One more week has flown by. We have been saddened this week with the passing of our friend Bud Kohler. We have been friends for many, many years. We have enjoyed doing so many things together over the years. We have had a good life together and have gone so many places with each other. Our oldest son, Craig, married his oldest daughter, Sue, and we share three wonderful grandchildren. I feel a real need to be home right now. We pray our Heavenly Father will give comfort to my friend Glenna and to all of the family.We have had some interesting experiences this past week. They started early Monday morning when we were getting ready to go for a walk, we could hear someone calling for help. We thought it was someone across the fence but then realized it was an American voice calling. As we went out to investigate we found it was the girl in the apartment above us. She had gone into her bathroom, locked the door and the key had broken off in the door. She has a front door and a back door with a balcony . She had both doors locked and bolted closed. No one could possibly get in either door. Dave was the rescuer so I will let him tell the rest. She came Friday night and brought us cookies, she is a medical student from Texas, and had a test at 9 am. Actually she had two tests and received a score of 95 on each test. We will send pictures. This week was also zone conference, also it was carnival week in Castries where we go to conference. The HUGE parade started Tuesday and we were told we would not be able to drive down the street after the parade started, and they were right. We left about 6:30 and arrived at the church before the parade began. Once it started the music was so loud and we were a few blocks away. To make a long story shorter we had to stay at the church all day until about 6 at evening. Dave had to go to the airport and help pick up elders and could not get back for quite some time. We had a nice meeting with President Gamiette and zone conference was good. He is a good man and will be a great president. We stayed with Elder and Sister the Collins Tuesday night and arrived home about 5:45 Wednesday evening, just in time for gospel class at our church. We were totally exhausted as were our elders. Saturday we were invited to our landlady's daughters wedding at the Catholic Church in Laborie-four miles north of Vieux Fort. It was scheduled for 2:00 p.m. but being true St Lucian it was 2: 55 p.m. when it was announced the wedding party had arrived. It was a hour plus ceremony with many things happening we didn't understand. But the fact they got married, and in a church, you pat them on the back. The reception was most elaborate, we needed a wrist band to be admitted, The food was good, the 'music' so loud it shook the ground, and the attendees all dressed so elegant. . It was quite a day and we came home once again exhausted. Hope all of you have a good week as we once again say goodbye for another few days. Love, Sister FauxYasmin is the name of the young lady we helped. Her apartment is two bedroom and is rented by the room and not as a unit. Therefore a deadbolt lock is on the bathroom door to assure privacy. As the girl she shares the apartment with is gone there was no valid reason for using the deadbolt lock other than 'that is what she always does'. The deadbolt lock reminds me of an old fashioned skeleton key type lock. When she went to unlock the door the 'teeth' of the skeleton key sheared jamming the bolt in place and locked. We provided Yasmin with a screwdriver and a hammer then with Elder Faux on the roof looking in we thought we could devise some solution. Taking the lock plate revealed nothing, because the sheared teeth jammed the deadbolt it couldn't be budged, the hinge pins had been painted over welding them in place so Martha, the landlady, said for her to knock a hole in the door so she could crawl through and she would replace the door. In Yasmin's defence, when they came to replace the door it was taken out in pieces it was in place so secure. Glad we were there to help. Elder Faux

Another week already. As was mentioned briefly last week it has been carnival week on St Lucia and this week in Vieux Fort particularly. We avoided the commotion for the most part except on Monday the elders needed to go to downtown Vieux Fort. We knew it would be close to parade time but thought they could accomplish what they needed to before it started. Just as we were ready to depart the police barricaded the only exit road thus we ended up having a ring side seat for the parade (?) The only ‘floats’ were three large trucks towing large trailers that were dispensing beer and whatever other alcoholic drinks, to anyone, by the plastic glassful. People of all ages filled the street, some in ‘costume’ of sorts, most however, in just there every day dress. The air reeked with the smell of beer so we didn’t waste any time leaving the first opportunity. The elders a little dismayed to spot three of their investigators taking an active part in the parade. Friday evening just at bedtime President Nicholas calls and asks Elder Faux to go with him to administer to his first counselor, Firmus Hippolyte, that lives in Choiseul, about a thirty five minute drive to the north. Once we left the main highway on our way to his home, Elder Faux was glad we were in a pickup, especially four wheel drive, as the ‘road’ was atrocious- narrow most dreadfully narrow, rough, bumpy, uneven, deep ruts from blacktop that had disintegrated and mostly washed away, two or three steep inclines that had the pickup lugging to go up. But the breath taker was a bridge that was almost wide enough for a car. To me, as seen at night by the one and one-half headlights of the pickup, it appeared nothing more than a slab of cement spanning the chasm - with no side rails, as if they would have done any good,. It didn’t appear there was any margin for error-you were either on or off. Thankfully President Nicholas negotiated each way so that Elder Faux is able to now talk about it. By the way, we did administer to Brother Firmus and he reported today (Sunday) he ended up having a restful night and full recovery the following day. The best part of the week was Saturday as Swancy William was baptized. We were introduced to Swancy the second day we were here and she was the coldest ice cube we have ever met. Each Sunday evening we meet with her family for family home evening and we have gradually (especially Sister Faux) gained her confidence. After two sets of elders, Elders Ash and DeMasters were the first to gain any real headway with her which Elders Sturdevant and Lang have capitalized on. She wanted to be baptized by her father, Evans, and in order for that to happen the services were scheduled for 5:00 a.m. At 5:00 a.m. Saturday morning is was raining, it was dark, and it was wonderful. The William family live on the beach so it was just a matter of walking 100 yards to the spot they had selected for the service. Evans has been a priest for about three months so it was exciting for him to be able to do this; and after it was through and he gave Swancy a big hug you just wanted to shout hurrah, hurrah.
