Proud

Dearest Children,

Never been so proud of your dad in my life.  We went to visit two fairly new members who do not come to church.  They live several miles from the church and have no money for a taxi.  They said they have no problem walking several miles to the church....but it is dangerous to be out around immigration.  Paul was telling your dad that he has no clothes or shoes to wear.  So your dad takes off his shoes and gives them to Paul.  They fit!  So your dad visited and went to another visit with no shoes.  He told Paul, “I can’t give you money, but I can give you my shoes.”  I was so excited, I wanted to jump up and kiss your dad right in the middle of all those people.  

He is soooo ready to leave this island.  but I think we are here for a while...perhaps the rest of our mission.  It was very fun to have Evelyn and Diane here.  We  probably did everything that can be done on the island.....in 4 1/2 days.  I hated to see them leave, but maybe it was perfect timing.  We went to the beach almost every day.  They helped me teach English class, which was very fun.

I love you guys so much.  I am so proud of you.  Thank you so much for making good decisions and loving your families.  You have always made me so happy.  From the day I found I was pregnant with Scott until now, you have brought me great joy.  I know the greatest ecstasy and the deepest pain surrounds people in family.  I know these are the lessons we were to learn when we came to earth.  I want nothing more than to be with my family throughout eternity.

I love you very much,

Mom

While Bonnie Plays Hostess

Hello friends and family....

Bonnie has assigned me the responsibility of writing this weeks letter. She is having a great time hosting Diane Thayer and Evelyn Johnson during their short visit with us. When they arrived, it was like Christmas..... even better. They brought us many things that we either cannot get , or it is much to expensive to purchase here. Our children had gathered goodies and added their stuff to the two hugh bins that Diane and Evelyn had rounded up to bring.   They also brought a tremendous number of white shirts and ties from many of our friends in Eagle River. Thank you so much to all who donated. Next Sunday is our first Branch Conference here in Providenciales and we are excited to see all of our male members in attendance dressed in white shirts and ties. For most of them, it is the first white shirt and tie they ever have owned. Your generosity truly exemplifies the scripture found at Mathew 25:40.

Things continue to roll along here on this little island. And, each day the temperature moves up another degree or two. We’ve had the fans on in the house most of the time we’ve been here. However, it’s nearing the point where we will begin using the A/C at night so we can sleep. The National weather service announced today they are predicting an unusually high number of hurricanes and large storms this hurricane season (June 1- Dec 1). We are not looking forward to experiencing a hurricane. However, here it’s just a way of life. The folks in the Jamaica Mission office told all the missionaries to lay in emergency water and food supplies. We are prepared.

I’m sure most have heard about the unrest in Kingston, Jamaica over the past few days. All missionaries on Jamaica are safe and have been given specific directions on how to remain that way. Our new mission president and his wife arrived on Jamaica two days ago. His flight from Miami to Kingston was cancelled due to conditions. So, they ended up flying to Montego Bay and then being driven to Kingston. What a greeting!

The work continues. More of our strongest members have voluntarily returned to Haiti. It is good that they are returning to their families. One of them already has a job there as a tailor. More would like to leave as soon as possible if they had the resources to do so. Our branch membership rolls now lists 69 members. With the 14 who returned to Haiti (voluntarily and involuntarily) we would have been getting ever closer to the “magic” 100 member number. That goal now may not soon be realized. However, the Lord continues to send us people who are eager to learn of the Gospel. If all goes well, we will baptize 5 new members this Saturday. YES!

Bonnie and I are still wondering whether we will be transfered. Our previous mission president told us we would not be here our entire mission. He stated he could not justify leaving a couple here their entire mission since there had already been a couple here prior to our arrival, and there are many other places in the mission that have never had a senior couple assigned. We’ll see what the impressions of the new president will be. We are happy to go and do whatever the Lord desires of us.

