Power of Pictures

Here is an interesting story

President Robison was contacted a few weeks ago by a senior missionary. He was preparing a presentation for some ambassadors to the United Nations regarding the Church in their countries and wanted some pictures. We began a correspondence and I eventually suggested he read the mission blog so that he could pick any photos he wanted. Friday he sent an email describing the interesting results:

Dear President and Sister Robison,

Your missionaries studying the scriptures and grouped in districts were highlights of our presentation on Wednesday.... [one of the ambassadors] was thoroughly engrossed. Touched by all she saw she said, in the discussion afterward, that it is sometimes hard for an ambassador to maintain his/her principles at the UN as she negotiates resolutions and other agreements.

It amazes me how a simple picture of missionaries doing what they are called to do can bring the Spirit into someone's life - prompting them to align themselves more fully with the Lord's commandments.


And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts? (Alma 5:14)

Story of the yellow t-shirt

Yes - that is Elder Scott wearing a yellow t-shirt at a baptism.

As I was collecting pictures from Elder Coronado a few weeks ago, I noticed this very odd baptism photo and I just had to ask Elder Coronado what in the world was going on.

He told me this story:

A few months ago The elders baptized an almost complete family in Bushlot, Guyana - mother, daughter and son. The Father didn't want to be baptized at that time. However, good West Indies missionaries are patient but kindly persistent. They keep good area books and don't give up. Six months later, the father was ready to be baptized. At first he wanted Elder Coronado to do it (Elder Duncan had baptized the daughter) - so that is how the elders prepared. But just before the baptism, the elders suggested the son perform the ordinance for his father. He had been afraid when approached before but this time he accepted (kind persistence again). Unfortunately the son was wearing a yellow t-shirt. So happy friendly Elder Scott stepped up and offered to do a quick trade. The son put on Elder Scott's white shirt, walked nervously into the water and performed the sacred ordinance of baptism for his father - perfectly!

Band of Brothers

One of the mottoes for the West Indies Mission is "Band of Brothers"

We can say that because we don't have young sister missionaries and us older sister missionaries are quite happy to be part of this powerful group.

There is quite a bond among the missionaries in this mission. I often overhear them ending phone calls with 'love ya brother' and I have never seen so many manly back slapping hugs in my life!

I noticed an example of this brotherly attitude towards the work of bringing souls into the kingdom as I looked over the elders' weekly success stories. The elders share a success story each week in an email to President Robison. The assistants select a few of them and send a collection back out to all the missionaries so they can see the blessings happening around the mission. I post some of them on the mission website here but wanted to share these two together to tell the a complete story.

Elder Holmstead (San Juan, Trinidad) – Well we were having a rough time in our focus area and decided to change it to a place called Bagladesh and it was so fun. We found a lot of kind people but not anyone to really baptize. Then at church, few weeks ago, a lady named Anita showed up whom we gladly went to teach, and she was amazing! She was very prepared, however, the only problem was that she got deported from Trinidad to Guyana but she said she would find the church and she did. She is one of last week’s 66, and boy am I happy. We were in Bagladesh for one reason, her being that main reason, and now she is a member!

Elder Dayton (Rose Hall 1, Guyana) (The story behind Elder Holmstead’s) We had received a referral from the office elders of a lady who was pretty much ready for baptism but had recently moved from Trinidad to Guyana. The first week we couldn’t get a hold of her and didn’t have any luck finding her. Just the other day, I saw an unfamiliar face in church so I began to talk with this lady. It took me a minute to put it together that this was the referral we couldn’t get a hold of. Right there on the spot I asked her if she wanted to be baptized after church. She responded without hesitance and a confident "yes." We did absolutely nothing but watch her be baptized...that is the definition of the Lord knowing who he wants in his church and getting them there.

Nov 24 Success Stories

Dream of the Temple

I try to add Success Stories from the missionaries daily, if possible, to my WIM website. This one was so special that I thought I would share it here.

Elders Palmer and Risenmay - Trinidad (written by Elder Palmer)
Things are looking GREAT in our Area. We have seen so many miracles these past couple of weeks, I don't have enough time, paper, or energy to write about hardly any, but one in particular stands out from this last week. We met a woman who is named Valerie, a Christian by Birth, but a convert to Islam. Her late Husband died five years ago, and she has lived a life of depression, fear, and anxiety ever since. The second time we met with her she told us about a dream that she had a few years ago in which she saw her husband dressed completely in White in a most beautiful garden. She watched him for a while and finally he came over to her, opened a closet filled with white clothes and said.... "Pick a white dress and come live with me in Eternity." She replied to her Husband.... "Only God can choose that." ..... We were amazed and began to tie things into the temple immediately, For the next few minutes as I bore a solid, sincere testimony on Temples, the Spirit filled the air unlike I've ever before felt! Tears of joy came to Valerie’s eyes...... but this is not the end of the story! The next day we came back with pictures of several different Temples. This time Valerie opened up even more to us and began to describe her dream in vivid detail in which her Husband sat down and said "before they could go to Paradise, she needed to watch a movie!" She went on mentioning three distinct rooms, walking dressed in white next to someone whose face she did not recognize, and seeing the colors pink and light blue over and over again. Anticipating the moment I handed her a picture of the "Terrestial Room- Salt Lake Temple." Her face lit up as she exclaimed.... "Yes this is it, these are the curtains..... and the exact same pews we sat in!" I couldn't believe it, nor can I still..... this Sister named Valerie has basically seen the inside of the Temple before she is even Babptized.... and better yet, her Husband is telling her to "come enjoy Paradise with him!" When we committed her to be Baptized, holding back tears she exclaimed.... "Well I guess I'm going to have to!"

