My week has been great and you're right it has been so cold, with
windchill it's been negative and we have been out doing work and
people probably think we are crazy. I'm trying to stay warm but it's
been so cold!
Our investigators are doing really well, I'll be talking a lot about
that in my weekly email. My companion is doing good, randomly he
doesn't feel good and that's when we will spend the rest of the day
inside. It gives me a great opportunity to do some more studies,
that's for sure. Valentine's Day was fun, as a missionary you forget
that there is such things as holidays other than Christmas and
Mother's Day. I did get your package and the kitkats were good, and I
love peanut butter m&ms! Thanks for the Emergencee packets. It's nice
to have the vitamin C haha.
It's great to have those random broadcasts that are very spiritually
uplifting and very relaxing.
Elder Casper
Hello to everyone back home! I miss you all and hope you are having a
great time!
Last Wednesday we had dinner with our investigators, Donna, Juan and
Anthony. They fed us authentic Italian lasagna and sausages, meatballs
and some ribs with extra tomato sauce with some of the rib meat in
it.. Oh and garlic bread. We love them so much and they fed us yummy
food and they love us so much. Donna asked us if she moved would she
still see us and we told her that she wouldn't see us but she would
see other missionaries. She was bummed but we told her that we want
her to be converted to the gospel not to us missionaries because one
day we will leave, sadly. We taught them the gospel of Jesus Christ
and we read 2 Nephi 31 with them to start it out and they really
enjoyed it. We explained it to them and taught them the doctrine of
Christ. Juan is really excited about his baptism and they could feel
the spirit so strong. We love them so much and we know that they are
being prepared and they are reading and praying. Donna made peach cake
for us as well and it was delicious!
Thursday we had our Coordination meeting with Michael as usual and we
talked a lot about our investigators and so did all the other
missionaries. Michael is great and we had a great time. Elder Nalaza
had a Sonogram afterwards and then had to meet with the Doctor
afterwards. We went home and ate some food. Then we went to see Sister
Archivald who is a lady in a care center and we brought her the
sacrament. I feel so bad for her because she can really only say a
couple words like okay, right, yeah and little stuff like that. It's
very tough for her but it's also great to see her and brighten her
day. We saw another one of our eternigators (Investigator for
eternity) and then headed home because elder Nalaza wasn't feeling
good. He rested and I cleaned and ate and studied a bit.
Friday we coordinated with the other missionaries and cleaned up our
ward list a bit and are going through and finding the less actives and
figuring out who is so we can visit them. It was awesome and very
productive, it was also my 15 month mark. One of the sister
missionaries in our district came up to me, her name is sister
Garnder and she said happy 15 months. I've been out for a while but I
still have time. Then we split with some Elders in our district. I
went with Elder Newbold into his area so I was in the south Bronx,
which is way fun. Elder Newbold is from Sacramento! Yes a fellow
Californian and it was cool to know that he knew some people from
Lincoln and Loomis, no one I knew. We had some yum yum cross Bronx
pizza which is a huge piece of pizza that is bigger than my head..
Yeah. We went to drop my bag for the split off at their apartment and
then went to go see a member, Brother Ford. Elder Newbold and I had a
goal to be as awkward as possible and to go up to anyone and everyone
and offer them a card or talk to them. It was super fun. We pull out a
card and the next person we would see we would offer a card. Some
people said no and we would be standing there for a couple seconds
with our hand out holding a card. A lot of people took the cards. We
did a couple look ups after and went and ate dinner. Then went to do a
few referral look ups and we were talking to everyone and giving book
of Mormons out and talking to them about it. The spirit was so strong
and we met this guy named Sal who asked us a lot of questions and was
pretty interested. It was cool. We were originally looking for a girl
and I kept forgetting her name so we were asking everyone for her name
and at this door I asked "We are looking for.. What's her name again?(
I asked elder Newbold)" we were cracking up and having a good ole
time. He is a funny guy. We were just doing whatever we felt prompted
to do. It was a good split and we ended the night by helping their
roommates. They were on a split too and they wanted us to go home and
grab his bag with his clothes in it and meet him at a subway station
to give it to them. We almost missed the train after we caught up to
them. They got on and we were talking to them and they told us to get
on.. We were spacing it. It was a great night. It felt good to sleep
that night because I felt like I had accomplished something great.
