Several things occurred this week to solidify the fact that we have been here for about a year. The first was that I am preparing the 2012 mission calendar and one of my first duties when we arrived was to prepare the one for 2011. The second was the visit of Jody and her daughter, Asheema, to the mission office. When we arrived we stayed with the Flakes for a few days since the mission home was full of other missionaries. We went with them to a discussion with Jody and her new baby. The baby was premature and had reflux so wasn’t gaining weight as she should. Sister Flake wanted me to talk to her about how to care for a premature baby since we had experienced that. We will never forget that first visit—down an alley, through the maze of dwellings made of plywood, zinc and scavenged lumber. Their room was tiny, dark, and partitioned with curtains from the next room housing another family. Jody was very young and the baby so tiny and frail. I wondered if she would even survive. Imagine my surprise at seeing them again and seeing how Asheema had grown. She was so alert and looked very healthy. I have attached a picture of them and wish I had taken one the first time we met so you could also see the contrast. If Jody hadn’t told me who she was, I would have never recognized them.
I typed several letters for the mission president to the First Presidency this week. That is still a thrill to me—to think I’m typing something to be considered by the prophet and his counselors! We are looking forward to hearing them and other General Authorities in General Conference this weekend.
This week we didn’t have lights in the foyer or laundry room of our apartment so we got to do our laundry using flashlights! That was an adventure! We were relieved when that was repaired.
We had a thunderstorm that knocked out the internet in the mission office Friday. The first clap of thunder sounded like a nearby explosion. We left the office early and drove to Yallahs for a fireside. The missionaries wanted to present their goals and try to get more member support. I typed referral cards and made a container labeled “Share the Gospel with a Friend”. Elder Daniels gave a talk on the branch goals. We held the fireside in the carport of the church. It was pleasant when the wind blew. We took a 5 gallon container of drinking water for the missionaries because they were without water for several days. We also carried their water containers to the church, they filled them, and we carried them back to their apartment in the pickup.
Saturday we attended a wedding in the Kingston Branch for the Reeds. We have attached their picture. Then we went to lunch with the senior couples at a nice Chinese restaurant near the mission office. I took a 2 ½ hour nap before doing our laundry and cleaning. That night I watched the General Women’s meeting via the internet. That brought many thoughts of my mother who loved and served in Relief Society for many years.
Our branch conference was Sunday. It is hard to believe that we have served there for a year. President and Sister Hendricks, and Elder Daniels spoke in Sacrament meeting. The theme was “keeping our covenants”. Sister Hendricks came to Primary the last hour so the other teacher could attend the combined meeting. She also went with me to pick up Abby and take her home. We had a good attendance but were missing several we hoped would be there. There is still more work to do here.
We try not to be in the mission office each Saturday since that is supposed to be our Preparation-day. A couple of weeks ago, Elder Daniels had some work to do since our internet had been down during the week. I was working on things for Primary when Mike in Canada called and asked that we get a message to Brother James in Lucea to contact him. He had been trying without success to reach him. He stressed that it was not an emergency but asked us to have him please call. We do not have access to member phone numbers here in the mission. The Church Service Center director does have those numbers but he is not in the office on Saturday. It was not a coincidence that Mike called while we were in the mission office and that I could call Elder and Sister Sorensen who serve in Montego Bay but go to Lucea once a week to visit members there since the branch there was closed a few years ago. They knew Brother James and could get a message to him. This was another example of the tender mercies we receive from the Lord. By the way, Elder Sorensen told us that Brother James still lives alone and fishes almost every day. At the celebration for his 100th birthday, people in his branch urged him to launch his boat, so he did, by himself, and paddled it around the cove. When he was seventy he caught a marlin that was so big that it pulled him back and forth along the north coast all day until it finally tired. The fish was too big to put in the boat, so he just tied it to the side and pulled it ashore. What a remarkable man!
Love,
Mom and Dad/ Elder and Sister Daniels
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