AWESOME week

Good morning! 

Ok, I hope that when I get home we get to have just as much fun going to hockey games and things as you guys are now! My family is a bunch of party animals! :) I'm glad Mac's scope went well, there's got to be a merit badge that he can get from all the doctors visits he's made. Maybe for the Doctors merit badge you have to have like 10 visits to the Doc, kinda like for the camping merit badge you have to have 20 camp outs- two birds with one stone!  

Trunky? What's that? :) My trunk is un-packed, don't you worry. 

 What a week in the Bahamas! We have been so busy the past week, it's been really nice. We have had so much going on, hopefully I get it all in.

So first, secret santa! That was really fun for Elder Worley and I. We decided that instead of getting little presents for all the girls (which would get really really expensive) we would buy them a ton of food and candy and treats. So Monday night we did the shopping and realized that $100 buys SO much food! So we called another audible and split everything three ways, one for each set of girls and then G's family as well. So we buy all the food (see picture) and buy three laundry baskets to put them in. We rendezvoused back at the church, slapped everything together, whipped up a cutesy little note and were one our way under cover style to make the deliveries. We quickly realized that Secret Santa in the ghetto of the Bahamas is much different than Secret Santa back home. First we went to G's house. I videoed all the drop off's but I think they are too big to send in an email. Anyways, as we are walking to the door, we walk past a car and one of her older daughters is in it! AH! BUSTED! She opens the door and says "Hello, whatcha got there??" Trying to play it cool and act as if it's normal to walk around with laundry baskets full of goodies, we cut our loses... here's about how the conversation went:

G's daughter: "Hey! Whatcha got there?"

Us: "Oh hey how's it going? Hows your night?"

G's daughter: "I'm doing well, what's in the basket? (she's chuckling)" 

Us: "Oh ya know... just some stuff.... uh... alright, we need a favor. Can you keep a secret?"

G's daughter: "Yes"

Us: "We were never here... you never saw us..."

Then we dashed up to the doorstep, knocked the door and bolted back to the car. TOTALLY busted on try number one.

Second we went to M and those girls, in a little more rough neck of the woods. They live in a second story apartment so we walk up the stairs, knock on the door and the girls ask who is it... M is at work and she's trained the girls very well not to answer the door when she's not home. Hosed again!! So we knocked again and they still won't budge. By this time, I'm down in the parking lot below videoing this whole thing, Elder Worley is up above, and their neighbor comes out wondering what the heck is going on. Elder Worley whips up a plan and tells M's neighbor (who we are friends with) to knock on the door after we leave and tell the girls that you just saw this basket outside of their house, but NOT to tell them it was us. Well, being the 18 year old girl she is, she told them it was us.... busted again. We still deny it was us. 

Third time's a charm, right? Now we head to the other girls house, it the most hood of the three. We park the car out by this abandoned warehouse, take a look down the road and there is a party going on right outside their house! For all we know it could be them sitting right outside! So we do a drive by, discover that its the house next door and the girls aren't outside. So in the most nonchalant way possible, we walk past the party with this big basket, walk back to their apartment door, and they are all sitting right there in the living room! And the sheet covering the window is super thin! AHHH! We knock, and straight sprint through the ghetto past the party, jump past the car and take off undetected. I'm sure that was quite the scene from the neighbor's house, two missionaries running through the streets... but we got a clean getaway. They think it's us, but yet again we still deny it. They loved the gift though, they were super surprised. They had all kept the note and tried to use it as evidence that it was us who dropped it off. Super cute :) We felt so good afterwords. The scriptures are right- charity never faileth. That was a great experience for the both of us!

The next big thing was zone conference. Third and (maybe) the final one in Nassau! IT was a great couple days. Thursday morning Elder Taylor and Hitchcock flew in. Hands down three of my best friends and those two and Elder Worley. It sounds super corny, but each one of them has had a profound impact on my life, I don't think I could become the person I want to be or that my Saviour want's me to be without spending significant time with each of those guys. We had a great lesson with E that day, found a couple new investigators, it was really good. Being with other missionaries is really weird, especially when Friday rolled around and the Turks elders came in, then friday night when the AP's and President and Sister Hendricks came. So many missionaries! It's only like 8, but still feels like a lot when its just you and your companion for 7 months on your own island. Friday night we had the sweetest branch activity. M and the girls came, D was there, M, another girl from C (the store that is member run and M, D, M, W, and B work at) was there named C. I invited her out on Friday afternoon when we were in there and she actually came so that was cool. Elder Worley and I had to leave right as everyone was showing up, had to pick up President and the Assistants. Kind of a bust, but we left Elder Taylor and Elder Hitchcock there to hold down the fort. It just goes to show that when an investigator has fellowship from the branch, they enjoy church and activities regardless of whether of not their own missionaries are there. Love that! 

As for the actual zone conference, it went really well. It's set up so nicely. We get a report on how the mission is doing, President teaches about a doctrine, and then we have a training. it's about a 4 and a half, 5 hour meeting, but I always learn so much. Since President has instituted the Standards of Excellence, which I haven't mentioned a lot, but in a recap basically the Standards of Excellence and goals made to help raise our vision and increase our faith. They are 1. 300 baptisms a year- meaning each zone has a baptism every week and each companionship has a baptism every month. 2. Always have a progressing investigator (a progressing investigator is one who has been taught two or more lessons, keeps all their commitments and has a baptism date). 3. Never attend a church meeting (including firesides, activities, etc.) without an investigator, and to never miss a church meeting. So since those things have been instituted in October, we've seen growth in our mission. Whoo hoo!  It's only been three months and we have a long ways to go, but its at least something. President taught more about the Godhead and how if our investigators are confused about who God is, they can't receive an answer to their prayers if the Book of Mormon is true. The Assistants talked about finding while we teach and teaching while we find. That's something Elder worley and I have been doing pretty much the whole time in Nassau, talking to everyone in any situation. The most awkward and ineffective way to talk about the gospel is knocking on a door. There's nothing natural about it. Roaming is the way to do it!

At the end of Zone Conference, missionaries who will be going home before the next zone conference bear their testimony. It was Elder McCready, Elder Ferrin, and Elder Taylor. Elder Taylor's testimony had me, Elder Worley and Elder Hitchcock tearing up. As soon as he said that he was grateful to have been able to serve with the three of us at one point or another on his mission and that we can all end up back here for his final zone conference and how we are three of his best friends he's had, we all lost it. Gonna miss that fella, he's got one more transfer and he's done. 

So yes, it was a fanstastic week. This we will be busy. We are teaching that English class Tuesday at 7. K from the Haitian radio station called Saturday telling us that he's had over 20 people call and confirm their attendance to the class... going to be quite the experience! We ordered that daily dose DVD but it won't be here by tomorrow so we are putting together a first lesson. That will be sweet, we have a fireside Friday evening, and then Saturday morning we get transfer calls! I have a feeling that Elder Worley and I aren't going anywhere... paper work still isn't done, so that would mean 9 months with him and almost 11 months in Nassau after it's all said and done. We will see. 

That's so nuts Robbie is home soon! Please snap a pic of that fella and I already told him if he wants to go nuts on my CD's he can. So if he asks, give the boy the CD's. That' is so crazy all the missionaries leaving! 

Well Momma have a great week. I really appreciate the emails every week, and HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY! I totally remembered that it was your birthday on the 9th and I told Elder Worley last monday not to let me forget to tell you happy birthday... totally horsed that one. So happy late birthday mom! I hope it was fantastic. I love you!! 

Elder Romney