Hello my family!!
I was thinking about it, and my letters home aren't very spiritual, which might be depicting me as a missionary or my mission as just another thing to check off my bucket list. SO NOT TRUE. This week we have been blessed beyond belief. It was seriously amazing to see the things that have transpired since our last email.
One blessing is A, a new investigator. She actually just rolled into church 3 weeks ago to check it out. We had never talked to her or seen her before, and weren't able to catch her number afterwords because D came by after church so we were teaching him about the Plan of Salvation. I love teaching at the church, it's almost like cheating when it comes to feeling the Spirit because it's always there. Anyways, A came back the next Sunday and we saw here twice this week, not counting Sunday, and holy cow, she was definetly one of those people who the Lord prepared for us to teach. She has kept every commitment with reading the Book of Mormon, and she lives up in the hills a little bit so its nice and quite when we teach. Elder Nelson and Elder Montegomery chopped her yard Thursday morning (we had a trade off with the Zone Leaders, so I was in Spanish Town with Elder Mackey) and she was to be baptised, prayed about it and everything. We are looking at Oct. 15th or the week after that, but she came back to church for the third straight week and we teach the Gospel Principles class/ investigator class so we taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Faith, repentance, baptism, recieving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end) and the Spirit was so strong. She said she loves Relief Society which is great, oh man, its wonderful. We are seeing her again on Thursday and we are really excited about her.
This week was great. I put some new parts on my bicycle because they were going to break off soon, both my tires exploded! It was pretty hilarious actually, so now I am riding a Cadillac of bicycles which makes riding the hills of Clarendon much more enjoyable. I've now lost 20 pounds, almost 25 because when I checked yesterday after two dinners and having soaked pants from the rain I was 165, but I feel great. Who knew loosing fat would make a person feel good! haha
Things at home sound awesome! I love the pictures of Mac playing football. It takes me back to my ol' playing days... wow, I sound like an old man when I say it like that. The house is looking great, the garden looks huuuuuuge, and I'm so glad you got the SD card. I was hoping you'd get it soon.
This week is going to be great too. General Conferance! Whoot whoot! And I've only got 30 pages left in the Book of Mormon. Double whoot whoot!
Well I'm glad you guys had a great week too, enjoy this week and I will be talking to you next monday! My email probably won't be home until later in the day, we are having zone p-day, basketball in Port Mor! Triple whoot whoot! haha
Love you all!
Elder Romney
PS: No, I don't need more pants, I'm still rockin' strong with the 4 or 5 I have, tell Shelby happy birthday!! I miss those guys!
This blog exists to keep friends and family up to date on Jackson's mission to Jamaica by posting his letters and pictures.
Elders McCleod and Romney
Monday, September 26, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Week 11 letter
Wa gwan!
So! Things back home sound like they are soooo fun! This week wasnt very exciting compared to last week, so the email won't be as long. Jamaica is still hot, and I actually got sunburned again! I think it was because we started eating real food like eggs and... eggs haha So my skin can hack the sun again, got a niiiiiiiice farmers tan goin on. Seriously, its a little scary how at the beginning of the day, people yell "white man!" as we ride by, and at the end of the day they are yelling "red man!" :)
Monday we just had P-day, shot some pool, wrote a song, nothing special EXCEPT!!! (THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK) We found Dr. Pepper at Shoppers Fair (the store)!! Ya! Usually you can only get it in Kingston, but nooooope we found it, and bought the last 3 cases... we are lining our hallway with the empty cans. If there is one thing that is going to get me fat, its DP. They haven't stocked it yet again, but we havent gone shopping... i hope its there!
Tuesday... lets just say me and Nelson are pretty sure someone cast an Obie curse on our bicycles (Obie is kinda like jamaican voodoo). I had 4 flat tires and Nelson had one. 5 flats on the day between four tires, and a broken axle... yeah, that was a downer. We were at the bicycle four like 2 hours for the axle, got a late start to the day, and then on the way back from Hodlins at night my tire popped again, but thankfully some nice people called us over and not only gave me two patches but fixed it, water checked it, they were so nice. It was a first! We almost just kept walking, thinking they were just gonna chat us. But we stopped. It was cool.
