July Review

As always, our July calendar was full with activities. We did a lot of what I have written about before, only more of it. We are so happy to be here doing what we do. We find great satisfaction in sharing our testimonies and service. It is the best thing we could do at this time in our lives. Part of our assignment is to be seen in public places. This snapshot was taken at a military open-house.

Recently, our mission borders were expanded to include Hiroshima; the mission gained 24 additional missionaries for a total of 133. This is the Japan Fukuoka Mission, of which Okinawa is a part. I find it interesting that both Hiroshima and Nagasaki are now within our mission boundaries.

We have been in Okinawa for nine months now. That has given us time to "ease" into the summer season. Humidity this time of year adds 10 degrees or more to how hot the temperature "feels". For example, right now it is 86 degrees F with [only!] 77% humidity. According to The Weather Channel, it feels like 98 degrees. We are not in the rainy season now, so the chance of rain is only about 40% each day. With air conditioning, it's really quite bearable.

The other evening, we stood on our porch at sunset and watched as fruit bats filled the sky. It's claimed that Okinawa bats have an average wing span of more than three feet; they look something like a flying squirrel. I wish I had a picture, but that would take a National Geographic caliber photographer. Unlike vampire bats which feed on insects and small animals, these bats eat only fruit and other plant materials. They lack any taste for blood, which makes bat-watching a safe and fascinating activity.

Speaking of nature, the cicadas have just ended their buzzing. Cicadas (sa-KA-da) are large insects (up to 2 inches long) common in tropical climates. At one stage of their life cycle, they shed their "skin", leaving it behind on a tree. They do not bite or sting, but the males produce a very loud buzzing noise which goes on day and night for weeks.

We celebrated Pioneer Day, July 24th, with a group of missionaries and Marines. Our hosts prepared the most delicious, awarding winning (no kidding!) barbecue recipes. As we licked our fingers, everyone was sharing where they hail from - Texas, Washington, Missouri, Colorado, Ohio, California, Arizona. Our hostess spoke up, "I'm from Sierra Vista, Arizona." Surprised, I responded, "I'm from Sierra Vista!" It turns out Brenda Atkins nee Hall and I went to high school together, though she is two years younger than I am. It's a small world, all the way from Buena High to Okinawa, Japan!

Culture Corner: We took an afternoon to visit the ruins of the Nakagusuku castle ~ a long name but very easy to pronounce: Na-ka-gu-su-ku. Only moments after paying our admission fee, and before we could make our way up the trail to where the ruins are located, the sky opened up with a tropical rain storm. It went from no rain, to a few drops, to a deluge in about 15 seconds! Caught completely off guard, we were immediately soaked. We made our way to the ice cream stand and waited out the 15-minute downpour. We fetched our umbrellas from the car after we were caught in the storm.

When it was over, we explored the amazing ruins. This well-preserved 15th century castle boasts breathtaking views of the surrounding area. At the same time, one can see the East China Sea to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east, separated by only a small strip of land. This relic of ancient history has been designated a World Heritage site.

Butterflies were everywhere...

... as were large spiders.

Our 4th of July fireworks ~

[Warning: this is a blow by blow account of a medical incident; it may be more information than you want to know.]

It was not the sort of red, white & blue holiday we anticipated… the traditional fireworks with our American friends on base. No, instead Phil landed in two hospitals – one American and one Japanese. I played the part of photo journalist.

July 3 – Following a missionary correlation meeting at 8:00 AM and a baptism at the beach at 10:30, Phil confided that he’d been having “minor chest discomfort” for a couple of days. And he had been self medicating with aspirin. Now, he said, it was time to pay a visit to the ER for an evaluation. Before we left for the hospital, we prayed together and we both felt assured that everything would be okay. At the hospital, the doctor scolded him for not reporting in sooner and for taking multiple doses of aspirin!

1:15 PM we arrived at the hospital. It’s true, when you say “chest pains” in an ER, everyone swings into action. Monitors, EKG, blood draw. It’s a symphony of motion. Tentative diagnosis: some sort of cardiac event has taken place. At 4:00 PM he was admitted to Camp Lester Naval Hospital. Lester is a full service hospital with outstanding resources and care. He was monitored, further evaluated and made comfortable with drugs. His pain was never above 5 on a scale of 1 to 10, and averaged about 1 or 2. In this case, however, they want a zero. He received a priesthood blessing, which of course encouraged and sustained us both.

July 4 – The doctor is “not happy” with the cardiac markers in his blood tests. He wants Phil evaluated by a cardiologist. The bad news is there is no cardiologist at Lester Hospital. After all, the vast majority of the military population here is young, healthy and fit. What would they need with a cardiologist? The good news is the Naval hospital has an association with a Japanese hospital which has a quality cardiac care unit.

At 10:30 we were sped by ambulance down route 58, accompanied by a staff of doctor, nurse, technician, fully qualified EMT driver … and wife. [Let’s be honest: it was Sunday morning, there was little traffic on the road. Maybe they used the lights and siren because it was fun to kick up a little speed on Okinawa where the posted limit is 50 kilometers per hour, which is only 31 mile/hour.] I think the nurse and technician had not seen the inside of a Japanese hospital, so it was a bit of a field trip for them to come along. Nevertheless, we were grateful for their support.

