Yah Mon!

Jamaica with Brother Deans and his right side steering wheel car

Our son's friends the Evans serving as the Jamaica Mission office couple.

Hola to family and friends . . .                                                    June 21, 2013

Oh yes, today is an exciting day for our oldest grandchild . . . turning 16!  Watch out for the crazies on the roads Briley - be safe and have a great day!!!!!!!!!  No texting while driving please . . .

We were in Jamaica for the weekend - not the beaches tourist thing but we really enjoyed the trip.  It was mostly cloudy, humid and warm.  Speaking English was refreshing and Chuck can't quit saying "Yah mon!"  They use it often in greetings and talking w/each other.  We were there to meet and work with our new assistant Mark-Jeffery Deans.  We saw much of the country on Saturday driving up into the beautiful lush green of the mountains.  It looks alot like here in the DR. However the driving on the left side of  the road and the steering wheel on the right side of the car is VERY nerve racking! Not sure I would ever learn to drive in reverse thought process!  We had 4 separate trainings at 4 different chapels.  They are doing procedures better in many ways than we expected - just spending a lot of money on welfare which was not a surprise - but they also need to focus on training people to attempt to be self reliant and not just a dole.  Often hard concepts to internalize anywhere but especially in poverty.   

Darling little girl -most all little girls have
very fancy braiding and beads in their hair! 

We went to a Sacrament Meeting Sunday and I was amazed at all of the hair!  Most wore dreadlocks woven into their own hair - lots of it!  There was a family that came in with triplets - darling little two year old girls.  Wanted a picture but the little ones were having none of that.  We loved meeting with a District President - he rides his bike all over about a 50 mile broad area.  He expressed how it was so worth any effort on his part because of his many blessings from the Lord.

The training in Santiago the previous weekend had a great attendance of 36 men.  Most of the leaders that were requested to be there showed up.  They served the "bandera dinner" (traditional) of rice, beans, chicken and a potato salad kind of dish.  I have never seen such a huge pot of rice - was at least 10 gallons.   They certainly ate heartily and cleaned out the pans! 

Chuck training the 36 in Santiago meeting. 

A lady met me there at the chapel when we were at the training in Santiago - we had talked w/her months ago and she wanted to make us (sell) an embroidery.  She was excited to show it to me and I hope I was equally grateful for her work.  It is crude stitchery but filled with desire to please . . . the flag of the DR, stick figures of us as missionaries, our name at the top and the year.  I always appreciate handwork and love her effort!   She was so pleased - how can I not adore it???

The Buttons returned from training in Salt Lake and were kind enough to deliver to us a suitcase full of 45 white shirts and 3 gallon ziplocks packed with ties for the MTC!  Our daughter Jenna's ward in Pleasant Grove, Utah gathered and sent them along with the suitcase to be donated to a needy missionary.  It was fun to be the ones to take these things to President and Sister Freestone to be handed out when needed.  Once in a while missionaries come with only two shirts and are washing one every night.  This will be a blessing to them!  Thanks Jenna for all your work to gather and individually mark and pack each shirt in it's own ziplock.

Shirts and ties to the MTC

We are enjoying hearing all of the summer activities . . . such a great time!  Love to all of you Mom ad Dad, Chuck and Vickie, Grandma and Grandpa   XOXOXO 

Cashew Apple and the "Untrip"

Spanish Speaking Assistants with Gerald Taylor (area controler) and Chuck

Hello all . . .                                                                   June 7, 2013
CA

Chuck with the suitcase from Dick and Nancy's untrip

We figured out how to get things here to the DR that we might want (creature comforts)  . . .  Have Dick and Nancy plan a visit on a flight that is way overbooked and they check the bag carrying all the "things" they are being kind to bring to us.  Wahlah . . . they don't make it on the flight  but the suitcase will and we go to the airport and pick it up . . . NIFTY huh? 

Well, that is what happened . . . so crazy!  Chuck is greatly enjoying his Red Devil hot sauce and we appreciate the rest of the list.  Very kind of you bro and sis!  However, we are still looking forward to a real visit! 

Last Saturday we had our four Spanish speaking assistants gather for training.  They are the ones in charge of auditor training here for a majority of the units of the church.   There were the 3 from here in the DR and the one from Puerto Rico.  Chuck is very pleased with the way it all went and he thinks it was good to sit around a table and talk about what they do and share experiences.  They were also taught some new emphasis on important aspects of training leaders in using the funds of the church.  I can follow some of it and know at least what they are talking about . . . they seemed to enjoy the green chile cheese breakfast bake, cut up fresh fruit salad and rolls for breakfast I made for them. 

