Sunday, June 21, 2009

Wha happen dere, Elder Bullock?

One afternoon, Elder Bullock's lips began to swell. By the time we needed to leave to teach our fireside, here's what he looked like...

From 2009-06Missionaries



From 2009-06Missionaries

I think there really is a kissing spider!

From 2009-06Missionaries



From 2009-06Missionaries

He said to me, "I can't teach the fireside. You'll have to do it alone. They won't be able to look at me and take me seriously!"

Everytime I looked at him, I started to laugh. I didn't recognize the face of the man I was living with! Where was the handsome football player that I married?

I agreed to teach the fireside alone, but insisted I needed his help to teach the Temple Preparation Class that followed the fireside.

As he tried to teach the Temple class, he kept noticing the members of the class snickering at him as he spoke.

All was well the next day, but I'm sure glad I caught his funny look with my camera!

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Goodbye to President & Sister Robison

Here they came! And Elder Bullock and I were tucked in there, too!
From 2009-06 Zone Conf


Drum roll!
From 2009-06 Zone Conf


Elders were standing at attention!
From 2009-06 Zone Conf


President and Sister Robison arrived at their last Canje zone conference.
From 2009-06 Zone Conf


Elder Bullock took the reins at the end of the ride.
From Drop Box

Notice the Canje chapel in the background...and my new peach colored skirt!
From 2009-06 Zone Conf


The elders found the horse cart (pronounced harse keyart) back on the main road and we all climbed on for the ride along the road to the chapel.

What a perfect setting for photos of our 2 zones with the Robisons. The Berbice zone with Yours Truly...
From 2009-06 Zone Conf


And the Canje zone, with Elder and Sister Treseder.
From 2009-06 Zone Conf


Elder Ritchey, on the left, prepared a beautiful missionary song with 8 other elders. Sister Robison got in on the "show" as she videoed it. Elder Olsen was jamming and improvising on the piano in the background.
From 2009-06 Zone Conf

Elder Ritchey and Elder Olsen lunching down on tamale pie (made without tamales!) and putting on a show for me and the camera.
From 2009-06Missionaries

Goodbye, President and Sister Robison. We love you and are so grateful for all you have taught us and done for us, your missionaries! Sister Robison is holding the memory book our 2 zones made for them with photos and lovenotes from each of us. Elder Ritchey was responsible for the making of the memory book.
From 2009-06 Zone Conf

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Arrival Day Celebration

"What a cutie she is!" That's what I thought when I saw her.
From 2009-05-15


Eight of us senior missionaries took off the morning to go to the celebration of the arrival of the first group of indentured servants from India. We found a large crowd of Guyanese East Indians gathering, many who were dressed in beautiful jeweled outfits. We spent about 4 hours getting to and from the celebration and waiting for it to be begin. We about lost our hearing because the speakers were so loud!

I got bored waiting and began to take photos of those around me. These women were seated behind me and we quickly became friends. They even shared their cookies with us.
From 2009-05-15


The smiles of this couple were as beautiful as their outfits!
From 2009-05-15


When I saw this bright orange outfit, I politely asked the woman to stand so I could snap a photo of her. She was very obliging!
From 2009-05-15


Here's my pretty little girl in green, once again. I especially love this color green with their brown, brown skin. There are some very beautiful Guyanese East Indian women and girls!
From 2009-05-15


We were only able to see the first 2 dance numbers before it was time for us to leave. There were 35 more dance numbers listed on the program.

I think I was the only one of our group who was disappointed to leave. Surely, Elder Bullock was cheering!

As we were leaving, we saw this mother and daughter arriving. The mother was quite the babe.
From 2009-05-15

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Special moments with missionaries

I'll take you on a little walk through what's been going on with us and some of the missionaries in our zone.

Our zone leaders, Elders Sturdevant and Huntsman, planned a special zone meeting for us. They were dressed up to be Brad Pitt and somebody else...I don't remember, but hey, they looked a whole lot better than those guys! They inspired us...and following the meeting, the elders all hit the streets of Berbice scouring them for more baptisms.
From 2009-05-15


One day we were visiting the Bushlot elders, Elders Scott and Coronado, and they invited us for a lunch of mac and cheese mixed with rice. While we were waiting for our lunch, Elder Bullock checked out their apartment and found a live rat munching at the dirt in their shower. The elders came after it with a pan and a big stick. Result: one broken pan, rat blood on the floor of their shower and a wounded rat still roaming freely in their apartment. The next day they found the rat dead in their bedroom.

