Montego Bay and Ocho

Yesterday we made a trip into Montego Bay for zone meeting.  The zone leaders had asked us if we would be willing to assist with some roll playing for which we did.  We were suppose to be a married couple on the street and the elders were suppose to introduce themselves and bring up eternal marriage.  It was fun and the zone meeting was good.  The Ocho elders drove with us.  By the time we got home, it was almost 3:30.  We  had picked the elders up at 7:00 a.m. so it made for a log day.  Once we got home, we worked on our lessons for seminary and institute.

Today, Brian needed to go to the bank for some branch business so I stayed home and worked on my lesson.  The Vance's called and wanted to know if we would like to meet them for lunch.  They had come to Ocho to check on Turtle Hill Falls and Island Grill.  We met them at a restaurant that is a lot like Panda Express.  I was impressed with  what we got and we will probably go there again.  We only payed $1110.00 JD which is equivalent to about $11.00 US for the two of us.  We then went with Elder and Sister Vance to the Falls and walked around.  It is a beautiful place. They use to call it the "Enchanted Gardens" and I can see why.  They have a swimming pool there and people can also walk in the falls.  The falls almost look like they are made of cement but it is natural rock.  It was nice to spend some time with the Vances. From the Falls, Brian and I went back to the apartment and picked up our teaching materials for seminary and institute.  Both of us taught two classes today.  I am enjoying this experience.  We headed home around 7:30 to fix dinner and settle in for the night.

Turtle River Falls

As you can see, I am not starving here in Jamaica!

Another view of the falls.

Ocho

Monday was P-day and I washed clothes, defrosted the freezer, ironed a few clothes worked at separating the humanitarian kits that we are going to give out at the St. Ann's Infirmary on Saturday. Brian had  some branch business to take care of and then we headed to Lime Hall to meet with one of our members who has been really sick.  Brian asked if there was anything we could do for him and he asked for a blessing.  He and his wife have not been to church since we got here but I thought it was nice that he wanted a blessing.  We then drove up to W's to visit with him for a few minutes since he lives very close to these other members.  We then headed back home and I finished up kits while Brian worked on branch business.

Today we headed to the branch at 10:00 so that Brian could open the door for one of our members to use the computer for his PEF class.  Afterwards, we headed to the store to pick up some finger and toenail clippers for our Saturday activity.  We drove home for lunch and then headed back to the branch as Brian had an interview at 1:00.  Sister Mouritsen and Sister Garrett were teaching one of their contacts when we got there.  It was the little 16 year old investigator who came to church on Sunday.  We asked her how she got to church.  She told us that the video that we showed her really helped her make up her mind.  She got up at 6:00 in the morning so that she could do her wash and other chores done and by the time she called our RS president, it was 10:00 and the RS president was already at the branch.  This 16 year old girl only had $150 JD which is a little less than $1.50 US. to travel to the branch.   It takes $600 JD to get to the branch from where she lives.  She walked to the highway and a tour bus picked her up and took her as far as it was going.  She asked how much she owed and he said nothing.  She than got a taxi and only had to pay $100JD to get the rest of the way there.  The RS president had to leave right after Sacrament meeting but asked the little girl if she had enough fare to get home and she told her no.  The RS president gave her $500JD to get home.  If I have learned one thing while I have been here in Jamaica, it is that the Lord takes care of the poor and especially those who exercise faith in him.  The people are pretty giving to each other also.  After we left the branch, we headed to the True Value Hardware store to see if we could get a key made.  We could not get the key made but we picked up some ant bait and some small appliance oil and then headed to the locksmith's to get a key made for Brian's counselor.  We then drove back to our apartment and I worked on Seminary while Brian worked on branch business.

