The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Guernsey

The first counselor and his family. First week he asked us if

we knew James Farr. I looked at Steve and said, James Farr from

our stake ... He had baptized Caleb's grandfather in New Zealand.

President Hewlett emailed Jim to tell him out of one baptism there

had been 8 missionaries and many other ordinances. The Harvest!

Now down to the important stuff, at least important to the Lord and to us.  Elder Hewlett is now President  Hewlett of the Guernsey Branch. We have about 41 people on the branch rolls and we have been getting about 16-25 sweet members to church. Our ORIGINAL assignment was YSA, but we were asked if  we would serve in Guernsey and our responsibilities are YSA/MLS/Missionary Support. When we got here there were only three YSA and only one YSA who came to church, but now with the addition of two sisters from New Zealand and one from Portugal we have six YSA. YEAAAAH!  We also do the nursery, me the first hour and President Hewlett the second hour, clean and prepare the building each week, teach Relief Society when asked and Institute, cook food for various events,  including Institute on Sunday, purchase and prepare the bread for sacrament (the best way to end my Saturday - We have a wonderful bakery close so we make sure we have the best bread) introduce and run the Worldwide Pathways Program, serve as members of  the activities committee, work at getting people involved in Family History ( I have requested that we get the software to run a Family History Center here as we have had outside and inside interest), make sure the building is maintained and repairs made when needed, serve in the community (Elder Hewlett is currently going to Rotary meetings and I am looking at an Interfaith Council, Youth Counseling and the local Genealogy Society), support the local community, because we are part of it, and BEST of all do missionary work with and without the Elders. In small branches everywhere there is a lot do do and everyone does a lot. It is so good to be busy! We try to go visiting almost daily and follow up on any work that we need to do. Yesterday I called Ian, a man with terminal cancer that talked to the missionaries on the street. He has done family history work before in Australia and wants to get started again. He has chemo this week, but will call next week and I will sit down with him and see what he needs and how I can help him. President Hewlett has asked me to take the 5th Sunday this month and do a presentation on Family History so we can support the Poole Stake goals. Last night the missionaries also asked us to follow up with Pam, who has been visited before. 

Our 1st elder to leave for home in St. George (in the middle).    He was amazing	 FHE Potluck dinner, once a month in our conservatory. We can play CLUE properly.
We had to buy a grill. Couldn't do 18 months without grilling. I guess we actually could have, but it has been wonderful!	 1st Branch barbecue.  Anyone who knows me knows I had to buy branch tablesloths.
Branch Conference. I was not mad, just looking for A member who was not in the picture.	Our minute-to-win it games at FHE

One of our YSA -  Stephanie from Madiera

Our one active YSA male was a returned missionary who served a mission in Dallas Texas and his mission president was none other than President Brian Taylor and his wife Sister Jill Taylor, our former Stake President and dear friends. This again is a small church world. Within a week we added three more YSA, two who moved from New  Zealand and are 7th generation Mormon and one who came from Portugal. They are all wonderful women and two are returned missionaries, one from Brazil and one from  . There are a lot of young people who come here temporarily to work in the resort industry and I think the two sisters will move on in the fall, but they are ours now, and we have 6 YSA,  so we have started Institute and are working on the Worldwide Pathways Program to get as many in our branch to college as we can. They can at least get a taste of it and see that they can be successful.

We also host branch parties at our home/building and once a month we have branch Family Home Evening

And as I mentioned, we are going to introduce Family History to the members of the branch. Our stake Presidency Priorities include having everyone complete the "My Family Booklet," either online or in paper form and to have everyone take at least one family name to the temple. For the people in Guernsey that means either ferry or take the plane to the mainland, which is an expense in time and money, but a temple trip is being planned. If people can't come and they need names done we will do that.



Our home/chapel - La Fontenelle

We live in the house that is also the chapel and the home for the four young missionaries who serve here. The people are thrilled that they have a place to come  to, so part of our responsibility is to take care of the home and the yard/gardens. We sometimes have someone mow the lawn, so we don't really mow the lawn, but I put new lavender plants in the pots out front and we have planted some tomatoes, etc. We don't usually get snow on the island, but I am told rain in the winter, although it is supposedly more mild than the mainland, so maybe some things can grow all year long. I have a few decorating projects in mind and bought a new white duvet for one bedroom and a pink blanket. I found a wonderful framer who has an art gallery in an old church on the other side of the island and I had framed a copy of "Jesus Christ, a Living Testimony of the Apostles" that I bought in a boutique in Utah and which I gave to all my family on Mother's Day, and gave to all our families here after a lesson I gave in Relief Society. I still have three other projects, but missionary work and the members take the best part of my time.

We try to go out almost every day to visit people, or President Hewlett goes out with the Elders to teach or we go out and do service for people or all three. That has been very sweet, as you really get to know the people. We love visiting! We have people come to the house to visit or have lessons, so most days are full as we still have to live, study, prepare lessons, meals for people, fix technical problems etc. If I didn't have to get ready each day and eat, I would have so much more time to do what I need to do. This serve with all your heart, might and mind takes more time than I have and I know we can do better.