Monday, October 19, 2009
Oct 19- Letter home
This week was a really good week with our investigators. We now have 8 people with marked baptism dates and we have another one coming up this saturday. We should have a few more this next week too cause we just started teaching some new people and they are really doing with what we ask them to do like reading and praying. It is the best feeling ever when someone tells us that they have been reading and praying about the book of mormon and they tell us they know its true. I wish every lesson could be like that cause some of our lessons are extremely good but others just make me wonder what Im doing here. Some of these people are ligite crazy haha I hate to say it but people come up with some of the wildest things to say while we teach. We were teaching a guy last week and all the sudden he just started talking about the wildest things and asked if we could hold hands and pray. me and my companion just looked at each other then the thought came into my mind that he needed to stop drinking and smoking cause he is crazy so i taught him about the word of wisdom. Church was pretty exciting yesterday, 2 minutes before sacrament the branch president came up to me and told me i was speaking and i asked what on and he said just follow the spirit and it would be ten or 15 minutes. I was a little nervous to speak in port. but it actually went fine. I have also been giving a lot of blessing lately to sick people, its been cool. Well write back with more stories this week and I will hear from ya then. I love ya guys thanks for everything.> Love Elder lUke
Monday, October 12, 2009
Oct 12, Letter Home
This week has been pretty good, I got a little sick at the start of the week but I lived and we were able to work everyday. We got a few new investigators which was really good and we taught a lot of lessons. We have a strange Nigerian who calls himself Water, he is about my age but he loves to talk to us. He was drunk the first night we talked with him and smoking the next night, but he is actually getting better each time we talk and he came to church yesterday. We had a bunch of investigators here yesterday so that was pretty feesh, we also commited two young men to be baptized, one 17 and the other 21 and they seem really excited about it. The 17 year old said that he was reading in the book of mormon and that he all the sudden just felt that it was true, it was so cool when he told us that! He definitely has potentail to be a missionary one day. We teach lots of young guys here which is different than how things used to be done here. It used to be where missionaries would just teach women cause they are nicer and easier to teach, but now with all the guys we are teaching it may not be as easy but there are a lot more priesthood holders and missionaries from here. We also try to focus on the familes, there is one family who I love teaching and the guy is a member but his wife isnt and they have two kids. We are really working on marriage with them (nobody wants to get married here) and its hard work but we are making some progress. We also teach a guy named Djojinho and his girlfriend Ghandi and they have a kid on the way and we are working on marriage with them. Djojinho speaks very little Portugues, its mainly just Creolo with him and he is in the military but I love talking to both of them, we visit them a lot. Well there are too many stories to name so you guys will just have to wait for 21 more months to get all the stories.
So my address is...> > C.P. 420> Praia, Santiago> Cabo Verde
So my address is...> > C.P. 420> Praia, Santiago> Cabo Verde
A Few Statistics of Cape Verde
OFFICIAL NAME:Republic of Cape Verde
Geography Area: 4,033 sq. km. (1,557 sq. mi.), slightly larger than Rhode Island.Cities:
Capital--Praia (pop. 106,052).
Other city--Mindelo (pop. 67,844).
Terrain: Steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic.
Climate: Temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and erratic.
People Nationality:
Noun and adjective--Cape Verdean(s).
Population (2008): 499,796.
Annual growth rate (2008): 1.41%.
Ethnic groups: Creole (mixed African and Portuguese) 71%, African 28%, European 1%. Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant.
Languages: Portuguese (official); Crioulo (national).
Education: Literacy (2008)--77%.
Geography Area: 4,033 sq. km. (1,557 sq. mi.), slightly larger than Rhode Island.Cities:
Capital--Praia (pop. 106,052).
Other city--Mindelo (pop. 67,844).
Terrain: Steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic.
Climate: Temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and erratic.
People Nationality:
Noun and adjective--Cape Verdean(s).
Population (2008): 499,796.
Annual growth rate (2008): 1.41%.
Ethnic groups: Creole (mixed African and Portuguese) 71%, African 28%, European 1%. Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant.
Languages: Portuguese (official); Crioulo (national).
Education: Literacy (2008)--77%.
