Apartments

I'd like to talk about apartments on my blog today, since that is what our activities for the past week have been about.  Trinidad is quite modern.  It has quite a few American items, such as food products, restaurants, appliances, and etc.  It is a poor country as there are many that live in tin shacks with a dirt floor and no electricity or running water.  Our apartment is pretty nice and in a good area which is gated.  It has two bedrooms and two bathrooms and quite a large living room area.  It has all the modern appliances except for a dishwasher.  We feel very fortunate to be in this apartment, because we've heard of horror stories from the Senior Couples here.  There are two other couples in this apartment complex.  We do have to get use to small lizards, ants, humidity, dirty water, unsanitary conditions, and a different type of air conditioning.  Elder Gubler accidently stepped on a small lizard in our apartment and tore off it's tail.  He felt really bad.  We do have air conditioning, but they are wall units in each of the rooms.  We only use the air conditioner when we're in that room.

I invited the two couples that live in this complex over for Sunday dinner.  These two couples did so much to help us out when we got here that I wanted to do something special for them.  I decided to prepare crockpot chicken and potatoes.  I have very few kitchen items, just some necessary utensils and dishes.  For instance, I have one fry pan, a sauce pan, 4 plates, 4 bowls, 4 glasses, and minimal kitchen utensils.  It was rather difficult, because the crockpot didn't get hot enough to cook the meal in time and I had hurry and cook it in the two pans that I had.  I have to make sure that I use filtered water to wash and cook with.  I didn't have a table cloth or placemats.  But, the dinner was OK.  My guests understood my dilemma since they're the ones that stocked the kitchen.  I do miss my kitchen.

The assignment that we've been asked to do is to be in charge of the apartments.  Saturday, we inspected some of the apartments of one of the zones.  There are four zones in Trinidad.  We met the zone leaders at one of the Church buildings as we didn't know where they lived.  It is very hard to find addresses and your way around in Trinidad, because there is no rhyme or reason to the roads.  They are very narrow and a lot of one-way roads.  The zone leaders took us around to the Elder's apartments.  I must say, the missionaries live in dire circumstances sometimes.  One Elder was sleeping on an air mattress that had a leak and was using a curtain for a sheet.  Another Elder's bed frame slats kept falling to the floor anytime he moved during the night.  There was two collapsed bed frames and one torn up mattress.  The Elders and Sister did clean their apartments pretty good considering the conditions they were living in.  By the way, we did replace mattresses, bedframes and other numerous items.  Also, none of the apartments had air conditioning which would be hard considering the humidity and heat.  Elder Gubler asked an Elder who just arrived how he was doing and he said he was "hot".  I'm sure they will climatize.  The missionaries are great, they were so happy and excited to see us when we came.  They are full of the spirit, they work hard, they love and serve the people and they love the Lord.  Any parent would be proud to have them as a son or daughter.  I love the missionaries. 

I have included pictures of our apartment.  I'm so thankful to be here on this mission.  It is a privilege to serve the Lord.  What an honor to be His representative.  We are so blessed to live in America.