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!

WORK, WORK, WORK its awesome

Week 55 in Angola                                                                                        Aug 26, 2013 

Ola minha familia!!!

wow, this week was absolutely amazing. i have never worked so hard my entire mission. Really though, this week was so full of work, I am exhausted and this pday was much much needed. It all started out with Tuesday, me and Elder Tingey deciding that we were gonna have a 100% day. have all the lessons we plan working out so we prayed and planned really good and set up the perfect day. We got eight lessons and had time for nine, and almost were able to get nine, but the very last lesson, our investigators mom was in the hospital so he couldn't meet. it was kinda frustrating but then we looked at all the blessings we had already received that day and we decided the lord was satisfied with out work. then the next day and the next and the next we just kept on having the same work ethic and all the way through Friday. Friday night we came home tired as we could both be and we already had 21 lessons!!! that's usually a full week of work!

so ya that was sweet.  But i think because we were working so hard, elder Tingey's immune system gave in or we ate something bad because he got super sick with a stomach bug on Saturday, so we had to stay all Saturday in the house, but it wasn't a huge bummer because we still had Sunday and had already done the whole weeks worth of work. 

Sunday was awesome and we ended up at the Weggeland's house for dinner ... then we had an awesome spiritual thought afterward. it was really awesome and fun. 

That was basically our week, when Elder Tingey was sick I read all of Helaman and Romans that day, I love Helaman so much! Samual the lamanite has always been one of my favorite Book of Mormon heroes, and I loved reading about him. he goes into some very deep talks about repentance, and that's one of my favorite gospel topics. The Atonement is so cool and real. I love it.
  So that was basically my week. this transfer is already going so fast this is me and elder Tingey's third week together and were just doing work all day everyday.

one thing i learned this week was the power of prayer. we have to pray with faith and we will get and answer. when we get that answer we have to act, and when we act in accordance with that answer or prompting, it is the lords will, and all will work out for the better. its all about doing the lords will!!
   This week has been awesome though and i am continually loving my mission more and more. i love learning and helping other people learn about Christ and his atonement for us. I love this gospel, and I love being a missionary!!!! I cannot believe that I've been doing this for 16 months already, I will never understand how time flies so fast. 

I love you all though and thank you for your love and prayers. 

mom, to answer your question, I have worn m glasses all week, because my eyes were super red and I had allergies and so I wore my glasses all week and it was doable, annoying but doable, so I think I'm fine for  now I just need to were my glasses more. 

but I'm good though! I'll write back a little more later when we come back to the internet cafe.

The picture is Dorival our recent convert, we switched roles one night and he and Elder Tingey and him taught me. It was so fun. but have a good week everyone! I'll write back later tonight. I love you all so much!!!!

Elder Colin Montgmery

Burgers and Beach Missionary Style

Burgers and Beach Missionary Style

Burgers Angola Style ~Elder Tingey and Montgomery 

The Beach P`Day West Coast of Angola Africa, its along swim home.

New meaning to Elders favorite word "Flippin" 

Elder Tingey and Money "Gilligan the Skipper too..." 

54 weeks in Angola

OLA MINHA FAMLIA!!!!!!!!!!                                                                          Aug 19,2013

So this week, wow, was amazing. So much fun, so much work, so much teaching, so much everything, but no stress and no contention. I literally have nothing bad to say about this week. 

So first off, I have a really cool concept to talk about that I read in a talk that Elder Tingey has printed out. Its talking about what kind of missionary we are. 

"The only thing you can or ever will be able to give to the lord as a gift, is your will."

That is so powerful!!!

No matter what we do in life, we are not gonna be happy unless it is part of the Lords plan that he has made for us. We will always be within the Lord’s plan if we give him our will. 

That’s not to say we cannot make our own choices, it’s all about making our own choices, but making the right ones, the ones that will lead us back to heavenly father. 

THAT impacted me a lot this week. I love that thought, that WE have the choice to have eternal life but we have to choose it by giving our will to the lord. 

