1/31/11

Hello!

This past week has been so up and down. Definitely not the best week on my mission. There were so many crazy things that happened.

1. Our branch president was released this past sunday for branch conference. Replaced by a strong melchezidek priesthood holder named Brother Jackson from Kinstown branch. He doesn't have a car so we will pick him up every week for church. I've never seen that before, transplanting members between branches. Calliaqua really needs the help thouh.

2. On Friday in Kingstown there was a political rally for the opposing party. They were rallying against the new bill that they're passing. I guess a few more taxes will be added. But we were walking through town past the crowd of like 1000 people and we heard some screams. We look to the left and we see like 15 army guys walking toward the crowd holding riot shields and big police batons. They didn't do anything to the people they were just providing protection. But a bunch of people were running from them and screaming. It was pretty intense. One police officer was hurt in the rally but that was it. We got out of there pretty quick.

3. We were driving Brother Lewis home Saturday night and we saw a guy beating a lady in the middle of the street. We put on our brights, stopped the car and Brother Lewis got out and stopped him. It was horrible. The lady was pregnant and the guy was just evil. A bunch of people came out and helped and Brother Lewis talked to him for like 20 minutes calming him down. I guess she was doing drugs and he was mad at her so he decided taking her out to the main road and physically abusing her publically was the best solution. Goodness...

4. Someone stole the toyota chrome logo on our car above the license plate today.... Lame.

I dunno all these things were just ridiculous. We weren't able to get much work done but this next week should be tons better. I'm excited about the new branch president. He's a great man and we'll be able to get lot of things done. Our past branch president just wouldn't do anything and the branch was falling apart. President Macintosh in the WIM presidency was here over the weekend and we were able to get a lot of things sorted our. Institute and Seminary are going to be a lot bigger part of the church here in St. Vincent now. The programs were not working very well but wow it'll be so much better now. I'm excited about what will happen in the next little while. We're going to see a lot of success. It really does come from having a good branch president.

Dad to answer y our question, a few missionaries break rules, but it's nothing as bad as what you described. Sometimes a missionary will take a swim, but most of the disobedience is coming in early and long lunches. It's not too bad here. It sounds like everything is so busy at home and you don't have any time at all. I hope things are going well. Things are going well with us. We have a few really great investigators. They didn't come to church this past week but they are still progressing along. The work has been slow but it's still moving.

I love you all!

Elder Morris

1/24/11

This past week was pretty up and down!


Ups include Barbados. Wow. That was so great, to be able to go back and visit the island again. I forgot how civilized and americanized it is compared to st. vincent. Monday night we slept over at the zone leaders' apartment and I got to call Black Rock and talk to Elder Hoepel. he just got put back in the area and we had a blast gaffing about the area and the good times we had. Some cool news about Black Rock, it is on fire right now! Not literally but missionary work wise. The week after I left they got a new branch president, President Moody. He is from Utah and has a family and everything, works for the embassy. Well he totally has changed everything around! When I was there we'd get mid-30's at church every week but last week they had 60! Baptisms are happening and people that haven't been to church in years are coming back. Home teaching is going, and things are just going great there. Sherneal hasn't been baptized still, she hasn't overcome a few things but she still is interested and comes to church every other week or so. That was pretty sad to hear but she will. Zone Conference the next day was great. Really my favorite part, sadly, wasn't the actual conference but seeing Elder Hoepel and everybody that's in Barbados. Elder Hoepel and I are great friends and I miss him a ton. Zone conference was great and President spoke a lot about relationships with our companions. It was pretty interesting and helped a lot. Elder Welch and I get along okay, but it definitely could be better. It helped a lot though. The spirit was there in great abundance. Interviews was interesting. We talked a lot about next few transfers. I asked him what the possiblieties were of serving around Elder Prince or Beeson and he didn't really answer me. He said he could only guarantee that they'd be at the departure devotional. He did tell me however that he might want me to train next transfer. It'll be interesting to see what happens. I can't believe that after February 9th, I'll only have 3 more transfers left.. Wow.


The week was pretty difficult actually. We tried, but none of our progressing investigators came to church. Jasmine is still doing well we just think she felt shamed because she doesn't have modest church clothes. That was one of the things Elder Oaks spoke of at last week's conference so she probably felt pretty guilty. She definitely wants to change and be baptized though. She has 5 kids in this tiny board house. I feel way bad for her but the best medicine is the gospel. It would help her and her family so much. We don't really have much else going for us right now. Except that last night the Adams' family came teaching with us (they're from Kingstown branch) and they wanted to visit Brother Lewis, a recent convert here that is receving a calling and the melchezidek priesthood this next week. We got to visit with all 3 of his sisters which was a first. First time we've been able to sit with all of the family there and they should be coming to church next week. So I hope that turns out well.


Today was pretty great. We woke up early and drove to Dark View Falls which was pretty fun. Took some great pictures. 2 waterfalls that's just a short 5 minute hike away from the road. On our way back we stopped at Waliliabou bay which is where they filmed a lot of Pirates of the Caribbean. Remember the part with Jack Sparrow riding in on his tiny boat that is sinking as it gets to the port? I stood on that port today! I bought a bunch of shells from this cool rasta guy that was selling and I got a whale tooth necklace. It was a cool morning and i'll send home the shells in the next few weeks. I'll attach some pictures.


Well I don't know what else to report. Life is good. It's weird being with a missionary that's going home. He is trunky and he tlaks about home a lot. Haha. We're still working though and i pray to see some of these great people get baptized soon..


Love, Elder Morris

--

Elder Nathan Morris

PO Box 601
Kingstown, St. Vincent
West Indies