Sunday, October 22, 2017

 We thought this was a cool, HUGE, old tree. 

It's located on the grounds of the 

St. Catherine Parish Infirmary we were visiting in Spanish Town.

We think this is a Blue Mahoe tree - the National Tree of Jamaica. 

The wood from these trees is various colors - a wood worker's delight.

The craft markets are full of things made from this wood...

like this vase we purchased 

made from three different kinds of wood - 

Blue Mahoe, Cedar, and Lignum Vitae. 

We had the privilege of helping with transfers this week. We picked up the elders from Yallahs (40 km east) and took them to the Mission Home to meet up with their companions. One was picking up a new missionary from Utah. There were only two other new missionaries this transfer - one from Haiti and the other from American Samoa. We then drove a companionship to Junction (119 km to the west). It was another long day of driving, but we always enjoy having this time to talk with the missionaries. 

Today, we attended the Yallahs Branch and enjoyed worshipping with the faithful saints. 

As often happens in the smaller branches, Buddy was asked to teach the lessons in Sunday School and Priesthood. He, of course, did a wonderful job in both. 

The Sunday School lesson was entitled, "The Desert Shall Rejoice, and Blossom as the Rose". We discussed how we have been blessed by the sacrifices of the early Saints and the importance of following the example of these faithful people. 

The lesson for Priesthood was taken from the Teachings of Presidents of the Church - Gordon B. Hinckley,  Fellowship with Those Who Are Not of Our Faith

"Let us reach out to help men and women of goodwill, whatever their religious persuasion and wherever they live." (President Gordon B. Hinckley)

Buddy's turn: Today we talked a lot about the foundation of faith and endurance that was left for us by those saints who built the Salt Lake City Temple. The true account of the temple foundation is a great life lesson for us all. 

Originally sandstone blocks were used and later found to be cracked. The sandstone was too soft to bear up the weight of the rest of the structure. President Brigham Young required that the foundation be removed and replaced with granite blocks. The Lord wanted this temple to last through the Millennium. After forty years of construction, the temple was completed and stands as a monument to the faith of those earlier Latter-day Saints. 

We likewise sometimes have a foundation that, upon inspection, is found to be cracked and flawed. Our responsibility is to replace it with the only sure foundation of Jesus Christ. He is the only foundation without flaw that will never fail. When our lives are built on the Savior of Mankind, we will stand solidly against all of the storms of life. 

Until next week, all our love....