Feliz Ano Novo ~ Happy New Years

21 weeks in Angola

HAPPY NEW YEARS EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!                                       Dec. 31,2012

ola minha familia!!!!!holy cow, Christmas was amazing being able to see all your beautiful faces! I loved that and could have not asked for more for Christmas.

I hope your weeks have all been as good as mine. The highlights was obviously Christmas for me,. Other than that , the week was very normal and we just worked and had fun. It was a good week!

MOM AND GRAHAM!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! para bems para voces! nestas datas queridas! muita felcicidade muitos anos da vida! (congratulations to you guys! those dates dear! much happiness many years of life! ) I LOVE YOU BOTH! happy birthday mom and graham!

 So ya like I said. This week pretty normal. I think the only major accomplishment was that I became even more of a nerd and learned how o play chess I’ve only won once haha but it was legit and now I can put another check on my nerd bucket list!!!!

  Still haven’t gotten any packages or heard that any have gotten here, but I’m hoping that today I’ll hear some good news. We’ll see!

But ya let me see what happened this week. Wednesday we went back to work and worked through Saturday obviously hah it’s been pretty rainy here this week, but we managed to not get stuck and get wet at all, so that’s good. Other than the rain and skype the week was pretty normal. I always scramble to remember anything significant that happened ahh umm I ate goat, cow liver, and some other mystery part of a goat, I think like the spinal cord. I don’t know ahh but after Christmas I’m definitely doing amazing. just happy and stoked for 2013!! THIS IS THE "YEAR" OF MY MISSION!!!!! time for me to do work

I love you all and am constantly praying for you all! have awesome New Years tonight!!

BOAS FESTAS!!!!!!!(Happy Holidays)

love you all!!!

Elder Montgomery

ps wow that was super short. sorry! I’ll write more next week I promise!!!

AZ. Mom's of Missionaries in Angola Lunch Dec 27,2012

Sister Chatwin, Tilley, Clifford

Sister Tilley, Wilhelm, Montgomery, Clifford

Sister Clifford, Chatwin, Tillley, Wilhelm

Christmas 2012 in Lubango

Elder Montgomery's new Love :)

Elders Patrolling the Streets of Lubango 

"Mormon Mafia" haha 

Elders Borden, Montgomery, Sande, Hyde 

O Touro charged Elder M then stopped 5 feet away,:) 

Sister Violin leading the Elders in Christmas Caroling

Christmas Caroling

Elder M's white Elephant Christmas Gift

Skyping 2012 Christmas

There's Only 8 more sleeps til CHRISTMAS !!!

19 in Angola

OLA MINHA FAMILIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
first off, I love you all! I’m sooooooo sorry that this letter will be
kind a short. It was supposed to be very long I just spent 45 minutes
typing another letter, and then when I sent it the internet failed and
none of it was saved.. I am sooooo mad right now I can’t even tell
yall. ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. im sorry

BUT trying to be positive! this week was amazing! holy cow, it
literally changed my mission!
Ill give the short version of the story now and the long one on skype
next week. IM SO EXCITED TO SKYpe!!!! mom
our cell number in case skype doesn’t work,
I really am praying that skype works though. I can’t wait to see your
beautiful faces! mom, just talk to sister violin on facebook and
trade all the skype info.
ugh sorry really mad about that email not sending I just took 45
minutes writing it. this is super frustrating sometimes!

:but ya, so the mission changing story: me and Elder Borden were
having a very crappy day, because all of our appointments dropped and
it was hotter than heck. but then we had the opportunity, I’ll explain
how next week, to give a handicapped man a two hour uphill push
literally all the way across town in his wheelchair and i had a very
special moment when the spirit just hit me lick a brick with the
scripture, I think its “Matt 25: 40 inasmch as ye have done it unto  one
of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me”. super super
powerful spirit and totally mission changing. I  know that I am not
here for me. This mission is not for me. it’s for the Angolan people
and for my and their and all of our Savior. I love the Savior so soo
much. I’m so grateful for him and for everything that he did for me and
for all of us. I have a very strong profound testimony of our Savior
and his atonement. I love him so much.

ugh my time is getting up. I’m SO So sorry everyone for the crappy
short email. It was supposed to be WAY longer if the internet here
didn’t love screwing Elder Montgomery over! I’m super sorry! but I love
you all! I’ll tell the story next week on skype. I love you all so much!
don’t worry about the packages, they’ll get here!
until next week! after all, there’s only 8 more sleeps till Christmas!!
Elder Montgomery
Matt25:
 31 ¶When the ^aSon of man shall come in his ^bglory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

 32 And before him shall be gathered all ^anations: and he shall^bseparate them one from another, as a ^cshepherd divideth his^dsheep from the goats:

 33 And he shall set the sheep on his ^aright hand, but the goats on the left.

 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his ^aright hand, Come, ye^bblessed of my Father, ^cinherit the ^dkingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

 35 For I was an ^ahungred, and ye ^bgave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a ^cstranger, and ye took me in:

 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye ^avisited me: I was in ^bprison, and ye came unto me.

 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

 39 Or when saw we thee ^asick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have ^adone it unto one of the ^bleast of these my ^cbrethren, ye have done it unto me.

