Dinner with the President

We enjoyed a delightful dinner on Thursday evening with President Gamiette, his wife Delphine and their five children (Corilee, Jennifer, Terry, Tom and Amy). President is from French-speaking Guadaloupe and is surprisingly young for a mission president. He is also a "first generation" member with an amazing knowledge of the gospel from several years teaching at the Institute in his home town and from dedicated personal study of the scriptures. We look forward to getting better acquainted and to helping him in his duties.

Pan Yards Make Sweet Music

Did you know steel pans originated in Trinidad? After World War II, Trinidad was strewn with oil drums and once they had been emptied there was no good use for them . . . until pannists realized they could make music using straight sticks tipped with rubber. Sixty years later, Trinidad now boasts hundreds of steel bands and dozens of pan yards. Every year there are numerous competitions, festivals and opportunities to hear them perform - even if it is just during a rehearsal. We’ve been to a pan yard 2-3 times since we arrived in Trinidad and, although it is not the type of music we would search for on the car radio, it is exciting to hear, wonderfully rhythmic and fun!

Skylar Postma

It was with mixed feelings we received word Skylar Postma, 2nd child of Kaytee and Josh was born at 2:31 am on Wednesday, January 26, 2011. This beautiful child weighed in at 6 lbs 4 oz. and is 19 inches long.

Why mixed feelings? As happy as I am that she is safely here and her Momma is OK, it makes me terribly sad I am not there to welcome her along with her parents and other grandparents.

When I said, “I’ll go where you want me to go, Dear Lord,” I knew as missionaries, we would miss some exciting family events, but did not expect it to be this painful! Congratulations to Kaytee and Josh. Even from this distance, I can see she is beautiful just like her Momma!!!

Left is Right

The rule of the road is a paradox quite,
For if you keep to the left, you're sure to be right.

Wow, driving on the left side of the road is a completely new - and nervewracking - experience! After driving on the right side of the road since we were 14 and 16 respectively, it is pretty strange.

Around the world, there are 76 countries where drivers hug the left side of the road - most who have an historical connection to Great Britain (exceptions are Japan, Canada and the United States) - including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey, Malta, Cyrus, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, South Africa, Thailand, Indonesia, Bhutan, Nepal, East Timor, Japan . . . and Guyana, Suriname, Barbados and Trinidad/Tobago in the West Indies Mission!

The idea to travel on the left side of the road stemmed from the need for either friendly handshakes - or self-defense - when knights and warriors met on rural roads. Most used their right hand for fencing so when horse-mounted, traveling on the left side of the road was the only way to draw and be able to use a sword swiftly.

No matter when it was adopted or whose idea it was, driving on the left side of the road is still odd and a little bit scary! What makes us smile, is how odd it is going to feel when we go back to driving on the right side when we return home to southern Utah.

Meet the WIM Office Staff

Although serving as the West Indies Mission Office Manager / Secretary to the President and the Mission Financial Secretary are not the assignments we expected as fulltime missionaries, we are "thrusting in our sickles with all our soul, that our sins may be forgiven ... that we may be laden with sheaves upon our backs ... and that our family will live (together in eternity)!" (D&C 31:5)

We hope soon to be working in the Perpetual Education Fund in Guyana, but for now we are busy ordering replacement nametags for missionaries, making sure they have rent money, arranging to have cars repaired, paying bills and reassuring worried Mothers! Jumping through a varity of governmental hoops to be sure all missionaries are in the country “legally,” ordering brochures and manuals and making certain there is a generous supply of Books of Mormon on the shelf for investigators!

Meet the mission office staff – four of 17 senior missionary couples currently serving in the West Indies Mission - including (from left [front] Elder and Sister Luster (Ephraim, UT); [Elder and] Sister Childs (American Fork, UT); Elder and Sister Wheeler (Blackfoot, ID) and Elder and Sister Sappington (St. George, UT). We are also happy to have an assortment of young elders, including Elders Johnson, Dyson and Jordan, helping from time-to-time in the office.

Stressed? Take Two Aspirin and Go to the Beach!!!

In Trinidad, the prescription for stress is to “take 2 aspirin and go to the beach!” So when Trekker, the Traveling Tiger, told us he was very stressed trying to get over his jet lag, we had no choice on our Preparation Day, but to take him for a beautiful drive through a tropical forest to a white sandy beach with swaying palm trees and white capped waves. He loved it and after a short time, he began to relax and soon forgot all his problems.

Just as we were all beginning to relax like Trekker - while playing in the beautiful, blue Caribbean Ocean - it clouded up and rained for about 15 minutes. Everyone got soaked, but the day was warm, so as soon as the rainclouds disappeared, Trekker, Grandpa Ed and Grandma Linda dried in a hurry.

Another high point of the day was lunch at a roadside stand where we all enjoyed a tasty meal of bake and SHARK! No kidding!!! The “bake” part was like a scone, but the shark part was . . . well, shark, so Trekker - who is a kitty at heart - was really happy with the menu. So happy, in fact, he purred all the way home!!!

