BE CONDUITS

One of these things is not like the other, sweet babies :)

75 bites on one arm (I hope he is taking his malaria meds) 

GET A NET !!!

Elder Chatwin and Montgomery, 2 Mesa boys. 

Elder Chatwin's dad was Colin's Seminary teacher @ HHS

60 Weeks in Angola                                                                                        Sept 30, 2013

Ola Minha Familia!!

So this week flew by, let me see if I can remember anything. 

I think just the cool thing that happens is that me and Elder Merkley have been having small little cool miracles every day. Like we’ll make a cool contact and forget to get his number or name , and then they’ll call us back, or we’ll be looking for a house in a area we don’t know and the first random door we knock is that right person. Its just amazing the miracles that make every day worthwhile, and one of our families who are waiting on marriage finally the dad got a job this week, he’s been unemployed, since January and this week he got a really good oil platform job. So that’s really cool. 

Other than that I can’t really think of any specific things that happened to us this week. We were out of power and our generator didn’t work all week so we had to sleep with the doors open and all the mosquitoes loved my blood. Over 75 mosquito bits just on my left arm,,, I didn’t have a net over my bed, but it’s ok because we have energy now. 

We had an awesome zone conference this week with all the zones combined and got a ton of really cool training from our zone leaders. All about less active and new convert work. That’s a lot of what Merkley and I do. Small growing branch!

But ya one of the quote I loved was from President Merrill talking about sometimes as missionaries we just plant seeds to be harvested later by other elders with baptisms, but he said, " some plant, and some harvest, but we ALL reap the blessings in heaven." I loved that. No matter where we go or what we do we always have to be missionaries and set a good example as a seed, you never know when it will be harvested for salvation!

We got to go to the orphanage today and it was amazing I sent pictures. I love African babies/kids!!

Hope you all have amazing weeks. Let your light’s so shine!!! but remember, we are not the light! Only the conduits that the lord shines through! SO GO BE CONDUITS!!!!!!!!!!! love you all

have a good week! 

com muito amor e beijos,

elder montgomery

ps dad and mom just before I forget make sure you take pictures of the fhe tomorrow so I can see next week! I wanna see who I recognize. 

Slow as a Turtle

Elder Montgomery, Antonio, Elder Merkley

President and Sister Merrill with Elder Montgomery

 "I love them so much"

Sunset at the beach with kids playing soccer at the dump. 

59 Weeks                                                                                                        Sept 23,2013

Slower than a Turtle

Ola Minha Familia!!!!!!

Hope your all doin well and know that I love yall!

This week was veereeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy ssssssssssssslllllllllllloooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. I feel like it’s been a month since I had a pday! Not a bad week, just really slow. 

so not much had changed for me, I’m still here in Benfica, and loving it. Me and Elder Merkley’s area is huge, and we don’t have many people, so we spend a lot of time finding new people, and it’s really hard. I feel like you could compare Benfica perfectly with Queen Creek! Out side the city, lots of nice houses, and a lot more space and growing like crazy. 

 So the news for the week was that we got to have a baptism! Antonio was baptized on Saturday and it was awesome. He is very strong and has a really cool testimony. He was baptized Saturday, but not confirmed because we had district conference Sunday (stake conference) it was in a really really nice conference center in Luanda and the conference was beautiful and very spiritual. It was nice to be able to see some of my old investigators from Cassequal and stuff. I realized I loved them a lot after I left!

 The week was so slow because our area is huge, and we don’t have very many people so we had to do a lot of finding, and neither of us know the area very well so it was long days! but I’m happy here and I know the area will grow and it will be fun. I think too I have some separation anxiety from Cassequal. I love the confusion therr believe it or not. Planes flying 50 feet over our head and thirty million people in the street 24 hours a day. I liked the fast pace, but I’ll get used to things here in Benfica.

We had an awesome district meeting and it was very spiritual, we talked about obedience, and we all needed to hear it. I used that quote that mom always put on the fridge, "when obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power.”  It’s so true! and especially as missionaries, sorry I never got it in my head mom!

  TO ANSWER QUEStions,,,,,,,

I’ll have pictures next week, but we don’t have an apartment, we have a house, and it’s really really nice, I have a bigger closet than mom and dad’s hah it’s sweet! and me and Elder Merkley have our own bathroom in our room with two sinks hah I’m livin like a king! I still am in the city and we get to see all the missionaries every week at soccer, so I don’t have any separation anxiety from the boys. Elder Merkley is very quiet . We get along fine, I’m trying to give him alot of the responsibility so he can grow, because that’s what helps me grow the most is responsibility. Its way funner living with six elders, the nights and working out is a blast, which I have been doing every day. I’m dedicated! The only thing is the house and dishes get dirty super fast, so that’s not fun. I washed the dished three times in the last three days,,,, it’s pretty much me alone haha service!! Our area has all the main grocery store chains here in Angola too so we get to shop close to home its nice. This is the first nice house I’ve lived in  my mission. It sure takes a lot of stress away!

