My my it has been an interesting week.
This past Friday we had transfers, and on Wednesday we found out what our assignments were. Before the new assignments were sent out I suspected that I would stay in Del Cerro and that Elder Allen would leave because he's been in the ward for 6 months.
Well, it turns out we were both leaving! Elder Allen is up north close to the Encinitas area, and I am now in the City Heights area in Haitian Creole work! I was pretty surprised to get that information. First I thought I would finish my mission in Brawley for 15 weeks, and then I thought it would be Del Cerro for 9, but now it's going to be Haitian for 3 weeks.
So, on Wednesday and Thursday we did a lot of packing, visits and other things we need to do before a white wash (replacing 2 Elders for 2 new Elders).
Thursday was also a big day because we had Departing Activities! At 10am all the missionaries going home this transfer gave their departing testimonies. It went for 2 hours because there are 23 missionaries going home including Yours truly. Here are the notes I took for my departing testimony:
- Serving a mission has been the hardest, but best thing I have ever done.
- If the church werent true, the missionaries wouldve destroyed it a long time ago. What other church sends out 10s of thousands of 18-20 year olds all over the world?
- On the mission you experience a lot of adversity and disappointments: People canceling, or not keeping invitations, members not making missionary work a priority, etc.
- Of the biggest struggles for me was the feeling of not being able to help people see how important the gospel really is. I often related to Almas words in Alma 29:
" 1 O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people! 2 Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth"
- I wish everyone knew what we know. It was so hard to realize that ttere are millions of people out there, and their lives could be so much better if they had what we have.
- There is so much deepair and confusion in the world. There are so many who do not see or understand. At the very least, everyone here and eveyone on zoom should be the ones that do understand and do see. I hope that none of us ever fall away from the light we have.
- And even though its hard, we still have great reason to be of good cheer. In Moroni 9:25 it says
"25 My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but may Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind forever."
- I think this is what President Nelson was referring to when we said "The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to
- All challenges and hardship we face in life, when compared to Jesus Christs power, become small.
- I am so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ
After that we went to the Mission home for a big lunch, and had a nice group conversation and Q+A with President and Sister Merritt. It was a special time. Most of these Elders went home on Friday, but 2 other Elders also go home mid transfer.
We also got to see our friend Amy one more time Thursday night. We had a really good lesson with her. She talked about the trials she's been going through taking care of her aunt who has Alzheimers. Patsy is doing ok, but she is slowing down. Amy said she appreciates us coming by and feels the Spirit from us. We read Galatians 5:22-23 + 25 with her and talked about how she can have that feeling with her more often. It was a really powerful lesson. At the end she asked us what kind of music we had in our church and we pulled up "Consider the Lilies" on the TV. She really liked it. I was so looking forward to continuing to meet with Amy, because I think she is so ready for the gospel, but the Lord has other plans for me.
Some months ago the Mission started up a Haitian Creole group because there are a lot of Haitians here, specifically in the City Heights area. They now have a small Haitian group, which is also attached to a ward—the Fairmount ward! In case you done remember I used to serve in that ward back when it was called the College ward. It was my second area and I enjoyed being there. It felt like I was kind of going back, only this time I wouldn't actually be doing a lot with English work. But why, you ask, am in Haitian Creole work? When I only have 3 weeks left and don't speak a lick of Creole? I don't know. President Merritt hadn't told me anything until we were at transfers on Friday and I'm basically to help the work as best as I can and learn as much Creole as I can.
My new comp is Elder Christensen! He is a cool guy, and fun fact, we went to high school together! He was a grade below me and we didnt really know each other, but when he first came into the Mission we recognized each other and made the connection. He remembered my brother Ethan better and during these past few days has told a couple people my name is Ethan by accident. I suppose one reason I'm here is to be the overlap Missionary for Elder Christensen. On the 11th we get a new missionary who is being trained in the MTC to learn Haitian Creole. So we will be a trio from the 11th-25th until I leave, and then they will be just 2 again.
Needless to say the past few days have been interesting. Haitian Creole is a little bit different than English work. Our work is a little bit more narrow because there are less Haitian speakers than English speakers. We can also go anywhere in the mission, but the main Haitian hot spots are City Heights, National City, and El Cajon. A lot of what we do is making visits, and always looking for Haitians. We also have a couple of activities to try and bring the group together. But the work down here is pretty good. There was a baptism last week and there is another one next week. The group is growing.
It's pretty much 100% Creole speaking and I have no idea whats going on for the most part. I feel kinda bad for Elder Christensen doing all of the work but I am trying. I feel like a new missionary again because it's new, I don't know what's going on, and I don't speak the language. A lot of missionary work requires speaking, which I am not able to do very well at the moment. It can be hard in a way because I want to work as hard as I can with the little time I have left, but I also can't really do as much. The main thing I can really work at in this kind of work is learning the language. I've been studying a lot and trying to learn as much as I can. I have been learning a lot, but whenever we're with Haitians I don't remember any of what I studied. I wanted to try and be ready to pray in Haitian this Sunday, but I wasn't ready. I have a goal to pray in church next week.
Haitian people are nice. It's interesting to see the differences in culture. People here are so much more willing to hear messages about Christ. Here are some more interesting small things:
- Haitians eat a lot of food. Yesterday we had a break the fast with the group and then after we got invited to another dinner. They knew we had just eaten, but they said they don't do small plates. The lady piled our plates with a bunch of food. She knew we couldn't eat all of it, but she still put it all on our plate. Doesn't make sense to me, but it's part of their culture
- Haitians always have window blinds that are broken. Don't know why. They also never have the a/c on so their apartments are very warm. There are also usually multiple families in one apartment and there are people we meet, that live there, every time we return to an apartment.
- They also love soccer. We had our weekly sports night on my first night here and a bunch of people came. Elder Christensen said I was thrown into the deep end in trying to play soccer with Haitians. They're pretty good at it and are very fancy with their foot work.
It's interesting to me how despite the language and cultural differences, and that I've only been here for 3 days, I feel so much love for these people. Especially the more I get to know their story. Elder Christensen has told me that some of these people have made it to America from Haiti by flying down to somewhere in South America, like Brazil, and then make it all the way up to the U.S. by foot. That's amazing! Getting to know this people so far, and even all the people on my mission, has reminded me a lot of a quote by Marjorie P. Hinckley: "There isn't a person you wouldn't love if you could read their story". I think that is so true. That's part of why Christ has so much love for us. He knows our full story!
Anyway, thanks for reading the long email. I appreciate it. I love each of you! I only have about 2.5 weeks, returning to Utah on the 25th. Thanks so much!
- Elder Wride
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