September 20,2009

It has been an unbelievably busy but good week here in St. Vincent!!! We hope all is well with you. We love hearing from you and what is going on.

On Monday, we had a wonderful FHE for the Calliaqua branch. We had a major transfer coming in the mission and would lose all but one of the Elders here. We had a Tongan Emuu (or something like that) and roasted a pig in a pit with breadfruit and banana leaves and the works. Elder Veae and Elder Moala did a great job!!! One of the highlights of the night was an investigator that Elder Moala and Elder Veae contacted on the street and invited him to the party. He is an architect and a very bright man. Jim was very impressed with him. Since then Natha has read a lot about the restoration and the Book of Mormon and has committed to baptism. That is since Monday!!! He told us that his life is a disaster and that he wants what the gospel offers. Really golden!!!

On Tuesday, Elder Cottam left for Guadaloupe and will be speaking french and will be the zone leader there. He has been such a blessing because he has great computer skills. We spent the rest of the day moving from one apartment to another further up the gap andwhich is cheaper with a lot more room and an unbelievable view. The breeze that comes through the apartment is better than air conditioning and will help with the electrical bill. Elder Moala flew out that night to Trinidad and then on the next day to the US and home. He was excited and sad at the same time after serving a good mission.

On Wednesday morning, Elder Vi arrived straight from the MTC; he is Elder Moala's cousin. So we still have the Tongan Elders in Calliaqua with Elders Veae and Vi. Later that afternoon Elders Damm, Harris, Huntsman, Stebbing, Risenmay and Gilley arrived. They all came from Guyana and were part of the 42 missionaries that were arrested and held in the police station there. Some of them were headed to Trinidad but that country would not let them in either. So, we are being blessed to have a boost in the missionary work here in St. Vincent. We spent the rest of the day getting cell phones, drivers licenses, food, money and etc. and getting them settled in their apartments. The Kingston branch came up with a good way to remember the 4 missionaries assigned to their branch. Damm, Harris just Stabbed Huntsman. We spent the rest of the week just cleaning up details on apartment contracts moving the office and mission supplies to our new apartment and trying to orient the Elders to the island where there are no addresses. They are hard workers and have "hit the deck a running". Our new apartment is up a steep gap, quite a climb in a vehicle or especially on foot. Saturday morning, after our walk, I baked cookies before cleaning up for the day. My thought was that there was no way the Elders will climb that hill just for cookies. At 10:30 am the Calliaqua 4 came and ate a lot and about 2 pm as we were leaving the Kingstown 4 came and finished them off.

We have been visiting less active members and have had some interesting experiences. One man has not been to church for a long time and knows the church is true but is addicted to marijuana. His story is a tragic one; he thinks he is in control of his own destiny. We met him in the market and he told us that he is a wild man but when he saw us he felt soft.

Well, the Elders want to go to Dark View Falls and Wallilabou Bay at 7 am so best call it a night.

We love ya,
Elder and Sister Wheeler