Christmas Festivities

My good friends Renee' and Louise at the Cookie exchange Party hosted by Renee.

We all brought 5 dozen cookies and then made plates of all the different varieties to drop off at the sisters we Visit Teach.

Nothing like good friends...we have all been friends for 40 years!!!!

My sister's Ann & June, we had a wonderful visit and some delicious tamales & beans, which tasted like they had been blessed.  June is a wonderful cook and everything she makes is delicious!

Here is the family getting ready to go through the neighborhood singing carols and giving out our Christmas Popcorn.  (which was a complete bust in St. Lucia)  our annual Caroling Party.  This was the first year we did not freeze to death, the weather was so nice

Jake, Jaxson and Drey, the Three Musketeers, at the first annual Kindergarten Overnighter at Papa and Nana's home.

We had a fun Scavenger Hunt,

decorated cookies, played Hide and Seek, and

a few other games.

The boys had a such fun with the Potato Gun

fights.  Fun boys...great memories!

Ember, Cole, Kensley, Keaton and Zach

Our annual Older Grand kids Christmas Party.

We had so much fun, making pizza, playing "Rock Band", Taboo, Jump Rope and the hit of the night was "Potato Guns"!!!

Good Times!!!

Okay, so I can't figure out what is happening with the posting...I can't get this writing to go underneath the pictures anymore...someone who is smarter than me, please tell me what I am doing wrong!!!

Temple Lights 2008

Thanksgiving starts the Festivities!

December 1, 2008

We have a tradition of going to Pete's Fish and Chips and then over to the Temple to see the Christmas lights.  It is so beautiful and the children delight in seeing all the lights and watching the movie, Luke 2.  This was the first year the weather was nice and not cold at all.

Thanksgiving was a great day of delicious food followed by our Annual

DANCE OFF!!

It was fun to watch all the little children rock out, and even more fun was watching all the grown children dance!!  They could move it like the Lucians!!!

Spending time with the Grand Kids is the best!

This day I was spending some time with Cade and Gracie, very adorable!

Tuesday is Temple Day for some of the Sherwood's

I always want a person in the picture, Neisha was glad to assist...but you can barely even see that she is there!

Here is the Arizona Temple.

The Magical Homecoming

Our children found this picture and had it on the wall when we walked in our home...it wiped us out!!!

We arrived at Sky Harbor Airport Monday, November 3, 2008.

Nervous and excited all at the same time, we walked fast towards our family.  When they saw us, they started chanting, WE ARE....SHERWOOD!!!  And that continued until we got close enough for them to run and surround us...it was the greatest thing ever!

Elder Sherwood home with his boys...he is in heaven!

We are so very proud of the men in the family, they help out in the ward, serve where ever there is a need, and more importantly they help their wives with house work, as well as watch, bath and take care of the children!  Quite simply amazing!

Neisha - Karissa - Jaimi - Taffy - Kinsey

The Sherwood women "Stand Firm and Immovable"

We are so  blessed to have such loving, capable daughters!

After just a few days we are reminded just how wonderful they really are!

43 yellow balloons were launched,

 representing the 43 baptisms that we were blessed to be a part of in St. Lucia.

The grand kids wrote some new words to Called To Serve,

and they sang their little hearts out!

They are adorable!!!

Called To Serve St. Lucia Style

Called to serve him, on a little island.

In the Car---i---bbean Sea we serve.

Far and wide we drive from here to Castries

Far and wide we preach his word.

Onward ever onward, as we cook and feed them all

Onward ever onward, and the portions aren't too small.

Forward pressing forward as we watch them grow and learn.

We can leave our mission strong for we know they will stand firm!!

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The whole experience of coming home was magical 

because of a lot of time and hard work by our children.

The yard was beautifully green with fresh sod, trees trimmed, fresh flowers and greenery planted.  Burned out light bulbs replaced...the

house was sparkling clean and smelling great!

I must say that every detail had been attended to and everything was

Spit-Spot!!!!!

To top it all off, they had a delicious meal prepared,

Steak, Baked Potatoes and Tossed Green Salad

( we could not get good beef in St. Lucia, so the steak was a real treat!)

It was a night never to be forgotten!

How blessed we are to have such wonderful children and 

grandchildren ...family is everything...and now we have two families, the one in Arizona and our family in St. Lucia!

Heavenly Father has poured out his blessing on us!

