13 June 2010 Sunday
Weather wise, the last month seems to have been getting hotter. Just a couple of degrees on the thermometer can make quite a difference. At church, with the six windows and two doors open, and the five ceiling fans whirling full tempo it has, for the most part, been bearable. But the last three weeks something more was needed therefore a 100 horsepower floor fan was added to the inventory. Well it sounds like a 100 horsepower when it is turned on. It has made a difference although it has required turning up the volume of the microphone. Anyway this week two air conditioning units were delivered to the church –the installation cost included in the purchase price. When the installers came to put them in place they realized two pair of brackets would be required for the outside units -which were not included in the purchase price. As President Nicholas has the only access to the branch funds, and he is in England at this time, our dilemma now is trying to figure a way to obtain the money to pay for the brackets. Meanwhile, there sitting along one wall of the chapel are our air conditioning units tantalizing us. A little about our two newest elders, Elders Nielson and Taylor. Elder Nielson is from Nephi (Utah) and Pleasant Grove High School’s renowned head football coach, Dale Sampson and his wife Cindee, are his uncle and aunt. Now for Elder Taylor. He is from Loa (Utah). About three miles east of Loa is Lyman where in lives the Jeff Peterson family with twin sons, and missionaries, the same age as Elder Taylor. Their older brother, Shawn, served in the Philippines where we became well acquainted with him while serving there as well. We have even visited with him on occasions when passing though Lyman. Prior to this mission Elder Faux did quite a bit of relief work at the Wayne Community Health Center pharmacy in Bicknell (Utah) and we have established that he and Elder Taylor’s mother, because of her employment at the time, have conversed with one another in the pharmacy. Visiting in church today was the Miller Family-eight total counting son and daughter-in-laws- from Clovis, California. In conversing with Brother Miller Elder Brenkmann mentioned he at one time had companion from Clovis. When his name was mentioned Brother Miller recognized it immediately stating he not only knew him but had many interactions with his father. These comments just to show that when you are a member of the Church it really does become a small world.
Sister Faux: Greetings from the West Indies Mission---which includes St Maartin,St Lucia, St Vincent, Grenada, Trinidad Tobago, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. Barbados is another island that will be included in this mission beginning in July. Some elders are hoping for a chance to serve there, another great adventure to add to their other great adventures. I don’t know how many people realize just what countries are in this mission. Can you imagine how traveling to these places would be every six weeks for zone conference? That is what our mission President Gamiette and his assistants do every six weeks. And as Elder Faux stated in a blog before, the airlines are not too dependable as far as traveling on time. The mission home is in Trinidad which makes it so most of the couple missionaries never go to the mission office or mission home. As the elders come into the mission they do travel to Trinidad and stay in a bed and breakfast that is near the mission home. When they are released they again travel to the mission home for a meeting and dinner and then travel home the next day. Most couples just leave from the country they are serving in at the close of their mission. We did travel to Trinidad with most of the couples once for a training meeting. That is a much bigger island and did not seem much like an island. The adventures are great where we are called to serve.
I know I have talked of the mosquitoes before but you would just have to be here to see how bad they are. If you are outside after sundown or just about dark they almost pack you off. I think they travel around in herds, swarms or at least in a big bunch together. They have become bad since we have had a little rain and I am told they will be that bad until the rainy season is over. Woe is me.
I have never lived where it is very humid (well it was humid when we served in the Philippines) but here it is quite humid and if ever you have had fungus you will understand what I am talking about. Fungus can start anywhere and can be so miserable—just take my word for it…. If you buy a package of gum and open it to have a piece, it is okay. But the next time you open it will feel like it has been chewed once before. It is very sticky and it is the same with candy, you soon learn to keep it in the refrigerator. I make it sound like life here is a bunch of problems, but life can be very good here.
Last week we took our four elders to Castries for district meeting. As usual we stopped at the half way point so they can get out of the car just to check and see if they could still move. Sometimes it is hard. Have you ever noticed how small an area is in the back seat of a Toyota Corolla? They are just in misery all the way. When we started again Elder Taylor ask how much farther because he could not feel his legs. When we go home Elder Brenkmann, zone leader, will have the car and life will improve for them. As we stopped at our usual place I could not help but notice how lush and pretty it is. From that spot you can see the beautiful ocean, a little town across the way and just the pretty country. As I walked over to the edge I was surprised to notice that all the vegetation had been sprayed and was all yellow and dead. It was so disappointing to see that. All around the island they are cutting down trees, especially by the road and we are told they do that before the hurricane season so trees will not fall on the road and cause problems. It is so lush and beautiful before. Well tonight I took a picture of my tomato plant---what do you think, tomatoes before we come home- or not???
Just a note, we come home July 23 and our homecoming meeting is July 25 at 1:00 pm. Anyone interested I can give you the address. Have a great week---The Church is true. Sister and Elder Faux