Humanitarian Services Hosts Kids Camp

Elder and Sister Angus, Humanitarian Services missionaries for the West Indies Mission along with local missionaries and members from the Port-of-Spain Stake, spent a week in April with 30 little boys (ages 5-10) from the Nelson Street School in Trinidad. The purpose of this “first ever” Easter kids camp was to bring the children together in an atmosphere of learning and fun. Each day, the rambunctious campers took part in activities focused on a specific theme including love, appreciation, health and exercise, anger management and teamwork taught through arts and crafts, games and a special puppet show scripted to teach the children about tobacco and alcohol use.

Church humanitarian work primarily helps those in need who are not members of the Church. There are many people in virtually any community in the world who struggle to meet their basic needs. The Church seeks to help as many as possible, including emergency relief assistance in times of disaster and humanitarian programs that strengthen the self-reliance of individuals, families, and communities.

The Angus’ have facilitated an impressive list of projects during their time in the WIM such as distribution of hundreds of wheelchairs in Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad with training on how to measure recipients and fit them to the proper wheelchair. Also in Guyana, the couple has been involved in training doctors, nurses, midwives and nursing students in the right way to perform neonatal resuscitation. They have assisted with emergency response and disaster relief following last year’s hurricane in St. Lucia and St. Vincent; provided supplies for area orphanages, schools and nurseries; and organized a health fair puppet show to teach residents of Berbice about hygiene, sanitation, nutrition and harmful substances with an additional goal to encourage wards and branches throughout the mission to repeat the success of this event in branches and schools in their area.

The Angus’ work in partnership with well-established non-governmental agencies with proven track records will soon include a project designed to provide running water at a special needs school with 75 students and no water system.

Through these area Humanitarian Services representatives the Church is developing a solid reputation for good in the Caribbean, recognized by one observer as, “the only organization willing to help and give us stuff without expecting anything in return.”

Zone Conferences Held Around WIM

Missionaries from throughout the West Indies Mission gathered in Trinidad / Tobago, St. Vincent, Barbados, Suriname, Guadeloupe and Guyana for Zone Conferences with President Gamiette. In these four daylong gatherings companionships, including couples, stood and repeated in unison “My Purpose” from “Preach My Gospel.” Many received certification stickers for their name badges (which means they had memorized 50 scriptures and can recite them by heart). Sister Gamiette presented each companionship with instructions on what to do in the event of a hurricane or civil disturbance and Sister Ellison gave missionaries good advice on staying healthy, including a list of items to have available in first aid kits in each missionary apartment.

President Gamiette – a remarkable teacher and leader – gave excellent counsel on how to get investigators to the point where they will ask “what shall I do?” in response to modern missionaries, like those investigators of old when Alma questioned their testimonies and willingness to repent. President Gamiette noted “when you exercise your faith and make your teaching personal for each of Heavenly Father’s children, He will always provide you with a ram” (Genesis 22:10-13). He also noted, “the most golden contact you will find each day is going to be behind the last door you knock on.”

AP’s Ipson and Hicken followed the same line of thinking by reminding the elders, “angels are guiding you to those who have been prepared to hear the gospel message (Alma 13:24). Your goals as missionaries must match your accomplishments.” Continuing with Alma 5 as his text, President Gamiette pointed out the teaching tools used by this ancient prophet. Getting them to “Search” is reminding investigators of the history of gospel doctrine among men. “Analyze” gets people to think about the doctrine for themselves; and, “apply” is getting them to visualize how specific gospel principles apply in their lives. He encouraged missionaries to “sharpen” their teaching skills; set and then work to reach daily goals, pray more mightily, and make it personal.

The 117 young missionaries and 18 couples, who participated in the Zone Conference, shared their knowledge and testimonies of the gospel studying together and working side-by-side to “bring souls unto Christ.”

Here’s Who Really Runs the Mission Office!

Three senior couples in the West Indies Mission office put on a good show of running the business of the mission, but the real "go to" guys in the mission office are Elders Johnson and George who generally have the answers to mission-related questions and can solve almost any computer problems and Elders Ipson and Hicken, who travel with and provide support to President Gamiette.

Elder Johnson (left), at somewhere between 6’3” and 6’4” is a whiz at keeping everyone’s technology working as it should. The 7th missionary in his Green River, Utah family of 8 boys and 2 girls, loves sports and being outdoors so Elder Johnson never imagined himself as a “computer geek” in the mission office. However, he has great faith in the Lord’s plan for him and has happily served more than six months in this assignment.

Elder George has only been in the mission office for about a month, but has already risen to his full stature in service to the Lord. This avid soccer player and Eagle Scout, who is about ½” taller than his companion in his stocking feet , is one of four siblings in his Yuba City, California family. Elders Johnson and George spend their days in the office tracking investigators’ progress toward baptism and other mission goals, collecting data from call-in-summary reports and creating key indicator reports for the president and for church headquarters in Salt Lake City.

Elder Hicken (on the right), who is the newly called Assistant to the President, is a distance runner which sport has prepared him to work in the mission office where he works alongside Elder Ipson on Zone Leader reports, companion evaluations, relays information to Zone Leaders, helps to plan councils and conferences and travels with the president. His only complaint about this new calling is a loss of sleep due to the President’s preference for early morning flights around the mission!

