Dear Family,
We wish you all a Happy Easter. How blessed we are to have the blessing of the atonement that provides both the opportunity to live again, but also the chance to live with our loved ones and have a relationship with the Lord. How grateful we are for the chance to change and correct things we have done wrong.
We are including a picture of the cashew tree on the church lot in Yallahs and one of the meetinghouse and huge mango tree (our pickup is in the front).
We have been trying to catch up at the mission office since we spent time helping with the USNS Comfort humanitarian medical mission last week. I was late Wednesday evening trying to process immigration papers for a new couple coming in June. The mission President was leaving the next day for a zone conference in Nassau, Bahamas. Then when he returned from there was going to the north side of the island for a branch conference. So I had to have everything needing his signature ready before he left or it would be about a week before I could get the papers completed. We invited the Smiths spend the night with us that night. They had brought a girl and her mother down for cleft palate repair surgery on the USNS Comfort. The hospital ship had a bed for the escort of each patient. The Smiths told us they saw several sailors with musical instruments just getting off the boat shuttle when they took Melissa and her mother to board the ship. They learned that the Navy band was going to perform at a local school, then wash the feet of the children and give them new shoes. At this Easter-time this wonderful service reminds us of what our Savior would be doing if he were here. We are so happy to be able to help those in such desperate need.
We enjoyed visiting with Smiths but were embarrassed to be so late getting home. Elder Smith is serving as the branch president in Ocho Rios. He and Elder Daniels had many things to talk about. Sister Smith and I enjoyed visiting, too. I don’t have many opportunities to visit with other women so I really enjoyed having them here.
Thursday I sent immigration papers to Cayman and some forms to the new couple to complete and sign. The notary was late coming so I was sorry to miss the FedEX cutoff for shipment because Friday and Monday are national holidays (Good Friday and Easter Monday). One of our branch members explained that Jamaicans go to church on Good Friday and vacation on Easter Monday. We will have to pay extra to expedite the processing of the immigration papers. One set of missionaries was in a car accident that afternoon. Gratefully they weren’t injured. We waited until the tow truck arrived in Kingston that night so Elder Daniels could pay him. So we had supper at 9:00 p.m. and then called Killian to wish him Happy 15th Birthday.
Friday was very quiet at the office. The streets were deserted since it was a national holiday. Elder Daniels drove to Portmore to check out a potential new apartment for the missionaries. He was able to make the trip much quicker with the decreased traffic. That evening after work we went to finalize the lease with the landlord of the new missionary apartment here in Kingston. We received a mission call for a young Jamaican elder and had the APs deliver it. I sent broadcast instructions to all the branch presidents for the May 1st CES Fireside. Then I did laundry since Elder Daniels wanted to work at the office on Saturday (our usual preparation day).
We cleaned the apartment and then worked at the office for 6 hours Saturday. We had delicious huge hamburgers for a late lunch at a deli before getting our groceries.
Today we traveled to Yallahs for our responsibilities there. We were happy that Bro. Graham came all the way from Dalvey. He had to catch a taxi at 6:00 a.m. to make it in time for our meetings at 10:00. Sis. Alvaranda came down from way up in the mountains with three of her girls, too. We had about 25 people at Sacrament Meeting. After the block we gave everyone a piece of Easter bun (a kind of spice loaf) and slice of cheese. A lady in Kingston Branch has a bakery and makes them and exports them to London and New York. The Schaefermeyers took the Smiths to the bakery while we were still at the office and bought us some. Evidently they are a Jamaican tradition for Easter. We visited several members after the block including one sister who broke her ankle when she fell out of a tree while picking mangos.
We were happy to hear Uncle Dave has been called to the Fort Worth Mission Presidency and Aunt Lani will assist and travel with him.
I’ve been fighting a sinus infection all week. I hope I’m winning!
We love you all,
Mom and Dad, Sister and Elder Daniels
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