The rat was probably pretty comfy in their apartment considering how clean and tidy it wasn't! That's a mosquito net you see hanging over the bed. They are supposed to protect you from those little critters...but I am still covered with itchy bites.

From 2009-05-15AlligatorBreakfastArrivalDay

Do we look joyous as we eat our mac and cheese and rice and think about the bloody rat that just got away?
From 2009-05-15AlligatorBreakfastArrivalDay

We stopped by the zone leaders apartment to check out their "digs". We were met on the porch by a portion of this little feller.
From 2009-05-15AlligatorBreakfastArrivalDay

Here's a close up. He looked so alert and awake with his eyes still open. He appeared to be smiling and I almost forgot the rest of his body was missing.
From 2009-05-15AlligatorBreakfastArrivalDay


Meet Nicholas. Who could be cuter? He loves to wear his white shirt and green tie! He looks like a missionary already!
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

So, when you no longer have the missionary truck (which we don't), how do you move the missionary furniture? Why, of course, you rent a horsecart for $2.50. And the bonus is, the driver may even let you take the reins and drive the cart. Elders Huntsman, Sturdevant, Manwill and Olsen used their muscles to get the washer down the stairs of the apartment in the photo and up onto the cart. Combine those Elders on a job and they definitely can come up with some real power!
From 2009-05-27HorsecartFishing

They pulled a few faces, did a few antics...
From 2009-05-27HorsecartFishing

And off they went!
From 2009-05-27HorsecartFishing

When they arrived to the next apartment with the washer, both Elders Huntsman...
From 2009-05-27HorsecartFishing

And Elder Sturdevant instantly turned into little boys. They grabbed the fishing lines from their little friends and began baiting the lines with guppy-like fish.
From 2009-05-27HorsecartFishing

Who needs a store-bought fishing pole when you can make one out of a stick. It is the popular thing to do around here.
From 2009-05-27HorsecartFishing

Senior missionaries, Ron and Linda Larsen, time was finished and they were headed for home. They have lived upstairs from us for the past 15 months. We, the senior couples in Guyana, had a farewell lunch for them at the Pegasus Hotel, which is the fanciest place to eat at in Georgetown. There are a lot of us, don't you think?
From 2009-05-15AlligatorBreakfastArrivalDay

A couple of nights later the New Amsterdam Branch had a surprise farewell party for them in the outside area of our apartment planned by the sisters from the branch. The sisters had brought all the food and just asked me to provide the place.

Sister Larsen was wearing the turquoise blue shirt and Elder Larsen was on her right.
From 2009-05-15

Each sister brought a pot of something. Here they were dishing it up for everyone.
From 2009-05-15

And now you can see what the meal looked like. There was roti (like a totilla), curried chicken, pineapple circles and vegetable chowmein.
From 2009-05-15

A large group gathered to say goodbye to them and to thank them for coming to Guyana. The members here love the missionaries, which includes the senior couples.
From 2009-05-15

I gave out a pile of clothes to each of these two little cuties. One of them definitely did not want to pose for this picture in her new dress. Can you tell which one?
From 2009-05-27HorsecartFishing

More cuties, with at least one little future missionary in the group! Most of them were wearing clothes sent by our friends from home.
From 2009-06Missionaries


Did I mention a motorcyle slammed into me broadside?
From 2009-05-27HorsecartFishing


Here's the rider of the motorcyle. He yelled at me nonstop and poked me in the shoulder as he spoke. I poked him back with my finger and said vehemently, "Don't touch me!" He stopped poking, but not yelling!

I spent most of the day in the police station trying to settle with the police and this guy and to get his insurance company to agree to pay for my car since he had plowed into me. I finally gave up and we had it fixed ourselves. The repair was only $150 and it looked like new.

His bike didn't have a scratch on it and luckily, neither of us were hurt.

Yes, we still do baptisms. Today, the elders in our zone baptized 15. There are so many baptisms I can never learn all their names. It is our job, the senior missionaries, to try and set up the branches so we can keep them all active and coming to church. That is an overwhelming task.