Few in Number, but Strong in Faith

The March 2011 transfer brought the West Indies Mission only 3 new missionaries from the MTC, but while they are small in number, each has a mighty testimony, a great love of the Lord, and a huge desire to bring His children in the Caribbean unto Christ. On the French side, Elder Matthew Garlick, from Alpine, Utah and Elder Paul Makanani from Long Beach,California will serve in Guadeloupe and Elder Adyen Jensen from Salt Lake City will serve in St. Vincent to help bring to pass the prophecy “in that day, the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people . . . from the islands of the sea.” (Isaiah 11:11)

Home with Honor

An even dozen of the Lord's finest will return to families and hometowns in Utah, Idaho, Arizona and American Samoa on March 24 after two years of fulltime service in the West Indies Mission. These outstanding elders, who have served worthily among members and investigators in the islands of the Caribbean and in parts of South America, are Kip Clawson Gilley, Phillip John Peterson, Daniel Gordon Christensen, David Blake Lish, David Eugene Gaddy, Donald Caleb Powers, Jacob Wenlock Free, John Luke Jarvis, Jordan Brent Clark, Preston Kim Manwill, Quinton James Montgomery and Von Shumway Hill. Elders, you will always be sons of the West Indies!

Meet Elder and Sister Bush

Elder Robert and Sister Raylene Bush were recruited by caring WIM missionaries for service in the West Indies Mission. Thanks to Elder and Sister Harris who planted the seed of service in the West Indies and to this exceptional couple who followed the promptings of the Spirit to act on this invitation.

Though both are native Utahns, they have lived 22 years in the nation’s Bible Belt, rearing their family of 7 children in Warner Robins, Georgia (grandchildren now number 23 with one more due in August) where Elder Bush was the Chief of the Multimedia Services Division, Headquarters, Air Force Reserve Command. While rearing her large family, Sister Bush was employed in the Human Resources office of the local hospital doing payroll and “other duties as assigned.” In their church service, the Bush’s served in numerous leadership roles, including Elder Bush’s duties as a Bishop. Together, they served two years as their stake’s Employment Resource Advisors.

In their service in the West Indies Mission, the Bush’s will spend their time serving the saints on the Caribbean island of Grenada, where they will provide shadow leadership, fellowship to reactivate and strengthen new members, organize 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, as all other senior missionaries before them, performing “other duties as assigned.”

Couples Conference in St. Lucia

On Carnival weekend in Trinidad, Robert and Raylene Bush (Grenada), Douglas and Valerie Salmon (Martinique), Kendrick and Rose Benn, Gary and Florence Ricks, Lynn and Sharon Angus (Humanitarian Services), Larry and Karen Harris (CES) and Verrol and Helen Young (all from Guyana); Ronald and Rosella Boman (Barbados), Willie and Julie Ann Gibson (St. Lucia), Dallas and Sharon Stevens (St. Maarten), Clive and Arlene Henderson (St. Vincent), Jean and Gertrude Drolet (French Guiana), Peter and Ina Jansen (Suriname), Doug and Jean Clarke (Tobago), Robert and Susan McIntosh (Guadeloupe), and missionaries from the West Indies Mission Office, including Diane Ellison, Ralph and Paulette Childs, James and Joey Luster and Ed and Linda Sappington gathered in St. Lucia with President and Sister Gamiette for spiritual feasting and socializing.

During 3-days together, President Gamiette spoke of mission goals and shared his knowledge of Jacob 5 and its importance in reactivating members. President Ricks spoke of shadow leadership and the role of couples in helping branch leaders and new members gain understanding. President McIntosh shared the value of the Couples Area Book, encouraging couples to create this resource for themselves and those who will follow them. Elder and Sister Jansen enthusiastically shared their experience organizing a Young Adult Center in Suriname. President Ricks added his direction on helping prospective missionaries through the application process. A brisk question-and-answer session provided information to those seeking answers to their inquiries. After dinner sessions included health and wellness taught by Sister Ellison and Sister Gamiette. Elder and Sister Boman taught a short session on temple preparation; then Sisters McIntosh and Young spoke of the culture of the islands. Elders Luster and Sappington updated missionary couples on managing mission finances; Elder Childs spoke on auditing and record keeping and CES was covered by President McIntosh and Elder and Sister Harris before President Gamiette’s final thoughts ended this amazing and helpful time together.

These outstanding senior couples are young in spirit, wise and willing to "lengthen your stride" or “hasten your shuffle” to serve the Lord and strengthen the lives of the Lord’s children in the West Indies Mission. Even those who may not know the local language, their accomplishments are great and their spirit of sacrifice is praise worthy. Thanks to all willing to leave home and family for 18 months to 2 years to enjoy the sweet spirit and satisfaction that comes from giving full-time service together in the work of the Master.

The Couples Conference in St. Lucia by the numbers:
- 19 couples and 1 wonderful senior sister
- 113 children
- 323 grandchildren
- 4 greats
- 34 church missions plus one sister who spent 3 years in the Peace Corps and one couple who taught English in China for 2 years