Pillars & Rays in Barbados

 As we finish up July and head into August, there's been a lot happening in our mission lives.  We've had storms that are now requiring service opportunities for our missionaries in the Grenadines to help those who lost everything in Hurricane Beryl.  It has been a huge blessing for these Elders and Sisters to serve and to watch them bearing one another's burdens.  

The Burnhams at Bdos ZoCo

The Burnhams have been touring the mission and holding Zone Conferences on every island, so they returned this past week after being gone for about 3 weeks to hold our final Zone Conference this transfer in Barbados.  It is always wonderful to attend Zone Conference and be taught and edified with and by these young missionaries.  A few of the highlights:
  • Rays & Pillars
    • Many times we expect pillars of understanding or confirmation, when we've been receiving rays of it all along.  
    • I recalled several rays that I had about the sacrament:
      • Several years ago, I recalled a story of a gentleman who was noted by a young teacher/deacon to physically weep every time he was given the Sacrament.  He later told the story of his upbringing in Germany I believe and that every time he partook of the Sacrament he imagined Jesus Christ handing him the Sacrament though it was a young man being the hands.  I think of that often as I partake of the Sacrament.
      • In recent conference talks, I recalled being taught that the Sacrament is a unifying experience for the congregation.  We all figuratively come together to collectively promise to ALWAYS remember Him.  What is more unifying than that?  If we could all do that, what a better world we would live in!  Not only that, but that we can figuratively lay everything we are burdened with on the altar by partaking of the Sacrament and the prayers of the many and through our Savior, we can become whole!  
      • Lastly, we were sitting in a Sacrament meeting recently and the overwhelming feeling of love and unity for our little branch was palpable and brought a pillar of understanding.  All those little rays were confirmed again as a pillar to our testimony of the Sacrament and the power of the covenant we make each and every week.  His promises are sure!  Trust Him!  Hear Him!  What glorious news is the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
    • If you haven't read Elder Duscko's talk  on Pillars & Rays.  It's definitely worth a read.
  • Praying for others inside and outside the church.  
    • Be specific
    • Don't pray for what I want, but what do they really need?  
      • Praying to ask what Heavenly Father wants for me today or what Heavenly Father wants for them today is very different from our laundry list of wants.
  • Sabbath Day should be a delight
    • The Sabbath was sanctified at the Creation
    • Keeping the Sabbath Day holy is a sign of my covenant commitment and sanctifies me if I keep it holy. 
    • The blessings for keeping it are that He will NOT leave us!
    • Attending a Sacrament meeting is a celebration of that covenant commitment and isn't just a checkbox.  
      • Come and stay, don't just come and see!
Barbados Zone



It's transfer week and that means we have 9 good-byes to say and 9 new wonderful arrivals to join us.  It's bittersweet for sure.  We've grown close to many of these missionaries and we will truly miss them.  We will definitely miss our AP Elder Roberts from Cedar City.  He's become like a son and we are so glad that we will see him again soon in Provo!  We will also miss our District Leader Elder Hansen.  He is going to be a great leader, husband and father.  This missionary is a great trainer and can be found as the first one at the sink to volunteer to do dishes at member's homes or mission events.  Both these Elders are gems to us.  Tonight is our departure dinner and tomorrow morning at 6:30 am they all head back to their families.  What an Army of Helamen these boys are!

Elder Roberts & us (very windy day)


Elder Hansen our District Leader

We did some exploring to some new areas of the island on our p-day.  We went to the East side to a little cove called Bottom Bay.  Usually it is a lovely little spot; however, with the churn of the ocean, the Sargassum was too much to enjoy the bay so we took a few pictures and moved on to Miami Beach.  It was nice, but a little rocky since the storm.  Yesterday, we ventured up the west coast and a day pass at a local boutique hotel right outside of Holetown called the Fairmont Royal.  Lovely little beach club where we were able to rent chairs, play in the surf, and have lunch for a local price without any sargassum at all!  We will definitely go back there again!  It was a lovely afternoon.
Bottom Bay

Fairmont Beach Club west side


A little cultural snapshot, enjoy the chickens/roosters that free reign everywhere.  We were having lunch at the Oistins fish market as the last meal with Elder Roberts, Walsh, Hansen & Nelson and the office staff and this guy was just resting under the table. 



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