A Week of Inspiration and Excitement

Monday 18 February 2013

This was a very busy and uplifting week.  Monday I helped Sis Larsen make lasagna for that evening when Elder Cornish, of the Seventy and the Area Presidency would be here with the Senior Couples.  There was a lot of confusion around this visit as we also had to prepare for Elder Rasband of the Seventy on Tuesday.  Sister Larsen and I were doing it because the Hendricks were going to Montego Bay to pick up Elder Rasband and then flying in on Tues afternoon when we planned to serve a lunch for both Rasbands and Cornishs.  Anyway the weather in the US made it impossible for the Rasbands to get out when planned so instead of going to MoBay they flew directly to Kingston.  

As part of security for General Authorities in foreign countries they travel in a 3 car caravan in case of breakdown etc.  So the Larsens were assigned to be the 3^rd car along with Pres Hendricks and Pres Brown.  This made the timing a little tricky for her cooking and then getting Elder Cornish from the airport and to a meeting with the PEF Committee and then back to the hotel to pick up his wife and son Reid and then to the Mission Home for dinner and then back to the hotel.  And then the next day getting the lunch ready before Larsens and everyone else had to go off to the airport to pick up the Rasbands—get them to lunch, to a 2:00 meeting with missionaries, to the hotel for rest and dinner, back to the church for a member meeting and then back to the hotel.  I only mention all this so I can try to remember how tricky it was hosting General Authorities. 

The PEF meeting with Elder Cornish was wonderful.  He is great.  I remember hearing him in conference and being impressed with him but he is really a great teacher and an amazing mind.  He taught us about being a Zion People and what that requires.  I think we all are trying our best on what we know but he pointed out that we are forgetting that there must be no poor among us for us to achieve that state.  This is the focus of the new PEF/Self-Reliance program.  We have to help people get jobs to be able to take care of their families.  He was able to teach this in such a way that I really felt the Spirit and the inspiration behind the evolving program.  When we told him what we are doing in our Jobs seminars and our attempts to lift and motivate people to look for jobs he was very complementary saying it is exactly what we should be doing.  (We were very grateful for this as we have felt a little insecure about what some others in the Area have felt about it).  I really loved listening to Elder Cornish, he has a very warm and loveable personality.  

At the FHE with the Senior Couples he was great also.  He talked for a few minutes and then let  people ask any questions they wanted to.  What he talked about was our position in time.  And the fact that we are the link from the past to the future and if we fail that link will be broken not only for us but for all future generations.  That is sort of it in a nutshell though it was a very spiritual talk.  He really made us feel our responsibility to stay true to our covenants and to help our children to stay true as well as do as much family sealings and temple work as possible.  It is so inspiring to hear these leaders, you can really feel their calling from God and it strengthens my testimony to hear these great minds bear testimony of the same things that I believe so firmly.  The spirit of truth is almost palpable.

 Elder Cornish and his wife and son Reid.

I had an opportunity to talk privately with Pres Brown about something that I had been thinking about and when we came out of the room he put his arm around me and kissed my cheek and said “You know, Sister Pugmire, I love you.”  It was very sweet and I know he meant it.  He spent the evening on the floor sort of leaning against my leg as I sat on the couch.  I teased him that he was just showing off since any of the rest of us would not have been able to get up from the floor if we got down there.

 Pres Hendricks and Pres Brown. 

The next day I made and delivered my fruit salad to the mission home and escaped just as the caravan was on its way to the mission home.  We stopped off at the shopping mall to get a replacement shirt for Bob (could not talk him into more than one).

