caught the Shinkansen (Bullet Train) to Kagoshima, one of the areas Travis served in. We stayed at Irisa-Shimai's home. She is one of the Elder Bloomfield's converts. Upon our arrival, she had dinner and had invited other missionaries and Yamauchi Kyodai (another one of Elder Bloomfield's converts) over for dinner. It was a very nice evening.
May 23nd
The next morning, Irisa Shimai invited her sister and niece over to say Good bye as well and to play a little Jenga.
After saying our Good byes, we headed out to see Kagoshima and some sights. We also met up with Uchida Shimai (another one of Elder Bloomfield"s converts) and had lunch.
The Volcano (Sakurajima) was erupting
After lunch with Uchida Shimai
Elder Bloomfield is worn out
Just soaking our feet
and some were soaking their ties too!! Opps!!!
Ancestors??????
May 24th (My Birthday)
It was a Sunday, so we went to Church in Travis's old ward. Before the meeting, there was a baptism. It was really special as Yamauchi Kyodai had just been given the priesthood and he performed the baptism and blessed the Sacrament. Since they knew we were coming, they asked Elder Bloomfield to speak in Sacrament meeting. It was a very nice meeting. After the meeting, the members of the ward had a get together for some of the birthdays of members of the ward. They included me in that as well. They sang happy birthday and asked us questions.
Yamauchi Kyodai before baptism with missionaries
Elder Bloomfield and Yamauchi Kyodai
Singing "Happy Birthday"
Picture with Hidekazu
Picture with Yasuro Sasaki Shimai
After church, we visited some of the investigators that Elder Bloomfield had been working with when he was in the area and then we headed to Hiroshima by Shinkansen.
May 25th,
We were picked up by Marunaka Shimai and she drove us to a tourist area outside of Hiroshima. We had a really nice day.
Seeing how fast he can run down the bridge skipping every other step.
A tree inside a tree
tying their "wish" to the tree
Elder Bloomfield and Marunaka Shimai on the Bridge
Trying his skill at skipping rocks
After we were dropped back at the hotel, we took another train to Saijo, the first area Elder Bloomfield served in when he arrived in Japan as a missionary.
Our first stop was his favorite Okonomiyaki restaurant. The woman who owns the place totally recognized him and gave us all kinds of goodies when we told her he was headed back home. It was Yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This was a beer/Sakai factory
We had a special FHE at the church where Steve and Elder Bloomfield taught the lesson. They were a great team. It was awesome to see how the tiny branch of just a few had grown so much in the time since Elder Bloomfield had been transferred out. Many say that he and Elder Dolbin were the reason it took off like it did and that they had a "Vision" for the area.
Visiting with Toma Kyodai
Of coarse we had yummy food as well.
This is Gary (from China) and his son.
These are the converts from the branch.
Group picture of all that attended the FHE
Elder Bloomfield and Kevin (from Iran and is Muslim). He never could join the church as he would have been punished by his home country.
Elder Bloomfield and Haishan and his wife Chunka (they were from Mongolia)
Missionaries and a few members
May 26th
We started off our day by walking around the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.
The school girls were getting a kick out of Elder Bloomfield ringing the bell
After we finished walking around the Peace Park, we hopped on a train and a Ferry and went over to Miyajima island.
The deer wanted some ice cream too!!
When we returned back to Hiroshima in the Evening, we met the Tanaka's and Marunaka Shimai and her son for dinner. It was a nice evening.
May 27th
We boarded an early train to Osaka where we had a brief stop and met up with one of the past missionaries that served with Elder Bloomfield. He came to the train station and met us.
After our visit, we got back on the next train and went to Kyoto where we did a little site seeing.
Testing his skills at one hand hand stands.
New friends Elder Bloomfield met.
May 28th
The famous "Golden Palace" in Kyoto
Elder Bloomfield became the site here that all the school girls wanted to see.
The "Perfect" Rock Garden
After seeing as much as we wanted in Kyoto, we boarded another shinkansen and headed to Tokyo. Along the way, we passed Mt. Fuji.
Mt. Fuji
Shinkansen (Bullet Train)
After checking into our hotel, we took a walk around the area and went to Steve's favorite place, Tonki's for dinner.
Tokyo Tower
May 29th
We started off the day with a Session at the Tokyo Temple and then went and met some friends (they were all missionaries from Fukuoka that had returned home already) of Elder Bloomfield's.
Tokyo Temple
We spent the afternoon together at a TV studio (we had to find something indoors as it was poring rain).
We also went to lunch.
In the evening, we went over to the Midori Hori's home (Steve baptized her when he was on his mission). It was so nice spending the evening with her and her family.
May 30th
Mukaitani and Kishihara came back to meet us for breakfast before we headed to the airport
Their last hug Good Bye!!!!
After saying our Good Byes, we caught a bus from the hotel to the Tokyo Airport and flew back to San Francisco. When we arrived, how ironic was it that this Tile was on the floor at San Francisco Airport???????
Upon leaving the baggage area, we were greeted by the family and headed home.
This is the "business card (mashi)" each of the missionaries has printed to give out.
Travis was released that evening by Pres. McFadden and the badge came off.
MISSION COMPLETE!!!!!!!