Now, more about our visitors (Evelyn and Diane). They have been kept busy the last couple of days. We planned on taking the ferry to a neighboring island yesterday. However, the storm that rolled through here early in the morning changed our plans. We ended up driving all around the island. You may have already seen pictures on Facebook. We visited the Northwest Point of the island, then took them to the Pirate Cave. It was beautiful, but way hot! Even Diane Thayer said she was too hot. After a fried chicken lunch and visiting some of the members, Diane needed to head back to the beach for more swimming. When that was done, we went to the Tiki Hut restaurant for a BBQ chicken and ribs dinner...YUM! It was a good day. Today, Bonnie is taking them to visit many sisters in the branch. Then, Diane wants to head back to the beach. We will try to visit the neighbor island tomorrow...weather permitting.

We have had some very spiritual and emotional experiences these last few weeks.  It is funny how bad and good, sad and happy, all seem to come together to help us grow and be better people.   Such amazing experiences.  So thankful to be able to serve a mission!

 Thanks again for all those who donated shirts and ties, and other fun stuff.  We love you all so much. 

Elder and Sister Herbert

Saying good bye to Pierre Paul and Fabian

Pirate Cave

Beautiful sunset on the beach.

This is just a little of the goodies Diane and Evelyn brought.  UHHHH....I don't think I will be losing weight any time soon!

Henry's Babies

Dear Aurora, Tyton, Grifin, Noble, Braze, Torrent, Leah, and Aby,

Henry had two babies.  they are probably 3 or 4 weeks old.  They are very shy and run away whenever they see or hear us.  i have tried to get a good picture to send you but have had the chance.  Here is two where the black one was hiding.  Can you see it?  Here is a picture of Papa and Clyde Lee.  We were at a volley ball activity.  Papa watched Clyde Lee while I took pictures.  I love you guys.

For All The Grandkids

Our neighbors left on a vacation and left this pineapple plant for us.  We picked it today.  The best we ever tasted.  It takes 1 1/2 years to
grow.  Yummy

We love you guys

It's Getting Hot Here!

Dear Family and Friends,

One day melts into another and we can’t believe how fast time goes.  No huge news this week. (No news is good news sometimes.)  

We had 2 more of our men taken by immigration.  We don’t understand the huge push lately to get all the illegal men.  This country is in high turmoil, no money, no business, lots of crime and lots of corrupt government.  Because Turks and Caicos is a British commonwealth, Britain came and took over the government and is trying to “clean” it all up.  We even heard they are bringing over policemen because the police force is so corrupt.  The “belongers” are not happy because things are changing and they don’t like outsiders coming in to take over.  But we are hoping things settle down soon, making life a little calmer.  The newspaper said they are giving only 1/2 the work permits this year.  Many are trying to do everything legal but finding they don’t have the connections and bribe money needed to get legal papers.  One of our friends (Natalie) has lived here since she was 10 years old...all legal.   When she turned 18 years old and got out of high school in 2004, she turned in paperwork to become a legal resident. They paid all the money and everything was somehow lost.  She turned it in again two years later and once again, all paper trail vanished.  She recently turned everything in for the fourth time.  The person who worked (or who did not work) her papers has now been changed.  They have great hope that it will happen soon.... 6 years after it should have.  

We (mostly me) are very excited that Diane and Evelyn are coming for a visit.  They are bringing so many things we miss from home.  It will be like a vacation for me to have them here.   We are excited to have all the white shirts.  Thank you so much for the many who have contributed.  I will make Diane and Evelyn come with me to do English class as well as lots of visiting.  But we will also take some time to enjoy the beaches here.  We have not gone to the beach since Erin was here in December.  It is getting trés chaud....very hot, and we will take delight in beautiful weather at the ocean.  We so enjoyed our Skype visit with Homestead family last evening.  Mrs Yeargan is retiring this year and we enjoyed a moment with them at her retirement party held at the Thayer home. 

We had a lovely evening with Elder and Sister Coleman last weekend.  He did some basic and fundamental training.  It was very nice to sit and soak in the spirit.  

