Saying Goodbye To Puerto Rico

March 6-7, 2015

It was hard to say good-bye a week earlier than we had planned.  But it was time to leave.  On Friday we said our farewells to the great couples we worked with in the Puerto Rico San Juan Mission.  Each have touched our lives for good.  We missed Sister Heidenreich who is the mission nurse.  But so appreciated her showing us around our first week in Puerto Rico.

Elder & Sister Jewkes with President and Sister Boucher

Elder & Sister Lee from Washington.  She is the mission secretary and he is in charge of finances.

Elder and Sister Porter from Orem Utah.  They work in Self Reliance

Elder & Sister Eckle from Parker Colorado.  She is over apartments and he is over the cars.

The Assistant to the President: Elder Medina from Dominican Republic, Elder Kendell from Utah and Elder Rognon from Utah

Map of Puerto Rico

President Boucher told Elder Jewkes to take me to the beach one last time . . .I really wasn't much in the mood to put a swimsuit on, but we decided to venture out and see a couple of places we hadn't been to before we left. 
We drove to the East side of the island to Luquillo and Fajardo.  The beaches were as beautiful as everyone had told us.  The wind was blowing and the waves were high, so not many people in the water.  Fajardo is a port city and also where you can catch the ferry to go to the islands Vieques and Culebra.  We didn't have enough time but would like to come back and visit these islands someday.  Culebra is supposed to have some of the nicest beaches in the world.

Beach at Fajardo

Looking the other direction down the beach.  See the red flag . . . stay out of the water!

Windy day!

Looking towards one of the  small islands

Looking across the bay at Fajardo

We decided to drive to Humacao where some of the  members of the Metro Ward (English speaking ward) live.  Many of the members of the ward work for the FBI and DEA.  Some of the members work for medical supply companies there. It was beautiful and green. And again we saw more windmills.  We also stopped to get a couple of spices at the store that I needed for recipes I have been given. Then it was back to the apartment to finish packing and cleaning before we leave on Saturday.

Windmills among the greenery

Elder and Sister Porter were kind enough to take us to the airport on Saturday.  President and Sister Boucher were in St. Thomas for the dedication of the new chapel there.  We so appreciated the Porters help.

I love the people of Puerto Rico!  We have made so many great friends and have been invited to stay with several when we make it back to this beautiful island!

I so grateful for the opportunity we were given to do this special assignment for the Church History Library.  The opportunity to meet, hear conversion stories and testimonies and also feel the Spirit as we did these Oral Histories.  We hope that we will be given an opportunity to serve in the capacity again.

I know that this work is important and all part of the plan of our Heavenly Father.  He lives.  He knows each one of us and has a plan for us.  We need to search and pray for the opportunities to be a servant in His hands.  He loves us! I love my Savior Jesus Christ.  I am grateful for the Atonement that Jesus Christ in  my behalf as well as yours.  I know Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God and restored the gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth in these latter days.  I know that Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet of God. May each of you feel of our Saviors love for you.  If you have doubts, get on your knees and ask Him . . . then listen for His answer to you.  So many times we heard of people who had a warm feeling come over them as they prayed about what they had read in the Book of Mormon and listened to the messages the missionaries had for them.  I know it is true! This is my testimony and I am so grateful for it!

Our Last Week in Puerto Rico part two

March 1, 2015 continued

The interviews we did in Ponce were once again wonderful.  The conversion stories and testimonies born continue to help increase my testimony. 

Frankie Ruiz

Juan and Celia Cruz

Hector Nieves

Miguel and Iris Alvarado

Richardo and Millie Sanchez and their son

Luiz Sanchez

Rafael and Carmen Ortiz

Rafael and Carmen Ortiz and their 3 grand-daughters

Saul and Emma Velez

 Saul and Emma Velez and daughter Bethzuida Velez

 Most of the interviews we did in Ponce were in Spanish.  One of the interviews, Wade had a question and stopped and asked in Spanish.  He then asked the question in English. (Wade speaks good Spanish, but we have decided that Puerto Rico Spanish is a little different.)  I had been listening, not really understanding the Spanish, but with Wade's question I tried to figure out what he needed to know.  I answered them and asked if that was what they were saying.  (Most of the people in Puerto Rico can speak some English but they also understand very well)  They said I was right. I know that the Lord was helping me that day.

