Crazy Week!

I Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July!!

This past week was pretty crazy! we had mission conference, mission testimony meeting, and interviews. so all the missionaries in Angola came to Luanda and went to these meetings. President and Sister Merrill are awesome!!! We already love them a ton! they're perfect for Angola.

So we had all that going on, and then yesterday we were teaching one of our investigators named J. Hes from the Congo. And we had marked with him to get baptized on the 27th of this month. We sat with him yesterday, and he told us he had been reading the Book of Mormon, (we gave him one in French cause that's his native language) and he said that he really liked the part of Nephi and Laban, and he really really liked Nephi's prayer. then he told us if it was possible, he'd like to be baptized on the 13th!! so now we have to worry and work so he can get baptized on that day.

Hes awesome. He lives with another Member named S. He was less active but we taught him and he started coming to church again and now he introduced João to the church and hes getting baptized!! crazy how things work out.

One of my favorite things on the mission is our study time. Every day we study the scriptures and I love it. We´ve talked a lot about creating sanctuaries for ourselves. They can be at the church, or at the temple, and also in your house. Your house should be a sanctuary for you and your family. A place where you can go to get away from the problems of the world. A place where the Spirit dwells. I love my study time because if this. its a time when i can get away from the problems of the world. and just focus on the gospel, the scriptures, the Spirit. So my challenge to you this week, is to make sure your house is not only a sanctuary for you and your family, but for those around you as well.

I love being a part of this work. I love seeing the Gospel change lives. I have had soo many wonderful experiences on the mission.I have felt the spirit stronger than i ever have before. The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the one and only true church on the Earth today. I am so grateful to be a part of it. I love you all!!!!!

Love,
Elder Money

 

 

(Last picture take from Elder Cafferty's blog)

 

Independence day/4th of July!!!!!!!!!!

Hey everyone!!!

So a lot has happened this past week. We had a baptism on Saturday. His name is C, hes 19 years old, super humble, super nice kid. so that was cool. after the baptism we went to KFC so that's always good. Right now we have to get two taxi's to go out to the chapel in Cassequelle that has the baptismal font. but our chapel is in the process of getting its own so hopefully that is all set up by our next baptism!

So as of today, Angola is its own mission!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! finally!!!!! So all the Elders have been, calling today Independence day. Its the day we gain our Independence from Mozambique haha. It is such a blessing to finally become our own mission, and have our mission president here in the country. Speaking of which, President and Sister Merrill got here on Saturday. They Are awesome!!!!!!!! I already love them so much. All the Elders do. They are soo nice and funny and caring. They are exactly what Angola needs. Angola is going to grow so much more and have soo many more opportunities and blessings now that it has its own mission president and mission.

So for this week with the 4th of July coming up, I wanna talk about gratitude. Angola is great and all, but it is nothing like America. Angola has taught me sooo much about gratitude and to be grateful for the things we have. Especially as Americans. A couple things to be grateful for that you might take for granted:

-Sewers

-Garbage men and Garbage cans

-Police who enforce the laws

-Delivery Pizza

-Street addresses

The list goes on.... There is sooo much to be grateful for, especially in America. This morning before we played soccer, we sang The Star Spangled Banner. :) I love the scripture in 1 Nephi 18:23-24. it talks about the promised land, and i love the last part that says ``we were blessed in abundance``. So this 4th of July, be grateful for all the things you have and are blessed with. I am soooo proud to be an American. God bless the USA!!

Love,

Elder Money

 

Transfers

So this week we got transfers! turns out ill be staying another transfer in Luanda 2C with Elder Mcallister. the other two elders who live with us are both leaving and no one is replacing them! so well be the only Elders in our house. which means we each get our own bathroom, own shower, own toilet, own bunk bed, own study room. haha turns out I'm still spoiled, even in Africa :)

But things are going great! so I'm happy to stay. It'll be a change to only have two elders in the house, but I'm excited. Our area is awesome!! We have some amazing investigators. The Lord has blessed us so much. Elder Mcallister said to me the other day 创I Feel like we don't even do anything创 What he means is that all of our investigators are progressing perfectly. Some Elders have couples who cant get married, or people who cant give up drinking or other habits. but our investigators are awesome. They truly have been prepared by the Lord. So we really do just rely on him and try our best. I really like a quote that my mom sent me back when i was in the MTC. i don't remember it exactly, but its something like 创The Lord will always do his part, but it will always be the second part.创 As long as we do our part he will do his. and that's really whats going on in our area right now.

our chapel in Multiperfil just got its own portable baptismal font. so that will be way nice, we don't have to go all the way into the city into Cassequelle to go to baptisms. We have one baptism this week. his name is CAMS. (Good luck to whoever pronounces that one :) ) but he was born in Cabo Verde. Hes super cool! and super nice and humble.