Wednesday was district meeting, the ZL's were there too. It was good, nothign to exciting EXCEPT chinese food! It was ridiculously good, left me in an Asian coma, one of the most deadly coma's of its kind! Taught a few people, nothing to crazy. No big bicycle problems.
Thursday was actually pretty normal. The security guard and Juicy's wanted a Book of Mormon so we gave him one and talked to him a bit. We talked to him again this morning and since he works so much he hasnt read anything, but we will go back soon. Like we always do, they have pool tables that we happen to use on our lunch hour and p-day :)
Friday- Super planning, so we arent allowed to leave the house until 2, buuuuut Elder Nelson painted his bicycle all white (it looks sweet) and had some trouble putting it back together, so we didnt get out until 3:30 which suuucked. We went and saw J, a lady who used to go to church and have been seeign for abuot three weeks. She hasnt come to church or read anything so we are wonding how interested she is or if she just likes the white man company. Activity night was so fun. Basketball again, Ive decided when I get home, Im only ever playing in a white shirt, tie, and slacks because you cyaaaaant beat me when Im in that! haha Seriously, it was awesome. Except I forgot my sneakers so my one pair of shoes is already torn and pretty much done... they were ripped like the first 2 weeks i was out here just from walking... so ill be buying a nice sturdy pair of shoes probably within the next six months... stinkin wal mart!!
Saturday was our Tour de Maypen day... rode allll the way past Palmers Cross to see B who didnt really give us the time of day because she was leaving, then to Burger King for my second medicinal Whopper (ya, two medicinal whoppers in one week... that should explain my level of sanity this week) then allll the way out to four paths to see Rasta C. Did some finding as well, ended up way out in the bush of Four Paths and was talking to a lady who said she saw us earlier in Maypen town... and we just HAPPENED to wander all the way out there and she HAPPENED to be outside at that time we were walking by... yeah, thats what ya call having people put in your place! So we will definetly be going back there. We had a nice conversation with some 7th Day Adventists, that was fun. And then bicycled home and did some more finding out there.
Sunday was amazing as usual. We actually had two investegators come to church! Ya! Thats a first! 10 weeks in a my first investegators at church... about time! :) We had a lesson on the Plan of Salvation and it was really nice, felt the Spirit. It's so true too, I'm so glad that we can kick it with our family after we die. A lot of people don't quite comprehend that here. Anyways, ate at S and W, saw Z (13 year old recent convert ) and then dropped some church dvd's off at W for his wife to watch.
All in all, it was a frusterating week as far as teaching and bicycle problems go, but we keep things in pretty good perspective (me and Nelson) and don't let it get us down to much. Can't force people to follow the Gospel and be happy! haha Wish ya could sometimes, but anyways, i didn't chat back to anyone this week! If anyone chatted us, we just yelled back "ONE LOVE!" It's pretty fun, it's fun when people chat us now.
This week should be a good one I think, we're seeing some small success with a couple people and hopefully it continutes!! Love you all! Likklemore!
Elder Romney
So! Things back home sound like they are soooo fun! This week wasnt very exciting compared to last week, so the email won't be as long. Jamaica is still hot, and I actually got sunburned again! I think it was because we started eating real food like eggs and... eggs haha So my skin can hack the sun again, got a niiiiiiiice farmers tan goin on. Seriously, its a little scary how at the beginning of the day, people yell "white man!" as we ride by, and at the end of the day they are yelling "red man!" :)
Monday we just had P-day, shot some pool, wrote a song, nothing special EXCEPT!!! (THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK) We found Dr. Pepper at Shoppers Fair (the store)!! Ya! Usually you can only get it in Kingston, but nooooope we found it, and bought the last 3 cases... we are lining our hallway with the empty cans. If there is one thing that is going to get me fat, its DP. They haven't stocked it yet again, but we havent gone shopping... i hope its there!
Tuesday... lets just say me and Nelson are pretty sure someone cast an Obie curse on our bicycles (Obie is kinda like jamaican voodoo). I had 4 flat tires and Nelson had one. 5 flats on the day between four tires, and a broken axle... yeah, that was a downer. We were at the bicycle four like 2 hours for the axle, got a late start to the day, and then on the way back from Hodlins at night my tire popped again, but thankfully some nice people called us over and not only gave me two patches but fixed it, water checked it, they were so nice. It was a first! We almost just kept walking, thinking they were just gonna chat us. But we stopped. It was cool.