The little complex where the locksmith has his business

Transfers

Wednesday we left the apartment at 8:30 a.m. so that we could pick up the Linstead Elders and take them to Spanish Town by 9:30 for transfers.  We really didn't need to be there that early but the missionaries like to get there early so that they can visit with the other missionaries.  There were about 7 or 8 new missionaries that had arrived the day before and also 7 missionaries that were heading home.  It was sad to say goodbye to the missionaries that were leaving because they have done such a great job.   We did get a new sister to replace Sister Walker.  Her name is Sister Garrett and she is from Sacramento.  She seems to be enjoying herself here and she is quite upbeat.  A typical transfer meeting is hearing from President Brown, the announcement of where the new missionaries are going and who their trainees are and listening to the testimonies of those missionaries who are leaving.  It was a nice meeting.  By the time the meeting was over, it was close to 4:30 and we still had to drop  the Linstead Elders off and take a transfer, Elder Rammel,  to Port Antonio.   When we got to Port Antonio, we took Elder Rammel to KFC for dinner.    It was 10:30 before we got home.  We had four hours of driving in the dark which isn't one of our favorite things to do.

Thursday I spent most of the day at the branch.  Brian had a few things to do so I read and studied my seminary lesson.  He got a call from R telling him that he needed some prescriptions filled so Brian left to help  him.  The sister missionaries came to the branch to teach a lesson so I sat in on the lesson while Brian was gone. I showed the investigator a video on my ipad about faith.  This investigator really wants to get baptized but in order to get baptized you have to go to church at least two times.  She lives about 40 minutes away.  She is only 16 and lives with her grandfather.  I don't think she has any extra income.   By the time Brian got back, we had less than an hour to run back home and come back to the branch so we could teach our lessons.  I had two students show up which is better than the "no students" that I have had for the last three weeks.  Chickungunya has hit a lot of our members and that is what happened to two of my students.  While I was teaching my lesson, Brian was teaching institute to 5 members of the branch.  When they left, he taught another young adult and I sat in our his lesson.  We then ran up to the hospital to see Sister L.  They finally released her around midnight to come home.  It was another long day.

Friday we went out to Huddersfield to drop a check off at a business to replace the one that a check was written out to earlier because the bank wouldn't take it with his business name on the check.  When we got there the owner wasn't there so we told them we would come back the next day. That seems to happen a lot.  We then drove out to Highgate to take a check to a sister that has had the Chick V and needed some help with medication and groceries.  Brian wrote the check out to the business as directed by the sister.  It took about three hours by the time we got the signature on the check from Brian's counselor and journeyed to Highgate and back.  We stopped at the store so I could do some grocery shopping and then headed home for dinner.

Saturday morning we left the house early so that we could catch the owner of the market in Huddersfield.  We drove back home and then left to pick up M so that we could do some branch business.  While we were with M we got a call telling us that we needed to go back out to Highgate to replace the check that we took out the day before because it needed a different name on it.  The sister was in town and she was going to meet us at the clock.  I told her it would take us about 1 1/2 hours to get there and she said that was okay. We dropped M off in town  and then headed out to Highgate.  We stopped in Free Hill to get a signature from Brother B and then continued on to Highgate.  It was another two hours by the time we got home.   We stopped at Sister H to give her some information and then went home to eat.  After dinner we went to the branch and then headed to the store to get a few items for the dinner I was preparing for Sunday.  It was nice to finally be home after a long day.  I spent a lot of the evening getting ready for the Sunday meal since we had the Pearson's coming for dinner.

Sunday meeting was great.  The Pearsons gave the talks and they did such a good job.  We had five visitors attend out meeting.  Four were from Canada and the other sister was from New Zealand.  I loved her accent.  Our little investigator that is 16 showed up.  The sister missionaries were thrilled. Sister Pearson taught Sunday School because our instructor was ill.  The Pearsons were a real asset to the branch today.  After the meeting, Sister Pearson drove me home so that I could put dinner in the oven.  We had a very enjoyable visit.  Brian and President Pearson stayed for a meeting and then headed home.  President  Pearson is in the mission presidency.  He and Sister Pearson  came out as MLS missionaries two years ago.  They extended six months and then were asked to stay on another two years for the mission presidency.  They are both converts and they are great people.

Sorry that I don't have pictures again.

