One YEAR in St. Thomas

Welp, this is our last full week in St. Thomas.  In so many ways, it is bitter sweet.  Along the way, there have been so many days where I would say to Elder Garrison that I didn't know if I could ever stay here for 18 months, but now that we are actually going to be leaving, there are so mamy things that we will miss.  But the thing that we are going to miss the most are the wonderful people that we have worked with in the St. Thomas Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  We have made life-long friends HERE for sure.  We will also miss the people in the many organizations that we have volunteered at:  My Brother's Workshop, The Red Cross, Eldra Schulterbrandt, The Salvation Army, Queen Louise Home for the Elderly and the St. Thomas Humane Society.  After volunteering at these places once a week for a year, we have come to love so many people and we will treasure our memories of that service.

Sunday evening we got a picture from Bob.  He had just ordained Max to be a deacon.  We LOVED seeing this picture with Talor, Max, Bob, Grant and Bishop Hanberg.    So thankful for these boys of ours.



We started out Monday with the Elders and Mike's kids playing pickle ball.  The kids loved playing and the Elders were such good sports playing them.   We will have one last match with them next Monday!  Crossing our fingers that they won't beat us!!!!


Tuesday we went to Brewer's Bay and played on the beach and the kids snorkled.  They really liked this beach because they could see turtles and rays.  It was a beautiful evening.



Wednesday we had to say goodbye to the family and get back to the our real world..it  was challenge!




Wednesday night, it was back to our English Class.  We had 3 students from Haiti and 3 students from the Dominican Republic, so we taught the Haitians and the Elders taught the Dominicans.  It was a good evening.  



We had a wonderful visit on Friday from Elder Cox and his family from Evanston, Wyoming.  He served in Tortola and went home in October.  It was so fun to meet his mom and dad and sister.  Thankful for these wonderful young men that serve with all their hearts.  They had an exciting trip with the earthquake on the Tuesday that they were going to Tortola, their luggage came to St. Thomas....so they were two days without their luggage.  We grabbed it for them at the airpot and kept it safely here.....they are good sports!  Speaking of earthquakes in Puerto Rico....please pray for them.  There are a lot of shook up people, people who have lost their homes and are struggling.  No matter what, in the world we live in there will be natural disasters and hardships but if we look to Christ for peace and comfort we will find it.  He will help us get through anything, we just have to reach out to Him and have trust and faith in him.



After they left, we spent the rest of the day trying to go through ther apartment and getting rid of what we needed to, and figuring out how to distribute the extra food that we have.  There is not a senior couple coming to replace us.....I REPEAT.......THERE IS NOT A SENIOR COUPLE COMING TO REPLACE US.  So if there is anyone out there that would LOVE to serve here in St. Thomas, contact me and we will tell you how to go about it.  You could live in this great apartment and pick up where we left off!  You will be blessed, I promise!

We said our goodbyes to some of our friends on Friday and Saturday.  It's hard to say goodbye to people that you may never see again.....but we are just so thankful that we could know and love these wonderful people:


This is Sophrona.  We have visited her since we got here.  We will miss this sweet lady, she has had a hard life......


And these two.......Mario LaMira will be forecver friends.  They are both just good good people and it was a pleasure to see them come into the waters of baptism here in St. Thomas.

Saying goodbye on Sunday was no easy task.  Our allergies definitely kicked in when we sang the closing song:  "God Be With You Till We Meet Again".  It's hard to really put into a few words what this last year has meant to us.  We have had our ups and downs, there have been some very long discouraging days, but all in all it has been a wonderful experience and I wouldn't trade it for anything.  The friends that we have made and the people that have become like family to us just are just irreplaceable.  We got a few picture today but didn't get one of everyone:
Ginger, Alesha, Becca and Zoe

Bruce and Wilma

Aleye, LaMira and Mario

Prince and Vicky
Sunday evening, The Marshes  had us over for one last delicious dinner on Hassel Island.  We will sure miss these dinners.  Ginger is a great cook and has hosted so many dinners since we have been here.  We definitely owe her.  What more can I say, a chapter of this mission is closing and another one is opening.  We know that the Lord has something for us to accomplish on the islands of St. Kitts & Nevis....we hope and pray that we will be able to be His Hands and do what He would want us to do there.




Until next week....Stay Strong and Steadfast.
Love,
The Garrisons

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