Welcome, New Missionaries

In harmony with the inspired pattern described in the fifth Article of Faith, seven new missionaries have been called by a prophet of God and set apart to represent the Lord Jesus Christ and His church in the West Indies Mission. On Tuesday, May 3, after a full day of orientation to the mission, they enjoyed dinner with President and Sister Gamiette before traveling on to their area of service. At the left of President Gamiette are Elders Roger Daniel Gines (Kaysville, UT); Adam Walter Watchman (Salt Lake City, UT); Mitchell Todd Larsen (Salt Lake City, UT); Jeremy Fernandes (Brussels, Belgium); Daniel Thomas Hansen (Sandy, UT); Benjamin Harvey (Post Falls, ID) and Sister Delphine Gamiette. Elders Larsen, Watchman and Hansen will serve on the French side of the mission, while Elders Gines, Watchman and Harvey are assigned to the English-speaking areas of the Caribbean, bringing the total number of missionaries "worthy to represent the Lord as a minister of the restored gospel and an official representative of the Church" in the West Indies Mission to 117.

Meet Elder and Sister Andrus

The newest – and 19th couple missionaries - in the West Indies Mission are Elder James and Sister Mary Andrus from St. George, Utah. Elder and Sister Andrus raised their family in Nevada where the couple worked side-by-side for more than 35 years building Andrus Transportation, Inc, a family owned long-distance trucking business serving 11 Western states. “From scratch to 350 trucks,” states Sister Andrus who was the company accountant until she had to pack her bags for a mission to the West Indies. For more than three decades, “we didn’t do anything but work . . . at the office, at home and in the Church.”

Sister Andrus has served as president of the Relief Society, Primary and Young Womens program and has had numerous other callings, including teaching. Elder Andrus, a pilot who operated a touring company over the Grand Canyon for a number of years, was recently released from the Bloomington Utah Stake High Council but has also served as a bishop, Elders Quorum president and was a scoutmaster for 17 years, earning the Silver Beaver, the award given to registered adult leaders who have made an impact on the lives of youth.

As they begin their service to the Lord and His children in the West Indies Mission, the Andrus’ will serve in the Mission Office in Trinidad. Elder Andrus will serve as the WIM Finance Secretary making certain bills are paid, missionaries receive their monthly subsistence; and a log is developed and maintained of mission vehicles, apartments and cell phones. Sister Andrus will serve as the WIM Secretary, with particular responsibility for immigration, but will also order materials and supplies, prepare for incoming and departing missionaries and “other duties as assigned.”

Seven Return with Honor

Another 7 outstanding elder and sister missionaries return to the warm embrace of family and friends on May 4, following the counsel of President Howard W. Hunter who taught, "taking the gospel to every kindred, tongue and people is the single greatest responsibility we have in mortality." Those who have honorably served the Lord and His children in the West Indies Mission are Nkosi Ngosi Isiah Denzile Stewart (St. Vincent), Marcia Alicia Gaspar (Georgetown, Guyana), Kent Russel Jones (Salt Lake City, UT), Daniel Reed Jensen (San Antonio, TX), Gregory Brian Linton (Idaho Falls, ID), Jacan Dhan Paul Gossai (Georgetown, Guyana) and French-speaking Joshua Alexander Miles (Orem, UT). These wonderful missionaries will always have a special place in the hearts of leaders and members in the West Indies Mission and wish them well in their return to the "real world."

Zone Leaders Gather in Trinidad

More than twenty zone leaders - the future leaders of the Church - from the West Indies Mission gathered in Trinidad on Saturday, April 23 from Suriname, French Guiana, Grenada, St. Vincent, Guadeloupe, St. Lucia, Martinique, Barbados, St. Martin/ St. Maarten, and Guyana to receive direction and council from Presidents Claude Gamiette (West Indies Mission), Emrol Gould (Port-of-Spain Stake) and Francisco J. Viñas (Caribbean Area).

President Viñas, a member of the First Quorum of Seventy since 1998, encouraged these young missionaries, responsible as ZL's for training, motivating, leading and inspiring other missionaries, to “solve problems with patience and long suffering and to be consistent in your efforts to share the message of the gospel. Pay attention to the words of the prophets and remember every new member needs those important three things: a friend, a responsibility and to be nurtured by the good word of Christ.”

The ZL’s were admonished to remember most of the members of the Church in the Caribbean are first generation members who need to understand their role is not to give orders, but to govern by love and council as they strive to establish the church more fully. Missionaries are encouraged to get to know all ward members and to understand the ward mission plan.

“Remember,” said President Viñas, “conversion doesn’t stop with baptism. Encourage members to focus on getting to the temple. Total conversion comes when we understand – and apply – the Atonement. Then we must repent . . . and repent again.”

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!