We arrived at the 2:00 meeting at about 1:42 and found all the visitors and the Hendricks lined up in front of the chapel where they were just finishing up shaking hands with all the missionaries.  No one told us we were to be in our seats by 1:45—we were, but we missed shaking hands and just got in our seats when everyone moved up onto the stand and started the meeting.  It was a really good meeting.  Pres Hendricks and Elder Pearson sang “My Sheep Hear My Voice” which was nice.  Then Pres and Sister Hendricks and Elder Cornish bore their testimonies then Elder Rasband excused everyone else off the stand and he began by asking Pres Brown to come onto the stand. He asked if there were any missionaries here as a result of Pres Monson’s announcement regarding the age change for missionaries.  We had both an 18 year old Elder and a 19 year old Sister whom he invited to come onto the stand.  They each bore their testimonies about wanting to serve a mission and then he invited Pres Brown to bear his testimony.  He said he knows where Pres Brown is going to serve as Mission President but he will not say because that is for the First Presidency to announce—probably next month.  (I think Pres Brown knows too and is extremely uptight because he cannot tell either.)  Pres Brown bears a very powerful testimony which he says he acquired as a 12 year old boy when a Sister Missionary gave him a Book of Mormon.  He describes himself as a “patriot”—a Jamaican who wants to stay in his country to build it up and help the people lift themselves up.  

An interesting side light:  we have had the opportunity to get a little acquainted with both of these young missionaries.  We met Elder Barber in Negril and had lunch with him and Elder Christensen. And then this week we met Sister Evans in Mandeville when we went with the Larsens to fix the bumper on the Sister’s car.

Elder Rasband then opened up the floor for any questions anyone wanted to ask.  It is amazing how (even dealing with jet-lag) he was able to totally teach by the spirit as he answered a variety of questions.  And then he would refer back to them as he answered another.  I cannot imagine having a mind so totally capable of recall, inspiration, intelligence—I don’t know what it was but it was inspiring to me.  One of the first questions asked was Pres Hendricks who asked how to keep missionaries committed and growing even after their missions.  (I was aware he had had to have a disciplinary council for one of his best former missionaries just last week—it was very hard on him.) Elder Rasband invited others up to also answer some of these questions and so his wife told what they did when he was the mission president in NY, NY.  They had problems with obedience among the missionaries and the president had tried everything he could think of and then they decided to change the focus of all their leadership trainings to building faith and testimony in the Savior.  As the missionaries grew in their faith and testimony of Christ the obedience problems took care of themselves.  

Elder Rasband added to this and told how when he was called by Pres Hinckley to be a Seventy the very last question Pres Hinckley asked was “Is your testimony of the Savior burning as brightly in your bosom now as it was when you were a missionary?”  He was surprised by that question but was able to answer yes.  He challenged the missionaries to do everything they can to strengthen their testimonies of Christ so they will be able to always stay strong and faithful to their covenants.

Another question was in regards to building the leadership here in Jamaica and he asked Elder Cornish to start off with an answer.  He brought up the Elder who had asked the question (who happens to be a young Jamaican man who just served as a branch president) and illustrated by standing in front of him and then beside him which way is the best way to train leaders.  He feels very strongly that missionaries who do too much actually hurt the member’s growth.  So he helped us see how to let local leaders lead.

There were many more questions and wonderful answers but I can’t write them all.  It was a very good meeting and as it was over and I started across the front of the room to speak to someone I was headed straight for Elder Rasband so I shook his hand and thanked him.  He asked if he had shaken Elder Pugmire’s hand and I said no so he walked over with me to shake Bob’s hand.  He thanked us several times for serving.  It felt funny to me since we are only here for a year and he has now dedicated the rest of his life. 

The meeting for members that evening was really good.  As we went in we met a young man who was interested in learning more about the Church so we of course invited him in to sit with us.  He was very attentive during the meeting and it was a great meeting for an investigator.  The first several talks were testimonies by Pres and Sister Brown, Pres and Sister Hendricks, Elder and Sister Cornish and Sister Rasband.  It really is touching to hear that many fervent witnesses for the divinity of Jesus Christ, the restoration of the gospel and the priesthood, living prophets, Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ.  There really is power in bearing witness or testimony.   (I sent the young man’s phone number to the missionaries in his area.)

