August 25, 2013

This weekend we went to Montego Bay.We visited with the branch members there about the Food Initiative Projects. The ‘Mo Bay’ Branch is a mission dependent branch.  Basically that means they are far enough away from the two districts on the Island that they don’t have anyone to help support them but the mission itself.  They do have young missionaries stationed there but they report to the mission president directly, not to a district president.  It also means they do everything by themselves.  The Mo Bay Branch is a pretty strong branch.  They have a really dynamic branch president, President Lee.  He has a really loud voice and doesn’t often use the microphone when he speaks in Sacrament Meeting.  He can really talk to the members on a one on one basis right from the pulpit.  He does not single out anyone but he is a great motivator for his members.  They love him a lot.  We went here thinking we were going to have a meeting with him to get them started on the paper work so they could move forward to getting some small animal projects started.   Actually they had already filled out the application forms and these are the people who will hopefully be participating.  We ended up with explaining how the program works, what is expected of their priesthood leadership, what is expected of them as recipients of the projects and what each project entails.  Needless to say they were very happy to have this opportunity to help themselves to better their families ability to be more self reliant.

 The picture below is of Bro. Grant.  He is the second counselor in the branch.  He was here in place of Pres. Lee who had to work this day.  He was really well informed on the Food Initiative and only had a few questions before the meeting started and a few more afterwards.  These members in this branch had some questions about how to help others who were not able to participate now but who still need help.  They decided they could help by donating some of their projects (aka chickens) after they were better established, to help others get started in new projects.  If everyone helped out by donating a few chicks it wouldn’t hurt anyone financially but it would be helping others.  Then the newest one would in turn pay it forward helping in the same way to others.  That is how true members of the gospel of Jesus Christ think.  We have six mission dependent branches here in Jamaica.  Not all are like this one but this is a good example for all of us

 The Picture below is of your dad doing the ‘time off pose’.  We took three days off and went to the beach.  We swam and snorkeled and walked about 5 miles.  We slept in till 7 am and I didn’t have to cook or do dishes or make bed the whole time.  We did have a meeting with the Montego Bay Branch during this time but the rest of it was spent just relaxing.  Sunday we went to church in Lindstead but was not able to visit with the Branch President there.  He was needed in Spanish Town for a water emergency they were having there.   We will have to try again soon.

 This is just me in all my glory waiting for dinner.  Personally I didn’t want dad to add this picture but he insisted…

 This picture is in Ocho Rios below the Hibiscus Hotel.  The cement you can see on the bottom left is the stairway up to the Hotel.  Dad had a blast snorkeling here.

 These pictures are all right along the area at base of the steps.

 More Fish

It was good to take a few days and replenish our energy and our spirits.  But with that said we were glad to get back home.  We like our apartment and feel most comfortable here.  This next week will be a busy one. Much going on and much to do.

Take care dear family and friends and know that you are loved and that we pray for you all daily.  The gospel is true, the time is hastening and we are happy to be here serving the Lord.

Love

Mom and Dad

E/S Murdock

August 18, 2013

Dear Family and Friends

Well we have begun the process of starting our Building Self-Reliance and & Eliminating Poverty program.   We presented it to the Spanish Town District Branch Presidents in a meeting last Saturday.  This week we are visiting each Branch President on an individual basis, to get a more personal one on one response about their ideas.  Sometimes it is more comfortable to express yourself when you don’t have to worry what the others may think of your ideas.  This past week we visited with President Stewart of the Kingston Branch.  He is a wonderful man who loves his members and truly wants what is best for them. He has presented us with a few ideas to incorporate into the plan.  This will be all accomplished with the help of the Branch Presidents selecting a few of the members he feels would benefit from the program.  Then they will interview each head of household to help them determine a plan that will help that particular family.   Working with the Branch Council and the Home and Visiting Teachers, they will keep track of these individuals to help inspire and keep track of their progress as they work towards being independent of outside support and more capable of acquiring and holding a job that will support their families.  There is much to do and it will be a blessing to help them along their path to success.  As we were sitting in the foyer of this building there were no fans or AC.  It felt about 110 degrees with the humidity.  Dad and I were sweating rivers and President Stewart never broke a sweat!  Not sure how they do it but they don’t seem to sweat that much.  We finally opened the outside door (yeah I should have thought of that earlier right?) and the breeze felt heavenly!!

