February 23, 2014

Jamaica Kingston Mission

This week we were able to meet with Pres. Bonilla of the Constant Spring Branch and discuss our Self-Reliance Project.   It is something that we have been working on but have had to put aside for a little while so we could pursue other projects.  This one is something that, if done properly, will help the members bring themselves up and out of poverty. People can give you all the help and suggestions in the world; but if YOU think of something that you would really care about and have a commitment to, it is going to be something you are more likely to succeed at.  This program is priesthood driven and Branch administered with help from the church only if needed.  It is hard to explain in a nutshell but the idea is to help the members find what they have an interest and a talent in…something they are capable of achieving and helping them find a path to success in achieving their goals.  He is looking at the Lords Storehouse within his branch for solutions for his financially struggling members.   Pres. Bonilla is a marvelous Branch President who really understands the role of the Priesthood as a guiding light in the lives of his sons and daughters.  He has already outlined four projects that will help some of his members who are struggling financially. Also it will help those who would have a harder time with traditional employment due to health or age issues.  Like I said he is a marvelous man.

We made a trip out to Yallahs and purchased more materials for the chicken coops out there.  This little branch is one that we really fell in love with.  They have been experiencing a growth spurt and are averaging between 45-60 people attending.  This is a pretty great thing since some of the people have to stand as they don’t have chairs for more than about 45 or so.  It really is an amazing thing to see when they start running out of chairs. First the missionaries give up their seats and then the priesthood starts to stand and give up their seats.  The children start sitting 2 to a chair…We just sit and marvel at the love that this little branch exhibits for each other.  The “Chicken Council”, as they call themselves; has been meeting twice a week to build all the chicken coops. They should have them all completed by the end of this week coming.  We have pre-ordered the laying hens and they should be ready for delivery in May and the broiler chicks can be delivered very soon now. It is wonderful to see how service truly builds love and unity in a branch.

 Plus we got to go for a walk on the beach last Saturday!! That is our De-Stressing Technique.  There is something about the ocean waves that just has a calming effect on both of us.

 It is amazing to think that a desert plant can survive in such a humid environment but here they are…just of the shoreline on the sandy beach…

 The Halls have been assigned to the Ocho Rios Branch and the Port Antonio Branch as well.  We will miss going to the Ocho Rios Branch. Pres. Lester has become one of our favorite people.  He is a single parent raising his 15 year old son; he has significant health issues, and a branch president with only one counselor to assist him.  He is a very resourceful man who finds a way to accomplish his goals without asking for financial aid from anyone. He raises a garden, has fruit trees and has started his own chicken project all by himself. He had a cook shop but when he fell and injured his knee in October he was not able to stand and do the cooking so he had to give up the cook shop.

We had the Halls stay overnight with us again as it was our monthly FHE with the Mission President.  It is always a good time when all the Senior Missionaries get together.  We got to know the Halls a little better and the Senior Sisters Wege and Kinghorn gave a lesson on ‘following the spirit and holding on to the Iron rod’…or in our case it was the PVC Rod! What great fun it was to blindfold the Presidents children and have someone be the Holy Ghost whispering in their ear, telling them where to go and where to turn; then to have all the ‘noisy people’ talking and trying to lead them astray.  Great object lesson!

We also had a Bi-Monthly Skype session with our Humanitarian Manager and the other Humanitarian Missionaries in the Caribbean. It is good to have a regular connection with others who are doing similar things.  It helps to hear from them. We were supposed to have our annual training next month but it has been put on hold…we are struggling with our Humanitarian Missionaries going home and no one to replace them.  It really hurts what we are trying to accomplish when there is no one to carry the torch so to speak after we leave the mission field. Sooo if you know anyone who wants an exciting, challenge filled adventure, with blessings you can’t number, just give us a call and we can have our Mission President give you a personal call and invitation to Jamaica!

