Sunday, February 11, 2018

Today was an exciting day for the Church in Jamaica. Currently there is only one stake: the Jamaica Kingston Stake; two districts: the Jamaica Mandeville District and the newly created Nassau Caribbean District; and mission-dependent branches. There are 6 wards and 2 branches in the stake; 4 branches in the Nassau District, and until today there were 5 branches in the Mandeville District; and 6 mission-dependent branches. Today, 2 of the largest mission-dependent branches were added to the Mandeville District. This is historic because this district now takes in the whole western two-thirds of Jamaica. The Nassau District was created just about a month and ago and is being called a "virtual" district because district business and meetings will mostly be conducted via the Internet. All of this is evidence of wonderful progress in this part of the Lord' vineyard. 

New Mandeville District Presidency

Paul Durrant, Second Counselor (Santa Cruz), Anthony Robinson, President (Savanna-la-mar), and Jason Piper, First Counselor (May Pen)

We can't begin to express how wonderful this Sunday session of District Conference was today. There was such love and excitement felt by all in attendance at the May Pen chapel. Even though we are anxious to be back with our family, it's getting harder to imagine leaving in July. We love the saints of Jamaica. 

                                  

President Robinson offered a powerful address today filled with humor as well as his amazing testimony. He had the full attention of everyone. Challenges were issued which raise the bar in his talk today and in Presidents Pearson and Stewart's training yesterday at the Priesthood Leadership Meeting.

President Robinson and his counselors are going to do great things. We all feel confident there will be another stake in Jamaica very soon. It is truly an exciting time, and we're very grateful to be a tiny part of it. 

Amazing sisters and elders serving in the many branches 

of the Mandeville District. 

Don't they look happy?!

This young man has received a mission call to serve in the Dominican Republic and will report in March. He is quite the artist. This is a piece of his artwork on the back of a goat's skin. He was quick to explain it's not quite finished, but it is already incredible. 

After dropping off Heather and Tom at the airport Monday, we made a visit to a very nice nursing home facility in Montego Bay. We will now write up a proposal for a project to provide some assistance to this loving place. We were so impressed by the owner/manager. She told us she cannot depend on the residents paying regularly, but her pay is seeing their happiness and the improvement in their quality of life. That may sound like she was just trying to tell us what we would like to hear, but we can witness that Jamaicans tell the truth for the most part. We feel she truly demonstrates charity - the pure love of Christ - in her service to these people. Notice the facility's motto on the sign...

  

 Once again, we've gained a new eternal friend.

We had the opportunity to donate two truck loads of medical supplies to the Kingston Public Hospital this last week. Elder Acosta, our Area Welfare Manager, instructed us to donate all the medical supplies stored in the emergency container. Everything is new and in great condition, but it has been in storage for 3 years. The Area didn't want the supplies to get too old before being of use to someone. Included in this donation were items almost A to Z: Anesthesia breathing circuit hoses, bedpans, and casting material to stethoscopes, tubing, and urine test strips.

Smiling faces as a result of another successful humanitarian endeavor. 

While Buddy was participating in the the Priesthood Leadership session of District Conference and  before the adult session yesterday afternoon, I was invited to sit in on an in-service meeting for seminary and institute teachers. For the bulk of meeting, we watched the most recent Church Education System (CES) Broadcast to religious educators and missionaries featuring a most-remarkable address on the growing need for defending truth by Elder D. Todd Christofferson, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. 
     “It has always been important not only to teach but to defend truth, and in our time that need seems to be growing."

We encourage you to take 35-40 minutes to watch the video of his portion of the broadcast. We are confident you will be inspired and edified. 

https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/watch/2018-evening-with-a-general-authority/2018/01?lang=eng

We'll close this week with a scripture that inspires our lives every day as well as our humanitarian efforts here in Jamaica:

Mosiah 2:41

And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

Until next week, all our love...