So no lettersssss....???
Well this week was good. Burned a shirt on the beach for my year mark. i also needed to ask you to send me my august Bank statement please. BEcuase i talked with president and he should be putting the money i spent on groceries from my home card back on. or at least send you a check for it because there was a mistake in the system and i ended up with too much money and wasn't my fault. but if you could send it to me that would be great!the sooner the better. But yea THis week was good we taught many good lessons and had members go out with us for hours on end. It was awesome! we are getting fed a lot. i'm going to get fat! but yeah! Not a whole lot to tell i wrote a letter and will try to send it today! Love You!
September 8, 2009
Well today i am in a funky mood trying to snap out of it. reading about Josh and Galina going to BYU-Idaho made me jealous. but more just what happened this morning has caused me to make my mood different. We are losing our car becuase the sisters crashed it bad right before we got it. So they are taking it to get it fixed. and becuase we are both brand new and know nothing and have 1/8 of our mission in our area we need a car. so they are taking our car and giving us the "Mission Gua Gua" that is puerto rican for HUGE VAN!
Today for p-day i am the chouffer of 7 elders in the mission gua gua. pronounced as in gua-temala gua gua
Crazy! That will be our proselyting car for 2 weeks. its a 17 seater! learning how to drive for my future family! =) but
visitors. The white handbook says no visitors becuase it can distract us for long periods of time. So they cannot come visit me. But they are more than welcome to leave something for me in the mission office. Notes letters cookies money... ) no letters. or whatever. which is just the mail address that you write me at. but yeah! Nothing super exciting. here is what i wrote to my mission president
This week has been kind of strange taking a while to get used to puerto rico again. It is a great place just much different from the islands. I am using papiamento words all over elder arce is too. we catch each other saying them pretty often. This week i noticed the importance of a good branch mission leader. He is probably the ideal ward mission leader. In the sense he knows were the investigators live. He was able to tell us about their challenges and was able to tell us what there needs were. He even told us that when they taught the second lesson the spirit wasn't able to be there so well becuase there were too many distractions. He is on the Ball! Honestly the greatest one i have seen so far. Not only that he only has 3 years in the church. He reads he studies. He takes serious being a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints. It is amazing! I Love it in this ward! I just need to completely get used to spanish and puerto rico again!...
it was kind of short becuase dont have a lot of time. This week i am sending you four memory cards...=) i got a new 4G card for $15 so it should last me a while so don't worry about taking a while to send them back. just don't forget to send them back.
The area is great just like i said huge. Half of my zone and about an eighth of the mission. CRAZY!
I Love You! Tell Josh i am excited for him and love him. and Galina the appropriate equivelant.
I miss you and apologize for a not so long or descriptive letter. I will write you a letter with more love and feeling.
WOOHOO!! I am a missionary of Jesus Christ!
Today for p-day i am the chouffer of 7 elders in the mission gua gua. pronounced as in gua-temala gua gua
Crazy! That will be our proselyting car for 2 weeks. its a 17 seater! learning how to drive for my future family! =) but
visitors. The white handbook says no visitors becuase it can distract us for long periods of time. So they cannot come visit me. But they are more than welcome to leave something for me in the mission office. Notes letters cookies money... ) no letters. or whatever. which is just the mail address that you write me at. but yeah! Nothing super exciting. here is what i wrote to my mission president
This week has been kind of strange taking a while to get used to puerto rico again. It is a great place just much different from the islands. I am using papiamento words all over elder arce is too. we catch each other saying them pretty often. This week i noticed the importance of a good branch mission leader. He is probably the ideal ward mission leader. In the sense he knows were the investigators live. He was able to tell us about their challenges and was able to tell us what there needs were. He even told us that when they taught the second lesson the spirit wasn't able to be there so well becuase there were too many distractions. He is on the Ball! Honestly the greatest one i have seen so far. Not only that he only has 3 years in the church. He reads he studies. He takes serious being a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints. It is amazing! I Love it in this ward! I just need to completely get used to spanish and puerto rico again!...
it was kind of short becuase dont have a lot of time. This week i am sending you four memory cards...=) i got a new 4G card for $15 so it should last me a while so don't worry about taking a while to send them back. just don't forget to send them back.
The area is great just like i said huge. Half of my zone and about an eighth of the mission. CRAZY!
I Love You! Tell Josh i am excited for him and love him. and Galina the appropriate equivelant.
I miss you and apologize for a not so long or descriptive letter. I will write you a letter with more love and feeling.
WOOHOO!! I am a missionary of Jesus Christ!
September 1, 2009
So this week was good. We picked up some new investigators that were awesome we explained joseph smith and what he experienced and as we explained his question of which one is the true one and she felt the same way she shouted I HAVE THAT SAME QUESTION! and then the next day we taught another lady that said "there can't be as many truths as there are churches. Its not possible but how do i know which one is true? How can i know what baptism works. It was one of those moments you just want to scream it out THIS IS THE ONLY TRUE ONE! but we went about it in a way trying to let her find the answer in the scriptures. My companion said he was glad we had that lesson (on saturday night) because he didn't want to go with the area as dead as it was. So we taught that lesson and last P-day i called president to ask him what was happening and he told me to buy normal food because i was staying. So i did and we enjoyed our food. Then on sunday in church we had a problem. Members started argueing and i tried to calm it down and then the members started telling us that is was our problem and how they didn't feel like anyone even recognized them as members of the church (mission president, the church as a whole) and we just kept explaining to them we come to church to feel the spirit and learn from the scriptures not to see other people or rely on other people. things just kept getting worse. So i called president after church and talked with him for a little while he was very concerned and so just asked me elder ellis...what should we do. i told him my thoughts and he said he would call me back. So we rode our bikes all the way out to westpunt. it was a 45 minute bike ride. and had a lesson and then started to ride back and president called me... "elder ellis. i have decided to close barber." SHABAM blow to the heart. i was excited for next transfer i was excited to keep trying to help the members. "and you have a plane to puerto rico tomorrow morning at ten oclock." SHABAM SHABAM. Two more blows to the heart. i felt like i was in the middle of the desert(i really was) and dying of thirst and tired as all get out. and the only hope for help was a car coming up...and it drove right past (it really did) i just felt like a failure. I know the work here is just as important. but there was just a little sadness getting sent back from the islands so soon. i flew back yesterday and now i will be whitewashing an area with another island elder. i have mixed feelings but ultimately i know it is the same mission and doesn't matter where i am at. The brothers and sisters here need the gospel! I hardley know any of the missionaries here in puerto rico now. Its amazing how many people come and go in a short 5 months. BUT I AM PUMPED FOR REAL AMERICAN FOOD AGAIN! YEAH!
I Love being a missionary!
I Love being a missionary!
August 24, 2009
Woohoo! this is the last full week of this transfer! AAAHHHH! Yeah this week was great, crazy but great. We didn't get a lot of lessons or anything else. we had president interviews and they were great! president asked me if we should close my area. but today he decided that he isn't going to close it but instead he is going to be changing the way i work there. He said i am heading a family/ service approach at missionary work just becuase it has been a while since we have seen success in barber. It is going to be completely different but i am excited. This week i didn't have any accidents but i did have a tradeoff with one of the elders in my district. It was supposed to be a day and a half but ended up being about 4 days. because they made it too late to catch a bus. SO I WENT TO CHUCH HERE and it was awesome. Translating again and with over 100 people in church. next week i will be back in barber with less than 10 people in my front room. Woohoo!
But one more transfer here then i will either go to bonaire or back to puerto rico. becuase we can't get visas. it is just our immigration days and i am up until january when they reset. i have used all my days in aruba and curacaoso until they reset i can't stay. but as soon as they reset president will send me back. Woohoo!
well this letter is a little short and without pictures because i am still up here in punda and don't have my cord. but i love you and wish you all a great week!
But one more transfer here then i will either go to bonaire or back to puerto rico. becuase we can't get visas. it is just our immigration days and i am up until january when they reset. i have used all my days in aruba and curacaoso until they reset i can't stay. but as soon as they reset president will send me back. Woohoo!
well this letter is a little short and without pictures because i am still up here in punda and don't have my cord. but i love you and wish you all a great week!
August 17, 2009
Hello!
So this week we started out and Monday was pretty good! We didn’t get to teach anyone but it was nice walking around and just trying to talk to people. Then Tuesday we had district meeting and since we had another elder go back to Puerto rico because of medical problems it was just the sisters and us. And since our house is the church we did it in our house. It was actually really awkward. Never going to do it again. We got another elder from Australia in our district here. Woohoo! He’s way cool. We were catching crabs here for our P-day activity. Got some good pictures. But as well tomorrow we have president interviews. Before the mission I didn’t like interviews at all. But now I love it because it is a great time to learn to ask questions and to soak up as much gospel and life knowledge as possible. And I will get to report about our district and what I am doing to help them and everything I am excited. So I didn’t cut my self this week. But… I was walking with a candle that was lit. and it spilled down my hand and I dropped it and wax went everywhere. Not to mention down my hand. I have a nice burn mark on my hand. My right hand. Everything has happened on the right hand. I wasn’t even being unsafe this time just taking the candle into the other room. We have candles because the power goes out so frequently. I wasn’t burning anything just walking with a lit candle. But it was funny. Then on Sunday I was trying to close the closet door and took off a little skin on my pinky on my right hand. Bled a little but its good. But the other cuts are fine. The wrist one is all healed up and now just a scar the finger one is started to close up and now I can move my finger normally again. This week we seemed to speak with many Adventists. And I was studying studying and studying to try to prove them wrong. Completely wrong attitude then I read a quote by Ezra Taft Benson. It said. Something like “I am afraid the members underutilize the book of mormon. We don’t have to prove that the book of mormon is true. It proves itself. We just need to learn it and teach it and let people see themselves. It is not on trial. We are on trial. The members of the church. On how well we use this sacred history we have received. I realized instead of trying to prove them wrong with scriptures in there bible Just testify and move on. We had a great lesson with a guy named Theodore and then at the end his wife started talking to us and completely opened up on how she had seen a commercial and wanted the book but couldn’t call to receive it. It was awesome! We are going back this next week. Also our Colombian investigator Alexander came back this week and we have dinner at his house tomorrow. He is great! We had a family home evening this week to try to help the members relationships they don’t get along very well. All 10 of them. =) so for family home evening we wrote letters to other members. One member flat out wouldn’t write a letter. Just sat there and watched the other write. Then another member asked us why we don’t call to ask him to go out with us. It was a big smack in the face. (wake up call) As missionaries we are always afraid of bringing members with us. Maybe they’ll say something weird or take the lesson a different way than we planned. And so we just sometimes don’t even ask. And it just made me think of the quote I heard “if you never ask the answer is almost always no” So I know where I need to improve. One area at least. Its not easy but we are going to do it this week.Woohoo! But other info Somehow I am out of mission money for the month because they haven’t put our island support on yet. So we are waiting on that and I am using my home card until then. So the hundred dollars aren’t 100 anymore. Other clothes can wait.But mom! My shirts are getting dirty! I can’t get my ring around the collar out and my backpack straps are leaving lines on my shoulders. How can I get them out? Is there any secret remedy. I have tried spray and wash and many other things. I soaked them in bleach this week and nothing happened. Back in Puerto rico the Spray and Wash stain stick worked best. But they don’t sell it here. HELP I want white shirts again.
Things are good. Just riding bikes a lot and going from house to house. And then to another house. I met my first german in my mission.
Funny moment. Yesterday we were contacting and talked with a man and he thought we only spoke English so he walked to the houses with us to translate for us. =) it was funny.
I Love you!
Nick Bare got married! Matt told me. I WANT A LETTER IN SPANISH!!! I WANT TO HEAR FROM MY SISTER!!! OR SEE A SINGLE PICTURE FROM HER WEDDING! I HAVE NOTHING !!!