As usual the weeks are flying by and the work is progressing. The Lord is blessing us in so many ways we can’t number them.  We have good days and bad days but the Blessings always outweigh anything we could ever complain about.  Our health has been good, we have been kept safe and out of harm’s way, we have been guided by the Spirit to do things, or say things or guided to places that has been beneficial to others. Our testimonies have grown and our Love for each other and the Lord increases daily. Our appreciation of family and friends also has also grown so much. Your love and support means the world and more to us.  We could not be here without you all…Stay true to the faith, help each other, support each other in all righteous endeavors, and know that we love you…

Love

Mom and Dad

E/S Murdock

February 16, 2014

Elder and Sister Murdock reporting from Jamaica

We spent the week of transferring Missionaries and doing Computer Reports. 

The first Missionaries we helped were a new set of Senior Missionaries, the Halls, from Canada.  We helped them learn a little about Jamaica and showed them their new area.

 They have been assigned to the Branch in Ocho Rios the Branch we have been working with.  They are a great couple and will be able to dedicate much more time to helping the Branch and President Lester.  We still plan on visiting whenever we get the opportunity.  We were able to help them move into their apartment and show them around the area.

 While we were in Ochi we took some time to swim in the Sea and go for a walk.  Along the way we took some pictures of our little tropical paradise. Below is a picture of the Little Dunns River Falls.

 After getting the Halls settled in we help transfer Ocho Rios and Negril Elders to Spanish Town and back to their new areas.  All in all the transfers took three days.  We enjoy being with the other Missionaries and hearing all their stories.  All was good except when we swam in the Sea we swam and swam until we couldn’t swim any more then the next day we sat in the truck for six hours.  The old body kind of got use to the sitting position and did not want to straighten up again.  You think we would learn…

After being involved with wheelchair training for so long we had to get back to our other projects.  The is a picture of the School For the Blinds chicken project.  The coop is nearly ready for the Layer Chickens.  The eggs will help feed the children and if any are left over they will be sold to buy other food items for the school.

Our Son Aaron had a birthday last Monday and we want to wish him a most Happy Birthday.  We did get to see some pictures that were posted on Face Book of his Birthday dinner with his cute little family.  Thanks for posting those.  We really love our family and miss the milestones they are having while we are away; but we have really loved this wonderful opportunity to serve the Lord.  There is so much work to do and if there are any willing and able to ‘put their shoulder to the wheel’, I know of a certain mission president who would love to request your presence in his field of labor….  We never in a million years ever thought we would ever get to serve in such a place as Jamaica, but we have truly learned to love the people, and the work. Our testimonies have grown so much.

Be safe, keep the commandments.  We love you all.

Love

Mom and Dad

E/S Murdock

February 10, 2014

Life is good in Jamaica.  During the last two weeks we sponsored and completed four different Wheelchair Assessor classes.  The Assessors are trained to evaluate a person’s need for a wheelchair, take the persons measurements, order the correct wheelchair, and adjust the wheelchair to correctly fit the person.  Wheelchair Specialists Elder and Sister Cullimore helped us get everything ready for the training.  Short term Specialists and Physical Therapists, Shane Rosenberg, an Steve Spencer  were the trainers.  Around 70 Jamaican’s were trained as Wheelchair Assessors.  The Assessors are from medical or humanitarian organizations with locations all over the island.  It is our hope that people with disabilities will have one of the Assessors close by where they live.

Here is a few pictures of the over 133 people who were assessed for wheelchairs.  Not all of the people qualified for chairs but most all of them did. 

That’s the generic sterile version of what happened.  But look at these great people each with an exciting and heart wrenching story.  Every one of them is a hero in my eyes.  We had been going from 5 am to 9 pm every day  and we were starting to feel tired and hot.  Then we were privileged to work with these great people.   They made us feel ashamed for feeling sorry for ourselves.  Not only did they teach us to deal with the things life throws at us but they were the ones who cheered us up and made us laugh.   I hope as you look at their pictures you can laugh too and go out and be better prepared to meet the little things life throw at you.