Another couple we interviewed gave a great story.  When we started the interview the man said he didn't have a great story but his wife did and he turned the time to her.  They had been members of the church for 36 years being baptized in 1979.  They were sealed in the Washington DC Temple in 1986. She told us this was her testimony of the Book of Mormon and that the Book of Mormon had saved her life. In 1995 she was walking to a meeting at the church.  She was walking through the park ad was attached by a man with a knife.  She had a Book of Mormon that she had wrapped as a package to give to someone along with a five dollar bill in her purse.  The man took the book and the money and raised the knife to kill her, but a bright light came over her and he ran away.  Two days after the attack she received a letter from her attacker with the money.  He apologized and said he was going to kill her but their was a bright light.  He said her God loved her.  He kept the Book of Mormon.  He was later baptized and has been to the temple.  In 1999 he came to visit her in Orlando where they had moved.  He gave her a fifty dollor bill.  He told her that he was married, active in the church and had named his little girl Celia Milagro - Milagro is miracle in Spanish.  This story was in the July 1996 Liahonia.  

March 4 2015
  
We had 2 interviews today.  (I was having a rough time because of the news of my Sister in Law passing away).  Both were wonderful.  One sister had been a member her since she was eight.  She dated her husband who was not a member but because of her and her family's example he joined the church and they were sealed in the temple.

The other sister is currently serving a mission in Puerto Rico.  She is from Puerto Rico so this was a little unusual.  When she joined the church her parents were not happy about it.  When she put her papers into to go on a mission, she was called to another mission in Texas.  Her mother would not let her go.  Arrangements were made for her to serve in  Puerto Rico and her parents were given special permission to visit with her when they wanted to.  When we first arrived, I was surprised when this family came in and went into one of the offices and then this sister missionary joined them in the office.  I was told it was her family.  This young lady has such a strong testimony of the Gospel.  She is a great missionary.  Hopefully her family will feel the Spirit and soften their hearts about the church.  

March 5, 2015

We did our last interview.  A young man who joined the church.  He told us that he loves to go to the Temple in Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic.  He goes at least once a year and tries to go a second time as well.  He has been called to be an ordinance worker when he is there.

The members in Puerto Rico are in the Dominican Temple District.  The problem for them is the cost to go there.  They have to have a passport because it isn't a US territory like Puerto Rico and then the airfare is more expensive than going to Florida.  May members will plan a vacation to Florida, New York, New Jersey or other parts of the US and then go to the temple while visiting family.  I can see how it would be so nice for them to have a temple, but so many of the people join the church and then find a job in the states and leave Puerto Rico. Thus the membership isn't where it needs to be to have a temple.  I feel so blessed to have so six temples within 30 minutes of where we live.  It is one of those things we take for granted.  

Magda Inesta

Joralis Rivera

Magdiel Negron

Our Last Week in Puerto Rico part one

We have been home a little over a month now and I am finally getting back to my blog to finish our mission as this is my journal too. . . . .

February 28, 2015

We got up early Saturday morning and headed to Ponce.  It is on the south side of the island.  As we drove down the highway the scenery was beautiful.  It had been raining and the clouds were right on top of the mountains.  It was beautiful.

When we came out of the mountains, I thought I was driving through Wyoming or Southern Idaho or maybe Arizona.  It was much more like a desert area.  There were even cactus on the side of the road.  And there were the 'windmills' like in Wyoming. What do you think??

Looks like Wyoming to me . . .

Maybe more like Arizona with the cactus

The dryer landscape - not lush and green

Wind Mills

More windmills in the distance

 We made it to the church and began our interviews which were wonderful again.  I have been amazed at how each of these people know the exact date they were baptized!  I know the month and year, but not the exact date.  I think I need to learn this because it is an important date!  

We interview the Stake President - President Ruiz.  He related the following to us:
While on his mission in Las Vegas, he opened the phone book to find an investigator and saw the name Blake and Barbara Bellard.  This was the name of the Elder who had baptized his family.  He called the number and found that this was indeed the missionary who had baptized his family.  At the begining of his mission he went to do an inteview of a young woman who was ready for baptism.  They arrived late.  The parents were mad and told them not to come back.  Then the father called towards the end of his mission to apologize and ask for forgiveness.  He then asked if Elder Ruiz would baptize him.