 And Boulevard Branch the Boulevard Branch President Hamilton meeting went much cooler.  We had the AC cranked up and the overhead fan going on high speed!!  It felt so good!!!!  President Hamilton also had some excellent ideas on literacy classes and employment opportunities with his company.  He will call the Education/Employment couple and let them know.  We will be getting an Employment Specialist for Jamaica soon.  We are hoping by the end of the year.  More exciting news for next year is hopefully in our Jamaican future as well.  Can’t wait!!

 This gentleman lives outside the fence of the Boulevard / Constant Springs Branch.   While we were waiting for President Hamilton to arrive he packed up all his belongings and cleaned up the area. He was so meticulous in his packing and the cleaning of his little area. When he left there was no evidence he had been there except the flat spot where he slept.   He returns every evening to set up his home again and to sleep on his cardboard mats.  

 The picture below is of the Medical Meeting we had with the Area Medical Specialist Dr. Walker.  Sitting around the table starting at the left is Sister Brown Mission Presidents wife. She is in charge of the missionary’s health. Next to her is Sister Thompson. She works at the Ministry of Health.  So she was able to bring a lot of information as to what medical facilities were available here and where they were located at.  Then there is Craig Graham and his wife Dr. Sinclair-Graham.  He is the director of medical services in the Singram Medical Office.  Dr. Sinclair-Graham knows the hospitals and some of the Dr’s. who work there and what services are offered at what hospital.  Then we have Tracy Anderson. She is our Wheelchair specialist and next to her are Dr. Walker and his wife and then dad.    This meeting was quite beneficial in ascertaining which places Dr. Walker wanted to see.  After about three days we discovered several places that he felt comfortable taking the missionaries to if a medical need arose.  He said that Jamaica is better off medically than the Dominican Republic was as far as what medical services he would feel good about sending our missionaries, young and old, too.

Well I guess that is all for now. 

Just remember to keep the faith and as Elder Holland said ‘catch the wave’ of missionary service.  Not everyone can go in a mission but everyone can be a missionary.  The time for sitting back and waiting or someone else to do the job is past.  The Lord needs you up and participating in your part wherever you are living.  Missionary work is not always easy but it’s always worth it.  You will be blessed for your efforts.  Start in your own homes and then your neighborhoods and then your ward.  “There is work enough to do ere the sun goes down…”

Know that we love each of you and feel of your love and prayers.  Keep them coming as we sure need them.    Happy birthday to our sweet Marci this past week.   We love you all…

Mom and Dad

E/S Murdock

August 11, 2013

Dear Family and Friends

YSA Conference was the big event this week.  Below are the pictures.

 Mom was helping with Indexing.  She spent 6 hours helping them learn how to do this.

 As a service project the Painted the outside of a local school.

 Yes they wanted to pose for you.

 When it was time to go home things got really interesting on the road.  We missed the picture of when it was really crowded…

 Jerk Chicken alcart.  The 55 gallon has been converted into a barbecue.  There are lots of them here.  We have been thing about getting a smaller one because we found out we can barbecue here at the apartment.

