Today we received a fax from Jonathan:
HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!
Normally I would ask you to save me some but... maybe not this year! We had plenty of our own, just not any pie :(!
We fly to Guadeloupe on Dec 10th for Zone Conference.
No one is going to the Puerto Rico Mission, that's no longer happening! :)
I'm decorating at tree tomorrow!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
We have one prospective baptism
We had a Thanksgiving dinner earlier today. We decided to do it today because one of the Elders on the French side is going home on Thursday night so he'll miss the fun on both ends. We decided to be different and so we went to a place called the Tequila Cantina for Tex-Mex. It was absolutely amazing!!!
The food down here is pretty much all American unless we are eating at a members house. We have people from all over the Caribbean so we get to eat all sorts of weird things. I won't even tell you some of them because I don't want to bring back the memories for me!
We have one prospective baptism but it probably won't happen for a while. His name is Kevin and he is sooo cool. We found him at like 8:30 last Saturday night and taught him about the law of chastity because he is living with someone. I am pleased to tell you that he has come to church both Sundays since then and he wants to get baptized. We just have to get him married or separated before that can happen.
I just wanted to let you all know some of the rumors that have been flying around since last zone conference. The first one is pretty cool. It's that I will be made the district leader in January when Elder Nielsen leaves. The other isn't as cool. It is that St. Maarten might be transferred to the Puerto Rico East Mission after that January transfer is over. (that puts it around February 15 or so) That would mean that I have a pretty high chance of being moved into that mission. That would be pretty messed up in my opinion. At this point it's all speculation and we don't know when it will happen. I'll keep you updated as information becomes available.
The scripture of the week is 1 Chronicles 16:8. I also like
Mosiah 2:19 "O how you ought to thank your heavenly King!"
I hope you have a fantastic Thanksgiving!
The food down here is pretty much all American unless we are eating at a members house. We have people from all over the Caribbean so we get to eat all sorts of weird things. I won't even tell you some of them because I don't want to bring back the memories for me!
We have one prospective baptism but it probably won't happen for a while. His name is Kevin and he is sooo cool. We found him at like 8:30 last Saturday night and taught him about the law of chastity because he is living with someone. I am pleased to tell you that he has come to church both Sundays since then and he wants to get baptized. We just have to get him married or separated before that can happen.
I just wanted to let you all know some of the rumors that have been flying around since last zone conference. The first one is pretty cool. It's that I will be made the district leader in January when Elder Nielsen leaves. The other isn't as cool. It is that St. Maarten might be transferred to the Puerto Rico East Mission after that January transfer is over. (that puts it around February 15 or so) That would mean that I have a pretty high chance of being moved into that mission. That would be pretty messed up in my opinion. At this point it's all speculation and we don't know when it will happen. I'll keep you updated as information becomes available.
The scripture of the week is 1 Chronicles 16:8. I also like
Mosiah 2:19 "O how you ought to thank your heavenly King!"
I hope you have a fantastic Thanksgiving!
Monday, November 17, 2008
I love teaching!
The work is hard but we had a good week. The island people are nicer than the people in Guyana in some ways but I never realized how unpleasant having a door slammed in your face actually is!
The language thing has been really fun. I can introduce myself and tell people I represent The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in English, French, Creole, and even Spanish. We've found that there are a lot of people from the Dominican Republic here.
I gave a talk yesterday in church on "Teaching by the Spirit". I had to fill about 25 minutes because the other speaker didn't talk very long. There was a couple from Calgary that were visiting and the lady came up to talk to me after and said it was one of the best talks she's ever heard.
On Thursday we had a cool experience. We visited an investigator named Donna and she messed up our lesson plans because she hadn't read the Restoration tract we left with her. We sang a hymn, said a prayer, and then Elder Nielsen just sat there waiting for me to start teaching an unplanned lesson. I felt like I was suppose to read Alma 32 which is about faith. When I asked everyone to turn there, Elder Nielsen said, "That's exactly what I was thinking of". It was a cool experience with the power of the spirit. I shared the same story during my talk yesterday.
My favorite part of church is getting to teach the youth Sunday School class every week. I love teaching!
