Meet the Gibsons

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”).

Incoming Missionaries

On Tuesday, February 8 and Wednesday, February 9, missionaries throughout the West Indies Mission were transferred to various new assignments which included a dozen missionaries going home . . . and nine incoming fresh from the MTC. Those arriving new elders are (from left next to Sister Delphine Gamiette) Elder Joshua Steele Barstow, Elder Michael Lee Kaelin, Elder David Benjamin Bastien (front), Elder Brenden Muli Makanesi, Elder Christopher Glen Yockey, Elder Daniel Mark Friebe, Elder Jake Adam Harris, Elder Gerald William Medley, Elder Jonathon Cruz Fuensalida and President Claude Gamiette. After a good night’s sleep, a full day of orientation – and a lunch of pizza and chocolate cake - the elders left for their various areas to begin their service to the Lord and the Saints of the West Indies Mission arriving safely in Martinique, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Barbados, Suriname and French Guiana.

Wheelchairs for Trinidad Children

On the site of the Princess Elizabeth School for Handicapped Children (established in 1953 to provide for the needs of children with polio and a variety of birth defects), representatives from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints handed over 203 wheelchairs, 47 “rough rider” chairs, dozens of canes and an assortment of walkers for children and adults. In a productive and longtime partnership with Missions International, the Church’s most recent humanitarian service project in the Trinidad/Tobago was the 7th donation of wheelchairs since 2002. These 250 chairs are among more than 300,000 distributed by the Church in 112 countries worldwide in the past 20 years – and, valued at $3,000,000.

Today's event was orchestrated by Elder and Sister Angus, WIM Humanitarian missionaries (from Vernal, Utah) with support from West Indies Mission President Gamiette and Trinidad Stake President Gould. In thanking the Church for their donation, a representative of Missions International said, “this is not a job. It is an act of love, commitment, dedication and frustration . . . and the joy of coming together to assist those in need.”

The celebration ended with a delicious box lunch and the announcement of the extension of the partnership between the Church and Missions International. The next project for the two humanitarian organizations will be a “first ever” Easter camp for 300 children from disadvantaged homes in Trinidad/Tobago.

Home with Honor

A dozen of the most valiant sons - and daughters - of Helaman have been honorably released to return home after serving the Lord and His children in the West Indies Mission. Newly baptized members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be forever grateful for the love and dedication of Elder Christopher Darian Jordan, Trevor Sean Olsen, Matthew Daniel Krause, Joshua Jacob Heiner, Matthew Samuel Welch, Canyon McKay Copa, Benjamin John Butler, Orin Moses and Sisters Bibi Zaleena Girdharry and Mimi Sheitoyan and Elder James and Sister Janiel Wheeler.

Our love and prayers go with you. You will always be remembered in the West Indies Mission . . . wherever you go in the world!

Meet the WIM Office Staff

Hey, Elders and Sisters … ever wonder who orders your replacement nametag, makes sure you have rent money, arranges to have your car repaired and reassures your worried Mother? Schedules your airline ticket when its time for you to go home? Jumps through all the hoops to be sure you are in the country “legally,” orders your brochures and manuals and has a generous supply of Books of Mormon on the shelf for your investigators? Meet the mission office staff – four of 17 senior missionary couples currently serving in the West Indies Mission - including (from left [back] Elder and Sister Luster (Ephraim, UT); Elder and Sister Childs (American Fork, UT); Elder and Sister Wheeler (Blackfoot, ID) and Elder and Sister Sappington (St. George, UT).

St. Vincent Couple Receive Mission Call

President Verrol and Sister Helen Young received their mission call to the West Indies Mission. They will leave for the MTC in the Dominican Republic on June 24, 2010! They are excited and it sounds like they will be serving in Guyana--they are scheduled to arrive there about July 2 or 3.

They have lived on St. Vincent for quite awhile. President Young has banana orchards on the NE end of the island. He is currently the Elder's Quorum President and she is the president of the Relief Society--they will be missed in the Calliaqua Branch!

Elder and Sister Collins had the privilege of delivering their call on Monday, May 31, 2010. Sister Young knew we were coming and greeted us with a huge smile! Then Elder Collins handed them their call letter. "Who shall open it?"..........."We will read it together."

 

They are excited and ready to serve! Such a fine couple; Elder Collins and I knew him as a Branch President 21 months ago when we served in St. Vincent before.

Another April Zone Conference in Georgetown

Linden's second zone conference was in April. We took our missionaries to Georgetown for the day and even found room for Mark Rodney and Richie Ramdeholl. We traveled over on Monday - our P-day - so the missionaries could do their weekly grocer shopping, then went on splits with the Georgetown missionaries. On our way, we stopped long enough to take this picture! It depicts our goals and the mood of the trip! Sister DeFreitas and Sister Girdharry stayed at the mission office home and were ready to load into the truck early on June 27, 2010 to head to zone conference.

We met at the LaGrange Chapel and went right to work. President Gamiette has lots to offer us and we are all trying hard to learn to become better at teaching the gospel.  President Ricks talked about Prayer being our spiritual tool.  Elder Vi, the district leader, was chosen to conduct the meeting. AP's Elder Damm and Elder Scott, the Assistants to the President, were also called upon to teach.  This was Elder Damm's first conference.

Our new "to be" missionaries were excited about their future.  Helping Brother Moore, Brother Richie Ramdeholl, ElderRyan Ramdeholl, and Mark Rodney in their mission preparations has been one of the highlights of our mission.