French Zone Conference

Monday we had Zone Conference with the French Elders (mostly).

The West Indies Mission is complicated with so many countries and three languages. It is impossible to neatly divide Elders into language groups. So, the St Martin Elders and couple come to the French zone conference even though half the island, including two of the Elders and the couple are English speaking. We have the same challenge in Suriname because the French Guiana Elders come to that conference (by van, canoe, and taxi!). We provide translators and use lots of English in the conferences.

We like the Elders with SHORT hair, LONG ties, and pants not too low. Elder Snow (in fun) overdid it a bit :)


We have our first two sisters serving as companions in the West Indies! They are actually serving a one month mini mission but they will be powerful.


The lessons and activities went well.

President Robison led an inspiring discussion on King Benjamin's discourse.

The Assistants taught about the area book and did a fun object lesson on helping one another. By carefully cooperating, each missionary was able to do a push-up using only his arms.


My topic was following Preach my Gospel with exactness and I led a scripture discussion on Laman & Lemual vs Nephi & Sam type missionaries.

Elder Catherine did a fabulous drawing to highlight the contrast


I used a few military analogies including this scripture and image that I love


Cleaning up after conference - always leave a place better than you find it, right?

Sunday in Guadeloupe

Guadeloupe is a gorgeous island. It's sometimes called the butterfly island because of its shape. There is one church owned chapel and about six (I think) rented church buildings. The chapel is in Abymes. We attended church meetings in the Basse Terre and Cappesterre branches last Sunday. Here are a few pictures:

The Basse Terre building


Getting ready for church - this young man comes on his own (thus the need for tie help) and wants to get baptized but has not been able to get permission from his family.


The CTR primary class


Fruits in the church yard:

Cashews


Star Fruit - aren't they fun?


The Cappesterre building


What a view they have out the back!


Cappesterre Elders Roberts and Ison


Driving home - right towards the sea

Website problems

I thought that once I was home things would go smoothly with my computer tasks but I was mistaken.

I can't get anything to publish on my website right now (bad bad new mobile me service from Apple!). I realize there is a typo in the slideshow page that needs fixing and I wasn't able to get any success stories published. I will keep at it and maybe get things fixed later today or tomorrow.

I hope so.

July Slideshow

The July slideshow is up and ready to view:

We are home

We just finished the northern swing through the islands for Zone Conferences and now we're back in Trinidad for a whole week! It went well (with a few challenges - but that is normal). I will put up some pictures today plus catch up on Success Stories. I just added pictures of the Owens' 'Teaching with the Elders" story - what a great insight into Guyana missionary life! I am getting the latest slideshow organized to upload and it should be on the website sometime today.

It's so nice to be home and connected again!

More mission creatures - a tiny St Lucian frog

I found him (or her?) swimming in a pool in St Lucia.

Teaching with the Elders in Guyana

Elder and Sister Owens are serving a couple mission in Guyana. Their son just happens to be serving in the West Indies Mission as well (we actually have two families in that situation). Here is a story Sister Owens sent me about teaching with the Elders (and the cockroaches!):

One evening the zone leaders stopped by our apartment and asked us if we would be able to accompany them on a visit to a family in Sophia. We were happy to do so. We drove to Sophia and to the end of a narrow road and parked the car. It was very dark. The elders seemed to have night vision because they lead us across a rickety bridge with places missing in the boards and then down into a slick, muddy trail that wound back behind one home and up to a little one room home. The elders called, "Inside" and the sweet lady invited us in to a dimly lit home where we removed our shoes at the door. We were invited to sit on the couch. We had barely settled down when we were attacked by cockroaches. Elder Nestegard let out a yell and started slapping his head and face. Then he wrapped his necktie around his neck so the cockroaches couldn't get inside his shirt. Elder McDaniel began displaying the same behavior. Sister Owens and I were having a hard time controlling our laughter as the elders jumped around. I didn't dare tell Sister Owens that one of the large creatures was crawling across her shoulders and another had crossed from her lap onto mine. We wondered how we were ever going to get the Spirit into the home but Elder Nestegard settled right down as if nothing had happened. The lady of the house asked Sister Owens to offer a prayer and the Spirit was invited and He came. Scriptures were read from the Book of Mormon in a light so dim that I could hardly see. These elders were wonderful to behold! We were invited to join the elders with our testimonies. The mother and daughter committed to read in the Book of Mormon. They committed to attend church on Sunday and they committed to be baptized. When we left that humble home, the Spirit was so strong that we didn't notice the mud or the rickety bridge and thoughts of the roaches were diminishing. We drove the elders to their apartment where Elder McDaniel would finish his packing for his transfer to Trinidad the next morning. Oh yes, the family was out to church on Sunday. Sister Owens and I will never forget this evening with the elders.