Sunday, February 25, 2018

Another week of transfers activities has come and gone. The mission said good-bye to one elder and two sisters; they will be missed, but we know they're excited to be reunited with family - look at these smiling faces. 

The mission welcomed 3 new elders and 2 new sisters representing Meridian, CA; Mandeville, Jamaica; West Jordan, UT; New Castle, UT; and Wiggins, CO. We love watching the new missionaries meet their companions and witnessing the immediate respect and compassion for them by their trainers. 

 Already serving as pianist...

 ...and chorister

We enjoyed spending time on long drives even though on very bumpy, windy roads to pick up an elder who was returning home 

and to deliver a new arrival to his first area. 

  

        

  

Sunday found us in the Yallahs Branch. 

Our wonderful Self-Reliance senior sister missionaries spoke in Sacrament Meeting and also facilitated an informative third hour Self-Reliance devotional. These devotionals are designed to start members on the path to self-reliance by helping them understand the importance of self-reliance, assess their current level of self-reliance, determine the skills and income needed to become temporally self-reliant, and select the self-reliance group that will help them reach that goal. 

The sisters were great about using personal experiences with their own path to self-reliance. Sometimes it's difficult, though, for Jamaicans to relate to the struggles and trials American missionaries have gone through. First world countries' issues and developing countries' issues can be very dissimilar. The newly sustained Mandeville District President expressed this very well at a recent district conference. He said when he hears President Pearson or President Stewart say he's hungry, the thought is he probably only missed breakfast, but when many Jamaicans say they're hungry, they truly may not have eaten for a couple of days or their family has not been able to afford any meat for weeks. 

Even though mutual understanding can be a challenge, we strive to teach the foundational principles which are applicable to self-reliance in any country. 

As shown in many of our previous posts, the Member Welfare Project initiatives (chickens, bees, gardening, etc.) we coordinate here in Jamaica are exclusively designed to promote self-reliance. The success of these projects depends on the practical application of the concepts and principles learned in the variety of free self-reliance courses available to members and nonmembers alike.
There was definitely a focus on self-reliance in the Yallahs Branch as we also held the kick-off training meeting for the Member Welfare Project families. Coops are ready to now receive the chicks and equipment to assist these families who are striving to become self-reliant.

Recently the opportunity for welfare assistance with self-reliance has expanded beyond food production projects. This is still in the early stage, but we're definitely encouraged and excited to see this new development since food production is not everyone's forte. 

"The welfare principles of the Church are not simply good ideas; they are revealed truths from God—they are His way of helping the needy." Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"I am convinced there are thousands of ways for families to build self-reliance by working together in productive pursuits. Perhaps a good family home evening discussion could produce some ideas to help make your family unit more temporally self-reliant." Elder L. Tom Perry

Until next week...all our love.