It was in the middle of an early February downpour when Elder Wilburn Charles (aka “Willie”) and Sister Julie Ann Gibson from Alamosa, Colorado, stepped off the plane and got their first look at Trinidad. His grin grew wider as the rainfall increased. The supersized elder with his characteristic wide suspenders felt he had finally come home after two bitter cold weeks at the Provo MTC and a few more – “trying against all odds” - to learn Spanish in the Dominican Republic. Their original call was as Humanitarian Service missionaries, but their new assignment on St. Lucia will find them providing shadow leadership, fellowshipping to reactivate and strengthen new members, organizing at least one annual temple trip and 1-2 humanitarian service projects on the island while also acting as an extension of the mission office and performing “other duties as assigned.”Within an hour of their arrival on St. Lucia, the Gibsons had the remarkable experience of attending their first West Indies baptism.
In their working lives, Elder Gibson was a general contractor and Sister Gibson was the owner/manager of the Greyhound Bus station in her hometown. The 17th senior missionary couple currently serving in the West Indies Mission are the proud parents of six and even prouder grandparents of 19 (“with 2 more on the way”).
No comments:
Post a Comment