43 Blessings of a sons service to the Lord

43 

Joao and Pailo Wedding 

Elder Montgomery, Joao and Pailo at Joaoa's baptism June 1, 2013

They have a son serving a mission in Cape Verde, 

his parents are baptisms are truly blessings of his service

Luanda market the place to buy Tribal and African hand made things,

and Someones Monkeys 

43

so ya. ola minha familia!                                                                                 June 3,2013

this week, wow. It’s been tuff. but it’s all good. It will get better!

This week we have hardly taught anyone it seems. It was a super busy week full of meetings. The doctor, training's, and everything else under the moon except missionary work, or so it felt. 

Started off Monday night we didn't get to have a family night because it got cancelled last minute. 

Tuesday we actually had five good lessons, and I thought the week would run awesome! Had some awesome new people who were very prepared to learn the gospel, and it was really cool. 

I went to the clinic, and met with the doctor and he said it was just some kind of allergy, and not a fungus, and that’s why it never itched like athletes foot does, but he gave me an anti allergic and a creme and its already completely gone. I’m all better!:)

Wednesday had district meeting, went to the clinic to take blood tests, and then had district meeting and worked the day through. nothing too special. 

Friday was really cool. All day mission conference with President and Sister Kretly. They left their finger prints on Angola and gave some really awesome counsels and everything how we should receive President and Sister Merrill with COMPLETELY open hearts. I really liked that idea. Even if president were to change things, or whatever he does, we have to follow our leader called by a prophet of God. I really liked that.

Another thing that Pres Kretly said was that this is our people. The people of Angola are our (or my) people and that will never change. I will be one of them and them part of me for the rest of my life, so I better work hard so that it is always a good memory of my mission and no regrets. That’s really hard but I’m workin on it!!!

Saturday was awesome with the baptism of Joao Lussala. He’s been trying to be baptized for 4 years now and just barely got married, then his wife and his daughter will be baptized in the end of this month. His son is serving a mission in Capo Verde, and I know his family is for sure receiving blessings on his behalf. 

Such a cool thing. Sunday was pretty normal church and studies, then we had a fireside from President Kretly and that took the rest of the day. So that was out week. Not much work done because of the meetings and everything, and me and Elder Dunkley are getting cabin fever living alone. but I’m getting through it. I’m learning to love for sure!!1!!

So just some funny things, dad your new name forever after the mission is "careca" (bald ) look it up in the dictionary haha

 Greg yours is paizinho which means "little dad" it’s the household name most oldest sons have. Everyone will have their nicknames when I get home but till now those are the two I’ve got. 

In the next package load a pen drive fullllllllllllllllllll of music church disney every every thing, (audio) and send it. That would be sweet for those quiet times!!

Well I don’t know what else to say so I'll end this off, but I love you all! Have awesome weeks and let me know how yall are doin. loves and beijinhos (kisses),

Elder Montgomery

Week 42 in Angola ~Raining Snakes and Fungus

42~         Raining Snakes and Fungus 

African fungus ended up being an allergy and is all cleared up.

Elder Montgomery and Dunkley making funge

Eating with Antonio and Sidonia and Paulo and Rita, Elders made the funge.

                                                                                                               May 27, 2013 

ola minha familia!!!

This week has been a super tough one! The work is stressing a guy out and making me lose my hair. Some things that happened this week were that my shoes gave out! The cordovan pair have officially worn a hole all the way through the soles. yeah that’s right  your boy is doin some work!!!! but ya, kinda sick because I tried to fix it with super glue,,,, and I think because of trying to fix my shoe and handling that bottom of it that is disgusting and I think that’s why I got this skin fungus that I sent pictures of! so those are some kinda annoying things that have happened. I feel good for literally walking through a pair of shoes, but now I’m trying to scramble to get them re-soled. hopefully it won’t cost tooo much.

but ya, that was some of the major doings this week. Also, we got to say bye to President and Sister Thompson. super sad to see them go, but I know they are happy at home in Canada!!

also a cool experience while I can remember to write about it,

We are teaching a family named Paulo and Rita. They are the ones who’s house me and Elder Dunkley made the funge from the pictures I sent earlier today. They are super cool and want to be baptized as soon as they can get married. Paulo had a dream this week that he shared with us that is super funny and cool. he said he had a dream(which is one VERY VERY common way for Africans to receive signs and promptings for the spirit, AFRICANS DREAM like crazy. makes for some good stories. ) but he had a dream that he met with me in the street and promised to come to church, but then Sunday came (still in the dream) and he didn’t wanna go,. So instead he was with his buddies under a tree, when he saw a snake in the tree and freaked out. Then it started raining not a whimpy rain, but like buckets full more than any rain he’d ever experienced, but it wasn’t raining water, it was raining cobras!!!! He was so scared and started to pray and ran  to the church, but the door was shut with a brick wall. Then he woke up. He said to me and Elder Dunk, I know that this was a sign  from God, I have to stay in the church forever, or the door will be shut!!!! holy cow!!!!!!!!!!!!! ya that was a cool one. He said he is already in second Nephi and wants to be baptized. such a champ. but ya. 

