ARE WE HAVING FUN YET?

Joseph Smith said "Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it;  and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God."  "Men are that they might have joy" 2 Nephi 2:25.  Each of us are in what we call God's "Plan of happiness" or the Plan of Salvation.  So, our question is.......should we be having this much fun as we serve?  We love this work, and it is Work (with a capital "W")  We love looking forward to a goal and reaching for something more, while being content for the moment.  In Philippians 4:11 Paul said  "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."  We can reach for something more while being content.  Each has their place.
So, are we having fun yet?  That is a profound question.  We may search high and low, spend lots of time and money traveling or buying things, when the evidence of joy is all around us; the source is in us!  Are you not quite finding your happy place?  Happiness is real!  We can find it in the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Remember what the angels said when they announced the birth of Christ?  They announced "good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people."  Our yearning for happiness was planted in our hearts when we were born.  Happiness is a consequence of making good choices!!!!  Striving for happiness is a long, hard journey with many challenges.  It takes diligence and enduring to the end, not sporadic effort.
Serving others helps us to forget our own problems.  So, are we having fun yet?  We certainly are!

Here is our week, in a nutshell!



So many things happened this week, some of the events seem like they happened months ago, instead of days or hours ago.
We went with Elder Grange to visit a charitable facility in the neighborhood of Matura, where he serves.  Kathleen and Hypolite Hamilton run this facility and assist poor families in the area.

In one of the rooms, we couldn't help but notice several bags of clothing with labels on them from our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  The Hamilton's received these donations from another organization called "FEELS".  I think they would like to get donations from our church directly, instead of going through "FEELS".  We will fill out the necessary paperwork to apply for humanitarian aid for this organization called "Charity Promotions".

 This is the building for "Charity Promotions", a non religious facility.  Needy individuals can come here and get any of the food, clothing or furniture items for no cost.

This week, we also visited the home of Philip Metivier who is the President of the Cerebral Palsy Society of Trinidad and tobago.  We posted something about him last month, so we don't have new photos, but we are busy working on humanitarian paperwork which our church requires, if we are to make a donation (as a church) to any of these humanitarian projects.  The Cerebral Palsy Society is in desperate need of wheel chairs, with straps on them, for about 100 children.

This is our office

                            This is an old photo, but it's still our office.  It hasn't changed much!!!

Lucky us, we were invited to go out teaching with the Sisters to the Andrews family again this week.  We did an object lesson on obedience.  The kids loved it! (So did the neighborhood friends.  They always have lots of friends over)

Treats, of course.  ( served by Sister Taylor)

Had District meeting with "The Force"

Took our new Senior Missionary couple, The Thompson's, to see the Scarlet Ibis.  Sister Ray joined us too.  She's always a blast...loves life!

                                             We never tire of seeing these amazing birds

Guess who got to play a violin????  Yippeee!!!

Sister Sue Ray and I were asked to play at the 50th wedding anniversary of some folks I didn't know.  It's remarkable that anyone here has been married for 50 years!!!!

This is the happy couple who we were celebrating.

Bro and Sis Alleyne

Today was our Primary Sacrament meeting.  We didn't take a picture of them during the meeting, but this is some of them in the Primary room afterwards.  They did an amazing job!  It's been such an honor to work with them on their songs.  They sang their little hearts out!

It was a week full of meetings, cleaning projects, paperwork, doctoring (always doctoring....we have to keep these missionaries out in the field), cooking food for meetings, hauling broken bikes.  You name it.  Seems like we've done it this week.....and we LOVE it. 

YES, WE ARE HAVING FUN!!