Jan. 17, 2010

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We have received some e-mails asking about Haiti being in our mission.
Haiti is part of our area. There are 8 missions in the Caribbean
area. Haiti is quite a ways north of us and so we didn't experience
any tremor or heavy waves etc. We have been watching, like the rest
of the world. the unbelievable tragedy happening in Haiti. We
received an e-mail on Sunday from the mission office in Trinidad
telling us that all missionaries in Haiti are accounted for and fine
and all the church buildings are standing. The Church has also
brought in doctors and set up a hospital in one of the church
buildings. All of the missionaries in Haiti are native and the
mission president is also a native. He is very young and his wife and
children are now in the US. They have two pre-school children and she
is expecting a baby in February. It is amazing how the miracle of one
house being totally destroyed and the house next to it being intact
happens. We soon realize again that our Father is in charge and we
are blessed for our obedience and diligence in keeping the
commandments. "If you are prepared, you need not fear."

The news from the Calliaqua branch is wonderful. The Williams family
were finally able to be married. We have waited for an unbelievable
time for the documentation of papers to happen so that this family
could be together. Wilson and Moral have been together for a long
time. They have a son, DeLano 9, a daughter, Melissa 2, and a new
baby DelRoy. They were married on Tuesday and it was a beautiful
sight. We hope to be able to have their baptisms on January 30. They
must all read the Book of Mormon for14 consecutive days and be at
church for 3 consecutive weeks. The also must have FHE and help teach
a friend about the Restored gospel. They are doing well but Wilson
has a hard time reading and has some problems with his eyes. We were
able to get the Book of Mormon on CD for them and they had to get
their cd player repaired. Moral loves the Book of Mormon and will
help her family reach the goal of being baptized all together.

We are also getting ready for transfers on January 20 and will need to
get some visas renewed next week depending on who stays here in St.
Vincent. We hope that what we have learned has not changed again.

We had a wonderful Saturday. There was an Area training for branch
and district presidents and leaders from the Dominican Republic. We
received it here by satellite; it lasted from 1 pm to 5:30 p.m. It
was one of the meetings we hope to remember forever. Elder Bednar was
the main presenter with Elder Costa and Elder Coleman helping him. It
was formatted like a workshop with question and answers and
revelation. We were instructed that it was not to be recorded; so we
will review our notes and hearts often to keep the teachings fresh in
our memories. At the end of the meeting, Elder Coleman gave a brief
report of what was happening in Haiti. The Dominican Republic and
Haiti are on the same island. Our Church is so inspired in everything
they do. In the days and months to come we will all hear about the
miracles that are happening amid the chaos.

At 3pm. on Saturday, in the same building, Cornelius Thompson was
baptized. It was one of those sweet experiences. Elder Findlay felt
good about Cornelius even though most everyone else were stuck on his
limitations. He sometimes would talk incoherently because of a head
injury and the locals wrote him off as loco. He has been a police
officer and received this injury as a result. The more he embraced
the gospel, the more his understanding increased. The change has been
a miracle and the baptism was attended by branch members that have
received a new testimony of the power of Restored Gospel of Jesus
Christ.

We finished the week with the CES fireside on Sunday at 5 pm. We
viewed a week late because transportation for people to get home would
have been very limited if we had shown it live. We would have had it
at 9 pm last week and there are very few vans that run on Sunday. We
have so much to be grateful for. We do not have to look far to
realize how blessed we are and that where much is given much is
expected. Our lives are being so blessed!!!

May your week be especially sweet. We love you all!!! Would you
qualify for baptism? 14 consecutive days of reading the Book of
Mormon.
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