Our last Sunday in Vieux Fort and needless to say one filled with much emotion. The excitement we feel as we anticipate returning home is somewhat dampened in realizing we will be saying goodbye to the many wonderful people in this area we have become good friends with. We do appreciate them as they have been so good and kind to us from day one. It has been marvelous, and to us a testimony of the gospel, to have seen a number of them baptized and now the strength they are in the branch. And in the same context we have seen some baptized then fall away despite the efforts of the missionaries and fellowshipping by branch members. Our favorite event of the week was Saturday morning as Francisca, a 40+ year old lady, was baptized. She is so excited and can’t keep from smiling. (A note of interest: you step out Francisca’s front door and not thirty feet away is the entrance to the ‘Emmanuel Community Church-but she found the true one regardless). She attended a branch family home evening a couple of weeks ago. After the closing prayer four or five of the branch sisters were sitting together visiting. They included Francisca in their visiting and when it came time to say goodnight they were all good friends. Another testimony of what an inspired program family home evening is and what it can do. Later in the day we drove to Castries to help Sister Treseder celebrate her 70th birthday. But don’t tell her we said how old she is. We had lunch at “The Edge”, a water front restaurant, our table on the patio right at the water edge providing us with a striking view of the bay and the surrounding country side. The Treseders are fun to be with and we had a delightful day with them. For Preparation Day Elder Faux took the elders to see some of the attractions in the Soufriere region. One stop was at the Ladera Resort to take in the magnificent vista of the Caribbean Ocean framed by the Petit and Gros Pitons. The rooms at this resort do not have a wall on this facing so every room has an unobstructed view of this gorgeous panorama. Once the elders have been here they immediately start to ponder the possibilities of spending their honeymoon at this resort. The main consideration is the $$$$$$$$$’s it will take. Once we returned to the apartment Sister Faux had a yummy taco soup prepared, with all the trimmings, for lunch plus ice cream and brownies with a favorite topping for dessert.
Sister Faux: As Elder Faux stated we did have our LAST Sunday service and it turned into a tear jerker. It is hard to say goodbye as we have learned to love the members very much. They are good people and sometimes life is very hard for them. I was called on to speak but Elder Faux was not- I think he worked it that way. It was a nice Sunday and we sang “Called to Serve” and also “God Be with You Till We Meet Again”, so my heart has been full today. I am sorry to leave our elders here also—they are fine young men. They make my life better each time we see them. I know I have said things like that before, but it is true. They are not invited to eat with the members; I think rarely they are offered any food… so who is going to feed them??? I don’t feed them that much so it is always fun. Thursday was our LAST Relief Society meeting. We had a great time and everyone was happy and enjoyed visiting together. I made an American picnic for them and they happily ate everything. We invited the elders and they came just as we were finishing and I told the sisters they were coming or they would have eaten everything. I made sloppy Joes, no one had eaten that before, potato salad, green salad (they eat that without any dressing) baked beans (a problem with the beans: I planned to bake them two hours or so but after they had been in the oven an hour I checked them and they were still cold, gas tank was empty) and so I improvised and set them outside in the sun. It was not quite the same but they didn’t care. We also had chips and strawberry short cake for dessert. I felt that was successful and a good time was had by all. For entertainment I took most of our missionary clothes, like 9 skirts and blouses and a dress, three pair of shoes and Dave’s 3 white shirts, shoes and stockings, 2 pair of pants. Then I had a table of elders clothes that had been left in the apartment and Sister Williamson left some of her clothes. I also had many plastic dishes from the kitchen that they snapped up. They took everything except a small shirt and one pair of white socks (threw them away). It was so successful and so we have only a few things to wear this last week. Our LAST visit tonight at the William home. These have been delightful evenings for us and they have taught us so many things about the islands. This is the home where Boom Boom lives, except she was asleep tonight. They have been very kind and helpful to us. Evans is Elders Quorum president and Beverly is Relief Society president. They have been members about 1 ½ years so they still have many things to learn but they take their callings seriously. We always enjoy our visit. One sad note, my tomato plant…It had a blossom, no tomato and it has been very sick. I had it sitting out in the sun and it rained so hard that it was about drowned. It is looking a bit better and I took it to Evans tonight and hopefully he can revive it. I really did think I would have tomatoes before we left...A little sad. Yesterday we took our LAST trip to Castries for Sister Treseder’s birthday. Very nice day with them. On the way back home I started to count the abounded cars that they park along the road or in their yard. I counted about 55 and I know there were many that I missed. If they leave them for a long enough time the vines and shrubbery will cover them and there is no way to see they are there. It looks very bad but I guess they have no way to dispose of them.