And now for my missionary soapbox :) One thing the mission has taught me is how to deal with other people. Often times well get frustrated with ourselves when we cant do something, or sometimes well get frustrated with others when they don't do something right. But what I've learned is that nobody is perfect. For me, i knew i wasn't perfect, or anywhere close. but my problem was that i expected others to be. and when they weren't, i got frustrated. For example sometimes well be in a lesson and my comp well start teaching something different then what i wanted to teach. or maybe someone will leave a mess in the kitchen. When things like this happen, we can choose how we react. the truth is that nobody is perfect. We are all imperfect. and we have to learn to deal with it. And were all that Heavenly Father has to deal with. Imperfect beings. so when i get frustrated i just think of Him and his example, and it encourages me to fix my imperfections. patience patience patience.

Love,

Elder $

Matthew 7:5

6 Months!!!

First off, Happy fathers day to all the dads!! Hope it was a great one, even though your favorite son/bro/bro-in-law wasn't there.

So in two days, I hit my 6 month mark!! I cant believe I'm already 1/4th done! time flies.

So next week is transfers. i love my area, but I've been here for 4 months and I'm about ready for a change. so well see what happens.

This past week A got baptized. Hes awesome. He started the lessons with some other Elders but then moved into our area. His wife was gonna come to his baptism, but shes pregnant and so she didn't make it. But once she delivers he once us to teach her the lessons so that's awesome! Elder Tingey baptized him, and i confirmed him. he really wants to go to the temple and get sealed! so were hoping that she'll gain a testimony, then get baptized, and A will be able to baptize her, then they, and their two kids will get sealed in the temple!!! but one step at a time :)

Other than that, not much has happened, were working hard to help all our progressing investigators, and try to find new ones at the same time. Things are going good! ..... funny story I'm sitting here writing this email and some guy starts saying something, so i turn around and hes asks me in English if he can come play soccer with us sometime. (we play soccer every p-day so were in our soccer clothes) turns out hes from Nigeria and wants to play. so i gave him a pass along card. so well see how that goes!

So Angolans are known for their dreams. We always have investigators who tell us about their crazy dreams. i don't know if its something in the water, or just the land or what, but lately i have been having the weirdest dreams ever haha. Africa is definitely a special place.

I love you all! and miss you. you're in my prayers every day and thank you for all of yours!! the church is true :)

Love,
Elder Money

 

 

Hey Everyone!

Hey everyone!!

First of all happy birthday to Ash!! Good thing you have Charlie to keep you young ;) hehe Also congrats to whit for graduating high school!!! crazy that its been a year since i graduated!! its been a busy one, that's for sure.

So things in our area are going great! We had 169 people at church yesterday, and 14 investigators! The chapel was full, we had to sit out in the foyer area. I don't know what they're going to do when it gets any bigger. We´re really trying to focus on families, but its hard cause usually the dad works all day, or they're not married, or they just don't want to listen. but were working hard. We have two investigators getting baptized on Saturday, and hopefully well have 3 on the 29th. A is getting baptized this Saturday. Hes awesome!! We got lucky, cause he studied with the missionaries in Namibia, so he speaks perfect English, and he found some missionaries here, and was studying with them, but he moved into our area. So we've been teaching him. Hes super humble. And he actually studies what we teach him! He didn't have a bible, so I gave him mine. the BOM is more important anyways ;) But hes married which is super rare, and he has one kid. His wife´s aunt died, so she is out of town for a month, but when she gets back, well sit with her as well. He use to be a DJ haha so that's cool. Hopefully he´ll get baptized this Saturday and then receive the priesthood next Saturday, and if his wife decides to get baptized, he´ll be able to baptize her!! So yeah things are doing great! Our area is awesome. And I'm finally getting the hang of things.