We love you all

Mom and Dad

E/S Murdock

August 4, 2013

This week we were escorting the Area Medical Director Elder Walker and his wife, Sister Walker around to the various hospitals and medical facilities.  It seems that the Church has not updated our medical status since 2004 (?), so they came to Jamaica to see what facilities we have to help our missionaries, old and young.  It looks like you can get about any kind of medical care here.  Although I am sure for the big serious stuff they would still prefer to send you to the U.S.  But for routine care and maintenance, we are good to go.  We have Cardiac, pace makers, surgical, dental, OB GYNs (with the increase of the sister missionaries it was necessary to check these guys out too), Urology, hematology…..the list goes on. We had a good time taking the Walkers around.  We had another Senior Couple (the Pearson’s), take them out to Montego Bay and Ocho Rios at the end of the week as we had our Area Welfare Manager Julio Acosta fly in too.  We were up to our eyeballs in area authorities!!!  Lol j/k (mom says you will know that this means) we really love and appreciate those who serve over us an all the hard work they do. They are marvelous people.  Sister Walker and I hit it off quickly and were soon giggling in the back seat while Elder Murdock and Elder Walker were having a ‘serious discussion’… Seriously though, we got a lot of work done while they were here.

 Bro. Acosta came to hear a presentation we did on Building Self Reliance to the Spanish Town District Branch Presidencies.  We were not expecting his visit. But a visit form Julio is always welcome..  He is another marvelous servant of the Lord.  We have spent quite a bit of time working on the Building Self-Reliance and Eliminating Poverty presentation.    So we were excited to finally get it started.  It has drawn the attention of many of our Leaders and we really wanted to see the program get off to a good start.  As with all good projects the start is just that a start there is still lots and lots of work is left to do.

It was Zone Conference on Thursday so we took the Walkers with us and they got to enjoy that experience too.  It is always a blessing to sit among the young missionaries to feel the strength of their spirits, and to hear from Pres. Brown is always marvelous.  It was interesting to me how the change from President Hendricks to President Brown affected these young warriors of the Lord.  Pres. Hendricks was concerned that it would be hard for them to switch Presidents in the middle of their missions.  He gave some loving words and strong council about this to us before he left.  Pres. Hendricks was so loved by these young men and women…by us as Senior couples too. We all took his council to heart, but I thought that this was going to be really hard.  When Pres. Brown first spoke to us as Mission President in his first meeting with us as HIS missionaries, the switch was instantaneous. I have to admit that I was shocked at my own feelings as I cried when I knew the Hendricks were on the plane going home…but it was literally instantaneous!!  I am sure that President Hendricks was praying for us as well as Pres. Brown. And the Lord blessed each of us.  Each shepherd has their time and devotion from his flock and when it is time to change, you wonder and question who is it going to be; then you find out, and you still wonder.  But when the Mantle falls on their shoulders you realize they are now the new shepherd of the flock and you turn to them with love in your heart for guidance and council.  The Lord has blessed us all.

We attended church in the Portmore Branch today.  As it was Fast and Testimony meeting it was grand to hear how the little school children would get up and start quoting scripture on how they were blessed in taking their exams.  These exams are a very big deal here as the scores determine where you will be able to go to school.  If you score well on the exams you get into a higher class of schools. If not, you go to the mediocre class of schools.  In order to really get into the better schools you have to do well on your exams.  These children start these exams at the end of the 5^th or 6^th grade and they have to study about 4-5 hours a night for about a month to score high enough to get into the really good schools. 

We are working on a project with a member who runs a medical clinic.  Craig Graham and his wife, Dr. Kezea Sinclair-Graham.  They have moved from Spanish Town and now live in the Kingston Branch.  They have a little 4 year old boy named Joshua (I think).  They will help do the Jamaican Missionaries medical exams, blood work and Immunizations at a greatly reduced rate to help these faithful young Elders and Sister be able to serve a mission.  We are also trying to find a Dentist to help with the dental work that needs to be done too.  We are so pleased to be able to be of some assistance to them in their practice so they can help our missionaries.

Well the time is speeding up as we serve our mission.  It is hard to believe that 10 month have passed already.  We love our mission and we love the Lord.  His work will go forward and all will be as it should be.  Be strong and serve in your callings faithfully, attend the temple and continue to pray for us.  We can feel your love and prayers in our behalf.  We are so blessed to count you as our family and friends.  You are all marvelous children of our Heavenly Father.  He knows and loves each of you.  He waits for you to talk with him every day.  He yearns to bless you help you through your trials.  Trust him…

Love to you all

Mom and Dad

Elder and Sister Murdock

Grandma and Grandpa M

July 28, 2013

We worked a lot on the computers again mostly on the Building Self-Reliance and Eliminating Poverty project.  We will give a Presentation to the Spanish Town District Branch presidents Saturday.  So we have been making a Power Point presentation and writing the narrative.

