During the World Cup

Dear Family and Friends,

Spiritual experience;

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Very few people in English class tonight.  The World Cup has had a huge effect on church attendance this whole month, but tonight the problem was  Immigration.  Life for the Haitians stop when Immigration comes around.  So we just had about 20 people there....only 1 member of the church.  It was really fun because with smaller numbers we can play more games and get to talk a lot more, rather than me just teaching.  On Thursday we have Institute after English class but tonight the Institute teacher did not show up either.  So we pulled out the English Hymn book and begin to sing.  I was very clear that no one had to stay and that English was over.  Not one person left.  We sang for a good half hour and I think they would have stayed for as long as I would have let them.  I kept thinking how amazing it was .... 19 nonmember men singing out of our hymnal.....feeing the spirit and not wanting to leave.

Elder’s Quorum Party

Saturday, June 26, 2010....very interesting

Very few people came.(Immigration again), but it was a good thing.  We ended up with just enough food.  We had an opening song, opening prayer, food, closing song, closing prayer. ( During the week I told Mike I wanted to call and see what they needed for help and he kept saying they needed to work it out themselves.) Anyway after the closing prayer, I asked the Elder’s Quorum President if we could play some games.  He said sure and we played simple children’s game, like musical chairs, Simon Says,  Pass the Chalk.  Anyway, they laughed and had so much fun.  I get such a kick out the simple things that make them so happy.  Every event is a real learning experience for them.  Each time we hope they will build on what they learned from the last experience.

Saturday:  Our son Scott fought in the championship Ring Wars bout which includes a five states circuit and is now the new Light Heavyweight  Mixed Martial Arts champion for that area.  We are proud of him.  Fighting an opponent that was 6’4”, he thinks he probably broke his nose.  But he is so excited that he won by unanimous decision and says it was worth it all.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

When Sacrament Meeting started we had less than 20 people there.  As we average about 52, we braced ourselves for the worst.  No one wants to leave home because so many have been picked up by Immigration and we were thinking we would have such low attendance. By the end of the meeting there was 46.  More than half of those that were there, came after the sacrament.  We teach and teach about being on time......

Today was Mike’s birthday.  Sort of a bummer for him, I think.  He misses the children and grandchildren very much at the holidays especially.  The elders came for dinner and we had cake and ice cream.  Mike has not eaten sweets for several months, so he was excited  and enjoyed that.  

My sister explains that she skims through my letters each week, but enjoys the pictures.  So I will cut the letter short and send more pictures.  

Love you all.

Elder and Sister Herbert

Allistede being baptized by Renel

 Chaloute washing his clothes at the church.

 Elder’s quorum party.

Cleaning the building after our party.

Playing musical chairs.  So much fun!

Father's Day

Dear Family and Friends,

Happy Father’s Day.  Next Sunday is Father’s Day in Haiti.....so we will celebrate it twice.  Of course it is Mike’s birthday next Sunday so we will celebrate that too.  He even said he would have cake and ice cream with that next week.  He has not eaten any junk food for several months so he is looking forward to that.

Went to Beaches and had a huge family dinner with a very generous tourist family on Wednesday.  That would have meant nothing to me before we came here.  After living here for a while it was Way Fun to go enjoy the amazing food and family hospitality.  Thank you Diamonds and Eddys.  It was great!

Had a wonderful visit with the new mission president, President Hendricks and his wife.  We felt so loved and appreciated when they left.  They made us feel we are doing an important work.  They gave us empowerment and inspiration to do better.  

Had a wonderful baptism today after church.  Sometimes we baptize people that we wonder how they will endure.  Alistede is a wonderful man.  I hope and pray he will stand firm in the faith.

Had another man picked up by Immigration this week.... and still another planning on going home soon.  It seems we baptize them, train them to be faithful members, try and teach them English, and then they leave.  We only hope they stay faithful when they get to Haiti.  We are reminded that Elder Coleman, of the seventy, told us during his visit that we are training future leaders of the church in Haiti.

We love you all so much.

Elder and Sister Herbert

Oatmeal Cookies

OK.  I am making these oatmeal cookies for this teaching appointment at 4 PM today.  I use these amazing Cranberries (thank you Diane) and I am mixing them with my new mixer (thank you Aimee) and I am ready to put them into my brand new oven (thank you landlord), and the phone rings.  It is our 4 PM appointment that can't meet with us today.  I am major disappointed because it is a real FAMILY....like together with kids and jobs.  I am so excited for them to learn the gospel.  We have prayed and prayed for families......  He gave me a good reason and rescheduled.    Please add this (last name Moven) family to the list you already pray for.  I love you guys so much.

Mom....and Bonnie

A Funny Story

Funny Story:  I went up to our neighbor’s house (Ann) to her birthday party.  While there Ann introduced me to a lady and explained to me that this lady (Linda) had a confession to make to me.  The poor lady busted up laughing and had a hard time explaining though the laughter.  She told me that 6 months ago she had eaten one of several cupcakes that I had stored at my neighbors house. She had thought they were Ann’s cakes and that Ann had left them for her to eat.   I never noticed, at the time that any were missing.  She said for six months she has avoided me because she was so embarrassed.  I told her I was going to use her story in a talk at church.   How often do we feel guilty about things that would be so easy to take care of, if we would just be up front right at the start?   I think this Linda and I will be good friends.  Sounds like something I would do.

Went car shopping this week.  We were having a car shipped form the Bahamas for the Elders.  The “powers to be” decided that we should buy a new car instead.  I don’t know if we will buy it here or have it shipped from Miami.  Probably several months down the road.  But it was fun car shopping on a mission.

We had about 20 tourist from the US come today to church.  Most from one family.  This lady called me up a few weeks ago and asked what she could bring from the states for us...(silly question!)  Actually we told her nothing, but she ended up bringing about 15 church videos to keep here and share with the members. (She works for Deseret Industries).  Then when she heard some of the needs of the members they brought us soap, shampoo, lotion and other sundries, as well.  They were so very sweet and want to continue to help.  What a testimony builder for Mike and I to be around such generous people.  We have seen so many miracles surrounding our time here.  Nothing to do with us, just that we are blessed to watch it all unfold.

We finally let us into Beaches.  Tourist members are staying there and we went in to take them back to their room.  (We have tried to come in before and the guard always turned us around).  It was such a stark reality check!  It was like a whole world difference between in and out of the gate.  Outside many people hurting, hungry, and without means of support, go into the gate and it is like Disneyland.  Tourists come onto our island and spend a week enjoying the many delicious restaurants, classes, activities, water slide, all inside the wall.  Most never knowing of those hurting outside the gate.  Life in the Caribbean!  

Volley ball is quickly becoming a favorite activity here.  We started playing as a branch activity.  It is growing.  Last Friday there were about 25 people...only 10 were members.  Great missionary tool and lots of fun.  They tell us they never played before and are loving it.

We are anxious to meet our new mission president this week.  He and his wife will just be her one day and night.  We don’t know what his agenda will be but we are anxious for direction.  

We have met and talked with several very good contacts lately.   One family...so sweet.    We feel our prayers are answered in so many ways.  This mission is such an amazing experience     ....Not easy, but amazing!

Lots of love.

Elder and Sister Herbert

Kittens!!!!

Aurora, Tyton, Griffin, Noble, Braze, Torrent, Leah, and Aby.......

Can you see the kittens hiding?

We love you.