St. Ann's Infirmary and Aunty Jackies

Today the Whiteheads made a trip to Ocho so that the four of us could visit the St. Ann's Infirmary.  Elder Whitehead wanted to see if they needed some humanitarian help.  When we arrived at the Infirmary, one of the nurses showed us around.  Elder Whitehead wanted to see the kitchen and the laundry facilities.  We were also shown the sleeping quarters.  Most of the people at the Infirmary have disabilities.  When the hospital can no longer keep them, they are sent to the Infirmary.  Right now there are probably 110 patients. Our branch is going to the Infirmary  for the November 1 service project.  We hope there is a good turnout. Last year they clipped nails and visited with the patients.  They also cut hair and did a few other projects.  We are hoping to have enough women this year to visit the women's side because the women felt neglected last year because there were no women from the branch to assist them.  I am looking forward helping out there.

After we finished at the Infirmary, we drove to Discovery Bay to see if we could find Aunty Jackie.  After asking around, we were given directions on where to go.  Jackie is a Rastafarian who takes care of children who's parents can no longer care for them.  Some have disabilities.  She has about 10 children.  They had just moved into a new place.  From the outside the place looked like it could have been a truck stop with restrooms and a restaurant.  It was quite run down.  When she inherited the place, it  was a disaster.  All the walls were painted black and it was very dirty.  I think it had been vacant for a while.  They had been cleaning it for a month and they were still in the process of moving in.  She was happy to have a larger place to take care of the children.  Food for the Poor had donated some chairs and other supplies.  They also keep her in food and clothing.  I wish I had taken some pictures but we will go out there again and deliver some humanitarian items and I will try and remember to take some pictures then.  From Aunty Jackies, we drove back to St. Ann's Bay and ate lunch at Scotchies Jerk Centre.  All four of us got jerk chicken, rice and peas, and a festival. When we got back to the apartment, the Whiteheads headed for Kingston and we headed for Free Hill to take some Tylenol to Brother B.  Both he and his wife have the Chik V virus.  We also dropped off some food items to a member of the branch who is also sick with Chick V.   It was an enjoyable day!

Browns Town, Kingston, Port Royal, Cobert Castle and Ocho

Friday we went to Lime Hall for a car wash and then headed towards Discovery Bay to find out where our RS president lived.  She was going to check out an Auntie Jackie who takes care of disabled people.  The Whiteheads ask us to check Auntie Jackie  out to see if there was anything that she needed in the way of humanitarian effort.  We were able to find our RS president but she told us that Auntie Jackie had moved so we still don't know where she lives.  While we were waiting for our RS president to get ready, we visited with her friend who makes blocks and pours concrete decorations.  It was interesting to see his business.  We drove with M into Browns Town to find some of our members.  It was the first time that we have been there because it is about an hour from Ocho.  We were able to find most of the members that we were wanting to visit with.  It was a nice day.

Saturday we left our apartment around 7:15 a.m. so that we could meet up with the other couples for a Jamaican sight seeing trip.  We left Kingston around 9:30 and headed towards Port Royal.  It is the remains of an old fort that existed in the early 1600's.  At one time it was an island and considered the most wicked place on the earth.  An earthquake dropped 1/3 of the island into the sea.  Many of the residents that survived the earthquake later died of disease.  The earthquake actually created a sandbar that joined Port Royal to the Jamaica.  They have a little building that they call the giddy house.  Part of the house sunk into the sand so the building is on a slant and you kind of lose your balance when you walk inside.  It was very interesting.  From Port Royal, we headed for Old Harbor for lunch.  There were only 9 of us and we were the only people in the restaurant.  It took them about two hours to serve us.  The food was good.  Brian ordered Korean charcol chicken and I order chicken chop suey.  We shared and both dishes were very good.  From the restaurant, we head over to the Cobert Castle.  I could imagine that it was quite the place in its day.  On each corner of the property there were structures  that resembled the castle.  In one of the structures, there was an underground tunnel that housed the slaves.

