What Kind of Mom?

Someone sent me a link to a website to help identify "What Kind of Movie Mom Are You?" through a simple short quiz. My answers to 10 multiple-choice questions "revealed" my movie Mom-style is "incredible—and not just because you are one of The Incredibles. Like Helen Paar, aka Elastigirl, you stretch in hard times to become what your family needs the most at the moment—a parachute, a speed boat, or a spy. Whip-smart, efficient, and fearless, you display the kind of leadership qualities which are truly heroic, as you are called on to save the day, again and again."

I'd like to think this is pretty accurate, but sure wish I looked as good as Helen Parr looks in red spandex.

"Minute to Win It" A Hit at Georgetown YSA

 

I wasn’t sure if our YSA’s would enjoy my idea for a high-spirited and hysterically funny evening of “Minute to Win It!” but I needn’t have worried, since they – like young people everywhere – like to have fun! Thanks to Jan’L for sending me the rules of the game for “back flip,” “candy elevator,” “dizzy mummy,” “extreme hanky,” “cookie face,” “junk in the trunk,” “noodlin’ around,” and other challenges from the popular TV game show. At the end of the evening, when asked if they would like to do it again, if I can find some new challenges, the response was an enthusiastic “YES!”
We love these kids, and now can’t wait to see my own family – maybe at Cuz’N Camp - playing these sidesplitting games!!!

Ordaining Selwin

Elder Sappington had a wonderful experience on Sunday, November 13 when 18-year-old Selwin Lovell (red shirt) asked him to ordain him to the office of an Elder in the Melchizedek Priesthood in preparation for leaving on a mission. Selwin, and his absolutely IDENTICAL twin brother Simeon, are getting ready to submit their paperwork and wanted someone to ordain them who could provide their priesthood line-of-authority back to Jesus Christ. Elder Sappington had his so he "got the job!"

Secretary School Graduation

Five more members of the most recent Secretary School graduated today. Rawattie Bhagwandin, Amanda Major, Mala Bramdeo, Yougita (“Annie”) Rahman and Monalisa Stewart were excellent students. Annie (lime green shirt) is bi-lingual. She has been told there is a job waiting for her at the Venezuelan Embassy if she can learn the computer. Monalisa (purple shirt), who has never held a job, is thrilled to know she now has a marketable skill.

After the final examination and graduation, I stepped out of the room for a few minutes to help someone else, leaving them to continue practicing. When I returned they presented me with a note they had created (on the computer) signed by all five of them. It reads, “A famous peace activist once said, ‘Wisdom is knowing what to do. Virtue is doing it!’ Therefore, you are obviously both wise and virtuous. Please accept our sincere thanks for volunteering your time to help us learn and understand the computer. Your generosity will benefit us tremendously now and for years to come. We truly, truly appreciate you!”

Cat Burglar Strikes

“Kitty,” who has now become quite comfortable in our apartment, recently found himself in a difficult situation. While visiting, Kitty was startled by the appearance of 6’3” Gavin Bynoe who stopped by for help developing his resume for a job interview. In an effort to hide or escape, Kitty crawled into the window and – at least in his mind – became stuck in the grid! The more we tried to help him, the more hysterical he became . . . so as any good blogger knows, the solution to this kind of problem is to grab a camera and snap pictures! Poor Kitty. While we laughed, he eventually found his way out of this predicament, but is now too embarrassed to show his face again. We think he is holed up in the kitchen . . . but we can’t be sure (and BTW, all these pictures are correctly displayed).

Trekker Tours Essiquibo

Trekker – who has complained bitterly and incessantly for weeks because we haven’t been anywhere or done anything fun in a very long time - was already in holiday mode when we departed Georgetown, with five other missionary couples, for a 40-mile day-trip down the Essiquibo River to visit some of the (former) Dutch settlements. This trip on Wednesday, October 26 was scheduled weeks ago for Diwali, a national holiday.

Diwali is a 5-day Hindu festival celebrated with great enthusiasm and excitement with parades of spectacularly lighted floats as well as with firecrackers, traditional sweet treats and gifts to friends and loved ones. Nicknamed “festival of lights,” each day of Diwali has its own principal good-over-evil stories of various Hindu gods.

On this beautiful – but hot and muggy - day in Guyana, nineteen of us traveled by boat down the Essiquibo River into the interior of “the land of many waters.” As wide as 21 miles across in some areas, this enormous waterway – which served as the 17th century highway to numerous Dutch settlements - has very much earned its nickname as “the king of all rivers.”

With our Traveling Tiger in tow, we left from Rod-en-rust to Fort Island for a visit to Fort Zeelandia and the Court of Policy (where African slaves were beaten, beheaded, sold and torn from the arms of their loved ones) . . . then on to Saxacalli Beach with its current small settlement of Seventh Day Adventists. From there we spent an hour walking the streets of the interior village of Bartica before arriving at Baracara Falls – the highlight of the trip.

