Our big news this week is that we were able to submit a proposal for a project. Woo hoo! There is a lot of groundwork and paperwork to do before a potential project is ready to submit, so we were really excited. We are optimistic about getting this project approved; time will tell.
Our travels this week took us to the beautiful cities of Montego Bay and Ocho Rios on the northern coast. We went to Montego Bay to once again meet with the wonderful Branch President to continue laying the foundation for projects there. Then on Sunday, we attended meetings in a small branch in Ocho Rios. Both of these cities are ports, and yesterday as we drove into Ocho Rios, we saw people disembarking from a huge cruise ship; that brought back great memories of our cruise a couple of years ago. Two cruising couples and another couple who had flown in attended Sacrament Meeting. It was great to meet all of them, but the most fun was that one of the couples is from Oregon, and we know them! We had just finished partaking of the Sacrament when this cute little couple came in and motioned they were coming to sit in our row. We all did a double take as we realized we knew one another. We had served with this brother in the temple. It was a wonderful reunion with this dear brother and his wife. I told Buddy later, we should attend meetings at these cruise port cities more often; no telling who we might see.
Stewarts with Brother and Sister Jorgensen
We also were able to finally meet a young elder serving here from Vancouver while we were in Montego Bay, and we actually saw him again in Ocho Rios yesterday. We didn't know this fine young man back in Vancouver, but we had been told he was here. Our paths just hadn't crossed yet. Bless his heart, he felt bad not having a tie for the picture; he had loaned it to one of the young priests in the branch. His handsome companion is from Jamaica. We failed to get a picture of the darling sisters serving in this branch. One is from Africa and the other from Jamaica. We could tell all these young missionaries are giving their all and are such a blessing to this branch. We had a brief meeting with the Branch President to get acquainted and explain our role as Welfare Services Missionaries. He is an impressive young man who has only been a member for three years and has served the last year and a half as the Branch President. He's the type of convert one hears stories about; those who are so new to the Church but are called by the Lord to positions of responsibility because of their humility, faith, and willingness to serve. We love and admire him already.
Elder Seter from Vancouver, WA and Elder Witter from Jamaica
On Saturday, we participated in the International Day of Service by working alongside members of the Kingston Constant Springs Ward and volunteers from the Kiwanis Club to make improvements to the John Mills Primary and Junior High School. The schools here are always very colorful and often have original artwork on the walls.
She is here studying physics at the University of West Indies.
In our daily personal and companion studies, we often run across golden lines worth sharing. Indeed this is one.
President Spencer W. Kimball (President of the Church 1973-1985) was once asked, Why are Mormon people such happy folks? He replied, "It is because we have everything - the gospel of Jesus Christ, the light, the priesthood, the power, the promises, the covenants, the temples, our families, the truth."
Absolutely! These truly are our sources of happiness. These are the very reasons, along with our love for Heavenly and Jesus Christ, we are willing to be away from our family to do our part by serving the people of Jamaica.
What an amazing adventure you are having - thanks for sharing. I was surprised that you have been asked not to include names in your blog…we had never heard of this in North or South American blogs. Interesting!
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