For that reason, we teach a weekly fireside at each of our three branches. By the time we go home next January, we will have taught 250 firesides. All of them have been about either about Joseph Smith and the history of the church or about the stories of the Book of Mormon.

I think we have learned the most as we've prepared these presentations!

Sharing New Amsterdam with the Bacons

Carl and Carolyn Bacon (my sister) came for 10 days to visit us where we are serving our mission in New Amsterdam, Guyana. I told them the best part of their trip to Guyana would be the people they would meet. We tried to let them meet some of the special friends we have made here. Here goes the visits...

Our first visit was to Tasha and Anrood and their 7 children. Tasha is 29 but she and Anrood have been married since she was 14. Tasha is one of my best primary presidents. She was baptized 4 years ago.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

Of course, we went to visit Geeta and to have lunch with her. We watched her fix the whole lunch. Here's Burt with them.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

And now it's my turn.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

Her kitchen is the cutest. She finally has her first refrigerator and she thinks she is in heaven. She showed us how to make roti and curried chicken with potatoes.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

We ate outside under the house. The wind was softly blowing and it felt great.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

Here's a look at the yummy lunch. Roti on the left is a flat bread similar to a tortilla. The Guyanese prepare and eat it daily. Vegetable fried rice, fresh pineapple, watermelon, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, and shredded cabbage were served with the curried chicken and potatoes.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

Here's a look at Geeta's house as we said goodbye.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

On to Vickey's house. He is on the left and will enter the MTC in Provo June 30. His granny who raised him has had one leg amputated. I can't remember why. The rest are his cousins.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

Carl looks like he was in heaven with Vickey's little cousins all gathered on his lap.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

Once again, we said goodbye...this time to Vickey in front of his Granny's house where he was raised.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

On to Jade and Travis' house. Carolyn is holding their baby, Janellie.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

Carolyn brought some clothes for Jade to try on and here's the ones Jade liked best.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

She loved all the clothes. She was tickled about this little red sweater. She squealed, "Oh, I've been wanting one of those!"
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

Melissa is Jade's sister-in-law and is her same age. Here's the dress Carolyn gave Melissa. They both wore their dresses to church the next day.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

As we said our goodbyes, we all lined up on the step for a group photo.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

And one more photo across from their house. Aren't the palm trees great?
Elder Bullock, what is going on with you?
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

Carl is with Travis, who is 24. He's been a member 1 year and is the branch president.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

And here's the whole family...Jade, Travis, little Travis and Janellie.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

Carolyn, looking very graceful as she crossed the bridge on our way to Samantha's house.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

She looks like she's telling Carl to hurry up. I think Carl was checking out the yucky trench. There are alligators in there, you know!
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

More clothes from Carolyn...this time for Samantha. Her husband was struggling to button all the tiny buttons.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

Samantha and her husband, Ameer, with their family. They fed us once again. We were already stuffed because we'd eaten at Geeta's but we managed to eat again. Carolyn was holding a sweet note the family had written to Carl and Carolyn.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

And now it was Nanda's house. She is the District Primary President. I work a lot with her and she is a special friend to me. She loves teddy bears. Can you tell?
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

Here's the rest of Nanda's family with Carl and Carolyn.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

Carl just couldn't resist grabbing this tiger after being surrounded by so many soft teddy bears. He begged me to take his photo with it.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

We had to show them the open market where we buy all our produce.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

At the district training meeting on Saturday, we took this photo to show just how small some of the Guyanese women are and how tall Carolyn and I were in comparison! I don't know who the little girl was but she jumped right in the front of our photo.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

The Bahadurs are a special family. They have all been baptized...even the dad. That's unusual here for the dad to be baptized. Jamacie, the only daughter, is one of my 2 piano students.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

After church on Sunday, we lined up some of the sisters.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

Then, we lined up some more of them to show off their long Indian hair. Almost every Indian girl or woman has long hair...often to their waist or longer.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

Then, I turned them all around so you could get a better look at it.
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

On the way home from church, we ran into Nanda and her family riding home from church...all on one bicycle. Wow...
From 2009-04-26ArrowptTobagoCWB&CBushlot

At the end of our visits, Carolyn said, "You're right, the best part of Guyana really is the people!"