Just Call Me Rooney

July 25, 2016

Just Call Me Rooney

Hello!
Well this week started on the wrong foot, followed by a series of unavoidable wrong feet. But I still had fun with it and really made the best of what we could!

This week we have had no water, and no power. Took me back to the good old days, didn't know I could miss fetching water from a well with a bucket till I had to do it again! and again! and again,,, and again, and tonight as well. Good work out on my back though!
Ever bathed with less than a gallon of water? surprised at how clean I can get with so little water! (But I could be wrong)

As for the missionary aspect of things it's going well, we found a number of new investigators and one is a family, okay 5 of them are a family! The issue is (and is very reoccurring here) that they are not married, and therefore cannot be baptized, at least until they are married. But they are serious and have been to the Church so were hopeful. Just crazy to think now I am finding people that I will not be able to personally see baptized. Kinda wild. Dont worry though I'm focused. But we're working on a few people who will be baptized the 13th of August though, and they are progressing extremely well, love them to death.

The reason for the subject line though is because today as a zone we played football! And me with my Red Devil (Manchester United) Jersey swept the field today! Okay not really, I'm nowhere near as good as the African Elders, they're insane, but I did my part. Didn't score any goals but I sure defended my goal and its keeper well enough! It's my favorite sport by far, I just wish I could play it.

Anyway, another week come and gone, they are going way too fast!
Elder Verdoni

July 18, 2016

A Much Better Week

Ya Ello! Hada (how the) day?
So as the subject line says, this week was much better! The Lord was just testing our resolve I suppose and I think we passed the test because man the miracles came flying! A number of serious new investigators and plenty of members willing to come out and work with us, it was really good.

Teaching a lot of families right now and it's been great! They are all pretty serious and progressing, the only issue is that some are not "legally" but traditionally married without Government recognition, hence the not legal. So with that they cannot be baptized until its registered with the Government, for a pretty hefty price for most Liberians.. so, small small.

We have also had a lot of fun this week with our house guests.. Mice. Man we have declared war on those losers and so far, it's an even fight. Last night out of three we found, we got one, and broke our broom and our mop in the process. But still a victory. We ran out of traps this week so we were left with broom sticks and shoes. Those suckers are fast! But my lightning-like broom strikes are faster! Au Revoir little mouse.

Sorry not pictures as of late, can't find a place that has wifi! You'll know when I do though!
Love you guys!

Elder Verdoni

July 11, 2016

You Win Some, You Lose Some Too

This week sure did have it's ups and downs, but that's the way life is!

Elder Tana and I were a little less than successful this week in our work. Just one of those weeks where you plan well, you work hard, and yet still things end up falling through and not going the way you wanted. 

We had a lot of appointments fall through this week, and things working out in pretty much as opposite as we could have wanted, but it was still pretty good.

On Thursday we had Zone Meeting, and that was pretty good, Elder Degen instructed on Humility and Virtue, I learned a lot actually. Humility is total dependency on a higher power, or Our Father. Humility is not what a lot of us think about. Most of us have seen Local or General leaders of the church who are very upfront, or bold, or even abrasive. Not usual definitions we put to Humble. But most of them are that way because they are not here to please us, they are here to serve God, with exactness and without restriction. So at times they have to be willing to offend, or as the bible says, "to salute no man by the way." They gather their strength from Christ, for the love him, rely on him, and follow him as best they can and help us follow Him too. Humility is strength. It is power. It is boldness. When we are humble in following His will, we are not afraid, "for perfect love casteth out fear." It was just interesting to me to think that people are willing to be so weak, to lose so much strength, because they refuse to receive God's help. Why anyone would reject a God's help is beyond me, but I guess that's why I'm a missionary, to help people learn that there is a God who is willing to offer his help and strength to our lives. I try to receive it daily, and I try to help others receive it too.

Other than that, this week was nice, I love the people. I think I say that a lot but if there's anything I want the people here to ever remember me for, it's that. It's not my powerful messages, or the number of converts, but that I love them. That they felt a piece of God's love for them because I served and loved them. And I will do that till the very end.
Elder Verdoni

Pics will be updated later in the week :(

July 5, 2016

Remember what its like to be dry? Me either

Well I'll start by saying that I have never seen more rain in my life than I did yesterday. To celebrate the Birthday of the Great United States, Elder Degen and I with our companions went into town to meet up with a few other Elders (Randall, Wight, Carlson, Hales, Harman, and their companions). We left our area with a slight sprinkle, no problem. By the time we got to town, the rain was falling so hard that the city literally turned into Splash Mountain.

Certain parts of the road were heavily flooded, which we had to walk through, the manhole covers were pushed off and water was gushing out. At the climax of it, the 10ft deep canals that run through the city overflowed. There was no road, there was no sidewalk. Just a river. The rain was torrential. Where we were to meet up with everyone was on higher ground so when we got there the flooding was gone. But there wasn't an inch of me that wasn't wet. There's a road here called Somalia Drive, the Elders who took that road said the only way to pass was by bus, because the water was up to the door handles on some cars. So Dope.I honestly loved every second.

Other than that, we had a successful baptism on Saturday, I had three and Elder Degen had two. It was a great baptism, a lot of people came to show their support for those baptized. The Lord even stopped the rain, brought a hot sun and puffy clouds just in time too, and brought the rain right back after the closing prayer was said. It's safe to say He was pleased with their decision to make those covenants, as were we!

Nothing too crazy besides that, just living in West Africa and loving it!
Elder Verdoni