First off hows g-ma? I´ve been praying for her.
Alright so yeah some of the scripture clues were pretty good some of them I still cant figure out. haha. I´ll let you know next week which ones. That is if I find them...because guess what EMERGENCY TRANSFERS!!!!!
Ugh. not fun. So on Wed. morning E. Stewart and I were planning like normal...and at about 9:45 the assistents call me and they told me I had an emergency change and that I was going to Hunter as ZL. My first though was...This has to be a joke. But unfortunately it was the truth...So yeah I am now in Zona Hunter, its still in Arequipa but on the other side. like 45 to an hour away. And to make it even better the took out both of the old ZLs and put me in with one of the elders who was a DL here. Oh man wow. So yeah, I have no idea why the change was made. In fact all I know is that I´m here for a reason and I just gotta work like a crazy man and do the Lords will not mine.
This new stake is struggling quite a bit, as well as my ward, so we have our work cut out for us but Im always up for a challenge. We started working in the area and found some really cool people. One guy and his wife told us straight up that we were an answer to their prayers. We gotta get them married (not an unusual thing) and then we had a baptism on Sunday that the elders who were here left us. It was a 9 year old kid, named Douglas (prounounce DOO-glaas) who comes from a less active family. We are trying to convince the Mom and Dad that they now have to go to church every week and we are having some success but they need a lot of help that we cant give so we are depending a lot more on the Ward Council.
But yeah other than than that we haven´t been doing much other than getting to know the area and trying to find people to teach and baptize. I cant believe its my birthday tomorrrow, its come up so fast I guess we´ll see if my pensionist does anything special for my bday.
So I love you all and you´ll get a better email next week as the crazines (hopefully) dies down.
Tell Grandma my thoughts and prayers are with her.
Elder Patrik Connole
Monday, May 23, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
Getting Married is Difficult!
Wow, more craziness! With all that ward moving. I just got a package of letters from the YW of Orange Glen Ward, which I guess no longer exists lol. And I got packages from you and from mormor. I figured out most of the scripture hunt but there were a few that stumped me and my gringo comp.
This week was very sleepless because we had to go do some late night checks on missionaries and baptismal interviews that went until late. But even though we were dead tired we went out and worked hard, and more effeciently. On friday I was on splits with E. Garcia and in the morning we went ot go look for our plan A and B but neither of them were home. So we decided to go contacting. Very first door we knocked on Pedro answers the door, and after about 2 min of talking to him in the door he just let us in and let us teach him. As we were teaching him his cousin came in and the look on her face when she saw that we were in there was...AWESOME her whole face lit up and she just stopped what she was doing to listen to us. They both accepted a baptismal date for the 28th and they really love everything.
On saturday we had another way cool experience, we were heading over to an apt with a family (which didnt go well) and this guy starts yelling at us from the top of the roof and indicating that when we were done we should go visit him...alright that is an obivious yes! So we went up after talking to that family we headed over to him. Turns out to be a family of 3 who also want to get baptized. They could be on the 28th as well but we´ll see. They were also very very cool
We also have another family who the missionaries have been working with since January. But they arent married and here in Peru it is SOOOOOOOOOO hard to get married here. You have to have your original birth certificate which you can only get at the place where you were born. so basically, if you come from some remote place in the jungle or some little town in the middle of nowhere its pretty much impossible to get married with out making a huge trip that costs a lot. And most of those people dont have the money to go get it. and not only that you have to do a whole bunch of stuff in the city to get it all done. BUT they have everything ready and are going today to get everything finished and they will be married NEXT WEEK! so cool! they are very excited
Love you
Elder Patrik Connole
This week was very sleepless because we had to go do some late night checks on missionaries and baptismal interviews that went until late. But even though we were dead tired we went out and worked hard, and more effeciently. On friday I was on splits with E. Garcia and in the morning we went ot go look for our plan A and B but neither of them were home. So we decided to go contacting. Very first door we knocked on Pedro answers the door, and after about 2 min of talking to him in the door he just let us in and let us teach him. As we were teaching him his cousin came in and the look on her face when she saw that we were in there was...AWESOME her whole face lit up and she just stopped what she was doing to listen to us. They both accepted a baptismal date for the 28th and they really love everything.