Trekker is in Trinidad

Trekker, the Traveling Tiger . . . and Grandpa Ed and Grandma Linda finally made it to Trinidad after riding on five airplanes and stopovers in three countries. We traveled from Salt Lake City to Dallas/Fort Worth, then on to Miami. From Miami Trekker flew to the Dominican Republic . . . then to Panama City and finally to Trinidad. Poor little Trekker was soooooo tired when we arrived, but the three of us can’t get into our apartment for another two weeks so Trekker, Grandpa Ed and G-Ma are hanging out at a bed and breakfast inn . . . with a swimming pool.

Stopping in the Dominican Republic

On Monday, January 17, we spent twelve hours in the air on 3 planes to travel from Salt Lake City, by way of Dallas and Miami before we finally arrived in the Dominican Republic. In Santo Domingo, a city of 3 million people, we participated in 2 additional days of training on the Perpetual Education Fund before heading to our final destination in Trinidad.

The DR is considered a 3rd world country due to widespread poverty. However, it has some amazing natural beauty, including unique flowers and trees and a splendid shoreline. The people are friendly and helpful. The city's skyline is filled with high rise buildings and the church is beginning to have a real presence here with 10 stakes, dozens of branches and a beautiful temple on a hill overlooking the city.

The most interesting memories of our time in the DR include toilets which don't always flush, frequent power outages, and driving city streets where there are no rules!!! No kidding . . . no one stops at stop signs or street lights. Drivers turn left from the far right lane . . . right from the far left lane and everyone takes whatever place on the road where they can stick the nose of their car. The biggest . . . or the most aggressive driver always wins! Driving in Santo Domingo can best be described as a cross between bumper cars at a county fair and a national game of “chicken” involving every driver on the road. This is one experience you have to have for yourself, because there really is no way to describe it in words. I kept my eyes closed much of the time, because driving in Santo Domingo is what we used to describe as an “E-ticket” ride at Disneyland!!!

Things I Learned at the MTC

It has now been three weeks since we entered the MTC and it is time to move on to our mission field. Before we board a plane for an 8-hour flight to the Dominican Republic (for three more days of PEF training before flying onto the West Indies), I thought it appropriate to share my list of those things I've learned since arriving at this wonderful place . . .

* The profound difference between the Bishops' Storehouse and the Lord's Storehouse.

* Becoming fluent in a new language in a matter of a few short weeks is a common, ordinary miracle repeated hundreds of times every month.

* The MTC has some of the best teachers in the church!

* Dozens of acronyms (CES, PEF, ITEP, S&I, DTA, SMS or PMG) make up the language of the MTC.

* Being together 24/7 as companions is challenging . . . for both of us.

* Everyone smiles, says hello and holds the door.

* All the young sisters and young elders are beautiful, courteous, enthusiastic and friendly to the senior missionaries and are happy to be here.

* The food is usually delicious - and abundant - and served hot when its supposed to be hot . . . and cold when its supposed to be cold . . . three times a day / seven days a week (including ice cream on Wednesday)

* The bed in our teensy, tiny apartment is really, really small - after sleeping in a kingsized bed for most of our married life.

* We have quickly become friends with dozens of amazing “total strangers” in our class.

* We miss our kids and grandkids every day.

* The campus seems very large especially when it is freeeeeeeezing cold outside.

* It really is possible to live without a big screen TV, a cell phone and Diet Coke at every meal.

* We will never assimilate into the population of the West Indies.

* A limited wardrobe becomes boring very quickly, even if it is "mix and match."

* Not having any “bling” (i.e., my diamond wedding ring, loop earrings and nail polish which we have been advised to leave at home) is harder than I thought.

* Sunday shoes worn daily quickly become uncomfortable, but flat shoes are rarely cute or stylish.

* The organization of this worldwide church is amazing!!!

* Regular and humble prayer strengthens me in many interesting ways.

* Giving up - even simple - bad habits is HARD to do!

* Being cold all the time is miserable.

* The scriptures - particularly the Book of Mormon - now speak to my heart in an entirely new way.

* The new Book of Mormon Seminary and Institute student and teacher manuals are WONDERFUL!

* To my surprise, I believe I really could be a fulltime proselyting missionary.

* With all the classes, devotionals, firesides and other activities . . . time is going very quickly.

* According to Elder Ed, 6 a.m. comes alot sooner than it used to.

* When we GET it, FEEL it, LOVE it, and LIVE it . . . we are about our Father’s business!

* Missionaries are the "hope of Israel"

* We still have lots of questions, but I wish EVERYONE could have the MTC experience . . . because the gospel IS TRUE. IT IS ALL TRUE!

Meet Trekker, the Traveling Tiger

Hey, kids . . . meet Trekker, the traveling tiger who has agreed to join Grandma and Grandpa on our excellent adventure in the West Indies. We will photograph him at various points of interest in and around Trinidad, Tobago, Guyana and anywhere else we travel, then we will send you a picture. As you mark the spot on a map provided by Mom and Dad, Trekker will teach you about geography!!!