Wednesday was district meeting, the ZL's were there too. It was good, nothign to exciting EXCEPT chinese food! It was ridiculously good, left me in an Asian coma, one of the most deadly coma's of its kind! Taught a few people, nothing to crazy. No big bicycle problems.
Thursday was actually pretty normal. The security guard and Juicy's wanted a Book of Mormon so we gave him one and talked to him a bit. We talked to him again this morning and since he works so much he hasnt read anything, but we will go back soon. Like we always do, they have pool tables that we happen to use on our lunch hour and p-day :)
Friday- Super planning, so we arent allowed to leave the house until 2, buuuuut Elder Nelson painted his bicycle all white (it looks sweet) and had some trouble putting it back together, so we didnt get out until 3:30 which suuucked. We went and saw J, a lady who used to go to church and have been seeign for abuot three weeks. She hasnt come to church or read anything so we are wonding how interested she is or if she just likes the white man company. Activity night was so fun. Basketball again, Ive decided when I get home, Im only ever playing in a white shirt, tie, and slacks because you cyaaaaant beat me when Im in that! haha Seriously, it was awesome. Except I forgot my sneakers so my one pair of shoes is already torn and pretty much done... they were ripped like the first 2 weeks i was out here just from walking... so ill be buying a nice sturdy pair of shoes probably within the next six months... stinkin wal mart!!
Saturday was our Tour de Maypen day... rode allll the way past Palmers Cross to see B who didnt really give us the time of day because she was leaving, then to Burger King for my second medicinal Whopper (ya, two medicinal whoppers in one week... that should explain my level of sanity this week) then allll the way out to four paths to see Rasta C. Did some finding as well, ended up way out in the bush of Four Paths and was talking to a lady who said she saw us earlier in Maypen town... and we just HAPPENED to wander all the way out there and she HAPPENED to be outside at that time we were walking by... yeah, thats what ya call having people put in your place! So we will definetly be going back there. We had a nice conversation with some 7th Day Adventists, that was fun. And then bicycled home and did some more finding out there.
Sunday was amazing as usual. We actually had two investegators come to church! Ya! Thats a first! 10 weeks in a my first investegators at church... about time! :) We had a lesson on the Plan of Salvation and it was really nice, felt the Spirit. It's so true too, I'm so glad that we can kick it with our family after we die. A lot of people don't quite comprehend that here. Anyways, ate at S and W, saw Z (13 year old recent convert ) and then dropped some church dvd's off at W for his wife to watch.
All in all, it was a frusterating week as far as teaching and bicycle problems go, but we keep things in pretty good perspective (me and Nelson) and don't let it get us down to much. Can't force people to follow the Gospel and be happy! haha Wish ya could sometimes, but anyways, i didn't chat back to anyone this week! If anyone chatted us, we just yelled back "ONE LOVE!" It's pretty fun, it's fun when people chat us now.
This week should be a good one I think, we're seeing some small success with a couple people and hopefully it continutes!! Love you all! Likklemore!
Elder Romney
Monday, September 12, 2011
Week 9 letter
Wa Gwan!
So this week though was absolutly insane. Seriously. Insane. Like im so glad its over insane and I can't believe everything that happened insane.
Monday we were in Linstead, went to Natural Bridge and these siiiiick caves! I took a bunch of pictures that you will be seeing in the next couple weeks. It was so awesome, the first beautiful thing ive seen in Jamaica actually haha We got Pizza Hut after (yuuuuummmmm!!!) annnnnd since the ZoneLeaders love me so much, they picked me up a 12 pack of Dr. Pepper when they were in Kingston because thats the only place you can get it! it was sooo nice. Maybe the highlight of the whole week.
