Luanda #4 weeks

This baby found the baby powder~ sweetness:) 

Elder F and Montgomery p-day at the beach

Elder F., and Montgomery  at the beach near Cassequel

 March 2013 pday

Elder Wilhelm, Montgomery, and Clifford

Hiking around Cassaquel

Elder M at the beach pday

luanda week 4 letter!

Ola minha familia!!!!!!!! amo voces tanto!!!!                                                    March 25,2013
This week has been up down and all over the place. Holy cow. Let me think where I can start! Sunday and pday went off all good. I was so jealous to see all your california pics!!! but talking about the work here in Cassequel, after our baptismal candidate got moved back on his date last week we were kinda upset, but got very determined to help him an do everything we could perfectly in our area this week so that we could receive a miracle with him being ready by this next week, and while I’m sad to say that he isn’t doing the best, through our exact obedience we have received so many other miracles this week, despite the rain and very man dropped appointments. we are getting ready to set baptismal dates with almost a whole family probably this week, and one of their friends, she is very prepared and is getting ready to be married in the register in a few months. Then were gonna try to set baptismal dates with the rest of her family. Also we have another investigator who changed their entire work schedule and things like they just so they could come to church. So even though this week was super hard, we have received small blessings.
   Me and Elder Clifford are still getting along great. it’s fun to work with someone who wants to work hard as me too, but sometimes it’s so hard because we can’t control what other people do, so we'll be prepared for an awesome full day and then like a bomb our day just blows up and all our appointments fall through. Its seriously the hardest thing about missionary work is filling up a day with good meaningful lessons. it’s hard, but were working hard too!
   Now to answer questions,,,, yes mom they have police here in Luanda. Mostly traffic police that just stop people at random for bribes, but they have good cops too.
I did get the cake mixes in the Christmas package, I’m probably gonna make the cup cakes today. I just need stuff for the frosting too.
I'll take some pictures of the apartment. If you Google the airport, our house in on rua (street) 18, literally right across from the airport.  The most interesting changes about Luanda from Lubango is that there’s like a billion  people here. So many it’s weird for sure.
    Anyways, a little more I remembered about our week, we had a zone meeting at presidents house, and had an awesome training about becoming an integral person (person with integrity) and how when we become whole, or integral, we become more Christ like, so we need to be complete missionaries, and that will make us whole. The zls showed a mormon message from an Pres Uchtdorf talk (its actually Elder D. Todd Christofferson The gardener..“As Many as I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten”
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/as-many-as-i-love-i-rebuke-and-chasten?lang=eng) about a gardener pruning and cutting back a certain bush, and the bush cried and said why did you cut me?? but the gardener said I know what I want you to be,,, years later the gardener was going to be promoted to be a general, and after not getting promoted because he was a mormom ( I think)  he was angry with god and said why did you do this how could you cut me down like this??? The response he heard was his own voice, saying I know what I want you to be. You all need to watch this video o the talk. I automatically was overcome with emotion. at times when I don’t get what I want I get mad at god and ask him why he’s not giving me the blessings of why he’s cutting me down, but what I need to realize and hear  him softly replying, I know what I want you to be Colin. I was overcome with emotion and love for my Heavenly Father. Super awesome experience, and I encourage  you ALL to find and watch that video.
    another cool experience is one of our investigators is a quadraplegic, but has very little use of his arms. We go by his house two times a week to read the book of mormon to him, and he is never mad, sad, or upset, just happy t be alive after his car accident a few years back. He said to tell all of you hi!:)
     Anyways, those are the cool things that I can remember of this week. I love you all so much and am grateful for your prayers!!!
SHOUTOUTS!!!! Aunt Debbie, aunt Diane, and Beau!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!!! and Greg and Court,, Happy anniversary! That s s crazy I can’t believe it’s been a year already.!  Love you all! have awesome weeks!
com amor,
Elder Montgomery

