Our Mission Experience: Suriname (17 AUG

This time we flew directly from Aruba to Suriname. I packed the suitcases for the whole tour (we find ourselves being a means of "distribution" throughout the mission as well, which makes travel a little more interesting. This time the missionaries in Suriname were all out of Dutch pamphlets...or anything Dutch (I guess they've had a hard time getting supplies in that language.....I've got to check into that because they've been out of a lot of things for quite a while. I guess most of the Dutch supplies get sent to the Netherlands - which makes sense, but we need some too). Anyway, we had a few things in Curacao so we filled up a carry-on suitcase with supplies. I'm so glad they were for Suriname so that we didn't have to haul it throughout the Caribbean. We've also been getting requests from missionaries on picking up scripture cases made of Caiman alligators in Guyana. They think they are pretty cool looking, and I think the guy that makes them LOVES the missionaries because they probably keep him in business. So with all that, I'm starting to feel like a "mailman" or a "pack mule"😉😏

A Caiman Quad Case
I can see why they think they are "cool" but I wouldn't want one with the head on it.....😆

Sister Missionaries at work!

Sister Watkins & Sister Orchard

Elder Vemeeren & President Baird

Elder Dickey, Elder Anderson, Sister Baird & President Baird

These beautiful Sisters were at the church for some CES training

they are all Seminary or Institute Teachers.

Elder Peters, Elder Masina, Elder Flemming

Dinner with a few of the missionaries at the Vermeeren's home. This was Elder Flemming's birthday dinner because it was his birthday the next day. It's always fun to spend time with missionaries. They are remarkable young men and young women doing a very unselfish work. They are truly making a difference in this country by sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone they meet. It truly has the power to change lives.

Another Missionary Sighting.....Sister Campbell & Sister Spencer

This was a Relief Society Activity in a member's home

This was truly a highlight of my week. I love getting to know

the beautiful members in each area! I'm so grateful that I was invited to attend!

I always feel so uplifted being around such women of great faith.

Max and Pon Mertopawiro were the first senior coupe in Suriname .

They served from April 2007- 2010.

Sister Spencer & I eating Sato Soup
(It was Delicious)

Sister Baird & Sister Watkins

Sister Watkins, Sister Baird, President Baird, Keymanda Benjamin, Sister Orchard
This was such a fun story:
The sisters were working hard all day. We have been encouraging them to try to talk to everyone they meet by getting at least 20 people per companionship that they interact with on a daily basis. It has been a wonderful thing to have them stay focused and see everyone they meet as a child of God and having potential to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It also just helps others understand that we are here to Serve in anyway we can, not just teaching, and let them know that we are friendly people. Well, one day they had already talked to more than 20 people (as well as their other lessons and service) and were thinking about heading home (they only had about a half hour left in their day....they saw some young girls dancing to some hip hop music. Sister Walkins loves to dance so they went over to the girls and started talking to them (in Dutch)...one of the girls looked at their tags and said, "are you members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints". (in English) The answered that they were. She said, "I was baptized two years ago in Guyana and my family moved here and I've been looking for the church ever since!" Sister Walkins gave her a big hug and said, "We found you!!" She came to church on this Sunday and even though she had to wear a headset to understand the language she looked so happy to be there!! I talked to her after and she told me how she had gone to other churches but really missed feeling the Spirit and knew she was back in the right place. So mature for someone only 12 years old, and the only member in her family.

We had a P-Day (Preparation Day) - Pretty much the first one we've had on our mission so far. We spent it exploring Suriname a little. We started out by eating at a Dutch Pancake place. It was Delicious!!

Breakfast with the Vermeeren's

My kids really laughed at Kyle's "P-Day clothes"
he added a baseball cap to protect his head
while we walked around Paramaribo.

I got the Ham & Egg Pancake

Saint Peter & Paul Cathedral
We took the opportunity to tour this beautiful old Wooden Cathedral.