When Elder Rasband stood up to speak he said,” I have been sitting here with several things going through my mind and I have decided that what I need to talk about is the family”. (This is a huge issue here in Jamaica as most families are not what we would refer to as traditional.  I don’t know what the percentage is but many women have had at least one child before marriage—if they do get married at all.  Many have children with different fathers.  I think the large majority of fathers are absent.  Promiscuity is rampant and child molestation is 9 of 10 children according to unofficial reports.) Anyway he gave a wonderful talk about families, parental responsibilities, eternal relationships, loving and caring for children.  I can’t help praying there were ears to hear and hearts to feel and change.  The “Jamaican Culture” is a difficult thing for members to contend with even when they gain a testimony and even as they are active and serve as branch leaders.  

 I borrowed this picture from one Sister Rasband sent to missionaries after their visit.  Elder and Sister Cornish, Reid, Elder and Sister Rasband and Sister and President Hendricks

 

Interestingly both Pres Brown and Pres Royce Britton who substituted in institute class last week spoke about the “Jamaican Culture” of sexual promiscuity and the struggle it is for the Saints to stay in the Church and break away from the culture.

At the end of the meeting I was greeting several people—which I love to do—and I mentioned to this one woman that we had talked to her daughter.  I knew her daughter was somewhat estranged from the family because of rebellion and I knew how this mother’s heart was broken.  She immediately became very anxious to know what her daughter said and what we said etc.  Her daughter is a PEF participant which is why we talked to her.  Anyway, as we talked she told me she has been talking to her daughter and how much she loves her but her husband is having a hard time forgiving his daughter.  I encouraged her to talk to him about the lessons Elder Rasband had taught just now.  As she shed painful tears she hugged me and thanked me.  This was one of the hearts I prayed would be opened this evening and some of the ears I hoped had heard the inspired message.  

Because I had been so involved with these lunches and dinners and meetings I had not been able to work on the mini resume’s from Linstead.  So Wednesday I got started and made one of the business cards.  As I was doing it I remembered a young man there who wants to get into graphic arts but has no degree so I had the brain storm to call him and see if he would like to do the business cards for those members of his branch who are trying to get started in self-employment.  He was excited for the opportunity.  I talked to all those involved and they all agreed to let him have their information to do the cards.  He and I and another brother talked a couple of times and got pretty excited about networking some services and business within the branch.  I sure wish we could light a fire under a bunch of these people and get them into a new mindset about  thinks they can do to support their families and not depend upon others.  

Thursday I had the mini resumes about done so we decided to take a ride with the Larsens to Mandeville because he had to fix the bumper on the car of the Sister Missionaries.  We met them in the parking lot of the Church and had a nice little visit while Elder Larsen worked.  They are good people and fun to be with so we had a nice time—even the adventure we went on when we took a wrong turn and had to drive through May Pen instead of around it.  As we were coming home we decided since it was Valentine ’s Day we really should go out to eat.  So we called all the other seniors as we were driving and arranged a meeting place.  But since it was Valentine ’s Day this place (a favorite Chinese place) did not have room for our group of 16.  So we ended up at an even better Chinese place as far as Bob and I were concerned.  We will go back there.  It was fun because this was the first time we have been able to sit next to Pres and Sis Hendricks and he is a kick with lots of very funny stories.  

Friday we went to institute class—actually early this week—(The traffic is so bad in the afternoons that it takes us over an hour to make this 10-15 minute drive.  So we left early this evening!) We were surprised to get to meet the Area Director of S&I, Kent Rapley, and then Pres Royce Britton came in as well.  When I asked him if he was joining our class he said he had been invited.  When he was introduced as the teacher and Pres Brown went to the back to sit with Bro Rapley I figured that Pres Britton was auditioning for the Director of S&I position for when Pres Brown leaves on his mission.  We have not heard anything but I am pretty sure this is the case.  He will be good though.  He is very young--early to mid 30s--Branch President in Spanish Town, (one of the best). He taught a lesson in the combined RS/Priesthood meeting, when we were visiting his branch, that was really good, about the rich man who sold everything to buy the land that contained the pearl of great price.  He challenged everyone to evaluate themselves to see what the pearl of great price is and how much we would give to obtain it.  --Very powerful lesson.  

He did a nice job with the institute class but I hope Pres Brown will continue teaching until he leaves.