After we finished the interviews we decided to see a little of Ponce . . . the beach.  (Have you figured out that I love the beach??)  We drove to this beach and saw an area where they put containers on ships. 

We went to the boardwalk where they had little stand where you could buy souvenirs.  There were a few restaurants and bars there as well. 

We found these lovely birds who would let you walk right up to them and almost touch them.  

This little bay was beautiful with sailboats docked.(Two different views)

Then we walked over to the beach.  It wasn't the beautiful sandy beach we had seen in other areas, but I loved the grassy area and the trees growing in the water.  What a beautiful site!

While I was taking pictures a man came up to me and asked what area of the island we were serving in.  We explained that we were doing oral histories for the Church History Library and we were just there for 2 months.  I asked if he was a member and he said yes.  Wade began talking to him and we found out that he was in the Caguas Stake.  They had just gotten a new Stake President the week before. Wade asked who was called to that position . . . the man replied "That would be me."  He had been a member for some years but had been inactive.  He was in the service in Europe and had married a women from there and had 3 girls - none were members.  But his one daughter and her family were visiting him and they had brought them to the beach.  Such a kind person and so willing to stop us and ask questions.  You just never know . . .


March 1, 2015

We we were up early and on our way back to Ponce to attend church and do more interviews.  We passed that same beautiful scenery as the day before.  But we did stop for just a few minutes to get some pictures of the letters that spell out Ponce as you arriving there on the freeway. 

I love the custom of gthe people of Puerto Rico.  They greet you with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.  This is usually with the women but sometimes the men do this too to women.  When the men greet each other, it is with a hand shake and a hug.  At first this was strange for me and I felt funny about it.  But as timne went on, it was just a  natural thing to do.
 

This was the temperature at 8am

The four three letters P O N C

A little closer shot of the N C

Even closer of the C and E  (I almost got hit by a car taking this picture)

When we headed home that afternoon I took this picture - Our daughter, Patti, served in Coamo when she was on her mission in Puerto Rico 18 years ago. 

A Sad Note . . .

March 5, 2015

It is with a very heavy heart that I write this post on my blog.  I will add another post with the end of our mission soon . . .

Yesterday I lost my sweet sister in law, Andrea Meadows.  She passed away unexpectedly around noon March 4 2015.  I have felt such a great loss since hearing of her passing while I am here in Puerto Rico.  My heart is full of emotions.  

Andrea was one of the funnest people to be around.  She always knew how to through a party . . . the 4th of July has been spent at their home many times over the years with a big BBQ and then the Riverton fireworks show after while sitting on their lawn.  Her nieces and nephew have always adored her and her fun nature. (Her in laws feel the same way)

One of the things that shows Andrea's sense of humor was a facebook message that was left for her girls.  This friend related a day when she called Andrea and to ask what she was doing.  Andrea told her she was reading the Bible.  Her friend asked, what book (referring to what book in the Bible).  Andrea said "The Holy Bible"!  Her friend then asked 'what book in the Holy Bible are you reading"  Andrea said she was reading Revelations.  Although she didn't attend church, she loved our Heavenly Father and told me how she would just talk to Him as if he were sitting on her bed.  I am sure she is talking to Him now and has all kinds of questions for Him!

I will miss Andrea, but I  know that she is out of pain.  She is able to do all the crazy things she did in the past before she was sick.  I'm not sure what it was called, but she had nerve end damage much like shingles but it never went away.  A light breeze would send her into lots of pain.  She was a good wife and mother and loved her family more than anything.  In fact the last time I saw her, shortly before we came to Puerto Rico, she told me she wanted to be with her family for eternity!  We love you Annie!!!

Lexi, Andrea and Markelle Meadows

Slower Week, But Caught Up

Friday February 27, 2015

This week has been a little slower for us in the mission, so I have been able to recall some of our experiences on a daily basis.  Not having the Internet at our apartment has made it almost impossible to keep up daily. If this is a little overload . . . so sorry, but this IS my journal too.

We have met the goal that was set for us in completing interviews, but we still have more to go.  We are excited to be finishing strong and above the projected goal.  We are looking forward to the next two days in Ponce Stake gathering more histories, conversion stories and testimonies of the great saints of Puerto Rico!!

