On to your email and the week! Yes! we did have a service project this week on Wednesday and it was probably the grossiest tish in the whole tishing world....So, we went to go help out at this local hospital. There were about 20 or so of us. Outside, on the street, the sewer gutter thing was completely stagnant with trash and filth and nastiness...it was about 4 feet deep or so? maybe more...just filled with mud and garbage and was not flowing anymore...so...we literally had to dive in to get this trash out. (about a strip of 30 yards or so) 20 elders spent cleaning for over 2 hours. Just taking shovels and buckets and just getting the stuff out and dumping it on the other side of the street hahaha. we literally flooded the street, all the passerbys were so thankful for our service though, even the bikemen were hollering their thanks, even the old women as they tip toed across the constant stream of nasty water coming from our direction. It was hard and gross...the things we saw in that mud....well feces, for starters, shoes, backpacks, bottles, trash, dead animals, syringes, and that is really just the beginning....I mean in these sewer things I have seen dead puppies and tish so it was surely nasty, and I have a feeling if President and Sister Roggia saw us they would have had a fit hahaha, but we worked hard, and even extended our service an hour to do our best, and by the end it was still pretty gross but the water was flowing again :) oh boy...good stuff
Afterwards, we trooped on back to the chapel, and all gathered together and watched ELF :) it was so sweet and made all of us American missionaries very trunky. We were seeing real life, snow, Americans, ah it was great, you really do start to forget the simple things hahaha. Oh, Will Ferrel. how I miss you.
Well, they really haven't given us any information about the phone calls in the upcoming weeks but I DO NOT want to skype. I have watched the crappy skype calls on peoples adjacent computers and it is just sketch. The connection is so terrible that everyone is just doing the robot and it does not look very pleasant. but, from my hypothesis right now, without any confirmation from higher authorities, I imagine Christmas day we will just come home early from proselyting to call. So, probably around 6 or so our time, so I guess that is like 12 your time? or something like that? and I guess I will just call you real quick, and you can call back the same number? sound good? Im not entirely sure how it works but I will get straight on it....
YEAH! I heard about the Manchester United game during church!:) I was having to drag all the Priesthood boys back in because they all tried to make a run for it after 2nd block and I chased em out the door and told them all to get back in for class and that if they went Manchester United would lose...so my boys stayed :) and we won! BOOYEAH KASHA!
For some reason this week I have had some nostalgia concerning Barnes and Noble? Old childhood memory...but, I really just want to chill in our one in Newport News with a big hot chocolate and read some scriptures hahaha, is that weird that that is now what my idea of a good time is? I am a weirdo now.
Ah, i want to see the service project pictures :) and also, the pictures of thomas/laura/ and I and the bike! that would be sweet tay!
and yes...my 6 month mark is this week. I am an old man...and the news I have for you just makes me older and older....
SO TRANSFER NEWS CAME LAST NIGHT
and...I'm not happy at all....at all....
So, Elder Burton is leaving and going to where I wanted to go... BO, and becoming a zone leader, my 2nd district leader companion to continue on to be a zone leader hahaha....
I will be remaining in Mount Aureol for my 5th transfer...training someone who has not been revealed to me yet. I am super excited to train someone but I am super bummed about staying in this area. This means I will be here for 9 months...and its just getting harder and harder because now they tore down our old apartment which was our chapel...so now, our ward meets at 2:30 on sundays.... TWO FLIPPING THIRTY!!!!!! It was hard enough to get investigators to come at 12:30!!! How in the world, ah geeeze, I don't mind, I can only do my best, but I pity my new picking (child) because he is going to wonder why the 30 people we teach in the week don't come to church when they all promise to do so...Ugh, maybe I should be a little bit more optimistic...but, its just going to be really hard. I will stay here and continue to do my best, but I hope I only have to stay one more transfer...but at least I get to train :)
Well, on to better news...I got NAILED by a car this week! not just nicked by the mirror, but hit by the front of the car...just walking down the road like normal and it slammed me in the butt and I rolled down the whole back of the car, and managed not to fall down, but definitely had a limp in my step for the rest of the day, and a bruised wrist, but fortunately that was it :) and yes...you guessed it...the car did not even stop, even with a bunch of angry africans chasing after it, but I am fine :) nothing bothering me now
Random fact...news on the tv the other day said "hooligans" which made me laugh.