Tuesday... We got a late start to the day due to some extra curricular activities taking place outside our house... which was crazy, but no worries, all is good, so we left at like 11, had to go shopping because we were out of breakfast food and we saw... A WHITE FAMILY! YEAH! I KNOW! WHAT ARE WHITE PEOPLE DOING IN MAYPEN?? Then I looked at my extremely tan arm against a white shirt and realized they were probably thinking the same thing. I waved the the 10 year old boy, I couldnt stop smiling, it totally made my day haha I know thats weird, but for half a second, i thought i was back home in walmart shopping around! So that was crazy, then we dropped our stuff off at the house and made the hour long ride to Four Paths to see Rasta C. I dont remember much about Tuesday after that. We ate at H like we do every tuesday. Delicious as always, but i can never finish it. Call me a Nancy, but i just have this mental block of finishing my food there. Im always soooooo full.
Wednesday was transfer day that we werent at because me and Nelson are in Maypen for at least another 6 weeks. We taught a couple lessons, got lunch and juicies where i got slaughtered by Nelson in pool, met a kid named J who wanted to come to church and play ball on friday nights with us, so we gave him our number. Then we went on a 4 hour finding spree, got totally lost out in the bush, ended up above all of Maypen with this sick view and these huge houses around us, nice grass, it was quite, seriously like a little America. We begged a momma a glass of water (you call all the women older than you momma here "Good afternoon momma", its kinda cool, they call you sweetie or darling or bumbaclot (a Jamacain swear word) if they dont like you... we get the third one a lot haha but anyway, she directed us back to Maypen and that was that
Thursday we were fasting and I want to meet the person who said that the devil doesnt have a body... because he does... he took the form of Elder Nelsons bicycle! Seriously, two flats, a broken axle, and 4 hours later we finally got out to four paths to see Rasta C and then to an investegator's church service. I think it was a baptist church and he said if we came to his he would come to ours (which he didnt) but anyways, it was really different. But the best part: we are sitting there, listening to the lady preach and scream, and she gets done, there is only like 10 people there, and the lady next to us is like "before we pray, would you like to talk about your church to everyone?" We couldnt believe it... so guess who was a guest minister in a baptist church teaching about the Mormons??? cha! us! It was hilarious. I mean, we took it serious, read Jacob 3 i think, and Moroni 10:3-5, talked about prophets and the Book of Mormon for 7 minutes, but it was so cool. Walk into a church, not planning to teach and just to listen, and we end up teaching a sermon to the people... we even got a couple amen's and a hallelujah. Pretty wicked.
Friday we had super planning, we had to walk because papa P locked the garage with our bikes in and left, so we only taught a couple lessons before friday night activity. We got hurricane style rain and lightening this whole weekend, shotgun loud thunder, it was nuts, so we just played domino friday night with these kids C and R. Smoked them. They werent happy white man gave them 6 in domino. But it was funny. Then we say J walking home... He texted us and stuff and asked what we were doing... just weird.
Saturday we taught a lady who Krauss referred to us. She has had one rough life. I don't wanna repeat it because its not my place to, but i had a bit of the fear tear goin... we taught her about enduring to the end and having faith. We will meet with her this week for sure. ZL's dropped up some Books of Mormon, got Chinese food, and J, somehow... found us in Maxie's buying some new shoes wit the ZL's, followed us to the church, we taught him a little bit, but we was more interested in other things that church stuff... so i was really uncomfortbale and a little mad at Nelson because he kinda threw me under the bus and made a phone call right as J started talkin about weird stuff. So I bit the bullet and tried to help him. On the ride home a guy yelled "f-ing Americans" and i was already on edge and in a bad mood and didnt take the high road. Chatted back, crossed the street and had a little confrontation, nothing big, just asked him what i ever did to him and why he was being stupid, he backed down and stumbled over his words, like they all do... im really gonna work on that though. We usually just ride on, but there is a scripture that says in Alma that says "blessed are they who are persecuted without cause in my name; for theirs is the kingdom of God", im gonna try that.
Sunday was solid as always. Full of food, went to the CES fireside where Elder Oaks spoke. it was really good. Talked about truth and tollerance. Good talk.
Well that was my crazy week, hopefully this week is better. But, my life is pretty good. No worries about girls, money, where to live, all i do is wake up, play my guitar, go teach the gospel, come home and play my guitar. Jesus and my six string for two years! Not to shabby :) I love you all!!! Have a great week,
Elder Romney
So this week though was absolutly insane. Seriously. Insane. Like im so glad its over insane and I can't believe everything that happened insane.