We Went to Young Single Adult’s Fund raising Play in Spanish Town.  Saturday afternoon.  It was entitled ‘Stand ye in Holy Places’.   It was to help the YM & YW earn money for their camp experience next month. They or their parents made treats to sell so they earned extra money that way too. They really had the place rockin!!  It was done with the great enthusiasm the youth here always have here.  They love getting together and preforming.  They are not shy about doing it either.  We even had some break dancing and Rappin LDS style.  The kids did a great job.  They videoed it and will sell copies.  Very enterprising youth…

Singram Medical Clinic- Craig Graham and his wife Kezea Sinclair-Graham have just opened up a new medical practice.  They are members of the church and are just getting re-activated.  They are a great couple and will be helping to get the Prospective Jamaican Missionaries ready for their missions.  They will do the Medical Exams, blood work and immunizations all at a much reduced rate.  They have such a spirit of service about them.  We will be working on a project to assist them with a few of their office needs in exchange for their help.  They will also assist all the missionaries here when they can.  They have just moved into the Kingston Branch from Spanish Town.  The offices are simple but the knowledge and skills they represent is marvelous.

 Exam Room

We have been assigned to contact all the Prospective Missionaries in three Branches; Kingston, Constant Spring, and Boulevard. We hope to persuade as many of the youth as can to go on a Mission.  Some Branches have over 60 members ages 17 to 23 who are possible candidates to go on a mission.   Our job is to find out who from that list is eligible and has a desire to serve the Lord. President Brown wants to have 30 Jamaican Missionaries to go on their missions this year.  This has become his main focus to get more Jamaican Missionaries and to strengthen the church here in Jamaica.  He knows when the Missionaries return they will become church Leaders and make Church in Jamaica stronger.

We invited the Kingston Missionaries over for dinner to discuss how to get prospective Missionaries on a Mission. You can see Elder Weaver, (looking directly at you).  He is from Texas. Clock wise around the table from him is Elder Faumui, from Trinidad, next is Elder Peters from Utah (WVC), and on the right is Elder Grey from England.  Elders Weaver and Gray are working in the office during the day and our proselytizing in the evening in the Kingston branch and Elders Faumui and Peters work in the Kingston Branch full the time.

 We have been told you can’t fill up a Missionary.  I am beginning to think they are right.  They ate and ate until nothing was left.  Of course Sister Murdock’s cooking is had to refuse.  She made sure they got their green vegetables in the casserole she made and in the salad too. They didn’t even know they were eating Callaloo.  That is a Jamaican type of Spinach.  Next time I’ll make big batch of pancakes just to see if it’s possible to fill them up, it works on the Grandkids.

I guess the most exciting news we have had is that the Mortensens who were scheduled to leave for home August. 27 have extended their mission!!! For another year!!!!  That is such a blessing for us here.  They have been wonderful missionaries serving in the Lindstead and Ocho Rios branches.  They are real troopers and we are sure that the Lord will bless them.  They have a hard job in working with two branches but they are up for the task and do a great job.  We have found (along with the other Senior Missionaries), that the Lord lifts you up to perform the tasks he needs to have done.  Our burdens are made lighter and we are  firmer in the faith.  As you can tell we really love our mission and knowing others from our ward are doing the same service all around the world brings us such joy.  My Brother Fred and his wife Donalda are talking in their ward today about their experience preparing and go on a mission and serving.  Each mission is a little different.  It seems like there are no hard and fast rules for what a senior missionary does.  You just find the need and fill it.  Few have specific callings.  It depends on what the mission president needs done and your ability to do it.  The Lord places you in the right place for your talents and abilities.  He’s good at that…

