Week 50

Week 50

Everything is going great this week!

About the picture of the dog covered in mud...It had mange and the mud kills the mange or something. Actually, yes, they do eat dog here. I don't know if I ever have eaten it or not. There was a time when I asked what we were eating and he said that I don't want to know. So maybe? They do have them as pets too.

You know, I thought President Egbert threw his last curve ball at me. But I was wrong. This week was transfer calls.

*Ring ring*

Pres, "Elder Andrus you're moving to Georgetown."

Me, "Awesome! Anything else?"

Pres, "Ya, your companion is Elder Thompson. You're blanking that area." (Moving both past missionaries)

Me, "That sounds fun!"

Pres, "Oh ya, you and Elder Thompson are going to be my assistants in Guyana."

Me, "Wait what? I don't know anything about being an assistant."

Pres, "Yep. Neither does Elder Thompson, so it will be a great learning experience for both of you."

So ya. I guess I'm an assistant? An hour later Pres called back and told me that our official title is "Teaching Assistant". But we still have to do all of the other administrative stuff. Really awesome!

We've been teaching this family called the Singhs. They are really awesome. Sis Singh (grandma) and her grandson Fineman. Both came to church last week and loved it. Fineman had to work this week but Sis Singh still came. It was awesome!

You know something cool? Missionary leadership isn't sustained because we aren't set apart for DL ZL stuff. We act directly under the keys of the prophet and apostles. So when you sustain our leaders, you are sustaining missionaries as well.

From President Egbert:

"...This past year our mission has seen a great number of missionary increases in Guyana and Suriname. I have prayerfully sought help and been inspired to call "Teaching Assistants" to help increase the effectiveness of our teaching skill and subsequent baptisms. There will be a turnover of nearly 40% of our missionaries in the next few months and I want to make sure that our effectiveness in teaching in the Savior's way stays at the same standard of excellence.

"Teaching Assistants" will be implemented in Guyana and Suriname to help me with the greater influx of new missionaries. Their role is to teach 3-4 lessons with each companionship once a transfer. They are to assist and to learn from each of you. They will still be responsible for their own proselyting areas."

I also got my OMP (missionary permits for Trinidad). Having one doesn't mean anything, it just means that I have the chance to go to Trinidad to serve.

Nothing else to report. I'll get back to everyone more next week as to what the heck I'm doing. Love you all! Have a great week!

Love,
Elder Andrus 

Week 48 and Week 49

Week 48

Wow...This week has been so crazy...We had a blast in Trinidad. It was like a four day vacation that was full of work, but not normal missionary work, so that was a fun change of scenery. I was a little bit sad that I wasn't proselyting. like I've been in my area 2 days out of 8...this is how the story goes.

Monday - Met up with Elder Thompson (Zone Leader comp) and worked the day in his area.

Tuesday - Fly to Trinidad for a ZL meeting

Wednesday - All day in meeting with President Egbert 

Thursday - Fly to Guyana and get home at about 9

Friday - Normal day.

Saturday - Normal day.

Sunday - Normal...*ring ring* "Hey, Elder Andrus, your meeting that you have tomorrow at 9am has been moved to 7:45am." "We live 1 hour and 45 minutes from this meeting, the buses don't run that early..." "Make it happen." So we had to leave our house by 7pm to make it by 9pm so we could get to the next Elder's apartment to stay the night so we could be at the meeting in the morning. I got the awesome privilege to sleep on the floor. I love the mission! 

Monday - In town all day at Zone Conference. All about the temple. It was so awesome. My favorite "When you touch the temple, it touches you."

This week was really fun. I was able to meet up with almost all of my past companions. Elder Cook (my trainer) I saw in Trinidad, he is going home in two weeks! Elder Hardy is going home in two weeks as well! Elder Kyler (son) he will still be in Guyana for a year. 

But what a neat experience it has been to go to Trinidad and to have our Missionary Leadership Council (MLC). And it was just that. We counciled together as missionaries. We counciled about what was good in the mission and what needed to change and what we could do to help. Pres. Egbert was there and participated, but he wasn't really in charge. It was mostly us ZL's and STL's. We all sat around and discussed. It was very cool. 

It is so sweet that Livi prays for me. It can be a little sketchy sometimes walking around in the middle of the night with a bunch of doped up dudes cursing us out holding cutlasses. LOL I don't feel threatened by them, I know God has my back. But we do represent Jesus Christ, and look at what the people did to him...so you know...Thanks for the prayers!

I remember bearing my testimony at camps and things, and it was such a great experience because everyone believed you. It's hard when you stand in front of someone (Muslim or Hindu or skeptical Christian even) in their own home and have to testify of the Savior, and they don't believe you. That can be hard.  

