Saturday, 9th August, 1997. Mom, Sr. Buie, the Montebello Branch Relief Society President and I went to a joint young single adult and single adult activity held at Rocks State Park. This park is situated in a very beautiful natural picnic area with rivers for tube floating and fishing, wide fields for different games and trails for exploring. We met a Brother Samuel from Morvant, Trinidad. He was baptized ten years ago in Maryland after hearing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on the radio.

I remembered that Brother Bunsee, a member of the Port of Spain Branch was also converted more or less the same way. I saw two missionaries playing volleyball with one other individual about a hundred feet from where we were seated. I got up and strolled over to where they were engaged in what seemed to be a confusing game. I say confusing because every now and again the missionaries would stop playing and make certain signals to each other and the person with whom they were playing. After joining in I realized that these missionaries knew how to communicate through sign language. During a break I got to know all of them and their special mission in Maryland. Elder Spencer Phillips and Elder Steve La Boon Jr., were both called by the prophet to specific missions as part of the deaf program. After their call a person by the name of Lloyd Owens sends them to different missions as needed. The Elders explained,

"Br. Owens, the head of the missionary deaf program then prayerfully makes transfers of these special missionaries to various missions based on the needs of the deaf in that place. These transfers take place every two months but the average stay in any one area would be about six to eight months Our main purpose is to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who are deaf."

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These special Elders told me that there are two deaf Branches in the Baltimore/Washington region. The Branch President and all the members are deaf. There are probably about 10,000 deaf persons in Maryland alone.

"We love the work, it is fun to work with the deaf, they are humble and full of love",

said one of the Elders. I then found out that Elder Phillips brother, Elder Ryan Phillips was an assistant to Pres. Roy R. Valantine in the West Indies mission while Elder La Boon said he had a friend serving a deaf mission in my old mission, the England Manchester mission. They taught me the American sign for Trinidad. Put your thumbs between your index and middle fingers and make the motion as if your playing the steel pan. The person with them, Nathanial Griffin, was born in Baltimore and became a member on the 19th January, 1997. He met some sign language missionaries on the street and it led to his conversion.

" It feels good to see members signing in Church ",

said Br.Griffin referring to how he gets along in Church. I really liked what I saw with these three children of God regardless of physical limitations, they communed with love for one another. Then suddenly we heard a siren in the distance and its' sound was increasing in magnitude, was some one hurt or in trouble ? A police car stormed into the park with a pick up right behind. A loud voice came over the car's bull horn,

"Its Smokey's birthday today, came and celebrate with us and have free ice cream."

Smokey is the American symbol of environmental concern and conservation portrayed in a friendly bear wearing a hat and hiking equipment. Later in the day I noticed a missionary couple with the name tag of Zabriskie. I remembered that a Zabriskie was once mission president over the West Indies mission and I decided to find out if they were related to him. Elder Zabriskie explained,

"West Zabriskie, who served a mission in the West Indies is my second or third cousin. It all started during the trek across the plains with two Zabriskie brothers who settled in Utah. One Zabriskie settled in 117 Richfield and the other in Provo. After years went by the families of the two Zabriskie brothers lost contact, and so I do not know West too well, but now I wish I did."

Lynn and Jeannette Zabriskie were called to the Baltimore Maryland mission as Church Educational System teachers at the John Hopkins, Towson State, and U.M.B.C. Universities. They do not proselyte, but work with single adult advisors in the Stake.

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Sunday, 10th August, 1997. I was invited to speak at the Montebello Branch and I chose to focus on Christ and our personal sacrifice for the sake of His work. After packing and preparing for my long journey tomorrow I decided to read a book called, 'The Truth About Angels' by Elaine Cannon. I often think about the angels that may be in our midst. One of the great blessings of the Aaronic priesthood is the ministering of angels I wonder how many of the Deacons, Teachers, and Priests stop to think about that -- they are blessed to have the angels of God as ministers unto them. Reference can be made to Doctrine and Covenants 13. I also reflected on a talk given today by the Branch President's wife, Sr. Staub about her trip with the youth to the Kirtland temple.

Sr. Staub related the following story of one of the special experiences one of the youth had while visiting the Kirtland temple. First,I feel it would be important to mention a couple of things; one, the Kirtland temple is no longer in use by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints, but is maintained and managed by an 'off shoot' group that broke away from the Church after the martyrdom of Joseph Smith. Dm, I will try to recall what I remember of Sr. Staub' testimony and so I'm unable to quote her directly.... There was a part of the tour in which one of the ushers, a young boy and a member of the break away group called, 'The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints' stood at the door way to welcome youth from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. As the youth approached the temple the young toy thought in his mind,

"I hope they (the visiting youth with Sr. Staub) know that this is now our temple it belongs to us !"

The young toy's suspiciously protective mind was answered with an overwhelming response;

"This temple is Nine, not yours !"

It was the voice of the Lord speaking to the young boy's heart. One of the young women from Sr. Staub group had a similar thought as the young boy,

"This is our temple, what right do they think they have for being here ?"

Then with the same striking reply a voice came to the young woman,

"This is My temple, not yours or anyone's it has been consecrated unto Me!"

Both hearers of the Lord became humbled that day. They belonged to different churches each claiming right to the Kirtland temple, but it was not theirs to fight or dispute over for it belonged to neither, but to the Lord. This was a great blessing to me when I heard this story as it helped me to have great respect for the way the Lord's vision and understanding of all things far outweigh our own condemning, selfish and sometimes self-centered feelings. It is also interesting to view that during the period of the completion of the Kirtland temple a great mission was about to take place that would allow the British to embrace the truth;

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Monday 11th August, 1997. I turned twenty-five years old today and I would find myself on my way back to Trinidad. After bidding mom and Anna farewell I made my way to New York via a Grey hound bus. I tried to get as much sleep as possible as I knew by the time I landed in Piarco airport I would feel as if a truck had hit me. In New York I stood between 41st and 42nd Streets and beheld the most horrific scenes of immorality and disregard for that which was sacred. It seemed to me that this was a city out of the 'deep pit' and yet still everyone moved along the streets in normal fashion with no obvious sympathy for my thoughts. I saw men with lip stick in full red on their lips, women walking topless, many youths who looked as though they were waiting to make a hit and others that well, you just did not want to know what they were thinking. I hope that such a place would not drown those truth seekers looking for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This scene reminded me of Lehi's vision (1 Nephi 8, Book of Mormon) and those in the wide and spacious building that mocked those who chose to partake of the Tree of Life. Having just come back from many days in the temple made me feel very uneasy on this street and I decided to quickly make my way to the airport. Now guess what happens next I sat and waited, and waited, and waited. Then the airline told us the flight was delayed so I sat and waited. The trip back to Trinidad took about four hours and fifteen minutes. I went to my own home via Pres. Alleyne who chose to bring me up to date with what was going on in the District. I was happy to be home. Happy to be in the land of my birth where in some small way, I could contribute to the spiritual growth of my people

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