Week 2 In Jamiaca

So this week has been crazy! We had a Zone P-Day and it was a blast! We played volleyball, rugby, soccer, and basketball! We also had our Thanksgiving Dinner! But before that, on Monday we had to move our P-Day to Tuesday because of elections here! It is crazy scary over here when one party loses! All the people of the winning party go out and party in all the bars(which are EVERYWHERE) and all of the losing party members go out and start riots! Luckily none happened while we were out! And I didn't hear of any riots or huge fights in Junction anyways so that's good! I can slowly feel myself getting out of shape... haha not good... But I do ride my bike up hill both ways so that's good for my legs! We are not allowed to go get gym memberships which kinda makes me mad but oh well. So we meet this man name Ricardo and he is waaaayyyy interested in what we have to say about our church! He is an Awesome investigator! we ran into this Rasta man, a man who smokes weed, has dreads, drinks, and doesn't not believe in Jesus Christ OR God!! They are so funny to run into because they don't know what they are talking about when they say there is no God haha! But the Patwa here is kinda hard to understand when Jamaicans are talking with each other but I'm starting to get the hang of it! "Whagwan ma yoot?" that is patwa for what is going on my youth. Madaya means I'm here or i am there. We are in  branch not a ward, our chapel is in a small plaza because we don't have enough members for our own building. YET. But we believe we can make it that far! The mission presidents goal or vision is to have a temple here in Jamaica in about 3-4 years! We can do it in the way he has things set up! Invite 10 people every day to be baptized, baptize about 35 people mission wide, have a church building in every perish, and so on! Its crazy! But hey, if it gets a temple here in Jamaica then i'll do it!

Thanksgiving was awesome here!! We had our own Thanksgiving! we had mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, beans, banana bread, cream soda! IT WAS AWESOME!! I loved it!!

We do ALOT of bike riding and it suuuuucks!! I swear if I don't come home with shredded thighs I'm gonna be mad! The elders that i stay with are awesome! We all played sports except for Elder Callister.  Him and i get along really well because of how emotional we are haha. we sound like babies but hey, emotions show that we care! Church here is way smaller than back home but the sacrament is starting to mean a lot more to me than it ever did back home. I know that is bad to say but oh well. I am truly grateful for everything that I have had back home! But I am even more grateful for every thing I have here in Jamaica! We have a crappy living place but to a lot of people here, we have a really nice place! A lot of people live in concrete squares with no floors, sometimes no beds, and a lot of other things. It really shows how bad the poverty is here but no one cares! they all go about their day caring for others because, "One Love" that is what everyone says here! Its awesome! 
And I will be one of the first missionaries to go back into the Bahamas as soon as they open! 
Sorry I haven't sent much pictures... I will try to get some loaded today!

 Love you All!!

 Elder Wilding Out!✌

Me and my companion Elder Christensen
He's from Elk Ridge Utah

   

Our Thanksgiving dinner!

Week 1 In Jamaica

Hey Guys!

  So this last week has been crazy!! Okay so the day before i left the MTC was crazy busy with packing and saying good byes to all my district members then i didn't sleep that night because i didn't get finished packing until like 1 and i had to report to the travel center at 3 so i didn't sleep at all! So i get on the bus with Elders Udy, Call, and Morris to go to salt lake airport. We called home and told them about our plans then boarded a plane to Dallas. We get to Dallas and we meet this family who are also Mormon! We flew with them all the way to Florida! they were going to the Cayman islands! They bought us lunch and we got to facetime our parents a little bit but not for very long. 

   So we are in Florida and we say good bye to the family and i fell asleep on the plane rides so i don't remember them very much haha just take offs and landings. Its crazy! So I get off the plane in Jamaica and its like getting hit in the face with a heater! Holy Hot! We meet the Mission president and his wife as they take us to the mission home and we started driving on the wrong side of the road!! (for them it is on the left side not the right) People are walking on the roads like they own the place, cars are swerving to avoid the people and other cars! Motorcyclists are crazy! they zip in and out where ever they can fit! 