 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the ^aleft hand, ^bDepartfrom me, ye ^ccursed, into everlasting ^dfire, ^eprepared for the devil and his angels:

 42 For I was an ^ahungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the ^aleast of these, ye did it not to me.

 46 And these shall go away into ^aeverlasting ^bpunishment: but the^crighteous into ^dlife ^eeternal

Mission: 35 weeks in Angola: 18 weeks

its all alright!              Week 18 in Angola ~ 35 on Mission

Ola minha familia!                                                      Dec10,2012

Sorry about last week. My message was saved on a pen drive but the
computer I was using deleted my message before I could send it. but
don’t everyone worry, I’m here for sure this week. We got library cards
to a media library here in Lubango so I will be a lot more regular at
emailing.
This week was a good one. My "dad" got transferred to Luanda, and a
Mozambican elder named elder Sande came in place of Elder Kelsey. So
that’s cool. he’s from “Beira”  Chels! and he said he was always around the
“care for life” groups. I still gotta show him your picture to see if
he’ll recognize you.
Me and Elder Borden finished off the transfer good, and we are staying
another transfer here in Lubango together. It should be good. We have
a few baptismal dates marked for this transfer so that will be cool.
funny story, one of our new families, we went to their house one day
and the dad was drunk out of his mind, and he was a sad crying drunk,
so he was holding my hand and hugging me and begging me to help him and
putting his head on my lap and stuff like that. hahaha super funny.
BUT the next day we woke him up at 7 am in the middle of his hangover
recovery and we taught him and his wife the palavra de sabedoria. (word of wisdom)super
cool. Then they came to church, we’re gonna set them a baptismal date
for this next month in January. should be awesome.
Saturday, the last two people who have been baptized both got the
aaronic priesthood this week. sick!, and the mom of the husband of the
couple who lost the baby, had a super cool dream about the
missionaries calling her across the river in Lehi’s dream, needless to
say it was a confirmation to her that she needed to get baptized and
she was baptized Saturday, that was a true miracle for sure!
Mom just to answer questions, yes it is SKYPE for <Christmas not
facetime. I’ll use the Violins account and you can just use yours,. NOON
Christmas day ARIZONA TIME!!! if that works for everyone, awesome. if
not, let me know ASAP so I can figure out another time, and mom for the
Christmas card pic of me just do one alone.
  Anyways. I love you all. I’m doing a little bit better from those slum
weeks I had the last two weeks, just getting a little down and satan
piles it all on. BUT I’m overcoming, no need to worry. All I need are
your prayers and some Christmas packages and letters would be sick
too hhah
but ya. I love you all! I hope you all know that. Sorry for when I
wrote the downer emails. I’ll try to be positive every week and find
the best stuff to tell yall~!
Love you all. Thanks for the prayers and love. sendin em right back!!!
fiquem fiche!(stay cool!)

love ya all!
Elder Montgomery

Pictures From Lubango....

... still waiting on an email today...

Elder Hyde and Montgomery at Tundra Cliffs  

it is so much greener then it was when they visited a couple months ago.

Soccor boys with Elders Borden, Kelsey, Montgomery, Hyde. 

(these pictures are From Elder Hyde's blog, Elder M's 

has the same ones but I can not get his to load.)

Ola Minha Familia !

#16

Ola minha familia!                                                                                          Nov. 26,2012
hope you all had good thanksgivings and all that. This week we had a Thanksgiving zinha,(small)  the Violins.  I made a legit stuffing it was good. Other that, very very very slow week. very slow. and very hard. So if I’m a little bit disanimated, sorry.
We did have one really cool baptism, I’ll send pics next week, when were at the good internet cafe. The one were at today is horrible slow. but ya. the baptism was a guy me and elder kelsey found names Leonel, he’s single in his 20s, and super, super cool. A funny moment of the week was yesterday when he was getting confirmed, he said "recebo" after he was "given" the holy ghost, recebo means I receive ahahahaahaahhahah all the missionaries who caught it had a very good laugh after. but ya. Hard week. can’t lie.

   I love you all though, and I normally love being a missionary, just this week though. ya its been tough. I know you will all be mad about writing barely nothing, and I’m sorry, but I don’t wanna just dwell on all the bad things that happened hhah its tough like that.  ughhhh. ya but anther funny point of the week, " this is me trying to think of positive things to write to you all:)" was that we got asked by this sketchy guy to become his illegal diamond and gold traffickers. obviously we denied. I didn’t wanna become involved with blood diamonds. haah
  also I know this week someone has a special day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DAD HAPPY BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHEshew your getting old man! haah but happy birthday and I love ya!
but ya, time is coming to an end so I’ll just let you all know that I love you! sorry for the super short email, but there wasn’t much good to write, and the internet is super slow. I love you all though! and after all, there’s only one more month till Christmas! woohoo!!!!
till next week,
Elder Montgomery

Week 15 in Angola, 7 months out !!!

CLEANING OF THE WATER TANK !!!

Elder Kelsey sitting on the water (Agua)tank, Elder Borden standing , wheres

Elder Montgomery ???

Oh there you are... Elder Montgomery, he wrote his name in the green slim 

in the water tank. Thank goodness for water filters.

#15  in Angola   pictures # 2      Monday, November 19, 2012 6:22 AM

OLA MINHA FAMILIA!!!!! I LOVE YOU ALLL!!!!!!!

 holy cow this week has flown by! and guess what! yesterday I hit my SEVEN MONTH MARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ya. it’s for real now, I’m no longer a new missionary ahhaahha even though at times I still make mistakes like new missionaries. so big news for the week, we have one more baptismal date, his name is Gilberto! ya its sick. I like his name because its home ya know? but ya! He is an awesome single guy in his thirties, he will be baptized next month. Its really cool to see the crazy changes he’s made in his life. The first time I went to his house two months ago on a division with elder Tilley, he was drunk out of his mind and couldn’t even talk straight. Now he’s a amazing learner and has completely given up alcohol and recovered from alcoholism and is gonna get baptized! super super cool!!!!

But ya a good week. The only other good news was that I hit seven months. It was very normal ahha but I rewarded myself with cleaning out our water tank, which had been full of that green water for some time now. I sent pictures hopefully they get through good. but ya. not  too crazy week  just those couple things that happened. The pictures are of me and the other missionaries cleaning out our water tank. I volunteered to go inside hahah it was groooooooss, the water smelled like fish and there was moss all over the inside. I spelled my name if you can read it in the one picture. I was happy when I finished, hence the conquering stance on top. To just answer questions,,, yes president Kretyl is awesome. I have learned a lot about working smart and how to teach effectively so that we don’t waste time an give people chances to let their family talk them out of baptism an stuff like that, sadly it happens a lot. I think were having thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, not sure though. I’ll try and get the stuff for the stuffing and oreo pie. super excited for that one:) 

  Mom if you could email me your cup cake and sugar cookie and frosting recipes, the branch presidents wife wants them because I was talking your cookies up one day when she made us " cup cakes ahah" so ill see if she can get your recipe down. it’s in Africa, so I don’t think you’ll lose any business:)

 The branch here is Lubango, there is only one, is very small. only about 50 members, about half are youth, and about half are inactive and I’ve never met them, so Sundays we definitely have more investigators at church than members, ever. it’s really cool. I love it. but ya the church just rents a Vivena, is what it’s called. Basically like a house with another house behind. We live in the annex out back and then the church is right in front. ha no dad, we didn’t have to stay in side all last Monday for Angolan independence, it was just that the internet cafe was closed so we couldn’t do internet.

   Anyways. I think that’s it for the questions! I loved the picture you sent from the zoo! gosh  those kids are so dang cute! Can’t even stand it. I miss them like crazy, make sure Graham, Claire, and Beau never forget uncle Colie!! also mom, I got an email from Kate Montgomery, if you could tell her thanks a ton and I love her. She sent a picture of her baptism date and stuff. super cute.

  ok, so I know like last week I said some stuff about loving that rechargeable light you sent and everything. and I did,,,, but it broke already ahaah I don’t know what even happened it just stopped working one day. sooooo if possible, the next person to send a package could send me one of those surefire flashlights if they’re not too expensive,,, that would be cool:)

Mom and dad, have you and the fam gotten my letter that I sent home yet? I sent it to Chels and Ise house, how often do you guys all check the mail? I hope it gets their soon. and let graham know that it is addressed to him but he has to share with the whole family!!!! haah but ya. I sent a letter. We’ll see how long it takes!

and I guess I better close this so I can send my letter to president... but I love you all! I hope you all have an amazing week and never forget that I’m always praying for yall! love ya!!!! and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!-»to all and to all a good night. ya I know wrong holiday. haha love ya!

Elder Montgomery

week #14 in Angola ~ FIRST'S - 1ST Baptism, 1ST Elder from Lubango, and 1ST Tribal Dancers

Henriques Baptism - Elder Kelsey and Montgomery's (- first,) 

Baptized by Pres.Marques

First Elder EVER called from Lubango, he is going to Mozambique

First time to see Memhuilas Tribal Dancers in traditional dress for a wedding.

#14 from Angoal

 in lubango!!! 2

Tuesday, November 13, 2012 3:20 AM

OLA MINHA FAMILIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sorry I didn’t write yesterday! it was a national holiday so the internet cafe was closed. sorry also about the last two weeks I know I’ve been pretty bad in writing detailed emails!. I promise to be better this week though!

first off, highlight of the week!!! I HAD MY FIRST BAPTISM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

his name is Henriques Banda. me and Elder Kelsey taught his al the way through and he got baptized this Saturday, it was the most amazing thing to see him be baptized by the branch President  Marques, and to be able to give him a shirt and tie and welcome him into the church as he was confirmed Sunday morning. He is truly an amazing man and will be a future leader of the church here in Angola. it was so amazing to help him out of the font and to give him a hug and truly feel the spirit that was working in hi right then as he was literally he cleanest person in the world right then! HOLY COW. AWESOME AND AMAZING DAY. the second highlight, president Kretly and Elder and Sister Hartman, the area mental health advisors came this weekend to give us some training. Elder Hartman is the guy who wrote the book about people having colors and each person is different and their personalities and all that, really cool. he gave us training on how to know ourselves and the people we teach better so that we can infuse the spirit so that our investigators will be able to feel it most effectively. I found out that I am a white, which means I’m a peacekeeper and stuff like that. You can look up the profiles on google I’m sure. really cool though.

Then President Kretly gave us some training and also put on a fireside for a bunch of members and investigators about the seven habits de uma pessoa altimente efficaz. ( the seven habits of a highly effective person) obviously based off the book by steven r covey, because Pres Kretly was the president of Franklin Covey in brazil. Really cool and it was good for all the youth hear to see how they have to be the ones to control their own lives in order to become successful people who they want to be. really cool training.

The fourth highlight ahaahah was that there was a wedding across the street from the chapel/ our apartment this Friday Saturday and Sunday. The family hired tribal dancers and people from the local tribe from <Huila (the province the city Lubango is the capital of) the tribe is called Memhuilas. they are all around the city and stuff during the day because they sell things, but this time they were in front of the church for three days straight to put on a feast and to do tribal dancing and stuff for the party. it was so legit! Saturday we woke up to African drums and were like what is that!! so we went outside and their was like 35 to 40 Memhuilas dancing and singing. it was so cool. we took videos and pictures and it was definitely something I’ll never forget. true African tribal dancers hahaha so sweet! sorry for the pictures I sent if there are any bare chested women.. that’s just how they are! We’re all used to it by now because like I said, their everywhere. but the dancers were way super super cool!!!!!!

highlight number 5 was that the first missionary ever from Lubango got his mission call Saturday and opened it after the baptism! he’s going to Mozambique! really cool and excited or him. Here’s a picture of his call and him too sorry I took a picture of him doing the black power symbol ahahahahah

   But yeah this week has been totally amazing. I love it here in Lubango and I’m excited for all the baptisms that are coming up. I heard the day after that obama won the election, of course everyone here is suuuuuuper happy. you can imagine why ahhah but yeah, obama is really an icon for the African people.

Now to answer questions! or really there was only one I haven’t answered yet, about thanksgiving. We will be having it here in Lubango with the Violin’s. We call Sister Violin mom because she truly is the mom of Lubango. Mom its super funny, if sister violin and sister Thompsons looks and personalities were both combined, it would be you exactly!!!!!!!! super funny. but ya for Thanksgiving all the elders cook a family thing and Sister Violin cooks a turkey. I volunteered to do stuffing, but then I realized we just usually use the box kind ahah that’s my favorite,, BUT mom,. could you send a recipe for your homemade stuffing and for the oreo cream pie you make to Sister Violin and I’ll see if I can pull them off? if so that would be awesome.

   Well family, I hope you all like this email better than my past few. I know I was slacking sorry about that. but I love you all so much. I pray for and think about each and every one of you all every single day. I will try to be better at writing from now on. I love you all so much!!! I hope the pictures all get there so you can see the things I explained. I love you all! Have an amazing week everyone and know that I love ya’ll like noone other!!! Give my love to everyone and especially Graham, Claire, and Beau!!! I love you three! Graham, wassup mammy!!!!!!!!! haha anyways, everyone have amazing weeks. I love you all!!!!!

love, Elder Montgomery

Week #13 Novembro?? JA??

 #13  novembro?? JA?????

 first to explain the pictures,,, the first one is me using the light mom sent that I love, 

and studying in the dark on a rainy day, then the second one is my bath water,

to just explain how it comes out of our tank looking. yes, that is green:) 

don't worry we boil half a bucket to make it for hot showers, (sometimes) 

so we only get half the diseases! and no, that's

 not our drinking water we have special filters for that:)

Monday, November 5, 2012 7:20 AM

in translation, ITS ALREADY NOVEMBER!!!!!!!??????? holy cow, time is flying,

but anyways,

ola minha familia!!!!!

I love you al so much. ugh I was writing a message and then it got deleted so I’ll try and remembered the questions I already answered.

yes dad we use taxis, and that truck was the violins,

Mom, Elder Hyde is really cool, we get along great and he’s a cool kid, and Elder Borden is cool. we getting along great.

Anyway, the internet is super duper stupid slow, so sorry if the email just gets all jumbled.

Anyway, this week has been good though. I love it here in Lubango its just kinda like home, aside from the green water. cockroaches and the fact that its Africa ahahah

 but ya I love it here.

So first off, Jared and Tori!!! happy birthdays this week!!!!!!!!!  second, before I forget in my scatter brain, dear elder that thing you all used when I was in the mtc, still works here in Angola too if you wanna use it you al can.

So this week, I was a missionary for halloween haha shocker eh? but ya. I am sorry that I feel like I don’t have much to say. I hear that’s the curse of missionaries as they get older, time just goes all mixed together and I don’t remember anything that happens, but I have my journals so don’t worry I’ll tell you all about it better someday. I’m sorry but ya. I’m super excited for this next Saturday, because I will have the very first one of my investigators to ever get baptized!!! he’s in elder Kelsey and Hyde’s area now, but me and Elder Kelsey taught him the whole way through. I’m really excited for that. His name is Henrique, he’s awesome. but ya. That’s pretty much the only cool thing that happened this week. It’s been pretty slow. but the work s going good. We have 6 baptismal dates marked for this month and December so it will take off soon!! I’m super excited for it all. anyways, sorry for being so short, I promise to write more next week.  love you all so much! You are all in my prayers each and every day. I know that this gospel is true and that only though it will we one day return to our father in heaven. I love you all!

till next week. Elder Montgomery.

ps . there’s a real African rain storm outside right now. its LOUD when it rains here. because everyone’s roof is tin.

This week... Oct 29,2012 #12 in Lubango Angola,

Elder Montgomery and Hyde, Hyde is new to Lubango,

 he is Kelsey's new comp. Elder Tilley was transferred to

Luanda Casuquel Area and Colins Comp is Elder Borden. 

Watching General conf in in Portuguese 3 weeks 

after the US watched it. Can you find the American in the bunch. 

Elder Montgomery and Elder Borden New companions 

still in Lubango 

Elder Montgomery so excited the rain s have come.

Over  looking Lubango

mini crist statue they have on the mountain above Lubango 

that overlooks the whole city. It's cool, like the one in rio de janerio

#12   Oct 29.2012

Ola minha familia!!! I love you alllll so much! thanks for the emails and everything again this week. it makes the mission bearable and funner to know you’re all doing good.

so ill just jump right into everything about this week. new companion, Elder Borden is really cool. We already were around each other because he was with Elder Tilley so it’s cool and fun and the change was easy. yes mom he’s from North Carolina.

ok so I know this is pointless to say but I found out something about myself this week,,,,,, I LOVE NUTELLA! Elder Tilley left some when he went to Luanda and I tried it and love it . super weird don’t know how I never liked it. but ya. super good. I love it.

