Paradise Found

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

This could be you - sitting on your porch overlooking one of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean every day for 18-24 months!

Actually, you might do a little more than sit, but you would get to start and end each day looking over the sea as the Woods do - the missionary couple serving on the island of Grenada. It's a sad fact that missionaries complete their service and leave us. With young elders, we have a constant flow of amazing young men who arrive on our doorsteps. With senior couples it doesn't happen so easily.

I would like to tell you the story of senior couples in our mission.

Even before we arrived in the West Indies, we realized this would be a challenging mission. It has 11 countries, 3 languages, and 5 different currencies. In fact, we were told by one of the Brethren, "You are going to the impossible mission." In response to these challenges, my husband proposed the idea of getting a senior couple on each island and in each key area. He was told about "private placement". If he wanted more couples, he could recruit them. And that is exactly what he did and is still doing.

So we need someone to serve in Grenada starting in May 2009. If you know of anyone who could be serving, but isn't, maybe you could forward this blog post as a little bit of encouragement. In my opinion, Grenada is one of the choicest spots of all for missionary service.

Here are a few reasons why:


Location: You get to live right on the beach!

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

Wonderful missionaries live right in the same building (at the back, so they don't get tempted by the million dollar beach view)

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

Morning Walks - no other couples walk out of their door, over a few rocks, and down on to a beach giving them a 1.9 mile walk each morning, except in Grenada. A nice side benefit - you may lose a few pounds like Sister Wood did (over 30 I believe) from all that healthy early morning walking.

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

Medical Students - prepare to be surrounded by doctors (or almost doctors) who keep a careful and loving eye on you. There is a medical and vet school, St Georges, on the island. Currently there are about 14 medical student families living in Grenada as well as occasional visiting lecturers.

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

The students help out in various callings in the branch

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

The Grenada chapel sits in the most stunning location in the mission (and just happens to be right next door to the missionary apartments)

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

Rich History: This chapel was personally selected through the efforts of President Monson, except in Grenada.

The church has a very special baptismal font.

Here it is - that's right - in the sea behind the church

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

Here's what we like to see happen in that font

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

It also had a nice new basketball hoop

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

Are you starting to get sold on Grenada?

Here's a few more points:

The members often gather for what they fondly call a 'seaside' - no 'firesides' in Grenada

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

The branch has monthly break the fast dinners which fosters a feeling of family. They know how to put on the ritz!

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

Now what about the accommodations? Is there running water? (yes) Air conditioning? (yes) What does a couple missionary apartment look like inside?

Quite a view from the front door

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

Kitchen - eating area

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

Bedroom (no mosquito nets needed here with the nice ocean breeze - and the Woods hardly ever use the AC)

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

Nice bathroom

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

Living room on the sea

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

Here is where you will dry your shoes after your early morning walks...

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

...collecting seashells

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

You can keep an eye on the lovely chapel right from your porch

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

And the coup de grace - breath-taking sunsets from the porch

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

Next May the Woods return home to Calgary, Alberta. They have served mightily for the past two years and prior to that served a senior couple mission in New Zealand. Here are just a few of they things they do:

They bless members by their visits

From Sept 08 Grenada and St Vincent

They mentor the missionaries.

They attend district meetings and fly to St Lucia every six weeks for zone conferences.

They take care of church business affairs.

They make friends and find people to teach wherever they go.

They teach the gospel.

They identify humanitarian service projects - right now there are involved in medical clinics and donations of wheelchairs.

They help new members learn how to serve in the church.

They get to love those medical students and their children just like grandma and grandpa at home.

Serving a couples mission is a sweet experience that no one who is able should miss!

Here is an ideas of the monthly cost of serving in Grenada: The Woods pay $800 per month for rent, utilities are about $250 and they spend from $150-200 per month for food.

We would love to serve with you in the West Indies Mission. Couples who send their missionary application in to the missionary department will not be assigned to serve in the West Indies unless they specifically request this mission AND unless a letter from the mission president accompanies the application requesting them. Because there are 23 couples serving in the West Indies and because less than one half of all senior couple missionary opportunities are being filled, only those that request this mission will serve here. We need a couple to serve in Grenada this May (and in St. Lucia next February - but that is a future post).

If you know who is thinking about serving a couple mission (or should be), maybe you could show them this blog post or one of the couple missionary blogs listed in the sidebar. If you are interested in serving in the West Indies or want more information you can email me at dfrweb@gmail.com.