HOPE you know missions are great! 5/25/2015

Dear Family,

We had a really great first week of the transfer! Sister Christiansen and I worked really hard this week and had a lot of fun. We both got colds though. Probably from sitting in wet clothes all day...

So with inheriting this other area we are still in our same branch. This week we set aside a day to just get lost in the area and talk to people. It was a success! The elders actually left behind some cool investigators. There is this one girl named Lucratia. She is 26 years old and really smart and cool. She will get baptized June 6. We are excited for her. She actually was our only investigator that came to church yesterday. 

As for our investigators Kosviello and family are still doing well. Kosviello is really progressing. Still reading everyday and being a good example. We were dissappointed that they didn't come to church. We went over there yesterday and talked to them. Kosviello said people are talking to his mom and saying bad things about us. They don't completely believe them but I think it is taking a bit of a toll. We can still fix everything...we aren't too worried. We are going to try and bring more members by them.

We are having some really good lessons with Kosviello's cousin Dobyen. She is 15 and really cool! She too is reading and praying and already having cool experiences. 

Jackie and Pansa are still trucking along. We worked this week with helping Jackie learn to read. We are going to bring over the children's BOM book.

There really isn't much too new going on! Dutch is still coming along...can't complain too much about it. Haha I like it!

I love hearing about your mission mom and dad. You are right! I totally wish I had a senior couple that would spoil us! Maybe we will get one when the mission splits! Our missions sound similar when it comes to people peeing all the time. Even though people are definitely poor here, I don't think nearly as poor as there. It's pretty civilized here. Do you like the missionaries you serve with? Sounds like you're making quite the difference there. So cool!

I can't believe how soon Catie is leaving!! I'm so excited for her! She will be the best. I would kill for a sister like her here!

Sister C and I were talking about hope this week. It's such an interesting idea I think. Sometimes you look at hope like the lower amount of faith. Like you hope when you don't know. But after studying it more we talked about how faith is the action and hope seems to be like the feeling we have. Hope is that constant light at the end of the tunnel knowing that everything will be ok. That after all we have done, that life will work out. 

The picture is from two elders in our zone that went home--Elder Alpeter and Elder Hall. They are two of my favourites so I was very sad to let them go!

Love you all!

Love,

Elizabeth

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The Future is Looking Bright! 5/18/2015

Dear Family,

A lot has happened this past week! To start out I am getting the rabies vaccine. It has been a crazy adventure trying to get it though! No hospital or vaccine place in Suriname has it. So they thought I was going to have to fly to Trinidad and get it. Well they were able to purchase the vaccine and send it on an airplane to here. The Zone Leaders were at customs alllll night trying to get it but it still didn't work. They think they will be able to get it today and then a nurse in our branch will give me the series of shots. It's absolutely crazy but it's better safe than sorry!

Alright other big news! Sister Christiansen and I are staying together! We were also both called to be Sister Trainer Leaders. To me the best part of being STL is that you get to hear from the Mission President at MLC every month haha. Other than that it feels like an assignment where you deal with girl drama...juuuustt kidding but also not. Haha but no we are both excited to be able to do it together.

Sister C and I in our new mumu's

We also had a great week when it came to investigators! This week we committed Marveel, Kosviello and the other kids to baptism! We set the date as June 20th. We are really excited for them. I have seen such a change in Kosviello since when I first started teaching him. He has such a testimony of the restoration and the Book of Mormon. 

I think it was last week we had a lesson with Kosviello and he was really upset about something. I left him with a scripture and we talked about the importance of the BOM. We told him if he would pray before he read and then read that he would do better in school and feel happier. The next day we saw him he was so happy! He said he read the scripture I left him and felt so much peace. Later in the week he said he got an 8 on his test and he usually gets 5 or 6. Since that day he has read every day. He loves the BOM! Also he really wants to be a missionary. He has been bringing us to family and friends and basically teaching the restoration for us. He knows it so well!

Kosviello's Family at Church!

We really wanted the whole family to come to church on Sunday. Our whole mission has really been emphasizing keeping the sabbath day holy. We brought Sister Aikman with us and she bore a powerful testimony about church. Sunday I walked into church seeing the whole family there, mom and six kids. They all had a great time! We love them a lot. 

