Funeral Program

Here is the program from the funeral.

We sang the loudest I have ever heard in a Church - shouted for joy!

 Here are some of the Church members who came to honor Sister Stanford.

Our dear friends from Ocho Rios Branch - sure love them!

Funeral July 28th

 We went to Ocho Rios today for the funeral of an elderly sister in the Branch - Sister Stanford.  It was our first wholly Jamaican funeral - pretty interesting.  Glad that the Branch Choir sang a couple numbers and our friend Paul Lester gave a rememberance of her.  Different to have drums and tambournines accompany hymns.

 Before the services began - small and cozy chapel.

We had a good time seeing our friends from Ochie - and Elder Gayle - whose is from Junction, is serving there with Elder Wright as the Zone Leaders - love them all!

Office Pictures

 We have some really nice art work in the Mission Office.  This picture is above the desks used by the Office Elders and the AP's - it depicts the 2000 Stripling Warriors - all wounded  - Helaman leading them.  It is a large picture so I tried to take a picture of it from different angles - so you can get the whole vision.l

This beautiful picture is in the Financial Office of the Mission - such a wonderful painting of Joseph and Mary going to Bethlehem - love the light effects in this.

Sophia's and Grace's drawings

Sophie 's self portrait - on the beach at Ocho Rios, cruise ship in the background!  - complete with flowers on her dress - so cute!

Grace drew this of me  - complete with lots of face wrinkles!  Gotta love the honesty of children!!

Primary kids drawings

Here are some of the Yallahs Branch Primary children's pictures ... love the colors and the expression of happiness in them. The Elders had a dog have puppies in their front yard - under a tree, they are hiding but you can see three of them if you look close.

Yallahs Branch Service Project

The Yallahs Branch had a great event yesterday - Saturday, July 21. We met at the church around 10:30 and went to the Parish Nursing Home - St. Andrew Infirmary - at Morant Bay - about 30 minutes further east. There the ladies talked to the ladies and did their hair, the men (missionaries) talked to the men. Elder Christensen played his guitar and it was very sobering to serve these: 'least of my brethern". We brought lunch - Sister Campbell got up at 4:00AM to make it - - rice and peas, fried chicken, stewed chicken, salad, etc. Everyone seemed to have a good time and I know we pleased our Heavenly Father as He desires us to serve each other with a glad heart.

Jody-ann leaving

Jody-ann left today from the Kingston Airport to go to school in Curacoa - we were so happy to be able to meet her at the airport for a few minutes. Her mother and aunt or cousin, can't remember which! came to see her off - have a great adventure Jody-ann! love and hugs from Jamaica!

Ocean Baptism

When you live on an island - you have the option to be baptized in the ocean! This is Elder Luke and Elder Jarman baptizing in the ocean. Love the smiles and joy on their faces as they reach for the hands of their investigators.

Grandchildren

Luke loved the hermit crabs they all caught...Noah loved throwing the almond fruit into the ocean, and Grace and Sophie liked swinging in the big hammock! Perfect place for a summer vacation!

Jake's at the Ocean

The Hardy Family on the deck of their Villa at Jake's - Treasure Beach. Beautiful view of the ocean and waves. The water was the highest we have ever seen it on the beach - not much sand to play in. Wonderful sound all night, however!

Crab Catching

Sophie and Grace and Luke and Noah caught about 100 small to medium hermit crabs - Jen said it kept them busy all morning as she packed for them to return home. Grace named some of them - they had them in containers until it was time to release them - very educational.

Treasure Beach

When we first got to Treasure Beach we enjoyed the watermelon that Brother Gayle had given us! Then Noah and Grace hit the hammocks! We left the Hardy's and drove back to Kingston to work in the office on Thursday and Friday - coming back to pick them up on Saturday morning. Wednesday night the bar next door played very loud music until after 3 in the morning .. so the Hardy's went to Jake's and got a great rate on a Villa - really a huge place, on the beach, like in a movie!

Driving the Boat

Our guide and captain on the Black River Safari let each of the Hardy kids drive the boat on the way back - just like Eli and Issac got to ... they loved it and so did we!

Black River Crocodile Safari

Black River Crocodile was again a great event! Sophie and Grace got to hold a small crocodile - Jen too. The boat ride was fun - all the kids had a turn driving the boat on the way back to dock. We saw some really big crocodiles in the water and climbed on the Mangrove roots - fun times!

More YS Falls

More fun at YS Falls - swimming in the river pools, swinging on the rope swing, playing in the waterfalls, and the warm spring water pool.