Our new area has a lot less people to teach, it’s more like the outskirts of the city, but we have a ton of baptismal dates, so I’m super excited for the next transfer. We’re gonna have some awesome people and families baptized.

This week we got to finally watch general conference and I sent a picture of it. Just wanna say para bems to me, (congrats) because I watched eight hours of conference in another language, and stayed awake!,, and that is saying something!

I cut my hair this week, nothing too important ahha don’t know why I wrote that down,

MOM thank you sosossoso much for the package! it got to Luanda the 22nd and elder Hyde brought it down so I got it this last week. I LOVE EVERYTHING!!! thank you so much!! the flash light is freaking legit!!! ya, I don’t need the other one I asked for now, I love the new one!  thank you! haha I laughed my head off when I pulled out the rainforest plumbing shirt hahahaahah thank you so much. I loved the letters and pictures and everything, thank you!!!

also this last week with Elder Hyde I got two letters from the Heap’s and the Hubble’s, make sure you tell them thanks a million for those! It’s really nice to hear from people. tell them thanks for me.

ok so I thought of a couple more Christmas things if possible,,, just pictures of everyone, and one of those family calendars if you made another of this year, sorry if that ruins any stocking stuffing surprises haha

I also need a fitted sheet for my bed, don’t know how I never brought one of those but ya, if possible that would be awesome ,

and just some peanut butter and almond mms I’m definitely down for any sort of candy you can send:)

 Anyway’s to answer questions though, I’m doing fine really. The water situation is way better because we have a water truck come fill our tank every week now so that takes care of it.

Dad ahah no, we don’t have any sort of maids or anything like that. I wish!!!!!

I am in Elder Borden’s and Elder Tilley’s old area, so I have to learn all new people and area and stuff, but ive pretty much caught on, our area is just one straight line with a lot of little barros on the outsides.

MOM!! if you could also send me some DIFI that hair stuff I always used, the white jar with the blue cap they only have it at ulta,,,, that would be amazing  How’s the work? 

ya I hear from Zach and Hunter  weekly, we have a little brotherly email going. its fun.

 I’m doing good. We’ve had lots of rain this week so I’ve gotten o be in a great mood. I and  got to use my rain coat for the first time. I love it works great.

but ya, I’m doing good. just a normal week minus the small changes. I love you all and hope you all have an awesome week. Know that I am always missing and praying for all of you, but that I am ok and none of you need to worry about me. I love you all!! Have an awesome week, and dad, make sure you get out to highlands playoff gameS. yes they will win haha but ya, love you all so much! 

graham, wassup MAMMY!!!!

love ya!

Elder Montgomery

Life in Lubango week #11 in Angola

 #11 Life in Lubango!!!                                                    Monday, October 22, 2012 6:16 AM

OLA MINHA FAMILIA!!!

ok so first: transfer news!!! I will be staying here in Lubango, and will be switching companions to work with Elder Borden he’s a cool guy. I like him a lot and so it should be fun. Then Elder Tilley is going up to Luanda, we'll miss him here, and another newer guy ( we found out it is Elder Hyde) is coming down to Lubango to work with Elder Kelsey. so ya, nothing to big, but it will be fun!!!. and dad to answer, we just get our transfer news in an email, so I literally just found out minutes ago.

now to answer questions,,,

 Primeiro, Christmas stuff. I’m doing this little kid style,

dear santa, I would like

1.( personal stuff J)

2. a new flashlight, their called "surefire", and their like the ones the cops use. This ones kinda optional.

3. pictures of everyone preeeety please.~

4.scribbles from Graham, Claire and Beau and cozies assim (? Not sure what he means by this ).

and I’ll send more next week. That’s all I can think of. oh ya, and some pop tarts.

next thing,,, in order to skype for Christmas, the best way to do it is over facetime on an ipad or mac computer, I guess that’s the fastest connection and way better than skype,,, soooo dad and mom you have a few options,,,,,

1 buy each other ipads for Christmas ahhhhaah

2 buy a mac computer.

3 find someone you know who will be there when we all skype who already has an ipad or mac computer.... aka tori. :)

 face time is the better way to do it and there should be somewhere available for me to use a ipad or something. so ya.

 more questions,,,, ~

Lubango has been warming up a little bit, but it’s been raining more too. about twice a week at least. The rain cancelled our pday activities last week so well try again to go sight seeing today.

we don’t have ZLs in Lubango, only in Luanda, and Lubango and Huambo just get grouped in.
haahhh. The water situation..... last week we didn’t have water all week.-... so yes, some days i went without showering, some days I used the green mossy fish smelling water in the bottom of our water tank, and some days I had to use water that had decaying ... roaches in it. They were decaying,, ,, so not 100 percent on the roaches ahahahaha

   Don’t worry mom,. I’ll get my package eventually. 

 ok.... SHOUTOUT TO ALL MY HOMIES BACK IN G-TOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Crazy Elder M. ) 

I can’t name all of you but you know who you are!!!! you all who are 18 and can serve missions early you better get in gear and get out there and serve!!! that way we can all get home closer to the same time and party it up, haha!!!!! love you all! do work!!!!!!! 

