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Sunday, April 8, 2018

Sunday, April 8, 2018



IT'S A GREAT DAY IN JAMAICA, YAH MON!!

Transfers week is always an exciting time for any mission. The remarkable elders who serve as Assistants to the President spend hours figuring out all the logistics to make sure all the transportation works as smoothly as possible to get a lot of people and a lot of luggage moved around and even off and on to the island. Though it's always hard to say good-by to missionaries who are headed home, we wish them well as they Return With Honor to their families and the next chapter in their lives. This transfer only three elders left. One returned to his family here in Jamaica, one to Utah, and the other to Idaho. They were amazing elders and definitely will be missed. 

The mission received five new elders and five new sisters representing Arizona, Idaho, Utah, Canada, Haiti, South Africa, and Trinidad. Two elders returned from serving off island, and then two elders and two sisters left for a new adventure serving in Freeport, Bahamas and Cayman.







You should've heard Elder Willard's explanation 
of the nutritional value of doughnuts!




Thank you for your prayers in behalf of missionaries all over the world. We truly do feel and see the blessings that come from your prayers. 

One of our humanitarian opportunities this week was to purchase and deliver 384 mosquito nets to the Jamaica Red Cross. These nets will be used as a part of a special Zika Response and Preparedness Initiative. Representatives of the Jamaica Red Cross are traveling to various places such as community centers around the island offering classes and information about preventing the spread of the Zika virus. 




We were excited to receive messages this week from our daughter, Carly, who lives in Stansbury Park, Utah, with pictures and video of the progress being made on their new home, AND she sent a video of the first day of digging for the foundation for Heather and Tom's new home. Their homes will be only a few blocks away from each other. My comment to both girls was, yep, I'm pretty sure I can see right where our room will be!


The Price's new home...
   
and the Wheeler's new dirt.

Besides all the excitement and anticipation of new homes, a very special life-changing event occurred in the Jeff Stewart family this week. 



  


Our oldest grandson, Zach Stewart, received his mission call to serve in the Ghana Kumasi Mission. He will report to the Ghana Missionary Training Center in Accra on August 9th. We all are absolutely thrilled for him and for the people of Ghana he will serve. We're especially glad we'll get to see Zach before he leaves. He was thoughtful to put his availability date for after we'd get back. As he said right before opening the envelope, this truly is something he has waited and prepared for all his life, and we know he will be an amazing missionary.   When Zach was very little, we would often watch the movie Tarzan together. Hearing the song "You'll Be in My Heart" makes me think of those times with that sweet little boy and may even bring a tear or two to my eyes. Now here he is a grown man ready to serve and to be a powerful witness of Christ at all times and in all things and in all places. Zach, you have a very special place in our hearts. Good job, Renee and Jeff, for raising such a righteous young man!

On Saturday, we finished our portion of helping with transfers by taking an elder to his new area in Hopeton by Mandeville. We then stopped by the Mandeville Meetinghouse where we found four of our faithful sister missionaries hard at work helping with the branch deep-cleaning project. 




We also had a chance to stop by to have a wonderful visit with our dear friend, Tracy. Tracy is one of the Jamaicans we went with to the Panama Temple last August. She has recently been called as the Mandeville Branch Relief Society President. Even though Tracy deals with multiple physical disabilities including blindness, she is an amazing example of self-reliance and fortitude. There's very little she can't or won't do for herself. We know she will fulfill this new calling with love and diligence, and we tell you, the sisters of the Mandeville Branch better buckle up and hang on because Tracy is so eager to serve and lead the sisters in the branch as they work together to  minister with Christ-like love and service to one another and to their community. 




Someone shared the suggestion to listen or read all the General Conference talks President Russell M. Nelson has given since his call to become an Apostle in 1984. Today as we travelled to Montego Bay for church - a 3 hour drive one way - we took the opportunity to start listen to his  talks. We know doing this will be an enlightening experience. 

Until next week...all our love. 




2 comments:

  1. Wow you guys have been busy.. I wish I could join you on all these amazing service trips. You both look so happy love seeing pictures. love you tons

    ReplyDelete