So this week we started out and Monday was pretty good! We didn’t get to teach anyone but it was nice walking around and just trying to talk to people. Then Tuesday we had district meeting and since we had another elder go back to Puerto rico because of medical problems it was just the sisters and us. And since our house is the church we did it in our house. It was actually really awkward. Never going to do it again. We got another elder from Australia in our district here. Woohoo! He’s way cool. We were catching crabs here for our P-day activity. Got some good pictures. But as well tomorrow we have president interviews. Before the mission I didn’t like interviews at all. But now I love it because it is a great time to learn to ask questions and to soak up as much gospel and life knowledge as possible. And I will get to report about our district and what I am doing to help them and everything I am excited. So I didn’t cut my self this week. But… I was walking with a candle that was lit. and it spilled down my hand and I dropped it and wax went everywhere. Not to mention down my hand. I have a nice burn mark on my hand. My right hand. Everything has happened on the right hand. I wasn’t even being unsafe this time just taking the candle into the other room. We have candles because the power goes out so frequently. I wasn’t burning anything just walking with a lit candle. But it was funny. Then on Sunday I was trying to close the closet door and took off a little skin on my pinky on my right hand. Bled a little but its good. But the other cuts are fine. The wrist one is all healed up and now just a scar the finger one is started to close up and now I can move my finger normally again. This week we seemed to speak with many Adventists. And I was studying studying and studying to try to prove them wrong. Completely wrong attitude then I read a quote by Ezra Taft Benson. It said. Something like “I am afraid the members underutilize the book of mormon. We don’t have to prove that the book of mormon is true. It proves itself. We just need to learn it and teach it and let people see themselves. It is not on trial. We are on trial. The members of the church. On how well we use this sacred history we have received. I realized instead of trying to prove them wrong with scriptures in there bible Just testify and move on. We had a great lesson with a guy named Theodore and then at the end his wife started talking to us and completely opened up on how she had seen a commercial and wanted the book but couldn’t call to receive it. It was awesome! We are going back this next week. Also our Colombian investigator Alexander came back this week and we have dinner at his house tomorrow. He is great! We had a family home evening this week to try to help the members relationships they don’t get along very well. All 10 of them. =) so for family home evening we wrote letters to other members. One member flat out wouldn’t write a letter. Just sat there and watched the other write. Then another member asked us why we don’t call to ask him to go out with us. It was a big smack in the face. (wake up call) As missionaries we are always afraid of bringing members with us. Maybe they’ll say something weird or take the lesson a different way than we planned. And so we just sometimes don’t even ask. And it just made me think of the quote I heard “if you never ask the answer is almost always no” So I know where I need to improve. One area at least. Its not easy but we are going to do it this week.Woohoo! But other info Somehow I am out of mission money for the month because they haven’t put our island support on yet. So we are waiting on that and I am using my home card until then. So the hundred dollars aren’t 100 anymore. Other clothes can wait.But mom! My shirts are getting dirty! I can’t get my ring around the collar out and my backpack straps are leaving lines on my shoulders. How can I get them out? Is there any secret remedy. I have tried spray and wash and many other things. I soaked them in bleach this week and nothing happened. Back in Puerto rico the Spray and Wash stain stick worked best. But they don’t sell it here. HELP I want white shirts again.
Things are good. Just riding bikes a lot and going from house to house. And then to another house. I met my first german in my mission.
Funny moment. Yesterday we were contacting and talked with a man and he thought we only spoke English so he walked to the houses with us to translate for us. =) it was funny.
I Love you!
Nick Bare got married! Matt told me. I WANT A LETTER IN SPANISH!!! I WANT TO HEAR FROM MY SISTER!!! OR SEE A SINGLE PICTURE FROM HER WEDDING! I HAVE NOTHING !!!
August 10, 2009
Yay. Some nice stories this week.
This week monday. we just stayed and did nothing in barber for P-day. Way fun! Then tuesday had our district meeting. Pretty good but not as smooth as i planned. then we went to Tera Kora for the rest of the afternoon. It was alright not my favorite but allright. Then we went back home and taught a lesson in barber. Then wednesday. =) we had a Tradeoff with the zone leader. We jsut so happened to have a service project planned as well. So we went to the ladys house to clean up her spiky bushes. We were working hard for about 2 hours. Then as i was cutting down a tree with a machete smack smack smack BOING. The machete bounce back and made a really funny noise then hit the ground and i turned around and looked at elder king. Started laughing then bent down to pick it up and realized it had sliced my arm. right above my right wrist. sliced clean through the leather glove and a good 1/8th inch deep into my arm its only about an inch long. But was open pretty big. So we went to the hopsital and (expecting stitches) they glued it shut. Went home and now i have a cool little scar. Thursday was weekly planning and we finished the day with no lessons and nothing really to show for a days work. Friday we went to tera cora and were behind a bit becuase of our hospital trip on finding hours. So we went finding for 4 and a half hours super D duper. Started talking with a lady that started trying to prove me wrong with the bible and i ended up proving her wrong and she knew it started out as a very defensive conversation and quickly we had control again it actually ended very good they started asking about our missions and then i showed them pictures of you guys and their hearts melted and they listened to us more. Then saturday we started with a nice service project painting our investigators house... it was fun. Then went to our dutch class. WoohoO! and man dutch is not easy. Spanish and papiamento were so much easier. Sunday church was good. ANother 2:30 hours of finding time and not a single lesson. Today...P-Day =) we studied and my companion was waiting for me so we could go to the store. i was trying to make a lizard trap. He went into the other room and before i knew it i had sliced my index finger. Almost down to the bone. blood everywhere. My companion was just shocked that in the same week i had sliced myself twice. So we waited for about 30 minutes for the bus and finally got to the hospital. The nurse laughed at me. He said he would have stayed home and put a bandaid on it. This cut was much worse than my forehead scope injury that took 7 stitches. Deeper at least. Then the doctor looked at it and just put more glue on it. I was kind of shocked that the nurse suggested that i just go home and put a bandaid on it. That would ahve made a much uglier scar and as well would just leave and nice big open wound ready for infection. Big difference in American medicine and island medicine. But other than that this week wasn't super exciting. Almost all our citas fell through and we had a very hard contacting week.
But overall things are good.
This week monday. we just stayed and did nothing in barber for P-day. Way fun! Then tuesday had our district meeting. Pretty good but not as smooth as i planned. then we went to Tera Kora for the rest of the afternoon. It was alright not my favorite but allright. Then we went back home and taught a lesson in barber. Then wednesday. =) we had a Tradeoff with the zone leader. We jsut so happened to have a service project planned as well. So we went to the ladys house to clean up her spiky bushes. We were working hard for about 2 hours. Then as i was cutting down a tree with a machete smack smack smack BOING. The machete bounce back and made a really funny noise then hit the ground and i turned around and looked at elder king. Started laughing then bent down to pick it up and realized it had sliced my arm. right above my right wrist. sliced clean through the leather glove and a good 1/8th inch deep into my arm its only about an inch long. But was open pretty big. So we went to the hopsital and (expecting stitches) they glued it shut. Went home and now i have a cool little scar. Thursday was weekly planning and we finished the day with no lessons and nothing really to show for a days work. Friday we went to tera cora and were behind a bit becuase of our hospital trip on finding hours. So we went finding for 4 and a half hours super D duper. Started talking with a lady that started trying to prove me wrong with the bible and i ended up proving her wrong and she knew it started out as a very defensive conversation and quickly we had control again it actually ended very good they started asking about our missions and then i showed them pictures of you guys and their hearts melted and they listened to us more. Then saturday we started with a nice service project painting our investigators house... it was fun. Then went to our dutch class. WoohoO! and man dutch is not easy. Spanish and papiamento were so much easier. Sunday church was good. ANother 2:30 hours of finding time and not a single lesson. Today...P-Day =) we studied and my companion was waiting for me so we could go to the store. i was trying to make a lizard trap. He went into the other room and before i knew it i had sliced my index finger. Almost down to the bone. blood everywhere. My companion was just shocked that in the same week i had sliced myself twice. So we waited for about 30 minutes for the bus and finally got to the hospital. The nurse laughed at me. He said he would have stayed home and put a bandaid on it. This cut was much worse than my forehead scope injury that took 7 stitches. Deeper at least. Then the doctor looked at it and just put more glue on it. I was kind of shocked that the nurse suggested that i just go home and put a bandaid on it. That would ahve made a much uglier scar and as well would just leave and nice big open wound ready for infection. Big difference in American medicine and island medicine. But other than that this week wasn't super exciting. Almost all our citas fell through and we had a very hard contacting week.
But overall things are good.
August 3, 2009
Many many things have happened. Our area was a bit neglected because I had to go to the other area so much. Monday we went to Punda to do email and as well while we were there I bought a nice pink tie! Wooohoo! Happy birthday! Then we returned home and went and visited two investigators and a less active member that recently had a stroke. She had been talking with us and told us that she prayed and prayed that she could have a visit from someone from church. Then same week Elder Mason (who finished his mission last week) and his parents went by and as well we visited her. She felt so blessed and felt that her prayers were answered. It was a great experience to be there. Then on Tuesday we had zone conference. We focused on The story of Alma and amulek in alma 8,9,10 and how we really need to involve the members in our work. Then president talked more about 17,18,20,26 and how we need to become more humble missionaries. It was good but I am reaching a difficult part of my mission. For some reason lately I have been getting really down when people say no. over and Over and OVER again I hear no. and it has never been so much as a little bump in my patch but lately it just really seems to hurt that we aren’t finding people to teach. I got a letter from Elder Freckleton who was my companion in the CCM and he said he has 8 baptismal dates set and has 13 people in church. They are completely different islands different cultures but I am just reaching a point of frustration/ tristeza that I am not seeing more people come unto Christ. And on top of that we are told by president that we need to contact at least 20 people a day. Here in this area it is very difficult to do that. So we come home and I have felt like I have talked with almost everyone in our path and a few out of our path and my companion counts our contacts and I ask him how many we got and he says “7” I just fee4l like we are doing what we can and its still not fulfilling what we are required to do from our president. And especially as District leader I feel like I have even more responsibility to fulfill what president requires. But yeah! There were many great experiences this week. As I told you I had a baptismal interview this last week. I fasted on Sunday and went into the interview and from the very first words I felt the spirit so strong. I asked her the questions and just tried to get a feel of her testimony. It was great. Then I asked one question and her answer wasn’t how it should have been. I was concerned and upset but continued as if nothing happened. We called president after to ask him to come to interview her. She was upset that she had to have another interview. She was great and ready for baptism minus one small thing in her past. I called president. He told me the church’s policy for it and told me he trusted me to follow the spirit and make a decision that would be correct. So we scheduled another interview and I asked her to see if she had completed the repentance process. After another interview I felt and prayed that I was making the right decision. She was baptized on Saturday it was great! The elders that taught her were very excited. BUT before all that we showed up to their baptism and they couldn’t get the hoses out of the shed to fill the font. So there were trying to pick the lock. They couldn’t do it. So we kept trying and trying and one elder decided to get on the roof to see if he could get in somehow. So he climbed the wall and threw his arms up in joy that he made it up and as he did that the roof broke and he went crashing down. After a few seconds he made some noise and started kicking at the door to try to break it down. (metal door) we kept trying and trying and trying. Finally we took the tire iron of the car and Pried the lock apart and about a half hour later got the door open. 6 oclock came around and the font wasn’t filled barely about 2 inches of water. So we started and had two talks and then went back out about 20 minutes later. There was about 3 feet of water. Good thing she was short. So he did it. Then a brother mentioned he held his left hand up not his right hand. So they did it again and everything was good. Then we started our exciting journey home. Got on one bus. And it wasn’t the right bus so we went and went and went and finally made it to our destination. Then as we got there we waited and waited and then finally a man stopped and gave us a ride and told us there weren’t any more busses that night on that road. Whew.One day this week we went finding in a dutch neighborhood. GREAT! Not. We couldn’t get into anyones house. They all have gates and I am not a big fan of shouting from the sidewalk anymore so I open the gate and go to their door. We walked up to one house and knocked and nothing then we turned around to leave and there was a guy standing there. He started shouting something in dutch. (I only understood that he said the property was private) then I said sorry we don’t speak dutch. So he said “I call the police” so he rushed down the street and left us just standing there bewildered by what just happened. He stood on his front porch with his phone to his ear. We continued knocking on doors and needless to say remained in that neighborhood for about a half hour and no cops ever showed up. Quite funny.This last week we were riding and ran into a man that says he was a prophet. God inspired him to make some power source that is virtually free and he is going to use it to make kids learn. That was interesting how because he received inspiration he thought he was a prophet. We told him god has a prophet and he said. “did you know there is a prophet in curacao?” then I said “are you serious? Who?” and he replied “you are looking at him”. Then he explained some things and just made me kind of sad he seemed fairly confused about things.Also learned a little about the muslim faith. They believe Christ wasn’t actually crucified but it was just someone who looked like him.This week I also was riding my bike close to the prophets house and kicking cactuses along the way they would stick into my shoe. Then one I kicked and it missed my shoe and stuck right into my ankle. My companion had to pull it out it hurt so bad. The spikes went in to my shin at least half an inch. BOY DID THAT FEEL GOOD!As well I was doing my magic tricks and every once in a while I like to show them how to do one. So I showed them the quarter bite one. The kid watned to try it. So he bit the quarter and yanked it off. (broke the rubber band and everything) then tried to spit it out and it didn’t stick so he thought he just didn’t do it right so he picked it up and tried to do it again and nothing so he thought it really was magic. My companion started laughing histerically. It was funny!
That was my week. Full of good moments. A few disappointments but all is good. I am excited for my first District meeting as district leader. WoohoO!
That was my week. Full of good moments. A few disappointments but all is good. I am excited for my first District meeting as district leader. WoohoO!
July 27, 2009
Well this week. I flew down here to curacao. Got a flat tire. Taught some missionary lessons. Laughed at a picture dad sent. and... Not a whole lot more.
No this week was good. I thought i would love a nice open area where you have to ride bike to get everywhere. But now that i am actually in it. We got finding for three hours and only talk to 11 people. It is great! I have gotten 2 flat tires. But this last week we started a dutch class. Yeah i am finally learning my dutch. Slowly but i am learning it. I can't wait till i can say i speak it. we watched a video with a less active member and we put the subtitles in dutch. Ha ha ha. Woohoo! but yeah. I am coming into an area where the last elder tried to talk to every single person. Now everyone as soon as we say bon tardi. they wave us off and don't want to talk to us. He had great intentions just like nephi when he told his brothers about the vision... Just didn't really do it very effectively. I am working on my piano playing juggling and pen spinning too. More the juggling as we wait at bus stops. I can juggle for a little bit then the rocks start to go away from me. i didn't think i stunk that bad. But then as well i am trying to learn to play the piano becuase it would help the members in church...