The Tender Mercies of the Lord

Friday February27, 2015

The tender mercies of the lord come to us in different ways . .  today I experienced one of those tender mercies as we did an interview. . . . We have been a little slower in getting interviews during the week this week but we are looking forward to this weekend when we will visit Ponce Stake for interviews.

Today we did an interview with a man who is a church employee here in Puerto Rico.  Just as we were talking before we turned the tape on, we learned that he had been a Mission President.  Wade usually uses different questions for an interview with a mission president and they usually go for a couple of hours . . . we were planning on one hour.  His wife came in for the interview as well.  We didn't ask many questions, we let them tell their experiences.  It was wonderful!

This was one of the most spiritual interviews we have done together.   Both the husband and his wife were baptized at age 8 into the church, so basically they were raised in the church.  

Her grandmother had taken her to church when she was 6 along with her 3 siblings while her mother was away.  Her mother had taken them to another church before this time.  She remembers how nice everyone was to them and how she loved the song "I Am a Child of God".  That began her testimony of our Savior at the age of 9.  Her mother joined the church, as did her siblings and they were baptized.  At age 16 she was called to work in the nursery.  She has had callings over the years in primary and young women.  She felt that this was in preparation for her calling to be the wife of a mission president.  She told of many experiences in that calling and told of many miracles that had happened.  One of those was when a missionary had fallen off of a 40 foot cliff.  When they talked with him later, he told of the angels who helped him to a rock so he wouldn't be washed out to sea.  Later it was discovered that those angels were family members who had passed on to the other side.  Also, in the past 10 years or so, anyone falling from that cliff has died. Another miracle.

As this brother told his story of growing up in the church and his work life, just how he had been prepared to serve the Lord.  He told us that when his parents and two older siblings were baptized.  He was 6 years old and felt bad that he could not be baptized too. He watched from the shore of the ocean and felt so bad he couldn't be baptized too.  A man put his arm around him and told him he would be baptized someday too.  He was one of the first to be baptized in a building.  The baptisms at that time were done in a swimming pool or in the ocean.  When he was 16 he was called to be the president of his seminary class.  They were studying the Book of Mormon that year and since he had not read it, he decided to read it himself and find out for himself if it was true.  He took Moroni's promise to heart and knelt in his room and asked the Lord if this book was true.  He said the answer came quickly as a warm feeling coming over him and he knew it was true. He has been a Bishop, Stake President, an Area Seventy, and Mission President.  He worked for several companies before being contacted by an area authority to get his resume ready for a position that was coming up in the CES department.  Then he served as the mission president.  He is now working in Self Reliance for the church as an area representative.  He too told us some experiences he had as a mission president.  He told us it was so nice to have time to reflect on his experiences. 

As we closed the interview both this brother and sister bore testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel, and that our Savior, Jesus Christ lives and loves each one of us.  He knows us.  I was so moved by the spirit that was with us today.  Each day we need to look for things, moment and experiences in our lives to increase our testimony.

I like this scripture that this couple referred to during the interview. . . . Ammon is glorifying the Lord:

"Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever."  Alma 26:12

Cari Lu and Jorge Alvarado

The Spirit Has No Language Barriers

Thursday February 26, 2015

To day we interviewed a sweet 80 year old lady.  The interview was in Spanish so I wasn't getting too much out of it.  I am getting so I can sometimes recognize a word or what people are trying to say. But as we closed the interview wither testimony, a warm feeling came over me.  I was feeling her testimony.  It was a sweet experience for me.  

Genoveva Cattillo

Irma Nieves (friend) and Genoveva Carillo

Sister Carrilo had a couple of scrapbooks that she had made.  They were beautiful.  It has inspired me to work on mine when I get home!

When we end an interview, we always ask the person to close with their testimony.  It made me think how often have I been asked to bear my testimony on the spot so to speak.  In the Philippines we would be asked to share our testimony in church but usually had a few minutes to think about it.  These people who are interviewed are asked as we end the interview to bear their testimony.  I am making it a goal of mine to be prepared to share my testimony of the gospel at a moments notice without having to think of it . . . 

My testimony:
I know my Savior lives and I love Him.  I know that Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet of God on the earth today.  I know that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ in the Sacred Grove.  I know that my Heavenly Father knows me and has a plan for me. I know that if I keep the commandments that I can live with my family forever. I am grateful for all the blessings that I have been blessed with.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen