Notice both of these signs.....They are both on churches one in Curacao and one in Aruba both in Papaimentu.....it is a fairly new "written" language and so the islands have not quite agreed on some of the writings so it will vary on how it is written from island to island.
One of my favorite things to do is actually spend time with the missionaries and this week we got to have two Zone conferences (which for those of you who don't know....it's when we bring groups of our missionaries together for some training and giving them some encouragement and try to help them feel excited and uplifted) One of the things we really focused on this week was just telling them to just talk to as many people as they can. In D&C 123:12 It talks about how there are many people who are only "kept from the truth because they know not where to find it." The Lord has given a promise that He will put these people in our path. Seekers of truth.... but we have to be willing to open our mouths. I have personally experienced these types of miracles in my own life and it has been so fun this week to have the missionaries share their personal experiences of people they have been led to as well. I had wonderful opportunities to go out and teach again with the sisters and feel the power of the Holy Ghost bearing witness of the truths being taught and see the joy in the eyes of the people accepting the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. This truly is the Lord's work and it is truly a blessing to be a part of it.
Curacao Zone Conference
Back row: Elder Sessions, Elder Porritt, Elder Weiss, Elder Lopez, Elder Garcia, Elder Parr
Front Row: President Baird, Me, Sister Woolsey, Sister Campbell, Sister Davidson, Sister Cole,
Sister Burrup, Sister Melendez
Elder Garcia, Elder Sessions
Sister Cole, Sister Davidson
President Baird with our Assistants Elder Marks and Elder Lopez
They are pretty incredible young men and they have helped us so much in our transition here. I don't know what we would do without them.
It was Sister Cole's Birthday on Friday so we Celebrated it together
Elder Garcia, Elder Porritt
Elder Weiss, Elder Sessions
Elder Marks, Elder Lopez
Aruba
The day after Zone conferences in Curacao we headed off to Aruba. We first met with all the missionaries. Then on Friday we had a wonderful Zone conference. Saturday we got to attend and speak at a youth conference with about 25 youth from Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire. They only get to meet all together once a year and they love it. They had spent the morning doing service around the community. They ranged in age from 12 - 18. It was amazing to be surrounded by them. Their love of the Gospel and of each other was contagious. Some had recently come from Venezuela and it was fun to see them there too. Most understood English but some needed some translation and the Sister Missionaries helped with that. I did an object lesson for them. I started with telling them that one of Satan's greatest tools is keeping good people so busy doing "good" things that they don't have time to do the essentials. I asked them what some of the essential things in life are. Prayer, Scripture Study, Church attendance, Family time, Temple. Then I showed them a glass that represented their life. I had rocks that represented the "essential things" Then I had sand that represented all the other things that take up their time....work, sports, school, friends, (all good things)... If the sand was put in first the essential "rocks" would not fit in. But if the essential things were done first all the rest would fit in. I know this is a true principal. Matt 6:33 "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all Else shall be added unto you". It works in my life. When I take time to say my prayers and read my scriptures and keep my covenants, life just goes better, smoother and I feel happier. The Lord is able to guide and prompt me more effectively and I'm blessed with a greater feeling of peace and Joy.
Elder Stott, Elder Buxton
Sister Garcia, Sister Robertson
Sister Woodbury, Sister Hardy, Sister Robertson, Me, President Baird, Elder McMillan,
Elder Stott, Elder Buxton, Elder Durfee
Sister Hardy, Sister Woodbury Sister Robertson, Sister Garcia
Elder Durfee, Elder McMillan
Elder Buxton, Elder Stott Gary (Future Missionary - Leaves in August from Bonaire)
Fun story about Sister Robertson
I showed her a picture of my family and
she said "wait, that's Kameron. I had a
class with him and his cousin Ty at UVU"
Small world.
In Aruba you see all these statues of Blue horses.....
The water here is especially gorgeous!!
One of the Church Buildings here in Aruba... There are two but the other one is a lot smaller. I haven't seen it yet but we will attend meetings at both tomorrow.
Saturday night I had the opportunity to go teaching with the sisters. We met some amazing people. One lady we taught in her shop that she owns. She had two of her friends there to listen as well. The one friend it was the first time she had been able to stay for a complete lesson because of time commitments but she loves the Book of Mormon and has already read it completely through twice. Each of them already had a great love of the Bible and so reading the Book of Mormon rang so true to them. One of them held it close and even though I couldn't understand all that was being said I knew that she cherished what she was learning! It was amazing how strong the spirit was (even in a retail shop) She even had a couple of customers come in during her lesson and the Sisters stopped teaching for a moment so she could wait on them. She told them to continue because, "this is more important!"..... The customers browsed for a few moments and left. I could tell that she was having a difficult time with some things in her life and she said that repentance was hard. I told her that with God all things were possible. (Matt 10:27) We looked up that scripture together. She said, "I have read Matthew before but this scripture has never been so powerful to me!" I really think that gave her hope. What a neat experience. With the second set of sisters we went to a young mother and her two kids. That was such a great experience as well. She has a lot of time demands on her so she doesn't feel like she can commit to coming to church but she still wants the missionaries to continue teaching her.
Since we have encouraged our missionaries to talk to as many people as possible, Kyle and I are doing the same. While the sisters and I were in teaching that last lesson, Kyle ran the other sisters back to the church to get their bikes. Then he came back to the home where we were but stayed outside. We noticed him passing the open doorway, headed to talk to the neighbor. The Lady we were visiting asked if that was my husband and said he wouldn't be able to talk to the neighbor because he didn't speak any English. Well, Kyle knows no Spanish so I figured that wouldn't work very well. We finished up the lesson and went to look for Kyle. We called, "Bon Noche, President Baird"....because we couldn't see him anywhere. He came out of a building under construction with the neighbor and they were laughing like they had been conversing. The neighbor started talking to the Sisters and they started translating. Through hand gestures Kyle and the neighbor had started communicating and he started showing Kyle around the house he was building. Kyle just kept saying "Bonita" which was the only Spanish word he could think of and he knew it meant beautiful. That seemed to really please the man. He was from Ecuador and was building 4 buildings to sell. (It didn't surprise me that Kyle had found a way to communicate - he is such a people person). Well, before we left they were good friends and the man had committed to have the Sisters come by and teach him and his family. (The Lord will put people in our path - we just need to open our mouths).
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