Oct 5, Letter Home
So this week has had its ups and downs. Lets start with the downs... my companion has been really sick all week so for the whole week we have done nothing, I think we only taught like 10 or 12 lessons total. The rest of the time he is had to sleep and I just sit there and either read, study, or be bored out of my mind. I have finished the Book of mormon, our search for happiness, and am like 100 pages into Jesus the Christ and I study tons of the language too but than just forget it after. It gets really boring and I hope things will be back to normal this week, I think he is starting to get over it. We have had a few visits to the doctor and we have the nurse over sometimes though.> >
So the highlights of my weeks were the conferences. We had zone conference on tuesday which was really good, we had lots of food and it was the most satisfied I had been since I got here, we have had ice cream. Out of my zone there are two other american elders and one tongan sister and everyone else is from Brazil, Port., or here, we have tons from here. So everything was in Portuguese for it, my president doesnt even speak english very great but he is a stud, I really like him, he is only 40 or so and he is the first president that will stay for two years, because this is such a stressful mission the past ones have only stayed two. We were also able to watch conference live which was sweet, it was only the Praia missionaries that were able to and even they usually cant, we just hooked up a lap top to a projector in the chapel and had it in English and Port. I was only able to watch the first session and closing session though since E Sequeira was sick. I have never been so grateful for conference in my life though and I loved watching it. It was weird watching it last night though and having it be dark outside while it was early afternoon for you guys. It was cool watching Scott and Holland speak since they spoke to us at the MTC. I loved the first talk from Osgulthorpe or however you spell it when he talked about how his mission they would speak Tahitian and French and when he tried to speak one they would answer back in the other and how he could hardly understant either, I felt like he was speaking directly to me because thats how it is. I hate when I start speaking in Port. and they talk back in Creolo and when I tell them I hardly understand a word they say they just keep talking. Im still just working on Port. though cause its the most important for the lessons and the president said to, Creole is just for starting out conversations and stuff and if you know portuguese perfect creole will come like that so most missionaries say it starts coming in like 5 months or so. > >
So transportation is hilarious here but scary too, we either take the bus which is pretty normal, a taxi where the drivers do not know how to drive, they just weave in and out of cars like crazy! And the best is the Hiase ( these little vans that just drive around everywhere). They have a guy that sits outside the window and as they drive ask people if they need rides. When they find people they just stop in the middle of the street and you hop in and it doesnt matter how full it is. The most I have seen in one with me was 22 which is about like putting 22 people in our Ryans 4 runner. I always get crammed between two large women who smell like fish and I cant even breathe. Then they blast their music up extremely loud with tons of bass so you cant here the person next to you and you just drive around. Its hilarious! So we take those every once in a while when we need to travel far but for the most part we walk, we walk tons everyday and our area is up on a steep hill so its a lot like hiking in the mountains everyday all day, its good for me though.
> So once again I forgot to bring my address with me to send you guys. Its really simple but I always forget it but its the one that you can send letters and packages to and I dont think it takes that long for them to get here. In my stuff I sent home is my call packet and it might be in there, its just the mission home address and all it is is like a PO Box number. I think 420 and then Praia, Santiago, Cabo Verde so if you see anything like that thats what it is. If you havent found it by next week I will make sure to have it by next and I am planning on sending some letters and stuff today. I would love some letters though and maybe even a package! So yeah just try if you can.
So the highlights of my weeks were the conferences. We had zone conference on tuesday which was really good, we had lots of food and it was the most satisfied I had been since I got here, we have had ice cream. Out of my zone there are two other american elders and one tongan sister and everyone else is from Brazil, Port., or here, we have tons from here. So everything was in Portuguese for it, my president doesnt even speak english very great but he is a stud, I really like him, he is only 40 or so and he is the first president that will stay for two years, because this is such a stressful mission the past ones have only stayed two. We were also able to watch conference live which was sweet, it was only the Praia missionaries that were able to and even they usually cant, we just hooked up a lap top to a projector in the chapel and had it in English and Port. I was only able to watch the first session and closing session though since E Sequeira was sick. I have never been so grateful for conference in my life though and I loved watching it. It was weird watching it last night though and having it be dark outside while it was early afternoon for you guys. It was cool watching Scott and Holland speak since they spoke to us at the MTC. I loved the first talk from Osgulthorpe or however you spell it when he talked about how his mission they would speak Tahitian and French and when he tried to speak one they would answer back in the other and how he could hardly understant either, I felt like he was speaking directly to me because thats how it is. I hate when I start speaking in Port. and they talk back in Creolo and when I tell them I hardly understand a word they say they just keep talking. Im still just working on Port. though cause its the most important for the lessons and the president said to, Creole is just for starting out conversations and stuff and if you know portuguese perfect creole will come like that so most missionaries say it starts coming in like 5 months or so. > >
So transportation is hilarious here but scary too, we either take the bus which is pretty normal, a taxi where the drivers do not know how to drive, they just weave in and out of cars like crazy! And the best is the Hiase ( these little vans that just drive around everywhere). They have a guy that sits outside the window and as they drive ask people if they need rides. When they find people they just stop in the middle of the street and you hop in and it doesnt matter how full it is. The most I have seen in one with me was 22 which is about like putting 22 people in our Ryans 4 runner. I always get crammed between two large women who smell like fish and I cant even breathe. Then they blast their music up extremely loud with tons of bass so you cant here the person next to you and you just drive around. Its hilarious! So we take those every once in a while when we need to travel far but for the most part we walk, we walk tons everyday and our area is up on a steep hill so its a lot like hiking in the mountains everyday all day, its good for me though.
