Deyonce Welch's Baptism

Deyonce is from one of the few families with a mom and dad 




Deyonce has wanted to be baptized for some time.  The missionaries not only taught her the gospel but helped reactivate the entire family

Our young women's president, Sister Camejo, and kids at the baptism

A few branch members attended the baptism

I think Elder Petersen was having a bad morning!

Elder Linton's looking old - reminds me of my dad

Christian and Ronaldo exploring  

Sister Reddy from Fiji, Deyonce and Sister Schindler from Washington State taught the Regis family the gospel

Deyonce's father and mother

Elder and Sister Linton looking very white.  
One of the branch kids wanted to know who the "shiney" people were




Deyonce found some sunglasses to put on



Tobago missionaries and Deyonce

Elders Petersen and Hill

Beautiful warm waters of the Caribbean - what a wonderful place for a baptism

Some instructions for Deyonce

Two tries and we were successful

Sisters Schindler and Reddy, with Brother George, showing noni fruit - the same fruit that is now sold as Noni Juice.  We see it all over and when ripe it really stinks - supposed to be really good for you.

Missionaries around the World

Tobago Baptism Beach

Family Missionary Letters

Hermana Pinnock 9/16 

(Our granddaughter serving in Tempe Arizona waiting for her visa to go to Argentina) 

Family,

This week nothing much happened.... Oh but I did get into a CAR CRASH (dun dun dun).  Haha it was pretty scary for like one second but it was over and we are all safe.  We both have some pretty crazy bruises but we had to have some proof right????  But really I'm fine!!!!!!  

It's actually pretty amazing because there were like a ton of little mercies that Heavenly Father gave us like how our accident happened right across the street from the fire department.  They literally looked across the street, stepped into their truck, the truck went weeooweeoo for a second, and then we had people taking care of us.  

Also some members from another ward saw us right after the crash and came and helped us the rest of the day.  Taking us where we need to go, getting us what we needed.... They rocked.  Also remember how small the LDS population is and how unlikely it is that would happen.  Also I felt so much calmer during this accident compared to my one three years ago. The last one I felt like a wreck but this time I was so at peace.  Also I got to talk to some cops about the gospel so that rocked!

So that pretty much put us on bikes for the rest of the week which is really hard because our area is huge.  We cover 2 english wards and a spanish branch so it's pretty big but the work moves on I guess.  We should be able to drive on Tuesday.  

The new thing my companion and I want to do this transfer is work more with less actives and part member families.  Our wards are easily 60% less-active so we decided that the best way we could get people from the ward to help us is by helping them and right now they need less-active help BAD!  It's hard because at the end of the day our stats look like we haven't done anything but it's also the best because I know that regardless, if it's getting baptisms, helping people come to church or feel loved, it's all God's work.

I LOVE riding my bike... like it's the best!  When I get home I think I'm going to bike to school because I love it!

This next Saturday we have planned a talent show to hopefully get some of our investigators at church and make people feel more comfortable at the church. It should be really fun!!!!

Laura, our investigator, came to church yesterday and she legit didn't stop smiling the whole time!!!  People in the ward were so welcoming to her it was the best!!!!  She should be getting baptized in a few weeks.  Javier also came!  We only got to teach him one time this week because of the car accident but he surprised us and said that he asked for the day off of work and came!  The spirit at church is soooo real!

I loved the package you sent!!!  I wear Jane's bracelet everyday!  The music is my lifesaver!  Is Libby on there because I'm pretty sure she is and when I heard her I was kind of like this :) :D :0.  Holy she knows how to sing.

So lesson of the week is just try your hardest!... Sooo many people just give up!  They give up in work, with their families, and saddest of all their relationship with their Heavenly Father.  In Joshua 1:5 it says, "I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee"... When I read this last week it gave me so much comfort!!!  Heavenly Father will never give up on you... ever!  You are the only one who can shut that door.  Praying is huge out here!!!!!!!!!!  I've learned how good it feels to pray.  It's like we get to talk to the best person ever!  I love it!  I love you guys!  Thanks for everything!

XO Hermana Pinnock

P.S. Baby Girl I've been thinking about you a lot lately!  I love you!

