SAD- WOW!!!!!

Reggie and I both agree yesterdays special assembly day was a highlight of our trip so far. Dave and Jennifer dutifully picked us up at 7:00 am. Along with us too was Wayne one of our ministerial servants and Olinda, who is Jennifers bible study that was baptized last year. Our assembly was at the National Park Outdoor stadium, yes we sat on bleachers but hardly noticed because we had such a great day. The peak attendance was 1332. That is an amazing number when you consider there is only 2500 witnesses in Guyana and our assembly was one of 5 or 6 to be held around the country. Last year experienced an 8 percent growth. It was also reported that the peak in pioneers is being surpassed on a monthly basis. One of the branch committee members and a missionary couple who are in the district work as well as others attribute this to the need greaters who come and encourage pioneering. We met so many down to earth hard working bros and sisters. There was an amazing spirit flowing yesterday. We met a sister from Edmonton, Alberta. Her and her husband have been here 6 weeks and going home in two. But they want to prepare to come back.
At the beginning of the morning we met a brother from Virginia. He was here two months last year and is now here for two years. He is a 28 year old elder. Later he was on the program and we found out he had been through MTS when he was 23. He will be flying out to an isolated group to do the memorial and Reggie scheduled him for a talk in our cong. before we leave.
Next a sister behind us struck up a conversation. They graduated from Gilead in 1998 and have been in Guyana for 12 years. They are in the district work. Their name is Brother and Sister West who are originally from Jamaica.
Later we met the Chisholms. Bro. Chisholm is from the states and sister Chisholm is originally from Guyana. They moved here about 4 years ago and live in Georgetown. He was the only elder for some time but happy that they have two now. He served in Bethel for a time in New York. I was happy to find out that he is a fellow Oregonian. Yes, he is from Medford, Oregon.
We met the circuit overseer also. Bro and Sister Rainey were also interviewed from the platform. He is originally from Louisiana but lived in California for some time. He said he has even been to Hillsboro. His experience was that he was raised in the truth. But one day a brother asked how he was doing and he said fine. His mother from behind said " no he's not he is spiritually dead."
So he realized that he had to make the truth his own and determined to move ahead spiritually.
His wife when she was younger had sat in on someone elses bible study but didn't make progress and so the study was discontinued with her. Two years later another sister called on her and asked her for a study. She said she had already studied in the past. The sister said that "you must not have applied what you learned. why not study again but this time study with a view to applying what you learn. So she did. She came in the truth, married brother Rainey and they went to Gilead and here they are in Guyana. So many experiences like that. Lots of missionaries and branch committee members gave motivating talks. All I can say is that it was a treat. The pictures I am posting are: Bro and Sis West, missionaries from Jamaica. Bro. and sis Chisholm from Oregon. and Me with a Sister that I met from Florida but originally from Guyana. Love to all R&K