  But yea, this week was good. Not much news, just the day in day out of missionary life. I’ll send pics of the house next week, and hope you all know I love you and miss you! Have awesome weeks. Much love,

Elder Colin Jay Montgomery

Transfers ....

Elder Montgomery, J, M , , P, Elder Tingey

Elder Montgomery last weeks Safari and 

the beautiful green view of Africa

58 Weeks in Angola  transferred

seven month suprise transfers!                                       6 hours ago Sept 16,2013

Ola minha familia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love you all!

wow, so much news this week, I’ll try to fit it all in. but first,

ELDER  ZACHARY WYATT FIGGINS!!!

PARA BENS A VOCE, 

NESTA DATA QERIDA, 

MUITA FELICIDADE,

MUITOS ANOS DA VIDA!!!!!!

Translation: CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU,

WANTED THIS DATE,

MUCH HAPPINESS,

MANY YEARS OF LIFE!!!

HAPPY BDAY BROTHER! LOVE YOU!

and DAD,,, or should I say, BISHOP MONTGOMERY! wow,

I am super excited to hear about your calling as bishop of the

singles ward, (as if I didn’t know  a few weeks,,, ) but still, para

bens, vais ser um bispo maravilhoso!!!translation: Congratulations,

 you'll be a wonderful bishop

So wow, this week was full of changes. 

First off the week was running normal and me and Elder Tingey were

working hard and preparing M. to be baptised, and then Wednesday

night, I get a very random phone call from President Merrill, and he told

 me that since he was going to Huambo for a phone conference, he was

 doing transfers. So he told me that Thursday morning I would be transferred

a week early to BENFICA (an area still in Luanda the Capital city of

6 mil. people) and be companions with Elder Jacob Merkley! I was very

 very suprised, but excited too. so for five days now I have already been

in a new area and had a new companion, and am district leader in the

Benfica district, with Elder Ferguson and Elder Rigby( arrives Wednesday)

Elder Mariquele, and Elder Wilhelm (the Assistants.) so there was a lot of

 changes this week! i was kind a sad because I didn’t get to say good bye

to any of my investigators or recent converts in Cassequel, but i know

I’ll be able to see them again. 

So I officially have seven months left tomorrow! So crazy. i did five

transfers in Lubango, five in Cassequel, and now I have five left! I’m

sure time will fly by. 

So with my new area, I came into 13 new baptismal dates, some really

 cool youth, some really prepared families waiting for marriage. The

works, me and Elder Merkley are really excited to do work! 

I haven’t really settled in yet, so i can’t really give tons of details on

investigators and lessons because I’ve only met  few of them, but I

 know the area is a good one, and I’m excited to be here. 

Saturday, I had the chance to baptize Marisa! Me and Elder Dunkley

started teaching her, then me and Elder Tingey prepped her for baptism

 and I got to do it, it was only my second one so I was super excited. it’s

 the most amazing feeling to help someone partake of salvation. No other

feeling in the world besides kind of what we feel in the temple.

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!

One cool experience though was about two weeks ago. Me and

 Elder Tingey were helping M. get ready for her baptismal interview,

and we went over the questions and she just didn’t seem ready. We were

 kinda discouraged and decided to pray to know what Heavenly Father

would have us do, whether to postpone the baptism or go through with it.

So Elder Tingey and I kneeled in our apartment and said a prayer specifically

asking for Heavenly Father to open our minds and tell us what he wanted

us to do. Then we both sat in silence trying to listen to the spirit and read in

 Preach My Gospel, then I started telling Elder Tingey what I thought, and

he said he had received the exact same answer, so we knelt in prayer and

thanked Heavenly Father and then the next day had her interview, and she

 passed just fine, and now is a member of the Lords True Church ! So

amazing and cool to be able to help people towards their salvation and

 to help the Lord hasten his work!

I know this gospel is true, and I love being a missionary. Dad, I’m so

 excited for your new calling and for you to have the opportunity to help

those whom you’re called to lead. There’s no better job than a bishop right?

I love you all and pray constantly for you all! Have a good week, and

know that someone in Africa loves you!

com muito amor,

Elder Colin Montgomery

ps Zach, your an old man!

57 Weeks in Angola 1st Safari :)

57 Week in Angola 1 apartment renovation, and 1 Safari 

Elder Montgomery and Tingey Sept 9, 2013

Safari  l-r Garn, Hansen, Money, Tilley, Tingey, Stewart, 

or Merkley, Montgomery (with back towards camera)

l-r Merkley, Montgomery, Chandler ( yeah He is ok ) , Tingey, Garn (in front of Garn), Money, Tilley, 

Sister and President Merrill, Hansen on the sand :) 

Elder Montgomery  Scouting for his relatives, the Monkey Crew LOL

Real Safari Giraffes 

"No I think its this way , no its this way to find those cute  Missionaries"

ola minha familia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

first off,,,,,

GREGORY PAUL 

and HAYDEN MCKAY

PARA BENS PARA VOCES!!!!! 

NESSAS DATAS QUERIDAS,

MUITA FELICIDADE, 

MUITOS ANOS DA VIDA!!!!