 Alright sorry for the little outburst. 

but ya. This week has been good. we finished the transfer with a total of over 155 lessons taught, and not including p days that was all in like 36 days. ya I know still no baptisms, but there will be a TON of baptisms here in a few months. Lubango is growing like crazy...

   ok so this week I actually hit my six month mark!!! I know I’ve been talking about it for a while, but it actually happened! and >THE CRAZYIEST THING HAPPENED THAT DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 I hit six months, and the day was completely normal and nothing happened ahaha that's kind a the life of a missionary. I love it and it’s tough at the same time.  

   Anyways, I love you all so much. I hope that as your weeks are passing you ALL feel my love for you and know that I pray for each and every one of you. I know I always say that, but its just true. I’m growing as a person in my testimony and in the language and I’m super excited to see where this next transfer will take me. I love you all!!! Have amazing weeks!!!!!

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Montgomery

 ps, the picture is just us transporting our groceries home from Shoprite in the back of the Violin’s truck.

 ** anything in (  ) is input form Elder M's Mom :) 

Left is Elder Kelsey, and Tilley, right is Elder Borden, and Montgomery

 taken Oct. 22, 2012 don't they look great!!!

Blog for Mission President Kretly, Mozambique Maputo Mission, ( Angola is part of that Mission)

For some reason with I try to add this to Mozambique Maputo/Angola Mission Blog it will not let it
be pulled up when it is clicked on so I will post it here if any of you are interested.
www.presidentandsisterkretly.blogspot.com

Friendly bugs sequel, eeewwww!!! 10 weeks in Lubango

Elder M's new house pet 

Eeeeeewwwww Roaches

Hey they have canned corn, and OTHER  proteins.

Makin Dad proud checkin out a Fire Station in Lubango

#10 weeks in Lubango                                                                                  Oct. 15, 2012

OLA MINHA FAMILIA!!! I love you all so much and thank you for the emails this week. I really have like noooo time because they told us to hurry up were going somewhere special so this will be really short but there’s picture’s to make up for it!! hah anyways o answer questions., this week was really good. Just long and full of a ton of work. I hit the six month mark this week on the 18th it’s so crazy how fast time is flying . My language is improving and I’m 90 percent sure I’ll be taking over the area when transfers come around this next week. vamos ver! ( we will see) and yes dad, we really only get 1 hour to 1 hour an ten minutes to email. its super hard to do everything so that’s why my typing stinks haha sorry everyone!

DAD YOU CANNOT SELL THE TUNDRA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO PLEASE?  I'll buy it from you when I get home haha just don’t sell it! hahahha I’m really sad to hear that. That was my high school car. I feel like the elder off of the RM. Haha.

Mom, Paolo and Loide are much better she is improving immensely and we took them dinner Saturday night and had an awesome noite familiar  (family night). 

In other news, I gave my first ever blessing in Portuguese. It was really cool. I think I said everything the sprit was telling me, but I don’t know for sure because he was speaking Portuguese haha. but it was a really cool experience.

Other than that this week just has been really full of work. It will be the last week of the transfer this next week. That marks two transfers here in Lubango, and six months in the mission. I can’t believe it’s already one fourth over!!

But ya. I’m super sorry I’m getting cut off. The Violin’s are taking us sightseeing so we gotta go. I love you all so much and pray you can all feel it! Have an amazing week. Thank you for everything! I love you alllllll!!

Elder Montgomery

its raining, spiders and cockroaches!!!!

OLA MINHA FAMILIA!!                                                              Oct. 9, 2012
holy cow this week was an absolute blur, first off, just an apology, Lubango got hit with our first African rainstorm this week, which meant the internet went down and we couldn’t email haah sorry, but I get to do it today so yee haw!!
This week was crazy though. It started with an extermination session of our kitchen of the 100s and yes I said 100s of roaches living in our kitchen and house. It was pretty nuts. Closest to men in black and ghost busters ill probly ever get. Then I also killed a huge spider as big as the palm of my hand. . That and normal missionary work  was the first two days of the week.
then came the saddest day of y mission so far.
A family we met and began teaching a few week ago, their names are Paolo and Loide. They are just golden. Soaking up the plan of salvation and everything, well Loide she contracted palodismo this week, it’s like the precursor to malaria, and on Tuesday the baby she was 8 months pregnant with miscarried. Elder kelsey and I we able to go in and see her before she passed the baby and it was very very hard to keep back the tears. We truly love this family and to see them in such pain, losing what  would have been their first child, it was unbearable. Elder Kelsey's tears flowed and I don't know how but I kept the tears back. Then with the little family we sat in the delivery room while she was in labor and sang families can be together forever and elder kelsey and I bore our testimonies about the plan of salvation. It was honestly the saddest moment of my mission. I felt heart broken for the family. But she was able to pass the baby around midnight, then the next night, we returned an d were able to give Loide a blessing,. I did the anointing and elder Kelsey gave her an amazing blessing. I have never felt the spirit so strong in a hospital room where there were so many tears and so much sadness, but as we were leaving Loide was able to smile and tell us boa noite an tudo bem ( ok and goodnight). It was an amazing sad but spiritual experience, that truly strengthened my testimony of the plan of salvation. If you could all keep their family in your prayers I’d appreciate it.
alem disso( in addition) , the semana  (week ) was pretty normal. Just our first huge rainstorm, and not we didnt get to watch conference. That’s so cool about the age changes thought. I hope everyone who can take advantage of it!, but yes dad I remember marlin k jensen I had the opportunity to talk to him in the mtc as he gave his very last talk before becoming an emeritus 70 awesome man.
mom, yes I am watching my language when I get frustrated haah you’d be amazed how well mannered and everything I’ve become haah the mission is doing good for sure... but ya sorry I don’t have a ton to write, the days just get stuck together when were just DOING WORK!!!!!!!!!! haha but I love you all and I can’t wait to talk (email)to you next week, when I will be hitting my 6 MONTH MARK!! How crazy is that!!!!!!!!!! time sure flying when you’re doing the work of the lord. I love you all!!!
till next week..  I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!!
Elder Montgomery

Short Email

Oct. 1, 2012

OLA MINHA FAMILIA!!! I love you all so much! ok first off I will answer questions because I’ve been horrible at that lately.

no, not that I have seen they don’t have much jungle here in Angola.