Monday we were in Linstead, went to Natural Bridge and these siiiiick caves! I took a bunch of pictures that you will be seeing in the next couple weeks. It was so awesome, the first beautiful thing ive seen in Jamaica actually haha We got Pizza Hut after (yuuuuummmmm!!!) annnnnd since the ZoneLeaders love me so much, they picked me up a 12 pack of Dr. Pepper when they were in Kingston because thats the only place you can get it! it was sooo nice. Maybe the highlight of the whole week.
Tuesday... We got a late start to the day due to some extra curricular activities taking place outside our house... which was crazy, but no worries, all is good, so we left at like 11, had to go shopping because we were out of breakfast food and we saw... A WHITE FAMILY! YEAH! I KNOW! WHAT ARE WHITE PEOPLE DOING IN MAYPEN?? Then I looked at my extremely tan arm against a white shirt and realized they were probably thinking the same thing. I waved the the 10 year old boy, I couldnt stop smiling, it totally made my day haha I know thats weird, but for half a second, i thought i was back home in walmart shopping around! So that was crazy, then we dropped our stuff off at the house and made the hour long ride to Four Paths to see Rasta C. I dont remember much about Tuesday after that. We ate at H like we do every tuesday. Delicious as always, but i can never finish it. Call me a Nancy, but i just have this mental block of finishing my food there. Im always soooooo full.
Wednesday was transfer day that we werent at because me and Nelson are in Maypen for at least another 6 weeks. We taught a couple lessons, got lunch and juicies where i got slaughtered by Nelson in pool, met a kid named J who wanted to come to church and play ball on friday nights with us, so we gave him our number. Then we went on a 4 hour finding spree, got totally lost out in the bush, ended up above all of Maypen with this sick view and these huge houses around us, nice grass, it was quite, seriously like a little America. We begged a momma a glass of water (you call all the women older than you momma here "Good afternoon momma", its kinda cool, they call you sweetie or darling or bumbaclot (a Jamacain swear word) if they dont like you... we get the third one a lot haha but anyway, she directed us back to Maypen and that was that
Thursday we were fasting and I want to meet the person who said that the devil doesnt have a body... because he does... he took the form of Elder Nelsons bicycle! Seriously, two flats, a broken axle, and 4 hours later we finally got out to four paths to see Rasta C and then to an investegator's church service. I think it was a baptist church and he said if we came to his he would come to ours (which he didnt) but anyways, it was really different. But the best part: we are sitting there, listening to the lady preach and scream, and she gets done, there is only like 10 people there, and the lady next to us is like "before we pray, would you like to talk about your church to everyone?" We couldnt believe it... so guess who was a guest minister in a baptist church teaching about the Mormons??? cha! us! It was hilarious. I mean, we took it serious, read Jacob 3 i think, and Moroni 10:3-5, talked about prophets and the Book of Mormon for 7 minutes, but it was so cool. Walk into a church, not planning to teach and just to listen, and we end up teaching a sermon to the people... we even got a couple amen's and a hallelujah. Pretty wicked.
Friday we had super planning, we had to walk because papa P locked the garage with our bikes in and left, so we only taught a couple lessons before friday night activity. We got hurricane style rain and lightening this whole weekend, shotgun loud thunder, it was nuts, so we just played domino friday night with these kids C and R. Smoked them. They werent happy white man gave them 6 in domino. But it was funny. Then we say J walking home... He texted us and stuff and asked what we were doing... just weird.
Saturday we taught a lady who Krauss referred to us. She has had one rough life. I don't wanna repeat it because its not my place to, but i had a bit of the fear tear goin... we taught her about enduring to the end and having faith. We will meet with her this week for sure. ZL's dropped up some Books of Mormon, got Chinese food, and J, somehow... found us in Maxie's buying some new shoes wit the ZL's, followed us to the church, we taught him a little bit, but we was more interested in other things that church stuff... so i was really uncomfortbale and a little mad at Nelson because he kinda threw me under the bus and made a phone call right as J started talkin about weird stuff. So I bit the bullet and tried to help him. On the ride home a guy yelled "f-ing Americans" and i was already on edge and in a bad mood and didnt take the high road. Chatted back, crossed the street and had a little confrontation, nothing big, just asked him what i ever did to him and why he was being stupid, he backed down and stumbled over his words, like they all do... im really gonna work on that though. We usually just ride on, but there is a scripture that says in Alma that says "blessed are they who are persecuted without cause in my name; for theirs is the kingdom of God", im gonna try that.