So as a district we are going to be working on shorter lessons this week. Still good solid lessons but i feel in order to get our contacts and make it to other citas we really need to just teach simple and short. This week was a good get to know a little bit of the area. Church was kind of interesting as well. Sacrament meeting went over by 30 minutes and then to finish it off we sang all 4 verses of the Closing hymn. Then they start the next class with all 4 verses of another hymn. Kind of made me smile. Then we taught the gospel principles class trying to read through and do what we needed to and a member didn't feel we answered the question of the recent convert and so told us we should go back and explain it a little better. It was kind of funny listening to a member complain about how certain members like to gossip as the whole conversation quickly turned into what was happening in each of the members lives.
At the beginning of my mission president told us in our first meeting that as we studied the scriptures and recorded what we studied Nephi would come alive to us. I have been trying to read the book of mormon as a goal for this transfer. NEPHI IS ALIVE! As i read the scriptures and record what i am reading trying to really get into it i feel like i am right there with him. and it kills me when laman and lemuel don't listen! AAAHHHH! But i love it! I love seeing how nephi reciaved his teaching and then how he taught his brothers. Watching what worked and what didn't. President has really helped me apply the scriptures to my life in a completely new way. to really study how they felt how they taught and what they did. It was great! I Love the sacred hour in the morning!
My companion is elder bown from Brigham City Utah. He's got about 7 months. so i am finally not a junior comp.
oh and as well i was called as a District leader. So i call the other elders and see how there numbers are and help them improve and train them and also interview there baptismal candidates. I HAVE AN INTERVIEW ON WEDNESDAY! AAAAHHHH. i have to see if someone is worthy for baptism. AAAhhhh!
Crazy but kind of exciting. So Yeah that is my news for the week. Enjoy!
No this week was good. I thought i would love a nice open area where you have to ride bike to get everywhere. But now that i am actually in it. We got finding for three hours and only talk to 11 people. It is great! I have gotten 2 flat tires. But this last week we started a dutch class. Yeah i am finally learning my dutch. Slowly but i am learning it. I can't wait till i can say i speak it. we watched a video with a less active member and we put the subtitles in dutch. Ha ha ha. Woohoo! but yeah. I am coming into an area where the last elder tried to talk to every single person. Now everyone as soon as we say bon tardi. they wave us off and don't want to talk to us. He had great intentions just like nephi when he told his brothers about the vision... Just didn't really do it very effectively. I am working on my piano playing juggling and pen spinning too. More the juggling as we wait at bus stops. I can juggle for a little bit then the rocks start to go away from me. i didn't think i stunk that bad. But then as well i am trying to learn to play the piano becuase it would help the members in church...
So as a district we are going to be working on shorter lessons this week. Still good solid lessons but i feel in order to get our contacts and make it to other citas we really need to just teach simple and short. This week was a good get to know a little bit of the area. Church was kind of interesting as well. Sacrament meeting went over by 30 minutes and then to finish it off we sang all 4 verses of the Closing hymn. Then they start the next class with all 4 verses of another hymn. Kind of made me smile. Then we taught the gospel principles class trying to read through and do what we needed to and a member didn't feel we answered the question of the recent convert and so told us we should go back and explain it a little better. It was kind of funny listening to a member complain about how certain members like to gossip as the whole conversation quickly turned into what was happening in each of the members lives.
At the beginning of my mission president told us in our first meeting that as we studied the scriptures and recorded what we studied Nephi would come alive to us. I have been trying to read the book of mormon as a goal for this transfer. NEPHI IS ALIVE! As i read the scriptures and record what i am reading trying to really get into it i feel like i am right there with him. and it kills me when laman and lemuel don't listen! AAAHHHH! But i love it! I love seeing how nephi reciaved his teaching and then how he taught his brothers. Watching what worked and what didn't. President has really helped me apply the scriptures to my life in a completely new way. to really study how they felt how they taught and what they did. It was great! I Love the sacred hour in the morning!
My companion is elder bown from Brigham City Utah. He's got about 7 months. so i am finally not a junior comp.
oh and as well i was called as a District leader. So i call the other elders and see how there numbers are and help them improve and train them and also interview there baptismal candidates. I HAVE AN INTERVIEW ON WEDNESDAY! AAAAHHHH. i have to see if someone is worthy for baptism. AAAhhhh!
Crazy but kind of exciting. So Yeah that is my news for the week. Enjoy!
July 20, 2009
Tomorrow I am leaving for Curacao. So this week was a good one. Just a lot of going out trying to find things to do. We didn't reach our contacts the last few weeks and i know that it was inspired for president to have us get 20 contacts a day becuase when we don't we don't teach. Although we went out and tried. We couldnt get a whole lot done and so we were kind of down. Then we went out one finding time and i was in a lame down mood. But like always didn't stick in it. In the space of three hours we had 7 new investigators. We had 4 investigators come to church and really saw the blessings for working hard. Not only that we had some citas with Angela she's from Venezuela. She is a handful. This week she gave me tons of little gifts. she said my fingernails were too long so she went in and wouldn't let us leave without cutting my fingernails. Kind of awkward. But we worked really hard with her trying to help her quit smoking this week. She tried last week and failed. Pray for her.
Then as well we have Jenny and Reginel. Our best investigators. They are great! They think i am going to get married right after my mission and so they keep telling me to send them an invitation. I don't know why they think i will get married so soon. =) funny. But Jenny gave me a card that said "elder ellis you came to our door and brought with you peace and happiness that i have never had. That i have wanted and searched for all my life. You have really changed my life with the person you are and the important message you share." Then her friend Reginel said. Elder Ellis. You are not just a missionary not just someone that came to our door one day but someone that has changed our lives. You have become a great friend, and a part of our family! We cant wait to see you again.
That made me feel like i really am leaving this area better than i found it! I felt so many great feelings these last few days. Now on to continue in Curacao. Woohoo!Just a lot of going out trying to find things to do. We didn't reach our contacts the last few weeks and i know that it was inspired for president to have us get 20 contacts a day becuase when we don't we don't teach. Although we went out and tried. We couldnt get a whole lot done and so we were kind of down. Then we went out one finding time and i was in a lame down mood. But like always didn't stick in it. In the space of three hours we had 7 new investigators. We had 4 investigators come to church and really saw the blessings for working hard. Not only that we had some citas with Angela she's from Venezuela. She is a handful. This week she gave me tons of little gifts. she said my fingernails were too long so she went in and wouldn't let us leave without cutting my fingernails. Kind of awkward. But we worked really hard with her trying to help her quit smoking this week. She tried last week and failed. Pray for her.
Then as well we have Jenny and Reginel. Our best investigators. They are great! They think i am going to get married right after my mission and so they keep telling me to send them an invitation. I don't know why they think i will get married so soon. =) funny. But Jenny gave me a card that said "elder ellis you came to our door and brought with you peace and happiness that i have never had. That i have wanted and searched for all my life. You have really changed my life with the person you are and the important message you share." Then her friend Reginel said. Elder Ellis. You are not just a missionary not just someone that came to our door one day but someone that has changed our lives. You have become a great friend, and a part of our family! We cant wait to see you again.
That made me feel like i really am leaving this area better than i found it! I felt so many great feelings these last few days. Now on to continue in Curacao. Woohoo!
Then as well we have Jenny and Reginel. Our best investigators. They are great! They think i am going to get married right after my mission and so they keep telling me to send them an invitation. I don't know why they think i will get married so soon. =) funny. But Jenny gave me a card that said "elder ellis you came to our door and brought with you peace and happiness that i have never had. That i have wanted and searched for all my life. You have really changed my life with the person you are and the important message you share." Then her friend Reginel said. Elder Ellis. You are not just a missionary not just someone that came to our door one day but someone that has changed our lives. You have become a great friend, and a part of our family! We cant wait to see you again.
That made me feel like i really am leaving this area better than i found it! I felt so many great feelings these last few days. Now on to continue in Curacao. Woohoo!Just a lot of going out trying to find things to do. We didn't reach our contacts the last few weeks and i know that it was inspired for president to have us get 20 contacts a day becuase when we don't we don't teach. Although we went out and tried. We couldnt get a whole lot done and so we were kind of down. Then we went out one finding time and i was in a lame down mood. But like always didn't stick in it. In the space of three hours we had 7 new investigators. We had 4 investigators come to church and really saw the blessings for working hard. Not only that we had some citas with Angela she's from Venezuela. She is a handful. This week she gave me tons of little gifts. she said my fingernails were too long so she went in and wouldn't let us leave without cutting my fingernails. Kind of awkward. But we worked really hard with her trying to help her quit smoking this week. She tried last week and failed. Pray for her.
Then as well we have Jenny and Reginel. Our best investigators. They are great! They think i am going to get married right after my mission and so they keep telling me to send them an invitation. I don't know why they think i will get married so soon. =) funny. But Jenny gave me a card that said "elder ellis you came to our door and brought with you peace and happiness that i have never had. That i have wanted and searched for all my life. You have really changed my life with the person you are and the important message you share." Then her friend Reginel said. Elder Ellis. You are not just a missionary not just someone that came to our door one day but someone that has changed our lives. You have become a great friend, and a part of our family! We cant wait to see you again.
That made me feel like i really am leaving this area better than i found it! I felt so many great feelings these last few days. Now on to continue in Curacao. Woohoo!
July 13, 2009
Well this week was a good not great but good week. Time like always went by toooooo fast. I have 8 more weeks till i have been a missionary for a year. This week was good because we had P-day then we had interviews with president. then one of the APs came down to teach us how to teach. The only problem was that we didn't get to teach anyone that day. =) had some really awkward contacts with some teenage girls. But then to celebrate the 30th year of the mission we had a 2nd Pday on wednesday and president and sister martineau came down and we all played basketball and soccer and then they took us all to wendys to eat. =) After that we went to try to teach and again didn't teach anyone. then on thursday we had to paint the church and so lost more time there then on friday the young women had an activty and we were the only priesthood that could go so we went to the butterfly farm. then Pizza Bobs which is the resaurant that our Elders quorum is chef at. =) Good pizza. Then saturday we had a real full day of missionary work. BUT none of our lessons were there. Every lesson we had was a backup. Then on sunday exact same thing. Every lesson we had was a backup. except with the elders quorum presidents kids we taught them and had a little family home evening. I love little families. You better have one when i get back erika! =)
But yes my week wasn't super exciting. I did get a nice set of goat horns that i wanted to send home but it would be way too much so i will have to just bring some back when i visit after the mission. =) I will get good pictures.
President also joined two branches together here. Not mine but the other two on the island. They are now a normal size branch. instead of two tiny branches. Its great! He asked us who the branch president should be. He did it in 3 days. then flew to curacao the same day and did it there too. =) He's crazy!
But yah this week we had many funny little kid stories and i need to get better at writing in my journal. so i can remember all of them. Well love you!
But yes my week wasn't super exciting. I did get a nice set of goat horns that i wanted to send home but it would be way too much so i will have to just bring some back when i visit after the mission. =) I will get good pictures.
President also joined two branches together here. Not mine but the other two on the island. They are now a normal size branch. instead of two tiny branches. Its great! He asked us who the branch president should be. He did it in 3 days. then flew to curacao the same day and did it there too. =) He's crazy!
But yah this week we had many funny little kid stories and i need to get better at writing in my journal. so i can remember all of them. Well love you!