Saturday Bob had a satellite broad cast priesthood meeting and when we went out to get him there we had a flat tire on the car.  We thought we might be able to drive it slowly to a place to fix it but when we were a block away we decided to turn back.  As we were limping along a young man came out of a parking lot near our apartment and opened the gate and asked if we wanted to pull in to fix the tire.  As it turned out he changed it for us—it would have taken us forever.  So we took Bob to the church half an hour late.  I was going to go get the tire fixed but I really did not want to go alone.  So I called Sister Larsen and we decided that instead of fixing it we would trade cars with them and they would get it fixed on Monday.  I had just gotten back to our apartment when Bob called me to come get him.  I thought he would not be able to concentrate--stewing about that tire but, he said it was because the broadcast was impossible to hear and the translation difficult to understand.  So we went to get the tire fixed, went to Wendy’s for a frosty and a salad and came home.

Sunday we returned to Linstead to meet with a few people who were not able to come last week.  Afterward we met with Pres Barrett who is one of my favorites.  He really works hard for his branch. 

Experiences That Affect Our Lives for Good

Sunday 10 February 2013

Friday we planned to get some more bank deposits done but we got a call from Sister Larsen asking us to go to Price Smart (like Costco) and get some cheese for our meal on Monday night.  Unfortunately I had procrastinated finishing cutting the mini resumes I wanted to take to institute that night so I panicked as going to Price Smart is an ordeal and we still had several banks we wanted to visit.  So I scrambled and got them done we decided to go to an out of the way bank “on our way” to Price Smart and that turned out actually okay.  We drove through a different part of town and ended up down by the containers in the harbor—sort of a rough part of town but a nice branch of the bank—I loved some huge original oil paintings they had on their walls.

We made it through Price Smart in record time but had to go home to drop off the cheese as we could not leave it in the car.  I suggested peanut butter sandwiches before going out again but Bob said we had better hurry as the banks close at 2:30.  So off we raced again.  

What an adventure we had!  We drove through the not so good part of down town.  We did not know where we were going and the streets are not marked at all well even down town so we got into some questionable neighborhoods.  We asked directions a couple of times and finally sort of stumbled onto the correct street.  This street was pretty nice.  Nice shops and buildings not such crowded sidewalks, no sidewalk stalls selling sundry things.  Then suddenly we saw the bank and it was 2:28 so Bob said for me to pull over and he would go in but of course there was nowhere for me to park so I said no.  But he said we had no choice and told me to drive around and meet back here.  That was a totally dumb idea and I knew it but I went along with it.  I waited as long as I thought I could in the spot where I stopped which was a no parking zone and in just a few minutes I saw Bob come back to the corner and talk to some guy so I of course thought he had not made it in the door before they closed.  So I backed up and honked and yelled at him and of course he did not hear me and went off down the street.  I had no choice (I thought) but to drive around the block. –Silly Girl!  So many one way streets, so much traffic, so many streets that go in different directions!  And we have only one phone which Bob had.  I was pretty calm considering that I feared Bob had come out of the bank and got himself turned around and forgot which corner to meet me on.  I did some praying and kept driving until I ended up back where we discovered the right street.  I drove back to the bank and decided I needed to go looking for him on foot so I drove several blocks until I found a parking place on the street and this street man directed my parking job and then said he would watch the car for me until I came back.  So I started off on foot downtown alone for the first time.  I really was not nervous about anything except finding Bob.  I walked past the point where we were supposed to meet to the next corner looking for him—still assuming he had not gotten into the bank and was waiting for me somewhere.  When I came back toward our corner I saw him across the street.  He had gotten in the bank (they stay open later on Friday—duh) and he had just finished and was headed for our meeting place oblivious to what I had been thinking and doing.  Even when I told him I don’t think it made much impression on him.  O well. 

We decided to try one more bank and so did some fruitless driving around again for a while until we figured out it must be down on the water where we had been before—it was and we pretty much drove to it.  It was a big beautiful very modern bank, very busy with all kinds of business.  When we came out there was a man selling fresh baked bread from a van on the street.  We stopped and bought a loaf and broke off pieces to eat as we drove home.  Um good!  I can still smell it. 

