Our Replacements

If "three is the charm" . . . then five must be "the choice!" because there have been five couples who were supposedly coming to Guyana to take over our PEF, ERS and YSA responsibilities.

The first couple was from Missouri.  They were willing to come to Guyana, they said, on the condition there would be no mosquitos, no humidity, no crime in the country and no planes crashing while they were here!

 

The second couple had already served a mission in Guyana and really, really wanted to come back, but their call to a second mission in "the land of many waters" didn't happen.

The third couple was from our very own Bloomington 7th Ward.  The Hooks had previously served two back-to-back PEF missions in South Africa, so we all thought they were perfect for Guyana.  Apparently the brethren in Salt Lake City thought they were needed elsewhere.  Their call?  Member support missionaries in Independence, Missouri!  Go figure.

The 4th couple , Elder Melvin and Sister Carol Beutler - who we have been told are coming to replace us in Guyana - accepted the calling and are expected to arrive on June 23 from Weston, Idaho (population 450)!  Unfortunately for them, they were required to bypass the MTC in order to have five days with us so we can teach them all we know before we head home.  But, we didn't count on having to go home 3 weeks early because I was diagnosed with a macular hole in my right eye.

Then we heard from Elder Bob and Sister Katie Beecher from Lehi, Utah who say THEY are our replacements.  According to this "over-the-top-eager" couple, their call letter from President Monson says they are Guyana PEF!  We invited them to come to St. George so we could train them . . . they are planning to be here on July 20-21. 

"Hooray," we thought . . . then people in the DR and in the WIM office in Trinidad began asking the same question:  "who are the Beechers and who told them they were going to Guyana?"  Some investigation on my end found that the Beutlers "official" call is to be "member and leader support missionaries" . . . and the Beechers are, in fact, our replacements.

The Beutlers are doing their best to "hold the wheels on the wagon" until mid-September when the Beechers arrive . . . and there is still some question as to how the multi-tasks in Guyana (mission office, PEF, ERS, YSA, distribution center orders, immigration, transfers, etc.) will be divided between these two couples, but at least we are now getting some answers (after FIVE false starts)!