A favorite recent sighting was a bus (gua gua) with several layers of foam totaling about 15 inches strapped to the front bumper.  It was the usual beat up and running bus with big front and back extended bumpers but the foam was a nice feature!  Ya gotta be on your toes to catch this stuff . . .

Cashew Apple

I always wondered where cashew nuts came from but never looked it up.  Turns out there is a cashew apple tree and the nut is a by-product that forms first and hangs below a fleshy cashew apple.  The trees grow here in the tropics.  The ones we found on the ground were really stinky - but you can totally see the nut that after precessing is so delicious.  They mostly seem to use the "apple" part for juices we were told.  It was a huge tree and we couldn't reach anything on the tree that might of been fresher than the one I took a picture of. 

Next Monday is the FHE that we will celebrate Father's Day.  I wrote a "rap" for the occasion that all of the girls will - dare I say perform - for the men.  We had a little practice last week and it will be a hit!  That is the only description I choose to offer of what might happen . . .

Flamboyant Tree

Tomorrow we go to Santiago for a big training of leaders in that area under the direction of Felix Cruz our assistant.    They are planning a dinner and it will be interesting.  Add that to the 5 and a half hours I listened to on Sunday - you would think the Spanish would improve!   I am looking forward to the drive to see the gorgeous red flamboyant trees in bloom - they are quite the show right now.

We worked two hours in the temple this morning unpacking a million boxes and counting things - it was an order placed a year ago and it is very large - will be a huge job to mark everything and find places to store it all. 

LOOKING FORWARD FOR NEWS IN A MONTH ABOUT BABY HAPPENINGS IN ST. GEORGE !!!!

Again - LOVE YOU ALL - hope your summer is looking fun!  XOXOXOXO Mom and Dad, Chuck and Vickie, Grandma and Grandpa

Life Is About Attitude

Pascale Pierre with Vickie

Hola to family and friends . . .                                  May 24, 2013

We had a fun "Mother's Day" talking to or getting messages from kids and grandkids.  The Florida gang decorated a plastic tablecloth for us - we are enjoying it!  The day wasn't so great for our office partners/friends Joy and Jim Crismon.  They arrived two months ago as the Welfare couple for the area.  She fell that Sunday morning and broke her hip.  She was flown out that night to Miami and had surgery the next day.  She swiftly made recovery in a rehab facility and went home to Utah yesterday for more rehab and healing.  We are anxious to learn what will happen with their mission assignment . . . we miss having neighbors next door here at the office.   

Some time ago while serving in the temple they needed someone to be the escort for a young woman that was there all alone preparing to serve her mission.  It was a wonderful blessing for me to be asked to be with her.  Her name is Pascale Pierre.  She is 24 and from Haiti but has lived here for 3 years supporting herself.  She speaks 4 languages lucky for me one is English.  Her mother couldn't come to be with her as she was having issues with her papers to leave Haiti.  Pascale was leaving the next day for two weeks to go to Haiti and visit her family - she hadn't seen her mother in a year.   When she returned she was entering the MTC and then going to the Santiago Mission here in the DR which is the north/central part of the country.   I really wanted a picture of her and so tracked her down at the MTC.  It was so fun to see her again.  What a different life she has had from anything in my experience and she is thriving!

Reid Cornish - Everyone's buddy!

Reid Cornish is a friend extraordinaire to all the senior missionaries here.  He is the son of Elder and Sister Cornish serving in the Area Presidency.   He always has a happy greeting and big hug when you see him and treats you like his best friend.  When we drive into the Casa/temple complex he is often playing basketball, roller blading and doing cartwheels or on his "board"  blasting about.  I took a picture of him the other day in his shirt he had decorated himself - you can see the scotch tape and different letters he made work to create the message "Life is About Attitude!" Well Reid, you are a terrific example of that!  We are grateful to have you for our friend.   

The tornado season seems to be especially hard - seeing all the devastation in Oklahoma truly looks like a bomb.  The Haws serving here as Humanitarian Service have a daughter that lives in Moore, Oklahoma - she had just picked her son up early from that Plaza Towers school that was demolished - to take him to a funeral for which she was playing the piano.  Their home is on the edge of all the destruction and was not harmed.  They are feeling very blessed.

As we drove to the office this morning the ocean looked really brown but you could see the beautiful blue further out . . . we are told there has been a lot of rain in the mountains and it is the river dumping water into the ocean that caused it to be so "ugly!"  We hadn't seen the brown water that far from the river before - amazing what "Mother Nature" can clean up!  The outlandish gorgeous red Flamboyant Trees are almost in full bloom - will have to send pictures next time - they are really head turners!

