nate morris west indies mission

12/13/10

Election fever! Every five years they have elections and today is election day. It's been so crazy this past month. It's just a huge grafitti war between ULP (red) and NDP (yellow) United labour party and new democratic party. It's not good at all. Violence and yellow and red paint all over everything. Huge conventions and parties all over the place. But luckily it's also christmas season so you hear christmas music and see houses begin to put lights up and there's a big christmas tree on the hill in our area that has blue lights all over it. It's that time of the year. It really doesn't feel like christmas though, again. It never does! It's going to be fun though. We'll probably hike to some waterfalls and stuff for christmas. then a member invited us to her house (which is way nice) and we're having lunch there. I don't know what time i'll call. I"ll let you know next week. It'd be better for you to call me though. It's a 3 hour difference.

This week was really crazy. Elder Welch was sick a couple days so i got time to write in my journal, read the scriptures, and write a bunch of letters. We found a few really cool people this week, saying that they all wanted to be baptized and come to the church on sunday but Sunday comes and it was really disappointing. The branch is really struggling and none of the investigators we have been working with came. That is just the culture in St. Vincent. Integrity is hard to find and nobody will put ther mind to do anyting. You ask them if they're coming Sunday and they say "God willing" or "I'll try to see if i can come". Even the members say that. It's embarrasing, really. We're trying so hard and sometimes it feels like we're trying to get through a concrete wall.

We did have some good things happen though! We challenged ilke i said Brother Lewis, the recent convert here, to read the book of mormon in 1 week. He finished the BOM on friday and read the entire doctrine and covenants on Saturday and Sunday. He did it! It really is changing him too. He has had such a hard past and it still has been bothering him a lot. He was happy though at church on Sunday, blessing the sacrament. It's way cool to see people just change because of the power of the scriptures. Just read them... Friday was an awesome day. We found several new people, 3 of them being very interested and look like great people to begin working with. They loved the restoration and all comitted to read, pray, and come to church, and be baptized. The work here is kinda weird, cause finding isn't too big of a problem, teaching isn't that big of a problem, it's just getting people to actually follow thruogh with what they commit to do, which not many of them do! It isn't osmething in our control either. We teach and find to the best ability that God has given us, letting the spirit touch them and testify of what we say, then they have the choice to listen and do what we invite them to do. It's so difficult to see the laziness of the people here take over and just say, "no i didn't get time at all. so busy" Even though they don't have a job and sit around doing nothing all day. Didn't get time? busy-ness is a choice. Can get very stressful. I'm happy though, don't worry. This week is going to be really good. We have the Christmas party this week at the branch which will probably get 60 people there even though there were only 30 at church. Oh, priorities...

As per your question on things for coming to pick me up. President Gamiette is fine with it, to a point. He just doesn't like it when they hang around the office and stuff. Just time for one quick visit to the office and usually you'll be there for the farewell dinner at the mission home. You should make sure and come for that. Guyana would be fun definitely to visit. I want you to see that country. It's gorgeous and so humble. I think a day to visit people and sightsee ( only really need a day for that) and then a day to go to Kaieteur Falls which i think is a must. It is expensive but look at pictures online of it. It's awesome! Trinidad would be good, but probably only for a day and a half or something. Only a few people to see there, really and to see maracas beach. That's about it in Trinidad. Then there's Barbados and St. Vincent. Barbados would be so much fun... if I could swim. Beaches are gorgeous there. It'd be fun to go there for a day. St. Vincent would probably be 2 days. There's a lot of stuff to do here and we could take a boat to a couple of the grenadines. It's awesome here. I really don't want to stretch the budget though. If it's too much which it probably is it's okay. Let me know what you think! It was really fun to see missionary's families come pick them up. If you want, you can call the mission office and talk with Sister Wheeler. Ask for her when you call and tell her you're Elder Morris' Mom and you had some questions. Haha.

Things really are going well here in St. vincent. We still have some great things to look forward to. Shevorn, our main investigator, has 3 kids under the age of 3 and that's what's really keepign her back from progressing. If she had more time she would be way faithful and baptized by now. I do lov eit here though. It's a beautiful country and there are some awesome people. The country has tons of hills and the roads are absolutely crazy. Driving here is intense. I'm taking lots of pics and videos so i can get a good depiction of it for ya. Haha.. I love ya much and I hope you are enjoying the Christmas season. I love the work and i love serving these people.

Love, Elder Morris