We got home in time to have some soup and bread before heading for institute class.  I handed out some of the mini resumes to some of the students and gave the rest to Chrystal Britton who is the Employment Specialist of the Constant Spring branch and an institute student and a PEF participant.  It was another great institute class.  We were studying Thessalonians and Pres Brown taught a really great lesson on chastity from 1 Thes 4:3-4.  He had been talking about how as the early Saints had joined the Church they had had to give up their traditions.  He compared them to how the people in Jamaica have to give up their traditions and culture when they join the Church today—namely common law marriage and un-chastity.  The students had a very good discussion about how the body must be controlled by the Spirit.  Satan tempts the body by its appetites but the Spirit which is of God can control the appetites of the body.  One girl changed the word ‘vessel’ from the scripture to ‘vehicle’ and made an analogy about driving a vehicle (the Spirit) or letting it just run on its own power where ever it may go (no control).  I appreciated her comment even more because it was the oldest of the Brown sisters I have often mentioned and I was so glad to hear such wisdom from the head of that family.

Brittany French, one of our beautiful institute students. 

Saturday morning we got up and leisurely got ready to go to the Health Fair (I am so glad we did not have any responsibilities there—poor Larsens worked themselves to the bone.—I know we should have helped them, and we did actually offer, but…) Bob woke to the inspiration to text the PEF participants and ask anyone who had made certain types of payments to contact us.  Well very quickly we got a call from some people calling from Sav La Mar and in a few more minutes we were able to start finding some of the information Bob has been so diligently seeking so that people get credit for all their payments.  We were happy about that and then in the middle of that we got a call from a man from our last Jobs Seminar and he told us he got a job!  He didn't just tell us but we could hear him dancing up and down and grinning from ear to ear as he told us.  He said he needed a white shirt to go in for the orientation or something so Bob gave up one of his TWO white shirts!  (I don’t remember if I ever mentioned that Bob got 6 new white shirts at the MTC.  But somehow he took them out of his suitcase in Santo Domingo on our way to Jamaica and left them at the hotel!.  We called to have someone retrieve them but to no avail—so Bob has been surviving on two white shirts (well and one long sleeve one that he wears once in a while) since we have been here.  I hope I can persuade him to get at least a couple when he goes to replace the one he gave away.

 Tevon Wilson and his wife.  He is the young man who got the job and was so excited.

Anyway, this young man is one we sort of have a soft spot for anyway because he was doing so well with his chicken project.  So we are very excited about his job and especially because he was able to benefit from some of the things we taught.  He did not use the mini resume but he used some of the other information regarding how to present yourself.  

So we went to the health fair just to see how it was going and to support the people who had worked so hard.  All we really did was hand out a few mini resumes to people we had arranged to meet there and a few pictures I had taken, and visit and get hugs form people we have met from all over the district.  It was wonderful!  I feel such affection for so many of these people I love to see them and have them come up and hug me and appear to really care about me.  I think a lot of it is that when we do our job seminar we don’t just teach them something we actually work to make something for them (the mini resume) and then we give it to them neatly printed and packaged.  I think they really appreciate getting them—they always respond with such joy.  Another thing is my pictures.  I take a lot of pictures of people and then print them up just on copy paper and give them to them the next time I see them.  They Love them!  No matter what age or sex they love having pictures of themselves and act like I have given then a huge gift when I give it to them.  I love it.  It makes me want to do it all the more!

 Sister Elaine Vassel the Relief Society Pres in Spanish Town 2 Branch.  She is very shy but serious about her new job as RS Pres.  She talked to me about visiting teaching for quite a while at the Health Fair.  She is lovely.

The other day in Pricesmart we were behind a little family and the little girl would keep peaking at us to see if we were looking at her but she refused to smile.  Finally I asked her mother if I could take her picture.  Well that was all it took.  As soon as I showed her her own picture I was her friend and she gave me lots of smiles as I continued to take pictures.  Then I took one of her mother which she also loved and by the time they were leaving she was straining her little neck to see around her mother to wave goodbye to me.

