Going Bananas

 

We have been watching our banana tree in the back yard. It grew a huge purple flower and then a stem out of the flower grew a hand of bananas. This is very exciting - to have our very own bananas. Our landlord said that today they were ready to pick. They didn't look ready to us - they are very green. But we made a party our of it and the Whiteheads joined us.

 

Elder Whitehead is just an inch taller. He grabbed the ax and cut the bananas down.

 

Elder Whitehead got the ax, but Elder Langford got the bananas.

 

A banana tree only produces one hand of bananas. You cut it down because it has already sent two shoots up to start new trees. It takes about two years for a tree to mature and flower and then produce bananas. We have two shoots, one twice as big as the other.

 

Banana surgeons, cutting the hand into four bunches.

 

They were really green. We were told to put them into a bag and in a week or two they would be yellow. We found one of the bananas had popped open (a sign that we left them on the tree too long) so we cut into it. It had a texture like styrofoam. We put them into bags and they stayed green until one day, all of a sudden, they were yellow.

MMMMMM

 

They were better than good.

Bush Lot gets a sign

 

We happened to be driving down the road and found the elders in the Bush Lot Branch, putting up a brand new sign. They decided they wanted a "WWII" picture.

Chicken sign

 

We think this sign is hilarious. Maybe we think that because we have a vivid imagination and can see the plucked chickens and ducks running around.

Happy Birthday Elder Evans

 

It is Elder Evans' birthday. We had two birthdays to celebrate. We presented him with this beautiful lamp and he was thrilled to get it. Now he can see in the dark.

Happy Birthday Elder Handly

 

It was Elder Handly's birthday and he wanted to try out the Brazilian restaurant that he had heard about. What's a birthday without a present. We gave him this beautiful lamp. We love it, but it won't fit in our suitcase. They are going to Trinidad next week, but they can fit it into their suitcases. Elder and Sister Tanner - take note.

Super Salesman

 

This is Ricky. He comes to our gate everyday to sell us prawns. We tell him we already have prawns but he comes anyway. He insists that we talk to him. This day he stood by the gate for 10 minutes calling into the apartment. We were trying to eat our dinner and ignore him but he wouldn't be ignored. Elder Langford finally went out front and bought MORE prawns. We had to take his picture. He will probably be president of Guyana someday. Meanwhile, the freezer is full and Ricky will be back tomorrow. "But Boss, these are big ones."

Vacation

 

We took a vacation from our mission. We spent June 1 and 2 at the Arrowpoint Resort and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. We were taken by bus to the boat landing and when we got on the speed boat, the rain was coming down in buckets. It rained all the way there - 45 minutes. The food was delicious and we didn't have to cook it or clean it up. There were nature walks, swimming, kayaks, archery, and table games. Two of the couples were new to us and so we got to know them better. It was a needed break. We've often said we can't find Sunday. Everyday is like Sunday to us. This was, in Elder Langford's words, two days without a tie!

Try it -

 

Sister Hymas had never had a turn with a bow and arrow, even with all the times she attended Boy Scout camp - So this was her chance. She finally hit the target and we all cheered.

Missionary Moment

 

Elder Leishman was able to get the staff together and teach them about the Book of Mormon.

Birds

 

 

We went out early in the morning to see birds. We saw red macaws, hummingbirds, swallows and this mocking bird. The palm tree provides the parrots and macaws with plenty of food. The fruit has a very hard shell, but the bird's beaks are quite able to handle it. My picture of the macaws was too fuzzy. They were too far away. We could hear them and see that they were the reds instead of the blues.

Beautiful jungle

 

 

We were paddling a kayak down a creek with jungle on both sides. The water was like a mirror. It was beautiful beyond words.

Fun

 

We played "The Great Dalmuti". The rules are the same as "Scum". Pictured clockwise from the lady in pink, Sister Leishman, Sister Hymas, President Hyms, Sister Bullock, Sister Evans and Elder Evans.

Bonfire

 

 

Dinner by a bonfire. The fire was big and bright. The food was really good and it was fun to eat on the beach instead of the porch.

Cashew nuts

 

Do you like cashew nuts? They come in jars and packages. This is what they look like on the tree. They hang down from this bright red fruit. If you click on the picture, it will get big and you can see better. Elder Langford got one and began to peel the shell open when he was warned that the juice would irritate his skin. Later, Michael, our guide, peeled one with gloves on and then we tasted it. It was a cashew all right. It needed to be roasted and salted, but it was cashew. We felt guilty eating them by the handful at home, when there is one little cashew nut on every fruit.

Community

 

 

These men are Indians from the Santa Mission. They are building a barge so that they can haul lumber out of the jungle to market.

In the boat

 

This picture needs a caption. Everyone is having a good time except Elder Langford!