Mom:  I'm sorry if my letters kind of stink... I really am trying my hardest but I have ZERO time.  I read all your letters but again ZERO time.  I love everything you say and send!

Anziano Pinnock 9/18

(Our grandson serving in Milan Italy) 

Hi!

Well it sounds like life is going just great.  Jane is holding on

and David is starting to lose it.  A 4.0 is hard in high school let alone collage so he is amazing. That’s cool that the Webbs are going to be coming here.  Tell them I would love just some good old American food.

 

Also I'm not near the arena but I know where it is. I am more

near the Porta Vescavo (door bishop) ask John he would know. 



Well life here goes on. It’s starting to get cold and I love it. Tomorrow we have another new elder's training so I will see Stephen. The language is going a little bit better but not in

lessons. Because of the African refugees there are a lot of Africans here and they are a lot more open to the gospel so we have only taught one lesson in Italian. The Italians are kind of snobs. They are proud of where they live and because they grew up "catholic" they don’t think they need to hear anymore about Jesus Christ. It’s hard and the members don’t trust us yet so we don’t get any referrals from them but we are planning an activity which should break the ice.

 

Thanks for your email mom and for keeping me posted. I don’t know David’s email so get him to email me and get Jane to do her one sentence that she promised

me. Thanks for all the support from home.

Anziano Pinnock

Getting ready for a Tobago Baptism

West Indies Missionary Testimonies

Our baptism was a wonderful experience. The Ward Council came! It was awesome. Most of them bore their testimony at the end and I feel that they are getting excited about missionary work. The Relief Society President even drove her home. The coolest part to see is how the members of the Ward Council are helping out our new convert and supporting her. Last Sunday the Bishop gave her the standard LDS works and several other Church related books. She now has her own gospel library!

Elder Watson

We baptized Angelo and Shaneen Jubitana, the two children of our recent convert Revelino Jubitana. It was really good to teach them and we worked together with the Primary president which helped a lot.  

Elder Westra & Elder Alpeter 

Rhonda have been investigating the church for about 8 years. She's almost been baptized twice before, and she finally got baptized on August 10, 2013. 

When Sister Taylor and I got to the ward we asked if we could help get her baptized and she said that she hoped so, because every time she has tried, something always happened.  Our first Sunday in the ward, she told us she is ready to try again! We identified her concerns, and now she's a member of the church!!
  

Sister Grigg, Sister Taylor

Best seats in the house for a baptism

Tobago Branch party at Pigeon Point Beach

September 2013

Pie eating contest
Sister Linton and Elder Hill are willing competitors

Ready, set,

GO!

Everybody is cheering!

Some of the little kids are mystified - never seen anything like this before

Elder Hill won - with hardly a smudge on his face

Nettie's grown a goatee 

Aeryn Baynes jumped out of the ocean and into the contest 

Looks like Aeryn only wanted the whipped cream

Deyonce had her face wiped off before I could get her picture

Caelyn Baynes had to have a little help from mom to get to the bottom of the plate

Adorable Caelyn Baynes loved the chocolate pie eating contest

John Mark with chocolate pie all over his face  All you can see is the whipped cream

This little guy did it all and was full of the dickens - don't know his name

In the egg toss contest, Anderson Burris tried to catch an incoming egg and it exploded in his hand and coated his body

  Shocked at first he examined himself and ran into the ocean to wash off - it was the best laugh of the party

Deyonce is going to be baptized in a couple of weeks

Her mother, who is a hair stylist braids pre-braided hair pieces onto her hair.

Omaya Regis is 3 and wanted her picture taken

Omaya showing off her braided hair

Mya Timothy has wild and crazy hair

Buzzed, Ronaldo is seven

As we were leaving the Timothy home, Sister Timothy's daughter, Whitney, came running toward us giggling and calling out our name

We were delighted to see her beautiful smiling face

When we were waiting for our mission call I felt we might be called to serve in Africa

We've found ourselves serving those of African descent displaced to the little island of Tobago generations ago

We love the Tobagonians! 

 

Our 50th Wedding Anniversary

September 6

in

Tobago

First light over the Plantations

 

 Letters from Home

Hermana Pinnock

So.....  This week I got to meet with President Toone but our meeting was all of five seconds because the liver before me took a million hours!  Haha it was fine..... I don't have any issues so it was fine.  He really is the most loving guy I know.  Everytime he speaks he's got little tears building up in his eyes.