 Usain Bolt is a runner and a Jamaican hero, famous for all his Olympic Gold Medals in track.

 We did not have a fat lady sing but it is over and we will miss them.

February 2, 2014

Dear Family and Friends

As we write this we are weary to the bone! But by morning we will be up and at it again and glad for the opportunity to be in the Lords service here in Jamaica.

We have had:

1 full 3 day Wheelchair training course with the Salvation Army.

3 one day classes on how to assemble the new Rough Rider Wheelchairs. (They come un assembled!) and,

1 Refresher Course for those who were trained in 2010.

We have given out about 45 chairs this week to poor persons who either did not have a chair or to persons whose chairs were so worn down or broken that they were just about useless.  All persons who were able to receive a new chair were so thankful and left with great big smiles on their faces.  Many family members/caregivers were also positively affected by the new chairs given out during this past week.

We need to keep careful records on who is in each class and get their contact information so we can create a listing of all trained Wheelchair Assessors in Jamaica.

 During class they all learn the correct procedure to determine how to find and fit the correct chair for the different individuals they will come into contact with. There is a lot of information they must know about each person they Assess, in order to put them in a chair that will not only be of great help to them but one that will not do any damage to their already compromised health.

 The Trainers from Salt Lake, Steve Spencer and Shane Rosenberg have all the participants in the class sit in the wheelchairs all during the training so they get a feel for what it is like. In the picture below they are at the stations set up and the participants are getting a ‘hands on’ experience putting them together. You can See Elder Murdock sitting in the back. Staying in these chairs all day and maneuvering around in then is not always an easy task.

 They even had a wheelchair course the trainees had to go through with the two different styles of chairs we had at the training.  We had the Rough Rider chair for those who have a lot of outdoor use; and the Standard chair that is used indoors ( ie nursing homes, hospitals etc.) Some people are in a situation where they don’t go over rough terrain or their health restricts their ability to use a wheelchair independently, they would be Standard chair candidates.    The Rough Rider is made to go over bumps and rougher terrain than the Standard Chair.  The Rough Rider was a lot easier to go up the ramps.  You have more use of your arms than in the standard chair.

Finally the Day came when Trainees were actually using their new found knowledge to help others.  This gentleman lost both of his legs and his old chair was just trashed.   He was so happy with the new one he didn’t even take the old one back home with him.

 The gentleman in the picture below received a Standard Chair due to his loss of strength.  He won’t be going out for any long distance rides, but he was sure grateful to have a chair that he can be taken around the house in.

 Today, Sunday we went up to Ocho Rios to attend church and they were having a baptism after church.  Below you See Elder Hamilton from Springville preforming the baptism.  He is an awesome elder who has only been in Ocho for 4 weeks now.  He and his companion Elder Adams are a great team. The place is called Fishermen’s Wharf.  They use the boats all the time

Well the time is far spent and we are up early for another week of Wheelchair Trainings.  We have two more 3 day training classes this week and then we will continue with all of our regular project work.

We want to wish our oldest son Richard and his sweet wife Naloni  Happy Anniversary. We are so glad to have you both in our family.  We love you…We love our work here.  It seems like the time is flying by quickly, but we are really doing all we can to contribute to the people of Jamaica in the Lords way.  No other way will be of any good, and can in fact do more harm.  When things are done in the Lord way, it always turns out for the best.  Well the day is far spent and we must get this off to you our love ones.  As they say here:  Blessings, Respect Mon…

Love Mom and Dad

Elder and Sister Murdock

January 27, 2014

All is well in Jamaica

This week we worked from sunup to sundown visiting Jamaica Food initiative Projects.  I’ll give you a little introduction on the food projects.  Normally Church Humanitarian project are between the Church and Non-Government Organizations like, school, hospitals, orphanages, rest homes etc.  Three years ago and for the first time ever the Church started some food projects with members.  The first project included pigs, goats, bees, broiler chickens, layer chickens and gardens.  In 2012 it was determined that around 76% of the projects were still operating.  So now three years later in 2014 we are going back and checking to see how the projects are doing.  We will do the math later for now enjoy the pictures.

