Jamaican Apples

These are Jamaican apples - very pear like in taste and texture and looks! I made an ambrosia salad with mandarin oranges, pineapple chunks, coconut and used cute up

Wonderful Scriptures

It is pretty neat to have so much time to study the scriptures -- and pray. When Polly was on her mission in Peru, I quickly learned to 'have a prayer in my heart' - always. But now I get to actually kneel several times a day and read and study the scriptures every morning and most evenings - at least a little bit. So many of the Book of Mormon passages are about missionary work, and the Doctrine and Covenants - - although I have read them multiple times before, and taught them to others, now when I have the opportunity to spend 24/7 working for the Lord, they have a different meaning. For example, Doc. & Cov. 1:1 - "Hearken, O ye people of my church, saith the voice of him who dwells on high, and whose eyes are upon all men; yea, verily I say: Hearken ye people from afar; and ye that are upon the islands of the sea, listen together." Really didn't catch that "...islands of the sea..." until I'm here on one of them!! Also Alma17:11, talking about missionary 'long suffering', 19:35 importance of baptism, 22:1 - being 'led by the spirit' and 28:8 - gospel is "for all nations" - and I could go on and on. Dearly love this gospel of the Son of God and all the happiness it brings to those who are obedient to it - dearly love my companion and all the missionaries serving throughout the whole world. I find it very interesting that the Sendai zone was 35 miles inland from the coast at a Mission Zone Conference when the big waves hit. The Lord loves ALL His children and wants ALL to return to Him. Wow - that sounds like preaching, I'd better quit!
love, Sister Smith P.S. fun flowers from Chile bookmark from Lindsey!

Small and Simple Things

It is meaningful to me that our Heavenly Father is so aware of the small details of our lives and is willing to guide us in them. Our mission instructions included bringing a sewing kit - so I got this plastic box and proceeded to decide from my 8 drawers of sewing supplies just what was I going to need in Jamaica? I made it a matter of a short prayer and proceeded to pick out the things, elastic, iron on patches (white) and several different colors of thread...among other items. Just this week I had the occasion to use three of the exact colors that I had included - I know it is a small and simple thing, but just reaffirmed my faith in our loving Father to guide us. I am grateful for all the small and simple things in life... and love this gospel!

School Holiday

It has been a school holiday here - Ash Wednesday and also Thursday & Friday. Yesterday some of the YW/YM called and asked if they could swim at our complex pool. They came about 1:00 and stayed until 4:00!! I think they might have stayed longer but we had an appointment so they had to leave - loads of fun! It amazes me that some of them can't swim - they live on an island, for goodness sake! Hope we can have a whole branch activity here in the summertime.

Herbert's Leaving

Elder and Sister Herbert picked us up at the Airport when we came to Jamaica. The Mission Pres. and wife were on the other side of the island at the time. We found out they were from Eagle River AK and Elder Herbert and my twin brother Derrell served as Bishops in the same stake at the same time! They have been very helpful to us and we are excited for them to return home. Their daughter emailed from Seattle that her kids were debating who was going to sit where when they picked them up at the airport in Seattle - they leave next Tuesday. Now we have another reason to visit AK often - not that we needed another one!

Flowers and misc.

Here is another picture of the very different and beautiful flowers here in Ocho Rios. The next picture is of wild orchids - growing on a tree just outside our front door! We visited a gardens place and they had a peacock on a bench! We went to visit a member's house and these little boys were playing cricket with a board and a milk carton for a ball - see it in the man's hand - he is getting ready to pitch it. After doing our Church business, we continued down this road and there were three little girls, kicking another milk carton for a soccer ball. Appreciate what you have!

Blessings

On Tuesday, we were cleaning up the church building - usually do it on Monday, but we had a Play Day on Monday this week! We got a call that one of our members - a teenager who come to Seminary more than any other students - was taken to the hospital from school in Highgate - about 50 Klm away. We drove there and found her in a hallway - no beds available - getting an IV drip. She had an aunt visit from another island who had heard about a cholera alert - so she put bleach in the water bottle in the fridge - apparently too much bleach! It made Jody-Ann sick. Jody's mother was with her so we didn't plan to stay long. Jody did want a blessing - so Elder Smith used his portable consecrated oil and did both the annointing and blessing - it was at the end of a hallway and a little bit private...or so we thought. After we said our goodbye's we walked outside and a young lady came up to us. "May I have a prayer also?" she asked. I asked her what for? "For deliverance" - she said. "Deliverance from what? I asked.
"From stress" - was her answer. So Elder Smith said a nice prayer for her, in the courtyard of the hospital. I love it when total strangers can feel and sense the power of the Priesthood and desire it in their lives. Neat experience - glad Jody wasn't held overnight - we met them from the bus they took back to Ochie and helped them get two prescriptions at the drug store. We really enjoy being shepherds to the flock!