July 6, 2009
(Picture this week is Aaron wearing a "Mormon Helping Hands" vest)
Hello. Well this week was full of different things happening. We started the week out strong with three lessons on monday after p-day. It was great! then on monday night when we were on the way home I went to go contact a man. His heart was so hard. He told me that i knew only a few words in papiamento after I had pretty much taught him a whole first lesson. Man. we talked to him and he really didn't want anything. My compnaion was riding his bick behind me and I turned around to tell him something. He was trying to text while he was riding his bike...=) (texting is allowed for us here, becuase for many people it is cheaper than calling) so he was trying to text and I turned around and he thought something was wrong. So he squeezed the brake one handed and flipped right over the handlebars. =) the phone went flying and broke apart in a few pieces. I pulled his bike off of him as he faked he was crying. Then I looked at the handlebars and the left handlebar was bent down about 5 inches. I started laughing my head off. Then I went and got the phone as he was just sitting on the ground laughing. I got the phone and a little boy ran up and asked if he crashed then asked to ride our bikes but we wouldn't let him. Then he asked to see our phone. So I handed it too him he flipped through the menu... then started to run. I grabbed his shirt and took the phone away from him then we went home...=) Then next day we lost a lot of time taking the bike to get it fixed. Someone stole our lights last week as well...=( Then this friday we had pretty much everything fall through. NOTHING... so we went to just try to contact. IT STARTED POURING. We just continued and trying to talk to a guy as he ran under a shelter we talked to everyone under the shelter. Then we left in the rain because we had to get money for the bus the next day. So we went to the ATM... we left a little pool in the ATM room. =) then went to Wendy's to get the change split up. So I ordered two burgers and two frostys and while I was ordering my companion started to talk to this couple. Then as I was waiting for our food the power just shut off. Everything went out. I gave my new bike light to the workers to finish making our burgers and then went over to talk with my companion and the two people. He was teaching them a first lesson...=) in spanish... but he was talking to them and then she asked where she could get the book of mormon. Then elder johnson said we would bring one by and she asked if she could have the one in his hand. he said "no this one is wet we'll bring you a dry one. she said no I want that one. So we gave it to her and got her address and talked a little more to find that they were going to puerto rico to play baseball in a tournament. Then we left and as we left she said "please come over I want to learn more" so we assured her we would. we went home and when we got home noticed our perfect new investigator lives...in the sisters area. two streets over from our area boundary... MAN! But we left and then said our prayers and I asked for the power to come on so we could sleep in comfort. After the prayer as I pulled my sheets up... the air conditioner clicked on...I said "God answers prayers elder" and then it clicked off and he said "on his own time"... Then the next day we had the beach cleanup and then went to the church to clean up and then to a members house then went out to teach. YESTERDAY!!! We woke up, went to church, they had cake and everything after for me. =) sang happy birthday in English spanish dutch and papiamento. Woohoo! then after we went home and found that the sisters had broken into our apartment and put a bunch of balloons in. Then we ate and started our Four hour suicide.... 4 hours of finding time is a long time. but we started and actually we were able to teach four people. We ended with four new investigators and then had one lesson after with two kids of a member that arent members. It was great and we made them investigators too... So on my birthday I made more investigators finded for more time and taught more lessons than I did in whole weeks in puerto rico. I Loved it. Then this morning we wake up to find out our laundromat is closed so we had to take our clothes to the sisters place to wash it. Now we are emailing.... Tomorrow we have district meeting and president interviews. So tomorrow hopefully I get my package but dont know. Then tomorrow we are having one of the AP's come to monitor our teaching... aaaahhhh. Then on wednesday president is letting us celebrate the 30th year of this mission by playing sports and a big BBQ all day long. WOohoo!
This week will be great! Starting it off with two really good lessons tonight! We are teaching the quit smoking lesson tonight Pray for us!
I don't know if I have grown much past 5' 9"
I Love the Gospel.
We also had a funny lesson with a man that told us that the Book of Mormon is just taken out of the Bible so me and my smart alek attitude pulled out 2 nephi 29 and he again said it was taken out of the bible. It was pretty funny!
I Love you all! Can't wait to read some more letters =) Tomorrow!
Hello. Well this week was full of different things happening. We started the week out strong with three lessons on monday after p-day. It was great! then on monday night when we were on the way home I went to go contact a man. His heart was so hard. He told me that i knew only a few words in papiamento after I had pretty much taught him a whole first lesson. Man. we talked to him and he really didn't want anything. My compnaion was riding his bick behind me and I turned around to tell him something. He was trying to text while he was riding his bike...=) (texting is allowed for us here, becuase for many people it is cheaper than calling) so he was trying to text and I turned around and he thought something was wrong. So he squeezed the brake one handed and flipped right over the handlebars. =) the phone went flying and broke apart in a few pieces. I pulled his bike off of him as he faked he was crying. Then I looked at the handlebars and the left handlebar was bent down about 5 inches. I started laughing my head off. Then I went and got the phone as he was just sitting on the ground laughing. I got the phone and a little boy ran up and asked if he crashed then asked to ride our bikes but we wouldn't let him. Then he asked to see our phone. So I handed it too him he flipped through the menu... then started to run. I grabbed his shirt and took the phone away from him then we went home...=) Then next day we lost a lot of time taking the bike to get it fixed. Someone stole our lights last week as well...=( Then this friday we had pretty much everything fall through. NOTHING... so we went to just try to contact. IT STARTED POURING. We just continued and trying to talk to a guy as he ran under a shelter we talked to everyone under the shelter. Then we left in the rain because we had to get money for the bus the next day. So we went to the ATM... we left a little pool in the ATM room. =) then went to Wendy's to get the change split up. So I ordered two burgers and two frostys and while I was ordering my companion started to talk to this couple. Then as I was waiting for our food the power just shut off. Everything went out. I gave my new bike light to the workers to finish making our burgers and then went over to talk with my companion and the two people. He was teaching them a first lesson...=) in spanish... but he was talking to them and then she asked where she could get the book of mormon. Then elder johnson said we would bring one by and she asked if she could have the one in his hand. he said "no this one is wet we'll bring you a dry one. she said no I want that one. So we gave it to her and got her address and talked a little more to find that they were going to puerto rico to play baseball in a tournament. Then we left and as we left she said "please come over I want to learn more" so we assured her we would. we went home and when we got home noticed our perfect new investigator lives...in the sisters area. two streets over from our area boundary... MAN! But we left and then said our prayers and I asked for the power to come on so we could sleep in comfort. After the prayer as I pulled my sheets up... the air conditioner clicked on...I said "God answers prayers elder" and then it clicked off and he said "on his own time"... Then the next day we had the beach cleanup and then went to the church to clean up and then to a members house then went out to teach. YESTERDAY!!! We woke up, went to church, they had cake and everything after for me. =) sang happy birthday in English spanish dutch and papiamento. Woohoo! then after we went home and found that the sisters had broken into our apartment and put a bunch of balloons in. Then we ate and started our Four hour suicide.... 4 hours of finding time is a long time. but we started and actually we were able to teach four people. We ended with four new investigators and then had one lesson after with two kids of a member that arent members. It was great and we made them investigators too... So on my birthday I made more investigators finded for more time and taught more lessons than I did in whole weeks in puerto rico. I Loved it. Then this morning we wake up to find out our laundromat is closed so we had to take our clothes to the sisters place to wash it. Now we are emailing.... Tomorrow we have district meeting and president interviews. So tomorrow hopefully I get my package but dont know. Then tomorrow we are having one of the AP's come to monitor our teaching... aaaahhhh. Then on wednesday president is letting us celebrate the 30th year of this mission by playing sports and a big BBQ all day long. WOohoo!
This week will be great! Starting it off with two really good lessons tonight! We are teaching the quit smoking lesson tonight Pray for us!
I don't know if I have grown much past 5' 9"
I Love the Gospel.
We also had a funny lesson with a man that told us that the Book of Mormon is just taken out of the Bible so me and my smart alek attitude pulled out 2 nephi 29 and he again said it was taken out of the bible. It was pretty funny!
I Love you all! Can't wait to read some more letters =) Tomorrow!
June 29, 2009
did you not get an email last week? I sent and email last week! I sure hope you got one! Man!
Well
i am almost 20! Wooohoo! ok yeah that over with...
Back to missionary work!
This week we worked so hard! We really did. We fullfilled all that our president asks of us. This week we plan on doing it as well and I would honestly like to say there is no reason for me ever to not do it. Laziness. It is not easy that is for sure. But it is worth it! This week on Sunday night we felt so successful so Obedient that we had done everything we could have. We had some pretty funny events happen too. We wanted to get a baptismal date but she said she still has some things she wants to fix before she wants to do it. BUT I went to church this week. I felt much better...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD! Sorry late I sent you a letter I hope you got it. My dutch is a big Joke. =).
But now I think I have a sinus infection. I am going to be going to a doctor soon. My face hurts. Right next to my nose. But i talked with sister Martineau about it and she told me to do the neti pot... =) i did it this morning and took a video of it. but then as well I am seeing a doctor. Today we went up to Oranjestad on the Bus. we got there bought some dushi yui shirts and then some bags. all of which i have pictures attatched. DUSHI YIU means (sweet child) Its from a surf shop here and it just makes me laugh every time i hear it.
This week i believe we got a record for flat tires. But my companion didnt crash this week. We had three people feed us and an adventist lady is giving us homemade bread! Woohoo!
We were contacting a guy who said that he really wants to follow Jesus Christ but everytime there is an opportunity where he can steal something and decides not to he wishes he had. so he said it is just so miserable following christ. Then he told us he had never asked god for help. It was great so see him realize that he really can and needs to ask God for help. He said he made up a bible game and no churches would let him use it. So a leap of faith and trust in the promptings of the spirit i told him to come to our church and we would make an activity out of it. I was really nervous... But he never came to church.
This week was a great week work wise, came home sweating like crazy every day. My shirts are turning brown... I think i am going to use that hundred dollars on one more shirt so i don't have to wear a longsleeve shirt on sunday.
JOSH MISSION LIST!
AT LEAST 8 SHIRTS and PANTS.
If he is in a hot place he wont want to wer the same clothes over again and at least eight will last him every day of the week plus P-day. i had 8 shirts but one got a big stain in it. Pants i have 6. So that is what i will get Thank You so Much grandma and Grandpa.
This week we were riding home one day and dogs love to chase us here. So we were riding and i kicked to get him away and kicked him in the face... he yelped and ran away... I felt bad but then i almost fell off my bike laughing Becuase as soon as i turned around I passed a house with a Big BIG black man in tighty whiteys standing on his porch with his beer out saluting us. it was pretty funny.
We met a wonderful lady this week who was really interested in church and everything but didn't end up coming i really have a lot of hope for her. She has a big family too! Woohoo! THIS SATURDAY WE HAVE A BEACH CLEANUP! we are going to clean the beaches in orangestad. I get a cool ARUBA MORMON HELPING HANDS VEST! Yeah! I really hope president brings me back here next transfer. I am loving this transfer. My companion is honestly the best one yet. I would love to stay one more trasnfer but becuase of immigration days i have to leave the island. =( so i will most likely be going to curacao. Woohoo!
DAD FAVORITE SCRIPTURE DEFINITELY IS ROMANS 1:16-1716 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth...... 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
I found that in response to a prayer and absolutely love it! WOohoo!
Wow. What power has that scripture.
Right now I am reading Truth restored by Gordon B Hinckley! What a life Joseph Smith and the Saints had. He was arrested and acquited 37 times before his death. Then the last time he said in his journal "i told them that if i was to be arrested again it would be my death, if not i was not a prophet of God." Surely enough it happened.
Then the mormon batallion was called to go out. the mormons had been pleading the goverment for relief and safety from the mobs and they said they couldn't do anything other wise they would lose votes. Then all the sudden the government comes back and pleads for 500 men. They agreed and Brigham young told them if they didn't complain and said prayers each morning and night they would not have to fight. Surely enough after an over 2000 mile journey through iowa to texas new mexico colorado arizona and ending in calfornia the fight was over and they returned home. What a grueling trail. The goverment issued a certificate of congratulations to the mormon batallion and said "a search history would result in vain to find such a valiant march made by a batallion so brave. They crossed plains whare animals didn't dare go for a lack of water. Crossed mountains that only goats roamed and fields only savages and wild beasts would enter. but they followed the admonition of the prophet and were saved.
I saw a picture of the Prophet Brigham Young. and below it said Modern Day Moses. I completely understand why.
I Know this church is true! I know we have a living prophet and Just as an early convert of the church said regarding the Book of Mormon " either God or the devil has a hand in that book, man could not have written it." I know we have it directly through the power and inspiration of God himself! What a wonderful message!
I Love Being a messenger of him!
Sometimes I like to argue a little too much. and it is something I am working on. I don't understand why so many people harden their hearts to God himself!
All we ask is that they ask God what is true. How many people don't do it! they say they believe in God but dont believe he will tell them the truth.
This morning I also noticed that you know what. To my knowledge we are the only church that Really firmly states that the lord himself has said this is the true church. Other churches believe theres is the true church by interpretation of the Bible. for example this morning i was reading a testigo book this morning and they said that christ didn't begin to reign in the heavens untill 1914. Not only does that have absolutely no importance to us and our salvation... but the said that a bunch of students cae up with that calculation. Then they show world events that are proving that God turned over his reign to his son. that things started to get worse as soon as 1914 passed.
Very strange. But religion and everything fascinates me. It really does! I am trying to not argue with people or its not really argueing more persisting. But I love this gospel and the more and more I read the scriptures the bible especially the more and more I gain a testimony of the need of the b
Book of Mormon the more and more the book of mormon makes sense. Who else can explain the baptism for the dead scripture in Corinthians who else can explain the third heaven in Collosians who else can explain the Two powers the order of melchizedek and levitical found in Hebrews. I Love learning about the gospel! Why did I not read my scriptures more before my mission!? AHH!I LOVE THEM!
I Love you All! Thanks for emailing me.
Erika you are pretty! Congratulations!
Adios! Ayo! Todoeloe!
Elder Ellis
Well
i am almost 20! Wooohoo! ok yeah that over with...
Back to missionary work!
This week we worked so hard! We really did. We fullfilled all that our president asks of us. This week we plan on doing it as well and I would honestly like to say there is no reason for me ever to not do it. Laziness. It is not easy that is for sure. But it is worth it! This week on Sunday night we felt so successful so Obedient that we had done everything we could have. We had some pretty funny events happen too. We wanted to get a baptismal date but she said she still has some things she wants to fix before she wants to do it. BUT I went to church this week. I felt much better...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD! Sorry late I sent you a letter I hope you got it. My dutch is a big Joke. =).