We got to go onto some of the back roads so Dad was pretty happy driving around in those areas. He felt right at home.  Some of our mission friends will recognize some of the people in the pictures from the Boulevard Branch. This first picture is of Tevin Wilsons back yard.  He has a broiler chicken project and his grandfather has a pig project.  Both of these are doing well.  His grandfather has six pigs some about ready to sell and others waiting for breeding. Tevin has his chickens about ready for butchering.  In the picture you can see the cinder block pens where the pigs call home.

 Just had to add this little cutie, he is Tevins 17 month old daughter. Such a honey

This next picture is of the Samuel Family garden.  They had just started replanting and had tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, some peppers and callaloo, (like our spinach). They were expanding their garden area.  Gardens here can grow all year round.  At some point they have to let the ground rest and replenish it with nutrients.  These people were using a composting method of food scraps, chicken manure, and ashes from their cooking fire to discourage slugs.

 Next is our famous ‘coop on the roof. It seemed that everyone does laundry on Tuesdays so we saw a lot of clothes hanging on the lines that day. Sister Davis is quite famous as the only one with a chicken coop on her roof.  She has just barely 15-16 inches between her house and her neighbors’ walls so it is a narrow climb up the steps to the roof.  She is a dear sweet lady and we love her. 

 The picture below is really interesting.  This is Sister Greens project. It was so well hidden you couldn't see where it is and we were actually very close to it.  Gotta love a country that is this lush and green.

 Next is Bro. and Sister Leroy Green. They are another wonderful family.  They faithfully serve in the church and try to help out when they can. Right now their coop is empty but they hope to be restarting their project soon.  He was out of work for a while but now has found a job. Sister Green was just released today from being the Relief Society President. Bro and Sister Green are in the center of the picture. The man on the far right is Bro. Bennett.  He is the Welfare Specialist for this branch and came with us to visit the projects. For those who know, Pres. Hamilton was just released as Branch president, now is a “District Man”.  When the stake is organized later this year he will be a High Councilman. Bro. Reid is now the Branch President. (Added info here. Pres. Singh has been released also and Bro. Bonilla is now the Branch President.)The other ‘pale couple’ in the pictures are the Cullimores. They are our Short Term Specialists from Church Headquarters.  Short term may be a misnomer. They have been doing this and the wheelchair program all over the world for 7 years now.

 his last picture is of some of the difficulties these people go through.  This lady is getting water from the local spigot.  She is lucky she doesn’t have to go too far from her home to fill her water jugs. We take for granted all the little conveniences we have at home.  The safe shelter, the running water, electricity at the flip of a switch, and the ease of shopping to fill our needs.  Most of us have a job, a car, families that love and care for us. Anything we think we Need, we can get when we want to. Jamaicans are very resourceful and better off than some in the world. And Americans are better off than any other country in the world.  Yes we have our problems but I am continually reminded as I look around just how blessed we truly are.

This week our Grandson Talon Larson turned 10 years old.  He is a bright and usually happy (and now a not so little) person.  We want to wish him a very happy birthday, we love you Monkey Man!!! On your birthday Grandpa and Grandma were climbing up and down all sorts of jungle trails.  We wish you were here to experience some of this.  You would love it here…

We were able to see Elder Martin, the missionary that was injured about two weeks ago.  He is a walking miracle.  He was at Devon House with his parents.  They are hoping to be able to take him home soon.  He will have another CAT scan Monday morning. His father says if all goes well they will take the fastest plane back home.  Elder Martin is determined to come back to Jamaica and finish his mission…that will be up to SLC and the Drs. back home. He is a marvelous young man.  We will miss him. Well we are up and at it early tomorrow so that is all for now.