(translation: CONGRATULATIONS to you!!!

THESE DATES WANTED,

MUCH HAPPINESS,

MANY YEARS OF LIFE!!)

GREG ON THE TENTH AND HAYDEN ON THE 15TH,,, HAPPY BDAY TWO MY TWO BROTHERS!!! I LOVE YOU GUYS! HOPE YOUR BIRTHDAYS ARE THE BEST!!!!

So this week is gonna be really short,,,, not because I'm being lazy, just because we literally didn't get to do ANY work. 

Tuesday we had scheduled to have our apartment fixed up. New light fixtures, new pump, easy stuff.

those easy things turned quickly into underground pipe leak fixing, new hot water heater in our house, masonry work in our bathroom, a whole new electricity system for our whole house, and two VERY VERY bored missionaries. We couldn't leave our house, because we had Angolan workers going in and out all day Monday through Friday,,, so basically, we didn't get to work accept for two hours every night. it was a nice break, but also very frustrating and made for a fidgety Elder Montgomery. there was lots of church movies watched, a few over expensive lunches, surgeries, (not sure what that means) and lots of studying and little power napos between. overall, it was an awesome week, that ended with today the coolest pday of my mission so far!!!! 

We got to go to a Safari, and saw giraffes, wildebeest, monkeys, and some cool gazelle things. I was hoping for a elephant but its ok!!!

Then we got to go to the beach and hangout with President and Sister Merrill. it was all so fun. 

The highlight of my day was the giraffe. I was like a little kid in disneyland. Giraffes are awesome, and they didn't run away too so we got within about 20 yards of them to take pictures. it was so amazing. 

That was basically our week. sorry this is super short, but next week will be long, because me and Elder Tingey have a baptism on Saturday, and transfer's too!

I love you all and I know this gospel is true!. Africa is amazing. and the people are even better. have good weeks!! Happy bday Greg and Hayden! love you all!

com muito amor,

Elder Colin Jay Montgomery

Pray for our Elders, Safety, and Visa's

Luanda Boardwalk 

Elders Chillin on P Day

(photo from Elder Money's blog) 

Mini Zip line

Hard working Luanda Trudging Feet

My Mean Face , haha 

Week 56

Roller coaster                                                                                                Sept .2, 2013

OLA MINHA FAMILIA!!!

Wow so this week was a roller coaster emotionally spiritually, physically, everything.

Where to start, basically all the work me and Elder Tingey have been doing was bringing results until this week. We had over ten progressing investigators, which is a lot. Basically we had kind a the opposite effect of all our work cave in on us this week, and a lot of our people stopped progressing because we hadn't been focusing on a small group, but had been giving reference to a big group and neglecting those who needed it a ton. We had one guy with a baptismal date come out and tell us he doesn't really know if he believes in god, another girl came out and said she has a serious drinking problem and has a husband in Holland so she’s trying to leave Angola ( good i guess ) and another guy completely dissappeared about two weeks ago and we haven't been able to meet him. so those things are all the sad things that have happened,

BUT there was of course also many blessings:) One was I. , the woman elder Clifford and I found, who read all the book of mormon and was the most prepared woman I ever met, she came out of the woodwork and now will get baptized on the 21st, and then one of the daughters of J. and P. will be baptized on the 14th. Those are pretty much or sure. So those were some cool blessings. 

  You all of course heard already about how Elder C. and Elder G. got robbed, and Elder Chandler was stabbed. It was pretty crazy to hear that story, but pretty cool that the lord protected him. The guy tried I think three times to stab him right in the spine, but the knife wouldn't go in, so he stabbed him in the shoulder and it went it. pretty crazy. I definitely think the lord was protecting him. I have never served in that area, so who knows if I’ll serve there. it makes me wanna walk around with a knife!

  Elder Tingey and me are loving being companions. 

  Sunday we had a kind a scary experience. This handicapped lady in our branch had kind a mental breakdown and seizure at the same time, and we had to carry her out to the car and take her home and gave her a blessing. as soon as we gave the blessing she stopped groaning and calmed down and just slept. it was really cool to be able to give her that blessing and see the power of the priesthood work just like that. really cool. its real!

Well I’ll close this letter. I know the church is true. Even through alllll the things we go through in life, we can never lose faith in the things we know, the people we love, and our Savior who suffered for all of us. and the best thing we can do is give him our will!

cool quote: "Conversion is an offering of self that we give to god, in gratitude for the gift of testimony." David A. Bednar. 

give the Lord our will, and he will direct us in all we do! I know that's true, or I would be here in Angola. I love you all! have amazing weeks. 

The picture are from last p day, we got to go to this boardwalk place and do a little mini zip line, SO FUN, then I got my mean face and glasses on, all that fun stuff. 

like Greg said,

The church is true, the book is blue!

love you all! have a good week, 

and all of you remember that someone in Africa loves you!

com muito amor,

Elder Colin Jay Montgomery

ps, dad, speak for yourself on being far away from medical help and jumping or falling of high things! haha mom taddle tailled on you. love ya! be safe old man!