Pictures

Austin and the other missionaries set up a game night for the investigators to meet members.  They played musical chairs and had three legged races!

 

They had a dinner after the games

 

 

All the Elders got together to watch Priesthood session

 

 

 

Zone Meeting

 

 

Before President and Sister Thompson left, the Elders got together.  Some thought it would be fun to play a game and rank the Elders.  Austin companion got ranker 1st (hes in good hands) Austin got ranked 6th.  Not bad!

 

 

 

Saying goodbye to President and Sister Thompson

Hey everyone!!

So this week was pretty good. we taught a lot of lessons and we've been finding a lot of new people. President Kretly is here, but hes in Huambo, so we still haven't seen him. The awesome news, is that H and A and their son E get married on Friday, which is like impossible here.And then they get baptized on Saturday. They're the first family baptism that Angola has had in 5 months!!!

Also, toni, our recent convert is awesome. He introduced us to a lady who is super cool. she comes to church and wants to be baptized. We think her and toni like each other haha. so our plan is that toni baptizes her, then they get married and eventually sealed!! but we wont get a head of ourselves :)

So things are going good. Today for P day, we went to the beach. It was soooo beautiful and way fun!!

This week I've been thinking a lot about the quote from President Monson: "We must develop the capacity to see men not as they are at present but as they may become" A lot of times, we run into people who call us names, or yell at us or whatever.And a lot of times people are just living below their potential.And sometimes its hard not to judge them. But i really like this quote because it helps me to realize why I'm here. When i see people like that, or people who are having a hard time. I realize how much the Gospel would bless their life. And that's why I'm here. to share the gospel with others, cause it does bless lives. I don't know where i heard this but someone talked about this same kind of thing, and said when they start to judge or see mean people, they try to imagine them in all white, preparing to enter the Temple. This helps keep me focused, and positive. Thank you all for all your support!! I love you guys!!! :):):) Gospel blesses lives. Families are forever!!!

Love, Elder Money

Hey Everyone!

Hey everyone!

Congrats to Cory, Jake, and Hunter!! You guys are studs and are going to be awesome missionaries!

This weeks letter is going to be pretty lame haha. So things are going good. Not a whole lot of things are new. My new companion, Elder McCallister, is pretty cool. We have a lot of fun together. But yeah we've been teaching a lot of lessons and sweating a lot haha. same old same old. President and Sister Thompson leave on Wednesday so well be without a mission president for a while. We finally got APs though!!! its sooo nice that were becoming our own mission. or ``Independence`` as we like to call it haha. but they'll be getting a car so thatll be awesome! but yeah, other than that. things are the same!!

One thing that I've been really focusing on is prayer. Prayer is such a huge thing, especially on the mish. I really like the quote that goes something like, Heavenly Father ALWAYS hears our prayers. we pray so that we may be able to hear him. If you take a second to look around i guarantee you will notice Gods hand in your life.

Love you all!!! Remember to count your many blessings!!

Love
Elder Money

Mother's Day/Transfers

Hey everyone!!!

It was awesome to get to see you!! Skype is awesome! You all look awesome and seem so happy! I wish i got to skype more often but i guess well just have to wait till  Christmas! :)

So I'm trying to think of stuff To tell you all about, but its kinda hard cause we skyped yesterday haha. So ill tell you about my day today: we woke up at 6:30 and had to hurry and get ready cause all the missionaries in Luanda were going to the museum today. It was forever away and there was a ton of traffic. (we were late :)) haha. but it was alright cause the museum was pretty lame. it just had some dead animals that are from Angola and not a whole lot more... But After, they read off transfers..... I was more anxious for these transfers than when i got my mission call!! But it turns out that I'm STAYING!!!!!! I'm stoked about that. Ill get to see H and A (the family) get baptized, and i get to stay in Cajueiro... my new companion is Elder McCallister. He trained Elder Fontaine. But he seems pretty cool so I'm stoked! Elder Hobbs is leaving, which hes kinda bummed about, but hes one of the new Zone Leaders so that's cool.

After we walked around Sao Paulo. it was such a cool area!!!!! so different from anything Ive seen while I've been here. There were huge buildings, shops, it looked a lot like New York. It was super cool. and it was right next to the beach, which is really pretty! I took some pics, ill try and send them! And we went into one of the shops and i bought an Angolan soccer jersey :) And then we went to this big tower where the old president is buried but it was closed. And now were here emailing!!