Fort Zeelandia, built in 1737 to protect the planters and workers for the Dutch West India Company, replaced an original wooden fort at the mouth of the Essiquibo River. A most interesting lozenge-shaped structure similar to many found in Africa, the 2-story fort was 50-feet on each side and housed about that many Dutchmen soldiers and officers.

At Saxacalli Beach, Trekker got separated from us as he wandered into the underbrush chasing who-knows-what. Luckily, our able-bodied sea captain found him on the beach and returned him to us. He was seriously shaken due to his separation anxiety, including fear of being left behind on this Caribbean island, so was very happy to be back on board with us as we continued our journey.

Time spent at Baracara Falls was the most pleasurable part of the day with men and women getting into the fun – some fully dressed – as we socialized and played in the cool water before heading back to our port! It was a lovely, relaxing and fun day. Despite Trekker’s complaints and his ongoing question of “is that all there is?” we are refreshed and ready to go back to work!

Meet "Kitty"

Meet “Kitty” (named for Brenda Lee Johnson’s feline of the same name). We inherited him when we moved into the building and were told the Ricks’ had fed him all the time they lived here so we feel compelled to continue the practice. He is a male so frequently gets into HUGE fights with one of the neighbor cats, but with me he is sweet and friendly. For the longest time he would not venture into the apartment (even if the door was left standing open), but in the last few days he has grown more adventuresome. Today I was working at my little desk and caught a movement out of my eye, looked down and discovered Kitty had curled up in my “work” basket on the couch and was taking a snooze. It appears he is getting comfortably brave!

Sappington Secretarial School

A few weeks ago, President Goodluck asked me to create a secretary course-of-study to help members develop skills which might turn into employment.

The Sappington Secretarial School opened officially on Monday, October 3. Classes include:

- the secretary's job description
- ethics in the workplace
- telephone etiquette
- the receptionist's job description
- communication skills
- meetings, agendas and minutes
- interviewing for a job
- "Me in 30 Seconds"
- updating a resume
. . . and of course, basic computer skills (including Microsoft Word, Excel and Power Point)

I only had three students (although 5 more showed up for the second week). Christopher Jordan is the district executive secretary. Esadai Gangadeen is the district Primary secretary and Marlyn Waterman is the president of the local HIV / AIDS Association with more than 400 people receiving services from ONE small clinic in our neighborhood.

Christopher is the only one who had any computer skills at all. The other two had never even touched a computer, but after a week, Sister Gangadeen almost cried when I told her class was over and it was time to go home! "Please, can't we stay and practice for a little while longer?" I had to laugh at the difference in her attitude in just a week!

The most surprising thing about this venture is that I can give them a certificate which they can use to get a job!

YSA Activity at Georgetown

In our assignment with the YSA Centers in Georgetown and LaGrange we have the privilege of working with some pretty amazing and spiritual young men and women - most who are the only members in their family.

On Friday, October 7 we helped organize an activity at the Georgetown YSA Center focused on employment! Four member teams were assigned to topics including interviewing skills, developing esprit de corps in the workplace and the impact of technology! They had an hour and 15 minutes each to develop a Power Point presentation on their subject. At the end of the evening, they enjoyed chocolate cake and ice cream and showed their presentation on the big wall while discussing their topic. We worried that they might find this activity a bit lame, but it appears everyone had a great time. A few even said they had learned a whole lot!!!

ERS Opens in Guyana

It really isn’t much yet, but the Employment Resources Services Center, located in the Prashaud Nagar chapel in Georgetown, is finally operational as the beginning of something wonderful for the members of the Church in Guyana . . . and the first step toward the fulfillment of prophecy as stated in Elder M. Russell Ballard’s dedicatory prayer.

On February 23, 1990, Elder Ballard opened the door to missionary work in Guyana but also asked, “Heavenly Father, please bless this land that economic conditions might improve. We acknowledge this will take some time, but we pray Thee to give national leaders the vision of things they need to do to bring a [civilized] lifestyle for Thy children here by giving them employment and an opportunity to work and earn a living.”

Right now, the ERS Volunteer Center is nothing more than a small room with borrowed computers (because laptops ordered on May 1 have not yet arrived) where jobseekers will be able to research employment opportunities, as well as trade schools and colleges; and identify businesses willing to provide on-the-job training. For students wanting to further their education but without the means to do so, the ERS will also be the go-to place for one-on-one assistance on such things as how to write a resume or complete the on-line PEF loan application.

We are keenly aware of the Lord's eye on Guyana where Elder Ballard also prophesied one day "wards and stakes will dot the land . . . and Thy honest-in-heart children will flock by the hundreds, yea, even thousands to receive their saving ordinances in preparation to receive all the blessings of the House of the Lord, even a temple."