That was the story for this week. This week were stating President Kretly is coming o well have a zone conference and that will be fun. I hope. but  ya story I already gotta go! I hope you all have a good week! I love you all and can’t wait to hear from you all next week! Loves and kisses!

com amor

Elder Colin Jay Montgomery

Farewell President and Sister Thompson we sure Love you!!!!

41 Weeks

May 20,2013

ola minha familia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
first off as always, I love you all so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This week was a crazy stressful and busy one, but full of so many blessings. wow. seriously an amazing week.

First off, starting with the coolest stuff, Antonio got baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday. He’s a champ  and super strong. He’s already converting his neighbors!!!

Then Seretsy Grandy, one of our recent converts, got the Aaronic priesthood this week. super cool to see a life that truly turned around. the first time we met him he was hung over from an all night party and still in bed when we woke him up at 4 in the afternoon, and now he’s blessing the sacrament next week and bringing his brother into the church.
The other cool thing that happened this week is that an area 70 from south Africa, Elder Bricknell, came to visit our branch to see off Pres. and Sister Thompson. They leave on Wednesday. 

He gave the coolest testimony and told the Thompson’s crying and very bold. "The Lord has accepted your service here and is grateful and will bless you for it (then turning to the Thompson’s ) and don’t you ever forget it!" super strong testimony. He also read Bruce R McConkie’s last testimony..., of the Savior, and then Elder Bricknell said " I BEAR THE SAME TESTIMONY" Holy cow. You’ve never felt the spirit so strong. I was like whaTTTT!!!?? ... I don’t know but it got me thinking about what a special witness truly is. haha nuts. ya. Then he bore a testimony of the Savior too. He taught. Why do we take upon us the saviors name, why is that so important. Then with tears in his eyes he explained "because two thousand years ago, in that garden, in those agonizing hours of the infinite atonement, the Savior our Lord took upon himself our names, our sins ,our sadness, illnesses and everything bad we’ve ever passed through. He took that all upon him in our names, and for that, we take his name upon us. " I truly was so filled with the spirit. An amazing testimony and it’s so true.  I know that is it true, the Lord took upon him the entire world, and all he asks is that we take his name and honor it. I love the

Lord for that and am grateful for his sacrifice. That is why I’m here!!!! In Africa, to help others take the name of Christ, take up their crosses and follow him. How great is this mission! I love being a missionary! and I’m so grateful for all of you and your prayers. I love you all! Have good weeks and know that I love you! and am always praying for each and every one of you.
com muito muito amor,

Elder Montogmery

ps sorry so short! hope you all like the pictures

Saying Farewell to the Thompson's May 2013

President and Sister Thompson, Elder Montgomery May 2013 

Thompson's leaving served from Aug 2012/May 2013 

Singing farewell to the Thompson's May 2013 

Post Mother Day Skyping :

Skyping for Mothers Day so great !!!

it looks clear coming out of the faucet, very deceiving 

Elder Dunkley's night time friend

40 weeks in Angola

ola minha familia!!!!!                                                                                      May 13, 2013

I love you all! Hope your weeks were as good as mine. This week flew by so fast especially with skype on Sunday and everything but it was all I could a hoped for. Such a good night. Thanks for being there everyone. I loved seeing you all. It truly was the best. Graham is huge and so are Claire and beau. I barely even recognized them!!! It was soo good to see them though. and to see all of you. I loved it!!!! 

Well this week was good, we had a slow week work wise but got everything we needed done! 

Today we got transfers. Elder Wilhelm is assistant with Elder Mariquele. Elder Clifford is going to Vienna, Elder Dredge is going to Huambo and their area is getting dissolved, and then me and Elder Dunkley stay the same. We will be living in our house all alone haha it will be interesting living alone can be scary at times talking cabin fever but I think we’ll be fine. 

Elder Dunkley is doing amazing. Still got so much desire and drive he’s a stud. We worked out all our problems and now it’s going awesome. We’re just gonna do work like none other this next transfer. Super stoked. 

Well I can’t really think of anything more. It was so good to see everyone on skype though. I love you al so much!!! have good weeks. Sorry this was super short ahah but till next week!

com muito amor

elder montogmery
ps dad  ran out of money and had to take 60 personal out just so you know where it went.

pss Aunt Kathy thanks s much for the message! loved it. Give all the Sisk’s and Utah fam loves for me! miss you all! Can’t wait to come live in Utah with you all after the mission! Have good weeks!! 

psss #1 picture of the water is literally for a few days that’s how dirty the water coming out of our sink was!!! mmm good!