Elder Faux has described the baptism very well—The only thing is you would have to know Swancy to understand all that has gone on. I pray that she will stay faithful because she could become a great leader ---what a girl. There are two or three things I would like to talk about that are not of interest in the church but are an interest to me. One thing is about the centipede, you will think I am captivated by them and that is not the case but the interest of the people here is fascinating. As we were taking the elders home last week we saw one on the cement outside our apartment six feet or more away. The elders stomped on it and we thought it was dead but when we returned home it was still alive. I had to go ask the guard to kill it. Elder Faux, as some of you know, does not kill anything and I am supposed to be a lady so I couldn't kill it. Anyway it is gone. This must be the season to prune and trim grass and trees, bushes and growing things. They do much pruning and just leave the limbs and etc where it falls. In time (I think a short time) the plants grow up around the leftover prunings and soon you can’t see them. I guess it finally disintegrates and goes back to the earth. You may be interested to know that only two of our members own cars-the Branch Presidency—everyone rides the vans/buses. The water here is very soft and the washing that people do is extremely white, very pretty to see. Sometimes they have a washer but very often they are washing by hand. Many homes do not have showers or even bathrooms in them, we see many outside toilets as we used to have. There are many public showers in different areas of the housing units..It is an interesting place to live. We are so blessed to have homes as we do in the states. We should really appreciate them. I need to tell you our elders are working hard trying to find people to teach. It is hard, but they keep going. They are good men and it is fun to be with them. Sometimes we are driving along and they just burst into song about almost anything. They both have nice voices so it livens up the party a good deal. Both of them spoke in church today and that is nice to be able to enjoy the presentation. It is fun to be here. We pray that you are all healthy and happy. Love, Sister and Elder Faux

We are a little sorry about our pictures this week because when we went to put them on the computer we could get no picture. We tried and tried but could not get it to work. Knowing what little we know we will see if our elders can help us and use them next week. We had a few good ones too, one of Elder Sturdavent eating a delicious mango. It is mango season right now and there are huge trees all over in yards and in the wilds with tons of mango's on them. As we walked the other morning a mango had fallen by the side of the road so I picked it up to bring it home and a man came from across the street and ask me if I wanted more, of course I did so he climbed the neighbor's fence and gave me a sack full.. They are delicious. We went to Williams tonight and they gave us a bunch. They are very good to us and try to get us to eat all the strange things we know nothing about. Last week Cheri, our American neighbor (the law student) was bit or stung? by a centipede . It was about 4:30 in the morning and it hurt her very much. It bit her and she felt it run across her body and frightened her . She was in so much pain and did not know what to do. When she went to school the next day they told her to put fresh lime on it. They also told her it would be back in 8 days and bite her again. Eight days have gone by and has not returned. As we came out of gospel studies a couple of weeks ago the ladies saw a centipede go under their car. They were all screaming and running around so I just stayed away. I thought they had some wild animal under the car. They finally killed it and then they calmed down. The people here seem to be very superstitious.Last Monday three of our sisters came to visit for the afternoon and for lunch. Sister Thomas ask me if I was going to be home and then invited Shanna to come with her and so I thought I should invite Sister Nicholas (branch pres wife). We had a very nice day and they enjoyed the simple meal and I am sure we will be doing that again. Our FHE was successful as we showed The Testament, Elder DeMasters brought it with him and he copied it for us. Now we are wondering how to get all those people to come to church. It is fun. I wondered if you would be interested in how the banana trees grow. It takes one year for a huge bunch of bananas to grow and ripen and when they are picked the tree dies but in its place another tree has volunteered right beside it and so another bunch of bananas grow. The process just goes on and on and no replanting. The farmer in me just finds that fascinating. Maybe I am the only person in the world that did not know how that process works. I loved that information. Another thing I find interesting is how you contact people in their home when you go to visit them. You stand by the gate and call ---hello inside or hello and the persons name. They then come out to greet you. I am telling you this so you will know how to act when you arrive here.Elder Faux and I try to walk a few miles about three times a week. We go early in the morning about 6:30-7:00 or so. By the time we get back I have presperation (sweat) dripping off the brim of my hat. You try to do that in Utah! It runs down my