Saturday there was a Baptism of Sheikara Gray, someone that the
sisters were meeting with and she got baptized! It was awesome! We
then unsplitted and went home and ate and then I had to go do a
baptisimal interview for someone that the other elders that we just
split with, are teaching. Her name is Aida she passed the interview
but it turns out she wasn't married to the guy she was living with,
the Elders found out that afterwards. We set up all the chairs at
church because we don't have the chairs like normal chapels have. It's
a gym/chapel. With dividers and stuff. Elder Nalaza wasn't feeling too
hot after wards so we did some of our planning and the night was over.
Sunday we went to ward council and our Bishop is a boss. This ward is
a little dis functional so he is really trying to help the ward be
more functional. Church was good! Donna, Anthony and Juan came to
church! Donna came over to us right before sacrament meeting started
and told us that she received her answer, that she wants to be
baptized! She said she was sitting on her computer listening to
lds.org and a thought came to her that she needed to be baptized. They
loved church but they couldn't stay for 3rd hour but they loved it.
They were able to keep the gospel principles book to. It was so cold,
we did bring the sacrament to a lady in a care center as well. Then
did some planning at home. Donna texted us and wanted to know the
soonest that she could be baptized. She is being baptized on March
13th with Juan!
Monday we had district meeting! Yay! We talked about the doctrine of
Christ and some great comments were brought up. The doctrine of Christ
is our purpose as missionaries. We bring people to that knowledge of
Christ and help them to progress in the gospel. It is such a blessing
to see people change because of the gospel. We went home and
Elder Nalaza cooked some good soup to put on rice. I've eaten more rice
since I've been with Elder Nalaza than I have in my whole life. We saw
Donna and Anthony! She went and told a member up in the Poughkeepsie
ward that she was being baptized on March 13th and she wanted him to
baptize her. She is excited about her baptism, and she wants to be
perfect for it but we told her that we will prepare her and all she
has to do is do what we ask and strive to learn more. She read about
baptism in the gospel principles book. She is so prepared and she
loves learning! We found out that Juan has been reading the Book of
Mormon for over a year before he met with us. That's why he wanted to
be baptized so quickly. The book has changed his life as well. He got
a copy from a guy who passed away. Juan is part of patrol and they got
all of his stuff out of the guys apartment and there he found a Book
of Mormon. How awesome is that?! It was snowing all day and then
turned to freezing rain and then to just normal rain to wash away all
the snow that came down. Wearing glasses and having snow or rain is
irritating.
Tuesday we went to the church and got some bibles to do some look ups
later in the day. And headed to this store called Chang Li's so Elder
Nalaza could buy a ton of food for tomorrow. So apparently in the
Philippines, when it's your birthday, you feed everyone, not the other
way around. It's bizarre to me but what do I know? I'm American haha.
Elder Nalaza got sick too so we spent the rest of the day inside. I
cleaned our entire apartment and was reading the teachings from the
presidents of the church book. The Joseph Smith one and I read 100
pages. At least I was learning something. It is tough to have plans
and then for those plans to go down the drain. We can't do anything
about it, the doctors can but all we can do is suffer through it. I
want to go to work and see miracles. One day we will be able to.
So I have been studying a lot in the Book of Mormon and I'm in Alma
right now. I've noticed that all the prophecies of Christ right now
are all before Christ has even been born yet. It's awesome that they
have that knowledge and have a testimony. Preach my gospel is awesome
too. I studied some cool things and been able to see my understanding
grow. It's cool how revelation works when reading. I just realized
that Christ is the only name under heaven where we can be saved. We do
everything in the name of Jesus Christ. Pray, bless the sacrament,
give blessings, it's just so mind blowing. I've also been reading in
the keep the sabbath day holy section and it's important that we enter
into a spirit of worship, thanksgiving, service and family centered
activities. I can't wait to do activities with you guys when I get
home so we can keep the sabbath day holy. I'm learning so much on my
mission and I have such a strong testimony of this gospel that I never
want to lose, so I will keep reading, praying and going to church and
keep the commandments. So many blessings are in store for those who
obey Christs gospel. I love you so much, hope you have a wonderful
week! Talk to you later!
Elder Casper
1. Brother Ford kisses all the missionaries on the cheek if we ask for
a picture.
2. Cross Bronx Pizza.. Told you!
3. Want to see a dope picture? Hahaah get it? Dope as in the drug.
4. Even though we are eating deep fried pork chops, I still have my vegetables.
5. A valentines kiss for each of you.
6. My shoe prints in snow.
7. Thanks mom and dad! Love you!
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