So this week was really good though!!! Today for p-day we went to the beach. It was a blast.

Me and Elder Tingey are working our tails off and having a blast doing it. I literally cannot complain one single bit about him. He’s an amazing companion, full of the spirit, but spontaneous and fun and a hard worker. I can’t say enough good about him, and of course were both awesome being from AZ. 

We had the awesome opportunity to set some new baptismal dates this week, and we had twelve investigators at church, and 14 progressing investigators. 

 This week in my studies I finished Alma and started Helaman. I’m really excited to read about Samuel the Lamanite. That is one of my favorite stories. 

  That’s all I got for this week, sorry no baptisms lately. 

To answer questions, I am district leader, and the older missionary. 8 MONTHS LEFT YESTERDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wow, so crazy its flying. I’m so excited for this transfer. Me and Elder Tingey are doing work. I love you all! My challenge for this week is for you all to improve your personal prayers. We could always use a little checkup. I’m trying to do that too, and I will pray for all of you. I always do. Have good week and know someone in Africa loves you all  too!

com muito amor,

Elder Colin Jay Montgomery

NEW COMPANIONS Aug, 8,2013

Cool Street in our area that has some really cool African Trees 

Elder Money in a very tight European shirt some

 investigators gave for him :) and Elder Stewart.

Elder Montgomery and Tingey Aug 8 first week of transfers.

Week 53 with New Companions Rockin the Work              

Ola minha familia!!!!!                        Monday, August 12, 2013 7:38 AM
This week was absolutely amazing. I honestly am so grateful for Elder
Tingey my new companion who has taught me so much and I already love
him. We got transfers last Monday, and so Tuesday the whole day we
spent visiting all our investigators so that Elder Dunkley could say
goodbye to them. It was a really good day and we got to see all the
people we are closest with in the area. Wednesday we woke up and got
ready, and Elder Dunkley got picked up and then Elder Money and Elder
Tingey got dropped off. OUR DISTRICT IS THE BEST! Money, Stewart, and
Tingey. They are all awesome elders. Money loves to have fun and work
hard, and me and him love to talk sports and BYU football and
everything. Stewart who was already here, is a very hard working Elder
and truly has the ability to teach with the spirit and make everyone
feel loved and included. Tingey, is the best. I love Elder Tingey. He
is from Mesa, enough said.
  Wednesday we jumped right into the work and just started doing all our
visits. I have been trying to stress 100% the Book of Mormon this
week. People do not become converted to Christ without reading and
having a testimony of the Book of Mormon!
Let me say it again, People do not become converted to Christ without
reading and having a testimony of the Book of Mormon!  It’s ture, and
I always keep realizing it over and over. That investigator’s do not
progress without reading the Book of Mormon. It is the key to
missionary work. The spirit doesn’t work without it.
 So this whole week was just full of awesome lessons teaching about the
Book of Mormon. And also we had two of our three couples set marriage
and baptismal dates for themselves in November as a part of our push
for people to be married. I probably won’t be here, But I will
definitely be able to see these people be baptized. What a blessing it
is to see families taking steps closer to becoming eternal families!
On Thursday we had a meeting on the other side of town with President,
just  Elder Tingey and me, and then he offered to drive us home and buy
us lunch. IT WAS SO FUN. President is amazing, spiritual, and truly a
man called of God, but at the same time he can be so fun and playful
and loves to joke around.  He’s a small town AZ guy, but the most spiritual 

at the same time. I love him and Sister Merrill so much!
So that was basically my week. Sorry I didn’t have much to write, we
just have been getting settled into our amazing new companionship and
district and working hard. I love change. That’s something I have found
on my mission. I am person who gets into routines, and if I don’t stop
myself and have some change I get stuck in those routines, especially
as a missionary. But it’s really nice to have change and to have a new
comp and district. I know the change will and has already brought a
new spirit of excitement into my area. I’m very excited to see what we
can accomplish this next transfer. I love you all! I feel your prayers
each and every day!
Dad, next week send me BYU and Highlands football schedules, as well
as any preseason predictions for AZ HS football that you can find. I’m
so stoked to start hearing about football every week haha
Anyways, I love you all so much! Have a good week. Know that I love
you and pray for you all everyday!!!
I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!!
Com amor
Elder Colin Jay Montgomery