Picture #2 then the mouse we found and..... sent to the spiritual world. he was in Elder Dunkley’s bed, I mean he deserved to pass on to the other side.

the show goes on week # 2

L-R Elder Stewart, Eckamn, Brown, Tingey, goof ball Montgomery, Dunkley, Perry, Clifford, Money, ? Cafferty (from Elder Money's photo's)

not quite sure what he is mixing, or pounding. I don't think its homemade ice cream though.

39 weeks in angola                                                                                          May 6, 2013

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

wow the weeks are going so fast I didn't even have time to think of a cool subject line for the message... but I have had time to become really funny so its ok! 

so this week flewwwwww for sure. I don't even remember the things that happened but I wrote a few down so that you all could share the experience. sorry if I'm not making sense at all, this week really blew my mind on the stress and busyness. but it was super good. So first of all some big news, we got to watch 15 BAPTISMS this week, the coolest thing ever. They were from all the different branches, and all the different missionaries. so cool to see them all. So many people in white making pure covenants with their Heavenly Father. super cool. and one of our investigators came to the baptism. She said she could feel the spirit so strong during the whole thing, but then when like a twelve year old kid went to get baptized satan told her "he’s too young" and she started doubting, how could this child make a promise with God and a bunch of stuff like that, but then she noticed that the kid had a glow and a huge smile on his face, and then after he was baptized as he was leaving the font he had even a bigger glow and a bigger smile. Our investigator, Isabel, was like " he knew what he was doing.. he wasn't too young, and he new he was making a covenant with Heavenly Father  then she said that she knew without a doubt that this church is true and that she wants to make that exact same covenant and make the exact same promises, and feel the exact same thing that the twelve year old boy felt. 

It was soo cool. she said " I wanna change my will and start doing Gods will. " then we read in the missionary pamphlet, where it pretty much gives that exact example for repentance  she started crying and said she was so happy that she could feel those things and that us as missionaries with the spirit had been able to teach those things. truly a cool experience. 

Then the other investigator of ours came to us during church and wanted to talk. We knelt n prayer, and then he related to us ,,stuff we already knew, but said it again, about how hard his life is. 25 years old. out of work. never finished school, both parents already past away, and he hadn't eaten for a few days because he has no money, and he doesn't know what to do because the only time he feels the love of God is with the missionaries and at church, which is only a few times at week. so he the said, "I know to feel Gods love I need to be closer to him,. I know that baptism is how I can become closer to him, so I"m going to be baptized the 29th of June. I was in shock after the week before when he hadn't wanted to set a certain date, and I knew that the Lord had been working in him and through his hardships in life to teach him, and through those things he's going to become a great teacher and man and future husband and dad because he knows how to be humble!!!

so those were come cool things about the week. aside from those, it was a very stressful week. we've been preparing three people for baptism on the 18th of May,and its stressing my brains out, 

BUT it’s all good because the Lord is in this work and is strengthening me......

.....

So besides all that, we had an awesome week. Some news we received is that President and Sister Thompson are going home like a month and a half early. They leave Angola on May 22. President Kretly will come and stay till the 5th of June  then well be alone till the 29th of June when the Merrill's will be here if all goes well and they get their visas on time.  so that's crazy that Pres and Sis Thompson are leaving so soon. super sad. I love them.

ok so just to answer to questions,,, FOR MOTHERS DAY

 so at  Angola time Sunday night I will skype home. at 6 or 7 at night. so i need you to be ready on the other end at  or 10 11 in the morn. Arizona time....

.....

anyways I gotta wrap up! I love you all I cannot wait to see your beautiful smiling faces this week!!!!!!!!!!!!! six days! I'm so excited to see you all. I love you all! I only have one small request for the next email or letter, dad, I don't have my line of authority, I haven't ever had one on my mission but I would love to have it. I can print it out and laminate it here.

ok I think that's all! I love you all so much! Have good weeks!!! until Sunday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

com amor

Elder Colin Jay Montgomery

The Show Goes on...!

ANGOLA

Elder Dunkley and Montgomery

Back: Elder Merkley?, Eckman, Stewart , Dredge, Wilhelm, Montgomery, 

Front: Harper, Clifford, Dunkley, Arrington

38

The show goes on!                                                                                          April 29, 2013

OLA MINHA FAMILIA!!!!!!!!!!! 

  This week was pretty good. it was kind a hard after having the two baptisms and then our next two baptisms fell because one of our investigators found out his girlfriend is three months pregnant and on Wednesday she got an abortion, something very common in Angola, and the other investigator  found out her fiancé has  a wife..... so lots of bad situations this week, but it’s ok!!! I’m not losing faith. me and Elder Dunkley had a pretty slow week, but were gonna change the way we work our two areas and make sure we get the maximum work in this next week. We’re really excited. 

but ya it was a pretty normal week, it’s starting to cool off just a little tiny bit, so that’s nice.  after about  80 at night it’s ok outside and bearable. I sweat so much that I don’t even realize it anymore. Only on my face, but we pretty much walk around soaking wet all day it’s fun stuff. really humid~which I’m not used too. The dry getting off the plane in AZ here in about a year  the dry is gonna be like a nice little welcome home. I love dry haha I hate humidity. 

