3rd Transfer: Week 1 ~ "This Week Has Been a Success!"

As usual Mackenzie and I got to chat this week. I'm a little spoiled:). You will notice that some things may not go together just right because I try to combine what we chatted about with her email. I hope you enjoy hearing about her experiences. Notice how many times she says it was a great week:). We're so proud of our sweet missionary:). 

HEY MOMMMMYYYY!!!!!!!

So I am glad that you switched the days so Destiny can come to Activity Days! I just loved her when I was there, of course I remember her! She is such a sweet heart. Thank you for the touching words you started to make me tear up a bit. Thank you Mom! So this week has been a success! Really struggling week but it was a success. I know that my determination and Sister B's determination has paid off! We have really been working our booties off. We had 2 investigators and 4 less actives come to church!! SAY WHAT?!! It was amazing!! The less actives were Sister R, Sister B, and Brother J. Our investigators were D and M. We have been working so hard with them and they are finally acting upon their desires. It was just our part to help them strengthen that desire and they have. I just love these people so very much.

D came to church and yesterday we brought R and T to his lesson which was PERFECT! They understood everything that he was going through in the Pentacostal church. It was a perfect lesson. We extended him a date and so he will be working towards July 6th for baptism :) We have been teaching D for 3 months! and we have finally given him a date because we are confident in where he is at. This gospel makes him so happy and thats what I love to see. This week though, D told us that he didn't want to take anymore of the lessons cause his wife was saying we are devils because in the Pentacostal church all of the other religions are of the devil. So he was avoiding our calls and stuff. Then I told Sister B that we should just show up at his house Saturday night and she said "YEAH". So that's exactly what we did. We got him at his house and had a lesson and talked about his concerns and he said he was confused about baptisms for the dead. So I explained the WHOLE thing. I felt like I was teaching the whole lesson poor Sister B, but the Spirit was telling me a ton of things to say! So I had to say it. And after I explained he totally understood and said " I will be coming to church tomorrow." WOW! I just know that as long as you follow the Spirit everything comes out perfectly because only our Heavenly Father knows what they need to hear. I am just his servant, whatever he needs me to do and say I obey. That is definitely some thing I have learned since I have been out here serving. Really recognizing the Spirit.

We had success. Me and Sister B really did park the car and went around LH talking to everyone we pretty much saw. And by doing that we have 12 new investigators this week. We have taught so many people, SUCCESS. I feel great about this week. I also taught Gospel Principles class and I had no idea I was teaching but I was not worried cause I knew the Spirit would guide me, and let me tell you HE DID. I talked about fasting and everyone said they loved the lesson I gave. So another SUCCESS. I just feel great about this week! But this week was great. We had a fun Friday night activity as well at President L's house. We played a lot of singing and dancing games (Jamaican games) with the Elders and everyone. Sooooo it was a great week. I am very happy with how it went.

Rinsing Clothes

Here are some pics:

Rinsing some clothes for Brother H! :) This is how we wash and rinse clothes here in Jamaica. We love to wash. Sister B didn't know that we were getting our picture taken though. I have another picture with her smiling cause she wanted a redo but I like that picture better. It looks more real :) haha!

Our new Tri Companionship

This is our new companion, Sister W at transfers in Spanish Town. Sister W is a sweetheart. She doesn't know how to speak any English. She speaks pure Patois but don't worry I understand and I speak it too (don't tell President B) HAHA. The language is so fun and easy. I love it.

Jelly Coconut

This is J cutting a Jelly Coconut. We drink the water and eat the jelly. Its really good. J sells us fruit up in LH. He is a rasta man who loves us sister missionaries. (Pres B asked her to eat more than just mac n' cheese) Since I got your box I have been eating my mac n cheese :) haha. Trust me I eat my mac n cheese.

(We're going to Utah and Idaho to visit Brittany and pick up Chandler. Lauren and Nephi will be flying) Oh and YOUR GOING TO UTAH?!!!!! FLYING ON AN AIRPLANE? MY LITTLE LAUREN?!! OH MY i hope she doesn't get scared my poor baby sister. Hopefully she will get used to airplanes so we can all fly to Jamaica when I come home :D That would be fun!! I will pray for their safety. And you be safe on the road ya hear?! lol. I am jealous I LOVE road trips :( but the work is better out here in Jamaica ;) tell my siblings I love them!