1 Year in Angola

 

  1 Year in Angola 

Natalia baptized in Portugal by Colin's MTC Teacher

Personal Motivating Quote 

In the Aug. Ensign talk "Obedience" by F Michael Watson

 - talks about the Angola Luanda Mission and a Sister Lassalete Goncalves this is her, we eat lunch at her house and know her and her strong family very well, some of the best members in Angola. 

this poster she is holding is for a blood drive that the Luanda dist. is holding through Mormon Helping hands.

After Baptisms Saturday, we ate lunch at KFC (only American fast food in Angola), and only in Angola are there chickens in the streets everywhere, including this one on top of a car in the KFC parking lot:).

they ought to name him Forest "RUN FOREST RUN " 

 52 OLA MINHA FAMAILIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!                                                     Aug 5, 2013

So this week marks my 1 year in Angola. it has flown by extremely fast. I cannot believe 1 year ago I was flying into this crazy city at 11 at night and about to start the craziest adventure of my life. I love Angola! SOU MWANGOLE! (IM ANGOLAN! ( in slang))
  But now I’ll cut right to the Chase and give you transfer information!!!
  I am staying in Cassequel C and will be companions with Elder TINGEY from Mesa Az!!!!  I am very very excited! I still haven't had a chance to talk to him, but still, I’m really excited. Elder Dunkley will go to Vianna and be companions with Elder Hannay from Utah. Im so excited to be companions with Elder Tingey. That makes five months in Cassequel, and two of my companions were both from Mesa. Arizona is really representing in Angola!
  This week was good though. Elder Dunkley and I are such good friends. I am kinda sad now that he is gonna be leaving, I feel like we could have done such great work if we had been together for one more transfer, but you  know what they say, all good things have an end, That’s mission life though constant changes.
  So Tuesday me, Elder Hyde and McCune had a fast together with our parents. It was really cool and very spiritual. I think I hit a spiritual high Tuesday night, that's when I found the "you shall not falter nor shall you fail" quote.
  Wednesday we had a mission conference. Let me just say, SO spiritual, the only speakers were President and Sister Merrill, and they both bore such powerful testimonies. They bore testimonies of how much they love us and Angola, it was very powerful. I love them. I know for sure they were called of God to be here. The teaching they gave came from the Lord. D&C 1: I think verse 38 "whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." i try to do everything i can and follow President Merrill as if it was God himself leading this mission, because in all reality, it is through President Merrill that he is leading this mission! I love him and Sister Merrill so much!
 I did have a really cool experience studying and reading my patriarchal blessing one night. Sometimes things we read too fast and don't catch are VERY important and stick out like crazy. So everyone's, challenge for the week, read your patriarchal blessings OUTLOUD in a room alone, and see how it sounds and what sticks out. Really cool. It really makes a difference when you read it out loud. I loved it. try it!
  Today for p-day we had a huge lunch and made fries and burgers and fun stuff like that. I am turning into quite the chef if I might say so myself.
  I wanted to bear my testimony about this week is that quote.

 "you shall not falter, nor shall you fail." I know that when the Lord is on our side, we cannot fail. He will lift us guide us and fight for us when we cannot fight anymore. I know that is true. I have felt the Lord lift me up and send guardian angels like my grandpas many times on my mission. I love that we have a personal God. He is almighty all powerful and completely  perfect, and  He knows us each individually and loves to answer our prayers and help us. It’s amazing!

WORK -WORK - WORK; there is no satisfactory substitute! I think Ezra Taft Benson said that. It’s true! I pray we can all work hard this week, and receive the Lords blessings! I love you all! Have a good week!
come muito amor,
Elder Montgomery