But now I think I have a sinus infection. I am going to be going to a doctor soon. My face hurts. Right next to my nose. But i talked with sister Martineau about it and she told me to do the neti pot... =) i did it this morning and took a video of it. but then as well I am seeing a doctor. Today we went up to Oranjestad on the Bus. we got there bought some dushi yui shirts and then some bags. all of which i have pictures attatched. DUSHI YIU means (sweet child) Its from a surf shop here and it just makes me laugh every time i hear it.
This week i believe we got a record for flat tires. But my companion didnt crash this week. We had three people feed us and an adventist lady is giving us homemade bread! Woohoo!
We were contacting a guy who said that he really wants to follow Jesus Christ but everytime there is an opportunity where he can steal something and decides not to he wishes he had. so he said it is just so miserable following christ. Then he told us he had never asked god for help. It was great so see him realize that he really can and needs to ask God for help. He said he made up a bible game and no churches would let him use it. So a leap of faith and trust in the promptings of the spirit i told him to come to our church and we would make an activity out of it. I was really nervous... But he never came to church.
This week was a great week work wise, came home sweating like crazy every day. My shirts are turning brown... I think i am going to use that hundred dollars on one more shirt so i don't have to wear a longsleeve shirt on sunday.
JOSH MISSION LIST!
AT LEAST 8 SHIRTS and PANTS.
If he is in a hot place he wont want to wer the same clothes over again and at least eight will last him every day of the week plus P-day. i had 8 shirts but one got a big stain in it. Pants i have 6. So that is what i will get Thank You so Much grandma and Grandpa.
This week we were riding home one day and dogs love to chase us here. So we were riding and i kicked to get him away and kicked him in the face... he yelped and ran away... I felt bad but then i almost fell off my bike laughing Becuase as soon as i turned around I passed a house with a Big BIG black man in tighty whiteys standing on his porch with his beer out saluting us. it was pretty funny.
We met a wonderful lady this week who was really interested in church and everything but didn't end up coming i really have a lot of hope for her. She has a big family too! Woohoo! THIS SATURDAY WE HAVE A BEACH CLEANUP! we are going to clean the beaches in orangestad. I get a cool ARUBA MORMON HELPING HANDS VEST! Yeah! I really hope president brings me back here next transfer. I am loving this transfer. My companion is honestly the best one yet. I would love to stay one more trasnfer but becuase of immigration days i have to leave the island. =( so i will most likely be going to curacao. Woohoo!
DAD FAVORITE SCRIPTURE DEFINITELY IS ROMANS 1:16-1716 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth...... 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
I found that in response to a prayer and absolutely love it! WOohoo!
Wow. What power has that scripture.
Right now I am reading Truth restored by Gordon B Hinckley! What a life Joseph Smith and the Saints had. He was arrested and acquited 37 times before his death. Then the last time he said in his journal "i told them that if i was to be arrested again it would be my death, if not i was not a prophet of God." Surely enough it happened.
Then the mormon batallion was called to go out. the mormons had been pleading the goverment for relief and safety from the mobs and they said they couldn't do anything other wise they would lose votes. Then all the sudden the government comes back and pleads for 500 men. They agreed and Brigham young told them if they didn't complain and said prayers each morning and night they would not have to fight. Surely enough after an over 2000 mile journey through iowa to texas new mexico colorado arizona and ending in calfornia the fight was over and they returned home. What a grueling trail. The goverment issued a certificate of congratulations to the mormon batallion and said "a search history would result in vain to find such a valiant march made by a batallion so brave. They crossed plains whare animals didn't dare go for a lack of water. Crossed mountains that only goats roamed and fields only savages and wild beasts would enter. but they followed the admonition of the prophet and were saved.
I saw a picture of the Prophet Brigham Young. and below it said Modern Day Moses. I completely understand why.
I Know this church is true! I know we have a living prophet and Just as an early convert of the church said regarding the Book of Mormon " either God or the devil has a hand in that book, man could not have written it." I know we have it directly through the power and inspiration of God himself! What a wonderful message!
I Love Being a messenger of him!
Sometimes I like to argue a little too much. and it is something I am working on. I don't understand why so many people harden their hearts to God himself!
All we ask is that they ask God what is true. How many people don't do it! they say they believe in God but dont believe he will tell them the truth.
This morning I also noticed that you know what. To my knowledge we are the only church that Really firmly states that the lord himself has said this is the true church. Other churches believe theres is the true church by interpretation of the Bible. for example this morning i was reading a testigo book this morning and they said that christ didn't begin to reign in the heavens untill 1914. Not only does that have absolutely no importance to us and our salvation... but the said that a bunch of students cae up with that calculation. Then they show world events that are proving that God turned over his reign to his son. that things started to get worse as soon as 1914 passed.
Very strange. But religion and everything fascinates me. It really does! I am trying to not argue with people or its not really argueing more persisting. But I love this gospel and the more and more I read the scriptures the bible especially the more and more I gain a testimony of the need of the b
Book of Mormon the more and more the book of mormon makes sense. Who else can explain the baptism for the dead scripture in Corinthians who else can explain the third heaven in Collosians who else can explain the Two powers the order of melchizedek and levitical found in Hebrews. I Love learning about the gospel! Why did I not read my scriptures more before my mission!? AHH!I LOVE THEM!
I Love you All! Thanks for emailing me.
Erika you are pretty! Congratulations!
Adios! Ayo! Todoeloe!
Elder Ellis
June 22, 2009
Here family. This is the letter i recieve from my mission president every week. This week is great becuase it is about two people i worked with a whole lot when i was in Arecibo and Hatillo. They are great members! Really Great!
Elders and Sisters,
Every missionary, sooner or later, must decide why he or she is here. What motivates our service, our daily labors in the face of heat and discomfort and disappointment? The answer to that question will make all the difference.
At the end of his mission, Ammon spoke of his love for those he had helped come unto Christ:
Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the sickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted. Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth to carry them. But behold, they are in the hands of the Lord of the harvest, and they are his; and he will raise them up at the last day. (Alma 26:5-7.)A key phrase is found in verse 7, "and they are his". What does this mean?
Paul taught:
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. (Acts 20:28)The Lord has prepared thousands to receive His restored Gospel. They are His because He suffered and paid the ultimate price for them. We have accepted the work of seeking them out, teaching them by the Spirit, and inviting them to make sacred covenants with Him. Can we see that each one we find is precious to Him? That we have taken upon ourselves a sacred stewardship, for each one? That we will account to Him one day, for each one?Do we love them as He does?
Ramón Caraballo and Efrain del Toro were sitting together about 2 1/2 years ago, talking about life's problems. Ramón said, pessimistically, "There are no opportunities in life!" Efrain had been struggling with personal issues that seemed too big for him. He could see no way out. He felt that he lacked the power to resolve them. As Ramón spoke, Efrain turned and saw two young men dressed in white shirts and ties, approaching on foot. He recognized them as Mormon missionaries because he had visited briefly with two other missionaries nearly a year earlier. Then, he had no real interest. But now, when he saw the two missionaries, he felt something different. He replied to Ramón, "No, there really are opportunities in life!"
The missionaries were looking for an address. They were lost. Efrain helped them, and then readily agreed when one asked if he was interested in learning more about their message. A few days later, they arrived at his home a few minutes after the appointed hour. They found him sitting outside his home, waiting for them, pointing at his watch as a mild chastisement for being late. He insisted that they return almost daily, and soon he accepted their invitation to be baptized.
What did he find when he attended church, and as he became involved in his branch? Friends, real friends, who stood by him and helped him, loved and cared for him. He found a diligent branch president who shepherded him along the path to full membership and activity in the restored church of Christ. He was spiritually nourished by the word of God in sacrament, quorum and other meetings. He received and fulfilled assignments, and was ordained a priest. He helped the full-time missionaries teach their investigators. Eventually, he received the Melchizedek Priesthood.
Later, he invited the missionaries to contact Ramón, who also accepted the invitation to learn more. Efrain helped teach Ramón, and bore his testimony often. Ramón was baptized. He entered into the same path Efrain had found 6 months earlier.
In March of 2008, at a district general priesthood meeting in Arecibo, Ramón was presented to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood and to be ordained an elder. I asked both Ramón and Efrain to stand and help me as I spoke in the meeting. They related their experiences since joining the Church, and each expressed gratitude for blessings from a merciful Heavenly Father. They thanked the other brethren for welcoming them into their branch family. I asked their branch president to express his feelings about these two valiant members of his branch. With emotion, he expressed his love for them, and in response to my question, described the great sorrow he would feel if they were ever to fall away. It was clear that this wonderful priesthood leader felt toward his flock the same way Christ felt.And the missionaries who found and taught them?
Yesterday, I interviewed Ramón and gave him a recommend to receive his endowments in the Lord’s holy temple. He has been dating a lovely and faithful sister, and they have talked of marriage. His happiness showed in his face. Both he and Efrain are living the marvelous blessings of the restored Gospel. Ramón wanted to tell me about something that happened to him shortly after his baptism. He learned that his sister had been diagnosed with cancer. She had signed authorizations for surgery to remove the cancer. She was not a member. Ramón had learned that Melchizedek priesthood holders can give blessings of health using consecrated oil, but he was only a priest. So, he invited his sister to receive a blessing from the missionaries. She accepted, and the blessing was given.Ramón’s eyes filled with tears as he told me what happened after the blessing. Some time later, but before her scheduled surgery, his sister had more tests. This time, every single test came back negative! Her cancer was gone, completely. The surgery was cancelled, and his sister is healthy and well today. Ramón bore fervent testimony to me that the Lord healed his sister. His faith was strengthened.Then, with a serious and earnest look in his eye, Ramón explained why he wants to go to the temple. He recently dreamed that he saw a deep pool of water. He saw three people swimming in the pool, and somehow sensed that they needed his help. When he awoke, he understood that the three were his father, his mother and his brother, all of whom died without hearing the Gospel. Ramón has worked diligently with his family history consultant to prepare their names so he can do the work for them when he goes to the temple, after receiving those same blessings himself.The ripples in the pond will go on forever.Why are we here? To find Christ's own, and to invite them to return to Him, to Him who bought them with his blood. And to do all within our power to keep them secure within their newfound faith. To love them as He does, and to pay our own little price that they may find Him again. To labor all the day long, every minute of every day, that we might not miss even one.
To lose ourselves in His work, and thereby to find ourselves. And that will make all the difference.
President and Sister Martineau Puerto Rico San Juan West Mission
Elders and Sisters,
Every missionary, sooner or later, must decide why he or she is here. What motivates our service, our daily labors in the face of heat and discomfort and disappointment? The answer to that question will make all the difference.
At the end of his mission, Ammon spoke of his love for those he had helped come unto Christ:
Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the sickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted. Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth to carry them. But behold, they are in the hands of the Lord of the harvest, and they are his; and he will raise them up at the last day. (Alma 26:5-7.)A key phrase is found in verse 7, "and they are his". What does this mean?
Paul taught:
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. (Acts 20:28)The Lord has prepared thousands to receive His restored Gospel. They are His because He suffered and paid the ultimate price for them. We have accepted the work of seeking them out, teaching them by the Spirit, and inviting them to make sacred covenants with Him. Can we see that each one we find is precious to Him? That we have taken upon ourselves a sacred stewardship, for each one? That we will account to Him one day, for each one?Do we love them as He does?
Ramón Caraballo and Efrain del Toro were sitting together about 2 1/2 years ago, talking about life's problems. Ramón said, pessimistically, "There are no opportunities in life!" Efrain had been struggling with personal issues that seemed too big for him. He could see no way out. He felt that he lacked the power to resolve them. As Ramón spoke, Efrain turned and saw two young men dressed in white shirts and ties, approaching on foot. He recognized them as Mormon missionaries because he had visited briefly with two other missionaries nearly a year earlier. Then, he had no real interest. But now, when he saw the two missionaries, he felt something different. He replied to Ramón, "No, there really are opportunities in life!"
The missionaries were looking for an address. They were lost. Efrain helped them, and then readily agreed when one asked if he was interested in learning more about their message. A few days later, they arrived at his home a few minutes after the appointed hour. They found him sitting outside his home, waiting for them, pointing at his watch as a mild chastisement for being late. He insisted that they return almost daily, and soon he accepted their invitation to be baptized.
What did he find when he attended church, and as he became involved in his branch? Friends, real friends, who stood by him and helped him, loved and cared for him. He found a diligent branch president who shepherded him along the path to full membership and activity in the restored church of Christ. He was spiritually nourished by the word of God in sacrament, quorum and other meetings. He received and fulfilled assignments, and was ordained a priest. He helped the full-time missionaries teach their investigators. Eventually, he received the Melchizedek Priesthood.
Later, he invited the missionaries to contact Ramón, who also accepted the invitation to learn more. Efrain helped teach Ramón, and bore his testimony often. Ramón was baptized. He entered into the same path Efrain had found 6 months earlier.