We will be forever grateful.

God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again

Some our Lucian Family

Never to be forgotten!

Leaving them was almost harder than leaving our family back home 18 months ago!

Saying good-bye to Agatha & Jen, our landladies, very nice ladies - I will miss them.

Elder Sherwood and Marie

This was our last time to attend Home, Family and Personal Enrichment in St. Lucia

Marie was in charge, she taught us how to make Accra, a favorite fish cake for the Lucian's.

Then Sister Santos made some delicious fried Plantain with Guacamole, so delicious!

Mel & Melvina brought Salt Fish...another Lucian favorite.

Miss Justina made Hot Bakes.

Others brought green fig salad, and several other Creole dishes.

We enjoyed all the food very much

Marie - Justina - Shermin - Hygena

A powerful foursome! 

 These sisters are strong and will be a huge blessing in helping the church to grow in St. Lucia.

Elder and Sister Hymas will replace us in St. Lucia.

They are so wonderful and are the perfect pair to love and strengthen the members.

We know that they will lift the Castries Branch to new heights.

How grateful we are for them.

Wrapping It Up in Vieux Fort

President Nicholas & Elder Sherwood

This was our last Sunday in Vieux Fort.

  When we first arrived in ST. Lucia, a small group had just started on the other end of the Island.

We drove 1 1/2 hours one way, to attend Sacrament meeting once a month and every Tuesday we made the trip to teach the Gospel Study Class.

We also attended all the baptisms.  After doing that for 6 months, we became very close to the people there and made lasting relationship.

About a year ago, a senior couple, the Williamson's, were assigned to serve in Vieux Fort, since then we would only visit occasionally.  But we still feel very close to the members there.

They invited us to speak in Sacrament Meeting and afterwards they had a delicious "Munch and Mingle".  What a lovely day it was, we enjoyed it so much we stayed for hours!

The couple that replaced us, Elder and Sister Hymas, arrived the day before and  we were thrilled to introduce them to the Vieux Fort Branch.

Sister Sherwood -  Sister Williamson  -  Sister Hymas

The Sister Missionaries

Shanelle - Zephina - Jennette

The Vieux Fort Primary Presidency

Shanelle was so shy the first time we met her, she would not even look up...on this day, she said the prayer...she has come a long way.

Zephina is the Branch Presidents wife. 

 She is an excellent cook and prepared all the food for the "Munch and Mingle".  She is a warm, fun person and we love her dearly!

This is Lilly!  

President Nicholas' & Zephina's daughter.

She is a pistol, full of fun and laughter, a very delightful child!

These are the missionaries,

 and future missionaries, giving it a big "Hurrah for Israel"!!!

Our Last Week in St. Lucia

It was Creole Week in St. Lucia!!

They all celebrate their old customs, the way they used to cook on the cole pots,

dance and dress.  I love the madras plaids, they are all bright colors, and against their beautiful black skin, it is absolutely beautiful.

Some of the Young Women surprised us with some really fun, Creole Dances!

It was such a highlight for me.

The girl on the left is Teddianne, she just turned 13 last week, Oct 26.

We helped celebrate her birthday ---sweet girl!

D'Anne, Kacy and Sarah, went with us see some entertainment at the 

Windjammer Resort....the best dancers ever!  

I could have watched them dance all night...amazing

Ethan, the boy is the middle with the mostly blue shirt on, is such a sweet little boy, we went to pick him up from school and couldn't resist snapping a few photos of these darling children.

Elder Sherwood is so close to all the youth, he loves them dearly, as do I!!

Spectacular Car Wash

We pass this "Spectacular Car Wash" most everyday.

Finally I talked Elder Sherwood into stopping.  

The man that worked there said he was leaving and would be back "Just Now"!

That may be why they don't get a lot of business!

      

 

We had lunch with the Relief Society Presidency, these are great ladies!

Marie, the one on the right, is a good cook and will be teaching the sisters how to make fish cakes this month in Home Family and Personal Enrichment.

Sister Santos, in the middle, is the president and does a great job with her calling.

She and Michelle, on the left, have been going through some hard times lately.

They were both careful not to eat all their lunch,

 so they could take some food home to their children.

We affectionately call them "The Three M's"

Michelle - Myla -Marie

Kimberly is Sister Santos' daughter, she is a darling little girl and can sing like an angel.

She and Elder Sherwood are singing A Child's Prayer in Sacrament Meeting Sunday.

