zone conference!

The week in review. Last Saturday the elders asked us if we might be interested in doing some sight seeing come Monday morning ( Monday is preparation day-their only time for activities such as this). We told them we would be happy to arrange our scheduled to go with them. So they arrived at our apartment at 7:00 a.m. Monday morning for breakfast and to finalize our plans. We decided on the resort Ladera, mainly for the scenic views of the Gros and Petit Pitons, St Lucia's most famous landmarks, and must say we were impressed. These two dominant peaks, a beautiful bay of water in between, with lush forest right to the beach. Our next stop the FondDoux Holiday Plantation distinguished as the oldest working plantation in the Caribbean. It is still a working plantation with the cocoa bean being it;s main crop-which is purchased by the Hershey Company. We took about a hour and one-half walking tour, which we really enjoyed, that provided some insight to many of the various fruits and vegetables of the island. At the end of the tour we were treated to a cool fruit drink of our choice. During the week we went with the elders three different nights to hold family home evenings with investigators they are teaching. We have enclosed pictures of one evening with a young single woman, Keisha and her daughter, Trisha. We met at Davis and Jeanette Thomas's home, a favorite, and a name that should be familiar, located in the 'foot hills' about four miles from our apartment-but with driving conditions seems more like ten. These evenings just seem to turn out being special as a lesson is presented then a game or two played. Their neighbor, Ganesh, this name should sound familiar as well, always joins with us and is a delight to have around. Sunday, the 26th was a busy day for us. After church a baptism service for 19 year old Darnil was held. The day windy and rainy so the ocean quite rough. The baptism was accomplished in spite of the baptism party being completely submerged by the waves four different times. After the baptism we were invited to dinner by Evans and Betherlie William. A picture of the plate that was dished up for us is enclosed. It consisted of beans, breadfruit, sweet potato, plantain, chicken, rice, green fig salad, pig snout, coleslaw, macaroni and cheese, sliced tomato - as we remember. The family ate all that was on their plates telling us that was a typical Sunday dinner. Elder and Sister Faux had to ask for dogie bags. Later in the evening we again returned to the William family with the elders, and Randy, and an investigator for family home evening so we were with them a big part of the day. All is going well. We enjoy being with the elders, and the members and feeling of their spirit and the challenges they face with such determination. We send our love, Elder and Sister Faux

April 19, 2009

We approached Branch President Nicholas a while back about starting a branch family home evening once a month. He gave his approval so last Monday we held our first one and what a great success. About thirty members of the branch attended. Dora gave an excellent short lesson on loving one another using a plant, a picture of Amber;s (our granddaughter) little dog Bella Boo, and the baby daughter of one of the members as props. She also had a mystery person she read clues about; dark hair, brown eyes, nice teeth, wears glasses. You can imagine how these clues narrowed the field of candidates. The clue that gave the person away was, "this person's favorite food is noodles". It was the branch president and he knew it was him immediately. The elders then took over with a fun activity that got everyone involved to end the evening. Our concern now is to come up with another evening that will compare. We have been involved with a number of family home evenings in the time we have been here and as we have said before, "Hurrah for family home evening". On Tuesday the two elders and the senior couple, Elder and Sister Collins, came from Castries to Vieux Fort for district meeting. We have become fast friends with this good couple and look forward to being with them every opportunity we have. The big event of the week however, was Seminary Super Saturday held here in Vieux Fort on the 18th. Twenty five youth plus their leaders came from Castries came to join with twelve from here. In charge of the event was President Gamiette, 1st councilor in the mission presidency, and come 1 July will be the new mission president. It was delightful to see him interact with the students. For about a hour and one-half he had them anxiously involved in scripture study that was a sight to behold. After the class we were then served a delectable meal prepared by Sister Nicholas, our branch presidents wife, and topped off with freshly baked chocolate chip cookies from the oven of Sister Faux. Nary a one left over. After our meal we drove two miles to Sandy Beach for fun and games. As seen in the pictures almost everyone participated. As an ending for a wonderful day the elders from Castries baptized a young lady they had been teaching. By 4:00 p,m, the affair was over-at least Elder Faux thought so-but the elders had different ideas. Since they had played most of the day they needed help to see their contacts for the day so Elder Faux ended up going on a split with them returning home around 9:00 p.m. A most enjoyable evening but it was a loooooong day. It is good to be here and every day a new adventure. Say hi to all for us. We send our love, Elder and Sister, Dave and Dora

New slideshow!

