Well, I think it took me about an hour to read everyone’s letters, thanks for all of the news. I am totally blown away that you guys leave for Africa this week! That is super crazy. But I’m getting excited to see you all. So this week has been a week of goodbyes. It has been super strange. We are actually still in Nampula. We don’t leave until Wed night. We fly to Beira Wed. and then Thursday we will load up on a bus and start driving to Maputo and should get there sometime around Friday. So ya, it will be an adventure. We had transfer meeting this last Saturday. It was strange to have that. On your last transfer meeting, when your picture disappears, a heart appears in its place, so all the missionary’s look forward to seeing their heart, its kind of a crowning moment on the mission, so I saw my heart appear last Saturday. There were many changes to the mission though. We have sent home 12 people, which is over 10 % of our mission. Many of the guys got called early to step it up, and be senior comps, like what happened to us at the beginning of our missions. In Nampula, both Elder Puga and I are leaving. Elder Puga is actually going to be a senior comp out in Manga 2, so you will be able to get to meet him when we are up in Beira. Elder Spencer who is currently Elder Featherstone’s Junior Comp is turning senior in my area, and so is walking with us this last week to get to know the area and the people. He will do great. More big news for Elder Featherstone. He is training, the District Leader and will be in the Branch Presidency. He is nervous/excited. It is funny because I remember feeling that way when responsibility started to grow.  He is a great Elder. So President also did some crazy stuff this transfer, he took most of the Elders out of the Branch Presidencies, which I think is good. I wrote him a letter last week about taking a missionary out of the BP up here as soon as possible, because one of the problems with Beira is that they depend on the missionaries. I slammed that pretty hard in my letter to Pres. Packard last week. I was talking to the AP’s and they said that his decision to take missionaries out of the BP’s was kind of random, and so I think that maybe my letter might have had an impact. Some of the BP’s are ready, Beira 1 and Beira 2 are ready but I was surprised to see the Missionary’s pulled out of the BP in Munhava... That branch is super weak and needs help, so hopefully it will turn out well. Well, it has been a little sad, saying goodbye to the people out here. It is strange because I don’t think I will ever see any of these people again. Sad, this is one benefit that you do not get from serving outside of the United States. Anyways, that was the big news.

I am way excited to see you all. It will be fun for all of us. Sorry I forgot your b-day mom, I wasn’t really thinking. Too much going on and trying to get all of the loose ends tied up before I leave. But happy b-day!

I will check my email in Beira, probably on Thursday morning, so any last minute things; I will be able to pick up then. Thanks for all the letters. I can’t believe that the 2 years have already come and gone. It has been an experience of a lifetime, being able to serve here in Mozambique. I cannot believe that I am leaving. I cannot believe how many blessings I have received. I see the mission more as an investment, because I think the true blessing of my mission will come much further down the road. It has been a great experience and if not for anything else now, when I bare my testimony, and say that I know that these things are true, I can really mean it. Thanks for all the letters every week, there are some elders who do not get them on a regular basis and so I am grateful for all of the mail and pages you guys write every week. Well, this is strange, but have a safe trip and I will see you guys next week!!!!

Elder Okazaki