The cities where there are missionaries are Lubango, in the south where I am. Huambo, more middle , very new for missionaries, and Luanda, the capital in the north.

About Paolo,, he said he didn’t want to talk to us anymore because he talked to his seventh day advent. preacher and something he said made Paolo drop us, so were slowly working on trying to get him back. its super tough but it’s ok. There aren’t really little kids that follow us around, but there are a lot who come to church. The cool news for the week was that elder Kelsey and I broke two Lubango recordS!! We taught the most lessons ever in a week with 31 and we had 100 people at church. It was crazy insane full!!!!

yes mom I got your two letters, I haven’t written back yet sorry, I’m waiting to find out if i can even send letters here from Lubango. 

The branch pres is a Portuguese man named president Marques. I can’t understand  him talk. Its pretty funny. This week I finished Jesus the Christ and have just been studying in the book of Mormon. It was amazing to read in Jesus the Christ.  I truly love that book.

The rain hasn’t started yet. It sprinkled last night but we’re guessing this week, then yes it will be very very muddy.

sorry this is so short the internet is super slow today so almost half my time was just logging in and stuff, but I love you all so much and I am grateful for every prayer! Have an awesome week everyone! I love you all!

I love being a missionary!

Elder Montgomery

Lubango 9-24-12

Tunda Vala Cliffs of Lubango Angola P-Day
Zone Conf with the new Mission President and Sister Krety, President and Sister Thompson
Dinner out at a Barbecue Resturant

left to right- Sister Violin, Pres and Sister Kretly, Sister and Pres Thompson, 

Elder Tilley, Borden, Chandler ,Guente, Stewart, Harper, Kelsey and Montgomery.

back row- Elder Guente, Chandler, Harper Stewart 

mid row- in suits Montgomery, Kelsey Tilley and Borden

Front row -Pres. and Sister Thompson from Canada, 

Sister and Pres. Kretly, and Elder and Sister Violin from Brazil 

ola minha familia!!!                                                                             Sept. 24,2012

I love you all so much! hope you get my pictures and everything that isn’t along with this. it’s been a good week. love you all!! So here’s this week’s happenings:

Monday went to Tunda Vala, that’s the sweet huge cliffs. i sent two pictures hope they get there.

I hit my five month ,ark this week! so freakin crazy. but a cool feeling to know how fast it all goes, as well as a scary feeling. time is already running out!!!

I LEARNED TO SPEAK a little bit of A TRIBAL LANGUAGE!!! It’s so sweet, it’s called mbundo [imbundu) and its sweet. I tried talking to someone in it randomly just a greeting and they totally understood. super sick!!

    We had another zone conference with President Kretly and President Thompson, it was really cool we learned a ton about real growth in the church and stuff like that.

    In my studies this week I’ve been reading the book of Mormon only in Portuguese. Super amazing because I can understand everything! It has helped me a ton with the language, and also I have read almost to the end of Jesus the Christ. Such an absolutely amazing book and i cant wait to finish it. i truly love learning about Our Savior and everything he did and taught. I’ve learned a ton about his life and the deep doctrine, it just stinks that were not allowed to teach it to people ahahh and its kind of impossible to do in Portuguese.

but ya. it was a pretty slow week besides all that stuff. I’ve been perfectly healthy and had a fast because two of the elders in our apartment have been sick for a week, and it was so cool to feel the lord lift me up and bless me with energy during the day while it was so hot and we were walking a ton and I was fasting, I received so much help. Super cool feeling.

sorry really quick I just remembered to tell you mom, if you send a package do it through DHL,, that’s what everyone and the violins here said to do, the safest and fastest way to do it I guess, and if you haven’t already sent it I thought of some things I need,,, if you can find one, one of those super powerful flashlights, like the small ones the cops have, just because the small one I have is garbage and the batteries last like 4 hours max. , and also some head phones, the good kind not the ipod ones, but the kind I always used that actually stay in my ears, and if you can find it, there’s a band called the ‘Lower Lights”, it’s a bunch of contemporary singers from different Utah bands that got together and redid a bunch of hymns and its legit, if you can find their cd anywhere send that too, if not its ok.

sorry I know that was just like a give me give me, but I didn’t have time to type it last week! anyway, I love you all and I’m so thankful for you! I truly am so thankful for the opportunity I have had this week to learn more about my savior and redeemer Jesus Christ and everything he did for us. I love him and that is why I am serving this mission, to spread his gospel and love to all those who will hear. I cant wait to meet him again one day.

    I’m sorry I gotta cut it short I’m running out of time! but I hope you all know how much I love you! Have an amazing week and know I’m praying for you all! Give the babies my love and graham a what’s up mammyyy for me. I love you all!!

Elder Montgomery

ps, send my love to the Martin Family, that’s so crazy I didn’t even know he was sick. love you all!!