 The little girl in the shopping cart at Pricesmart.  She still didn't look at me much unless I was showing her a picture of herself.  Mommy is in yellow in the background.

When we came home Bob was talking to one of our PEF participants on the phone and the next thing I know is he is asking me if we can meet her for dinner.  I of course said yes but when he got off the phone he informed me she only works in Kingston, but she lives in Spanish Town!  So we drove to Spanish Town to have pizza with Sade. She is a young woman who has had some hard times but has grown up pretty much in the Church and with Church standards, but has recently made some very poor choices that have changed her life completely.  She did not finish her education so now she has a debt to pay and no degree to show for it and in addition she will soon have a baby to take care of as well.  She has been estranged from her family but seems to be mending some bridges now.  So basically Bob’s gentle heart went out to her and he offered our help and support.  I think things went well.  I think she knows we were sincere, but I am not sure what we can actually do for her except offer emotional support—which of course we will.  As we drove home Bob remembered something I said early on as we were getting more involved with our participants—they all have a story.

Today we had our Job Seminar in Linstead.  It went well and we had about 36 participants—many of whom had a little different profile.  They are self-employed and seeking help promoting their business.  We knew Pres Barrett was working on this in his branch and we were prepared for them but unfortunately we really don’t have any experience there.  We had them fill out a form and I am going to try to make business cards for them and maybe a poster or two.  We did not plan to go back there next week but apparently there are some who could not attend this week and were invited for next week so we will go back and take the minis and business cards and try and help a few more.  This 36 makes a total of 143 people who have attended our seminars so far.

Sister Grant the Sunday School Teacher--very good teacher.  Tall lovely and very confident as well as competent.

Sister "All" and Sister "Handerson"--in Jamaican.  Sister Anderson on the right is the Relief Society President.  She also plays the organ in Sacrament meeting.  Story later.

The Linstead Relief Society.  Fun and lively group!

 Sister Top told me how she and her husband joined the Church over 20 years ago and have been to the Temple but he has since passed away.  Very sweet lady.  Many of the older women still love to wear hats to church.

We came home exhausted as usual.  It is not that long a drive and it is along the river I have described before but we were still gone from 8-4 and the drive on terrible roads is pretty wearing.

Story about Sister Anderson the organist.  She plays very loud.  She does not know the left hand very well and often plays only one chord the whole time. She also has little sense of timing. In other words her greatest talent as organist is that she is extremely faithful.  In RS as part of the discussion she told how the breeze had turned the page of her hymn book just before we started singing the closing song in Sacrament meeting.  She did not realize it until the beginning of the second verse.  The whole congregation just kept singing as if the music actually fit the hymn.  The sad thing is not only that she did not realize she was playing from the wrong page but that it did not affect anyone that the organ did not match at all the song we were singing.  She asked if anyone noticed.  Cracked me up.

We Actually Do Work But it Might Not Be as Interesting to Report

Wednesday Feb 5, 2012

We had another less than satisfying Skype with the Area finance people last week which put us in another small twit.  Bob has been trying so hard to help straighten out the payment plan for PEF participants and has been thwarted at every attempt, so the finance man he has been working with came up with another plan and he and our director called to “present” it.  It is not a bad plan but we felt a little railroaded but we are trying to be obedient.

This event caused confusion for more than ourselves however as we were planning to meet with Elder Cornish of the Area Presidency, when he comes next week.  We felt we could not meet with him under the circumstances but then Pres Hendricks told us to go ahead and discuss the other issues we wanted clarification on.  So we were off and on in a very short time causing frustration for Sister Hendricks and Sister Larsen who are trying to arrange dinner and chauffeuring for him and his family as well as Elder Rasband who is also coming next week.  I am trying to help Sister Larsen as we substitute for Sister Hendricks in planning a meal and FHE with Elder Cornish on Monday evening (after our meeting with him), and lunch for him and Elder and Sister Rasband on Tuesday when they arrive with the Hendricks from Montego Bay—very confusing and convoluted process and situation I may or may not try to describe later.  Suffice it to say next week will be stressful but uplifting I am sure.