   So we get to the Mission home and they make us meatball sandwiches then we hit the hay because we are exhausted! We get up, shower, eat, then we have like an hour before all the elders show up so we can meet our companions! They show up and everyone is excited to see each other! We say our goodbyes then head off for Junction! 

   On our way to Junction it is crazy just like i explained before! We stop at a KFC!! Yaaaaaassss!!! They tell me to get the ginger beer i think its called. and it is like cream soda with A TON of ginger in it! Like it didn't taste anything like cream soda! 

    We finish eating and drive like 2 hours to get to out house in Junction! It is so crazy here! The culture is so mixed! Old beat up cars, Mercedes Benz, dirt bikes, bullet bikes! Its crazy! and it smells like weed EVERYWHERE!! 

    So we start going around getting to know the area and we have done that all week long. We met the Roach family and man were they excited to see us!! Like stoked! They were so willing to except a Book of Mormon and come to church this last Sunday but because they 2 year old son got sick so they couldn't make it. But i am way excited for that family! 

    It is so hot here! we have to ride our bikes up who knows how many hills! If i don't come home just shredded in my legs I'm gonna be mad! haha just kidding. But the dirt is red here and it is annoying how easily it gets on my pants! 

    Anyways i got to go! My P-Days are on Mondays so everybody knows! Sorry this email isn't that long but next weeks will be better and more in detail!

 I miss every one! Love you All!!

-Elder Wilding

p.s....He was having a hard time uploading pictures.  They may come later!

Made it to Jamaica

  

They made it to Jamaica!

Austins trainer/companion is

Elder Christensen from Elk Ridge Ut

They spent the first night at the mission home

and then had training meetings in Wednesday!

Sister Brown sent these to us!

Hopefully we will get an email from him soon!

A Few Pics

Week 2

Hey guys! Sorry I didn't get the first weeks email out for you all! It's been crazy busy here! The first week we were here at the MTC was all about running around trying to figure out which buildings are which and which buildings i had to be in! We met out TRCs, Training Resource Center investigators, and they were pretty cool! Max I'm pretty sure is a member that is acting as an investigator but he was awesome to talk too! He is into app advertisement so he is responsible for the annoying ads that pop up while playing games on your phones! haha! Anyways, Harper, our other investigator who we think is a member is from Hawaii and she looks like shes from the 80s! She was also great to get along with but we couldn't get them to commit to baptism.. My Companion and I don't really click when it comes to the church but when we aren't talking about the church we get along great! He is here on blind faith which is so hard to do! I don't know how hes doing it! I wouldn't be out here if i were in his shoes! He has never recognized the Holy Ghost which is a key thing to know and feel while out here! He doesn't want to go hope because he wants to set the example for his younger siblings. A little bit about him. He grew up in a black neighborhood so he acts like he is black. I would send pictures of all of us but i cant figure out how to load my pictures onto the email so, sorry guys! But hes name is Elder Kenny Rothe. Its a German name and its pronounced Ro-Thee. Long story short, he is the exact opposite of me. I love the mountains, he loves the city. I love trucks, he loves cars. So on so forth. The guys in my district are all going to Jamaica with me except for my companion who is going to Idaho Falls. He is from AZ. Its been rough for him here because he doesn't have a strong testimony and its been really hard on me because I have to do all the talking in our investigators meetings and in class role plays with others. He has slowly been getting better at helping me with our lessons but I'm still the one doing all the talking.. I am the District Leader. So everything that the district does runs through me. Its been rough but also the best experience! I can't please everyone all the time but when I do everything just runs so smoothly for our district! This last few weeks have been so rough and good at the same time so its a huge learning experience for all of us here! 

I leave for Jamaica on Tuesday the 15th at 3:30 in the morning! I wont get to Jamaica until 9:00 that night! Its gonna be a long day full of plane rides but man I cant wait to get there! Sorry this one is short but I have a lot of laundry and meetings and a devotional to go to later! I love you All! 

Scripture of the week, Alma 26:12.

Yours Truly,

Elder Wilding

 This is our District.

 Me and Elder Udy from Malad