Media coverage of special events

These are media people covering the handing over ceremony at the hospital. I was interviewed and asked a lot of questions about why the church does such things as giving equipment away and helping the people in Jamaica. It's good to have coverage like this but I don't like being on TV.

Three cute chicks

Corliss the chicken woman. Did you ever think you would see her holding chickens? These baby chickens are only about 3 hours old and are thirsty and hungry. We have to get them out of the crate and into the brooder area where they can eat and drink. It only takes 6 weeks for these chicks to grow to maturity. They will weigh about 5 lbs then will be slaughtered.

Grandchild hungry

Sister Whitehead gets a little homesick for her grandchildren so once in a while she gets to hug a native baby. Isn't the little girl cute?

Jamaica wedding

This is Diedra. She is walking into the chapel with the Branch President to get married. She married another member and will live in another branch. It's good to see our members marry right. It's a law in Jamaica that the members here have a civil marriage before they can go to the temple. The biggest problem is having enough money to travel to the temple so a lot of the members have to wait a long time to go there.

Cute little Gold Wing

Isn't this a cute little motorcycle? Whoever owns it put a lot of time installing metal banding on it.

Kingston sisters

This is a picture of most of the Relief Society sisters in our branch. We had a training meeting with them about food storage and afterward had a 24th of July meal we prepared for them and some of their husbands. The branch president was so impressed with potato salad that he came back several times for more. These people know how to eat.

Dry pack food storage

We are teaching a large group of sisters about food storage. Jamaica has two dry pack seal machines for the two districts and we are trying to train the members about food storage. The main problem is they don't have anything to store and nowhere to store it. We try to instill in the members to at least store a little even if for just a few days. Many have lived through hurricanes and other disasters without food so they know it's important to store something. Many have little or no money to buy and store a great amount. They read in the Ensign about a years supply and are dumbfounded that anyone could actually do that let alone afford to do so.

More dry pack food storage

Humble home

We have two large districts in Jamaica. This is the District President on the West side of the island. He is very poor but a spiritual giant. This is a house he is going to move in just the way it is because he can't afford to finish it right now. He has 4 kids and will live in two small rooms with no water close by or electricty. It will take him years to finish the whole house but he will do it.

Sugar cane

This is how they used to squeeze sugan cane to make sugar syrup and molasses. From molasses, they make their famous rum.

Fair time

Every year Jamaica has a very large fair that deals mostly with agriculture. Here is a large display of some of the wonderful fruits and vegatables grown here. The fair was fun because of the food, displays and animals. Not quite the Blackfoot fair but very fun

Young Single Adults

We spent a couple of days with 165 young single adults on the North shore of Jamaica. Here is Sister Whitehead checking in and giving the young people name tags. It was really enjoyable to see these young people enjoy themselves. Many of these kids have never seen this part of the island or stayed in a hotel before. This is an event held every year so the young people can get together and meet (hopefully some of will marry and stay in Jamaica).

Patriarchal blessings

Here is Elder Smith (new patriarch) talking to the youth about receiving blessings. Already, he has given 10 in the last two weeks. For some reason, no one from our branch has asked for one.

Lots of questions

At the young single adults conference, an evening of questions and answers. The mission president along with several other leaders answered many questions about dating, marriage, missions and education. The young people really enjoyed it.

Checkers anyone

Look at what they play checkers with. It works!!