Tales of Trinidad: Great, Busy Week

We've had a great week! Monday, We went back to the river with the missionaries where we had the baptism and had family night with Pamela and Joel. The missionaries taught about Lehi's dream and then we roasted marshmellows. This couple has five children but they are not married so they can't get baptized yet. Three of their children are baptized. They say they want to get married but can't afford it cause they have to drive two hours away to Georgetown. They live in a one room shack that is their kitchen, living room and bedroom all in one. After the lesson she made all of us cheese spread sandwiches and juice. They are so generous, happy and full of love. It's truly life changing to see this way of living.
Tuesday we drove to Georgetown for our Guyana Zone Conference. What a treat! It was so wonderful to actually get to spend some time with President and Sister Baird and the other senior couples and all the missionaries serving in Guyana. Definitely a strong force in our endeavor to build the Kingdom here! It was a spiritual feast presented by the Bairds and the young missionaries. Such a privilege to be counted in their number.
Some exciting news is that we have been assigned to find a plot of land for the church to build a chapel on. Such great news! This building will be a great source of hope and enjoyment for these people. We have a river that is dividing this branch and it's difficult for the one side to get to the building where we are now meeting because they have to pay to cross the bridge or pay to ride a boat or a taxi over, plus the building itself is not very pleasant to worship in and quite expensive to pay for.
We looked around today and we will be getting a map and be talking to the city planners to see what we can do. As we were looking around for potential spots we decided to walk down a dirt road and we came upon a farmer there who showed us all his land and what he grows. He gave us some plantain, and celery as well as some tangerlimes, not sure of the name but they are a blend of limes and tangerines. I can't wait to make some juice out of them. His name is George and we will go and see him again when his peppers are ready. We did pay him a little for his produce.
We also got to go and visit several members today because Shaq had the day off and could direct us where to go. We visited with Haniff and Molly, members for almost a year. They are preparing to be sealed in the temple soon. They have a very large farm with chickens and pigs and papaya, passion fruit, coconut, lemon and plantain trees. They gave us a fresh coconut, a papaya, cassava root, and some sugar cane. Then we went back to Pamela and Joel's. It was nice to see them and they offered us a bunch of plantains, which we gratefully declined so as not to eat the food they needed. We told them that we had just got some. It's interesting how much generosity is so abundant with so little. Americans have so much and we tend to keep it to ourselves. This evening we went to visit our one and only seminary student, Shaneeza. We haven't seen her since last Friday so we were getting concerned about her. She and her family live on a hill in the middle of some gorgeous foliage.
There are a ton of pictures this time!

On the way to Georgetown we stopped by a road side store and bought a fresh coconut.
Dave is using a machete to open it.

All the missionaries of Guyana being taught by Pres. Baird

There were several cows and this horse in the yard of the church. Animals just roam the streets here. Cows, horses, goats, chickens, donkeys and lots of dogs and cats.

This is one of the fruit trees on Hannis and Molly's farm. She made a drink out of it for us, but I can't remember the name.

This is a non ripe lemon! Huge!

Plantain tree with flower

Me harvesting a papaya with Hannis

Passion fruit with flower

Shaq removing the shell of the coconut

This is the home of Pamela and Joel and their children. The little girl in yellow is a neighbor that Pamela tends. starting at left back: Ranese, Pamela, Joel, Dave. Romeo, Me, Ronaldo,
Elder Leich, Rae-elle, neighbor girl and Romerio.

Guyana Zone

These are the missionaries in Linden. Elder Leich, Elder Depat, Elder Bramdeo, Elder Norton. We have spent many hours in the car with them driving back and forth to Georgetown. Great Men!