> So once again I forgot to bring my address with me to send you guys. Its really simple but I always forget it but its the one that you can send letters and packages to and I dont think it takes that long for them to get here. In my stuff I sent home is my call packet and it might be in there, its just the mission home address and all it is is like a PO Box number. I think 420 and then Praia, Santiago, Cabo Verde so if you see anything like that thats what it is. If you havent found it by next week I will make sure to have it by next and I am planning on sending some letters and stuff today. I would love some letters though and maybe even a package! So yeah just try if you can.
First Week in Praia
Hey everyone hows it going? Things are going good here and I guess Im adjusting pretty well cause I see all sorts of crazy things and dont even think twice about them anymore. I see things like pigs walking around on peoples huts, chickens all over the streets, goats chasing the stray dogs around, and dogs that are so gross that you can hardly even tell they are dogs, they just have blood and flies all over them, I donºt even see how they are alive. Praia also has music blasted up always and lots of american music, I seriously here more american music here than you guys do there, its always a party here with people drinking and blasting up their music in the streets, even the old people! There is a huge river that goes down along the street by us but its dry and you cant even see the ground cause it has piles of trash. We got tons of rain though for 2 days so everything was flooding, I got soaked but it was a good break from the heat. >
> It is also way to hot here!!! I guess it says it is about 80 but with humidity and the direct sun all day it feels so much worse than that! I would give anthing for some cold weather! I havent stopped sweating since I arrived here, even when we are in our apartment. We have two fans in our apartment and one of them I put write next to my face whenever we are studying or sleeping. We also only get running water for part of the morning every other day. Its all good though, I am adjusting. >
> So the people are pretty cool here, most of them are super outgoing to me and love to talk with me, but some just like to speak Creole so they make fun of me when I cant. The kids will run up to me too and just give me five or ask me to do magic or something like that (I guess because Im white they think I can do magic or something cause it happens ten times a day). They are really funny though, there are some people that I always look forward to teaching. We teach so many lessons, our area is really good for that! The area authority for our area from portugual in the first quorom of the 70 (Who I met in Lisboa on the plane and talked to for a while) made it a goal to teach 21 lessons here per week and this week me and Elder Sequeira taught 32 and most of them we teach with members which is really good. We also have 4 investigators with baptism dates. The church is doing good here but there are also tons of inactives so we work with them a ton. There are also some really faithful members and they work really hard so that the church can grow! I love going to church here cause even though its a lot smaller than what we have, it isnt any different and the spirit is still the same. My companion is a native and he makes sure we work really hard because he wants the church to grow here so bad! He is always asking about church in America and about all of our temples and everything. The people here are awesome and I love working with them!
> It is also way to hot here!!! I guess it says it is about 80 but with humidity and the direct sun all day it feels so much worse than that! I would give anthing for some cold weather! I havent stopped sweating since I arrived here, even when we are in our apartment. We have two fans in our apartment and one of them I put write next to my face whenever we are studying or sleeping. We also only get running water for part of the morning every other day. Its all good though, I am adjusting. >
> So the people are pretty cool here, most of them are super outgoing to me and love to talk with me, but some just like to speak Creole so they make fun of me when I cant. The kids will run up to me too and just give me five or ask me to do magic or something like that (I guess because Im white they think I can do magic or something cause it happens ten times a day). They are really funny though, there are some people that I always look forward to teaching. We teach so many lessons, our area is really good for that! The area authority for our area from portugual in the first quorom of the 70 (Who I met in Lisboa on the plane and talked to for a while) made it a goal to teach 21 lessons here per week and this week me and Elder Sequeira taught 32 and most of them we teach with members which is really good. We also have 4 investigators with baptism dates. The church is doing good here but there are also tons of inactives so we work with them a ton. There are also some really faithful members and they work really hard so that the church can grow! I love going to church here cause even though its a lot smaller than what we have, it isnt any different and the spirit is still the same. My companion is a native and he makes sure we work really hard because he wants the church to grow here so bad! He is always asking about church in America and about all of our temples and everything. The people here are awesome and I love working with them!
Saying his goodbyes for 2 yrs!!
Kevin saying his goodbyes to the family!!
Kevin & his best friend, Cooper
Kevin with the proud parents!!
Tanya, Eric, Bradon, Kailee, with Kevin!
Ryan, Jalyn, Corbin, Baby Landon (belly) with Kevin!
Shane & Ciara, with Kevin!
Arica, Bo, Trevan, & Kevin!!
Ashley, Cooper, Alyssa & Kevin!
Welcome
Hey everyone, this is Kevin's Sister-in-law, Ciara! I am setting up a blog so everyone can read Kevin's e-mails home! I saw this idea from a friend! He is going to try to write something every week for me to put up on this blog so he can keep everyone up to date! Myself and other family will get on to post pictures or any funny stories that he may share! For those of you that do not know, Kevin was called to serve the Cape Verde Praia Mission, Portuguese speaking! He left on July 15th for the MTC in Provo, and flew out to Cape Verde on Sept 17th! I will also be sending him everyone's comments or questions in my weekly e-mail to Kevin! I hope this helps a little for everyone to be able to keep up with whats going on with Elder Luke!
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