Saturday Session of Conference

Port of Spain building where the meetings were held. Not many cars can park in the parking lot so many had to park on the street. Most people came to the meeting by taxi or bus.

Two friends since college, Kathy Andersen and Diane Robison spoke to us during the women's session from 3:00-4:45 while the priesthood had a meeting.

The Saturday General Session of Conference for the Purpose of Organizing the Port of Spain, Trinidad Stake was as spiritually uplifting as zone conference had been. Elder Francisco J. Vinas (First Counselor in the Caribbean Area Presidency and also of the Seventy), who was also assigned by the Brethren to create the stake, spoke in this meeting along with Elder Andersen, President and Sister Robison, President Garcia (President of the Port of Spain District), and Kathy Andersen. The spirit was strong.

President Andersen visitings with the members before the evening meeting.

Memorable Zone Conference

I love the flight back and forth to Tobago. This is a picture of the Caroni Bird Swamp that we visited while we lived in Trinidad. You can see the bird watching station on the left side of the picture. We went past it a couple of times when we went to see the scarlet ibis. It was awesome to see it from the air.

We flew to Trinidad on the 6:40 am flight to attend zone conference at 9:00 am on Friday, February 27, 2009. We started 10 minutes early because everyone was ready to start.

Elder Neil L. Andersen (Senior President of the Presidency of the Seventy) presiding and instructing. We also heard from Kathy Andersen, wife of Elder Andersen and our mission president, Reid Robison and his wife, Diane.

Elder Andersen shared some fun stories about our mission president, which delighted the missionaries as well as the senior couples. The two of them have been friends since they met in the mission field in France and were roommates at BYU and served as student body president (Robison) and vice president (Anderson). As a result of the friendship, Elder Andersen has followed closely our progress toward having a stake organized in Trinidad. It was approved February 12 and as the general authorities were discussing the schedules, etc, Pres Andersen told Pres Packer “if you are so inclined” I would like to be part of the organization of the stake. Pres Packer said, “I’m feeling inclined.”

The young missionaries were instructed to come in their long sleeve shirts. We all stood when President and Sister Anderson entered the room. It was awesome.

Here we are with our missionaries, Elder Huntsman and Elder Barton

The missionaries with Elder and Sister Andersen from all over Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad Stake Announced

Elder Anderson one of the seven presidents of the 1st Quorum of the Seventy, and President Vinas, 2nd counselor in the area presidency and a member of the 1st Quorum of the Seventy will come to Trinidad on Feburary 26th and select the patriarch and stake president to be sustained on March 1, 2009 to organize the Trinidad Stake.

We are going to Trinidad for zone conference on Feb 27 and stay for the meeting for the organization of the stake and the first stake conference. We are excited!

Tobago will remain a part of the mission, since we are still a dependent branch.

A Week in Tobago with the Gilleland's

Here they come!

Namindry Dookran took us on the tour to Argyle Falls

Argyle Falls appealed to everyone

Go John! Go Seth!

Making a friend

Lunch at Jemma's Treehouse Restaurant

These two couldn't resist the playground equipment at the school for the deaf and for disabilities

Great fun!

A little quiet time

Enjoying the breaking waves

Bird watchers

The awesome boogie boarders! Go Girls!

A view off the deck of the Hibiscus Heights Villa

Heading for the deep

Sunday dinner with Elder Barton and Elder Hunstman. Hank went teaching with them afterwards.

last group picture for awhile

Heading home

Book of Mormon Stories

The Williams family, Janelle, Denzel, Natalie, Nikita (front row), Antonia and Kay were delighted to receive the Book of Mormon Stories purchased by your generosity. I suggested they use if for FHE lessons or read together each day, but Janelle wanted to take it and read it all by herself at one sitting. I think they like it!

Fruits of Your Labors

The Gilleland’s came for a visit and brought suitcases full of items donated by our family and some of their friend’s families.

Where did all that stuff go?

Our branch will benefit from the CD player for the Primary. The kids in the branch will enjoy the bubbles, crayons, markers, church books and music you provided.

The Happy Haven School received three CD players to be used for the therapists and in one of the classrooms. Students often come without pencils and they now have a good supply of them.

The school for the deaf, and a special needs classroom received lots of crayons, markers, colored pencils, chalk, pens, erasers, etc. and clothing. They in turn are doing a service project by collecting toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc for a rest home so they can experience the blessing of giving. Their project is for Valentine’s Day.

We have another pile of clothes for the orphanage in Trinidad.

We are so blessed to have a giving family. I hope each of our children and their families appreciate the wonderful blessings they have by their membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that emphasizes service and modeling the life of the Savior. “When ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Matthew 25:40) Each of you grew as you earned money to purchase things for a few of your brothers and sisters here in Tobago. It was a priviledge to deliver the products of your labor to the various places we chose.