By 11:45 AM the initial procedures were underway. One of many blessings we count during the weekend ordeal is that their Japanese cardiologist came to Okinawa just last fall after 11 years in New York where he earned his credentials. He is U.S. board certified and speaks very good English. With catheter and tiny camera (inserted at the wrist, not the groin), he determined there was blockage of a small artery on the left side of the heart. Before the actual procedure took place, he explained to me the problem and how he planned to treat it.

Meanwhile, I hung out in a typically bare Japanese waiting room. The seats - both height from the floor and depth of the cushion - are built for Lilliputians, those tiny captors of Gulliver’s Travels.

By 1:00 PM, Phil was out of surgery. The small artery had been cleared by a tiny wire and was now flowing freely. He had had a “small heart attack”, meaning it had caused only minor damage to the heart muscle.

At 2:45 he was settled in a private room with a bathroom. By Japanese standards, it's about average. By American standards, it showed a lot of wear.

The Japanese are by culture a gracious, polite, patient people. Though the staff spoke little or no English, they made us comfortable. This nurse knelt on the floor while tending to his IV.

Nevertheless, differences are evident. Hospitals in Japan do not provide the same amenities one expects in America. For example, there was no soap or paper towels at the sink. Scant meals of rice, fish or fish soup with chunks of potato were served but they do not normally provide eating utensils. No spoon or chopsticks! No clock in the room. No bath towel. No Kleenex. Not even a pitcher or glass of water for the patient! The pillow was a small sack of what felt like dried corn. These are things the family is expected to provide. Families generally supplement the meals also. Interesting. A dear friend was kind enough to drive me back to our apartment where I could collect a few things Phil needed and return me to the hospital. She missed the 4^th of July fireworks with her family to serve me in this way. I spent the night on a small couch in his room.

July 5 – Pending good results from the 8:00 AM blood test, we were hopeful he might be released from the hospital. The wait turned into hours; more consultation and tests. Finally the doc said no, he was not yet comfortable sending Phil home. We discussed the options and decided he would return to the Navy hospital. 4:00 PM – Another ambulance ride up route 58.

July 6 – After one more night in the hospital, complete with monitors and regular vitals checks, he was discharged this morning. The doctor made some changes to his regular meds. He is ready now to get back into our routine. We are so grateful for the availability of quality medical care, and for friends who helped us in numerous ways. Most of all, of course, we are grateful to God for blessings large and small, today and everyday.

End of Story

"Rain Drops Keep Falling On My Head..."

As I turned yet another page of the calendar, we asked ourselves, "Where did the month go?" The answer in a nutshell: apartment inspections, missionary transfers, visits by two general authorities, the rainy season, lessons and baptisms, a missionary in the hospital, and much more. We are well and grateful every day for the opportunity to be here doing what we do. We are so blessed! Here is an overview of another busy month.

Special Visitors: Two general authorities of the Church visited Okinawa during June. Elder Choi from Korea spoke at our missionary zone conference, and Elder Ishii, a native of Japan, spoke at a conference for the American military community. Both gave timely and inspired counsel.

Apartment checks: One assignment we've picked up is that of inspecting missionaries' apartments. This is done to insure basic standards of cleanliness and health, and also to keep up with maintenance needs.

There are 12 apartments on Okinawa (not counting our own) occupied by 29 missionaries, ages 19 to 23. Naturally, they come from diverse homes, countries and cultures. Overall they do an admirable job of housekeeping. Occasionally I need to teach skills in general organization, dusting, vacuuming, and cleaning of the kitchen and bathroom. Meanwhile, Phil verifies that all appliances are clean and functioning, screens and windows in good repair, light fixtures and exhaust fans clean and working properly. When needed, we shop for replacement items and repair parts. And, of course, we insure that insects and rodents are not sharing quarters with the missionaries.

Rainy Season: We are experiencing the tropical weather for which Okinawa is well known. For three or four weeks, we had "the rainy season." And boy, can it rain! Having spent all my life in western states, I never experienced anything like this. Rain comes down hard, and it keeps this up for days. Fortunately, these episodes were usually separated by a day of clearer skies. Then it starts all over again! If it rained in Colorado for just one hour like it rains here for days, it would be considered a major weather event.

YSA: We now host twice-weekly programs for Young Single Adults. This group is made up largely of Marines, with a smattering of other services represented. It is fun and energizing to work with these young folks.

Hearing Aids: After tolerating hearing loss for many years, Phil has decided to try hearing aids. Fortunately, we have access to medical services for military retirees. If all goes well, he will soon be hearing with new ears.

Culture Corner: Tombs play an important role in the practice of ancestor worship. They are located throughout Okinawa, and range from simple and tiny to large and elaborate.


Urns are placed in the tomb following cremation. In the Japanese tradition, this is symbolic of returning the ancestor's remains to the place from which he originated, the place where they believe life began.


Much ritual and ceremony are associated with this practice. There is an obligation to respect and care for the resting place of one's ancestors. Throughout the year, various ceremonies bring families back to the tombs to pay their respects. Relatives gather to clean the tomb's surrounding area and offer ceremonial foods and beverages.