LESSONS FROM ROATAN

Roatan, the paradise of Honduras, bid us farewell on Thursday, December 13, 2012.  For five months we enjoyed its beauty and its people.  We learned a lot as we walked the streets and the white sand beaches of this Caribbean gem.  We would like to share with you some of the lessons we learned.

(White sand crane off the dock at Lawson Rock)

We learned that there is beauty everywhere in this world.  Obviously, the white sand beaches of this island capture the eye and the camera of those who pass quickly through on vacation. We certainly appreciated those same beauties, but we saw an even deeper beauty in its people.

Zulema Zelaya taught us the meaning of the word endurance. She never falters nor wavers in her commitment to the gospel, her family or the young women of this branch.  When no one showed up to direct the music... Zulema!  When no one came through with their assignments... Zulema!  When the girls need a shoulder to cry on... Zulema.  This woman carries such a heavy load, but she does it without complaint or murmur.  LaRae taught her the intricacies of the Young women's program, but she taught us too.

Sister Maritza Sorto taught us about faith! This incredibly faithful sister has found out how to receive her desires from the Lord.  For years now she never sleeps on Saturday night, but rather spends the entire night studying the scriptures and praying.  Some might think this extreme, but she feels like she needs that alone time with the Spirit of the Lord in order to fully prepare herself for the taking of the sacrament the following day.  It's tough to argue with results.  Since we arrived she has seen numerous miracles.  She wanted her daughter, Tania, and her boyfriend to marry... they did and are so happy!  She wanted her other daughter, Yessenia, and her boyfriend to marry... they are making the arrangements.  She wanted her husband to return to activity in the church ... he hasn't missed a week in over two months.  She was violently sick and sought a blessing from me ... she immediately got up from the bed and was instantly healed.  Her secret?  Unbelievable faith.  We learned from her.

(Alejandro Webster sits motionsless for hours in hopes of catching a pigeon)

We learned patience.  Roaton's people don't wear Rolex watches.  I don't believe we ever saw a clock in a home.  Time isn't fretted over.  An appointment for 6:00 p.m. might mean anywhere from then until 8:00 p.m.  No one gets bothered over such tardiness; it is just a part of life.  More than once we arranged a training meeting, a piano lesson, an activity or some other thing and sat completely alone in the chapel for 15 minutes after the supposed starting time.  They would eventually show up, but on their own schedule.  I never took off my watch, and I never got accustomed to waiting, but I did begin to relax a bit.  It's OK if MIA starts five minutes late - the world won't end.  For 33 years I had a bell determine when I started work, ended work, ate my lunch and moved from group to group.  These people are late, but they also don't have ulcers.  I'm still working on it, but I am learning patience.

  

 

We learned that you have to occasionally make some noise to be heard.  The Roatan chapel has been largely ignored for years and was in need of serious repair.  Rust, peeling paint, cracked tile and general disrepair were everywhere to be seen.  Mud was tracked into the building from every shoe that walked over the muddy road.  The chapel was their treasure, but it needed some help.  Numerous phone calls to Church leaders and near constant mention of what was needed eventually brought results.  The first part of November an army of 20 workers emerged from San Pedro Sula and were still there working when we left in the middle of December.  They tore out every piece of tile and replaced it.  They stripped every inch of wood and restained and revarnished.  They sanded down every inch of metal to get rid of the rust and repainted with a rust resistent paint.  They dug up every inch of our weed patch yard and put down new sod.  They tore down the old sheetrock they used as soffet and put up aluminum.  They patched leakes in the roof, repainted the entire outside of the building, recoated all of the fencing with rust proof paint, sanded down the light poles and rust proofed them as well.  The biggest improvement of all was the repaving of the road.  We never got a chance to see that blessing, but they had begun work on it when we left.  We learned that you have to tell people when you need help in order to receive it.  The squeaking wheel really does get the grease.

(LaRae walking down a path that led to the Rivas family home.  She was able to obtain a job for one of the boys)

These people live a simple life.  They don't always arrive to church wearing slacks and a white shirt, but they worship with all of their hearts.  We only have about 20 hymnbooks in the ward, but that doesn't stop them from belting out the tune.  Their homes aren't full of lladros and marble, but they love their children and gather them around their knees to read and pray.  "Baleadas" (a tortilla with beans and scrambled eggs) are typically all they eat, but I never heard one complain.  They don't have washing machines or fine-twined linen, but they wear clean clothes.  We have too much junk!  We fill our homes and our lives with stuff, and then when there isn't room in the house, we fill our garages.  We schedule our days down to the minute and then crawl into our king sized beds exhausted without ever having stopped long enough during the day to watch a sunrise or tend to the needs of another.  We don't want to ever forget this lesson: happiness isn't in things.

(President and Sister Veirs sit on the stand with 22 newly arrived elders)

 Maybe more than any other thing we learned that the Lord is in charge of this work.  The young men and women who accept callings to serve in this work are guided and protected every day.  They walk into areas of incredible degeneracy and crime and yet they emerge unharmed.  Their clothes become tattered, but they wear smiles.  They powerfully preach the message of the restoration of the gospel upon this earth and the Holy Ghost accompanies their words.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is filling the earth.  What an honor to be counted amongst the numbers who are on the front-line in this mighty army of warriors.

Goodbye, Roatan!  We love you and will miss you forever.