New Friends and Familiar Faces

This Sunday, Trent and Will got to come to church. We caught a safari bus to church and, because I decided to stay after for choir practice, we were given a ride by one of the awesome members of the branch, who also invited us to dinner that evening. I got to teach the lesson in Relief Society, about prayer. I didn't have enough time to share all I prepared (so bummed about that!) but all the women who where there thanked me after and said they felt the Spirit so I think I did okay. 

Later, Brother Martin picked us up and took us to their house for dinner. I loved being in their home and getting to know their family a bit. Their house is in the coolest spot with an amazing view. We got to eat enchiladas and play a fun game, as well as join in their family scripture and prayer. They also gave us a king mattress and bedding they didn't need! I really can't say enough about how good the people here have been to us.   

Trent and Brother Martin on the deck.

 Night view of houses across the harbor.

Monday was a special day. It started a little slow but wonderful things were discovered. Trent, Will and Casey went to the gym early and I stayed home (slept in after a late night of talking with my beautiful mom about life, trials, and accidents we'd caused involving the deaths of animals.) After breakfast, I tried to call the number on a business card about a job but the reception was bad so I went outside. And who did I find? Little Pepper Jack was there...EATING FOOD! I was so happy to see that she is alive and well, and that I didn't kill her by feeding her coconut! After that, I was also excited to hear from my mom about the finding of names of ancestors we'd been searching for for a long time! I searched the names on familysearch.org and found pictures that made me cry for joy. It is a beautiful, sweet thing to learn about who and where you come from. To find "missing" relatives and ancestors who share your looks, talents and interests gives a person a great sense of belonging and peace. At least, those things give me peace.

I put water on the food to make it soft; she likes it better that way.

Tuesday, I met my uncle, Chris, at McDonald's for breakfast! He took a catamaran from Florida to Tortola to its new owner and took a ferry to St. Thomas to catch a flight back home. It was so cool to see a familiar face and get to show him around a bit. Trent had to work but still got to say a quick hello. I showed him our house and took a safari to the airport with him, stopping for souvenirs on the way. I got to explore some and talk to lots of people. That night, Trent and I went to the movies to see "Beauty and the Beast." I knew before that there is quite a controversy over it, but as I watched it, as strong as my morals are, I had the thought that in this world we have to look for the beauty and good in the midst of wrongs and shifting values. "That's the real trouble with the world, too many people grow up." -Walt Disney

A beautiful message in front of a cemetery 

I love seeing the cute school kids in uniforms

A sweet motorbike/bicycle hybrid I want! (100 mpg, and you pedal if you run out of gas!)

An neat mural

 Egret and pelican

Mosquito bites (I promise I didn't itch these; pretty sure I have skeeter's syndrome. I read that being introduced to new types of mosquitoes and having type O blood makes a person more prone to this.)

Wednesday was a disheartening, frustrating day for me (like I said, lots of emotions: that's just what I'm made of, haha!) I decided to take a safari bus to Red Hook. I really wanted to be adventurous and take a ferry to St. John, just to be on the water, but I got there later in the day and just gathered a map and other information. Walking down the street, I heard some music I really liked coming from a little bar/restaurant called Duffy's Love Shack. I sat down, mostly just to listen to the music and take a rest, but I was handed a menu and couldn't pass up their flaming s'mores platter. I wasn't sure what it was going to be at first, but when I got it I was pleasantly surprised: they gave me 2 Hershey bars, a bunch of graham crackers, marshmallows on sticks, and a little pot with black gel stuff they light on fire so you can roast your marshmallows right there at the table! A lot of people -many of them happy and drunk- were intrigued and watched as I roasted my marshmallows and downed a few s'mores. 

As I was eating, a really wonderful couple who were sitting at a table near mine asked to sit with me, which I happily agreed to. The wife had offered to take pictures of me eating my s'mores before that and I really thought that was nice. They talked to me for quite a while, asking about my story and telling me a little about themselves. The husband even shared a piece of his quesadilla with me, which I thought was extra, super nice! I loved that experience, it made me so happy. I'd wish there were more people like them in the world -which I think I still do wish- but at the same time, these kinds of experiences wouldn't be as special if they happened all the time.

(Sorry for all the s'mores pictures, I had a lot of fun eating them!)

So far, this week has been one jam-packed full of emotion; excitement, joy, sadness, depression, anger, hope, and love, to name a few. Even though some emotions aren't nice ones to feel, I am grateful for all emotions because they make me human. I get really nervous, am clumsy, goofy, don't say things well or clearly, and I make lots of mistakes. You'd think I'd be used to people looking at me funny and talking about me, but I'm not because I care a lot about how people feel about me. I am learning, though, that as long as I am trying my best to be as kind, friendly and good as I can, I will be alright. I can't please all people, but I can please my God and that's whose judgement I care most about. And there really are people out there who I know love me no matter how strange I may act, who even think my strangeness is cute or admirable, who have made me feel good about being unique, who have rejoiced in my eclectic personality. I hope most of all that I can let others feel that way, too. We really do live in a beautiful world. All we have to do is look for beauty in everything, even the simplest things. It's the small things that make the biggest difference. (Alma 37:6, lds.org)