On saturday we had another way cool experience, we were heading over to an apt with a family (which didnt go well) and this guy starts yelling at us from the top of the roof and indicating that when we were done we should go visit him...alright that is an obivious yes! So we went up after talking to that family we headed over to him. Turns out to be a family of 3 who also want to get baptized. They could be on the 28th as well but we´ll see. They were also very very cool
We also have another family who the missionaries have been working with since January. But they arent married and here in Peru it is SOOOOOOOOOO hard to get married here. You have to have your original birth certificate which you can only get at the place where you were born. so basically, if you come from some remote place in the jungle or some little town in the middle of nowhere its pretty much impossible to get married with out making a huge trip that costs a lot. And most of those people dont have the money to go get it. and not only that you have to do a whole bunch of stuff in the city to get it all done. BUT they have everything ready and are going today to get everything finished and they will be married NEXT WEEK! so cool! they are very excited
Love you
Elder Patrik Connole
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
After the Mother's Day Phone Call...
Haha Im glad that it went well, sorry I got on so late, I was running from internet place to internet place and finally we remembered that one of the members had it so we went there and he was happy to help out. thanks for the pics
So Idk what we can do with the camera, no I didnt find it, went back and looked but its gone. long gone. I had taken a few pictures that werent baptisms but there werent very many. So yeah I could definitely buy one here but idk how much it would be. I could look around but im assuming itd be about the same price. I think i just lost a few pics of my comps and what not but ill have them on facebook, no biggie.
Anyways I pretty much told you everything that went on for my week. Today at about 1 am the assistents called up to tell me about transfers and what not so im like reallly tired. I had people calling me from about 1 to 2 or 2:30 with questions and stuff and then again all morning long. Man its tough flying solo as a ZL but I thnk i got most everything figured out and should be good to go until tomorrow. hopefully haha.
My new companion is Elder Stewart also form Arizona, also has 8 siblings but he isnt the oldest. I guess he has like 12 nieces/nephews a few of which have been born recently so kinda similiar to what im expierencing right now. I think we will be able to work really well together.
Yesterday I was with the bishop (obispo) most of the day and it really amazes me at how sensistive he was to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. We were able to really work well together and help out a couple people to be understand more about the gospel and be more excited about getting baptized.
It was tough to get anyone to come to church because it was Mothers day and all. Arequipa is SUCH a party city. Like any tiny little thing that they can celebrate the make a huge drinking fest out of it. With tons of really bad music haha. But its even worse on big holidays like mothers day or christmas. So yeah I spent a lot of the day keeping away from large groups of drunk people. Thankfully nothing happened and we could work. I really cant understand how people can just do that, but I guess thats just because I´ve been born and raised in the gospel and most of my friends are good members as well. Im so grateful for that blessing in my life.
The president decided to re-open an area here in the zone which means that the biggest zone in Arequipa just got bigger. 15 COMPANIONSHIPS! Wow. 2 companships are the asistents so we dont have to worry about them very much haha. Except for when they call me right after sacrament meeting with some sort of request for baptismal clothes or interview or both haha. But its all good as missionaries we will do anything just to get a baptism. Any sacrifice is worth it to help someone else make an eternal baptismal covenant with our Heavenly Father.
Anyways love you guys and ill talk to you next week!
Elder Patrik Connole
So Idk what we can do with the camera, no I didnt find it, went back and looked but its gone. long gone. I had taken a few pictures that werent baptisms but there werent very many. So yeah I could definitely buy one here but idk how much it would be. I could look around but im assuming itd be about the same price. I think i just lost a few pics of my comps and what not but ill have them on facebook, no biggie.
Anyways I pretty much told you everything that went on for my week. Today at about 1 am the assistents called up to tell me about transfers and what not so im like reallly tired. I had people calling me from about 1 to 2 or 2:30 with questions and stuff and then again all morning long. Man its tough flying solo as a ZL but I thnk i got most everything figured out and should be good to go until tomorrow. hopefully haha.
My new companion is Elder Stewart also form Arizona, also has 8 siblings but he isnt the oldest. I guess he has like 12 nieces/nephews a few of which have been born recently so kinda similiar to what im expierencing right now. I think we will be able to work really well together.