A Road in LH

I can't believe my birthday is coming up in
August... I am going to be 20.. I can't believe it.. it feels like I just came out of the MTC. I have been out for almost 4 months. Pretty cool. Time is going to fly by. I can't wait for road trips with my family. I already miss my family.. but I do my best to focus on the work. Mentioning BIRTHDAYS . YOUR BIRTHDAY IS COMING UP!! SO HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY MOTHER :) LOVE YOU!!!

Activity at Pres. L's House

Oh yes, I got my box and I absolutely LOVE IT! Thank you so much I love my shirts. I am actually wearing my Jamaica shirt right now :)...the green one. I love it cause it has my 2nd country on it :) and my skittles and the photo albums. You
made me tear up when I saw my family album. Thank you so much for them. The box meant so much to me. No I have not received Grandma's box. If she didn't send it through DHL it probably will take a little longer to get here. I LOVE MY HEADBANDS. so cute :) I loved the plan of salvation chart! I was so excited because its a visual and as we teach, the people will understand more. So thank you so much for them! Mentioning boxes.. I tried mailing the one I made for you guys but I have to wrap it with something AND Sister B is going to have to put her information to send it so the name might be Suzan B but it's from me. She just has a TRN and I don't cause I wasn't born here in Jamaica. So just an update. I will send it in the morning though.

One thing about Jamaica is that everyone calls me a whitey... I hate it... Its annoying. Can I just be part of their people? HAHA! Its cute though cause everyone loves white people. One thing Sister B told me is that in Africa there a lot of white people but Jamaica is the country that is full of black people. That's why they have a black strip in their flag. They pretty much run this country. It's rare to find white people who live here.

Most of the sisters are Jamaican. Most Jamaicans who choose to serve a mission, 9 out of 10, are called to this mission because its their country.. and it only makes sense. They understand what the people go through and they know how this country is ran. Plus we are trying to hasten the work here. The weird thing is that this mission is pretty much a sisters mission. Since we have gotten more sisters we have had more baptisms. Especially with the Jamaican sisters. Its a great balance. Because I am American and my 2 sweet sisters are Jamaican it helps me. It makes me feel good because they know how they can help the people find jobs with different programs they have here. In their schools they had to know their Bible. As for me I don't know anything about my Bible except Genesis and that part grossed me out.. so I will pick it up again and try to read it. But its great to have Jamaican sisters here in the mission. Some Jamaican missionaries can go off island but its not likely. I hope I stay in Jamaica for my whole mission. I would not like to go off island so pray for me. HAHA.

This mission is very hard because the churches here are not even developed. The missionaries pretty much run the churches here. All the members are converts from missionaries and thats why they are all so close to the missionaries. Some Elders here in the mission are Branch Presidents. So it's a very different but awesome experience. Its a good challenge. Our little Branch is getting better :) By the way! I forgot to tell you...the H's are gone. They are in the office now in Kingston :( I am so sad!! I don't know who the new senior couples are but we will see them in July. And we got a new elder. Elder K is gone. He went to Linstead but he e-mailed me today which is nice! and the new elder is Elder H. He is a nice guy. But I miss the H's and Elder K. Oh well.. missionary life.

(I told her that we are going to Jamaica right after she comes home) SERIOUSLY?!!! YAYY I AM SO EXCITED!! are we going to rent a vehicle? Because if we are I will totally drive yall everywhere! I don't trust dad or you driving here in Jamaica. I would bring you guys here first :) You have to taste every single fruit that I have tasted while being here! hahaha!

Guess what?! Chandler e-mailed me! He is the funniest! He wants to come to Jamaica when I come home too! He is excited about that. I love Chan, me and him had the best times! But this mission will go by so fast before you know it I will be home!! :)

(After hearing about all of her experiences I mentioned that it seems like she is the senior companion) Yeah thats what everyone tells me. The missionaries always say they would have never known that I was new out on my mission by how confident I am in what I say and do. But Idk...maybe its a spiritual gift that I have. I guess its just by reading the Book of Mormon and understanding how the Lord works. All you have to do is rely on him, have courage, not boast in your own strength and be patient in all of your (my) afflictions. We really do have negative things said about us. As we were walking around LH and I was hearing people laugh at us and mocking us as we walk by, I just thought about my Savior and what he has gone through. We are here to hasten the work. I like to laugh because they won't be laughing in the last day when they will be judged according to their works. But mom time is up I have to go. I LOVE YOU ALL and am so happy that all of you are doing well and safe!!! LOVE YOU!!