A Good Week, time is flying

Elder Montgomery and Tilley both AZ boys, both in Lubango

oola minha familia! I love you all so much!!!!!                  Sept 17, 2012

ok so first to answer questions,,, if you send a package you don’t need to send peanut butter, i have it here because we have a shopright with American things:) but ya, I would like some crayola twistables if you can manage, they are the best scripture markers! and just another shirt or two if you can. like normal pday shirts that I can were around the house. Other than that i think I’m good. idk. if   I think of something else ill say haha. transfers were this last week and we all stayed here in Lubango, which I’m happy for because I’m really starting to love the people here and I almost have the area pretty memorized!

We eat normal food pretty much every day. It’s not what I expected coming to Africa haha but its nice. The branch here is small so we don’t eat at members too often. I’m glad you all liked the pictures, I  will try to send more, but I didn’t take any this week so next week they’ll come.

 I only have an hour to email and write president and stuff so i have to book it, so sorry when my spelling and stuff sucks. I can’t type very good and I don’t have time to fix it haaha

but yeah mom don’t worry we never drink unfiltered water hahah its ok, I’m not going to throw up a worm or anything.

   This week has been awesome though! I’ve been having really bad problems with blisters but this week they all went away and I’m fine now which helps because I can walk with a good attitude always!

Today for pday the Violins are taking us to this place called tundavala, I guess it’s just like these really huuuuuuge cliffs. So I’ll send pictures next week:) and you can all google it!

President Kretly and Thompson come this week so it will be cool to have some more spiritual meetings with them. and hopefully they’ll bring all your letters with you.

  this week on the 18th is my five month mark!!!! crazy its flying by so fast I’ll be home before any of you know it!!!

   So here in Lubango it should start raining this week which has got me super super excited to use my boots and all that . I’ve always loved the rain. and they say it rains a toa ( Portuguese for crazy a ton ) here so I’m excited! I’ll be here for six more weeks like I said transfers were last week.

This week was really cool. A kid we met who totally blew us off and said he gave his book of mormon away, he came to church, and said something clicked in him with the spirit and he totally felt the need to repent and change his life. his name is Paulo. We had an amazingly spiritual lesson with him, and it was awesome. I’m really excited to see how he progresses.

sorry this was pretty much the spiritual thought for the week. it’s been a super busy week I hate it I can’t even remember everyone that we met with and stuff  haah.

but ya I love you all so much and I am so grateful for your prayers and love! i pray for each and every one of you individually every day and hope you receive the help. I love you all! till next week! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!!!

Elder Montgomery

#4 From Lubango week 5

Lubango Angola 

Elder Montgomery, an Investigator, and Elder Kelsey 

#4 from Angola Sept 10, 2012         last week we only got Pictures which were great but no email letter

ola minha familia!!!

ok so first off, HAPPY BIRTHDAY GREG!!! I can’t believe that its already been a year since you got back from the mission! but then again I’m almost at 5 MONTHS!! ANYWAYS YOU’RE SUCH AN AMAZING EXAMPLE AND I LOVE YOU BROTHER! HAPPY BDAY! oops sorry for the all caps.

So anyways, just a quick run down on the last two weeks. sorry about last week you all heard the power went out as soon as I started email. acontesse.  So the first week was elections. It gets a little crazy here sometimes in Angola so we had to be home early every night and stuff, then Friday the day of elections we couldn’t even leave the house haha we played board games A TOA. Then last week president and sister Thompson got here! That was really cool. Elder Renlund the 70 over southern Africa came with him and we had a really cool zone conference and fireside that night with all the members in Lubango and investigators, and the Huambo missionaries too. it was cool.

Elder Renlund gave a talk about how every single doctrinal question about the church can be resolves with one answer quote: one day in 1820 a young man named Joseph Smith went into a grove of trees to pray... unquote, it was a really cool fireside and all the members and investigators loved it.

After that was just a normal week. My companion and I are getting along fine. We teach a ton and both love to work hard. He’s a really good trainer and I learn something new every day. I have learned from myself a ton about attitude. It’s the one and only thing we can control. knowing that alone has lead to me having a much more happy and successful last two weeks. everything that happens happens, and we can only control our attitude,. I choose to have a good attitude and I choose to have good days and be a good missionary. it’s all about attitude! I have improved my language a ton and talking on the phone isn’t a worry anymore:)

So here in Lubango we do work. We teach tons of lesson and walk everywhere. When I say walk though, I mean hike, because Lubango is in the mountains and there’s no sidewalks, mostly just bumpy dirt trails for sidewalks, so we pretty much hike up and down hills all through the city. Its legit! I love it because I get to come home dead tired every night and I know I have worked hard because my legs hurt like crazy ahah.

Mom, I got your first letter from the Violins! thank you so much! I loved it and it gave me a much needed boost:) I will write one here soon as soon as I have time. We’re just so busy now that I can teach and set up appointments that even our p-days we teach three or four lessons. Like I said, we do work!!

Anyways sorry again if I don’t answer specific questions!:(

but for a small spiritual thought, this week I had my first real I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY moment. Not just saying it but really feeling it. It was after a very spiritual lesson with an investigator and her bore testimony about Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon. After we left I just had a thought in my head. Yes I miss my family, yes I miss my girlfriend, yes I miss my friends and normal life and everything,,, BUT I LOVE teaching the gospel as a missionary. it was the coolest feeling ever. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! seeing lives change is the coolest thing every and I get it every day. I’m so lucky to be here in Angola serving the people and serving the Lord. I love you all and truly, truly feel you prayers. and I hope you feel mine. I love you all!

Elder Montgomery