One of the Best Days of the Mission!

Last Thursday was a day I will never forget!  Elder Sherwood and I "collected" Justina and walked up a steep hill and down another steep hill in an effort to get to her grandmother's home.  What a wonderful treat that was!!!  

Edmunise (named after her father, Edmund!) Joseph, is 92 year old.  It took her a minute to remember who Justina was, but in her kind, soft voice, a big smile came to her face as she said "Mumcy!!", which is what she always called Justina.

She gave birth to 14 children and raised countless grandchildren.  Her daughter, Agatha, said when they were growing up, Edmunise would have to get up early to go work in the sugar cane fields.  But before she left, she would wake up all the children, gather them around her, and have family prayer.  The children would then go back to bed and Edmunise would head off to work.  I could not hold back the tears as Agatha told several other stories.  It did not matter what time she came home from work, Edmunise would always prepare a nice dinner, and sometimes it was so late, the children would be a asleep, but she would wake them up for dinner.  After dinner she would gather them all on her bed and read from the Bible.  Because she was so very tired, she would only get a few words out before falling asleep, and as she did the children would try to sneak out, that would wake her up and she would quickly call them all back.  The children got smart after a few years and started sneeking out one at a time, then she would not wake up!  Justina lived with her grandmother for a while and remembered getting up while it was still dark, so they could walk to church.  When they finally arrived, hours later,  they realized they were there 3 hours early,  but that was alright with Edmunise, better to be early than late!!!  Agatha said although they were very poor in material things,  they were rich in things that really mattered.  Edmunise taught them all to be respectful, kind and thoughtful to all those they came in contact with.  She was one of the very few mothers that did not beat her children.

All the other families held Edmunise and her children in high esteem.  I felt that same way, absolutely honored to be in her presents.

It made me realized that a lot of the goodness in Miss Justina was a result of her being around her Grandmother!

Edmunise Joseph's humble home, with the ever present laundry on the line.

We were privileged to have lunch with our Elders 

as well as two fantastic missionaries just passing through St. Lucia on their way to Guadelupe.

Elder Williams & Elder Tyckson

Elder's Cromwell and Jailall, taught all the youth, Y.W. as well as the Y.M., how to tie a tie,  most everyone there learned how!

The missionaries won't know what to do with all the extra time on Sunday mornings now!

This a typical sight, C.J. asleep on Elder Sherwood.

Sister's in Zion

We had a wonderful Personal Progress night, taught by Lee Watenee.

The Y.W. loved her lesson and the balloon's helped us all have fun!

Lee is from New Zealand, she and her husband, who is from St. Lucia,  have been working on a Cruise Ship.  But now they are back to stay and we have put them to work!!!  

The Youth love them so much and we feel good about leaving the Y.W. & Y.M. in such capable hands!

Sarah - Sister Sherwood - D'Anne

(gosh, I look sooooo White!)

Black truly is beautiful and they all have the most beautiful smiles!!!

Sister D - Rosey - Teddianne - Sister Sherwood

Mamma Mia!

We celebrated Miss Justina's birthday by going to see Mama Mia!   We knew she would love it but didn't know about President De'Beauville, but as it turned out he liked the movie better than anyone!  Justina is such a delight, always up beat and positive no matter what.  

She was having some very hard trials a few weeks ago, things that would make the strongest person stumble and fall.  But not Miss Justina, she showed up at Home, Family and Personal Enrichment all dressed up in a colorful outfit and a bright scarf around her head.  When I commented about how great she looked, she said "Just trying to rise above the blues!"

By the time we had all 47 candles lit, the cake was melting and sliding off the plate!

The high light of Justina's birthday was the Birthday Circle.  The last few minutes in Young Women's, we went around the room and told "Sister D" (as the Young Women call her) just what we loved about her.  All the Young Women love her so very much and look to her as their second mother.  At the end, Sister D brought us all to tears as she said, "Most of the time I stand to pray, but from this day forward I will kneel, and plead with Heavenly Father to help me live up to your expectations".

Justina is one in a million and I feel so very blessed to have known her!  If she were the only reason we came to St. Lucia, it was well worth it!

Seminary is off and running! 

 While I am teaching the youth, Elder Sherwood teaches the adults. 

It is a blessing to have the youth only, because it gives them the opportunity

to express themselves, ask questions and learn more about the gospel.