32 weeks in Angola

March 18,2013   been serving 11 months today !!!!
first, sorry this is so short, I guess with 11 months under your belt the days kinda mesh together ahah sorry!
OLA MINHA FAMILIA!!! love you all!
first to answer questions... mom I got your package you sent in February:) thank you so much! loved it all and stoked for the conference talks in english, even though it’s almost conference again already. CRAZY!!! I’m stoked about the shoes and the next package coming with sister freeman too. thank you so much!
and yes, today we said bye to the violins, they leave for home tomorrow. I got a little teary eyed when I was saying bye, but it’s ok! because I’ll see them in 2014 at October conference they wanna go to GC. that should be fun:)
   dad ahah actually it wasn’t elder Clifford that (she) went to prom with that particular time, it was another kid from highland, but that is super funny. we have lots of fun comparing stories and all the stuff that we know together. we miss and mostly talk about the lake, and Petes fish and chips. oh man. I think that might be my first stop when we get home, there or Matta's, I can’t decide hahhahah
 but ya dad tell uncle bob happy bday for me! love him and all his family!!
  So about my week, it was pretty good. we started the week off working our tails off and it was really GOOD! the only bad part was that at the end of the week, our baptismal candidate disappeared for his interview and didn’t come to church on Sunday, so his baptism will  be put off for a few weeks, I was really sad, and really wanted to see him baptised, but I know it’s all in the Lords time, and I know he’ll get baptized. his name is A.., and he’s a reference from a recent convert here in our branch. if you could all pray for him, to start progressing to be baptized, I’d be really appreciative!
  But ya, our semana ( week)went super fast, it seems like I was emailing you all like two days ago. the work here in Luanda makes the weeks go way faster, and it’s really cool to see all the blessings but I still need to rely on the Lord and your prayers an my prayers every single day.
but ya, me and Clifford get along awesome, and are super stoked kinda for all the work that we have to do, and with the help of the lord, I know well be able to do it all. I’m sorry this is so short, I just don’t have a ton to write haha but I’m so grateful for all your prayers. I truly do feel them and I’m grateful for every single day that I have and for the Lord and the blessings he gives me and all of us. I love you all so much! have good weeks, and stop having so much fun without me! disney, newport, what is this?? and dad and mom, park city for a month?? you’re not retired yet!!!! hahaa but anyways, love you all! have sick weeks and know I’m always thinkin about and prayin for all of you! love you all!
your elder
Elder Colin Jay Montgomery

30 Weeks in Angola , ~ Luanda is rockin !!!

NEW MISSION PRESIDENT DANNY L. and SISTER PENNIE MERRILL
                     v        v

A few of us had the opportunity to go to 

The Gila Valley temple today to meet with the 

"New Angola Mission Pres. and Sister Merrill"

oh such an amazing couple, 

our sons will continue to be in great hands !!!

Grateful for this opportunity, we know it is a very unique blessing and 

pray many other parents get to meet them April 7th in Utah.

pic l-r Montgomery's, Tilley's, Merrill's, and Wilhelm's

3-15-13

***********

Colin with food he and Elder C. cooked pork chops, mashed potatoes,beans and    

TOMATOES> (my fav... ya i know mom I lost so many years not liking them.) with vinegar and salt. 

Week 31 in Angola                                                                                         March 10,2013

OLA MINHA FAMILIA!!!!!!!!! Holy Cow so much to write and so little time!!!! ok so ill get started and try to give a good rundown of the week! it all ran good and me and elder Clifford are doing a ton of work! It’s so hott here in Luanda but I’m almost getting used to it. We have started being 100% obedient and trying to live to the missionary schedule as best we could, and we have  been so sososo blessed. we have seven different people with baptismal dates right now. 4 of them are this awesome family that we found last week. super cool. one of our appointments dropped through and so we decided to try knocking doors. we chose the one right behind us to start and found this family who all are so sweet! There are three daughters a brother and a dad. two of the sisters came to church the first week, then this week they all brought friends and one of the friends is super awesome. She’s 24 and has a son and a boyfriend who she doesn’t live with, and they are planning on getting legally married, and she has a baptismal date for april 20th!! then this week were setting the same date with the rest of the family!!!!! It’s so cool. Then we found another guy who was a reference from one of elder Clifford’s last converts, and he’s getting baptized on the 23rd of this month. The member sidonia, is a champ and its with us in all our lessons that are close to her house. I love her she’s a single mom of two girls and lives in this tiny one room apartment, no running water, nothing, but she finds such peace and joy and love in the gospel sand she is literally sharing it with everyone she knows.
 but ya so our area is exploding right now. we literally don’t have enough time to visit everyone we are teaching, and we had 15 investigators in church this week! 7 of whom have baptismal dates. It’s so amazing to see the way that obedience brings blessings, but exact obedience brings miracles!!!!!!!
I am truly loving it here in Luanda. We work study and sweat then sleep and do it all over again. me and elder Clifford have the goal to make our area the example of the mission, and were really going to do it if our area keeps up like it is right now! ugh I can’t explain how awesome it is. I truly am loving it.

so ya that was our week. work work work, and then Friday night we had a really bad day and stuff dropped through, so we came home to plan. the neighbors who live behind us were having a party and they were all drunk, and everyone arguing and then started fighting,.........(ask Tammy for the story)

....., so then elder Clifford just yelled over the top of them (SAI DE AQUI!!!!!) (leave)  and like 20 seconds later everyone was gone. it was crazy haha my heart was pounding .......

....... but luckily they all left. so we were just talking and stuff, and the other elders got home, and someone started ringing our doorbell buzzer thing for like 20 second, so I got dressed because I was in my garments, and went to go down the stairwell to the door, but notices our laundry drying room was lit up with a weird light, and then was like clicked in my head, FIRE!!!!! Holy cow,. My heart was going and me and elder Dredge grabbed a bucket and water bottle and put it out. but now our electric box is burned and we don’t have any power. ya. so crazy. I’ll try to send the video again this morning it dint work. but ya. Any ways, crazy week, but amazing and fn and to put all those words in one sentence, I love it here in Luanda. were working like crazy  ad it s just awesome. love the area the comp and the people. I’m having a blast.

so mom i thought of some thins I need, sorry I’m trying not to sound spoiled I just don’t have a lot of time!!  but crest whitestrips, crest pro health toothpaste, cinnamon if possible,  instax film for the camera i found, ask tor she can explain, and goldbond powder the medicated kind in the green bottle.  and then ,, the shoes, ill try to explain. i want size 9 1-2 if possible.,... i dont care about the color just get something cool ahha but ya that’s all I can think of right now. story I hope if don’t sound ungrateful or spoiled!! 