It was a lot of fun to be with the other couples and to hear their stories.  The length of travel makes it easy to get to know them.  We have a single sister that is serving here by herself.  Her companion ended up going back to the states but she doesn't mind being alone because she can get so much done.  She is a convert to the church and was the controller for a successful business that oversaw about 28 other businesses.  Evidently she promised the Lord that if he would help her with the business she would give him 10 years of missionary work.  This is her third mission and she is one of the most positive persons that I have ever met.  She is one smart sister.  When we reached Kingston, we hopped in the truck and headed back to Ocho.  I really hate driving those roads at night.  When we got to Ocho, we still had to make a trip out to Huddersfield.  Brian told the sister in our branch that if she would speak in church, he would give her money for the taxi since she probably would not have been able to come otherwise.  After leaving her house, we drove to the store so that we could get some bread for the sacrament.  We stopped at Pizza Hut and got a medium pizza.  It was nice not to have to cook that late in the evening.

There were about 36 out to church today.  A lot of our members have the Chikungunya.  They call it ChikV.
I really feel blessed that we have not gotten it.  Both the elders and sisters up here have had it.  After church   we went over to the L's so that Brian and R could administer to Sister L and her granddaughter.  We then came home for the evening.

A man selling sugar cane in Old Harbor.

One of the corner buildings of the Cobert Castle.  It was under one of these corner buildings where they housed the slaves in an underground tunnel.

Another corner building.

Cobert Castle

Vances and Elder Hall standing in the Giddy House.

The Giddy House.

Brian standing in the entrance to the fort at Port Royal.

Elder Vance sitting in the ring of an old anchor.

The senior elders standing in front of a cannon at the fort in Port Royal.

Brian standing with the owner of a concrete company.

Brian watching the owner remove the mold from his decorative concrete products.

Sister Walker and Sister Mouritson.  This was Sister Walker's last day at church.

Senior couples eating at the Farm Village Restaurant.

Ocho and Kingston

Monday afternoon we headed for Kingston for our monthly FHE.  We drove to the Whiteheads and visited with them for awhile before heading to the mission office for FHE.  Normally we go to the mission home but they are having some of their tiles repaired so we met at the office instead.  Elder Pearson gave the lesson.  After we were done we headed to the Whiteheads for the evening.  The Vance’s came down to visit with us also.  They were staying with Sister Wege but she was in bed due to the Chikungunya.

Tuesday morning we drove to Pricemart to do some grocery shopping and then headed to Spanish Town to pick up 130 hygene kits for our November 1 service project.  The Ocho Rios branch is going to the St. Ann’s infirmary to assist the people there.  It should be a great project if we can get our branch members to participate.  From Spanish Town we drove to Linstead to check out the elder’s apartment.  We then drove home to unload groceries and then headed to Mango Valley to drop off a PEF check for one of our members who is going to school.  We then drove to T and R’s to drop off their PEF checks and then stopped at the L’s for a visit.  Sorry for the letters instead of name but I have decided to do that to protect the privacy of our members.  I was talking to Sister Vance after she went private with her blog because someone had typed in their name and saw it on her blog.  She has also gone to single letters.  When we got home I fixed dinner and then we headed out again so see if we could catch P L at his home.

I want to back track a little.  Friday, Brian picked up R so that they could do some branch business.  I had him drop me off at L’s so that I could visit with them.  Sister L’s niece was visiting also so we had a nice visit.  I read them Tad Callister’s CES talk on the blue print of Christ’s church.  It is an excellent talk and I highly recommend it.  Sister L’s niece really enjoyed it and she is not a member of the church.  We did a few more odds and ends.  The problem with putting off my blog is that I forget what we did sometimes.

R with his son J.  R is Brian's counselor and he was able to baptize his son.  B is standing next to Brian.  He wanted Brian to baptize him.  He will be a great addition to our branch.

Brian, B, and Elder Hall and Elder Jones.

  

Saturday we went to Lime Hall early in the morning so W could wash our car.  We drove down to the river.  While he was washing the car, we saw this beautiful piece of property and commented on how lucky that person was to live there.  She must have heard us because she opened the gate and invited us to see their property.  She is from Germany and she is married to a Jamaican.  She has lived in Jamaica for about 16 years.  Her husband loves to landscape and they are in the process of making a vegetarian restaurant.  We told her that we would come back and try the restaurant when it opens.  She was fun to talk to.  We briefly discussed religion.  Our missionary nametags kind of open discussions for us.  After we left Lime Hall, I came home and made two banana cakes for the CES fireside that Brother B was going to hold after our block on Sunday.  Brian had to run some errands so it worked out great.  When he got home, we drove to Spanish Town for CES training and then headed back home for B and R’s baptism.  It was a nice evening. 