Sunday was solid as always. Full of food, went to the CES fireside where Elder Oaks spoke. it was really good. Talked about truth and tollerance. Good talk.
Well that was my crazy week, hopefully this week is better. But, my life is pretty good. No worries about girls, money, where to live, all i do is wake up, play my guitar, go teach the gospel, come home and play my guitar. Jesus and my six string for two years! Not to shabby :) I love you all!!! Have a great week,
Elder Romney
Monday, September 5, 2011
Week 8 letter
Yo Wa Hopn? (Whats happening... i love patios :)
Ok, to answer the questions before I forget. I don't know how we are gonna watch conference, I think we will probably go to Kingston or Spanish Town or something and watch all the sessions. Conference for missionaries is pretty much like vacation. Get to sit in one building, watch more white people talk than you've seen in the last 2-12 months, AND go eat after. I'm pretty stoked. My comp is really a Marine, loves it. Wants to be a special forces officer. Yep, he's been in Maypen for six months, and yes, he's really layed back, which is good and not good because there's been times I just wanna go out and work and we will kick it at someone's house after dinner for longer than we should, but we get a lot done still. Im always amazed at the end of the week when we do numbers haha I actually beat this new investigator at pool this week! It was sick, he beat me the first game, this is down in this little bar by his house, and so I bought another game, (because I wasnt about to let some 15 year old handle me in pool) and I beat him. It was pretty tight. He's cool, we helped him and his mom build a pig pen saturday. My comp does not have a blog, no sick days yet, vitamins? What are those? ... ;) Nah, I need to start taking them though.
Well this week is full of stories, I've got half an hour left so i'll try to get as many as I can in. It was a crazy week as far as interaction wit the Jamaicans goes. We got chatted sooooo much this week, but anyways:
Monday - P-day, kicked it at home, right after I got done emailing you we got in a taxi and there was a 20ish year old woman in the back and she told me I was her boyfriend, that was an interesting taxi ride. Taxi rides are like dad described in China, 5 passengers and the driver in a four door 1995 Corrola. Pretty nasty haha But Momma and papa P (they live downstairs) had a BBQ and family over so we got invited and oh man.... SOOOO GOOOD!! mac and cheese, coleslaw, and meat. Real. Meat. Pork. Everywhere. It was awesome. We got shut down by those twins that night, we were gonna go teach them, so we walked around Racetrack and found no one, but oh well, we tried.
Tuesday we had a full day and were supposed to get money on our cards but didnt which sucked. This week i pretty much lived on oatmeal and Pepsi and patties. Went up and saw some new investigators, there is this guy D who read the Book of Mormon all the way to 2nd Nephi which is awesome, so we are going back to see him and saw him a couple times that week.
Wednesday was trade off, I stayed here and Gilson came over. We had a solid two hour lesson in the church with this lady named P. She's really open to the church and stuff, obviously, she sat in a hot room for two hours and had a heap of questions. We call Gilson the silent assasin... when we got home, he read this book about the brain for almost three hours and i played my guitar and we probably said 4-10.5 words the whole time, not because we didnt wanna talk, but because he was reading and I was writing a song. It was just kinda funny because me and Nelson talk a lot, and you cant pay Toutai $100 to top his noise haha
Thursday we traded back, had another day of work. I don't remember much. Day's and stories run into each other now, its kinda nice but really weird.
Friday was siiiiick. Super plan, went and got CHINESE food! Ya, whats more American than eating chinese food in Jamaica?? I cannot think of anything! It was sooooo good, big old plate of greasy noodles and meat... only on your mission would you think something like that is actually edible, let alone a something you call every elder in the zone and brag about. There was 3 white guys in there too, but they were french, it made me thing of Robbie. We saw a couple people, then went to Friday night activity where we played our regular basketball. Its cool because I understand the trash talk now and can get in on it haha It's all gentlemanly though... for the most part :) we don't play with members, but it made for a cool teaching opportunuty, and ive decided i shoot so much better in my shirt and tie than in shorts... its quite the conundrum. oh, and a fight broke out, a couple teacher aged guys (14-15 years old), C and J. Welcome to Jamaican activity night!!
