Love from Barbados November 27, 2023

 We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving week!  We want to wish our BIL Dan a speedy and uneventful recovery post surgery!  We also wish Samantha, Ashlyn, & Riley a very Happy Birthday 🎈 this week!  We are so proud of each of you & love 💕 you so much!


For the past 31 years, we’ve done Christmas 🎄 cards well….except last year.  Did you even notice?  Not only that, but they are mailed the day before Thanksgiving so that they kick off the season knowing that you are in our thoughts.  This year we have to rely on digital versions…..you think our postal system has issues?  I have no idea how mail finds its way to the islands and to individuals.  So please know that you are thought of individually, but email and Facebook are the means of delivery this year.  

Fuel Cards Arrived

This week in Barbados was filled with tender mercies and miracles.  Miracle #1 has been years in the making.  Like we mentioned previously, things happen slowly in the islands.  Also mentioned, our mission is made up of 8 islands with 4 currencies and 72 missionaries divided among those 8 islands.  None of the mission vehicles had fuel cards, so said missionaries had to all find the one credit card on the island from the senior couple or zone leader or 💰 cash to fill their cars——time not well spent for various reasons as you can imagine.  The past 2 financial clerks had asked but were told no.  You know Elder Ellis doesn’t really like being told NO without a good reason, so he’s been working on finding the right person and way to help get these fuel cards…..which will also help the next financial clerk’s life immensely.  On Tuesday of this week, FEDEX delivered 30 fuel cards to the office!  Doug is now working on getting those distributed to all the missionaries.  It was indeed a day of gratitude & an early Christmas 🤶 miracle!

FHE with the Cox Family

Also on Tuesday, we were asked by Elder Charlesworth & Hatch to participate in a family home evening for a family where they were teaching 5 children ages 15-8.  It was so fun.  Their mom hasn’t been to church in years, but has found that spirit rekindled recently and wants her children to know that they are Children of God and become members of His church.  Sister Cox was so welcoming to us and said she was so excited to have us as her “senior couple.”  She was delightful!  We have the special experience to witness their baptism this coming Saturday!  Not only that, but the oldest son asked if Elder Ellis would baptize him.  What a little tender mercy!  From a FHE invitation, to being a part of their special day.  

Sisters in Zion

Thursday was Thanksgiving back home, but not a recognized holiday in the Caribbean.  All of the senior couples on Barbados are American 🇺🇸, so we all got together at the mission home to have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner 🥘.  Doug did his cornbread stuffing & sweet potato soufflé!  🤤 We also all brought desserts to share, so the young missionaries joined us for dessert after proselyting.  We have 1/2 dozen International missionaries on Barbados that have no idea what Thanksgiving is or why it’s special to us but food is its own language so they just love the gathering part.




Saturday was p-day:  local farmer’s market, beach 🏖️, shopping, and preparing for the upcoming week.  Warm water 💦 and better water pressure have finally returned! Additionally, roof repairs have begun!  Yes, please!  Also, random local fact.....the toads in Barbados are HUGE!  Check this guy out!



On Sunday, we had so many new friends of the missionaries attend church.  It was glorious. We also sustained 2 members (Michael our friend from last post & Bro. Zimmermann who is attending Medical School here) in our Branch Presidency (thank goodness bc our branch president has been a one man show for months) and Doug was sustained as a counselor in the Elders Quorum.  Lots of great things are happening in our branch.  

Life is better with sandy toes!


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