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.