I wish it could get cold around here! The coldest I can get is by taking a cold shower and then standing in front of a couple of fans while I'm still wet! It's alright though, you get use to being hot. Besides, I have a really nice tan!
The scripture of the week is Alma 32.
The language thing has been really fun. I can introduce myself and tell people I represent The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in English, French, Creole, and even Spanish. We've found that there are a lot of people from the Dominican Republic here.
I gave a talk yesterday in church on "Teaching by the Spirit". I had to fill about 25 minutes because the other speaker didn't talk very long. There was a couple from Calgary that were visiting and the lady came up to talk to me after and said it was one of the best talks she's ever heard.
On Thursday we had a cool experience. We visited an investigator named Donna and she messed up our lesson plans because she hadn't read the Restoration tract we left with her. We sang a hymn, said a prayer, and then Elder Nielsen just sat there waiting for me to start teaching an unplanned lesson. I felt like I was suppose to read Alma 32 which is about faith. When I asked everyone to turn there, Elder Nielsen said, "That's exactly what I was thinking of". It was a cool experience with the power of the spirit. I shared the same story during my talk yesterday.
My favorite part of church is getting to teach the youth Sunday School class every week. I love teaching!
I wish it could get cold around here! The coldest I can get is by taking a cold shower and then standing in front of a couple of fans while I'm still wet! It's alright though, you get use to being hot. Besides, I have a really nice tan!
The scripture of the week is Alma 32.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Saint Martin's Day
Things are very different here on Sint Maarten, there are hills, cactus, and fast food restaurants. The people aren't very humble. That means it's harder to be a missionary. I've seen lots of cruise ships. Philipsburg is the port city and I remember shopping here with Mom and Rob.
The "English" side of St. Maarten usually has a French speaking and
an English speaking elder. It's unusual that Elder Nielsen and I are both English speaking.
Elder Nielsen is a great guy. He had the worst thing happen to him during his first transfer. His dad got hit by a car and died! He really loves horses and he talks about them all day long. He is also from Utah, a little town called Tabiona. He played basketball in high school. He was also a zone leader in Trinidad for 6 months before
he came to St. Maarten last transfer.
Zone Conference on Guadeloupe was great. I got to practice French and they got to practice English!
Today I was "forced" to play basketball with a bunch of British guys. They were all pretty good and it was a lot of fun.
Tomorrow is a national holiday, Saint Martin's Day. The Queen of Holland will be here. We get to spend the morning at the church at a branch activity that is the Sint Maarten equivalent of a bar-b-que.
I'm really looking forward to that!
For Thanksgiving, the branch is throwing a party for the missionaries, the 2 sets of medical students from the states and 2 couples that are pretty much beach bums that manage a surf shop down here. (They offered me a job when I get off my mission. How cool would that be?)
I am in Alma 17 in my personal Book of Mormon reading. I am trying to finish it by the end of the month.
The scripture of the week is 3 Nephi 15:9-10.
St. Martin's Day Facts:
St. Martin's Day is November 11, the feast day of Martin of Tours, who started out as a Roman soldier. He was baptized as an adult and became a monk. It is understood that he was a kind man who led a quiet and simple life. The most famous legend of his life is that he once cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm, to save the beggar from dying of the cold. That night he dreamed that Jesus was wearing the half he had given away. Martin heard Jesus say to the angels: "Here is Martin, the Roman soldier who is not baptised; he has clothed me."
The day is celebrated in the evening of November 11. Children go to houses with paper lanterns and candles, and sing songs about St. Martin in return for treats. In some areas where Saint Martin's Day is celebrated, children receive presents from St. Martin on November 11. In other areas it is customary that children receive gifts later in the year from either Saint Nicholas on December 5 or Santa Claus on December 25.
In some areas, there is a traditional goose meal. From the late 4th century to the late Middle Ages, much of Western Europe engaged in a period of fasting beginning on the day after St. Martin's Day, November 11. This fast period lasted 40 days, and was, called "Quadragesima Sancti Martini", which means in Latin "the forty days of St. Martin." At St. Martin's eve, people ate and drank very heartily for a last time before they started to fast. This fasting time was later called "Advent" by the Catholic Church.