Sister Cutler has inspired me but, my shirts here aren't as cool ...but, they can try to be as cool as Hong Kong t-shirt of the week: "My money grows like grass"....I saw at least 20 of those, old people women, men, it is definitely the shirt of the holidays...just can;t figure out why they are wearing it and begging for my money....
So, our Thursday Christmas conference was awesome! We had a gift exchange at first which was pretty funny. We were told not to spend much money, but to get a present and wrap it up for someone. So, I was generous and took one of my nice pink ties, and wrapped it around a big box of mac n cheese, and wrapped it up in ensign pages :) well...much to my pleasure as I watched her pick it up, Sister Edem got my gift from the pile...sorry sister Edem, meant for an Elder ;) While, I picked up Elder Barths gift, a 500 leone (15 cent) toy gun that shot darts, oh christmas time is great!:) It was a lot of fun. Then, President Roggia gave special instruction and it was probably the greatest instruction of my life. He had a slideshow prepared and he talked on the Condescenscion of God, and we talked about everything Jesus Christ really did and how many worlds and everything he has created and all the billions of galaxies and what not and it was just amazing and he had so many good scriptures and just wow it was sweet. President Roggia then dismissed anyone that was tired or had proselyting to do, and so a lot of people left, and there was like 10 or so of us that stayed, and he gave a 2nd lecture on Symbols, so he helped us understand all the Old testament symbolisms and how to really understand the scriptures and everything. He first started with Leviticus chapter 14, and went on to explain pretty much how each word was a symbol and how it related to someone in these days going to their bishop to seek repentance. it was so sweet. we did all these different symbols and how everything everywhere is a type and shadow of Jesus Christ. He can do it with anything. it was so cool :) he even did an entire lesson using a piece of paper, it was so intense. He first taught the restoration with a blank piece of paper by folding it, then proceeded to tear the pieces up until they formed words + a cross, and proceed to teach a lesson with the words. He is an inspired man :) and a future apostle hahaha!
Well, lots of animals invaded our compound this week, and Elder Burton was catching all of them. He caught a Pidgeon that was sitting on our window one morning while it was sleeping. He caught a bat one night that invaded the parlor, and he caught a mouse inside the kitchen.
Also, awesome lesson this week. We were teaching these 3 18-20 year old guys the other night, and one asked if pornography was bad. We answered uh, yes, remember the law of chastity? He went on about how he knew it was bad but was having trouble with it, and how he had just got a film, and how it wasn't easy to just stop...so, we had him bring the cd covered up, then, had him hand it to his friend who snapped it in half. He looked like he was about to cry...but, admitted that it was for the best, and determined he was going to change :) so, it was really sweet to help him with that! he was more upset because it cost him 15,000 leones but, whatever haha, we told him not to sell it, but just get rid of it, and that he did!
SNAKE ATTACK! During one of our lessons a mob of people came rushing down the hill, all throwing stones and sticks and whatever they had at something. Came to find it was like a cobra of some sorts, and at least 15 people were mad in an attempt to kill it, which they eventually did, and then paraded around with it on a stick hahaha. oh silly africans :)
Singing football trainings! Every morning you can look out the window and watch giant football clubs of 30+ people all running by with coaches in the front and what not and everyone is just singing their hearts out to some african chants. it is pretty cool to listen to :) those boys are pumped. but, they are from ages like 10-15. they got some pretty catchy songs they sing too haha
Had a baptism this Saturday of Samuel Albert Morrison, a 10 year old boy who has been coming to church. he has no family attending the church and goes all by himself every Sunday since we contacted him on the street. He even got transport all the way across town to the conference the other day, no easy task for a youngster. so, I had the wonderful opportunity to baptize him :) what a great kid! I know he will be a light and an example to his family as he continues to come to church and endure to the end!
Well...I'm a little bummed about my future at the moment, but I know it will get better. I will train my child up and we will have an awesome time together. I will help him know everything he needs to know so he himself can train in 6 weeks instead of 12....because i want OUT!:) hahah but, everything will work out like it is supposed to. I love you all so much family and friends and cannot wait to call you Christmas day, but I will get it organized better this week hopefully ;) take care everyone! love and miss you bang bang!
-Love,
Elder Jesse Sumrak
No comments:
Post a Comment