Smith's Situation: MAGNIFYING THE PRIESTHOOD

Roger Courtney received the Melchizedek Priesthood last Sunday. He was baptized on November 2, 2013, here in Grenada. We love Roger. Let's talk about him a little. Roger is talented and attempts to make a living as a painter. He's very handy and can fix most anything, like electrical connections, plumbing and bikes. He loves gardening and "hunts" food weekly, which means collecting mangos, bananas, breadfruit, guava, figs,and many other foods that grow here. He provides for his extended family in this "gathering" way. He has taken us fishing without fishing poles,iguana hunting, decorative seed collecting and even spear fishing off the rough Grenadian Atlantic coast.
Roger spends about 30 hours each week teaching and contacting with the missionaries. We have a well attended cottage meeting, on his roof, every Wednesday night where Roger is in charge and conducts the meeting. Roger attends almost every single activity the Branch offers. Many in the Branch have been served by him and everyone loves his company and goodness. Roger's calling in the church is to keep our church house spic and span! He is extremely diligent at calling others to help him with the cleaning. If the calling is finished and he doesn't have people to help in the efforts, the building is still clean on Sunday!!! He knows how to keep his covenants! It's fun to clean with Roger!!!
About 6 of Roger's friends have been baptized, here, since November 2013.
Eight months ago Roger spent his days and evenings liming (hanging out) in the neighborhood
drinking rum and smoking marijuana, spending time with very questionable friends. He says he now just doesn't have time to miss that life.
We super enjoy watching Roger light up and fill his life with good things. He's discovered what
many of us want, but don't take the time to do....that we can be enlightened, renewed and sanctified as we serve others. Roger gives so much, he has no time to worry about Roger. This scripture describes what we see happening to Roger.----"Then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the Priesthood shall distill upon thy soul as the dews from heaven." D&C 121:45

Roger and Ryan were ordained Elders last Sunday. Michael (in the middle) will receive the Melchizedek Priesthood next Sunday. He received his mission call this week!!! He will be going to the Santo Domingo West, Dominican Republic Mission in August. We are so thrilled with his decision to serve. Ryan's mission papers have been submitted, so we are waiting anxiously for his call to come.

Some of the holders of the Priesthood in our branch. Roger, Michael, Trevor, Jemin and Ryan

June 30th was Roger's 38th birthday. The item he is holding is a fruit picker. We need to have one of these back home!

Oops. His cake is on fire!!!!

We had to take the Sister's car in for servicing on Tuesday. Roger knew we were looking for some natural beads for necklace making, so he came along and showed us where the beads (seeds) were. They are close to the car service garage. We were in bead (seed) heaven!

The Sisters have a terrific mango tree in their yard, so we picked some of the best mangos we've ever tasted. The mangos in the States have stringy threads in them. These don't! They are amazing!!! We need to import these mangos to the States! That's all we have to say about that!

Don't know why we bought a fruit picker for Roger's birthday. He just climbed up this very tall tree and got what we needed!

Catching mangos!

We then went to visit Roger's children who live close to the car service garage. Shania is 3 and Jaden is 5. Cute little stinkers who love their daddy!

Wednesday was auditions for CELEBRATION 2015 in Gouyave. CELEBRATION 2015 is a production that each of the 11 countries in the West Indies Mission are doing to commemorate 25 years since the mission was formed. Elders Wilson and Witten had lots of helpers on Wednesday night!

Singing the "Banana" song are Abigail, Ronald, Alisha Rondee and Alwin (Cake----such a great name!)

Sherry Ann and Alisha

We went to Happy Hill this week for a member-missionary visit. Heston Cummings helped us learn how to change cocoa pods like these into......

.....this cocoa ball.......

........and then into these delicious brownies!

First, you extract the cocoa beans out of the pod and let them dry in the sun for a few days. After they are dry, you parch them by putting the cocoa beans in a hot pan, stirring constantly. When they begin to make a popping noise, like popping popcorn, it's time to remove them from the pan.

After they have cooled down a bit (or not!!!) you rub or peel the skins off of the actual cocoa.

Then the fun part......the pounding in Great Grandfathers hollowed out rock bowl! So cool!!!!

Diamond takes a turn. The smell is unbelievable!

When the cocoa is soft and oily, it's time to wash our hands and make the chocolate into balls for brownies or cocoa (they call it tea)!!! Yummy.

Simone washing dishes in the kitchen.

Heston Jr. keeping the kitties out of the house.

Jasmin helping with the cocoa beans

Went to Grenville on Thursday for auditions for CELEBRATION 2015. WE have some awesome drummers there that will be part of our program. How lucky we are!

These are handmade drums.

Elders Loewen and Smith with Roger

Enoch, Devon and Richie

Continuing the auditions for CELEBRATION 2015 in Grenville. Jelita has a beautiful voice. So excited to have her in the production!

Elders Loewen and Smith with Roger

Trying to take a "selfie" inside the travel van. (I'm the "half face" down in the right hand corner) This was my first time taking "travel" since we came on our mission. Liked it a lot!!!!! The squishiness and blaring African music were my fave! Part of the experience!

4th of July at "Build a Burger" Friday at Port Louis. The best!!!!! Elders Dearing, Ramdhanie, Wilson and Witten

Sisters Smith and Grigg

Roger is having a teaching moment on a character in the Book of Mormon. It's amazing how far he has come in 8 months! He's a leader!

Roselyn is Ricky and Ryan's mom. She came to our reading class and has come to church a few times. She even came and helped with a service project on Saturday! Her sons are thrilled. This is why we love what we are doing! It's all about families!!!! One person, one step at a time! (Go Brazil!!!!!!! Ricky is a Worldcup Soccer fanatic)

Two very worthy Melchizedek Priesthood holders, Elder Ramdhanie and Dearing came to visit us on Saturday. This picture is overlooking Secret Harbor from our Varanda. Sweet!

Auditions for CELEBRATION 2015 on Saturday night in St. Georges.

This is Andie Ann singing a song

Ryan is doing a "Rap" about his conversion to the church.

Celine, in the brown shirt, is singing "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing"

Ricky is showing off his soccer moves to music

Rimble is a skilled Karate dude!

The Cummings family did their dance and "reading" auditions for CELEBRATION 2015 at our home on Sunday afternoon.

We invited the Cummings family to Fast with us for Fast Sunday, then we had a foodfest at our apartment after church. What a beautiful family. Love them!