Saturday we helped build that pig pen aka me build the pig pen with J and N and Nelson taking pictures haha Its cool though, we both have strengths and things we could work on. It was sweet though, layed the concrete and stuff, put on the roof (sheet metal held down by cinder blocks). We went out and saw the twins in Paisley, about an hourish ride out, and the lesson was going good but their brother was a loooooser. Every five seconds he'd yell "Hey do you believe in chromosomes? what about zygotes?" Im just like "Yo, we're talking about Jesus. Interupt us after" He kept jumping in and according to his knowledge, (which is none because he only beleives in the psalms and the new testement but hasnt read anything out of it) Jews are evil because they killed Jesus, but we were like "Jesus was a jew, and so was Moses, who gave you the ten commandments you say we are saved by, so you're crazy". grrrrrr it was so frusterating. So then we go get Juicies, are sitting there and minding our own business, and school here started today so allthe punk kinds are out, and there is this kid just chattin us like no tommorow and like we arent there "white people this, white people that, they are scared to talk to black people, they made us slaves, they killed Jesus, I have one question for a white man if i ever saw one" and Nelson says "Hey whats your question, you've been chattin us all night. Ask." And he's like "uhhhh, im nervous." Yeah, pretty typical... we were riding through the market and this guy was up on his veranda with a rock (jamaicans fight by throwing rocks) and he told me to give him my bike and bag and I said no twice as we rode by and he winds up to throw the rock and i told him to do it... drops it and goes inside. Thats how it works here, they think you are weak because you're missionaries. We usually just ignore them and dont chat back, because thats the right thing to do.... but we werent perfect this week.
Sunday we had church, ate at S AND W (i love Sundays, im always stupid full after) and coastered out to Lindstead, where we stayed the night last night and where we are right now. The driver and a guy who was chatting him almosted knuckled up in the coaster, its been a crazy week!! But ive never felt unsafe, thats why I feel ok to tell you all these stories. Its the ones that there's a hint of fear that stay under more wraps, but so far so good! haha We are going to these caves today with the whole zone which will be fun! I got a few more emails and only 10 minutes, so i better jam. I love you all! Have a great week! drink some milk for me! every milk here is in a box.. ick...Read your scriptures!
Elder Romney
Ok, to answer the questions before I forget. I don't know how we are gonna watch conference, I think we will probably go to Kingston or Spanish Town or something and watch all the sessions. Conference for missionaries is pretty much like vacation. Get to sit in one building, watch more white people talk than you've seen in the last 2-12 months, AND go eat after. I'm pretty stoked. My comp is really a Marine, loves it. Wants to be a special forces officer. Yep, he's been in Maypen for six months, and yes, he's really layed back, which is good and not good because there's been times I just wanna go out and work and we will kick it at someone's house after dinner for longer than we should, but we get a lot done still. Im always amazed at the end of the week when we do numbers haha I actually beat this new investigator at pool this week! It was sick, he beat me the first game, this is down in this little bar by his house, and so I bought another game, (because I wasnt about to let some 15 year old handle me in pool) and I beat him. It was pretty tight. He's cool, we helped him and his mom build a pig pen saturday. My comp does not have a blog, no sick days yet, vitamins? What are those? ... ;) Nah, I need to start taking them though.
Well this week is full of stories, I've got half an hour left so i'll try to get as many as I can in. It was a crazy week as far as interaction wit the Jamaicans goes. We got chatted sooooo much this week, but anyways:
Monday - P-day, kicked it at home, right after I got done emailing you we got in a taxi and there was a 20ish year old woman in the back and she told me I was her boyfriend, that was an interesting taxi ride. Taxi rides are like dad described in China, 5 passengers and the driver in a four door 1995 Corrola. Pretty nasty haha But Momma and papa P (they live downstairs) had a BBQ and family over so we got invited and oh man.... SOOOO GOOOD!! mac and cheese, coleslaw, and meat. Real. Meat. Pork. Everywhere. It was awesome. We got shut down by those twins that night, we were gonna go teach them, so we walked around Racetrack and found no one, but oh well, we tried.