This week was really awesome. It was a lot of administration, but it was really good. I got like no sleep. I get lots of phone calls all of the time, but  I love talking to the other missionaries! We had a lot of fun. I'm very grateful to be a missionary. I love the gospel. I know it's true. It will bless us at all time if we follow it. I love you all!

-Elder Andrus

Week 49

This week was really exciting! I have so much I want to talk about. So let's begin!

Monday: Zone Conference. All about temples and family. I really helped to build my understanding of temples. I was really awesome! I didn't conduct the meeting, but I was a big part of it. So it was a lot of fun! 

Tuesday: We had an amazing lesson with a guy named Fineman (nickname) We started talking about the Plan of Salvation. He had so many awesome questions. Then we asked him if he wanted to be apart of that and he said yes! So we read, 3 Nephi 27:19-21 and he told us that he needed to be baptized! His grandma asked him, "What about your other baptism?" (by a pastor) Then Fineman explained the whole idea of Priesthood authority to her. Needless to say, they both have a baptism date for July! And they both came to church. I love to teach about the priesthood. That is always the second lesson that we share with everyone that we teach. It really is awesome. I am so grateful that I hold this priesthood. 

Wednesday: Today we saw everyone we wanted to see, plus 3 more! It was so awesome! 

Thursday: I went on an exchange in LaGrange. It is a really nice area. But the apartment sucks! I did two baptism interviews. #ZLresponsibilites Which both went amazing. That was my highlight for the week for sure. 

Friday: Was Crystal's b-day. She has been doing really good. She wanted to move her baptism date which was a good decision. She is awesome! 

Saturday: We saw the Khans. Love that family!

Sunday: Like I said Fineman came to church and his grandma, which was awesome. Seeta (Momma) came as well which is awesome! And the Dyals, a part member fam! (7 investigators, 19 total)

I tell people all of the time, if you pray and ask God if the BOM is true, it WILL change their life FOREVER! Ask those hard questions later when we can understand the answer and just move on in faith. That is how I feel about the mission is sometimes. It's out of our control. Just move on with faith, and make the best of what we've got. It seems to work for me. :)

I love this work. I can see people's lives change. And mine too. I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know that temples are amazing. I can't wait to go there again! Don't worry about me. I'm healthy and happy. I love being a missionary! I love you all and have a great week!

-Elder Andrus 

Week 47

Week 47

This week was really great. We had lots of success this week. It was also a lot of fun! I just love being a missionary!

I'm thinking about getting a new quad. I would like to have one that is not all old and beat to shreds. (and missing pages. I have no idea where 1st Corinthians is. LOL) I'm going to try using my card and order some on line. I think that will be good!

Does your Patriarchal Blessing tell you your spiritual gifts? Mine doesn't really outline any specifically. 

On Tuesday we had DM and Elder Fischer and I went on exchange. It was really great. We learned a lot and had a lot of fun getting rained on all week. We have been teaching this family (I'm still not sure of their last name) Shauta-Mom, Anesa-daughter, Anjay-son, Isha-dughter, Tiana-daughter, Sanjay-son.They are a great family. Anesa told us she believes that Joseph Smith is a prophet and that the BOM is true. Hopefully we will help them get baptized soon. 

Funny story, Sanjay is like not even two and he is naughty! In our lesson he went upstairs, found a knife and was trying to shop us up. When he got the knife taken away, he then found a pair of scissors and almost chopped out a BIG chunk of Anesa'a hair. LOL The spirit was a little distracted during that lesson. 

Anyways, not much else happened this week. I love the rain and the mud! LOL 

I can't wait for summer. Oh wait, it's always summer in Guyana! LOL I love it!

Have a great week everyone! Love to you all!

-Elder Andrus

So much rain!

Week 46

Week 46

This week was really great. We had lots of fun and some very spiritual experiences. 

It all started on Tuesday. We had a great DM presented by Elder Cooper. Then we had a baptismal interview with Bridget, (one of their awesome investigators). It was my first one. I was a little nervous but it turned out great. Bridget passed and was baptized on Saturday. We also extended to Crystal a baptism date for June 10th! It was so exciting! Her sister, Allana, also is going to be baptized on that same day. They are so cool. They have been reading their BOM everyday!

On Saturday we helped Colin Khan put a new radiator in his REALLY fast car. It was a lot of fun. Then he took us home and I've never, ever gotten home that fast before. LOL We love Colin. Also it's been raining a ton lately, which is good. It's been really hot. It's always hot though. I love it! And all the rain has been bringing out all of the spiders.Yay! We killed 2 grapefruit sized spiders this week and have seen 4. LOL

It's been a really fun week. I was very happy I was able to call home. I love my family very much. I love you Mom.

I'm so sorry the connection was bad...it's hard to find things here that we are so used to. Most people don't have enough food to eat, let alone fast internet. I love the fact that I was able to hear you well! It was so good to talk to you. I miss you so much! It's hard sometimes, but I love it! God will bless us both for our sacrifices. And I think you are the most wonderful mother that I have ever had! You did a good job "mining me" as Guyanese people would say. I love you so much!