In March of 2008, at a district general priesthood meeting in Arecibo, Ramón was presented to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood and to be ordained an elder. I asked both Ramón and Efrain to stand and help me as I spoke in the meeting. They related their experiences since joining the Church, and each expressed gratitude for blessings from a merciful Heavenly Father. They thanked the other brethren for welcoming them into their branch family. I asked their branch president to express his feelings about these two valiant members of his branch. With emotion, he expressed his love for them, and in response to my question, described the great sorrow he would feel if they were ever to fall away. It was clear that this wonderful priesthood leader felt toward his flock the same way Christ felt.And the missionaries who found and taught them?
Yesterday, I interviewed Ramón and gave him a recommend to receive his endowments in the Lord’s holy temple. He has been dating a lovely and faithful sister, and they have talked of marriage. His happiness showed in his face. Both he and Efrain are living the marvelous blessings of the restored Gospel. Ramón wanted to tell me about something that happened to him shortly after his baptism. He learned that his sister had been diagnosed with cancer. She had signed authorizations for surgery to remove the cancer. She was not a member. Ramón had learned that Melchizedek priesthood holders can give blessings of health using consecrated oil, but he was only a priest. So, he invited his sister to receive a blessing from the missionaries. She accepted, and the blessing was given.Ramón’s eyes filled with tears as he told me what happened after the blessing. Some time later, but before her scheduled surgery, his sister had more tests. This time, every single test came back negative! Her cancer was gone, completely. The surgery was cancelled, and his sister is healthy and well today. Ramón bore fervent testimony to me that the Lord healed his sister. His faith was strengthened.Then, with a serious and earnest look in his eye, Ramón explained why he wants to go to the temple. He recently dreamed that he saw a deep pool of water. He saw three people swimming in the pool, and somehow sensed that they needed his help. When he awoke, he understood that the three were his father, his mother and his brother, all of whom died without hearing the Gospel. Ramón has worked diligently with his family history consultant to prepare their names so he can do the work for them when he goes to the temple, after receiving those same blessings himself.The ripples in the pond will go on forever.Why are we here? To find Christ's own, and to invite them to return to Him, to Him who bought them with his blood. And to do all within our power to keep them secure within their newfound faith. To love them as He does, and to pay our own little price that they may find Him again. To labor all the day long, every minute of every day, that we might not miss even one.
To lose ourselves in His work, and thereby to find ourselves. And that will make all the difference.
President and Sister Martineau Puerto Rico San Juan West Mission
June 15, 2009
This week i have really been struggling mental wise. I really want to contact and want to do it. I am pumped in the morning and then when i get out i just keep talking myself out of it. Now that Elder Johnson is my companion and is learning the language i have really had to step it up. and DO!This week i had a wonderful conversation with a testigo. They came to our door. Of course they didn't want to accept what i was saying but i was trying to share it with the most love for them i could.I don't think i could be with a better companion. We get along great. We both see things pretty much eye to eye except he's about a foot taller than me. and i just overall have loved these first few days. Last transfer was just different. I really struggled to feel the spirit. it was hard on me. But towards the end i really just tried to put differences aside and continue on and try to complement him instead of bring him down.This week we had a good experience with one of our great investigators jenny. Almost like the power of a member refference. She is not a member yet but has just as much excitement. She knows the book of mormon is true and knows that god has a plan. The questions she asks are to seek information instead of to disprove. but she invited her brother over to speak with us. He sat there content the whole time as we taught the lesson. Then afterwords he leaned forward and asked us. in english "i don't understand spanish so well, could you come back and explain that in english or papiamento?"
I was so excited. Then we went back and had a great lesson with him. =)
That moment made me feel so good about missionary work! It made me feel like they were really one of those people that will listen... as preach my gospel tells us to find such.
I need to get my contacts. i want to baptize. I need to be able to try the promise. I really want to do it this week and i will!
This week we also got the sisters. BIKE IS super. Man its so hot here and i sweat like a pig all day long. My shirts are turning yellow brownish... its so dry and there is so much dust. so i get wet a little dust storm comes through then everything is light brown. its great!
I am teaching the sisters and my companion papiamento. President is crazy! I just started learning this language 6 weeks ago and now he makes me island train! AAAHHH! no its good. Its only made my papiamento get better. But i don't know what president was thinking. He's the district leader though so thats good. I don't want leadership yet. Teaching papiamento is good enough. You should hear some of my phone calls. They are about as far away from communicating as possible. =) no its really not that bad. every one tells me HOPI LIHE HOPI LIHE. which is very fast very fast. You are learn fast!
But yeah i have already lost a lot of water weight. My face is getting a little skinnier. all the good stuff! Yeah! my skin darker and darker. my shirts browner and browner. My deoderant weaker and weaker. It is quite the life! That's for sure!
Tur Kos Ta Hopi Dushi Pa Mi!
Mi Ta Stima Boso!
Ayo
Me encanta ser misionero!I Love Being a Missionary!Mi Stima Pa Ta Mishonero!(dutch womps...its hard)Ik ....???.... Zendeleng
I was so excited. Then we went back and had a great lesson with him. =)
That moment made me feel so good about missionary work! It made me feel like they were really one of those people that will listen... as preach my gospel tells us to find such.
I need to get my contacts. i want to baptize. I need to be able to try the promise. I really want to do it this week and i will!
This week we also got the sisters. BIKE IS super. Man its so hot here and i sweat like a pig all day long. My shirts are turning yellow brownish... its so dry and there is so much dust. so i get wet a little dust storm comes through then everything is light brown. its great!
I am teaching the sisters and my companion papiamento. President is crazy! I just started learning this language 6 weeks ago and now he makes me island train! AAAHHH! no its good. Its only made my papiamento get better. But i don't know what president was thinking. He's the district leader though so thats good. I don't want leadership yet. Teaching papiamento is good enough. You should hear some of my phone calls. They are about as far away from communicating as possible. =) no its really not that bad. every one tells me HOPI LIHE HOPI LIHE. which is very fast very fast. You are learn fast!
But yeah i have already lost a lot of water weight. My face is getting a little skinnier. all the good stuff! Yeah! my skin darker and darker. my shirts browner and browner. My deoderant weaker and weaker. It is quite the life! That's for sure!
Tur Kos Ta Hopi Dushi Pa Mi!
Mi Ta Stima Boso!
Ayo
Me encanta ser misionero!I Love Being a Missionary!Mi Stima Pa Ta Mishonero!(dutch womps...its hard)Ik ....???.... Zendeleng
June 8, 2009
Ok so. This last week was a very different week. As most end of transfer weeks are. The time seems to pass so fast and then i realize i am starting another month another transfer and soon i will be moving on to another area...or maybe not... but everything just passes so fast.
This last transfer was good companion wise. He was very different i feel like i really finally got to know him and learned to work with him towards the end. It took a while some argueing and much patience but now i feel much more tolerant. I feel like i can put petty differences aside much easier now.
This week has also been good teaching wise. I was kind of upset because i didn't have the focus or motivation rather to get my ten contacts a day as president nos exhorto.
I practiced my dutch.... yep still dont know a thing except Ik Spreek Niet Nedelands and Ik ben een zendeling . That is about the extent of my dutch right now but should be increasing soon. We are going to start working with members to help teach us.. I still need to find a good book.
I ate some funny things this last week. I wanted to try some cactus. So there was a cactus broken over so i took my knife out and cut through the middle and took a big chunk out of the middle. It tasted like a baked potato kind of. But much gooeier. Not bad... I didn't know if it was edible but i didn't die...=)
We went to a lady's house to eat lunch one day ... =) She had talked about making arepas which are like venezuelan tacos. i was pumped then we got there and she had decided to make Sopa de rabo de vaca. Which is COW TAIL!!! Fun! It wasn't very good but not too digusting. Just huge chunks of bone all over and she just ate it like a pro cow tail eater. Just pick out the bones sucked on them for a while then spit them out for her dog to eat. It was cool.
Then on sunday we went to a sisters house who made.... Rice Potato salad (much different than what you're thinking of) Ribs Chicken and a big chunk of beef. More meat than i have eaten my whole mission in one meal...=) no. On sunday i had a great experience. I really felt the promise of the atonement. I felt completely clean new and ready to start working hard again. It was wonderful! I felt like afterwards i was able to teach with much more clarity and i felt the spirit working through me! Just how preach my gospel tells us we can know we are successful and the lord is pleased with us. Wonderful!
This morning my companion flew out. wednesday the other island elders fly out. thursday the new missionaries fly in including SISTERS that are taking over half our area. We had to split out area this last week find a new apartment and get a bunch of stuff in line for them. Whew.
Thursday i hand over the keys to the car and i am on bike again. WoohoO! Time to lose a little weight. I've been getting chunkier. not bad staying the same weight but now i am going to work it off again. President also made a rule a few months back that elders and sisters can't ride in the same car... and he is imposing it here in aruba too. so we are going to have to ride the bus up to do email and everything on Pday. How fun!
This last transfer was good companion wise. He was very different i feel like i really finally got to know him and learned to work with him towards the end. It took a while some argueing and much patience but now i feel much more tolerant. I feel like i can put petty differences aside much easier now.
This week has also been good teaching wise. I was kind of upset because i didn't have the focus or motivation rather to get my ten contacts a day as president nos exhorto.
I practiced my dutch.... yep still dont know a thing except Ik Spreek Niet Nedelands and Ik ben een zendeling . That is about the extent of my dutch right now but should be increasing soon. We are going to start working with members to help teach us.. I still need to find a good book.
I ate some funny things this last week. I wanted to try some cactus. So there was a cactus broken over so i took my knife out and cut through the middle and took a big chunk out of the middle. It tasted like a baked potato kind of. But much gooeier. Not bad... I didn't know if it was edible but i didn't die...=)
We went to a lady's house to eat lunch one day ... =) She had talked about making arepas which are like venezuelan tacos. i was pumped then we got there and she had decided to make Sopa de rabo de vaca. Which is COW TAIL!!! Fun! It wasn't very good but not too digusting. Just huge chunks of bone all over and she just ate it like a pro cow tail eater. Just pick out the bones sucked on them for a while then spit them out for her dog to eat. It was cool.
Then on sunday we went to a sisters house who made.... Rice Potato salad (much different than what you're thinking of) Ribs Chicken and a big chunk of beef. More meat than i have eaten my whole mission in one meal...=) no. On sunday i had a great experience. I really felt the promise of the atonement. I felt completely clean new and ready to start working hard again. It was wonderful! I felt like afterwards i was able to teach with much more clarity and i felt the spirit working through me! Just how preach my gospel tells us we can know we are successful and the lord is pleased with us. Wonderful!
This morning my companion flew out. wednesday the other island elders fly out. thursday the new missionaries fly in including SISTERS that are taking over half our area. We had to split out area this last week find a new apartment and get a bunch of stuff in line for them. Whew.
Thursday i hand over the keys to the car and i am on bike again. WoohoO! Time to lose a little weight. I've been getting chunkier. not bad staying the same weight but now i am going to work it off again. President also made a rule a few months back that elders and sisters can't ride in the same car... and he is imposing it here in aruba too. so we are going to have to ride the bus up to do email and everything on Pday. How fun!
June 1, 2009
Sorry this letter wont be so long. We are going to go to THE BEACH today! Woohoo! but this week was a great week. Like always. Ups and downs Goods bads but I AM A MISSIONARY!SOY MISIONERO! MI TA MISHONERO! IK BEN EEN ZENDELING!
This week as well i really realized how much i love spanish! I LOVE IT! it is so much easier for me than papiamento. Just becuase it makes sense to me. Papiamento doesn't make sense becuase its too easy! I have gotten used to the spanish grammer and structure and so anyhting other than spanish structure throws me off even english sometimes. I feel like it is my second native language. Although it isn't, i feel that confident with it. I can understand almost everything. I am learning new words everyday but i feel fluent and feel like it is a beautiful language. Now papiamento will be the same soon. But Dutch... uhhhh... There arent as many people here in aruba that speak just dutch nor are there many that know it good enough to really teach me. I need a dutch for dummies book. a very basic book.
but yeah. I will be feeling great when i can understand it good. I want to learn many languages. many more =) French i am working on a little with some hatian people. and as well our neighbors are from the philippeans so maybe a little tagolog. Who Knows! but yeah this week I learned many great lessons. This week i was very humbled by someone that knew a whole lot about the bible. I tried to convince him but tried to do it by logic with scriptures from the bible and he would bring back other scriptures from the bible or tell me more about the story of that person in the bible. There are many scriptures that i have in my head that prove (to me) certain things. But i really don't know as much of the background. I remember the part in chapter 5 of preach my gospel that talks about answering doubts with the book of mormon but i just kept wanting to prove him wrong with the bible. I made a great mistake and the contact never really got anywhere. He did invite us to go back but i have quite a process of repentance to go through in regard to the first impression that he got of me and the church. It wasn't anything bad just back and forth bible bashing. But he knew much more. Then our next cita i tried to really apply what preach my gospel says and use the book of mormon and the testimony i have to answer their doubts. I felt the spirit so strong! I really did i knew that i was doing what i needed to do.
I love debating. I do, but as i learned this week I don't know as much about the Bible as I would like but i do have a testimony that it is true and that the Book of mormon is true as well and by sharing that testimony i felt strong and like i had the help of my heavenly father. It was great. The best part was at the end of the lesson they were talking to each other and i know they understood. They understood perfectly it was a great exerience!
