News From Trinidad

We had a wonderful flight from SL to Atlanta. Everyone was so friendly in the airport because of our badges. We weren't charged the extra $25 per bag, courtesy of our status as missionaries. I don't know how Delta feels about that, but the agents often have done that for missionaries, since the new rule. We were in row 39 on the plane, almost the last row, and we had tons of leg room and our seat almost laid out flat! We were tickled. Then we got on the flight to TT and we were in an exit seat, again with lots of leg room.

We flew into Port-of-Spain in the dark and we could see the beautiful lights of the city. We made it! It was a bit traumatic going through immigration. We had a copy of dad's proselyting permit (no one has ever had the original) and he gave us a bad time and required us to pay $67 each for a visa (which doesn't really exist). We were the last person through customs from our plane. Dad left part of our important papers at the counter where we paid the fee in American dollars ( they didn't have change for a $50) and I had to back track through the airport going through "no entrance" doors, but I did find the envelope on the counter with all papers in tact. The only reason we discovered they were missing was because no one was there to get us and we needed the phone number to call for a ride. As soon as I returned to the curb with the papers, the Conks showed up. What a blessing they were late.The Conks took us to their old apartment and briefed us on the oddities of the place. We are on the 2nd floor and enter through a locked porch to our locked kitchen door. Our building has a gate for at the entrance. All the windows have bars for protection. We have a 2 bedroom apt with a screened in (with bars and mesh) patio. The view is of a hill and our swimming pool. The building and the area is rather old and tired, but everything in our apt works, including a washer and dryer. There are air conditioning units in each of the bedrooms and the living room. It will definitely meet our needs. We'll take some pictures soon.

The Conks took us grocery shopping, to lunch, to the office and then to Pres & Sis Robison's for dinner at the mission home. The Conks are staying at the mission home for 3 weeks while they train us, then they are off to Tobago to open the area. We really are going to miss them. We have enjoyed their company a lot. We will attend the branch with them tomorrow and then drive around the island for the "eye opening" to see what it is really like. They have hinted that we will be shocked. Trinidad has the highest rate for murder in the world.We'll report more tomorrow.

Michelle, Pres Robison wanted to know if you remember the "loot bags" from your mission? We told him about our connection to the Owens.Did you use blogger.com or blogspot.com for your blog? Blogspot was suggested to us at the MTC and you address seems to be that one as well, which is not the same as Ross Promontory.

Love,Mom