Sunday  was fast and testimony meeting.  Quite a few members participated.  We were few in number because of the Chikungunya and other problems.  The CES fireside was really nice.  We had two seminary students and one institute student attend.  After the meeting, Brian had branch business so it was about 5:30 when we got home.  It has been a busy week!

Conference in Ocho

I loved conference.  In fact, I couldn't wait to hear it.  It is like manna from heaven, especially when you are in the mission field.  We, of course, watched it at the branch so that members who wanted to come could.  We went down early on Saturday to arrange the chairs and set up the TV.  The missionaries were there and a few branch members came.  We also had an investigator come.  After the conference, Brian drove me home so that he could go back for the priesthood session.  He had called several of the youth and told them that he would take them to eat if they would come down.  Only three took him up on his offer.  I made two pans of banana cake and some cookies and put together a large pan of funeral potatoes while I listened to the Priesthood Session of conference.  It is a tradition in this little branch to eat between sessions because everyone lives so far away.  The members were told that it was pot luck and I wanted to be prepared.

Sunday we again went down early.  As I was watching branch members come in without food, I thought, "I hope we have enough."  I knew that the RS president and primary president were bringing food but we had over 50 people there and I was getting a little nervous.  When the first session was over, Sister Alexander, Sister McLean and Sister Henry started putting out the food.  As the people went down the line, they were heaping food on their plates and I thought, "we are going to run out."  I even thought earlier that we needed a blessing of loaves and fishes.  Well, we got that blessing because we never ran out.  People took food home and we had left overs.  I was talking to one of the sisters and she told me that they have never run out of food - that there is always enough.  It was a testimony to me that the Lord takes care of the poor. I enjoyed being with the members.

I was watching the face of one of our investigators.  I could see him smiling during the first session.  I asked the elders what he thought about conference.  They said he loved President Monson.  He is scheduled for baptism this Saturday.  

Monday we did the wash and defrosted our lovely freezer.  We left after lunch to run some errands in town.

It was hot but we decided to walk to the different places that we needed to go.  Brian had some branch business that he needed to take care of and we were able to find all the people that we needed to see.  We also had to take one of his shoes to a repairman.  I had checked in the phone book and it gave the name of a shoe repair place but when we went there, they didn't have a repairman.  The owner told us of another place to go.  We did find the person and he glued the sole for us.  When he saw our tags, he mentioned polygamy and Brian told him that he was glad he only had to worry about one wife.  He was very nice.  On our way back, a women in the market place asked me if we would pray for her.  I got Brian and he said a prayer with her.  After returning to our car, we drove out to Huddersfield to see Sister N.  Upon our return, I fixed dinner and Brian worked on branch business.

Today was another busy branch day for Brian.  We ended up going back out to Huddersfield and then back  to the  branch so Brian could spend some time on ward records.  In the process of coming back from Huddersfield, Brain got a call from a young man who was wondering if we had his baptismal records.  We searched for them but could not find any information.  He was baptised in the Highgate Branch so we ended up having to call the mission office to find them.  I think this boy will start coming to church.  After Brian finished, we drove back home for about 1/2 hour and then ran a few more errands.  I spent the night reading and Brian spent the night making phone calls and working on branch business.  

I thought I had better mentioned what we did last Friday.  Friday morning the Whiteheads called us and asked us if we wanted to go to Highgate with them.  We had wanted to see Sister R because she has been sick with the chikungunya so we said yes.  We packed a lunch and Whiteheads picked us up.  They are so much fun and we had a great visit.  They took us to a school that the church had helped in their humanitarian efforts.  The principal took us on a tour of the school.  It is a technical school so they have woodworking, sewing, cooking, and chemistry.  They were very appreciative of what the church did for them.  After we left, we drove to Sister Rs so that Brian and Elder Whitehead could give her a blessing.  We then drove back home.  We called W so that he could wash the truck.  We wanted to make sure that he had enough money to get to conference.

Technical school in Highgate.

Elder and Sister Whitehead with the principal.