neck, my face and everywhere else. Dave does not have that problem.I don't know if we have said anything about sister missionaries in this mission...We have no sister missionaries, only couples. We have more couple missionaries than any other mission in the church.Our elders are working very hard trying to find people to teach but it is very difficult. I think those in Castries are having the same problem. It is so hot and they are out trudging around all day walking all over and not having much success. I am not sure why but the last few days have been the carnival and so people are more interested in carnival than anything else. We only had about 24 or so to church today. We usually have twice that many. This has been a slow week for us also so hope it picks up soon. Well the church is still true in St Lucia. We have the opportunity to declare that fact quite often. I notice quite a few people checking our blog. Why don't a few of you write to us?Love to all, Sister and Elder Faux

July 06. 2009

Last Wednesday we went to the airport to meet President Gamiette, our new Mission President, his wife and family. They had a layover for a couple of hours as they were flying from their home in Guadeloupe to the mission home in Trinidad. We met him once before as he came to Vieux Fort for a super Saturday with the Seminary. He is a very nice man and has a real talent in associating with the kids and I am sure with the elders. He and his wife speak perfect English but the children speak only French. I am sure they will be learning English soon, in fact I think they have been working on that already . It will be interesting to see the changes they make as they take their assignments. We had a small social on then beach next to the airport and served veggies, chips and dip and cookies and a drink. We took our elders and we had a few members from Castries that met with us. Fun day.You will notice a few fishing pictures (so called) as they lay sleeping on the dock. Dave will have more to say about that and also the car in the ditch.....Just when I start to feel good about Elder Faux's driving.I had to send you a picture of Sister Thomas and her husband Davis. She is one of the most special sisters here in Vieux Fort and in our branch. She and her husband were baptized June 2007 and then were married Dec. 15, 2007. They were like most couples here as they had lived together for seven years before their marriage. They built a home in Nov, 2008, just a small square building with one outside door and no windows. A few weeks ago they finally had electricity put into the home. They have no sink or running water. There is a public shower near by that they use, and I am not sure about other bathroom equipment. She is the Primary president and he is serving as a branch clerk. She is a most wonderful lady that I have come to love very dearly. She was raised by her grandmother who died several years ago and she had one brother that has also died. She studies the Scriptures every day and is one of the kindest, gracious ladies I have ever met.We have a nice young man the elders have been teaching by the name of Stephen. He was supposed to come to church today but did not come. The elders took him a white shirt and dress pants that elder DeMasters left for someone that needed clothes. He is age 17 and his birthday in Sept. He hasn't been going to school but has a job working as a guard. He is living with his grandpa as his mother and dad are on cocaine and so do not work . His one brother is in jail and three other brothers live with the parents. It is sad when we meet someone like that and makes you wonder what kind of life is in store for them. If they can join the church and stay strong their chances for a better life improve about 100%. How come we are all blessed so much?We hope you all had a happy July 4--our only celebration was Elder Lang had a red, white and blue tie. We are blessed to be healthy and happy. Love, Sister Faux ....I love AmericaWhen you go fishing at 12:30 a.m and the fish are not biting the one picture tells it all. However, it is fun and the night so quiet and peaceful you can't help but enjoy it. As for the auto. We were with the elders and just departed from teaching Stephen. I opted to pull to the side of the road while the elders decided the next stop. Since I had washed the auto that morning I was more concerned about missing the mud puddles on the right and failed to notice the cement drainage ditch on the left. The elders figured to get out we needed some boards to put under the wheel so they ran back to Stephen's, which was less than 100 yards away. About the time they left an auto stop, the driver got out, looked at our predicament, told me to get in the auto, start up the engine, cramp the wheels so the one in the ditch wedged against the side of the ditch. He then instructed me to shift in to reverse and give it a little gas. I did so and with him pushing the auto pulled itself right up and out. The elders and Stephen arrived with boards in their arms just in time to see our second Good Samaritan, without hardly giving us a chance to say thanks, get back in his car and with a wave of the hand went on his way. This little incident a good reminder of how you have to be paying attention every second you are behind the wheel. Congratulations to our new ward bishopric and a big thanks for a job well done to the released bishopric. Love, Elder Faux Elder and Sister Faux