Love to you all

Mom and Dad

E/S Murdock

July 21, 2013

Lots of great things happened this week.  Our New Mission President hits the ground running and not even Usain Bolt could keep up. Sunday was the Spanish Town District Conference meeting.  In the meetings we were told over the last 10 years the church has been stagnant with a growth of only 300 people bring the total of 5500 members in Jamaica.  The Members in Jamaica have been struggling with most members being first generation members.   President Brown spoke twice and I don’t know of any talks I have ever heard that had more power; or where I felt the spirit more than I did during President Brown’s talks.  Jamaica received 15 new young Missionaries this week.  More than has ever been sent to Jamaica at one time.  President Brown stated it is Jamaica’s time and prophesied that before these Missionaries went home, Jamaica would grow and have its first Stake.  This is huge.  For many years Jamaica has been talking about getting Stakes and maybe even a Temple, but up until now nothing has ever happened.  Now is Jamaica’s time; the gospel will spread and we are grateful to be here and be a part of it.  The Lord is truly hastening his work.  

Transfer day and the Lord’s Army

 On Tuesday we drove to Port Antonio and picked up two Missionaries, Elder Gill and Elder Creager who are being transferred to a new area.  We were taking them to Kingston to be trained to be trainers for new Missionaries.  They live in an apartment with Elder Gordon and Hill. Of course we had to take them to KFC for lunch before we left. Packing four missionaries into the back of the truck was interesting!  They said they had actually had 6 in the back seat before… Not sure how they managed that!

 Wednesday; transfer day we picked up two more Elders to take them back to Port Antonio.  Their meetings went long and we did not get to leave until just before dark.  That put us back home around 11:30 that night and had to eat before going to bed .  Still trying to catch up on the lost sleep.

 Oops we were not quit done we had to go get the other Elders belongings.

 After the conference was over we hung around visiting for a while.  Sister Brown (our mission mom) came out to visit with mom and her son took this picture.  Sister Brown is such a Sweet lady.  She is always hugging the sister missionaries.  She has her hands full raising four children and about 120 missionaries are now looking to her for motherly guidance.

 While at the District Conference we met Brother Sutherland.  If you remember we were able to deliver to him, his new wheelchair.  At the time he had not been out of his house for almost a year.  He wanted to come to church now that he had his chair.  Brother Sutherland use to be a Branch President in Kingston.   Many, many his old Kingston Branch members were really excited to see him and lined up to talk to him.  I could just see the smile coming back to his face.  Just before leaving he asked for a Priesthood blessing.  It is hard to write what the heart feels but mine felt pretty good.  We rounded up some of the Spanish Town Branch Presidency and gave Brother Sutherland a blessing.  We pray he will get better and that the spirit will give him the comfort he needs.

We love you all.  In the past we have asked for any Senior who can to go on a mission to start filling out your papers.  Now President Brown has asked us to contact all Mission eligible Seniors we know, and invite them to come on a Mission to Jamaica.  All but three Senior Missionary couples will soon be going home with no replacements in site.  So now we are begging for more Seniors.   We simply cannot do all the work ourselves.  Many new young Sisters and Elders have answered the Lord’s call but Seniors are also desperately needed.  If you cannot come maybe you know a couple or a Senior Sister who can.   Please talk to them.  Jamaica needs Perpetual Education, Church Education System, Office, and Member Leadership Senior Missionaries (Couples or Sisters).  The only catch is that for Jamaica you will need to be in relatively good health.  If you or someone you know is interested please call or email us.  We can tell you what is needed and what life is like here in Jamaica.  Then we can refer you to President Brown who will also talk to you and give you as much information as you need.

Our mission has blessed our lives and the lives of our families so much.  You can’t even imagine the growth, love, and tender mercies the Lord has to offer you until you decide to follow Him to the mission fields.  I remember when President Hinckley talked about how sometimes he thought a rocking chair on the front porch sounded good.  But then he thought of all the work and the love he felt for us as members, and thought the rocking chair was NOT where he wanted to be.  Life in the service of the Lord is so much more rewarding than an old rocking chair.  If you have thought that sometime you might serve a mission…now is the time.  The work is Hastening…get on the band wagon, don’t be left behind.  Don’t deny yourselves or your family the blessings of serving the Lord.  If your family is able to help support you on your mission, then they are blessed even more.  The field is white, ready to harvest…

We love you and pray for a safe holiday for you.  Monroe is always at its finest during the 24^th of July celebrations.  Have fun!!