I also want to talk about families. I love how the Gospel is centered around families. I love my family more than anything in the world. One of the hardest things I've ever done is leave my family to serve a mission. But i did it so i could share the happiness that comes from the Gospel. I love the quote that talks about a missionary is someone who leaves their family for two years so that other families can be together for eternity. Its frustrating sometimes here in Angola, because we try so hard to find families, but when we finally do, they're not married and its super hard for them to get married. But I know how important it is. Every child should have to privilege of growing up in a family with loving parents. And i know that those families will be blessed if they have the gospel in their lives. Every Child deserves a family, and every family deserves the Gospel!! Eu Sei que estou mais feliz por causa do evangelho em minha vida. Sei que familias podem ser juntos por eternidade. Eu amo minha familia com todo meu coração. Thank you all so much for your support!!! I have the best family in the world!!! Love you all!!!!

Love,
Elder Money

Remember!! The Gospel Blesses Lives!! :)

Translation:

I know I'm happier for the gospel in my life. I know that families can be together for eternity. I love my family with all my heart.

Awesome Week!!!

Hey everyone!!!

So this week was awesome!!! one of the best weeks ever!!!! last p-day was amazing but i cant even remember it cause everything after was even better!!

So p-day was awesome, we found this new pizza place which is close to our house and has amazing pizza and we ate there on p-day and we went to the praça which is a place that sells all the wood carvings and African paintings so we got a couple of those and when we got home, i had a package from the Bonnets! tell them thank you so much!! and the other Elders in our house had all the pots and pans and everything on the floor. we were like what the heck is going on... and they look at us and tell us they have something to tell us... then they tell us that we´re moving to a place called Cajueiro!!!!!!!!! its this super nice place here in Angola. its where all the senior missionary couples live. It never faults water or electricity, its not dirty, theres not a ton of trash out back and kids who always ask us for money, it has a basketball court.... We´re spoiled :) so we moved in on Friday and i took the first hot shower since I've been here in Angola!!! so nice! :) but that's not even the highlight of the week! :)

Friday we went and talked to our two investigators who were getting baptized on Saturday. Theres BB and theres T. BB decided to have Elder Hobbs baptize him and Me confirm him! i wasn't there when he told us cause i was sick... but yeah i was/am scared to confirm him in Portuguese but stoked at the same time. then we went and talked to T. I love him. hes about 40+ super humble, he cant read all that well, but he does his best, his wife left him, and he comes to church every Sunday which is a miracle here in Angola. but we asked him who he wanted to baptize and confirm him and he said he wanted his friend from church to confirm him, and then we asked who he wanted to baptize him and he asked me to!!! so i was super happy :) We met up with him on Saturday and got some taxis to the chapel and i got to baptize him!!! that was so awesome, and BB got baptized too! And after we had a district meeting at KFC :) then we went and moved into Cajueiro!! it was an awesome day!! So things here are going great!! I love it more and more every week!!

Mothers day is on Sunday!! so i get to skype :) and transfers are next Monday so I could be getting a new companion and going to a new area! I love you all! you're always in my prayers! thanks for all of yours!

Eu sei que esta igreja e verdadeira. eu sou bem grato para meu missao e pela oportunidade que tenho para pregar e evangelho e abencoar as pessoas de Angola. Ja entendi muito e sou uma pessoa melhor. eu sai minha familia por 2 anos para que as familias possam ser juntos para sempre. esta igreja e verdadeira, o livro de mormon tem a verdade. eu sou bem grato para o evangelho e o conhecimento e as bencoas que vem do evangelho. Eu Amo Voces!! :)


Love,
Elder Money

P.s. Angolans are really happy, but for some reason they never smile in their pictures! haha so we call it the Angolan smile. The Taller one is T and the shorter one is BB:)

Translation:
I know this church and true. I'm very thankful for my mission and the opportunity I have to preach the gospel and to bless and people of Angola. Already understood a lot and am a better person. I left my family for 2 years so that families can be together forever. this church and true, the book of Mormon is true. I'm very grateful for the gospel and the knowledge and blessings that comes from the gospel. I Love You guys! :)