We are looking forward to a short visit from Dick and Nancy arriving tomorrow night - we hope they make it - the planes coming here always seem to be pretty full.  LOVE TO ALL  . . . . please know we "talk about you" and pray for mucho mucho blessings on your behalf!!!

Mom and Dad, Chuck and Vickie, Grandma and Grandpa     XOXOXOXOXO

Cement truck workers catching a ride on the truck - totally permitted!

Chuck's "corrected" Spanish translation. 

He thought there would just be a mark or two - hilarious! 

   

Midway Point

Hello family and friends . . .                                               
May 10, 2013

A few months ago we were working with a missionary that left the MTC here for some previous financial mis-use.  We had to travel to Azua an hour and a half away a  couple of different times.  Then he dropped someone's camera and had to repay that.  It seems to be extremely difficult for them to find any kind of work to get money.  Chuck decided to give the Branch President some money and have him find some work for the elder to do so he could earn it.  Things seemed to drag on and we weren't sure he would ever get back in the mission field.  Well - last Monday we were going down the hall to have the class where they teach us.  Chuck gets a tap on his shoulder and it was him!  It was so fun - like a long lost kid - found!

Us with the Elder from Azua

There isn't much to update about our work - it just seems to go on and on with finding problems that need to be resolved.  The good part is at least that is a starting point for them to hopefully repent and return to good standing in the church.  We know that the better auditing procedures and training put in place by the Snows that preceded us are allowing for better reports that show trends and red flags.   We often feel like the "bad guys" but someone has to do this right?

The DR seems to have many holidays - last Monday was another one and the office was closed.  We checked out a van and 5 couples headed to the north shore 3 plus hours to visit La Isabela - a settlement established by Columbus.  It is right on the ocean and the water was so many different shades of blue - absolutely gorgeous.  There are only "footprints" of ruins left.  It was destroyed in the 70's either on purpose by Dictator Trujillo or his instructions to "clean up the site" were mis-interpreted and things were bulldozed!  We can't seem to get a real story.  It was interesting to be on such a historical site and stand on the cornerstones of what may of been Columbus' small home . . . we do know he had a great view of the ocean!   We had all taken a lunch and found a beach to sit on for some addictive ocean watching!

Chuck and Vickie at Isabela - we are looking out at the gorgeous ocean!

The latest project of the neighbors was last Saturday - I was up early and watched him strip a dry palm frawn down to the stem.  Later I see him sitting in front of his door with the dry leaves in a pile and he has a chair that I instantly realized he was going to weave a cane bottom for that chair.  It was fascinating to watch him from the distance of our window.  It looked like he was doing a beautiful job - definitely had done that before.  They live on the other side of the cement wall of our parking lot.  I think they may be Haitian.  The next time they are doing something I think I will go over and check it out . . . or send Chuck!   These are the men that washed their dishes with dirt and a little splashed water.

This week is our midway point - only 9 months to go . . .

My brother Dick called last night and his grandson Jed Buehner had just opened his mission call - Santo Domingo East Mission - he will arrive here in September at the Missionary Training Center two blocks from us!  Bienvenido Elder Buehner . . .

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL OF YOU GIRLS - have a wonderful day and we will hope those around you remember how much pampering you deserve!

Love to all and remember how much we miss you xoxoxoxooxxo  Mom and Dad, Chuck and Vickie, Grandma and Grandpa 

Reserved parking for people like you Jera! 

Neighbor weaving the seat for his chair

Gringo Alert and RUN, HIDE, FIGHT!

Hola to all . . .

We have had a good time being the "investigators" for the missionaries here at the MTC to practice their teaching in Spanish.  I am so amazed at how well they do just being here a few days when they teach for the first time.  Of course very limited language skills but they try so hard and are so much better than I am that I marvel at their young brains!  They taught us every Monday for 4 weeks.  I have included a picture of Sisters Howell and Stirland - our first set - they left for Puerto Rico Tuesday.  They were thrilled with the box of brownies I had just given them . . . "yeah chocolate" they said!

 

MTC girls that went to Puerto Rico

The school next door to us has a guard shack where two maintenance men live - we assume they guard and maintain the school.  It is in plain view of our window so I often watch them cooking over a small fire and other tasks.  The other day one of them was squatted on the dirt washing several pans he had around him.  He was scrubbing them for a long time with dirt he kept picking up and then splashed water from a pan on them to rinse them off.  There were only about 6 pans/lids all together but he stayed in that position for more than 20 minutes working on those pans and then dumped what little water there was and smoothed out the dirt and left it to dry and he was finished!  Think of the water and dish soap I have wasted . . .