I am very anxious and happy to be returning home, but it is so hard, as I said to leave our friends. I have learned many things about this island, the people and their customs. It has been an opportunity to serve another mission. I know once again more sincerely than ever that we belong to a true church. I have received so many blessings as we have served here. It is nice to have the time to study the scriptures and be involved with new members of the church. It is wonderful to be with these elders and to watch them in action as they work hard and influence so many people. I know they are very blessed and very good young men. I will miss talking to them and watching the things they do. It has been great to serve with Elder Faux, What a good man he is and so very kind. We have been happy together. I will bid you farewell and hopefully write one more blog after we arrive home and get connected to internet. It has been a pleasure to write this blog each week. Last time I looked we had had 315 readings for the week. Thank you for your interest. Sister and Elder Faux

11 July 2010 Sunday
Elder Brenkmann was notified Friday evening that he was being transferred to Trinidad and needed a police report prior to his leaving early Wednesday. So first thing Monday morning we were on our way to Castries so he could submit his application. As we started back for Vieux Fort we decided to stop at an internet café for a donut to eat on the way. At the entrance to the café were listed the morning breakfast specials –omelets of various makings. It was fairly obvious, once we read that menu, that the four of us (Elders Brenkmann and Bowles, Elder and Sister Faux) were all for breakfast and not just a donut. A good decision since none of us had really had breakfast. The omelets tasted as good as they sounded. Except Elder Faux had a ‘Strawberry Stack’-pancakes smothered with Strawberries. Transfer day Wednesday so we drove to Castries once again early morning for Elder Brenkmann to catch his flight to Trinidad and for us to pick up his replacement-Elder Rosales. This will be the third time Elder Rosales has served with the Vieux Fort Branch (in jest we tell him he either needs to get it right or they can’t get along without him). And as a bit of trivia: Elder Rosales was one of the elders that greeted us when we arrived and now we will tell him goodbye as we depart. The big event of the week however, was the baptism of 15 year old Jamal Joeboy Augustin. Elder Taylor baptized him with Elders Nielson and Faux as witnesses. The ocean was a little rough and we were engulfed by a couple of breakers during the ceremony-but it got done. He is one of four sons of Curtis and Jane Augustin. Elders Nielson and Taylor were hoping that he and his father, Curtis, would be baptized together but it didn’t quite work out. His mother was baptized last February and has been a stalwart ever since. One of the unique things about this family, that has thrilled us, the elders especially, is that Curtis and Jane are MARRIED. To the best of our recollection this is the first such family the elders have found since we have been here. Another thing that has been exciting to observe is the wonderful change that has taken place within this family as the elders have taught them the gospel with two of them, soon to be three, having accepted it.
Sister Faux: Yes, the baptism was exciting and was even more exciting as it was Elder Taylor’s first baptism. I am sure Elder Nielson has had many baptisms as he has been out for about 1 & ½ years, but it was still exciting for him as well. Elder Taylor has been here only one transfer and so fairly new to the mission. Both are good elders. Wednesday we had our last temple class with the three sisters and in fact had four that day. That has been a nice experience for us and I think for them. When President Nicholas comes back he can interview them for their recommend and then they must meet with President Gamiette for the final interview. They are all nice sisters and hopefully the time will come when they will have the funds to get to the temple. They will have a recommend and that should be very important to them. Wednesday night is also our Book of Mormon class and was taught by Brother Hippolyte. That leaves us only two more classes for our mission. They read every verse of the Book of Mormon and then discuss almost everyone in detail. They seem to be learning many things and is nice when the elders come as they can explain things the members do not understand. I have been packing many things in the apartment getting ready to give them away. I believe I have said no other couple is coming to take our place so we must clean all the mission belongings up and get rid of them. I am trying to use up most of our food but whatever is left either the elders or the members can use. Thursday night we are having a Relief Society meeting and I am taking most of our clothes and my neighbor’s clothes, as she is going home on Wednesday. We will have the ladies choose any that they can use. I am also taking a few kitchen things as well. I have given the towels away except two. I am going to do an American picnic for Relief Society so that should be interesting as they are big eaters. Not much news for this week. The Church is true. Sister Faux and Elder Faux

4 July 2010 Sunday
May you all have a joyous Fourth of July! Although it will be just another day in St Lucia we will be well aware of what it means to us.
We now have air conditioning for the chapel. As branch President Nicholas has been out of the country all the responsibility of getting it installed and running has been placed in the hands of Elder Faux. The installation was included in the purchase price except for the brackets needed to support the units on the outside wall so he had to work with the church and the installer to arrange for this extra amount. Then came the electrical part. He had so much advice on what should be done and what not to do his head was swimming. While talking with the landlord (church building) he suggested, Keith, his handy man to do the electrical. In visiting with him about the job and relating the many do and don’ts received it was soon evident Keith knew what he was doing. Elder Faux is thankful to have found him as he did a great job. Another plus with the air conditioning is with the windows and door closed it is surprising how much the noise from highway in front is reduced. Sister Faux once again prepared a Preparation Day lunch for the elders since they would be here doing their e-mails. Her menu included chicken, corn, green salad, mashed potatoes and gravy (a big hit) and cake for dessert. It delights Sister Faux to see them enjoy their meal as much as they do. Later in the afternoon we received a call from senior missionary Elder Treseder, who is in Castries, telling us a member in their branch has a sister who has been hospitalized in St Jude’s, the local hospital, for nine days with a broken neck. At his request we told him we would pay her a visit. When we arrived at the hospital the receptionist was gone for the day so we enlisted the help of a security guard to find the nurses’ station. When we told them who we were there to visit they had no idea who we were talking about. They had no one by that name and especially not for nine days with a broken neck. We related this information to Elder Treseder and in his follow up he found out t it was a totally fabricated story. So it goes.
