Back in Miami

Dear friends and family:

I'm back in Miami! It's time for round three!

Miami Shores Creole is by far my favorite area that I have served in. I'm so excited to find and teach the people who God has prepared for me here.

My new companion, Elder Storm, is doing great. He is Haitian! His first language(s) are Haitian Creole and French. His accent is going to help me! I really admire the fire that he has for the work. You could see it especially on Sunday morning, with how much energy he exhibited while we were rounding up for church. Without his diligent efforts we would not have been able to get Roberto, one of our investigators, a ride; but because of him, he came to church and is progressing towards baptism. It is a little rough sometimes to be his companion just because of communication issues. He speaks English well, but we misunderstand each other often due to our different cultures - cultures in the mission, as well as demographic cultures.

We had four investigators show up to Sacrament meeting. Our most promising investigator is named Roberto. Elder Storm and Elder Claude had been teaching him for about two weeks already, and now we're teaching him. He came to church for the first time this Sunday, and he really wants to be baptized. We've already made plans to see him every day so that he can be ready to be baptized.

All of the seven stakes in our mission are putting on a Creole Conference in about two weeks. It will be a full-day event, about all sorts of topics, mostly in relation with temples and family history. We've gotten a lot of people committed to come, and we can't wait to go there and to be a part of it. The new things that are happening in the church with regards to Haitians are fantastic, not the least of which is the new temple announced in Port-au-Prince.

Some of you already knew that I was back in Miami, from something on Facebook that Karen Putnam Guillian put out yesterday. She and her husband had moved to Miami the second time I served in Miami, over 8-9 months ago. We didn't know that we were related. It was only a few days/weeks ago that she read an email about Britney being married that she made the connection and thought that we might be related. Then, I came back into the area and we found out that she and my mom are cousins. We had no idea this whole time. (Note from Nancy...Brandon wasn't quite sure who Karen was when she introduced herself while she was there visiting her son, Brandon and his wife Camille, and new daughter...hence the confusion of Karen being Brandon's wife, not mother. I filled in the blanks when we were emailing today!)

It's also really interesting to see time pass. About nine months ago, shortly after Brandon Guillian became our ward mission leader, Elder Fisher and I were some of the first to get the announcement that Karen (Note again from Nancy: Camillle, not Karen)  Guillian was pregnant. (We just happened to be in the right place at the right time.) Now, I'm back, about a week after she gave birth. That really puts things into perspective for me. Time really is blowing by, extremely quickly!

Mother's day: I can't wait to skype with all of you! According to a letter from President, the rules have changed again. I can skype with you all for 40 minutes now, not just 30. Do you know if Britney and her new husband will be there? I'll call on Sunday morning for 1-2 minutes just to finalize plans, but it will probably be around 3-3:30, my time, when we actually start the call. What skype username will you all be using?

Thanks,

Elder Slade