Not fun!

We got to the airport at 8 ish to check in for our 10 pm flight to Suriname tonight. We got all checked in and were walking away from the counter with our boarding passes when one of the assistants said, 'hey, it says board at 1:00 AM.' We went back to check and found that the flight was delayed at least until 2 this morning

NOT FUN!

Here is one of those 'kisses from heaven' that made things a little better. Our branch president, President Alleyne, who is also a taxi driver, took us to the airport. He always drops us off and drives home. This time, just as we were walking through the airport with sad faces, he walked up to us. We asked him why he parked his taxi and came back to check on us and he said he just wanted to. He has never done that before, but because he did we were able come back home and wait and (and maybe sleep a bit) so we will be somewhat human tomorrow for our work in Suriname.

I should have snapped a picture of President Alleyne but I forgot. However, we went to Sister Alleyne's 68th birthday party this week - so here is his wonderful wife plus Elders Packer and Barker organizing a fun game for the grandchildren.

Power in that Book

(our granddaughter, Sylie)

I love the Book of Mormon!

The missionaries are great at encouraging those they teach to read daily from the Book of Mormon right away in order to receive a testimony and to stay strong.

It works!

Here are a few stories shared recently by the missionaries. I have dropped in some inspirational Book of Mormon pictures too (not related to the stories).


Elder Fisher, Guyana
Nalika has been reading a few verses at a time from the Book of Mormon between each visit, and since that visit has volunteered several times her testimony that she really feels and believes that Joseph Smith is a true prophet and that the Book of Mormon is true. She and her children always remind us to assign something new to read before we leave because they love the book. I know that we can truely draw closer to God by reading and living according to the teachings of the Book of Mormon.

Elder Riding, Suriname
We went by an investigator we haven't been by in a while, and while she was there she recognized the good feelings that came from reading the Book of Mormon. We gave her a homework assignment and I'm excited to teach her more. That's when I feel good- when we feel the power of that book with investigators.

Elder Roberts, Trinidad
This week we have been working with a couple named Travis and Talanna. we gave them a book of mormon and a reading assignment on thursday. instead of reading the assignment that we gave them they decided to start from the beginning. they read the preface to the 1st book of nephi and in the first few words it says the name of lehi's wife sariah, their daughter's name is sariah and they saw that as a sign that they need to read it so they read the first two chapters that night. they have been reading a lot and are already at chapter 13. it was amazing to me the things that the lord does to prompt people to read the book of mormon.

Elder Swain, French Guiana
Olivia and Tmoulsse accepted our teachings and knew immediately the truthfulness of The Book of Mormon. When followed up at the next rendez-vous about the Book of Mormon, They responded, 'magic', 'it's simply magic'.

Elder Fox, Trinidad
There's this couple named the Beekies. Sis. Beekie has read through the entire Book of Mormon in just a few weeks and can't wait for baptism, however, her husband hasn't been ready. He was born muslim and was having a hard time understanding the significance of the atonement. Elder Risenmay and I decided to map out a two week plan in which we left a chapter a night about the atonement and then a question he had to answer. We handed him the full 2 week list and commited him to do it. After the lesson we both turned to each other and said "Do you think that was a little overwhelming?" Well we lost contact for about a week and finally met back up. Sis Beekie came out of the house saying "check this out!" Bro Beekie had done it every night and answered the questions! We couldn't believe it. Then we watched "Together Forever" and it really hit him hard in the first segment. He said "That's exactly what we say to each other". His wall has finally been broken and they're getting baptized as a couple this month.

Elder Williams, Martinique
Our success story this week is about an investigator who came to church last week - Christian. A member invited him and the first time we had ever seen him was at church. We tried making an appointment with him but this last week didn't work for him because he was really busy with work, so we gave him a Book of Mormon and a few things to read and got his phone number. We called him up during the week to see how his reading was going and he started going off about how much he loved it. After just a few days he had finished first Nephi and was talking about all of the stories that were in it. He came to church again on Sunday, and after an announcement was made about a Geneology activity he went up and asked for a four generation chart. He doesn't work this week so we're looking forward to seeing him..I know that the lord prepares people to receive the gospel and that member work is the only way to go.

2 young missionaries at work

I love this story.

On February 6, just four months ago, Elders Jones and Westover arrived here in the West Indies. Missionaries usually serve eight or ten months as junior companions, receiving mentoring as they learn to do the work. Sometimes President Robison likes to shake things up a little. That is what he did with these two young Elders. On April 30 he put them together in Guyana as 'co' companions and challenged them to soar.

That is just what they did.

Last weekend they baptized 17 people (two families) - the most people baptized in one weekend by one companionship that we have seen in this mission.

The story gets better.

Elders Dayton and Mundy, followed the same path:

They came out from the MTC together.
President Robison made them co companions young.
They soared.

They are the missionaries who served as Elder Jones and Westover's trainers last February.

Now they are the Zone Leaders who helped them have this wonderful experience.

The West Indies missionaries like to call themselves a 'band of brothers'

They are right