There was a two and a half hour meeting last week that we thought two leaders were in trouble with the way they spent welfare funds.  It was a pleasant surprise when they had explanations as to what was really happening and things didn't look so bad.  That hasn't occurred often and we were happy for the clarifications!   The work goes on and is pretty much the same.  We have many "sets" of papers scattered in our apartment that Chuck is working on.  Wednesday night we didn't get home until 11:30.  We really don't like to be even be out after dark in some parts of the city but it is sometimes unavoidable in order to meet with these men.
  

I received notice of a 50th high school class reunion being planned for 2014 . . . there must be some mistake - how can that possibly be intended for me???  That time machine has gone into overdrive it seems.

It is a sign of the times we live in when at the end of Tuesday's Devotional we saw a video made by USA Homeland Security on what to do if a gunman or "otherwise" shows up at your workplace.   It was interesting . . . first RUN, second HIDE and third FIGHT were the options.  We received a pamphlet put out by the church.  I guess it is a needed precaution.

We are having trouble with our credit card here from the office - one expense in particular we couldn't find a receipt or remember what it was.  Turns out we remember the guy at the gas station once told us we would have to come back for the receipt - not too crazy for the DR as receipts are not a routine thing.  Now we know he took our number and went out to dinner the next day - was suspicious also as we don't usually go out on Sunday.  Gringo alert! 

The church is participating in a huge book fair here in the city.  Each sponsor builds their own little house in this park area to put on their display.  The theme for the church this year is "Family Values" - we visited this morning and were very impressed with what they have done.  We didn't get to look around too much but they are certainly having large crowds. 

 The "Family Values" display

All is well with us . . . KEEP THE FAITH and enjoy your loved ones!  Love to all Mom and Dad, Chuck and Vickie, Grandma and Grandpa XOXOXOXOXO

Local vendor that we pass every day.

Creative cardboard hat for shade at the book fair!

Brownies Are Safer

 Hola family and friends . . .

Letter writing seems to come so often - perhaps for you also - but, it is another two weeks!

The office was closed the Thursday and Friday before Easter so ten of us checked out a van and went to visit the church's family camp here about an hour and a half away near Bonao.  Chuck was the designated driver and none of us had ever been there - only got lost about 3 times. It was a great day to get to see this beautiful camp they are continually working on.  There is a missionary couple assigned there from Puerto Rico - they work hard! They have 67 "cabanas" for groups to stay in about 20' x 20' cement slabs - some with half walls and roll up canvas the rest of the way to the palm frawn ceiling/roofs. 

There are common toilet/shower areas and 4 open kitchens for cooking - with tables for serving/eating.  They are just finishing up a huge covered cement gathering area with a big stage - full basketball court - large fully equipped kitchen with walk in frig and freezer - this gives them a wonderful gathering place out of the rain even though it has no walls.  There is scouting here in the DR and they are planning the first ever gathering of over 600 scouts there at the camp this summer.  Glad we don't have that assignment - although Chuck would probably love it!  They are also planning "Especially for Youth" and of course many sessions of stake Girls Camp.

Bonao Camp cabanas

 

Bonao Camp huge shelter

The Monday afternoon after Easter we were asked to speak at the office devotional here the next day - Tuesday morning.  This is a weekly thing broadcast to the church offices throughout the Caribbean and very scheduled - we can only assume (did not ask) that someone fell through and they were desperate!   We decided to just give some thoughts on the importance of monitoring the finances of the church and to do it in a uniform way throughout the world.  Everyone in full time church employment deals with that in one way or another in their various assignments.  We think it was well received and we were actually glad we didn't have to stress for weeks about that assignment.

We certainly enjoyed sitting in our little "den" and watching General Conference on the computer - love that time to just enjoy hearing the counsel about living the gospel.  We wanted to go to the MTC again and watch but there are so many missionaries there now and the main room just wasn't big enough for us all to join them.  President Bair from the temple invited all the men for Priesthood Session at their apartment.

We have gone several times again to get financial records from offices.  There was also a long meeting here with those over us discussing the numerous cases that seem to be surfacing.  Decisions are being made about future training of leaders.  We think the Area Presidency will have a heavier hand emphasizing the importance of proper financial procedures.

