SERVE !!!

Baaaaaa, Elder Montgomery not so friendly

Elder Montgomery, Elder Stewart, Claudio's baptism with his family,

Elder Merkley, ad Elder Dunkley

Shepherds pie with a mexi twist:)

Elder Stewart, Merkley, and Dunkley

the results of a chef 

Elder Montgomery, Stewart, and Dunkley

Subject: SERVE

OLA MINHA FAMILIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!                                                                                  July 28,2013

I love you all so much and I hope you all had amazing weeks. Mine was awesome. 

This week, we had lots and lots of lessons drop. It was a missionary's worst nightmare. every single day, we would do our planning and studies, do some contacting, eat lunch, then go out to work, and every single day, almost all of our lessons would drop!! But in the hardest part f the days when we were out in the street standing in the sun (even though it’s not hot) trying to call millions of people, the Lord would open our minds and bless us with people to serve, visit and to walk with. It truly was amazing.

So along with moms email, I also wanted to talk about daily "miracles" or small miracles that happen every day. I'll try to remember some form each day, but no guarantees. 

So Tuesday, we had a day in half of our area called Rocha. (Rock) It is where we don't have very many investigators, and most of the people there are families waiting to get married. It is very hard to fill up a full day there, because of the lack of people, but we were able to do it, and had some awesome lessons. We met a new guy named Lina who was a referral from Joao and Paula the couple baptized a few weeks ago. We visited him at his house and taught him the Restoration and invited him to be baptized. He said yes, for some reason I was completely shocked when he said yes. I think I was distracted with something that we hadn't taught good in the lesson and I thought the spirit was gone and that all was going down the drain, but then he said that he would read the Book of Mormon and pray and be baptized when he knew it was true. It was a really cool experience to see how the spirit can touch someone even when you are not expecting it at all. 

Wednesday we had our first ever apartment cleaning checks from President and Sister Merrill. Luckily I had cleaned the house the day before, so we passed, and were able to get some orders in for basic stuff we've gone without forever, like a shower curtain and bookshelf. I am very excited about that seeing as we have the worst apartment in the mission. Later that day though we were able to visit a new investigator with a recent convert named Sidonia. SHE IS AMAZING. She’s a referral machine and so amazing and always wants to walk with us and teach lessons. She lives with her two daughters in a one room house no bigger than my bedroom at home, has no job, and is converted to the gospel. We have already baptized the first person she introduced to the gospel and the next family is just waiting on marriage. REFERRALS are the best way to do missionary work. President Hinckley said it himself. GIVE THE MISSIONARIES REFERRALS!!! 

but ya, I love walking with recent converts, because they love bearing testimony of the gospel, no matter how little they know!

Thursday and Friday nothing really amazing happened, but Saturday was really cool! Claudio, an investigator who has been investigating for three years was baptized by the other Cassequel elders. He has such a strong testimony and is so prepared, and now his wife will be baptized too. I gave an impromptu talk at his baptism on the holy ghost because there was no one else to give it and rocked it, just saying!  I will attach the pictures to this message.
Then after that we visited with Pedro and Tani. Pedro is paralyzed from the waist down and has very very little movement of his arms and hands. He was in a motorcycle accident about a year and a half ago, and the missionaries found him and have been sitting with him for about a year. He has so much faith and loves to sit with us. He cannot come to church because of the church being on the third floor, but prays and has so much faith in Heavenly Father that he can be healed someday! I pray for him so hard every day. I love him a ton. He truly brightens my day every time we see him and his wife Tani. SHE is an angel. Not many times do you see a more devoted loving wife who loves to help her husband. Moving, eating, everything. she is an angel, and will be blessed for what she does to help her husband for sure. I love this family!

My studies this week were also amazing. I did some reading and scripture searching in D &C and some of my favorite scriptures that I found were in section 11:3-4, section 6:34, and section 38:27. I don't have time to explain them right now but read them! They are awesome.

I have truly come to realize these last few weeks that until now I have only been on a mission. I have never been serving a mission. There is a huge difference. I have been here in Angola, been away from my family, I have been wearing missionary clothes a name tag, and carrying scriptures with me, but I have yet to truly SERVE with all my heart might mind and strength, which I truly to serve a mission! I was called to serve in Angola, but not to just be here. I will always from this point try to be SERVING a mission, serving as a missionary, serving the Angolan people, and serving the lord, instead of just being on a mission. I hope you all know I love being a missionary, but now I’m gonna love serving a mission!

so now for the not so spiritual stuff really fast, 

Monday night we had a family night at some members house and I got to hold a goats head,,, .. pretty nasty! 

then Sunday we went all out and made shepherds pie Mexican style for lunch. It was super good. ground beef jalapenos mashed potatoes mushrooms, tomatoes, hot dogs, and some other stuff. It was so so good. I’m become quite the chef! (not really) 

   Anyways I better wrap this up. I love you all so much. I hope you all feel my prayers and fasting on your behalf's, because I feel yours on mine. Thank you and know I love you all!!! Have amazing weeks, and help someone find the gospel!

com muito amor,

Elder Colin Jay Montgomery