We love you all and are so thankful for your continued prayers for us. It is hard to imagine how fast the time is going by now…

Love you tons and bunches

Mom and Dad

Elder and Sister Murdock

January 20, 2014

Morning, Morning

Our neighbor and good friend Ron Beason saw a young girl in a magazine who lived in a foreign country and she needed help.  This little girl is happy and has a good family but she looks like the little girl in the magazine and we are helping.  Her family received this coop 100 broiler chickens and some feed to try to help her family become self-reliant. The Church gives them a good start and they provide the work to help their family

 Her home is one at the back on the left.  There are several different family members living in this group of homes.

 The Yallahs Branch is just starting to build its chicken coops.  But first we had to order the lumber.  This is DJ’s Lumber, a little different from Larsen’s ACE Hardware where I used to work.  You cannot touch the merchandise but you can look at it through the wire mesh and point at what you want.  This does a pretty good job of cutting down on shop lifting. You pay through the little slots in the wire.

 Then you go back and wait for the material to be delivered.  We ordered it several days ago and went to the Yallahs chapel to wait for the delivery.  In the picture, on the left, you can see Elder Stuart from Woodruff Utah.  He is the Branch President, and his companion Elder Matthewson.  He is from Las Vegas but his parents have recently moved to St. George.  There are various branch members in this picture waiting around with us.  As the time for the delivery approached move members came.

 Then the building started.  George is a carpenter and our chicken coop building leader.  Most of the people were women.  George did an excellent job of helping them understand what they needed to do.  First he drew a picture of the coop on a chalk board and showed them where each board need to go.  The he cut the boards and laid it where it needed to be then he handed them a hammer and some nails and let them have at it.   Most of the women had never hammered a nail before but when they tried all the others would cheer them on and shout in glee when the nail was driven in place.  They were a hard working fun group and they were laughing and giggling all the time.  One time one of the sisters asked me how two remove the wood from a dado cut in to a board.  Well it felt good to do some woodworking again.  Maybe a little too good she finally pried the hammer from my hands a gently bumped me out of the way so she could get back to work.  It is hard to sit and watch when you so badly want to get up and swing a hammer yourself. But these people need to do the work so they have a vested interest in their projects.  The branch will build all of the coops before anyone gets any chickens.  That way everyone will help so they can get their chickens.  It also helps them to learn to love each other by serving each other. The old adage “You love who you Serve” is really true.  It was such a marvelous blessing to see them come together and help each other.

 This sister was very shy and timid but she got up and took her turn at hammering in a nail.  All the other sisters stopped what they were doing and cheered her on and sang her praises when the nail was all the way in.  Then this seventy six year old girl beamed from ear to ear.  She is the one with the green dress in the center of the picture.

 When it was time for us to go we took a group picture.  The Yallahs Branch had a great time working together and helping each other out.  It was a great day and one of the finest projects we have worked on.  The missionary couple on the right of the picture is the Evans.  They work in our Mission Office.  Without them we would be lost.  Elder Evans also served as Branch President here in Yallahs for 15 months before being released. They will be heading home to Arizona the first week of February. He really enjoyed coming back to visit these sweet people.  Elder Stuart will serve here until it is time for him to return home in May of this year.  By then we are hoping there will be a Jamaican who can serve as Branch President.

It has been a busy week and the next few weeks promise to be even more so.  I remember Sister Marjory Hinckley saying that when she got to heaven she didn’t want to arrive in a fancy car with a beautiful young body, looking like she just walked out of the beauty parlor…she wanted to get there completely worn out, driving an old station wagon, and barely able to walk.  She wanted to be worn out working for the Lord.  I am beginning to get a better understanding of the sentiment…

Take care our precious family and friends, we love you all

Mom and Dad

Elder and Sister Murdock

January 12, 2014

Dear Family and Friends

This week has been one of miracles, and we thank the Lord every day for them.  We have been struggling to get the supplies for the upcoming wheelchair training. At each turn of the road it seemed that we were being blocked by one problem or another.  Then this week things began to seriously come together.  The tool bags have been sewn and stamped with the church logo and we now have them ready to insert the tools.  The picture below is of Sister Cole from the Spanish Town 1^st Branch..  She is the 76 year old sweetheart who sewed all of our tool kit bags together.   It is hard to see, but she has made a slot for each tool to fit into and then you roll it up and tie it shut.

