Today is a beautiful day here in Jamaica. The sky is blue with a few puffy white clouds. The temp is around 82 with a gentle breeze. What is the weather like where you are?

We have had a great week. We have visited Mandeville, Spanish Town, Linstead, Kingston and Yallahs. We attended church yesterday in Yallahs. There were around 35 in attendance, including 4 missionaries and 3 Senior Couples. In each town we were scoping out medical facilities, and we are so impressed with most Dr. Offices, Clinics and Hospitals.

Apparently the Jamaica Kingston Mission has the worst driving record of all the missions in the Caribbean, so we are starting a driver training program for all driving missionaries. Last Thursday we had our first Drivers training for all mission drivers here on Jamaica. Elder and Sister McKenzie conducted the training. And I must say they did and exceptional job. We both passed.

Here are a few pics that you may enjoy.

At the Ministry of Tax there is a full sized door mounted in a walk through space in the counter.
Not sure why...I suppose they just had an extra door and needed to put it somewhere. 

This is the drive thru at the Old Harbour KFC. I'm wondering if goat meat tastes like chicken.
Read the sign on the wall????

Driving on the left (wrong) side of the road takes a bit of getting use to. For the first few days I kept turning on the wipers to make a turn.

The Elders and Sisters do a lemon-aid stand to introduce the Church to passers-by.

This was the welcoming party in our apartment. Not sure how long he had been waiting, but he was petrified.

Sister B here....I walked up to this woman in the market to buy callaloo (a dark green leafy vegetable..maybe like Kale)  She looked at me for a moment and simply said, "You are a nurse." Surprised and imaging I had heard her incorrectly, I asked her to repeat what she said. Again she said, You are a nurse.  I tried to make sense of it by pointing to my name tag ???...questioning if she were a member???...knew the local missionaries?? Nothing!
Finally, I said, "I am a nurse. How did you know.?"  She shrugged her shoulders, but the old man sitting near her said, "She knows things like that." Gave me a little shudder. Her name is Lena if anyone needs a fortune teller contact?

 

The road North from Spanish Town to Linstead.
It's beautiful in the mountains. I really didn't expect to be in the mountains here in Jamaica.

The river is muddy from all the rain that we have been getting every afternoon.
It is the rainy season you know.

This is Sister Dennis from the Old Harbour Branch. She invited us to dinner one evening and what a spread she put on. I think we were served every traditional Jamaican dish in one sitting.
Sister Dennis would be considered one of the Pioneer members here in Jamaica. She was brought into the church by Victor Nugent who is considered to be the first priesthood holder and local leader here in Jamaica. The Church has a movie about him if your interested.

                                    This is one of the things that she prepared.It is the National Jamaican Dish. Ackee and Salt Fish.                                      It really tasted better than it looked. But we are game for anything...if it is prepared properly.


The food is easy. The hard part is a notification that came yesterday and said that the water supply in all of Old Harbour will be "disrupted" for the next MONTH!!!!!  We do have a large tank, but never the less this might get interesting. The missionaries in this area do not have such a tank.

Some local vendors and their go-carts. I'll get a better picture of one soon. They have a steering wheel from a car with ropes to the front wheels to steer. Reminds me of the "Little Rascals".

I was always taught to pull over and let your vehicle cool off when it over heats on a hill.

                                       The only facility in Yallahs. The waiting area is outside and we were told,  "always full".                                                                             Sister B prays extra long for the missionaries in this area.                                                           The closest real clinic is probably 1 hour away. 

This is where the Saints meet in Yallahs. It's a small house. Sacrament in the front-room, the overflow is the front porch and the garage where the missionaries are standing.

This takes guts..but I can do it. Passed my drivers training test twice.