Colorado to Kingston : Let's just Love Each Other!

Hey everyone! I hope everyone had great weeks and you're all just loving life :) First, a public service announcement: please start sending all letters and stuff to Jamaica for me. I don't know how much longer I'll be in the Bahamas and I want to get mail from ya'll still! Write me at:

Sister Samantha Justine Oman

Jamaica Kingston Mission

PO Box 2316

Kingston 8, Jamaica, W.I.

Our week was great here in Nassau!

Monday was my birthday... and what a great birthday it was! We got to go to Atlantis, a resort thing on Paradise Island. With petting sting rays and starfish, relaxing on the beach, and getting some really yummy smoothies, I'd say it was a pretty good way to spend my twentieth birthday! In the evening, we went over to do family home evening with the Eyers family. They made super yummy cheesecake brownies and I got to do the whole candle blowing out thing. Woohoo! :)

Tuesday I woke up really, really sick again. And so did Sister Judd. So the two of us had to stay home all day and just sleep and recover... and that was Tuesday!

Wednesday, we ran errands in the morning to prepare for zone conference, and then had a lesson with Wilkins. We talked about Samuel the Lamanite... and I've been thinking a lot about that story ever since. I think we can all learn from him. He knew what the Lord wanted him to do, and he was determined to do it. Even after the Nephites threw him out of their city, he found a way to do what he had been told to do. He didn't care that he had to climb a wall and stand on top of it while people tried to shoot him down. He had faith and he knew that he would be protected as long as he did what was right. After that lesson, we had coordination meeting. Andrew got called as the new assistant branch mission leader, and we are oh so excited! We love Andrew! Then we headed to the airport to pick up the four sisters from Grand Cayman! They flew in for zone conference... which meant I got to see Sister Mouritsen again! Finally!

Thursday, we ran even more errands to prepare for zone conference. We had to buy all the food to feed everyone lunch on Friday. I've officially decided I have a lot of respect for you, Mom. Preparing food for twenty plus people is a lot of work. So good job :) Haha. I've also decided that being an adult isn't all as glamorous as I thought it would be when I was like six. It's mostly just a lot of talking on the phone and driving around and spending money. Hahah. We picked up the two sisters from Turks and Caicos in the afternoon and brought them home... which meant we had ten sisters staying in our tiny little apartment! Which was super fun... until the power and water went out. Ten girls, no water, no power, plus a zone conference to look (somewhat) good for. That was a definite adventure.

Friday was the day of bucket showers galore, and then we went to the airport to pick up all the elders. We had zone conference all day, which was so cool! Elder Cornish of the Quorum of the seventy came and it was a really cool experience to get to talk with him one on one. I had to give a talk at zone conference... which was more than mildly terrifying because someone who has spoken at general conference was in the room haha. That night, Elder Cornish gave a fireside for the branch. I thought I'd share part of what he talked about. He gave us six words to remember.

1. Family: Make sure we see to the salvation of ourselves and our families first.

2. Family: The Lord holds us responsible to help save other people's families too.

3. Doctrine: We can understand and help others understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ through diligent study

4. Covenants: As we learn about the doctrine, we are able to make and keep covenants and help others keep covenants that will enable us to live in the Celestial Kingdom

5. Redeemed: When we choose the right, we are able to return to live with God

6. Sealed: We will not only be able to live with God, but if we keep our covenants, we will live with our loved ones for eternity

Saturday, we had quarterly interviews in the morning, and then we went to drop of all the sisters at the airport. We taught a few lessons, had a wonderful dinner (including guava duff... my favorite!), and then we got a phone call. The Cayman sisters were still here! The airline had a mishap... so they were staying in the Hilton hotel. Some of them got to leave yesterday, and others will be here until Tuesday. Adventures I tell ya!

Sunday we had an amazing Relief Society lesson! I just really love church so much and I love this branch more than words can express :) Then we went home and did weekly planning since our week was a little insane, had a yummy Jamaican dinner, and had a great lesson with our favorite group of recent convert teenage boys! I just love those kids! And that was our week!

This week, I've been thinking a lot about love. When we love people with a pure Christlike love, it really does just solve so many problems. Love is amazing. I love love :) Please enjoy this quote that Erica sent me from Marjorie Pay Hinckley: "The trouble with the world and with you and me is that we don't love each other enough. And if we do, we don't bother to show it, or we don't bother to say it. If the world is to know love, it has to be in your heart and in mine. And the Lord can fill our hearts with love if we will just go to him."

I just love that! It's so true! Let's all just do our best to fill the world with love each and every day... and let's love each other enough to share the gospel with everyone we meet! That's the real way to show love... by sharing God's love with everyone!

And now, please enjoy my testimony in Creole.

Mwen renmen ou! Mwen renmen Jezikri epi Papa nou ki nan syel la. M ka konnen a ke mesaj sa a vre. Bondye renmen ou, eip li vle ou gen ke kontan nan lavi sa a ak nan letenite a. "Paske Bondye si telman renmen mond lanke li bay sel Pitit Gason Literal li a, poutet pou tout moun ki kwe nan li pa peri men pou yo ka gen lavi etenel." -Jan 3:16

I love you all! Have a great week!!!

xoxoxoxoxo,

Sister Oman

Pictures: Atlantis birthday adventures!