Also, The weather right now is awesome!! Its still on the warmer side, but its cooling down. and Usually theres a nice little breeze. so that's a lot better than what it was when i got here!

I love you all! things are going great!! keep in touch!! Eu Sei que esta Igreja e verdadeira. E tambem que esta igreja abençoa as vidas das todas pessoas. Cada familia precisa o evangelho en suas vidas. Eu Amo todo Voces!

Love,

Elder Money

 

Translate:  I know that this church and true. and also that the church blesses the lives of all people. every family needs the gospel en their lives. I love all you guys!

 

Mom and Reed,

~

i decided to write you guys together so i didn't have to type it twice :)

Crazy times!! so much is going on!! Graduation, birthdays, missionaries, Taylor swift concerts haha, all that!!! Awesome!!!!! i love to hear that everything is going great!! Trent wrote me a letter, I get letters pretty quick, sometimes a week, sometimes two. packages take a lot longer. as far as i know i don't have any. But I'm waiting! Things are going great in our area. I'm doing a lot better with the language, i know the area, things are going great! when i first got here, we usually had about 100 to 110 people at church. yesterday we had 169!! Elder McAllister and I had 14 investigators at church yesterday! we have two baptisms this Saturday. one with Arnaldo, hes a stud, he was a DJ. he studied in Namibia, he speaks perfect English. and hes married with a kid. we haven't been able to sit with his wife so only he will get baptized. then Mimi, she comes to church every Sunday and we always sit with her fam, she has 4 kids. but they never come. she doesn't really have much control over them. but shes also going to get baptized. and hopefully that will be an example for her kids. then we have two or three people that were hoping will get baptized on the 29th! so things are going great.

We meet a ton of people in the streets, and they always say they'll come to church but never do. this past week we were walking and the normal thing to do is to say how are you as you walk by. most people will either say thank you or good. and i was walking past this guy and said como esta and he said sou mal. which means I'm bad. first time I've ever received that response so we asked him why, and he told us cause of his health. (he was an older guy) and his foot and leg were all swollen. theres a lot of elephantitis here but i don't think it was that. but we gave him a card and told him to come to church. and he actually did!!! so that was awesome. crazy how some people will go through sooo much just to get to church, when others wont even read or pay a dollar for a taxi to get to church.

 Also tell Trent thank you for the letter!! he writes me quite a bit. i love his letters! he talked about fasting and his trip to India. (India sounds about the same as Angola) haha. he always says not to write him back, so tell him thanks for the letters.  Things are going great!! I love you and miss you so much!!! Hope you're all safe and things are going great!! Eu Amo Voces!! :)

 

 

Wedding, Baptism, Kretly

Hey everyone,

First of all congrats to Ryan and Ash!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :):):):):) that's sooo awesome!!! I'm stoked for you guys!!!! Cant wait to see her on Skype at Christmas!!! :)

So this week was super busy! H and A got married on Wednesday, the 29th. Weddings here are way different. They go to the conservatory, all dressed up in their suit and wedding gown, and they just sign some papers and then they're married. so that was cool to be able to see.

Thursday we helped paint their house in the morning. and taught 4 lessons. Then on Friday, we had zone conference from 9 in the morning to 17. President Kretly is here in Angola so he was in charge of zone conference. and then we went to a fiesta for Elder and Ana at the church, that started at 19. It was really nice and President Miranda, the district president, gave them a blessing. They had a bunch of food there and we ate sugar cane, mucua, and Caterpillars! haha they were nasty.

On Saturday Elder, Ana, and their son Edi got baptized. And ALL the Elders got sick from the food we had at zone conference. so i was sick at the baptism but not too bad. and then we had church yesterday. and they all got confirmed. They're the first family to get baptized in Angola in 5 months!!! just goes to show how hard it is to get married here. Then we went to a fireside with President Kretly, he talked about the 7 habits of highly effective people. And yeah that's our week!! Were super busy which is good. And things are going great! I love you all and miss you!!

Love,
Elder Money

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.