Feb 23, 2015

Hey everyone! Another Pday and it"s as good as always! This week was pretty good in general actually, it wasn't easy by any means but it was a good week, so let's talk about it.

Tuesday we had our Zone Meeting and I love those, I get to see all the other Missionaries in the Zone plus the Zone Leaders who I really look up to. Elder Erickson bore his goodbye testimony as he goes home the end of this transfer (one week), he is a sweet guy and served in Liberia!

We also had Specialized training from President Holmes on Wednesday about working more effectively with Church Leaders, so it was nice. I love him, crazy to think he goes back to South Africa in 4 months. I wont be surprised if he is called as a Seventy. Okay so Brandon requested that I give him a rundown of my day, so I decided to give it to all, so here it is!

6:30 I wake up, write in my journal and exercise till about 7:10. I then shower and cook breakfast which is usually porridge, eggs, or Ramen lol. I am studying by 8am, and continue until 10am. by 10:15 We are out the door and teaching, either with set appointments or contacting new Investigators, 3 days outta the week we gotta pack ourselves in a tro-tro to go to a different town to proselyte. Around 1pm we stop to eat some biscuits for lunch and some water, that takes like 10 minutes. Then we are out teaching till 8pm. We then go back to the apartment to close and plan for tomorrow which takes like a half our. I report our Districts numbers (goals achieved) to the Zone Leaders then eat dinner. Then we just listen to music, chill, study, do whatever till 10:30 when I go to bed. And that's it, That's everyday of my life. and I love it.

But it is a lot of work. I walk and work and sweat like crazy, it's sweet, It's not easy here, Work is really tough, and can be very disappointing but man I love it here, I wouldn't change it for the world. This is where I'm supposed to be.
I love you all

Elder Verdoni

Feb 16, 2015

Pday time!

Hey everyone! another week ended already, time really flies here. It was a good week though! so I'll talk about it:)

Tuesday we had District Meeting again, and again I'm still in charge so I taught and what what, but instead of the normal routine, I read Chapter 40 of "Jesus the Christ" titled "the Long Night of Apostasy" I really just wanted to refresh the Districts memory on the Apostasy and get some good juicy details, it turned out really well! What happened after though, not so much. After the meeting we went to see an investigator, Patricia. We were teaching then all of a sudden BOOM, I felt like I was gonna die, I felt so so sick. I could barely teach but I tried my best. After the lesson BOTH elder Nweke and I could barely even walk, we were both super sick. I guess it hit him around the same time. By the time we made it to our apartment we were both out of it, we made it to our beds and slept for the next 5 hours... super weird, we both woke up better, just weak. ruined our day but we were fine after! weird huh?

So there's tons of reggae here, like it's everywhere and it's not that I'll willingly listen to it but wow I'm starting to enjoy it. haha

Saturday I went on exchanges (change companions for a day to train them) with Elder Abrams and it was cool! We were in an area called Kokoben and it was a good day! I really like him, we have gotten really close and it was just really interesting to be able to train him to help him become a better missionary, while also noticing things that I could do better, it was a good day. But that was the exciting parts of my week! Except getting soaked on the way to the internet cafe today. We got caught in a huge storm haha, but I love you guys! Sorry, still no pics, my SD card is still fried, but they will come eventually!!

Elder Vehdoni (the way it's pronounced here)

Feb 9, 2015

A GOOD WEEK

Hello world! It's another week and that is crazy because I swear I was just here, but oh well so this week was really good actually, well it turned around.

Tuesday we had our District Meeting, and the difference was that I was in charge, including a 30 minute training/instruction session (HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO TRAIN MISSIONARIES WHO KNOW MORE THAN ME) (but I did it and it was actually a spiritual lesson, I was proud of myself and the other Elders said they learned something, that was a big weight off my shoulders, but it's back since I do it again tomorrow haha:)

But like I said, this week turned around because the first few days were tough, so so tough. No one wanted to listen, our appointments failed and I received the rudest reject so far. Elder Nweke and I laughed it off but man this old lady was rude!! But we tried.

I finished the book Jesus the Christ today. (If you don't know what it is, it's basically the best book you could read if you really want to know the Mission of Jesus Christ better) I learned so much through it, so I have started it over but I'm gonna go through it a bit slower this time.

Thursday I went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders! more specifically Elder Kinghorn, I flippin love that guy. He has become one of my really good friends here and I was so happy to spend a day with him. We worked in my area, Trede, and it was a good day! he is a great teacher and I learned a lot from him. But the rest of the week was normal, we achieved and over exceeded our goals though as a district and wow I couldn't be happier! Some of them (like Sacrament attendance) was the highest This district has ever had! so proud of them.

But other than that we have had a few HUGE storms this week. I loved it! the dry season is ending and I couldn't be happier. BRING ON THE RAIN haha. It was a good week, I hope it was the same for you all!

I love you!
Elder Verdoni

I WAS GONNA SEND PHOTOS BUT THIS DARN COMPUTER HAS JUST DESTROYED MY LAST SD CARD. SORRY GUYS

The Mission President showing them the map of the area. Obviously no power so done by flashlight.

 

Feb 2, 2015

"I think I can, I think I can"

Hellloooo everyone! I hope all is well with all of you! Life 11,000 miles away is pretty good too! So let me tell you about my week then!

Tuesday we had a Zone Meeting and it was really good, I learned a lot and it really encouraged me. The District Leaders had a particular meeting with the Zone Leaders after and that was really cool. We discussed the progress of our Areas and what we could do to improve the Mission Culture. (The Culture of the mission has been "let's be disobedient" in the past, so we are really trying to change that. A lot of missionaries are really really obedient now so its great) I left that meeting feeling very edified and uplifted. 

Our power situation is still horrible (And I suspect that to last the next 19 months) 6 hours on and 12 hours off, or sometimes it will just do whatever it wants, Everyone has agency I suppose. But We still have running water so no wahala (pigeon english, learning that too)

I went on exchanges with Elder Enweonwu on Thursday and it was really good, he is a great Missionary and super funny. I loved it. Although it was weird being the one doing the training since I'm DL but it was good, we both learned and have a desire to improve.

But here comes the bad new...I broke and SD card..my music SD card. I put it in the card reader wrong and when i tried to pull it out..CRACK it snapped in half. So there goes my music! haha it killed my day but all will be well eventually. The other elders have music so it's still good
I ate fufu yesterday! And I didn't hate it! okay I didn't enjoy it but I ate it all this time! So that's a definite improvement on my part.

Being District Leader is a lot of work and responsibility but I love it. It has helped me grow and I've learned a lot from it. It is a great position for me to serve the Elders around me.
Well that was my week!

My photo SD card for my camera has also experienced some problems (again) so I don't have as much but here are some!

Pounding Fufu

Eating Fufu

Remember the movie "Cool Runnings?"