Brother Grubbs, my first investigator, is now attending church regularly with his family and decided to read the BOM on his own.... so cool!  Their family is way legit... I love them so much!  Even though the wife is a member she said that lately as they have been reading and praying as a family she's felt Heavenly Father’s love for her and her family more.

It is "hotsie totsie" down here, as Grandma Nettie would say, but honestly it's not the worst thing.  I think of all those poor, poor Eskimos with their parkas trying to light a fire and I say to myself, "Someday we'll get to trade."

BIG NEWS = I'm getting Facebook..... tomorrow..... soooooo weird.  I don't know what to think about it.  It makes me a little crazy but I know that Heavenly Father knows what is up and if this is what the work needs then I'm on board.... still so weird.  We might be getting iPads in a couple of weeks soooooo be jealous.  Really this is the weirdest thing. Coming from never being computer savvy (I remember when Saro Romero had to train me on facebook because I couldn't figure it out haha), to completely leaving it all behind, to this now is just crazy.  They said I'll be using the Facebook account I had before I headed out so 'friend me' hahaha!

Spiritual stuff --- Life is a nice thing... and I'll tell you why. We are children of God!!!!!  I was thinking about this and I want you to think about it.... the most powerful being is our Heavenly Father!  He created everything!  He has a million children yet every single little prayer we have goes straight up and he records it and hears it.  For some reason people refuse to accept the blessings he has given them.  It's sad to see that people don't understand their potential.  

Javier, smoked and drank again this week and he was all justifying himself saying, "I've been doing way good!  Don't be mad." and other stuff like that.  And he has been doing a lot better and I've never been addicted to anything so I don't judge it but it was sad to see him digress.  

It was sad that he let Satan get even one inch into his territory so I just looked at him and I was all like, "Javier, you are a son of God.  Don't sell yourself short."  And it was kind of funny because his eyes got all big but I could tell that it really hit him.  

Humans back home, don't sell yourselves short.  We've only got one chance at this life, so don't give up or give in.  If you think that the world has something better to offer you... it doesn't.

I love you all!  Let me know what you want to hear about because I don't know what I'm talking about half the time... just trying to be led by the spirit... no big deal.  LOVE YOU LOVE YOU!

Sun just above the horizon over the Atlantic

Anziano Pinnock

Well it seems like life is going just great at home.  Everyone is getting along great and school has started.  I'll try my best to get details in this letter.  I'm sorry I don't give you a lot of information it's just that there isn't a lot to tell here.  It feels like, for the most part, every day is the same.  Sarah and I are writing and that is really fun.

We have two "investigators" who are both progressing.  We had our last lesson with one of them yesterday where we committed her to baptism.  Our second one is really close and we hope to have a date planned tomorrow.

I see all the Olympus kids all the time and they all say that you are doing an amazing job in mission prep.  Stephen and I are getting along really well and have a blast whenever we talk.  My teacher also had her last day teaching yesterday before she went to DC for an internship. 

The devotional last night was given by Elder Andersen and it was amazing.  He talked about the power of testimonies and sacrifices.  After, we walked back in the pouring rain which made my suit smell like mildew, but we already took them to be dry cleaned and they will be ready tomorrow.

So we leave Tuesday morning for the airport at 530.  We should be at the airport by about 7 and through customs at about 8 so I'll try to call you there.  We are leaving that airport at 1045 for Chicago.  We arrive at 240 and leave for London at 515 pm and get there at 650 am and finally leave London for Milan at 910 and get there at 1205.  One and a half days of traveling.  That is where I get my last nap for 2 years.

I'll try and call you in Salt Lake and we can talk for a while and if you want I can call you in Chicago as well but probably not in London.  Make sure you get me a calling card with a good amount of time on it and be ready for a call at one of those times.  I know I won't be able to talk to Jane because of school and maybe not David but I'll send something for her.

The MTC has been great.  I have liked my companion and we have gotten along great.  We are all super excited to get to Italy.  I can say a lot of Italian but it's all just about church things.  My conversational Italian is non-existent.

Love you!

"Here Comes the Sun"