Week 44 in St. Thomas

We played our last Pickle Ball Games with Elder Sigcha and Elder Niederhauser early Monday morning before transfers.  It was a bitter battle, but alas!  We won 4-3.  They improved so much these past few weeks and honestly gave us a run for our money today! See our "net" still playing with a rope!


Right now on the island, there are these "Christmas Palms" that are showing these beautiful big red balls.     They really are so pretty!  But it  is honestly the ONLY thing that reminds us of Christmas except the array of Christmas decoratons and such in Kmart.  We are not sure that we can feel much like Christmas in 80 degree weather!

These little origami shirts are kind of a hallmark in the Puerto Rico Mission.  The Elders use them for thank-you notes and leave them in the homes of people who are kind to them.(aka feed them....)  They simply write a little note on the back of them.  I just think they are so adorable and have been folding a few of them lately and giving them to the Elders to use.    



Monday afternoon, we dropped off Elder Niederhauser who left for Puerto Rico to be a Zone Leader and then picked up Elder Fineanganofo!  He is from Elk Grove,near Sacramento, and we look forward to working with him.  He jumped right into the work here!
So long to Elder Niederhauser.  We will miss him!

Welcome to St. Thomas Elder Fineanganofo!

English Class on Wednesday evening.  All of our students are from Haiti right now.  I promise, they do have a good time even if they don't always smile!!!

 This week hasn't been much different than most of our weeks here. Each day we get up and try our best to do what the Lord would have us do.  We had a great discussion with Angie, a friend that the Elders are teaching. The spirit was so strong when she told us that she believed that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that the Book of Mormon was true. She got very teary.  It is a moment that I won't soon forget, and I am grateful that we could be there. 

 We also had an interesting conversation with the Major at Salvation Army on Friday when we were serving lunch there.  He told us about his conversion to follow Christ.  It was a very heartfelt story, where he totally changed his life around.  He quit smoking, drinking and doing drugs for good after accepting Christ as his Savior.  From there he went on to minister in the Salvation Army Organization.  He is a wonderful man, and we are so glad that we have gotten to know him and his wife.  

  

Saturday we went over to Tortola.  We hadn't been there since September!  We always love visiting that sweet branch and being able to go on a few appointments with the Elders.  We take them to dinner too, so I think they like that!  It's amazing the spirit that can be felt in these tiny branches in the isles of the sea.  The Lord does love all his children and blesses them when they follow Him.  
Jaamal, Elder Maakafi (in his lava-lava), Elder Moreno, Nadia (the newest member of the Branch) and Josh!

Here is Josh, with his darling nephew and niece and Alex.....Love these little ones.
This week our youngest grandson will be 2.  He is just the cutest bug-in-a-rug.  He is always ready with a quick smile and a hug.  This is what makes what we are doing a sacrifice.  We realize how fast they grow up and change.  Thank goodness for technology, so we can at least see him!  
Happy Birthday Gordy!

 Well,that is our week in a nutshell. As always, thanks for your prayers and reach-outs.  We appreciate that so much.  Stay strong and steadfast.
Love,
The Garrisons

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