Also at church yesterday was Jackie and Pansa! The language barrier will probably slow their progress a bit but it's going well! We weren't able to see them last week but we had a short lesson with them yesterday! 

So we are losing a lot of missionaries this transfer and have none coming in. We are down to 16 missionaries in Suriname. Therefore they are shutting down the area just north of us. We will be getting their area. You have no idea how big our area is now. We are up for the challenge. They have some cool investigators right now so that'll be fun. It will be a craaaaazy fun/busy transfer.

Flooded streets- rainy season has begun.  We
have gotten soaked everyday!

And yes I know Marissa McLean! I emailed her today! She's great!

Love you all a lot!!!!!!! Still trucking along with Dutch!

Love,

Elizabeth

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Dogs of the Devil 5/11/15

Dear Family,

It was so good to talk to you mom and dad and Richard and Lisha for a little bit! Wow, I could talk forever! Most exciting Mother's Day I've ever had- haha!

We had an eventful week! On Wednesday we went on exchanges with the other sisters.  Sister Johnson came back with me in Wanica and Sister C went back with Sister Walsh. I was sad to let Sister C go but happy to spend some time with Sister Johnson. We had a good time together and I took her to see some of her favourites. We saw Bro Leim, Rita and Sister Zaalman. Sister Johnson hasn't been too happy in Tamengha. I wish she could see her amazing potential and dominate. She'll get there! I think she'll be opening up the new area for sisters in the City next transfer.

So here is the dog story we have all been waiting for. So Thursday night we were biking back from a members house. They don't live in our area so we weren't completely sure about our surroundings. Sister C was biking in front of me. All of a sudden these three dogs come running out of a yard and start chasing us (nothing out of the ordinary). One of the dogs goes ahead and is chasing Sister C but the two others kind of cornered me on my bike and then one bit my leg!! Finally a car comes and scares them away. We continue biking and I say, "Sister Christiansen! I think that dog just bit me!" she says, "What?! Are you bleeding??" "I think so!" So we stop and sure enough I'm bleeding. The zone leaders took us home and I talked to the mission doctor. The bite wasn't terrible but it was very swollen and sore. Anyyyyyway part 2 is that we were going back to the same members house to help clean on Saturday. I was so scared to go by this house again. So we are going and think that we are in the clear and then all of a sudden in the corner of my eye I see this dog sprinting down the long driveway coming after me! I yell to bike fast! So I'm biking as fast as I can and on the other side of the road this dog is running as fast if not faster! At some point they stop. BUT Sister C is yelling to me behind that her shoe fell off as she started biking fast. So we get off our bikes and start walking towards this pack of dogs that have huddled at the end of the driveway. I see Sister C grab a HUGE stick on the side of the road and carefully go for her shoe, put it on and back away slowly. It was a hilarious site but also terrifying! Let's just say we took a longgggg detour home.

Other than that the best thing was Mother's Day!  Sunday was great!  Church went really well that day and I got lunch after church so I consider that a success.  All these primary girls gave me the gifts they make for their mom's.  I kept saying, "Noooooo!  Give it to your mom!"  They said, "Nooooooo!  It is for you!"  So, now I have a lot of hearts that say I love you mom.  I don't think I'm bringing them home....ooops!

Primary Children

So Jackie and Pansa! Quick update on them! We didn't see a lot of them this week but Jackie came to church on Sunday. We had a lot of Saramacan speakers that day so everyone was helping her. She just had a blast that day. We saw them later that Sunday and she was so happy! Well they both were. They are still reading!

Some of Kosviello's siblings

Kosviello and family are still doing well. None of them came to church though! It's hard to get families there! Hopefully we will have some good lessons with them this week! 

The dutch is continually coming. The best help I have is just listening and talking. I understand almost everything now so that's cool!

I love you all so much! I have the best family ever!

Zone Sports Day

Love,

Elizabeth

Thief! 5/4/2015

WOW! Happy Birthday Jacob and Hazel!! Don't worry I promise I'll be there for the next ones. Did you both have eventful days? I'm sure Hazel was a party animal. 