The "English" side of St. Maarten usually has a French speaking and
an English speaking elder. It's unusual that Elder Nielsen and I are both English speaking.
Elder Nielsen is a great guy. He had the worst thing happen to him during his first transfer. His dad got hit by a car and died! He really loves horses and he talks about them all day long. He is also from Utah, a little town called Tabiona. He played basketball in high school. He was also a zone leader in Trinidad for 6 months before
he came to St. Maarten last transfer.
Zone Conference on Guadeloupe was great. I got to practice French and they got to practice English!
Today I was "forced" to play basketball with a bunch of British guys. They were all pretty good and it was a lot of fun.
Tomorrow is a national holiday, Saint Martin's Day. The Queen of Holland will be here. We get to spend the morning at the church at a branch activity that is the Sint Maarten equivalent of a bar-b-que.
I'm really looking forward to that!
For Thanksgiving, the branch is throwing a party for the missionaries, the 2 sets of medical students from the states and 2 couples that are pretty much beach bums that manage a surf shop down here. (They offered me a job when I get off my mission. How cool would that be?)
I am in Alma 17 in my personal Book of Mormon reading. I am trying to finish it by the end of the month.
The scripture of the week is 3 Nephi 15:9-10.
St. Martin's Day Facts:
St. Martin's Day is November 11, the feast day of Martin of Tours, who started out as a Roman soldier. He was baptized as an adult and became a monk. It is understood that he was a kind man who led a quiet and simple life. The most famous legend of his life is that he once cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm, to save the beggar from dying of the cold. That night he dreamed that Jesus was wearing the half he had given away. Martin heard Jesus say to the angels: "Here is Martin, the Roman soldier who is not baptised; he has clothed me."
The day is celebrated in the evening of November 11. Children go to houses with paper lanterns and candles, and sing songs about St. Martin in return for treats. In some areas where Saint Martin's Day is celebrated, children receive presents from St. Martin on November 11. In other areas it is customary that children receive gifts later in the year from either Saint Nicholas on December 5 or Santa Claus on December 25.
In some areas, there is a traditional goose meal. From the late 4th century to the late Middle Ages, much of Western Europe engaged in a period of fasting beginning on the day after St. Martin's Day, November 11. This fast period lasted 40 days, and was, called "Quadragesima Sancti Martini", which means in Latin "the forty days of St. Martin." At St. Martin's eve, people ate and drank very heartily for a last time before they started to fast. This fasting time was later called "Advent" by the Catholic Church.
Monday, November 3, 2008
For Halloween... I was a missionary!
Things are going well down here. Zone conference went well. President Robison had us all read the Book of Mormon and highlight every scripture on the atonement that we could find. We all assumed that Elder Vinas (a member of the first quorum of the 70) would be talking about the atonement but we were all mistaken. President just wanted us to do that so we would have the right spirit with us.
"French-side" Zone Conference
Jonathan looks pretty happy!
On Friday, I had my interview with President Robison and it was probably the longest interview ever. We were in there of 65 minutes!
You'll never guess what I dressed up as for Halloween... I was a missionary!
I have been working on learning Haitian Creole. It's a mixture of Caribe, English, French, Spanish and Afrikans. It's pretty tough but I love trying to talk to people in it!
In my personal scripture reading I am to Mosiah 2.
The scripture of the week is John 8:1-11. It is a little different than others that I have sent. I chose it to highlight how much our Savior loves each and everyone of us.
"French-side" Zone Conference
Jonathan looks pretty happy!On Friday, I had my interview with President Robison and it was probably the longest interview ever. We were in there of 65 minutes!
You'll never guess what I dressed up as for Halloween... I was a missionary!
I have been working on learning Haitian Creole. It's a mixture of Caribe, English, French, Spanish and Afrikans. It's pretty tough but I love trying to talk to people in it!
In my personal scripture reading I am to Mosiah 2.
The scripture of the week is John 8:1-11. It is a little different than others that I have sent. I chose it to highlight how much our Savior loves each and everyone of us.
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