Saturday we and the other senior missionaries had dinner with other visitors from Salt Lake; the Culimores who are in charge of all the Humanitarian projects in the world were here to tour with the Murdocks, our Humanitarian missionaries.  We didn’t really get to visit with them but we had a nice meal at one of our favorite places.  We have learned that having the nicest car in the mission has its drawbacks—everyone has to borrow it when they need to transport either visitors or more than 2 other people.  We are trading again next week and the week following—which does not make me happy as I have grown to like that car and dread the trucks in this traffic.

We started a new month with our PEF calls and we really are getting much better as we are getting to know so many of the participants so well over the phone.  As a matter of fact I talked to a couple of women in Savanna La Mar where they have a lot of participants who were really exceptions to the guidelines when they received their loans.  I have really come to love them and am anxious to go there to meet them.  I am thinking of asking one of them to gather everyone up so Bob and I can come there and meet them face to face, get their pictures and maybe eat cookies.  I may do that.  

Sunday we had a great Jobs Seminar in Constant Spring branch.  That is the branch we were assigned to but have not attended much as we have been traveling.  But we really like the people so it was fun to interact with them.  I got a little energized and felt pretty connected with them and that helped Bob relax so his presentation was the best he has done also.  We had 33 people participate and about half dozen sitting in the back just observing.  We felt good about the presentation and the participation.

This young couple just got married and sealed in the Panama Temple in the past 2 weeks.  He was a missionary here in Jamaica and a very outstanding one.  When he reported at a District Conference she spoke to him and they started up a good relationship.  She is very educated, he is not but he is spiritually very mature.

This is Devein Peart about 11.  The youngest of 4 very good boys from a good family.

Sister Britton has been a member of the Church for over 20 years.  She is a stalwart--teaches Gospel Doctrine, her youngest son is one of the best Branch Presidents in Jamaica serving in Spanish Town.

 This is Sister Johnson, and that is all I know about her except that I thought she was so pretty I wanted to take her picture.

This is Sister Peart, mother of the darling young man above and one of our PEF participants.

 Sister Singh is the wife of the Branch President in Constant Spring. 

 

 This is Shequil Peart the oldest son of Brother and Sister Peart.  He is in his last year of high school I think and is really an outstanding young man.  He gave a talk recently that was returned missionary quality.

 We had an exciting adventure leaving Constant Spring and hurrying to Kingston Branch to meet with Pres Stewart.  We thought we knew how to get there—however we both thought it was a different way—so we ended up getting lost in a not so good part of town as it was beginning to get dark.  We were so lost we could not even call Larsens for help since we could not tell them where we were.  We passed a big church we both recognized but could not remember it in context of where we had seen it before so we just kept driving.  (Needless to say we did not have our GPS, since we knew where we were going, but we will probably take it with us from now on.) Though I was actually starting to get a little nervous we continued to laugh at ourselves.  All of a sudden we ended up at the intersection we knew and were looking for but we approached it from the opposite direction!  We really did laugh then and then again as we passed the big church on a perpendicular street as we drove straight to the church.

We got a call from the Area Employment office yesterday but somehow the call got cut off and he did not call back so since we know he has issues with us we sat down and wrote him a description of all we are trying to do in employment.  We have not heard back so we do not know if he likes it or not and if he is going to ask us to do something different or something more—part of the drama of volunteer service.

Today we had another adventure as we drove all over Kingston making deposits in 5 different Scotia bank branches to test out the new payment system.  We want to see if they all go through properly—hopefully that will mean the PEF participants will not have any trouble with the system.—we’ll see.

 

Another thing we did today was take a mother and her sick little girl to the pharmacy to get a prescription.  As I was sitting with little 6 year old Ashley a couple of older women stopped to talk to her and leaned down in her face to talk to them.  She was darling she did not shy away or even hesitate to talk to them and they just loved her.  She really is cute. (I do not know why I did not get her picture.) Anyway as we were talking she asked me why I have such a small nose.  I was caught a little off guard as I have never had anyone ever comment on my nose let alone how small it is.  But as I asked for clarification she sort of referred to the bridge of my nose so I just said I got it from my mommy.