Deviled egg and hand wound saga:   I had a refreshment assignment for FHE (last name N-Z) so thought I would make a bunch of deviled eggs as many complain of too much sugar - then again will they really take a deviled egg vs a brownie?  I stabbed my hand with a deep puncture wound that wouldn't stop bleeding - Chuck had to finish the eggs . . . another story.  By evening it is still bleeding - Scouter Wood Badge Trained Chuck kicks in w/first aid!  He says my hand needs to be stabilized as I keep opening the cut by using my hand.  He wrapped my hand w/two socks criss-crossed over a bandage for pressure.  The next morning it is dry but for added measure puts on a splint out of a clothespin and Scotch tape so I can't bend my little finger - below which is said wound.  I am healing nicely - thank you very much!   You know real news is scarce if I resort to telling such stories! 

 

My clothespin/Scotch tape splint 

All is well - we are serving and "Getting our Money's Worth!"  Different cultures are nice but home is best!  LOVE TO YOU ALL - we hear the deer are eating the tulips in Utah - spring has to be arriving soon! XOXOXOXOXOXO Mom and Dad, Chuck and Vickie, Grandma and Grandpa

A small table/fruit stand on our corner we stop at a couple of times a week - he was anxious to get back to his domino game in the background.  We bought 6 bananas, 2 mangoes and a pineapple.

Deseret New Article

Transitioning for senior missionaries:

 Do we have to go home?

• By Darrel Hammon

For the Deseret News

Published: Monday, April 15 2013 5:10 a.m. MDT

Read entire article here.

Charles and Vickie Rucker help with wheelchairs in Argentina.

Summary

Senior missionaries eventually complete their missions. We know that young missionaries return to college, obtain a job, begin courting and eventually get married. But how do senior missionaries feel about their missions and returning home?

Just like young elders and sisters, senior missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also have to come home after serving. We know that, upon arriving home, young Mormon missionaries return to college, obtain a job, begin courting and eventually get married. But how do senior missionaries feel about their missions and post-missions?

Many senior missionaries decide to serve missions for the LDS Church long before the mission calls actually arrive. Many of them have planned and prepared to go, mainly because the brethren have been asking for more senior missionaries. Lynn Snow and his wife, Janet, who served as area auditors in the Caribbean Area office, said it was a matter of testimony. “(We had) a testimony of the gospel and felt that our leaders had encouraged a mission for senior couples … (so) we had set a rough time line years … before we went … and made some plans to go.”

David and Carol Harris recently returned from serving in the France Paris Mission. Both had served missions when they were younger in France and enjoyed it thoroughly. So, when they married, they planned on “one or two missions,” mainly because “where much is given much is required — how could we not serve?” Plus, one of their main reasons for going was to be an example to their children and grandchildren.

Charles and Vickie Rucker, who served their first mission in the South America South Area office, planned on serving missions because they are “under covenant” and the Lord helped them prepare financially. Plus, they said “our children and grandchildren were all very supportive although sad at all the things we would miss, (but) they felt part of our great adventure.”

Although Mormon missions can be grand adventures, they eventually come to an end. Like young missionaries, many seniors anticipate the ending of a mission. All are excited to go home to family and friends, but all of them had “mixed feelings” about going home. The Snows expressed the sentiments of many: “During the mission, I always looked forward to the end, but when the end actually came, it just did not seem real.” The term surreal came up often when talking to senior missionaries.

As a result of their missions, senior missionaries’ lives change in different ways. Most come from very busy and successful lives. Rodney and Marcia Ford have served four missions — in New Jersey; the Spain Malaga Mission, where they spent the entire time in the Canary Islands; a mission serving in the Madrid Spain Temple; and the Dominican Republic West Mission.

Marcia Ford said, “We have more zeal for missionary work; we feel more connected to our grandchildren serving missions; we have more appreciation for mission presidents after serving in an office.”

Edward and Linda Sappington served in the West Indies Mission and spent their time in Guyana. When they returned, they didn’t expect the intense feelings they felt. In fact, they “mourned the disassociation of those in Guyana.”

Linda Sappington said, “We always knew we would see our six children and 13 grandchildren again … but I now also have 35-plus Guyanese children and many wonderful members and friends we will likely never see again in this life except on Skype or Facebook! No one told me it would be harder to come home than it was to leave!”

When the Ruckers returned home from their first mission, they thought, “What if we hadn't gone?" Then they reflected on the “wealth of experiences the Lord had in store for us when we exercised that faith to leave all that was familiar of home and serve him.”

In many cases, particularly with missionaries who served outside the United States, they discovered a need to simplify their lives.

After returning from their fourth mission, the Fords said, “We realize we have too much ‘stuff.’ The desire to clean out, simplify is pretty strong. We appreciate the little things so much more.”