Picturesque

How do I describe this week..... I dunno, but it was good.

This week I taught my first district meeting as district leader. The Assistants decided to join us and even shared a little bit themselves. I went over "the challenging and testifying missionary" by Alvin Dyer. The Assistants said it was good except to get my district more involved next time. Oh well. After district meeting we went out to see one of the mission vehicles. They just switched over to Mitsubishi pickups. They look pretty good and still have that new car smell. mmmmmmmmmmmmm

After the district meeting, I went on a trade off with Elder Edwards, who is one of my zone leaders. He seemed very complacent while he was here in Yallahs with me. Elder Jarman went to Kingston with Elder Emery and rode in a car all the time. He misses the A/C and had quite the experience eating pig skin. I can't wait till he eats some mannish water. Not to mention he took one look at chicken foot and said, "NO!"

Anyways, Friday Night Activity was a little different this week. I introduced the family game of States, except I used countries because 90% of Jamaicans only know 5 states: Texas, Florida, California, New York and New Jersey. I don't really know why these are the only 5 they know other than that's probably the only places where they go when they go to the states. Back to the game, they really had a blast with it and I think they will want to play in the future.

Saturday, we had a lot of service we were doing. First we helped clean the Meddow's shop (they're a family in the local branch), then we went and cleaned the church, then we went and purchased some plywood for another service project. Well, I'm sure most of you know the saying, "When you play with fire, you're gonna get burned." AFTER 21 YEARS, it finally bit me. While cleaning the Meddow's shop, we cleaned out their chest freezer. To speed up the process we lit some coal and put a pot of water on it to get it going. So to help the coal get started, I blew on it. Some little ember decided to pop out at my face. Got me right on my left eyelid. So then I squeeze my eye shut. No I've got burn marks on my upper and lower eye. Needless, to say, this didn't stop me and won't stop me in the future. Lesson learned, watch out for leaping embers!

Pictures include: the sky that just seemed to pop out from a painter's canvas, me kissing $2700 goodbye for the purchase of the plywood for one of the service projects, and our orchids are in bloom, except for one last white one.

Elder Huffaker

Another Week in Yallahs

I dunno about you, but when you're not Lance Armstrong and you ride your bicycle all over the hills. You get pretty tired. So tired, you can't stay awake in studies.

Anyways. Well, we had zone meeting last Thursday in Kingston. Well this is great an' all, but the last elders had a car and we don't really know how long it would take us to get there. So we left out at 8:00 for the 10:00 meeting. One bus to Kingston, another one through Kingston, plus walking time to the church building equals 10:40!?! We were really late. I think the bus we got on to go through Kingston took the scenic route. Not to mention it stopped every 2 minutes to let people on and off. grrrrr STOP RINGING THE BELL!!!

We also had the fun experience of making rice and peas. It's not my first time, but the gas ran out. So the rice and peas turned to mush. Elder Jarman ate it still, but I've got to make another batch for him.

Then we rode up the side of the mountain. It takes about an hour to go up and only 10 to come down. But I did slap the bull! :)

We also got to enjoy some local ice cream cake. It's more like a 2 inch layer of ice cream with cookie around the outside.

Lastly, they've been building up a levee for the river to help control flooding. This involves a bull dozer. So when we rode by last night and it was parked, we decided. Hey! WHY NOT?

~short, simple and to the point. PLUS picures are worth a thousand words. Here's seven thousand words~

Elder Huffaker

First Week on the Job

Well, week one is now finished as far as training Elder Jarman goes. We did have some interesting times this week. Thankfully we had a member here who was willing to show us around and get acquainted with the members and investigators. We've been climbing up hills and chopping yards.

Along with all of that we got flooded.... again! Well I wasn't in Portmore this time. Saturday night brought some heavy rains brought water pouring down the mountain side. Our entrance was blocked off and so we had to climb up the mountain and come around a different way to get home. We were drenched and Elder Jarman broke his bicycle crank. Not only did it break, but was lost. It fell into some water and we tried to find it, however it was dark and the water was all muddy. So with wet clothes comes..... ANOTHER MISSIONARY CLOTHING DRYING MOMENT. (was that too long?)

Before the rains hit us Saturday morning. We stopped by a recent convert who grows and sells orchids. She even lent us out two of them which we are keeping on our veranda. We've got a purple-white one and an all white one. The purple has had another bloom since the photo was taken, but still nothing from the white. The member said she's trying to collect all 43 different color varieties!

Yesterday, I had to take over conducting the branch. It was kinda formidable, but I managed. I also ended up teaching Sunday School and Priesthood class. One of the former missionaries here was the branch president, so since he's gone, I've basically been given the responsibilities. Pres. Hendricks should be here this Sunday to set apart a new branch president.

We also have a brand new senior couple attending the branch here. They're training to be the new office couple. They're the Daniels from Mesa Arizona. We figure that either Elder Daniels or I will be called as the next branch president.

The Daniels did want to go out and do some missionary work, so we went to Morant Bay to see an investigator. On the way back, I got these pics to go with. It was getting kinda dark so sorry if it's difficult to see. It's the ocean and this falls along the road.

Elder Huffaker

P.S. I received a phone call from the Assistants last week. I'm also the District Leader.

P.S. from Marilyn:

In case you were wondering, a Branch President is the leader of a local congregation. Since the Church is pretty small in Jamaica, there aren't wards (larger congregations), only branches -- which are smaller. Yallahs is just a little east of Kingston, on the southern coast. Morant Bay is a little further east, still on the coast.

Singing

There are many reasons to sing!

First you can sing in the rain! It rained all last week until Sunday, when it finally stopped. Tropical Storm Nicole hit us on Wednesday. Sad to say, I was out in it for a good portion of time on Wednesday night. A little rain doesn't hurt missionaries, but a lot... well that makes us a little more than upset. To make a long story short, we had to have the Assistants come and rescue Elder Branson and I from Portmore. We didn't get home til after 10:00 p.m. For full details, please email mother Huffaker as she will be getting a snail mail with complete details (hopefully she'll post it on the blog too.) So most of last week involved getting wet or staying inside.

You can also sing when General Conference comes around and the person conducting the session says, "The choir and congregation will now sing..." So we attended General Conference last weekend and heard some really good talks. To me, a lot of it seemed to be focusing on us. As far as our character goes. I believe Elder Scott put it in pretty plain terms.

Also, you can sing as you work. I know whistling is a bit more common, but Elder Ostberg came to Kingston for a few days. They moved Elder Walker to the Boulevard house with Elder Ostberg's companion since both of them have to stay in. We really just worked Friday, since Saturday and Sunday was conference.

Lastly, you can sing to your new companion. That's right! I am now in Yallahs and training a new missionary. His name is Elder Jarman from Riverdale Utah.

So when things in life are bad or good. SING!

Elder Huffaker

Here are some of the photos Brandon sent this week. Yallahs is pronounced, "Yowl-us", and is located on the southern coast of Jamaica, a little to the east of Kingston. Brandon says it is a little smaller than Falmouth was.

Elders Huffaker, Branson, and Hoffman on Transfer Day:

Flooding in one of the main gulleys in Kingston from Tropical Storm Nicole:
Closer view of landslide damage in Kingston:
Street flooding from Tropical Storm Nicole:

Flooding on the missionaries' street in Kingston: