A Week of Sorrow

I'm sure many of you have heard the news. Elder Walker was hit by a stray bullet last week on Monday on the way back to Kingston from Spanish Town. He returned home almost instantly. There were seven other missionaries in the van.

This is how the missionaries in the van were situated:

~Front!~
__________
(B) (E) Elders Brough and Emery
(T) (L) Elders Toutai and Luke
(W) Elder Walker
(K) (N) Elders Knowlton and Nelson
____ _(O)_ Elder Ostberg


The bullet came in through the back window and hit Elder Walker in the left temple. It was a tragedy to all of us missionaries.

For more information on the matter, please consult my mom.




Next in news. President Hendricks came to district meeting last Wednesday. I think it had something to do with the fact that all of our zone, except Elder Snelson and I, were involved in the incident regarding Elder Walker. He also interviewed Elder Snelson and I after the meeting and we had a good chat and I also got a few doctrine related answers while I was at it.

Next, we have the amazing super planning on Friday. Elder Snelson received some summer sausage in his Christmas package. Soooo, I broke out a tin of cheese I had been saving and we purchased some Ritz Crackers knockoffs and enjoyed our weekly planning session.

Sunday we travelled down with the Daniels to Kingston to stay the night at the zoneleaders house. But before they took us to the zone leaders house, we stopped and ate dinner at the Schaefermeyer's house. While there Elder Schaefermeyer showed me a video that I ask you to watch on youtube. It's called Two White Girls Pon a Minibus. This kinda relates the experience of travelling via public transportation in Jamaica. The head out the window thing is the only difference. People can't really do that anymore.

Yesterday, the zone leaders took us to Spanish Town for Elder Walker's memorial. Elder Coleman and his wife were there as were President Hendricks and his wife. All four of them spoke. Elder Coleman represented the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve, and the Carribbean Area Seventy. It was a good service. I also got a picture of me and my protege's.


Elder Huffaker


Note from Marilyn:
Brandon's comment of Elder Walker "returned home" -- refers to his death, and returning home to our Heavenly Father. I liked the comment I read on one of the senior missionaries' blogs: “Elder Walker's life was cut short, but his mission was extended”. And President Hendricks' affirmation that, “God is in charge.” You can email me if you have further questions about this, at PaintedFlower@aol.com.

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 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