Another week of adventure.  As I am writing we are gearing up for our first tropical storm/hurricane.  Right now it is a tropical storm, but for the Virgin Islands we have a hurricane warning.   We will let you all know how that comes out.  We have been working on the branch membership records.  We have found 4 families that have moved out.  Had some great conversations with some members who have not been attending.  We have even sent out emails and letters to those who we do not have addresses for or no working phone.  The streets here are not really named or posted, so when we have a “real” address, it is still hard to find.  Most just have PO Box numbers.  Which is hard because some companies will not ship to a PO Box.  I have tried!  Sometimes it is easier to order something on line and have it shipped here, instead of buying it locally.  Wish Del Taco would ship overnight! Tee Hee Hee.

We didn’t go shopping today, because everyone and their brother will be shopping to get ready for the storm.  We are really set, have water, flashlights, and a stove that is gas.  So we can still cook.  Our landlord just called down and said when the electricity goes out so does the water in the shower.  So we hurried and took an early shower.  We have shutters put up on all the windows and everything is tied down.  Even if we don’t get much storm, it has been fun to get ready for it.  Our landlord said he would lots sooner get ready and the storm fizzle out than to have a storm hit and not be ready for it.

I am getting really good at making salsa.  Since we have mangoes (the season is just ending for them) and lots of avocadoes, I am getting pretty good at making a mean avocado dip.  The avocadoes here do not turn brown after they sit for a while, which is good since there is only 2 of us and no office to take it to share.

                          

                   

              Our Drive way                                                                               Our House

 

 

                       

 

Moms yummy dip   

 

          

                                                                     See the angle                                                                                    

Good Morning! It is the 6^th of October.  How time flies when you are having fun!! Talk about saying Good Morning.  If you don’t address locals with “Good Morning”, “Good Afternoon”, “Good Evening”, or “Good Night” they will ignore you.  We had an investigator tell us when he was a young boy he forgot to say to his Grandmother, “good morning”.  She gave him a sound spanking.  He went home and told his mom that grandmother had given him a spanking because he forgot to say “good morning”.  His mother gave him another spanking!  That is how important it is for us to address them.  Also if it is evening you say “good night” as a salutation, not as a good bye.

There is a cycle of poverty here that really is sad, and I don’t know how we can help, except one person at a time. The woman seem to be just beaten down, no self-esteem, they don’t think they can do better than what they are.

Conference was super different for us.  I really missed the family and our waffles with strawberries!  Conference started here at 12:00 noon.  So we went to the meetinghouse.  I am not sure if we told you that our chapel is being renovated so we meet above a local bank.  

This is a picture of our meetinghouse.  It will have a steeple on it after they are done.

 

So at the bank, we meet upstairs, we have a large room that is designated as the chapel with 3 rooms that open off of the chapel; one for the clerk’s office, one for the young women room, a room they use for a teaching station. We also have another large area although it is smaller than the chapel and it is designated as the Primary room.  With an office for the branch president and another room for the nursery, off of the Primary room.  There is a room between the chapel and Primary room that they use for the Priesthood and Sunday School classes for the youth.

 
Now back to conference.  They had set up the screen in the chapel, with another computer set up in Priesthood room for the Spanish speakers. I have to also tell you that all chairs are set up for Sacrament meeting in the chapel.  You take a chair with you when you go to Sunday School class or Priesthood.  (Gospel Doctrine and Relief Society are both taught in the chapel). These are the folding chairs that are padded, but after 4 hours they don’t feel padded!!  We didn’t have very many people on Saturday.  Just the poor people that don’t have computers on internet.  The branch president didn’t even come.  We did have one of the Branch presidencies as he doesn’t have a computer or internet.  Sunday we had more people come.  Some came late about 1 hour and then we have a pot luck.  It is a problem after because they all want a ride home.  Many people do not drive or have automobiles, I think the gas is very expensive here as well and they may not be able to afford to buy gas.  We are paying about $4.78, but if we buy it on Wednesday or Saturday it is $4.48.  (We are not reimbursed for the gas we spend) All the core members stayed home and watched conference at home. Some brought food, but didn’t stay.
 Our Spanish members stayed and we had a good time visiting with them while we ate lunch.  I am just saying that I was glad to not have to sit anymore after conference was over. But the messages were wonderful and we felt truly blessed to be here in St Thomas working in the Lord’s vineyard

 

Last two pictures are of our apartment.  We have this cute little office at the front of out apartment. The other pic is of our porch.  The lady with the hat is an investigator, the other lady is a member that we are trying to get her to make the commitment to go to the temple.