 We still don’t have all the tools we need but the Cullimores from SLC will be here on Thursday and will be bringing the rest of them.  Even the wholesale outlets were out so we were buying tools 2 to 3 at a time trying to get everything we needed. Wheelchair training polo shirts and supply bags with the church logo have been ordered and should be ready for pick up this Wednesday. The four training classes have been filled and the emails sent out to the respective participants. All of the notebooks and supplies for the bags have been purchased. The foot blocks and benches used to measure the people receiving a wheelchair are being built for the training classes too. The lunches for the training classes have been ordered and the wheelchairs are in port now just waiting for clearance to be delivered to the Salvation Army.  Even the Certificates of Completion are almost ready. We have a plan for the visits to the food projects this week and then the wheelchair training starts the week after that…..the list goes on and on but the point is that things are coming together in answer to prayer.  The Lord is mindful of all of us in our efforts to serve him and the people of Jamaica. What a blessing it is to know that He loves all of us and is watching over each of us always.

Also we were able to get the Electro Cardiogram (ECG) machine we have been trying to get for the last 5 months. And we have another project for hygiene kits that has been approved.  It should be here in about 2-3 months. We have ordered 340 adult Layer Hens for Salvation Army School For the Blind and the Church’s Yallahs Branch Chicken projects that are in progress now.  They have to be ordered early as they will deliver them to us when they get to be about 6 months old and ready to begin laying.  It is actually cheaper here to order the adult birds than it is to raise them up from day old chicks.  The cost of feed is going up!

We have been assigned the Ocho Rios Branch as member leadership support (MLS) . We will attend there when we are not traveling….that means more lunches by the Sea.  We usually pack a lunch for the Sunday travel days.

 Below you can see the old and the new parts of life in Ocho.  The old boats that the locals use for fishing and the hotels the tourists stay in in the background.  Just off to the left of the picture is the port where the cruise ships dock at when they come to Ocho Rios.

 Pres. Brown asked us to encourage any able senior couple to put their mission papers and consider coming to Jamaica.  We sure need them here as I am sure they are needed all over the world.  The time is now and the call has been given to each of us as the ‘time of the Lord hastening His work’ is now. Here in Jamaica the church is poised for growth.  What better time to thrust in your sickle than where the field is white and ready for harvest. 

You may remember that we met a man who was our guide as we went for a tour in the Green Grotto Cave last November..  His name was Ched. He remarked that he felt the Holy Spirit very strong when we went through the cave with another senior couple (the Evans), he kept repeating ‘Who are you people and why do I feel the Holy Spirit so strong around you?  You people glow!” With his permission we turned his name into the Missionaries in Ocho Rios as that is the closest branch to where he lives.  The Sisters Missionaries have been teaching him and he has accepted a baptismal date of Feb. 2.  We are so happy for him and hope that he will continue to grow in the gospel. The Sister missionaries are teaching him with the aid of a family in the Ocho Rio Branch.

This past week our family celebrated the 2nd birthday of our grandson ‘little Rex’.  He is the son of Aaron and Marci Murdock…such a cutie…. On the same day Aaron and Marci celebrated their 8^th Wedding Anniversary…wondering if they are setting a trend there….consolidating birthday and anniversaries???

As always please know that you all are loved and cherished, and as always you are in our thoughts and prayers. Stay strong; stay true, it’s the right thing to do…

Love

Mom and Dad

Elder and Sister Murdock