Almost every week we have some tourists that find the church and come to visit our little branch.  Last week we had 6 women from Oregon,(left their husbands and children home) and came, bearing Mother’s Day flowers and candy.  Then they asked if there was anything they could do for the members here who are hurting so much.  They were very generous and we will have food in our office to give out for a long time.  I’m not sure if they know the good they have done.  Last night, two tourist from Utah,  came and took all the missionaries out to eat.  It was a lot of fun.  We find there are many good people in this world and it is so much fun to rub shoulders with them.

One thing that is very exciting for me.....  When we came here there were 8 women in our branch.  I just did a new list and we have 17 now (counting me).   It is an answer to prayer.  Kind of fun to watch it grow. 

We are happy.   We are glad to be on a mission.  We love you all.

Elder and Sister Herbert

Elder and Sister Coleman at the church.

This is a mother and daughter from Utah.  Clara graduated from high school and her mother brought her here to do some diving.  They had a great time and we enjoyed getting to know them.  They drove a motor scooter around the island.  What fun.

Two of our newest members.

Another beautiful sunset.  So many here.

Just a Few Pictures

Appropriate place for a picture of Mike.

 Mosquitos all over the place.

Interesting how the roots had grown down into the cave from above.

this was Mike's favorite sign.  

Hard Times

Dear Family, My computer is broken and I am at an Internet cafe. My computer is at the repair shop and I hope they will be able to help. I will let you know if it gets fixed, however if you don't hear from us for a while, that is the reason.

This has been the most emotional week on our mission. 9 of our members and several more nonmember friends were picked up by immigration and sent back to Haiti. I don't have time to explain it all right now, but it has been extremely hard. We made many trips to the detention center to take clothes and food to those being deported. When they fly them to Haiti, they drop them off at the airport and expect them to find their own way wherever they need to go. Everything they had in their pockets, cell phone, wallets, identification, money, is taken from them and they are left there. We have talked to several of them. Some have made it to their homes and some we do not know. The immigration officers came into our church building after the elders had been teaching, jimmied a locked door to get them out. Some of these men that were taken spent several hours each day translating and helping the missionaries. To be taken from the church (for me) was very hard. We were in contact with the church lawyer in SLC and found that in this country, it is legal for them to come in, and break down the door, if necessary to get people they think are undocumented. So we have no recourse. If immigration had come on Tuesday or Thursday during English class, they probably would have taken 40 or more men that are illegal from my class. President Ockey suggested we not hold English class for a while as immigration seems to be targeting this area. Your dad thinks they were there because they thought it was an "English" night. This is a great blow to me as this is how I spend much of my time and energy. My heart is broken but keep thinking this must be a precursor to something better..... :)

I have been worried sick about these men. Some of them have stayed together after arriving in Haiti. We tried to get them help from the church members in Haiti, but there were problems there too..... and our guys found themselves sleeping outside with no food. They have become like our children and to know they are hungry, alone, is very difficult.

Then Saturday afternoon we got a call from the area presidency to tell us our mission president had been released and was on his way home. He has only been out 10 months. We do not know why....someday I will tell you what I know....but I don't know much. I know it was NOT because of being unworthy or anything like that. I think it has to do with management style. We called him last night and talked to him, expressed our love and appreciation. I think that meant a lot to him. We were told not to tell others of his release until it was common knowledge. This AM we were told that it is public information now. A new mission president has been called and will be in Jamaica at the end of May. Elder Coleman of the Area Presidency will act as mission president until the new one arrives. He will be here in Providenciales this Friday to talk to us and the elders. I am sure we will get more information when he comes.

Then Saturday night after all this, your dad turned on the computer, and it would not work. We were so discouraged. I could not help but wonder what else could go wrong. Then I thought of you, my dear children. I began to pray that heartache would be deflected away from you. I know we are highly blessed and we want you to know of the tremendous blessings and peace that we feel being in the service of Heavenly Father. I hope the computer can be fixed..... we do so much of our work from it..... but it is just a "thing" and everything can be replaced.

Anyway, my time is close to being up....and they will shut down the computer. I love you all very much. I pray for you night and morning. Please know of our great love for each of you, your children, and for Heavenly Father. I feel we are guided and protected at every turn. What a great blessing of peace.

Love, Mom and Dad