Our time in our mission here in Belize is coming to a close. We have less than 5 weeks left. There is much to do and lots of loose ends to tie up.
We try to attend Tuesday zone meetings as often as we can. We took some of the time to help teach about ways to improve baptism services. We discussed about the talks to be assigned and proper baptism clothing. Elder Pattee suggested assigning young priesthood holders to be witnesses.
After viewing a slide show presentation, Elder Zapeta taught the training lesson on "Unity Between Companions as They Teach". Then the elders role played to practice the concept.
This week the zone leaders brought the Meighan Family to Home Evening. We enjoyed having them in our home.
They are a wonderful little family. Brother Meighan is very musical. He plays the trumpet and other instruments. He also likes to sing. He and Elder Rabanales and Elder Sutton sang "Nearer They God to Thee" in 3-part harmony. Sister Pattee made cupcakes for our treat. They are always seem to be a hit.
This past weekend we made our final visit to San Pedro Caye. Saturday afternoon we taught Elders Ortega and Gealta a seminary inservice lesson. They are the seminary and institute teachers for San Pedro. They are also President Urbina's counselors in the branch. They carry a heavy load.
Then we did an apartment check for them. Afterwards we took them out to dinner at Carrumbas. We all had seafood, and it was delicious!
Next, we went to the chapel (rented building) to help clean it up for church the next morning. A man hired by the Church had been sanding all the outside railings, getting them ready to paint. The problem was that he opened up all the windows and doors, and most of the sawdust went inside. Thick blue dust was on everything.
Hope Elder Gealta and Elder Pattee know which end of the broom to use. After some of us swept and dusted, the mopping began.
Sister Lee owns a home on San Pedro and flies down from the States for visits 2 or 3 times each year. She mopped the chapel area floor.
Besides the missionaries and Sister Lee, two other sisters and their husbands came to help. Soon we had the building ready for Sunday.
As Sunday morning dawned, I had hoped to take a photo of the sun rising up out of the sea, but a bank of clouds was low in the sky. This picture was taken from our hotel balcony. It was beautiful, anyway.
For some reason San Pedro Branch did not receive any manuals for the 2012 year. It takes a very long time for orders to come from Salt Lake City. We gathered up what extras we could find in Belize City and took them with us. Our hope was to at least have manuals for the teachers. Unfortunately, we couldn't find a YW Manual 1 or a 2012 Outline for Primary Sharing Time, so we downloaded and copied a few of the lessons from the Church's website.
Sister Pattee was asked by Sister Valaskis, Young Women leader (at left), to teach the San PedroYoung Women. We talked about Divine Potential and the joy of being a woman at every age.
Elder Pattee did several interviews. Since it was fast and testimony meeting, we both bore our testimonies.
Here are some of the local San Pedro branch members that were in attendance at Church. Lots of tourists came, too. There were probably about 60 people in attendance.
We have tried to get the Church website address of the San Pedro church building changed to "on the beach, across from the water taxi" (there is no actual street address because it is not on a street). So far we haven't met with success. Many LDS tourists would love to come, but can't find the place. Some of them just happen to stumble onto it, or see the missionaries around town, and get directions. It has been a frustrating dilemma.
Some time this year the Church will build a chapel on San Pedro. It will be much better than a rented building and may actually have an address.
We enjoyed visiting with the San Pedro members and will miss them and also the beauty of their Caribbean island.
Goodbye, San Pedro! (Taken from our water taxi as it pulled away.)