Sam and Kaeli, I got your letter today! Such cute pictures of Leona! I'm excited! The reason I got it so fast was because the AP's are in Suriname today. Lucky! Also mom, Frank Taylor wrote me. It was really nice. I'll make sure to send a letter back.

About Skyping! I'll call Sunday night my time at around 7:30 pm. Hopefully that will work! I'm really excited! I get the usual 45 mins to talk. It's crazy! I can't believe it is time to talk again!

We had one of those weeks where you look back on and you don't really know what happened! Haha. We had some cockroach problems this week. We did a major spray attack and then our cleaning lady came yesterday and did a deep clean. I hope we will be ok. 

This week Sister C's bike got stolen and the thief tried to get away with stealing my running shoes but didn't quite make it and left them in a bush outside our apartment. We had a funny time going down to the police station with the Zone Leaders to report it. So now she is riding the spare which kinda sucks. One good thing is you can hear her from about a mile away on that thing. She clinks and clanks down the road. It's all a part of the adventure, right?  

We also had some awesome lessons this week! The couple we are teaching, Jackie and Pansa (the ones who can't speak dutch only the crazy jungle language) They are super progressing and super excited about the gospel! It's so refreshing to teach them, they are so excited and willing to do anything to get closer to the Lord. The husband, Brother Pansa can speak a little bit of Dutch so he tries to read the pamphlets and the Book of Mormon the best he can. Then he will translate to his wife Jackie. They are the best people! I love them so much. God is just pouring blessings on them right now. They are so willing to try their best to do what God asks them. 

I don't have a whole lot to report on...it just felt like one of those off weeks. But this week will be great! Oh and Sister Johnson decided to come back- haha. Happy to have her back! We are exchanging this week.

Loved hearing from everyone. Mom and Dad, it's so fun to see and hear about your adventures! It's so cool. I can't wait to talk to you and hopefully others!

Love you so much!

Love,

Elizabeth

And I Would Bike 500 Miles... 4/26/2015

Dear Family,

I had probably one of my best weeks on my mission. It isn't that anything too crazy happened but missionary work this week just felt great! 

I honestly don't know where to begin this week! Sister C and I are doing better than ever! Some crazy news this week is that Sister Johnson is leaving Suriname tomorrow. She is finishing her transfer in Trinidad then going to an island to finish her mission. It's super crazy!! They will apparently bring back Sister King and then another english sister. Should be an interesting next transfer. From what I know Sister C and I will stay together but you never know how missions work. I'm very sad to let her go but I hope she does well on the English side.

Goodbye Sister Johnson! :-(

So I'll just start talking about some of the highlight investigators this week:

Kosviello and mom Marveel--So Kosviello aka MK is really cool. He agreed to a baptismal date this week for May 16. He is a very smart kid and desires to do what is right. So this week we had our first real lesson with Marveel. She has 6 kids and her "man" lives is away most of the time in the binnenland. He's a boss of a gold mine so this family is pretty well off. We had one of the most spiritual lessons I have had my whole mission. We taught her the restoration and it was just a really great lesson. We talked about the holy ghost and asked if she felt it. She said, "Definitely, I can feel it deep down." It was a really cool moment. We saw her yesterday and again had a great lesson. She is an amazing women that I'm sure doesn't feel appreciated. That's been fun just telling her how amazing she is and how much God loves her. MK came to church yesterday and loved it. He said he will definitely keep coming.

Jackie and Pansa--They are so cool! Even though I can't speak their langauge, they have been a pleasure to teach. They are so willing. Pansa can understand a little dutch so he reads to Jackie and translates. It's so cool! At church we have so many languages going on. Most of it is in dutch but sometimes the classes are in different languages. They both came to church on Sunday. The Sunday School Lesson was in Saramacans so they could understand and then we had some members translate the others. They really like church too. Yesterday they said they really want to be baptized. We talked to them about marriage and they seemed really fine to talk about it and consider it. They're cool!

