Rainy Week

I'M TIRED OF THE RAIN!

It has rained everyday for the past few weeks. Well, usually we've been able to avoid it when we go in for meals. Well, one day we were running late for coming in. We were on a 45 minute ride away and about 2/3 of the way back, it started raining. Well, of course we got drenched. In the meantime, cars are driving by and just splashing these lakes of puddles on you and the water is all brown from the mud and what not. It's not like there are sidewalks to ride on, so we dride in the middle to avoid most of the lakes on the road. Eventually you have to ride through the lakes when the water comes up over your shoes while riding your bicycle becuase some car is coming and you have to give them the road.... UGH!

Wednesday was pretty cool though. After our district meeting in Negril, we got hooked up with a recent convert who works at a restaurant called Kool Runnings. Normally it costs about $2000 to get in the gate plus however much else you're going to spend while you are there. We got in for free and had an amazing lunch there.

We came back for an unexpected trade off. One zone leader and the district leader came. I went with the zone leader, in a car! We went up to this place called Kentucky. IT HAD PINE TREES! It was all the way up on this very large hill (because mountains don't exist down here) I wish that I had my camera. It was a cool view.

I appreciate hearing from ya'll

Keep writing!

Elder Huffaker

Hmmmmmm

Well, I'm not sure exactly what to say this week. Things are going pretty good down here. Yesterday we had interviews with Elder Coleman. They were pretty brief because he had to go interview a bunch of other missionaries all over the island. I don't remember if I mentioned this in a previous email, but Elder Coleman used to live out in Lapwai. I don't know where in Lapwai. He also graduated from WSU. So he's one of the few people I've met that actually knows where I live. Not to mention I'm one of the few people he's met that knows where Lapwai is.

Friday, Elder Gantt and I rearranged our house. We had a little extra time after our weekly planning session, so we moved things around. We made the main room the bedroom and made the bedroom the junk room. Everything that we don't care about basically goes in that room. We also made another giant chocolate chip cookie, again. You'd think we'd learn the first time around that a giant cookie makes you sick, but for some reason it didn't stick with us.

Wednesday we had our district meeting in Negril. Afterwards, Elder Gantt and I went camera shopping since he needs to replace his digital camera. We didn't get anything while we were there, but it was pretty cool to see some of the souvenir shops there. We're going there later today.

Speaking of today, it's Elder Gantt's birthday. As tradition in Jamaica, you flour someone. Usually you flour them in their face. But I didn't. Instead I floured him in the shower this morning. At first he thought it was powdered bleach and wasn't sure what to think. Plus it didn't help that I missed his face. Anyways, so we're going to Negril later today and he's gonna look at getting himself a birthday gift.

Take it easy this week.

Elder Huffaker

Mother's Day

Hello, All -- Marilyn here.

For those reading this who may not already know, the LDS missionaries get to call home twice a year, once for Christmas, and once for Mother's Day. Obviously, both the missionary and his family really look forward to these phone calls.

The details of the call can vary by mission and also from one mission president to another. In Brandon's mission, the families call the missionary, rather than the other way around. For this phone call, we were very fortunate to be able to use Skype, and actually have a video call. Brandon used the computer at the local branch on his end. We are so thankful for technology today!

In the future, we may or may not be able to use Skype, depending on the new mission president's policies, so we're glad we had it for this time.

(We were at our business, and yes, we were snacking our way through the phone call, too!)

Because of the phone call with Brandon, his email this week is perhaps a bit shorter than usual, since we'd just spoken the day before.

--Marilyn

Mother's Day Week

Whew, it's been quite the week down here. I dunno, how are you guys faring?

Well, first off, zone conference was last Wednesday here in Sav. It was nice having zone conference in the area where I'm serving. We got to listen to Elder Coleman of the Seventy give instructions as he is our unofficial, temporary mission president. We already know who are next mission president is. His name is President Hendricks from Lubbuck Texas. He previously served as the temple president down there, and he's a retired FBI agent. Talk about intense!

Then on Friday, we had an amazing experience in which I got to try some curry crab. Down here they don't give you a little mallet to beat the crab shell to crack it open. You use your teeth. WOW! that was quite the surprise to me. Needless to say, I wasn't used to it, so I was the last one done.

So, news to the family. I'm sure everyone remembers when we used to sing to Elvira by the Oakridge Boys. Well, I learned that that song was written for Elder Gantt's grandmother. She used to date the singer, I guess.

Check out the pics of Elder Gantt and I with our matching ties and sox.

Elder Huffaker

What a Week!

Well everyone, I hope you are doing just as good as me, because this week was interestingly amazing.

So, last p-day Elder Gantt and I decided we needed to cut our hair. I buzzed myself and had him line me up in the back. I'm sure many of you also remember that I can cut other people's hair . So, I trimmed Elder Gantt as well. Sometimes, however, barbers do make mistakes. I nicked a mark behind his ear. He threatened to shave his name into my chest. Still hasn't happened yet, so I have many sleepless nights ;).

Then, we went up to a member's house for dinner and we got to try cashew fruit. It wasn't fully ripe and it had the most bittersweet taste I've ever had. Ok, so it's more like sweet-bitter because that's how the taste works.

Then, on Friday, we made a giant chocolate chip cookie and had Jamaican cola to drink. That was a stomach killer.
Next, we received a phonecall on Saturday that Pres. Graff is no longer our mission president. Elder Coleman of the Seventy is our temporary replacement until the next one comes. No answers as to why as yet.

Lastly I celebrated my year mark with the traditional burning of a shirt.Elder Gantt and I also cooked up some spam and eggs. (Spam is a "delicacy" down here.)

Enjoy the pics!