Shout out to all of the Moms and future Moms out there! I love you all. Have a fantastic week everyone!

-Elder Andrus

Mother's Day "I LOVE YOU"

Zone Conference (I think)

SMILE!

Best Mother's Day EVER

Nope

NOPE

Cute kiddos!

YES

Week 45

Week 45

What the heck? It's already May?! This week was pretty awesome! We had lots of great lessons and met a ton of new and awesome people!

Yes, I'm a Zone Leader, Elder Nuttall is not. The other Zone Leader is Elder Thompson. He is a boss. We have lots of responsibility and it is very awesome. 

Crystal is doing great, and will get baptized soon. Elder and Sister Fry (senior couple) are the best and they take great care of us!

We have this one investigator named Seeta. We call her Momma Seeta. She has been so busy lately that she hasn't had very much time to read the BOM. So we decided to help her somehow. We found an old BOM and decided to cut up the verses she was to read and paste them to a card. We gave this card to her on Wednesday and she was able to read it all week till Sunday!

Thursday was Star Wars Day. May the Force be with you. 

{Friday, Elder Andrus and Elder Nuttall did some painting for Dian. (MommaJelly) She messaged me through facebook and sent a few pictures! She also helped us set up our Skype call for Mother's Day! I love technology and I love MommaJelly!} -Melissa 

On Saturday we decided it is a small world for Mormons. As we were contacting we met a family that asked us, "Do you know Maureen?" And we were like, "Ya, we just baptized her a month ago." They said, "She is my Auntie!" Needless to say we are going to teach them all "Just now". 

Today we also taught a less active member who has been coming back to church. We invited him to participate in the blessings of the Sacrament and he did. Afterwards he was crying because of the spirit. It was very spiritual!

This week was really fun! We had a great time teaching and preaching and painting. I hope everyone enjoyed their week. 

I love you all!

-Elder Andrus

Helping paint and MommaJelly's house!

Week 44

Week 44

This week was defiantly one that caught me off guard…but it was awesome!

Tuesday Elder Cooper and I went on exchange in his area. Vree-den-hoop. It’s a Dutch word and it means “keep up your hope” or something like that. Anyways, Elder Cooper and I love each other. We have sere our whole mission here together. It’s boss.

Thursday Elder Nuttall and I have a really awesome investigator named Crystal. She was struggling to feel God in her life. Then she met us! She told us that she feels different around us. A few lessons ago we gave her a Book of Mormon. This last lesson we had with her she told us the prayed about the Book of Mormon “I believe that it is true.” Those were her exact words. She is going to be baptized really soon!

Friday the senior couple Elder and Sister Fry came with us for the day teaching. We had a lot of fun. It also rained all day on us! I loe the rain and it is a nice break from the hot.

Saturday was transfer calls:

*ring*

“Hello, this is Elder Andrus.”

“Hello Elder Andrus. This is President Egbert. Will you do something for me?”

“Sure, President. Anything.”

“I want you to be a Zone Leader. Will you do that?”

“Me? Is there more than one Elder Andrus around here?”

“There is only one. Will you do it?”

“Yes President. I’ll do it!”

“Great. You and Elder Nuttall will stay in Parika. You will just have a change in your responsibility.”

So, I guess I’m a Zone Leader now. That was definitely a curve ball. But Lucy Mack Smith has an awesome quote, “God calls us in our weakness, and qualifies us for our work!” It’s awesome!

I love ya’ll so much!

-Elder Andrus

Week 43

Week 43

This week was awesome!

Monday is the day that everyone celebrated Easter here. So on “Easter” everyone flies kites, symbolic of Jesus’s Resurrection. Really cool! I wasn’t going to fly one because I didn’t have a kite, and we didn’t have a lot of time. But as everyone else was flying kites and having a good time, I decided to make my own kite. (All the kids were doing it) It was really fun. My kite couldn’t fly.

Wednesday was Zone Conference and we talked all about the literal gathering of Israel. It was so cool! Jacob 5 is maybe my favorite chapter in the whole BOM now. It’s the whole history and future of the world in 77 verses! Totally awesome! I also went on an exchange with Elder Thomson. One of my favorite missionaries EVER! He is way cool.

Thursday we had our interviews with President Egbert. I love him so much. He has really helped me to figure out and improve our (Elder Nuttall’s and I’s) proselyting. It was totally awesome!

This week was really awesome! It’s been great to learn so much. I know the Gospel is true! I know the Book of Mormon is blue! And I love you! Hehe I also know the literal gathering of Israel is going strong!

#70,000missionaries

#16,000,000membermissionaries

“I guess things are getting pretty serious.” -Kip (Napoleon Dynamite)

I love you all!

-Elder Andrus

Kites on Easter