Sister & President Baird
In front of the Old Cathedral

Elder & Sister Vermeeren

This was a monument built for the "Zusters" or nuns.
Since our tags say "Zuster" for "Sister" in Dutch we got our picture taken in front of it.
It's kind of fun that I have tags for all the languages of my mission, Dutch, English and Spanish.
The only downside of that being that sometimes people see the tag and just assume that I
Speak the language....lol. I'm trying to learn some of them all.

Fort Zealand

You will find people selling things everywhere.

Visiting the OLARTICA a store owned by a family we Love , The Ibrahim"s

President Ibrahim, a councilor in the District Presidency, is here with two very sweet staff members, who we also think are amazing.

Taking a Photo with President and Sister Baird.

This is Sister Ibrahim in the other store that they own.

This is Sister Tjongajong she served a mission for the Church in Utah.
It was fun to talk with her because she knew some of the missionaries we knew but
she never served in Heber.

Always Construction!!

We met this cute little family from Guyana!

This bridge is the Highest point in Suriname. It is 2 kilometers long.

A Telephone Booth

Sister Orchard, Sister Campbell, Sister Spencer, Sister Watkins

Suriname Leadership Dinner

When the Menu said "Fried Squid"...this is not exactly what I was expecting😏

Elder Heaps & Elder Naef

Sister Campbell & Sister Watkins
Sister Training Leaders

Zone Conference Suriname

Back row: Elder Groenendijk, Jackman, Hendirckson, Roberts, Anderson, Naef, Heaps, Sampson
Middle Row: Elder Vermeeren, Schwinger, Martinsen, Belnap, Holt, Brown, Andrews, Flemming, Peters, Dickey, Keller, Baldwin, Masina, Heimdal
Front Row:Sister Vermeeren, Sister Watkins, Sister Orchard, President Baird, Sister Baird, Sister Spencer, Sister Campbell, Sister Collins.

This is the guy we pulled in off the street to take our picture....
we gave him some of our extra food.

Sister Spencer & Sister Orchard

Sister Orchard & Elder Jackman

Sister Collins (Leaving soon on her mission to France)

September Birthdays (and Elder Fleming...a late August)

These Elders Started Dancing while mopping...it was hilarious.
Making Work fun!!

Be sure to watch these "great moves" on this video!😂

Elder Groenendijk drawing his map. It really started something because then all the elders started drawing maps to pass the time waiting for interviews. (President Baird got a little behind.....) I love this time because I get to talk to them and get to know them so much better! It's amazing sometimes the discussions we have. I learn so much from them. (and not just about maps....😊)

Elder Peters & Elder Flemming
Waving goodbye to Suriname....They left mid transfer so they could
get home to start school. Great missionaries!

Elder Anderson Hauling my Bag in!!
He said "Oh Sister Baird, this bag is Heavy!!... "
It has my computer and a lot of other "necessities" in it, like a water bottle
notebooks, kindle, etc.... 😂 I told him that's how I get my "weight lifting" in every day.
He was so sweet to carry it in for me. (the stuff in his right hand belongs to Kyle..)

Elder Dickey, Elder Anderson, Sister & President Baird

Primary

Not even the heavy Suriname Rain can stop our Missionaries!

One of the Branches in Suriname

The three Departing Missionaries.
Elder Peters, Elder Masina, Elder Flemming

A Long Day for President Baird.....Crashed on the Vermeeren's couch for a few moments.

Sister Vermeeren's "Happy Place"...She is a wonderful Cook
And spoils us while we are there. She takes pretty
good care of all the missionaries as well.

Kyle and I went teaching with the Elders. We met with this incredible man who has really developed a testimony of the Book of Mormon. I really loved being there and even though most of the lesson was in Dutch I could understand a lot of it and really feel the Spirit there, teaching all of us! It was incredible. He had snakes in his home....I was slightly freaked out by them but it was still fun to see them. Two of them were just "hanging out" in these stuffed animals. One was pretty mellow but the other one was more aggressive so I really kept my distance. The other snakes he had in plastic tubs.