That is my week more or less. I learned a lot. about the scriptures and about everything! WOoHoO!
I Love you all! Mi Ta Stima Boso! Yo Amo a ustedes! (sorry dutch will come)
Elder Ellis...
This week as well i really realized how much i love spanish! I LOVE IT! it is so much easier for me than papiamento. Just becuase it makes sense to me. Papiamento doesn't make sense becuase its too easy! I have gotten used to the spanish grammer and structure and so anyhting other than spanish structure throws me off even english sometimes. I feel like it is my second native language. Although it isn't, i feel that confident with it. I can understand almost everything. I am learning new words everyday but i feel fluent and feel like it is a beautiful language. Now papiamento will be the same soon. But Dutch... uhhhh... There arent as many people here in aruba that speak just dutch nor are there many that know it good enough to really teach me. I need a dutch for dummies book. a very basic book.
but yeah. I will be feeling great when i can understand it good. I want to learn many languages. many more =) French i am working on a little with some hatian people. and as well our neighbors are from the philippeans so maybe a little tagolog. Who Knows! but yeah this week I learned many great lessons. This week i was very humbled by someone that knew a whole lot about the bible. I tried to convince him but tried to do it by logic with scriptures from the bible and he would bring back other scriptures from the bible or tell me more about the story of that person in the bible. There are many scriptures that i have in my head that prove (to me) certain things. But i really don't know as much of the background. I remember the part in chapter 5 of preach my gospel that talks about answering doubts with the book of mormon but i just kept wanting to prove him wrong with the bible. I made a great mistake and the contact never really got anywhere. He did invite us to go back but i have quite a process of repentance to go through in regard to the first impression that he got of me and the church. It wasn't anything bad just back and forth bible bashing. But he knew much more. Then our next cita i tried to really apply what preach my gospel says and use the book of mormon and the testimony i have to answer their doubts. I felt the spirit so strong! I really did i knew that i was doing what i needed to do.
I love debating. I do, but as i learned this week I don't know as much about the Bible as I would like but i do have a testimony that it is true and that the Book of mormon is true as well and by sharing that testimony i felt strong and like i had the help of my heavenly father. It was great. The best part was at the end of the lesson they were talking to each other and i know they understood. They understood perfectly it was a great exerience!
That is my week more or less. I learned a lot. about the scriptures and about everything! WOoHoO!
I Love you all! Mi Ta Stima Boso! Yo Amo a ustedes! (sorry dutch will come)
Elder Ellis...
May 25, 2009
This week was very good. We had a bunch of great opportunities one of them being we were talking to an investigator and she just kind of got quiet and started to say somethings about joseph smith and asked us a few questions. Then she sat there and looked at us and said “elders. I read the pamphlet and to be honest with you, I feel that joseph smith was a prophet. I find it very hard for someone to make these things up. I also don’t understand how so many people could have just said that no one can see god. Then on top of all that while I was reading I just felt so much peace. So much Joy” the best part for me was when we finished the lesson finished talking about everything she just sat with a smile on her face and we asked if she had anymore questions and she said “oh no… they have all been answered.” She was so excited to read the book of mormon. She said I need to learn more about this. If it is true then I need to live it. As well she did have some questions about what exactly was the book of mormon and so we read in the introduction with her. She saw the Nephites and Lamanites and said “these names sound like they’re Egyptian, where are they from?” Then we explained to her that the book was written in reformed Egyptian and you could just see everything kind of click in her head. It was such a wonderful experience and only one of many we have been able to see here and I know that it is all because we are contacting so many more people. We’re not perfect but trying to talk to everyone.
We did have many other wonderful experiences this week as well and another one real quick was…We were getting our car fixed and we were waiting, discussing something, and a man walks up to us. We greeted him and he told us he was the mechanic working on our car and had taken it through the carwash. He told us. “The carwash is the only quiet time I have on this job.” He said he was able to just sit and relax for about 4 minutes. He listened to a song about Joseph smith and came out to ask us what the name of the CD was because he wanted a copy. We told him and asked to come over to his house to share more about the gospel. The part in preach my gospel is true! As we look to find people the lord puts them in our path. And sometimes they even come to us. I will definitely keep Natalee in my prayers and janna as well. and yeah i will write her a letter... Have you guys sent me a letter yet? becuase i haven't gotten one...
Today i went to go try to get a little coin purse to put all my coins in because they lowest bill is 10 flourines so i want something small to be able to keep them all in the same place. and so i met this lady she is from colombia and she says i speak better spanish than she does. She is a very cool person. I feel like i have a good friendship with her. He name is Josephina. She was sitting there and didn't have any of the purses i wanted. =) sounds funny huh. But i just started talking to her. She was shocked that we leave of family and friends for two years and that we buy our own food and have to live on our own and everything. She told us to come to her house to have colombian food... =) AREPAS!!! i haven't ever tried them but i am excited next sunday we've got lunch at her house. Then as well we are going to teach her and her husband and her nine year old kid. =) I am very excited. It will be great! My companion and i don't agree on many things and so it is really hard to work with him. He made us go to the store to get new wash mitts to wash the car becuase he washed something else with them... He has to have a seperate set for everything. and we can't use the same bucket to wash the car that we use to mop the floor. He tells me "I owned my own car washing business before the mission just trust me I know" so I just throw my hands in the air and say "your money =) go for it."
He is a "great" driver... =) and all of his companions have "complimented" his driving... I'm trying not to pick on him... its is just too easy some times. But it is really helping me be a nicer person and work on my christ like attributes. Just like missionary work you can't just be perfect at treating people with respect. It requires constant effort and conciousness of all people. Missionary work is the same you don't just get good at it sitting around. Nor with the time you have out. It requires constant effort.
I was studying in Matthew 24 today. and it makes me so sad. So many people don't read the bible don't study the scriptures... if they did they would know that there is one right way to do it. That God does have His way. In matthew 24 it explains alot about the false prophets. False Christs and how the ELECT will be decieved. It makes me sad that so many people don't really pay attention. The bible itself warns of that and says that the world will know and the coming of the son of man will be like the storm of lightning. Whew. So clear to me and my testimony has been strengthened so much by reading the bible and reading joseph smiths translation and reading all of the other works we have to study in the church. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God! The book of Mormon Pearl of Great Price and Doctrine and Covenants asnwers all our questions left unanswered by the bible. Almost every question people have for us we can answer by the book of mormon or bible. The sadness comes from people's lack of desire to search for it.
Maybe its because I am a missionary that I am so excited but I just don't know how someone wouldn't be concerned about doing what God wants. I don't Get that.
But I Love Being a Missionary!
Mi ta stima pa ta mishonero!
Me encanta Ser Misionero!
ik hou van zijn een zendeling!
Elder Ellis
We did have many other wonderful experiences this week as well and another one real quick was…We were getting our car fixed and we were waiting, discussing something, and a man walks up to us. We greeted him and he told us he was the mechanic working on our car and had taken it through the carwash. He told us. “The carwash is the only quiet time I have on this job.” He said he was able to just sit and relax for about 4 minutes. He listened to a song about Joseph smith and came out to ask us what the name of the CD was because he wanted a copy. We told him and asked to come over to his house to share more about the gospel. The part in preach my gospel is true! As we look to find people the lord puts them in our path. And sometimes they even come to us. I will definitely keep Natalee in my prayers and janna as well. and yeah i will write her a letter... Have you guys sent me a letter yet? becuase i haven't gotten one...
Today i went to go try to get a little coin purse to put all my coins in because they lowest bill is 10 flourines so i want something small to be able to keep them all in the same place. and so i met this lady she is from colombia and she says i speak better spanish than she does. She is a very cool person. I feel like i have a good friendship with her. He name is Josephina. She was sitting there and didn't have any of the purses i wanted. =) sounds funny huh. But i just started talking to her. She was shocked that we leave of family and friends for two years and that we buy our own food and have to live on our own and everything. She told us to come to her house to have colombian food... =) AREPAS!!! i haven't ever tried them but i am excited next sunday we've got lunch at her house. Then as well we are going to teach her and her husband and her nine year old kid. =) I am very excited. It will be great! My companion and i don't agree on many things and so it is really hard to work with him. He made us go to the store to get new wash mitts to wash the car becuase he washed something else with them... He has to have a seperate set for everything. and we can't use the same bucket to wash the car that we use to mop the floor. He tells me "I owned my own car washing business before the mission just trust me I know" so I just throw my hands in the air and say "your money =) go for it."
He is a "great" driver... =) and all of his companions have "complimented" his driving... I'm trying not to pick on him... its is just too easy some times. But it is really helping me be a nicer person and work on my christ like attributes. Just like missionary work you can't just be perfect at treating people with respect. It requires constant effort and conciousness of all people. Missionary work is the same you don't just get good at it sitting around. Nor with the time you have out. It requires constant effort.
I was studying in Matthew 24 today. and it makes me so sad. So many people don't read the bible don't study the scriptures... if they did they would know that there is one right way to do it. That God does have His way. In matthew 24 it explains alot about the false prophets. False Christs and how the ELECT will be decieved. It makes me sad that so many people don't really pay attention. The bible itself warns of that and says that the world will know and the coming of the son of man will be like the storm of lightning. Whew. So clear to me and my testimony has been strengthened so much by reading the bible and reading joseph smiths translation and reading all of the other works we have to study in the church. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God! The book of Mormon Pearl of Great Price and Doctrine and Covenants asnwers all our questions left unanswered by the bible. Almost every question people have for us we can answer by the book of mormon or bible. The sadness comes from people's lack of desire to search for it.
Maybe its because I am a missionary that I am so excited but I just don't know how someone wouldn't be concerned about doing what God wants. I don't Get that.
But I Love Being a Missionary!
Mi ta stima pa ta mishonero!
Me encanta Ser Misionero!
ik hou van zijn een zendeling!
Elder Ellis
May 18, 2009
Well family. This week was another great week! I felt so great going through each day and we sat down and realized i hadn't counted all of my contacts each day so i just went with what i had remembered. The wonderful miracle i have been able to see is as i contact more people, try to talk no matter how horrible my Papiamento may be i have the ability to do it. My Papiamento is much better than i thought it could be with just two weeks here. I am able to understand more or less what people are telling me and i am able to teach lessons with my companion.Really this week i feel like my ability to speak Papiamento has increased a ton. I feel like the more and more i try the more the lord allows me to learn the language faster. What a blessing. My Spanish i feel like it is just already another language i speak. No longer do i have trouble understanding people when they talk to me. I feel like it is just a natural thing. I know these blessings are blessings from obedience. Are blessings from work. I haven't sweat as much, smelled as bad, nor enjoyed contacting and talking with people as i do now. I still have more work to do and can improve greatly but i am working.
This week as well i had a huge humbling experience we were talking to a lady that is Jehovah witness. We were talking and asking about the reading we left with her and what she had thought about it and so she just said that it wasn't in the bible so she had some doubts. We kept talking to her and i kept trying to use the book of Mormon to answer her questions but forgot a very important part which my companion quickly reminded me of. As we started talking i was looking for a scripture to share and out loud my companion said...Elder Lets just listen...and i was frustrated. I wasn't trying to fight her wasn't trying to bible bash just sharing a scripture from the book of Mormon. Her heart softened immediately. We started listening. She explained how all the way up until the moment of her baptism as a Jehovah witness she didn't feel good. She felt stressed pressured and just didn't feel like she received an answer.. Then as she got baptized she did. But then she just continued and said she was really just looking for truth and thought she had found it. Then She continued and said... Remember that pamphlet you gave me.... My husband read it took it to work to show his friends and then told me to ask you guys for that book. She told me to pay you for how much it is because he wanted it. Then we gave her one and she asked if she could have her own...she wanted to be able to read it without him taking it. =) When she explained her husband wanted to read it i was shocked. He had started the conversation by saying "I'm Catholic, and She's Testigo" But then how his heart was softened.
I know these things happened by our hard work! I know they happened by obedience. We Taught 16 Other lessons this week! In total Lessons we taught over 25 lessons. WOW!!!
This week was a wonderful week to see peoples hearts softening. There was one contact that started out really bitter towards us and said we had changed the bible and that we don’t worship God. We just talked with him and he started to quiet down and then as we finally ended up the conversation he didn’t want to learn more but oh how his heart was softened. We had many opportunities like that this week. Many!
We also had an opportunity with a member on Sunday she said when she was a kid she was taught that God is only a spirit. So she couldn’t understand that God has a body of flesh and bones. That was pretty hard for her. She has some work to do to strengthen her testimony.
I was listening to the conference talks and something stood out to me so much! President Uchtdorf said “THIS CHURCH IS NOT A SECOND HAND CHURCH! YOU CANNOT RECEIVE THE BLESSINGS BY WATCHING OTHER FULFILL THERE RESPONSIBILITIES!” that’s my translation from the Spanish translation. Not sure if its word for word. BUT GREAT! WOW!
Guess what. I was asked to direct in church again. Then asked to give a talk again. Then asked to teach Sunday school. Then asked to teach priesthood. =) Fun day! I really enjoyed it and it was one of the greatest priesthood lessons that I have been in since before my mission. Not because I taught…but because the spirit guided a discussion just like the manual says it should be. Great!