Sister Robinson does a beautiful slideshow of pictures she collects from the missionaries each zone conference. I saw Dave and Dora a few times! www.westindiesmission.blogpost.com

April 12, 2009

Elder Faux inadvertently erased last weeks pictures tonight so slim pickings this week. It makes us sick as we had some prize pictures we will not ever be able to duplicate. The elders took us to a couple of places during the week that had Dora asking them if they realized how old we are. One trip climbing mountain sides then the other traipsing across an investigators five acre or so garden. While there we were a little behind the elders when one of them tripped and fell completely out of sight because of the terrain. But we have kept up with them and we are not backing off. April 10 being Good Friday it is a national holiday in St Lucia. We accepted an invitation to join a family as they had the day off. They provided our first opportunity to enjoy a true St Lucian meal; a choice of fish; don’t remember the kind, stirred in with cabbage, carrots, and other greens, three large pieces of bread fruit, three or four pieces of yellow Plantain, two pieces of their sweet potato, and a green salad. The bread fruit taste really bland and dry in our opinion. It required a sip of water to moisten it while chewing. The yellow plantain was somewhat tasty just had too much, and the green salad was good. Dave makes this salad sound wonderful, what it was was a little piece of lettuce and a small piece of tomato and no dressing. The plantain is a fruit that looks exactly like a banana but it is hard to peel and needs to be cooked to taste good. Our plates were heaping and we both wondered how we would ever eat it all but we did. Glad for that so they didn’t get an impression we didn’t like what they had prepared for us and which they enjoyed so much themselves. They had grown most of this food in their garden. We had pictures of this meal we were so anxious to send and now a description will have to suffice.We were Castries last Tuesday for district meeting. After the meeting the eight of us (four elders, two couples) went to eat- elders choice.
It was a good choice but we had to get permission from a policeman to park where we did. When we were ready to go the elders said they would stop the traffic while I backed out. In doing so I created a problem in that instead of backing out to go with the traffic, which I thought I was doing, I went against it. As a result I had it stopped going both ways. Thankful for some patient and understanding St Lucian drivers for tolerating that "tourist" that doesn't know what he is doing. And just when you think you are starting to get the hang of it. Tell all hello. Love Elder and Sister, Dave and Dora--

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVID M. FAUX!

Just happy birthday wishes to our favorite !

Sunday April 5, 2009

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Last Monday morning Elder Faux accepted an invitation to go fishing with Elders Nestegard and Rosales, Branch President Nicholas and branch member Davy. Morning meaning like being ready at 1:45 a.m. so that we could be at President Nicholas's favorite fishing pier by 2:30 am. Elder Faux wishes he could brag about a great catch he made but no such luck. By 6:30 am and not any of us having anything to show for our morning's effort President Nicholas decided it was time to go home. But it was not a lost cause as it was a beautiful morning, the sky full of stars, the sounds of the night to enjoy and good company. And as a bonus President Nicholas took us to his home and fed us breakfast which include a serving of shark in which Elder Faux ate and quite enjoyed. Tuesday morning we drove Elder Nestegard to Castries as he started his departure for home. If Sister Faux could have had her way she would have kept him.It was almost like sending her grandson away. We really enjoyed getting to know him. Our new elder, Elder Muse, arrived on Thursday. He was driven down from Castries by the couple assigned there. They also brought two other elders with to meet their parents that were arriving at the international airport here in Vieux Fort later in the day. We went to the airport with them and saw the other side of the coin-elders anxiously waiting at the airport to greet their parents. It was just as joyful and even though we didn't know the parents we languished in their excitement and happiness as they greeted one another. We were grateful and thankful that we could watch General Conference via the Internet. We couldn't get the Priesthood session and missed the Sunday morning session because of church. We did catch the afternoon session and as a bonus for our elders and Randy Dora prepared a dinner for them that they totally devoured. They do enjoy her cooking-and we enjoy having them her. Kris and Rick-Elder Muse speaks glowingly of Elder Pense. If fact all of the missionaries that we have talk with that know him have nothing but praise. Tell all hello. We send our love, Elder and Sister, Dave and Dora.Elder and Sister FauxMartha's Tyre ServiceLa TourneySt Jude's HighwayVieux Fort, St LuciaHome 758-454-7219 Cell 758-384-5487 doraanddavefaux.blogspot.com