So on Friday we went to Kwarason to shadow. It was an amazing day! Oh man I'm running out of time but basically it was the best day. I'll tell the highlight. The branch president has a sister in law that has never been open to the church. But she's been nicer to the elders and been warming up. The last time we were there she taught us how to make donuts. She loves making american food. I guess they said she was the most open with sisters. So this time we got all the pressure on us to slip in our testimony as she showed us how to make cheescake. We did just that and were having a great time. Then we were sharing some experiences and she asked if we would share a story from the bible. She has never done anything like that before. We shared a story from the book of mormon and then she excepted a copy. It was a big deal and such an amazing night! I tell ya...sisters...they're the best.

We went to a butterfly park today and it was awesome. (I know it's Lisha's nightmare). I have just a bunch of pics this week. Hopefully you can figure out what is from what! Love you all and thanks for letters!  Here are lots of pictures!

Love,

Elizabeth

This Week Felt Like a Month! 4/21/2015

Dear Family,

Wow what a week! (Do I start every email with wow?) But anyway we had a very busy and amazing week. First off Sister Christiansen and I are having a blast. We have worked hard this week and talking to people, teaching lessons, and visiting and serving members. It turned into a week full so. much. biking. It was fun though!

We had a mini missionary with us from Tues to Sun. Her name is Monica Collins. She is a member from the branch that Sister C came from so I didn't know her very well but she was awesome. She is almost 17 and she was baptized about a year ago. She is so excited to go on her mission later. She had a blast being a missionary. She didn't want to take of the tag I made for her from another one my tags. But yeah, she is really cool! We had a great time.

Wednesday morning we went and helped Lorna with her garden. It was a lot of fun (that is the first pic). Every time we go over we are using machetes in the garden. It's always a good time. Friday we went to visit our RS pres to see how we could help with visiting teaching. We also saw Bro Leim which is always the best! We also saw the Maghoe's that night. On our way back from the Maghoe's somehow we got completely lost. It was pretty funny but we found our way out. Saturday night we went to a 5 yr old's b-day party from the branch. It was soo fun. People go all out for parties. I attatched some pics from that party. They had a DJ and a party bus thing (we missed the party bus) but yeah it was fun. Sunday night we had a fireside for prospective missionaries. It was a great night with a good turnout. All we did as missionaries was sing and state our purpose. It was a good night.

So missionary work...it's moving. We have been teaching this one boy MK who is very smart and anxious to learn. But this week we got his whole family involved. His mom seems really nice. We will have another lesson with the family tonight. 

Faizel. He's doing good! We are really working on his base/foundation part of his testimony. He says he knows the BOM is true and that JS was a prophet. We brought a member in our branch who is 18. His name is Jason. He was a big help and could be a great fellowshiper for Faizel. Faizel still didn't come to church on Sunday though. We need to see what the problem is with that. 

So we have this couple names Jacky and Pansa. We have taught them some times before but we always have to have a member with us becuase....they only speak saramacans. It is the super jungle language. Only a few members speak this too! But they both have this desire to learn and they get it! We taught the plan of salvation this week and the spirit was so strong. I really hope they felt it. Sister C and I both looked up at the same time and started crying. We felt it that same moment. It was cool. We are seeing them tomorrow with Nicole Ritvield. 

We didn't see Shanifa this week. We tried calling but I think we just have to catch her. We had some good first lessons with other people but I'll let you know how they do once we start teaching them more. 

People do love to sing here. Wanica has a good choir that has harmonies and everything. We sang some cheesy wedding song at the wedding but it's fun. I feel so close to the members here in Wanica. They are all so cool! I know they love me too. We just have fun together.

Sister C and I fasted this week to find the elect here in Wanica. We are having faith that we will baptize someone this transfer. I really think we can do it as long as we are valiant and working hard. Missions are really crazy and sometimes I can't believe that it is my life. But I wouldn't trade any of my experiences for anything. It's amazing.

Mom and Dad I promise you will get used to the heat. I don't even notice anymore. But I remember when I first went out on my mission I was like, "I'm either wet from rain or sweat." Keep loving the people and I can see you are already doing that. So cool! 

Love,

Elizabeth