That was my week. Our Investigator Delia’s Cousin died this week. It was hard to teach her and hard for just about everything but she’s slowly feeling better and better.We had so many lessons.. So much everything. Time is passing by so fast. !!! aaAAAHhhhHH!
I Love you! My Papiamento is in no way shape or form perfect but getting better. But Spanish…Now it is just polishing….=) learning new words from other countries.
Love you all,
Elder Ellis
This week as well i had a huge humbling experience we were talking to a lady that is Jehovah witness. We were talking and asking about the reading we left with her and what she had thought about it and so she just said that it wasn't in the bible so she had some doubts. We kept talking to her and i kept trying to use the book of Mormon to answer her questions but forgot a very important part which my companion quickly reminded me of. As we started talking i was looking for a scripture to share and out loud my companion said...Elder Lets just listen...and i was frustrated. I wasn't trying to fight her wasn't trying to bible bash just sharing a scripture from the book of Mormon. Her heart softened immediately. We started listening. She explained how all the way up until the moment of her baptism as a Jehovah witness she didn't feel good. She felt stressed pressured and just didn't feel like she received an answer.. Then as she got baptized she did. But then she just continued and said she was really just looking for truth and thought she had found it. Then She continued and said... Remember that pamphlet you gave me.... My husband read it took it to work to show his friends and then told me to ask you guys for that book. She told me to pay you for how much it is because he wanted it. Then we gave her one and she asked if she could have her own...she wanted to be able to read it without him taking it. =) When she explained her husband wanted to read it i was shocked. He had started the conversation by saying "I'm Catholic, and She's Testigo" But then how his heart was softened.
I know these things happened by our hard work! I know they happened by obedience. We Taught 16 Other lessons this week! In total Lessons we taught over 25 lessons. WOW!!!
This week was a wonderful week to see peoples hearts softening. There was one contact that started out really bitter towards us and said we had changed the bible and that we don’t worship God. We just talked with him and he started to quiet down and then as we finally ended up the conversation he didn’t want to learn more but oh how his heart was softened. We had many opportunities like that this week. Many!
We also had an opportunity with a member on Sunday she said when she was a kid she was taught that God is only a spirit. So she couldn’t understand that God has a body of flesh and bones. That was pretty hard for her. She has some work to do to strengthen her testimony.
I was listening to the conference talks and something stood out to me so much! President Uchtdorf said “THIS CHURCH IS NOT A SECOND HAND CHURCH! YOU CANNOT RECEIVE THE BLESSINGS BY WATCHING OTHER FULFILL THERE RESPONSIBILITIES!” that’s my translation from the Spanish translation. Not sure if its word for word. BUT GREAT! WOW!
Guess what. I was asked to direct in church again. Then asked to give a talk again. Then asked to teach Sunday school. Then asked to teach priesthood. =) Fun day! I really enjoyed it and it was one of the greatest priesthood lessons that I have been in since before my mission. Not because I taught…but because the spirit guided a discussion just like the manual says it should be. Great!
That was my week. Our Investigator Delia’s Cousin died this week. It was hard to teach her and hard for just about everything but she’s slowly feeling better and better.We had so many lessons.. So much everything. Time is passing by so fast. !!! aaAAAHhhhHH!
I Love you! My Papiamento is in no way shape or form perfect but getting better. But Spanish…Now it is just polishing….=) learning new words from other countries.
Love you all,
Elder Ellis
May 11, 2009
Mijn Liefde Moeder
As it was Mother's Day last Sunday the 10th we received a telephone call from Elder Ellis. Although there is no letter from Elder Ellis this week, we had a wonderful time talking with him. He told us many stories, quoted scriptures, bore his testimony in Spanish and told us how it is even more hot and muggy in Aruba than it was in Puerto Rico. He is having the experience of a lifetime and loves being a missionary. His love for the people in that part of the world is tremendous and his love of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is most evident. We all look forward to a letter again next week.
As it was Mother's Day last Sunday the 10th we received a telephone call from Elder Ellis. Although there is no letter from Elder Ellis this week, we had a wonderful time talking with him. He told us many stories, quoted scriptures, bore his testimony in Spanish and told us how it is even more hot and muggy in Aruba than it was in Puerto Rico. He is having the experience of a lifetime and loves being a missionary. His love for the people in that part of the world is tremendous and his love of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is most evident. We all look forward to a letter again next week.
May 4, 2009
e largu karta
ok. Well This week... HMMMMM
Well lets just say i have been on 4 flights in the last week. I am flying back to aruba today. We came down taught people i am learning papiamento and still can't do a contact very good in it so i just give up a little and speak in spanish. I just haven't had time to study papiamento. but i will be learning it much better this next week when i finally get into my own apartment. We had a wonderful meeting with president. All the "Island Elders" It was a very humbling experience. or an experience in which i prayed for humility. he told us that this transfer he hand picked who he wanted down here in the islands. Last trasnfer he had several misisonaries down here that were not obedient nor were doing the missioanry work like it should be done. But he told us that this transfer he has specifically chosen the best missionaries to come down to the islands. He said that the islands have to be a place that baptizes. It has to be a place that leads the mission. He told us he only expects and will accept the highest obedience from us here. We need to pull up the slack. He said he needs us to show the rest of the mission how to work. I felt like i didn't deserve to be here. Honestly the feelings of inadequacy are setting in a little. But the strengthening comfort from my heavenly father help a lot!!! It is a much different culture here. There are millions of cultures. In the airport they anounce everything in like 5 different languages. English Spanish Portuegues Dutch and Papiamento. people here are from all over the world. Everyone that owns a little snack store is chinese. Everyone that is white is from holland people from haiti people from the dominican ecuador columbia ALL OVER!!! the meeting yesterday was in english spanish and papiamento. =) BUT after this meeting with president... it was a great meeting by the way. After this we went to go have lunch... Treat from president... =) islands=) but then we had to leave before the food came out to make it to the airport. They said they were going to bring us our food in the airport. We left... Got in the airport there was a problem with the tickets so we barely got it worked out. There was traffic so we never got our food!!!! AAAHHHH but we barely made our plane. We got to aruba. I made it through immigration but the other elders didn't... I had to go downstairs and wait all by myself with all our luggagefor about an hour. Watching the stairs hoping i would have a companion soon. No one came....Then finally one elder made it through because he had a ticket home since he only has 2 months left on his mission. CRAZY! We The other elders got sent back to curacao we went that night and tried to get in to the other apartments to get them clean clothes. One of them we had the key and the other we had to break in. We broke in and got them clean clothes then left and had to Jerry rig the door so it would "lock"...=) then the next day we had a plane back to bring them their clothes....Thats why i am here =). BUT president bought the tickets for the wrong day. so we had to change the tickets and we finally made it in... Then our plane which was for two oclock was delayed to 6:15 =) super.... So we finally got in. We made a quick stop by presidents hotel to give him some ice cream... since he has had an even crazier week than us. Then yesterday i had the funniest experience i have had yet. =) We went over to a return cita... We called for the guy and no one came out so we knocked on his door and called again. Finally a guy came running out of his house. Not the same guy we talked to last time. He was breathing way heavy and touching his chest. Then through his arms out with huge eyes and looked up to the sky. Then i thought he was going to give me a big hug but luckily he didn't. Then we were trying to figure out what was wrong. He was drunk or very intoxicated by other drugs. He invited us in and we didn't go in. (threesome Elder Ainge Elder Cramer and i) he started to pull us in one by one. So we went in and he did the same thing he just wanted us inside. He started touching elders cramers arm and smelling it and touching it to his forehead. Then elder ainge gave him a passalong card. He looked at the picture of jesus christ and almost passed out. Then elder Cramer (freaked out) asked his name and his eyes got really big and he said "e kosecha" which means the harvest in papiamento he siad it over and over.... We didn't knwo what was going on then realized elder ainge's planner was sticking out of his poicket he had a picture that said e kosecha on it. so he was reading it. It was way creepy. Then he told us to wait he went into another room. I watched him walk down the hallway and the next thing i knew the other elders were gone. They ran out the back door. I didn't want to leave but i guess they were scared. So i ran out too, jumped the fence and ran down the street a little. Next thing we know he's behind us. Walking down the street yelling for us to come back. Elder ainge shouted "Another Day!" Then we kept walking and about 5 minutes later while we were contacting someone we got a call... we didn't answer it becuase we were talking to someone in dutch....(i didn't understand a thing) Then after i checked it and IT WAS HIM!!!! he called us and thanked us for bringing god into his home and wanted the free DVD... =) it was a hilarious experience just becuase it was so weird and the other elders got so scared. =)
I have had a fun week. I head back to aruba at 4 for me... about noon for you...something like that...??? On flight 9h 2998 Dae Dutch antilles express if you want to track it. From CUR to AUA
I Love being a missionary!
ok. Well This week... HMMMMM
Well lets just say i have been on 4 flights in the last week. I am flying back to aruba today. We came down taught people i am learning papiamento and still can't do a contact very good in it so i just give up a little and speak in spanish. I just haven't had time to study papiamento. but i will be learning it much better this next week when i finally get into my own apartment. We had a wonderful meeting with president. All the "Island Elders" It was a very humbling experience. or an experience in which i prayed for humility. he told us that this transfer he hand picked who he wanted down here in the islands. Last trasnfer he had several misisonaries down here that were not obedient nor were doing the missioanry work like it should be done. But he told us that this transfer he has specifically chosen the best missionaries to come down to the islands. He said that the islands have to be a place that baptizes. It has to be a place that leads the mission. He told us he only expects and will accept the highest obedience from us here. We need to pull up the slack. He said he needs us to show the rest of the mission how to work. I felt like i didn't deserve to be here. Honestly the feelings of inadequacy are setting in a little. But the strengthening comfort from my heavenly father help a lot!!! It is a much different culture here. There are millions of cultures. In the airport they anounce everything in like 5 different languages. English Spanish Portuegues Dutch and Papiamento. people here are from all over the world. Everyone that owns a little snack store is chinese. Everyone that is white is from holland people from haiti people from the dominican ecuador columbia ALL OVER!!! the meeting yesterday was in english spanish and papiamento. =) BUT after this meeting with president... it was a great meeting by the way. After this we went to go have lunch... Treat from president... =) islands=) but then we had to leave before the food came out to make it to the airport. They said they were going to bring us our food in the airport. We left... Got in the airport there was a problem with the tickets so we barely got it worked out. There was traffic so we never got our food!!!! AAAHHHH but we barely made our plane. We got to aruba. I made it through immigration but the other elders didn't... I had to go downstairs and wait all by myself with all our luggagefor about an hour. Watching the stairs hoping i would have a companion soon. No one came....Then finally one elder made it through because he had a ticket home since he only has 2 months left on his mission. CRAZY! We The other elders got sent back to curacao we went that night and tried to get in to the other apartments to get them clean clothes. One of them we had the key and the other we had to break in. We broke in and got them clean clothes then left and had to Jerry rig the door so it would "lock"...=) then the next day we had a plane back to bring them their clothes....Thats why i am here =). BUT president bought the tickets for the wrong day. so we had to change the tickets and we finally made it in... Then our plane which was for two oclock was delayed to 6:15 =) super.... So we finally got in. We made a quick stop by presidents hotel to give him some ice cream... since he has had an even crazier week than us. Then yesterday i had the funniest experience i have had yet. =) We went over to a return cita... We called for the guy and no one came out so we knocked on his door and called again. Finally a guy came running out of his house. Not the same guy we talked to last time. He was breathing way heavy and touching his chest. Then through his arms out with huge eyes and looked up to the sky. Then i thought he was going to give me a big hug but luckily he didn't. Then we were trying to figure out what was wrong. He was drunk or very intoxicated by other drugs. He invited us in and we didn't go in. (threesome Elder Ainge Elder Cramer and i) he started to pull us in one by one. So we went in and he did the same thing he just wanted us inside. He started touching elders cramers arm and smelling it and touching it to his forehead. Then elder ainge gave him a passalong card. He looked at the picture of jesus christ and almost passed out. Then elder Cramer (freaked out) asked his name and his eyes got really big and he said "e kosecha" which means the harvest in papiamento he siad it over and over.... We didn't knwo what was going on then realized elder ainge's planner was sticking out of his poicket he had a picture that said e kosecha on it. so he was reading it. It was way creepy. Then he told us to wait he went into another room. I watched him walk down the hallway and the next thing i knew the other elders were gone. They ran out the back door. I didn't want to leave but i guess they were scared. So i ran out too, jumped the fence and ran down the street a little. Next thing we know he's behind us. Walking down the street yelling for us to come back. Elder ainge shouted "Another Day!" Then we kept walking and about 5 minutes later while we were contacting someone we got a call... we didn't answer it becuase we were talking to someone in dutch....(i didn't understand a thing) Then after i checked it and IT WAS HIM!!!! he called us and thanked us for bringing god into his home and wanted the free DVD... =) it was a hilarious experience just becuase it was so weird and the other elders got so scared. =)
I have had a fun week. I head back to aruba at 4 for me... about noon for you...something like that...??? On flight 9h 2998 Dae Dutch antilles express if you want to track it. From CUR to AUA
I Love being a missionary!
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