Week 18 of the Mish

Hard to believe that we are on week 18 of this mission huh?  In just a couple more weeks, we will be into June and then we can say that we only have a year to go........although many days that still sounds like a long time away. The weather is getting hotter and more humid now, so when our kids tell us that it is 59 degrees and will be in the high 60's, with rain,  we are a little envious!  Here the weather really doesn't get cool, when we got here in January, most days the temperatures were in the 70's and this past week we have definitely noticed it creeping up to the 90's. One would never need a jacket here; at least we do not!   If you know either one of us, we are not huge fans of very hot weather, especially where most people do not have air conditioning, so we are just WET a lot or extremely damp.    We understand why so many people leave the island from the end of May to September, besides the hurricane threat, it is just plain hot and humid.  In Japan they call this weather mushi atsui a perfect description!

On Sunday we had the best surprise!  Alma came to church!  We have been teaching Alma and her friend Naomi with the Elders since we first got here in January.  Every week, we ask her to come to church and every week she has had an excuse, but on Sunday, she came with her daughter.  We were so happy that she came!  It's the little things that make life great as a missionary.......

On Sunday evening we had the pleasure of attending the University of Virgin Islands Baccalaureate Service.  Our friend, Samah Abdallah was giving a speech and so we thought we would go support her.  It was a really good service. Samah did a great job, she is really such a beautiful person inside and out.   The woman on the left is Wendy Coram, she is there Director of Center for the Study of Spirituality and Professionalism.  She also gave an amazing speech and we were very uplifted by the whole program. Wendy Coram  definitely has a gift as a speaker.   It is a pleasure to get out into the community and meet so many wonderful people.

Really.....no words!

I have written before about how we don't have a dryer here on the mission.  So Mondays are the day that the wash is done.  Notice that I don't say that I do the wash, because Dick does it!  Yup, it is a wonderful thing!  I told him how monotous that hanging up the laundry is to me, and he said that he liked doing it!  So viola!  He does the wash while I cook or clean.  It is a beautiful thing....after doing those kinds of things on Monday, we had a lovely FHE with Lamira, her friends Heather and Cory and also Cory Holms and the elders.   Heather and Cory are learning about the gospel and Cory Holms  is here working until July. Cory served in this mission in the early 80's.   We had dinner and then watched the video on the Restoration of the gospel and then asked Heather and Cory if they had any questions. We had a nice discussion after that.  I am MAD that I didn't take a picture! 

ONLY in St. Thomas.....laws and signs are just "suggestions."

Here is a picture of the Elders tutoring at My Brother's Workshop on Wednesday. 

This is how we dress for our Tues morning district meetings. Since we are on a Google Hangout its just a shoulders up view. Its just too hot to put all our clothes on!  I have to say though, that as a woman I cannot complain.  At least we can wear skirts and sandals.  The men have to wear long pants and socks and shoes.   If it were the other way around, I think that just maybe the  women would have a full blown "pants protest!"  It really isn't fair.....Joye suggested that Dick get a taʻovala or a kilt!   Ha!  

Snapped this picture Friday evening as we were leaving St. John.  It is just so beautiful.  Whenever I am having a bad  day, this brings it all to focus for me.  I realize that Our Heavenly Father loves us, and that we are never alone.  He loves each one of us as we are His children.  I am so thankful for that knowledge and thankful that usually to get me back on track, a good sunset will do the trick.

Saturday morning, bright and early we were out with the Red Cross installing free smoke detectors again.  This time, Dick and I were put with Najele.  She is from the Dominican Republic as is her brother Jose, who was teamed with the Elders.  It was fun to try to speak a little Spanish with her.  She got a kick out of our feeble efforts.  Doing volunteer work here on the island is really such a great way to get to know people.  We might even get a couple of new students for our English Class! (crossing our fingers.)

Lisette, Delphie, Valerie, Gina and Vicky

Wilma, LaRae, Lynn and Lamire

Michele and Ginger

Saturday afternoon the St. Thomas Relief Society had a little luncheon to celebrate women!  It was nice to just sit a visit with each other and have some yummy food.  A big thanks to our Relief Society President Ginger Marsh and her counselor Michele Hale.  

Well, that is a wrap.  We are having a drought here in St. Thomas, so we are praying for rain.  Things are looking very dry and people are worried about their water supplies.  Most people here get their water from cisterns, and so if it doesn't rain, they do not have water.  So please pray for rain for this island.  Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers in our behalf.  We love and appreciate you all.
Love,
Dick and Donna