Suriname (25-30 JUN 2019)

Suriname

This day it rained really hard

The Elders made a sacrifice to get wet and walked across
 the road to the store to bring me some water.
(They said that they are used to getting wet, either with sweat because
it is so hot and humid or from the rain.....

For an activity this night we watched a movie with all our missionaries!!
So Fun to be with these wonderful people. 

After the Movie we celebrated a few birthdays
Elder Hollingshead, President Baird & Elder Baldwin

Everyone Arriving for Interviews
In the Rain.
Dedicated Missionaries!!

Really Wet Sister Missionaries
Sister Lefrandt & Sister Orchard

Soooo much water on the road....
It felt like we were driving through a river in spots. 

President Baird wanted to stop and take a picture of this sign because he's always
using an example of steel when talking about the Lord preparing His Saints in
the countries where we serve.  It's hard to watch them struggle and go through trials
but then we realized that those who stay strong through the "tough" times become the
"steel" that the Lord uses to build the foundation for His work.   This is "pioneer" stalk...
He used these strong Saints in the early days of the church.   Those who endured hardships,
but followed the words of the Lord's prophet and crossed the plains into the Salt Lake
Valley to build up the foundation of His church...Now it has grown and spread (as prophesied)
across the world.  There are those foundational Saints in Every place we go and continue
to become "steel" through anything that comes their way.  President Baird encourages
all the Saints to become "steel" so that they can withstand the storms of life.
This sign is especially appropriate because it's not just ordinary steel but
 steel that can survive a Hurricane.  

Zone Conference

Back Row:  Elder Karssen, Elder Millard, Elder Dillworth,  Elder Roberts, Elder Wall, Elder Garcia, Elder Somsen, Elder Holthe, Elder Sampson

Middle Row:  Elder Brockbank, Elder Giordoni, Elder Belnap, Elder Laurie, Elder Huntsman, Elder Dickey, Elder Groenendijk, Elder Heimdal, Elder Hollingshead, Elder Holt, Elder Seffker, Elder Baldwin, Elder Wardle, Elder Newton, Elder Frandsen, Elder Vermeeren

Front Row:  Sister Didier, Sister Spencer, Sister Schitman, Sister Tulaga, President Baird, Sister Baird, Sister McGuire, Sister Orchard, Sister Lefrandt, Sister Vermeeren

Elder Roberts & President Baird

Elder Roberts & Elder Seffker

Elder Hollingshead & Elder Newton

Elder Garcia & Elder Holt

Elder Heimdal & Elder Somson

Sister Tulaga & Sister Baird

Elder Holthe & Elder Dickey

Elder Giordani & Elder Belnap

Elder Wall & Elder Garcia

Elder Laurie & Elder Wardel

Sister Tulaga & Sister Didier

Elder Baldwin & Elder Wall

Elder Karsson & Elder Millard

Sister McGuire & Sister Spencer

Sister Lefrandt & Sister Orchard

Elder Dillworth & Elder Huntsman

Elder Sampson & Elder Groenendijk

Elder Brockbank & Elder Frandsen

Sister Vermeeren & Sarafina

A Birthday Card for President Baird
Made by Sister Spencer - She is so talented!!

Elder Brockbank, Elder Belnap, Elder Holt, Elder Groenendijk

Sister Baird
Preparing for Zone Conference

Elder Heimdal, Sister Orchard, Sister Lefrandt, Elder Groenendijk, Elder Garcia

Sister Spencer & Sister McGuire

Elder Wall & Elder Belnap

Sister Baird, Elder Frandson, & Elder Wall

Sister Vermeeren & Sister Tulaga

Elder Roberts & President Baird

The food is always a highlight of the Zone Conference!

Sister Vermeeren surrounded by Elders that Love her!!

Birthdays Sister Didier & Elder Wardel

Elder Dickey, Elder Groenendijk, Sister Didier, Elder Roberts, Elder Holt, Elder Heimdal, Elder Belnap

Departing Missionaries...(all except Elder Belnap.  He is going home next transfer.  He came in
with this group but went home for some wrist surgery so got to extend a little)

Sarafina, Sister Tulaga, Sister Lefrandt, Sister McGuire, Sister Baird, Sister Spencer,
Sister Didier, Sister Orchard, Sister Vermeeren

The sisters wanted the Elders to take the group picture of them...
I thought it was funny to see all the Elders with the cameras so I had
to get a picture of this...lol

A "Sister Selfie"

Elder Sampson & Sister Baird

Elder Garcia, Elder Heimdal, Sister Orchard, Sister Lefrandt, Elder Groenendijk

Sister & Elder Vermeeren

Sister Tulaga, Sister Baird, Elder Dickey

Cultural Night at the Parimaribo Branch

The Branch hosted a cultural night.  There were talents from many different countries.  Members of the branch participated and our missionaries performed quite a few numbers.  It was a wonderful night of celebration.  Suriname is a perfect place to do this because there are so many different cultures living together in the same country.

Making Decorations for the cultural night

Elder Millard Brought his Seattle Mariners Hat
for his cultural costume and he let me wear it for a bit.
My cultural costume was a Missionary.  

Sister Tulaga
She did a dance dedicated to her grandmother
who just passed away last week. 

For one of their group numbers, the missionaries did their
version of an "American Flash Mob"
They started and then asked others to join in.
President Baird and I joined with them....it was fun!

Baptisms!!!

Another Beautiful Friend I met on the Plane!!