Scaret Ibis - Trinidad's National Bird!

The end of the transfer has come. I will be staying here in Trinidad for yet another transfer. I will be going back to Valsayn where I was last transfer to be companions with Elder Riter again, we will be the Zone Leaders. Leaving Arima is going to be a little difficult, there are some really exciting things going on there next transfer, but the work is also hastening well here in Valsayn.

Last week we had the privilege of boating out to the Caroni Bird Sanctuary just south of Port of Spain. The Scarlet Ibis, which is Trinidads' national bird, live all over in the swamp here. At the very end of the tour we stopped the boat by this small island to where there were hundreds of these birds flocking. For some reason they all flock to this one island and land here for the night to stay all together. It was pretty sweet. Unfortunately we didn't see any alligators or giant snakes, though there are a lot of them here in Trinidad.

Things are going really well with Wendy and her family. We haven't been able to see Rick much these days, he's really busy. We're going to have to move his date farther into the future, but Wendy should be getting baptised this next weekend. She and her grandson Ishmael came to church this Sunday at the Sangre Grande ward. Not only that, also on Saturday we went by her house and met and taught her two daughters, Sheena and Cindy, who are both pretty interested, as well as her youngest son we haven't met yet. Now we have pretty much began teaching all of her immediate family members including her sister and uncle. This week we also started teaching Wendys' daughter in law Cillia, her son Ishmael, and a friend from Venezuela. I'm really excited for this big, elect family. Elder Riter and I will be teaching Sheena and her family, who normally live in Port of Spain.

Stephan has made a lot of progress this week. He came to church yesterday and really felt the Spirit. He is feeling better and better about what he is learning. Yesterday after church we taught him about the first half of the Plan of Salvation and he was so happy about the things that he learned, things that he had never thought of before and never knew. He had always wondered where he came from before coming to earth. What we taught him really blew him away. He was just glowing. He prayed about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon and got an answer. He felt joy and light as he prayed and felt the God was watching over him. He committed to be baptised, but needs to get his surgery first, hopefully towards the end of this month. I know that God is watching over us!!!

It's going to be another exciting six weeks in Valsayn with Elder Riter. Also, Elder Stott, who I served with in the MTC, is being transferred here from Guyana, so I'm finally going to see him after 15 months without seeing him. I'm excited!

Elder Porritt

The Caroni Bird Sanctuary

 The Scarlet Ibis