Sunday, November 15, 2015

11.1.15


Sunday was good. Still no investigators at church, but we have been able to see some more success with less active members. We have been working with Brother J. for a while. He has been back to church pretty regulary for a while, but it was just him coming. As we taught him more and invited him to share the gospel with his family he has helped more of his family come to church. This Sunday he brought his daughter who hasn't been at church for a long time. We haven't been able to visit her more than a quick hello and good bye, but Brother Jonkiesinhg has been reaching out to those that we have been unable to. I am excited to go to blank for my last area. I read about Ammon this morning in my personal study and it got me excited to be going to my new area. I hope that I'll be able to help a few more people be baptized before the mission is over. I liked Ben's costume. 
Love, Elder Parker

11.8.15

Rosignol is like a western town with coconut trees. Many people have donkey carts or horse carts. There are cows and horses, sheep, goats, chickens and various other animals all over the place. I haven't seen any live crocodiles but you can get wallets and scripture cases, or really anything you want made out of their skin. I might get a few things before I come home. It's really hot here, or maybe I'm just getting used to not having an air conditioned car. I don't know too much about the government, but there haven't been any major problems. The vast majority of people here are from India. They were brought here by the English to work on the sugar plantations. Most of the native Americans live in what is called the interior, which means the jungle further south. I am only about a mile from the ocean, and right by the Berbice river.  A popular job is cutting cane (sugar cane). That is what the Branch President, President Narine, does for work. I am going to need to do some adjustments to my teaching style because the education level here is pretty low, but everyone is very friendly. Illiteracy is common. We meet in a rented building underneath a Hindu persons house. Sacrament attendance was 48 yesterday. The branch is cool, but there is some contention amongst a few of the members. There are 180 people on record in the Rosignol branch. Almost all of them live within a 20 minute walk of our house and the church. The branch president and his returned missionary son who is the branch mission leader are awesome. They went teaching with us all of Saturday and Sunday. Since the branch hasn't had missionaries in it for a while they were very excited to have missionaries in the branch.  President Egbert gave the branch permission to do missionary work while they didn't have missionarries so we were able to meet the investigators that they were teaching and 2 of them came to church on Sunday. It will be great to work with the members here. A big focus from President Egbert is training the members on their callings and especially on how to make branch councils happen and be productive.  We were able to set a baptismal date with a part member family on Saturday with one of the people that was being taught by the branch for Dec 12. She might be able to be baptized  sooner than that depending on how quickly she and her current boyfriend can get married. I was able to find a map of where most members live in our area book so that helped out a lot in finding less actives and active members. I have 2 transfers left. Elder Leung Choi and I get a long pretty well. We are working on being exactly obedient. So overall I am excited to be here. It was a good change for me. I was starting to get a little down in Trinidad, but this new challenge has helped me to forget myself and work harder. Love you lots!
-Elder Parker