Sister Faux: Last week I talked about things I miss and my daughter Amy wrote and ask me what things I would miss from the mission field. I have been thinking about that some and do have a few things I will miss ---these things are not in order of importance but just as I have thought about them. Some things I will miss, some things I will NOT miss.
1. I will not miss being the oldest couple in the West Indies Mission. 2. I will miss our branch members of the church. I think of them as pioneers in this country. At times it is hard for them as other people do not understand the church. They are good people and we love them. 3. I will miss our branch president and wife. He is a good man and the members and investigators love him. 4. I will miss Brother Hippolyte and his family. I will miss seeing them grow and change in the church. Miss his jokes. 5. I will miss Jeanette and Davis Thomas. Jeanette is one of the favorite people in my world. 6. I will miss the William Family. Almost every Sunday night we have spent with them having family home evening. Evans is now the elder’s quorum president and Betherlie is the Relief Society president. It is fun to see them take their responsibilities seriously. We have learned many nice things about the islands from them. They are parents of Merlisa, Evanella and Swancy . They are the family that has been raising Boom-Boom-our very favorite little person. 7. I will miss all of our members and could write a story about each of them. 8. I will miss all of our elders. We have been blessed with so many good young men, all 19 of them. Some have come out saying they have never read a book in their life but now can repeat the scriptures and information that I could never remember. They are great young men. 9. I will NOT miss my clothes I brought with me. I can’t wait to leave them behind. 10. I will miss the ocean and the beautiful parts of the island. 11. I will miss the e-mails that I have received from so many people. If everyone saw how often I check for a new message they would write me every day. 12. I will miss the interesting ways the lessons are taught. 13. I will miss seeing how clean and perfectly pressed all the people are. Their clothes are the whitest I have ever seen. 14. I will miss our three room apartment as it is fairly nice and so much easier to keep clean than the 10 rooms in our house. 15. I will miss the hugs and kisses from our member/friends at church. 16. I will miss the few senior couples that we have met. We will miss the Treseders’ and the Collins’ that have lived on St Lucia. 17. I will miss the sunrise as it comes up in the southwest each day. I know that is wrong, but that is the way it seems to me. Will miss the gorgeous sunsets, especially those out at Betherlie and Evans home on the beach. 18. I will miss the many, many beautiful babies; this is a handsome race of people. 19. I will miss understanding some of the language—English with a different slant. 20. I will miss drying my clothes our on a clothes line. They smell so good. 21. I will miss the wonderful rain showers. 22. I will NOT miss the weather report – HOT_HOT_HOT. 23. I will miss seeing the homes built on top of the mountains. How do they get there? Walk? 24. I will miss Josephine at the outdoor Saturday morning market. A very fun and nice lady. 25. I will miss seeing people carrying large packages on top of their heads. 26. I will miss the lush green country sides. 27. I will miss seeing groups of people sitting along the road doing nothing. 28. I will miss the BLUE skies and the fluffy clouds. 29. I will NOT miss the cars passing on almost every curve on the road. 30. I will NOT miss seeing trucks packed with passengers in the back, standing up or sitting on the edge of the truck. 31 I will miss seeing the fruit and vegetable stands all along the roads. 32. I will miss the beautician I found in Castries. 33. I will miss driving through the rain forest, very pretty. 34. I will miss the nice green grass in our yard that has never been sprinkled except by rain. 35. I will Not miss seeing the old junky cars all along the roads…Waiting for the green grass on trees to grow and cover them up. 36. I will NOT miss the coconut water in coconuts—instant heartburn. 37. I will NOT miss breadfruit or macaroni and cheese.38. I will miss learning things about myself. I found I can do many things I had no idea I could do. I have learned that many simple things make people happy. I have sewed and repaired many things that I had no idea I could do. 39. I have learned that it is very easy to love people. 40. I have learned the beauty of black people. 41. I have missed our family very much. At home I talk to my daughters that live in Idaho and California almost every day. Families are most important and I love and am proud of each one. Proud of the kind of people that they are. They are all different from each other and their lives are different but they are all good kind people. I am proud to be their mother. 42. I have learned once again how blessed and lucky I am to have a good husband such as Elder Faux. He is a very gentle, kind man and is absolutely the very best thing that ever happened to me. He has served a wonderful mission and I feel very proud to be his companion. I know there are other things that I will miss but this is just a start. Have a nice week. Sister and Elder Faux