I just want
to give a big shout out to my wardie and best friend Mallory Madsen on getting
called to the PORTUGAL LISBON MISSION!! You got called to the best mission in
the world and you will love your time serving here! We are excited for you to
get here!
So we
finished this transfer and are heading into a new one. Elder Nogueria ended his
mission and went home. It was really sad and I think I am getting soft because
I almost cried when he left. President Tavares told me that I am going to
continue serving as a zone leader and stay here in Ponta Delgada. Being
the senior, I am excited and happy for this new challenge! My new comp is Elder
Richards, he is from Colorado and has about 14 months in the mission. He is
really energetic and we will work really hard together! My zone got changed
like crazy--we had 2 white washes! Also coming to the island working in Riberia
Grande is Elder Van Wagenen, who is a great missionary from my stake back home!
I am excited to work with this zone! I want us to reach all of our
baptism goals... I know we can do it if we have faith and work with
determination!
So our
investigator, Rodrigo, isn’t doing so well. We went back and he said he didn’t
feel anything when he prayed and didn’t receive an answer. We talked to him
about real intention and faith on receiving an answer and we invited him to
pray again. We went back and he said again that he didn’t feel anything so we
are looking and praying for inspiration from the Lord on what we should do. I
have faith and know it will all work out.
This week
we had a lesson with this older couple, the wife is from Ireland and the
husband is from the Azores. They both speak English and are really nice. They
lived in Florida when he was a surgeon but returned when his health worsened. We
gave him a blessing and then tried to teach a lesson. As you know my comp Elder
Nogueria doesn’t speak a word of English, so there I was trying to give a
blessing in my unfamiliar English and kept slipping in a lot of Portuguese
words. I think I had more trouble than when I was in my 1st transfer trying to
speak Portuguese hahaha! They aren’t really interested but said that we can
come back. Now that I have an American comp we will go back and see how it
goes.
This
weekend was kind of a bust because in Ponta Delgada it was the huge,
"Santo Cristo" feast. It’s this really large catholic party in the
center of the city where every year thousands of immigrants return to
celebrate. I had no idea that there were so many people on the island. The
party should’ve been called "apostasy party"—tons of drinking and
revelry. Consequently, no one was home to teach. This week we ate at
a member’s home and they served this Portuguese dish called
"francasinhas" which means "little French girls" hahah! It
tasted so good and was really heavenly!
I know that
the gospel is true. I know that we are doing the Lord’s work and
that through him we can find people who are looking for the truth! My scripture
from the week comes from Alma 32:21: "And
now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of
things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen,
which are true." I know
that when we have real faith....REAL FAITH that we can do miracles. I love this
mission so much and am excited for what will happen in the future!
- Elder
Herrmann
We did a
funeral for Elder Nogueria in district meeting. On the way home the Carters
pulled over and let us take pictures at this sight called Lagoa do Fogo.
It was a big volcano that erupted and now its a huge lake!! It
is really cool!
(Silvia Wadsworth, Chase Herrmann, Mallory Madsen)
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