Dear Family,
Happy Valentines day tomorrow! We love you all so very much.
Last Monday Elder Allen, one of the APs who completed his mission on Thursday, gave the thought in our devotional. He read Alma 29:1-2, “Oh, that I were an angel…”. He likened it to “Oh, that I were from Utah” or “Oh, that I were born in the covenant”. Then he told how he had learned that he should be content with what he had been blessed with. He bore testimony that he was grateful for his mission and the blessings he had received. He is anxious to continue working with people here in Jamaica to help turn the tide of promiscuity and strengthen families. He has been such a good missionary and we will miss him.
That day I had a call from the new couple who are coming in May. This will be their third mission and they offered to come early if the President needs them sooner. We are looking forward to their coming since we lose a couple in May. I also had a call from the area office to document some airline ticket purchases for temple trips last year. It is a little challenging to receive calls from the Dominican Republic because most of them speak Spanish. I had to research the ticket purchases and email the findings.
We had Elder Allen and Elder Gardner come for dinner Monday night. We gave Elder Allen a pair of extra pants we had since his were very worn out.
Tuesday morning I made waffles at the mission office for the APs and office elders. It was transfer week and we were saying goodby to Elder Allen who was going home Thursday as well as goodby to Elder Packard who was being transferred back to proselyting. The CES director, the physical facilities director and assistant, and the man over ordering supplies for the branches all enjoyed them, too. Four new missionaries came that night—three elders and a sister. I had paperwork for the newcomers as well as getting things ready for those going home later in the week. I faxed the words to all the hymns to the mortuary for Elder Walker’s funeral. I also had more paperwork for the temple patron fund to send to the area office.
Wednesday was transfer day so it was quiet in the office in the morning while the office elders and APs were out moving people. I completed the final certificates for the departing missionaries. (We list all the convert baptisms with addresses and dates). Also prepared the packets they would take with them—passports, itineraries, birth certificates, etc. I got the “safely here” letters emailed to their parents and included a picture of the new missionaries with the mission president. I also had the usual phone calls for referrals, orders from the distribution center, etc. We enjoyed a skype phone call from Amy, Bryce and Lizzie. Lizzie is walking much more confidently. We are grateful to be able to see and talk to loved ones.
Thursday noon I enjoyed a treat—lunch with the other senior lady missionaries. It was my second time going to lunch with them since we have been in Jamaica. We went to JoJo’s Jerk House and I enjoyed the jerked chicken and mashed potatoes. Afterwards we went to a farm store and I found a large avocado (Jamaican pear) and a Vidalia onion. The rest of the day I was working on updating paperwork after transfers. We have several lists—email addresses for the missionaries, email addresses for parents, missionary ID index, current rosters, etc.
Friday we have a DHL pickup each week so I got the packages ready. I typed several shipping forms and then had one of the new office elders type several more to have ready in the future. Elder Daniels and I went to get our Jamaican drivers licenses. It only took finding the tax office (we missed the correct street and then took awhile to find our way), filling out yet another form, and paying $3000JAD each. Back at the office, I got the mail ready for the north side of the mission that we could take when we went to the funeral on Saturday. I also copied some coloring sheets and other activity sheets from the Liahona and Friend online to have ready for Primary in Yallahs. We did some laundry after supper since we weren’t going to be home on Saturday.
We rode with the Schaefermeyers and Flakes to Savannah-la-Mar for Elder Walker’s funeral on Saturday. It was a four hour drive there. We stopped to deliver some computers at a school to complete a humanitarian project on the way. The chapel was filled and overflowing for the funeral. I played the keyboard—prelude, accompanied the congregational hymns and the missionary choir special number, and postlude. Elder Schaefermeyer and I sang, “Consider the Lilies of the Field” as we had for the Memorial service. I was happy to be able to help. Elder Walker was a very good man. President Blake, the Branch President, related how he has pondered what Elder Walker had said at his mother’s funeral just a week and a half before he died. Pres. Hendricks taught the plan of salvation and that Elder Walker is continuing to teach others to “come unto Christ” and he has joined his mother. The burial was held in Welcome, a town in the mountains about 45 minutes north of Sav-la-Mar. The graveside service was interesting. There were many, many people there. At the beginning there was much agitation because some wanted the casket opened so they could see in—they had not attended the viewing or funeral. The turmoil ceased after it was opened. We sang a hymn before the grave was dedicated. Then more hymns as men mixed the cement and covered the grave. At first, an uncle tried to agitate the crowd by saying the Church hadn’t paid enough to pay for those to complete the grave. But the crowd didn’t support him and men started to help. Several missionaries helped, too. On the way back to Kingston we stopped along the coast for dinner at a town called Whitehouse. They made delicious pizza in a brick oven on the patio. The picture of us was taken at sunset just before we went to dinner. Then stopped again at the CES missionaries’ home along the way for a short visit before getting back to Kingston after 10:30 p.m.
Today we were back on the road to Yallahs. I spoke in church on faith and how we must walk to the edge of the light and sometimes even into the darkness before the light comes. Since one of the speakers didn’t show up, Elder Daniels also spoke using the Bible dictionary focusing on Esther and David slaying Goliath as examples of living by faith with courage. I helped again in Primary with the music and taught the lesson while the Primary president did sharing time. We enjoyed talking on the phone with some of our family tonight before going to the mission office to get the APs a key.
We are very busy and hope we are making a difference here. So many people are in need. We miss you and all our family but are happy to be able to call and email.
We hope you are all well. We love you.
Mom and Dad
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