Yesterday I was with the bishop (obispo) most of the day and it really amazes me at how sensistive he was to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. We were able to really work well together and help out a couple people to be understand more about the gospel and be more excited about getting baptized.
It was tough to get anyone to come to church because it was Mothers day and all. Arequipa is SUCH a party city. Like any tiny little thing that they can celebrate the make a huge drinking fest out of it. With tons of really bad music haha. But its even worse on big holidays like mothers day or christmas. So yeah I spent a lot of the day keeping away from large groups of drunk people. Thankfully nothing happened and we could work. I really cant understand how people can just do that, but I guess thats just because I´ve been born and raised in the gospel and most of my friends are good members as well. Im so grateful for that blessing in my life.
The president decided to re-open an area here in the zone which means that the biggest zone in Arequipa just got bigger. 15 COMPANIONSHIPS! Wow. 2 companships are the asistents so we dont have to worry about them very much haha. Except for when they call me right after sacrament meeting with some sort of request for baptismal clothes or interview or both haha. But its all good as missionaries we will do anything just to get a baptism. Any sacrifice is worth it to help someone else make an eternal baptismal covenant with our Heavenly Father.
Anyways love you guys and ill talk to you next week!
Elder Patrik Connole
Monday, May 2, 2011
Mom is the Best (Mom couldn't resist that title. hee hee)
Thanks mom, you're the best! I´ll print it off just in case. BTW I got a package from you a little while ago but I dont think I ever told you....oops.
Just found out that one of my best friends from BYU got sent home from the mission due to chronic depression. Kind of a shocker so I hope that the fam can give a little prayer for him. Im once again rememinded of how lucky I am to be here with good health and that I havent had many huge trials to overcome.
This week started off with me losing my camera...which really sucks...but thankfully I´ve sent off all the important pictures to you guys already. And we ended it happy because we had 2 baptisms of a part member family. The mom and dad are members but they have been inacative for over 8 years. The two kids were great, the older kid is 14 named Hostin (pronounced like Austeen) and his younger 11 year old brother is Daniel. We were very happey for them and now we hope that the family will be spurred into action and go get sealed in the temple a year from now.
We had our Zone Conference on Thursday and it was a quite enlightening, this month we didnt improve in baptisms as a zone nor as a mission but we did do alright. We are very excited for the possibilities we have in May and we will work hard to accomplish our goals.
Yesterday one of our investigator families (the Toledo family) opened up a snack bar and they invited us to come over and be present. We only made a brief appearance because we knew that there would be a party afterwards. Anyways we showed up and they gave us some free food, (always nice) and my companion and I presented ourselves to the 20 or so people there and gave a prayer to bless the business. It was a pretty fun expierence
sorry its short this week but Ill talk to you on SUNDAY!!
Elder Patrik Connole
Just found out that one of my best friends from BYU got sent home from the mission due to chronic depression. Kind of a shocker so I hope that the fam can give a little prayer for him. Im once again rememinded of how lucky I am to be here with good health and that I havent had many huge trials to overcome.
This week started off with me losing my camera...which really sucks...but thankfully I´ve sent off all the important pictures to you guys already. And we ended it happy because we had 2 baptisms of a part member family. The mom and dad are members but they have been inacative for over 8 years. The two kids were great, the older kid is 14 named Hostin (pronounced like Austeen) and his younger 11 year old brother is Daniel. We were very happey for them and now we hope that the family will be spurred into action and go get sealed in the temple a year from now.
We had our Zone Conference on Thursday and it was a quite enlightening, this month we didnt improve in baptisms as a zone nor as a mission but we did do alright. We are very excited for the possibilities we have in May and we will work hard to accomplish our goals.
Yesterday one of our investigator families (the Toledo family) opened up a snack bar and they invited us to come over and be present. We only made a brief appearance because we knew that there would be a party afterwards. Anyways we showed up and they gave us some free food, (always nice) and my companion and I presented ourselves to the 20 or so people there and gave a prayer to bless the business. It was a pretty fun expierence
sorry its short this week but Ill talk to you on SUNDAY!!
Elder Patrik Connole
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