Ricky Finally Arrives in Kobe

August 9th, 2008, Ricky arrived in Kobe on the bullet train from Tokyo after landing in Narita from the US. 2 Basketball camps and EFY kept him busy all summer. We are grateful to all our friends who accommodated him this summer. He stayed with the Weeks, Fowers, Millers and Hunsakers. We are glad to have him back in Japan.
Erika met Ricky in Tokyo as she went down to see some old friends for a few days. Julie was working in Tokyo and finished today. Her and Jeff Evans met up with Ricky and Erika and rode back here on the shinkansen. It is about a three hour train ride on the super express. (The picture above shows Julie Erika Ricky and Jeff)
Ricky looks pretty tired! This is the cake James and Elders Kunihiro and Christy made for him to welcome him home. Ricky said he has not shaved since EFY which was three weeks ago. We wish he had!!
OK- He looks a little more "Genki" here! After testing out the basketball court, he was off to bed.

Sister McIntyre and I are off to Toyooka Branch tomorrow morning to speak. It is three hour drive and the meetings start at 10am. The kids will all attend Church here in Kobe. It is just across the driveway! Monday Sister McIntyre and I will meet President and Sister Evans here in Kobe Then Tuesday we are taking a road trip and visiting Tanabe and Shingu in the farthest away part of the mission (Southwestern Wakayama Prefecture). We will take the whole family and Jeff with us. The Shingu Branch is not in a stake and is under the direction on the mission president. Currently one of our missionaries, Elder Melluish, serves as Branch President. He and his companion, Elder Maeno, are excited for us to make it down to their area. We will post some pictures from our trip next week.