Farewell Chaguanas

Well everyone, I'm leaving Trinidad and I'm going to Tobago!  Island life at last!  There are only two elders and two sisters and a senior couple.  Everyone wants to go to there. I leave Wednesday morning at 7:00 am and will be taken to the airport with the other missionaries that are leaving the mainland, then hop on a flight (LIAT Airlines ... liat stands for late in all terminals..haha).  I will be picked up by Elder and Sister Linton in Tobago and taken to our apartment to drop my stuff off.  E. McClain said he served there and loved it; he also said the apartment has A/C....Oh Ya!  

   A cool experience I had today...like an hour ago. Well it was raining so hard...like the pics i sent of the rain a couple weeks ago...but worse. This Sisters called and told us that their tire had just popped and that they were pulled over but they didn't know how to change it. It was fairly close to our apartment so we caught travel down there. E. McClain told me he didn't know how to change a tire so he was hoping that i knew how. Boy oh boy was i happy that i paid attention to my father dearest while we worked on changing oil and car stuff together. So we got there and sure enough their tire was flat. I got their jack out of the trunk and it was a tiny little piece of junk thing...I was like great! what the heck is this...then they had a wrench. I took and loosened the bolts and lifted the jack carefully because it wasn't very sturdy. I got the nuts off and the tire wouldn't budge. I was getting so angry and frustrated over some dumb little thing. I stood up and threw the wrench on the ground and sweat was streaming off my face, it was hot and i realized the rain stopped and was sunny just where we were. The Lord was making it comfortable for us to change the tire. I struggled for 20 min trying to get the tire off...rusted on. Sis Jex, being herself, said let's say a prayer for the rust to be softened...I was like psh..that's not going to work. We knelt down and said a prayer. It was a very humble prayer she gave and then she closed. As she prayed, a thought came into my head. Same tool, other end and pry...i was like uhh ok. So i stuck the tool in and twisted and pried. It slid off like butter and the rust didn't even interfere! It was amazing. 
   
   It was a very powerful experience i had and will never forget that when we are frustrated and need help the best person to turn to is Jesus Christ and Our Heavenly Father! The love i have for the Lord is growing so much every day. The gratitude for the Atonement i have is such that i can not simply express in words. I have really been trying hard to lose myself in the work and not look back. As we left, the sisters thanked us and we started to walk to catch a ride back to our apartment...right when we got in a car, it started to poor rain and i just thought, wow! The Lord knew how long that it would take and i was just a tool he used me for. I am so glad that i knew a little bit about cars because if i didn't, the sisters would have been stranded for some time.

Well, thanks for all your letters. I love everyone a ton and you are in my thoughts and prayers!  Much love from Trinidad and soon to be Tobago!

Elder Hill

Awesome Week!

This past week was super awesome! We had Zone Conference on Wednesday...I loved it and it was exactly what I needed to boost my spirits and have a greater love and appreciation for the Lord's work.  I have had a really great week and i also received a partial transfer call.  I was told directly from Pres. Mehr that I will be leaving Chaguanas, but he can't tell me where I'm going!

Saturday we had a service project for some of the members that are bed ridden in our branch. It was way fun but super dirty and itchy.  I look like a boss using the weed whacker!

Anil had a great time at the YSA overnight camp. His testimony is really growing.  He has given us a referral. He also came with us when we taught a lesson to a less-active. As we go with members, it brings a sense of fellowship and someone to trust. As they see the missionaries, they remember how they felt when they were learning and how they felt at the waters of baptism.  They remember the song of redeeming love!

Another beautiful Caribbean sunset! 

So here's what my day is like:  I wake up at 6:30 and exercise (go running with comp), shower, then it's study time at 8:00 am. We study until 10 and we're out the door! We pack our day pretty full and we hope we get fed; most of the time we don't but we take breaks and get snacks. yummy, yummy brownies are my favorite!   Yesterday I ate a new type of food...it's called Sawine (Sa-wine). It is a Muslim food and it tastes a little like mom's rice, cinnamon, and sugar but it's noodles instead...kinda weird but good.

Today we traveled down to San Fernando to play sports with the South and Central Zones.  We played American football.  It was a lot of fun...and since I probably won't see most of the elders again on my mission, I enjoyed it a lot!

I don't really have time to tell you all of the miracles I'm experiencing out here in the mission field.  I'm writing in my journal every night, and haven't missed a day.  Aren't you proud mother dearest ;)     Well, I'm out of time. I love you all very, very much.  I always look forward to Mondays so that I can hear your voices...well, in my head! 

Elder Hill

A KISS FOR YOU ALL!

Graduated Greenie

We are working hard every day!  I'm not in the training period anymore so we are going out at 10:00 now. Maybe that's why the first few days of the week seemed longer - I had an extra 2 hours of proselyting time. After everything fell through on Saturday, we went back to the apartment and prayed for guidance. I asked Heavenly Father if this is what he wanted to have happen today and i felt so much peace i fell asleep on my knees for like 40 min haha. I was so tired and sick of walking.

Some of the things that are really hard is when you are feeling the spirit and your companion is feeling the spirit and your investigator is definitely feeling the spirit and you invite them to be baptized and thy say no, i don't want to leave Pastor C---'s Church...that makes me vex boy!  It's also really hard to teach Hindus and Muslims, which is most of the population.  

I'm really starting to love what i'm doing out here.  The people are really nice and it took me a while to adjust but I love the feeling i get when someone accepts the message and humbles their self and repents and gets baptized and completely changes their ways.

I love everyone so much and their encouragement and support for me being out here serving our Lord and Savior.  I have learned a lot to trust in my Father in Heaven because he knows what I'm experiencing and he knows how i feel.  I love him so much and i know that i'm doing the right thing no matter how hard or stressful at the time, it's helping me grow.

Love, Elder Hill

Laughing is a great stress reliever!