July 14, 2013

We were helping deliver wheelchairs this week.  The chairs are distributed by Food For The Poor which is where we went to pick up the chairs.  It was not the best day to do deliver wheelchairs because it was raining just like we were on a tropical Island. Tropical Storm Chantal  was just passing over us.  Mom said a prayer after we picked up Tracy and before we started off to get the chairs. We have been having a lot of rain this week.    She prayed that the weather would be tempered so we could deliver and fit these chairs.  We often have to do this outside, so we needed dry weather. When we got to FFP the rain stopped until we got our load tarped, and held off as we delivered each of the two chairs. It rained in-between when we were traveling to the next appointment we had scheduled to deliver that day.; but not while we were fitting the chairs to their recipients.

 Sister Lindo is 101 years old.  She was very alert when we were there.  I felt bad when she closed her eyes for the picture! Her grandson will take her to church in her new wheelchair.   She said she was glad to be able come to church.  You can see all of her house in this one picture. I stood in the doorway next to the wall. There are no pictures of the other lady who got a chair did not want her picture taken.  She didn’t want the neighbors to know that she had it.   She was shy.

 The next day we drove an hour and a half toward the East end of the Island to a little town called Seaforth.     To get to the next recipient we had to drive down a narrow road which turned into a narrow path too little for the truck.  Getting in was not too bad but backing out was hard.  Mom had to push the Zinc fences back so the mirrors on the truck would not get knocked off.

 The zinc on both sides of the path act as fences for the homes behind.  We have a small truck and this was very narrow.  We backed up to here so we could get out and walked down the lane to deliver the Chair to Henry.

 Henry the man receiving this chair has diabetes and had to have one leg amputated.  The other leg is also bad and the will have to be amputated after the first leg heals. You can see that his other ankle bone is not attached to the foot bones.

 This last little girl who received a wheelchair is only 7 years.  Shantae was so excited about her new wheelchair, now she could go outside and go back to school with her friends.  As you can see she had her leg operated on and will need several other operations before she is done.  We wish her the best and hope she keeps her terrific smile.

 

It is hard to see the people in such need. But we are so thankful for the church for providing these chairs to those who will truly benefit from them.  It is an invaluable program we get to be a part of.

We are so thankful for all that we are learning here.  It seems like just yesterday that we were home and yet our mission will be half over in the fall.  We are working hard and praying like never before.  Too bad we had to wait to appreciate the value of some lessons in life.  Lessons like depending on the Lord in Every Aspect of our lives…Prayer, we always had prayer in our home but now we DEPEND ON PRAYER to get through the days.  It leads guides and inspires our actions constantly.  We thought we were doing fine before, but now we have a deeper, more meaningful  understanding of the Power of Prayer.  We took for granted our life style.  We always thought we lived pretty simply…nothing extravagant or fancy; but living here we see how simple life can be and see the happiness the gospel brings to those who truly have very little by our standards in America.  Sweet is the Peace the Gospel Brings is something we see every day.    What a marvelous  growing experience a mission is!

The Lord lives and loves us as his children. He watches over us daily.  We just need to learn to listen more effectively, and act on those prompting quickly.  We love you all and pray for you …

Mom and Dad

Elder and Sister Murdock

P.S. We have learned that my sister Sally is very ill and in the hospital.  We want her to know that we love her, pray for her, and thank my brothers and their wives  in Kentucky who are watching over her.

