I Promise to Remember

Every once in a while I have special experiences where I am reminded to stop, look around me, and take it all in.

One time when David and I first moved here we went to teach with the missionaries in West Bay. We were teaching a guy named Patrick. Patrick was Allecia's boyfriend. They are both from Jamaica. We sat outside Alleicia's place. I remember that it was night time. I remember that the mosquitoes were eating us alive. I even remember what Allecia wore (not a surprise). Patrick had corn rows. It felt like we were in a jungle because of all the greenery around us. The most important thing I remember was that the Elders bore their testimony, I bore my testimony, and David bore his testimony. I remember stopping and feeling that I needed to look around me and remember that exact scene. I remember it and I'll always remember it. Patrick and Allecia have since been married, Patrick has been baptized, and they are expecting a baby girl. I watched American Idol with them in West Bay this past week and as much fun as it was, I will probably forget that night. But, I will never forget the night we first went to teach the gospel to Patrick.

Alfonzo is another member of the branch. He lives about ten minutes away from us. He is David's home teaching parnter. He invited us over for dinner last Sunday and we had a wonderful time.

He made us West Indian food. I embarrassed myself by asking where Alfonzo learned how to cook West Indian food- thinking West Indian food was food from the Western part of India. David corrected me. Jamaica is part of the West Indies. Alfonzo is from Jamaica. That is why he knows how to make West Indian food.

Alfonzo is a single guy. He lives in a humble little house (part of it is made from a shipping container) with a huge garden. He sure loves his pumpkins.

During the course of our meal Alfonzo told us that he had a lot to do. He had to wash his clothing, fix his car, and work in the garden. But, he said that he would not have traded the afternoon for anything. It was so sweet of him to say that and David and I felt the exact same way. It was another one of those times where I looked around me and took it all in. I noticed the clothesline, the cars in the yard that had vines growing out of them, the buckets of soaked clothing, the ensign on the messy table, and the sweet Jamaican man serving us the dinner that he was so proud of.