HAPPY NEW YEAR! (episode 7)

 

2022 Starting in Guam? 

Who Would Have Ever Thunk It?

Working with the Area Office staff in Japan is a wonderful experience.  They are dedicated, reliable, capable, and happy people.  

The challenges of working remotely, not being able to interact moment by moment during the day on things that require minute by minute follow up, are real.  We can see how our remote location adds work for the staff in Tokyo to compensate for our absence.  

We also see how much extra we have to work to stay in sync with them as much as we can.  We love the work, and cherish the opportunity to be "anxiously engaged" every minute of every day.

We find that we have to purposefully set aside some time every day to get out of our chairs and physically move our bodies.  We are blessed to be able to enjoy natural surroundings that give us relaxing relief.

New Year's is the biggest holiday of the year in Japan.  Gradually, as the week progressed, more and more of the staff in Tokyo began their holidays.  The office was officially closed from Thursday December 30th and won't open again until January 5th.

We are taking this opportunity to prepare for our work in the new year and to take longer excursions to explore Guam.  Here are some of the things we were able to do this week.

Tanguisson Beach Clean-up Project

 

Wednesday December 29th - Senior Missionaries gather at Tangguison Beach and picked up a half a ton of garbage just before sunrise on the last day before the Area Office in Japan closed for the holidays. 

From left to right - Smiths, Sister Barkdull, Sister Doxey, Moirs, Sister Evans, Danielsons, Ken Barrow, Reads, Richards, Diane Barrow, Elder Evans, Elder Doxey.

Isn't Sister Doxey the cutest?  Even picking up garbage at sunrise on the beach she is having fun and loving life.

Jungle Cruise

Thursday December 30th - We got up early to work on several projects that had come in from Salt Lake, Stakes from across the Area, and key things that need to be done before the Area Presidency is back after the holiday.

We took a few hours in the middle of the day to go to the Valley of the Lattes and take paddle boards up the river.  It was like a jungle cruise - wait - it was a jungle cruise, only standing on paddle boards and powering ourselves up and down the river.  We had stops to experience a little Chamorro culture and eat lunch.  What a great way to learn more about the history and people of Guam.

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Sister Doxey was excited to climb out on a leaning palm tree - Still the cutest!!

New Year's Eve Senior Missionary Lunch

While we only have a picture of the two of us - most of the same group from the clean-up project got together for a New Year's Eve lunch at The Beach Grill on Gun Beach.  Of course, we did snorkel for a while before eating.  The restaurant provided the beads for the New Year's celebration.

NEW YEAR - NEW HOME - NEW PERSPECTIVE!!

We started the new year with a hike up the hill from Asan Bay - This is the beach where the Marines landed in July of 1945.  The top of the hill has a small memorial to the freeing of Guam.  From this perspective on top of the hill, Fish Eye (Piti Bay) and Asan Bay are both visible.

 

This is the view of just Asan Bay.  There is a nice trail there that gives us a chance to walk a mile or two in the mornings.  We feel the history of the sacrifice of so many at this place.

FISH EYE

                        

      Fish Eye is a marine park.                                             Still the cutest!!  

 

Descending a spiral staircase in that Fish Eye Marine Park tower in the ocean you can observe the fish.  We also snorkeled around the tower too.  The Black Tip Sharks hang around where the fish gather.  It is fun to observe them while snorkeling, but also comfortable to watch them from inside.

NEW ROOM MATE

 

This little guy came into our apartment and found a home under the TV stand.