July 9, 2013

Dear Family and Friends

Well there is always the computer work so we won’t spend too much time talking about that. Except to say that our Self Reliance Program Outline has been given to our new Mission Pres. Kevin Brown, and now we are working on the Power Point Presentation.  Dad has spent a great deal of time working and getting it ready to give to the Mission President.  The final decisions about it and any changes will be subject to his approval before it is given to our Area Welfare Authority in the D. R. It has been interesting to see and feel how this program comes along.  The Spirit can be so strong in its influence and yet so gentle to our thoughts.  We were only able to spend a few minutes with Pres. Brown a few days ago.  That was when we gave him our outline for the Self Reliant Program. He has hit the ground running at full speed…but then he must. He has transfers coming next week and 30 new missionaries coming this month with only 1 going home.  He mentioned to us how thankful he was for all Pres. Hendricks did before him.  He truly loves and respects him. 

We spent the 4^th of July with the Senior Missionaries having dinner up Stony Hill Road at a place called Boon’s Hill Oasis.  You would never expect to see a restaurant where this one was but it had good food and a beautiful environment too.  Sister Pugmire thought to bring a dessert (after checking with the Restaurant first of course), It was a red white and blue cake. It is always good to visit with the other Seniors and find out how they all are doing.

 

We spent the weekend in the Savanna la Mar Branch.  It was Fast Sunday and I thought I would bear my testimony…no such luck!  Those members were so fast to get up that I didn’t get the chance!!  It was wonderful to feel of their spirit and hear their testimonies.  There was not one travelogue, no ‘Thanktamony’, just Testimony, simple and sweet.  We also took some pictures to include in our Power Point.  We thought it would be nice to use pictures of Jamaicans living and working at life and practicing the gospel, than to use generic pictures of just anybody.

While there we were to meet with a school project at the Kiddies Kindergarten and Preparatory School to see if we could be of service to them.  They have many needs repairing their building, replacing lights, fans and help in the library adding computers for their students.   Pres. Blake (of the Sav. Branch) will visit with them again and help us in gathering the information we need to develop this project.  Such bright beautiful little faces at the school.

 We also met the “Murdock family” in church at the Savanna la Mar Branch.  They consists of a mom with 7 children she immediately adopted us into her family.  She challenged children in her testimony to all go on missions. With the look she gave them, she let them know that she full well expected total obedience.  It was wonderful to look at the children all beaming up at their mother when she said this.  The mom is the one on the back row on the far right.  These women do not look their ages here.  They can be at least 10 years older than they look!

 We also got to swim in the Caribbean Sea a little bit.  We had a rain storm that dumped an inch of rain in ½ an hour. The sea water around the river was brown because of decaying vegetation that was washed down the river by the heavy rains. The sea was so warm.  We have noticed that it is warmer here on the south side of the island than on the north. While swimming we saw two Rays in the water. One about a foot and the other about two feet long without the tail measurement (we did not get pictures because they would not hold still long enough).  Not sure what kind they were though. These were brownish in color and were sort of oval in shape with long stingers (tails).  

Temperatures and humidity are climbing as summer is in full swing.  We are not as hot as some places but the humidity makes it harder to take.  We are adjusting well to the 70 to 100% humidity.  70% seems to be normal humidity.  When it get higher you can see the air turn blue.

For those who know our people here:

Sister Wrights arm is getting better.  She has to keep it braced (strapped) to her side so it is immobile for another 2-4 weeks.

Elders Campbell and McCloud are doing well and adjusting to life after their missions. Both are serving in their home branches.

Bro. Bennett is helping Sister Davis (Constant Springs Branch) do some repairs to her Chicken coop.

If you want any specific information on people just write and let us know and we will find out what we can.

Pres. Brown said if any couples wanted to come here be sure to let us know and he will ask the Mission Department if they will send you to us.  We need Couple missionaries very badly.  We are doubling our compliment of young missionaries but we are losing our Senior Missionaries!! Please consider us and prayerfully pray about your service to the Lord…can you do more?

The Lord is so evident in all we do.  This is His Church and He is hastening his time.  This change in missionary age will be seen by history similar to the time when Joseph beheld the First Vision.  Come be a part of history by following the path the Lord wants you to grow in.

Love to all

Mom and Dad