Tuesday we had a full day and were supposed to get money on our cards but didnt which sucked. This week i pretty much lived on oatmeal and Pepsi and patties. Went up and saw some new investigators, there is this guy D who read the Book of Mormon all the way to 2nd Nephi which is awesome, so we are going back to see him and saw him a couple times that week.
Wednesday was trade off, I stayed here and Gilson came over. We had a solid two hour lesson in the church with this lady named P. She's really open to the church and stuff, obviously, she sat in a hot room for two hours and had a heap of questions. We call Gilson the silent assasin... when we got home, he read this book about the brain for almost three hours and i played my guitar and we probably said 4-10.5 words the whole time, not because we didnt wanna talk, but because he was reading and I was writing a song. It was just kinda funny because me and Nelson talk a lot, and you cant pay Toutai $100 to top his noise haha
Thursday we traded back, had another day of work. I don't remember much. Day's and stories run into each other now, its kinda nice but really weird.
Friday was siiiiick. Super plan, went and got CHINESE food! Ya, whats more American than eating chinese food in Jamaica?? I cannot think of anything! It was sooooo good, big old plate of greasy noodles and meat... only on your mission would you think something like that is actually edible, let alone a something you call every elder in the zone and brag about. There was 3 white guys in there too, but they were french, it made me thing of Robbie. We saw a couple people, then went to Friday night activity where we played our regular basketball. Its cool because I understand the trash talk now and can get in on it haha It's all gentlemanly though... for the most part :) we don't play with members, but it made for a cool teaching opportunuty, and ive decided i shoot so much better in my shirt and tie than in shorts... its quite the conundrum. oh, and a fight broke out, a couple teacher aged guys (14-15 years old), C and J. Welcome to Jamaican activity night!!
Saturday we helped build that pig pen aka me build the pig pen with J and N and Nelson taking pictures haha Its cool though, we both have strengths and things we could work on. It was sweet though, layed the concrete and stuff, put on the roof (sheet metal held down by cinder blocks). We went out and saw the twins in Paisley, about an hourish ride out, and the lesson was going good but their brother was a loooooser. Every five seconds he'd yell "Hey do you believe in chromosomes? what about zygotes?" Im just like "Yo, we're talking about Jesus. Interupt us after" He kept jumping in and according to his knowledge, (which is none because he only beleives in the psalms and the new testement but hasnt read anything out of it) Jews are evil because they killed Jesus, but we were like "Jesus was a jew, and so was Moses, who gave you the ten commandments you say we are saved by, so you're crazy". grrrrrr it was so frusterating. So then we go get Juicies, are sitting there and minding our own business, and school here started today so allthe punk kinds are out, and there is this kid just chattin us like no tommorow and like we arent there "white people this, white people that, they are scared to talk to black people, they made us slaves, they killed Jesus, I have one question for a white man if i ever saw one" and Nelson says "Hey whats your question, you've been chattin us all night. Ask." And he's like "uhhhh, im nervous." Yeah, pretty typical... we were riding through the market and this guy was up on his veranda with a rock (jamaicans fight by throwing rocks) and he told me to give him my bike and bag and I said no twice as we rode by and he winds up to throw the rock and i told him to do it... drops it and goes inside. Thats how it works here, they think you are weak because you're missionaries. We usually just ignore them and dont chat back, because thats the right thing to do.... but we werent perfect this week.
Sunday we had church, ate at S AND W (i love Sundays, im always stupid full after) and coastered out to Lindstead, where we stayed the night last night and where we are right now. The driver and a guy who was chatting him almosted knuckled up in the coaster, its been a crazy week!! But ive never felt unsafe, thats why I feel ok to tell you all these stories. Its the ones that there's a hint of fear that stay under more wraps, but so far so good! haha We are going to these caves today with the whole zone which will be fun! I got a few more emails and only 10 minutes, so i better jam. I love you all! Have a great week! drink some milk for me! every milk here is in a box.. ick...Read your scriptures!
Elder Romney
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