  I love you and a so grateful for everything EVERYTHING that you and dad do. i love you both! you are the most amazing parents I could have ever hoped for I love you both!! My challenge to you both mom and dad, is to this week KNOW THAT YOU ARE BOTH AMAZING loving kind providing and the best parents. I love you both. I’m so grateful for both of your examples and I don’t know or even like to think about where I’d be without you both. I love you both sosososo much!
 ugh where is my time I’m so sorry I gotta cut this off! I love you both soo much! have awesome week and everyone else too! I love you all pray for you all and can’t wait to hear from you all! loves!!!
Elder Montgomery

CASSEQUEL, Luanda, Angola, AFRICA

Happy Colin

 1st Christmas package arrives it took 3 1/2 months 

First transfer leaving Lubango,after serving there 6 months,

Saying good-bye 

to his mamma and papa there Elder and Sister Violin

he loves and will miss them, they go home in March.

Marking his dates in Lubango 

#30 weeks in Africa
Transferred to Cassequel, Luanda
#1 in Cassequel!!!!!!!!

OLA MINHA FAMILIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!                          March 4, 2013

Holy cow lots to write this week I’ll get going. answering  questions first

Luanda, the plane ride and everything went off without a hitch. I checked all my luggage for free so that was cool. I went to Onjiva then up to Luanda, and got in about 1830. President and Sister T. and Elder C., we took the like one mile drive home to the Cassequel c / Luanda 1 apartment which tool  like an hour because traffic in Luanda is the worst in the world. got to the apartment and unpacked. We went out and tried to teach but the people weren’t home so we planned and hung out a little then went to bed. So that was the first day, I’ll tell about the rest of the week in a second haha. also that night I got my package from you mom the I think the second   one you sent that had my stocking in it and the letters and Christmas cards from all the ward members and the sd card, loved that a ton!! so awesome. still no word on the other three. but we’ll keep praying haha.
We don’t live in the Cassequel chapel where Robby lived our apartment is way better than that. but I have seen it. Holy cow. That was pretty bad! I’ll send pics next week of our apartment sorry I totally forgot to take pics this week, and I don’t walk with my camera in my back pack anymore so it doesn’t get stolen, so I don’t know  how good of pictures I’ll send, but I’ll still try my best for sure.
Mom the only thing I want is the hygiene stuff I said last week. American deodorant,. Other than that the only other thing I need is shoes!!!! my Nikes sadly are about to bite the dust, and for my bday I would love some new shoes, but you all know how bad I am with choosing shoes haahahahah so I know this is mean and you don’t get the gratification of sending them to me, but money for my bday so I could buy new workout shoes. . but there’s always the chance of them getting lost. but ya, just let me know what you want me to do. That’s all I can think of right now that I want for my bday. OH and I need more socks!!!! I’m an old missionary now and all my socks are getting worn out. Like 5 new pairs of 100% percent cotton socks would be awesome,those are my bday wishes.  

Mom talk to Sis C., me and Elder C. have the exact same bday! 4 12 1993, and he was born in mesa too so I’m guessing its banner desert. We’ll see.
ok ANYWAYS Luanda and me and Elder C. are getting along awesome. We have set two baptismal dates already with like 5 more prospective dates for March and April. Our area is on fire and me and C. have already agreed and set the goal that we want our area to be the example of the mission. Totally possible and well totally do it. I’m so pumped. We get along great and teach together awesome. I’m so pumped. Luanda is crazy.. I’ve already seen some crazy fights and some elders got mugged really bad last week. I won’t say names so moms don’t freak out haha but their fine now. Me and Elder C. have a pretty safe area though so I’m not worried at all. We’re smart.
but ya. We have taught already so many new people that already have baptisms and I’m so excited to see how fast this transfer turns into the best of my mission for sure. I’m loving it already!
I’ll write more next week sorry I’m already running out of time!  Dad, sorry about the balance checking thing. atms here don’t give you your balance account on receipts so I checked my account, took out the money, then checked it again to see how much I lost on exchange rates not knowing it takes out 5 bucks every time. I won’t do that anymore for sure. I have to take out the money though cuz I needed emergency travel money, but it’s all good now. I won’t use my card anymore except to buy the shoes for my b-day haha

anyways, I love you all! sorry my times already gone out! I’m loving it here and am so excited for the future here. I feel like these next few transfers are gonna be the best of my mission. So excited! love you all so much! Enjoy the pics and know I love you all!!!!!!!!!!
your missionary
Elder Montgomery