The West Indies Mission: A Dozen Welcomed to the WIM

Thursday, October 20, 2011

A Dozen Welcomed to the WIM

A beautiful new group of elders and sisters arrived this week for service in the West Indies Mission, filled with a mighty testimony, a great love of the Lord, and a huge desire to bring His children in the Caribbean unto Christ.

Welcome to work among the beautiful Saints in the islands of the Caribbean and three South American countries to the following: (front row, from left next to Sister Delphine Gamiette), Elicia Matte Danielsen (Littleton, CO), Lindsay Michelle Stephenson (Idaho Falls, ID), Jocelyn Kaye Udall (Pinetop, AZ), Heidi Kelsch (West Jordan, UT), and Deanna Rose Steinmetz (Hempstead, TX). (Back row, from left next to WIM President Claude Gamiette) Justin Paul Durfee (Gilbert, AZ), Collin Alexander McClain (Burley, ID), Brandon Richard Kramer (Salt Lake City, UT), Alex Emil Boyer (Keller, TX), David Payne (Farmington, NM), Scott Rice (Plano, TX) and Hans Kiimaiha Munanui Vivish (Paea, Tahiti).

7 comments:

Anonymous said...: Oh Sister Sappington!!!!!

Thank you so much for posting this picture! I love it! It just filled my heart with happiness when I saw it and the smile on my son's face! He really is there and the mission has begun. Harrah for Israel! What a great looking bunch of missionaries!

Thank you for this site and all you do in the mission field. You are the BEST!!

Joanne Payne; October 20, 2011 at 9:14 AM
David Rice said...: Great picture; however, my son (Elder Scott Rice, Plano TX) is in the back row second from the right which you have as Justin Paul Durfee.

David Rice; October 21, 2011 at 8:08 PM
Janel said...: Yes, and my son, Justin Durfee, is 2nd from the left - next to Pres. Gamiette. It is great to see that they all made it! Hurrah for Israel - indeed!!; October 21, 2011 at 9:46 PM
Linda Sappington said...: This is why I have never attempted to match names and faces . . . because I am 350 miles away from the place where the photo was taken. Sorry about that, Families!; October 22, 2011 at 5:16 AM
Becky said...: Welcome to the West Indies Elder Kramer (our nephew) and friends! We are so excited to see this picture and know you made it safely. Thank you Sister Sappington for doing this project. All of us who love our missionaries love you for sharing your time and talents to make them a little closer. May the Lord bless you all in your labors.; October 23, 2011 at 7:57 PM
Anonymous said...: Sister Sappington,

You are 350 miles away??? And you still got the picture I wanted up! I feel like I need to thank you even more! Thanks Again!! Just know that you definitely made several families days!; October 24, 2011 at 5:59 AM
Mrs. Kluv said...: Becky, not sure if you will notice this post or not, but please email me. My son is Elder Parisot and he has been with Elder Kramer now a couple of weeks in Barbados. I have a couple of pictures I am sure you and the family will enjoy. kluvslady@yahoo.com; January 26, 2012 at 11:21 AM

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A Message to WIM Missionary Families

Sending and receiving mail – especially packages - is difficult, time-consuming and costly here in the Caribbean . . . and can take many weeks to reach the recipient!!!

Parents and others, with the best of intentions and love in their hearts, spend significant time and money to purchase, prepare and mail these packages. In some of our mission’s 12 countries, the package is then opened at the post office – after an hour or more of waiting in line. When the contents have been identified, taxes and/or duty fees are assessed which the missionaries are asked to pay out of their small amount of support funds.

After all this effort, these “care” packages are usually found to contain only a few small items and a whole lot of candy, all which can be purchased almost anywhere in the West Indies Mission.

We know you love your missionary and packages from home are a way to express that love, but most missionaries are just as excited about receiving small amounts of extra spending money on a personal Mastercard or Visa - provided and funded from time-to-time by loving parents as a way to purchase what the elder or sister may need in-country.

Of course, the most important gifts you can send your missionary are frequent handwritten letters – including photos - expressing your love and support of their efforts to “bring souls unto Christ!”

Thanks for your understanding in this matter, Parents. We love your missionary!!!