Everything is going good here in Luanda, we’re just trying to rebuild the area after the work Clifford and I did, then you sift through and get some baptisms, and then start over! That’s the missionary life-.

I’m good here in Cassequel. Just working hard and trying to follow the spirit, which is the hardest thing to do for sure, especially when your training and have to make a lot of major decisions yourself, but its good, and I’m loving it!!!

ok now for answering questions!!

Things with Elder Dunkley are awesome, I think I learn more from him each day than he does from me so that’s fun. It’s harder than I thought it would be being a trainer, mostly because I’m not a natural teacher, I do better just getting in the driving seat and showing someone and explain, then let them try, instead of teaching, so I’m struggling with that but me and Elder Dunkley get along great. I tease him a lot about his Texas pride that pride is the fall of all things and stuff like that, but its good we have a good time. 

We haven’t had any more flooding, just a few small rains.

Yes I met the Freeman’s once at church two weeks ago. They are really cool. I already knew Brother Freeman but I just barely met Sister Freeman, and I thanked her a ton for the package. 

The other family is the Weggeland’s and they live in the same building as the Freeman’s. They are from Utah and Texas and Alaska (oil engineer for BP) and we eat dinner at their house every Sunday night. It’s a nice treat to start p-day.

please send ...

   dad, we haven’t had a ton of fun stuff to do, mostly because we like to relax on p-day  if we don’t go to play soccer, because with Angolan traffic, that would put New York traffic to shame, we waste like half the day going any where, but today we tried to go to a war museum, but it was closed haah so we just walked around the Luanda equivalent of the boardwalk in Newport and took pics that was pretty fun. 

haah the food is always expensive, but we have been finding new supermarkets lately with good stuff from the US, like today elder Clifford and Dunkley, they bought gatorade today, a case of 15 for 40 bucks!!! ahaha if that puts stuff in perspective. 

Dad you’d actually be really proud, I’ve lost like 20 pounds in Luanda so far, and I am in better shape than I was the end of my senior year when I had my beach body and all that. that’s how much we sweat here in Luanda haah

I’ll be sure to figure out what is the deal with mother’s day I haven’t heard anything yet but ill let you  all know next week for sure. 

Anyway I’ll wrap this up. I love you all have good weeks!! Kaleb happy birthday! and Rex happy bday too!!! Love you all and cant wait to hear how the week went!! Have a good one lots of love and prayers all the way from Angola!!! 

com amor,

Elder Colin Jay Montgomery

Baptisms -" happiest day of my mission"

Baptisms "happiest day of my mission"

Elder Montgomery, Filo. , Elder Dunkley Colin was blessed 

with the opportunity to baptize F. " happiest day of my mission"

Elder Montgomery, S.G. and Elder Dunkley

baptism day 

Elder Clifford, S.G. , Filo., Elder Montgomery, 

(the one on the left I didn't get a name for,she was taught and baptized by Elder Arrington and Elder Merkley) 

S.G. and Filo. were taught by Elder Clifford and Montgomery

37                                                                                                                    April 21, 2013

OLA MINHA FAMILIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wow this week has flown by so fast, one- me and elder Dunkley are working like champs all day every day, Literally. and two- I was stressed out of my mind over our baptisms, but I’m glad to say and the pictures show that tudo correu bem! (everything ran good!!)

Oh man it was the happiest day of my mission so far when S. G. and Filo.,  were baptized. I had the opportunity to do the baptism of Filo. ,  Holy cow I was nervous, but it was such a spiritual experience. I felt the spirit testifying to my heart when we were down in the water that I was truly helping someone else partake of a saving ordinance and that they were truly making a covenant with Heavenly Father. So cool. Gives a new perspective on the temple for me!!

Anyways, I wanted to give a shout out really quick to Luke! HAPPY BDAY THIS WEEK! 15!! Holy cow. I remember when you were born!!! So crazy. happy birthday Luke! love you cuz!!

Anyway, ya this week went awesome. I truly have never felt happier as a missionary than I do this week, I am so grateful for the opportunity to be here in Angola to be preaching the restored gospel of Jesus Christ that I know is true, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t!! I love the opportunity I have, it truly is a once in a lifetime thing, and I’m loving every second of it!!!

Sorry that I gotta cut this off but my times up. I love you all! Have awesome weeks and know I pray for you ALL every single day! To all my buds that are going out right now, DO WORK!!! I love you!!!!!!

Com amor,

Elder Colin Jay Montgomery