One Girl, One Boy and The BEST Primary Program EVER!

Bonjour Tous,  (Hello All)

I could not WAIT to write about the experience we had last Sunday at church!  It was something Brent and I will never forget...classic; we wish you all could have been there with us.  Sunday night, however, we had visitors in our apartment until late; that's alright, I thought, I will be able to write Monday night.  Well, here it is Sunday night again, with a whole new week's worth of experiences, but I am definitely backing up and taking you to church with us last week in the tiny branch of St. Paul where we were in a group of about twenty-five members, maybe just twenty...very small branch.  We arrived at church, I enjoyed the usual kissing on both cheeks with the female members - they ALL greet each other that way, but missionaries are not allowed any contact with the opposite sex besides shaking hands - and then we settled in to enjoy the Sacrament meeting.  After the sacrament, the cutest little boy, about eight, and a darling little girl, about ten, were ushered to the front and the Primary program began.  The little boy stood up and gave a very nice talk, followed by a talk from the girl and then they both stood together, without a microphone and sang a song...shoulders square, chins up, voices strong, looking right out at the audience.  Brent and I were so impressed with them, and then the whole process started again.  He gave a talk; she gave a talk; they both sang; he gave a talk; she gave a talk; they both sang.  In all, they each gave five talks and sang six songs with never a bobble; well, actually she forgot the words once and started to laugh, but he carried on like a trooper.  It was one of the most precious things we have ever seen, so precious I just HAD to go into Primary with them.  They each had their own scriptures and the Primary president really had them working...answering questions, looking up scriptures, reading, reciting and they never once lost focus, just smiled and participated like they were loving every minute.  In fact, once the president began repeating the eighth Article of Faith and the little boy joined right in with her and recited the whole thing.  I am hooked on Primary in St Paul and can"t wait to visit them again.

I want you to picture something...the story is way too long and detailed (we will tell you the whole thing when we get home, don't worry, I will NEVER forget this day) but Brent and I had to speak at a fireside that night.  The St Andre elders were moving into their new apartment and had to have a moving van, so the zone leaders tried to rent one, but couldn't because they weren't twenty-five, so Brent had to go with them.  Time is short...hurry, hurry; have to get back for the fireside.  The car is parked two blocks from the rental company.  One of the zone leaders is carrying a big tool box because they need it to put some of the furniture together.  They get to the office, Brent is told he needs his international driver's license (of course) so he and the two zone leaders (one carrying the tool box on his shoulder like a boom box) RUN back to the car two blocks away, ties flying in the wind...hurry, hurry...and run the two blocks back again.  Brent is telling them, "If an officer sees us he will think we just robbed someone, running like this with this huge black box."  Drive down the island to pick up furniture, back up and around the top to drop it off, take back the van, run to the car and the three of them arrive at the fireside, shirts partially untucked, hair all frazzled, faces red just when the fireside activity is finishing and the talks are about to begin.  Brent's notes are all at home...I had been helping the missionaries in charge get ready and hadn't had time to even comb my hair, just change into a skirt and out the door!  We were both helped immensely that night; activity completed very successfully (that was when the sisters used our tire!), elders with beds to sleep in, and both talks delivered.  Whew...I think we are too old for this.  No trouble sleeping that night.

Life is an adventure here, that is for sure, and we are blessed along the path in so many ways.  We feel your prayers for us and recognize that it is the help we receive that gets us through our days.

Highlight of the week:  When we go to Jumbo to do our grocery shopping, I always take a little side trip to the tiny parfumary for a small spray of Channel #5...just a quick mist from the tester bottle.  I didn't bring any perfume and smelling good is such a lift.  Brent said, "Why don't we just buy you a bottle?"  Oh no, then I would not have that guilty little pleasure to look forward to.  Once a week...smelling good...so fun. (I know the women TOTALLY understand.)

Lowlight of the Week:  Going to Jumbo, filling up our grocery cart, finishing the check out, and having our card rejected.  We use it ALL THE TIME but every once in a while, randomly, their machine says no.  We literally break out in a sweat when we have to swipe our card.  Once it got rejected so we used cash and then went to the ATM there to get more cash and that rejected us as well.  We thought, "Has something happened in America?" Talk about feeling alone and helpless.  We learned later that all the connections were down.

Now the part you have REALLY been waiting for...the photos:

The STARS of the Primary program.  Kris, Brent said this would have really brought tears to your eyes.

The St Paul primary:  The president, the chorister, and the members of the primary!

Every once in a while, I just have to say, "PULL OVER; We need to take a picture of this."   The rainy season - summer is just beginning.  The waterfalls will become larger and more numerous in December and January.

One of the reasons missionary work is so difficult here.  Almost everyone is behind a locked door, there is no way to just talk to people.  It is very sad the way people can close themselves off, both physically and emotionally.

While waiting to meet someone at the church, the missionaries found an chameleon in the bushes, sooooooo we just HAD to have our picture taken with him.

Very friendly little lizard; he wrapped his tail around my fingers when I had him on my hand.

Families Can Be Together Forever (on the right) and my "forever" missionary in the middle.

A couple we have grown to love here.  A wonderful day for her after many lessons and many prayers.

A Bientot...The Heaps