Right off the bat, unfortunately our baptism didn't happen this week, but thats ok because they needed another week to help them prepare. They are trying again for this upcoming week, so hopefully the James Family will be baptized by the time you hear from me next. Our other most progressing investigator Bernadette is doing well, although she was sick and didn't make it for church. She will be solidly ready forDecember 13th.
Today in about 2 hours we will be flying to Trinidad and enjoying a wonderful dinner and meeting with all my old missionary buddies over there. Lucky Tobago missionaries get to go!
Me and Elder Horsley are still getting along fine, no problems in that department!
I had a nice experience this week where the spirit taught me something mid lesson about the need for revelation today. This investigator asked us a question how come our church seemed to be based off the Book of Mormon and not the Bible like all the other churches. I pondered on this for a moment, and then I answered him like this: "All those other churches are based on the Bible, and hold onto that because its "how the ancients did it" but if you really think about it, the ancient church in Christ's time or even previous didn't have a bible, they may have had scripture, but it wasn't "the Bible." Those churches were founded and based on the words of living prophets, revelation in their day! Our church is the same, we are based not on the Bible, or the Book of Mormon, but on living prophets today. Its ironic how they use the bible as it is evidence of past revelations but they deny modern revelations!" This had never really dawned on me quite in that way, and it was a sweet experience that I wrote in my journal that night.
For service this week we helped a lady that had gotten hit by a speeding truck as she was crossing the road. It was late, about 8:40 and we were about to head towards home and we came around a corner right after she got hit. She was carrying her young child too and the truck did a hit and run, he drove off. She didn't get hit right on, but more on her side from the side of the cab, being hit badly by the mirror on her arm, which seemed to be dislocated. I called the ambulance while Elder Horsley and some other people comforted her, took care of her daughter, and prayed for her. We stayed till the ambulance arrived, and we ended up being a little late in the door that night, but I'm quite confident that it was an ox in the mire and we were following the spirit of the law there. It would have been wrong to say "well sorry, we know your still laying on the ground here in pain, but we have a curfew, so good luck!" Yeah, that wouldn't have worked at all.
Yesterday we took a drive up the island to a far away area called Roxborough, its a 25 KM drive away and takes a long time cause of the skinny curvy roads. We saw some members that live up there and they live quite in the bush. On the edge of the remote rain forest practically. As we were walking up the trail to where they live, something really sweet happened. A huge flock of wild local parrots, probably like 15 of them, came squawking and flying around with this beautiful backdrop of jungle and mountains behind them. We stopped and just watched for a minute. I tried getting a picture, but I couldn't get one with the birds, but I have one of the view where we saw them
Today in about 2 hours we will be flying to Trinidad and enjoying a wonderful dinner and meeting with all my old missionary buddies over there. Lucky Tobago missionaries get to go!
Me and Elder Horsley are still getting along fine, no problems in that department!
I had a nice experience this week where the spirit taught me something mid lesson about the need for revelation today. This investigator asked us a question how come our church seemed to be based off the Book of Mormon and not the Bible like all the other churches. I pondered on this for a moment, and then I answered him like this: "All those other churches are based on the Bible, and hold onto that because its "how the ancients did it" but if you really think about it, the ancient church in Christ's time or even previous didn't have a bible, they may have had scripture, but it wasn't "the Bible." Those churches were founded and based on the words of living prophets, revelation in their day! Our church is the same, we are based not on the Bible, or the Book of Mormon, but on living prophets today. Its ironic how they use the bible as it is evidence of past revelations but they deny modern revelations!" This had never really dawned on me quite in that way, and it was a sweet experience that I wrote in my journal that night.
For service this week we helped a lady that had gotten hit by a speeding truck as she was crossing the road. It was late, about 8:40 and we were about to head towards home and we came around a corner right after she got hit. She was carrying her young child too and the truck did a hit and run, he drove off. She didn't get hit right on, but more on her side from the side of the cab, being hit badly by the mirror on her arm, which seemed to be dislocated. I called the ambulance while Elder Horsley and some other people comforted her, took care of her daughter, and prayed for her. We stayed till the ambulance arrived, and we ended up being a little late in the door that night, but I'm quite confident that it was an ox in the mire and we were following the spirit of the law there. It would have been wrong to say "well sorry, we know your still laying on the ground here in pain, but we have a curfew, so good luck!" Yeah, that wouldn't have worked at all.
Yesterday we took a drive up the island to a far away area called Roxborough, its a 25 KM drive away and takes a long time cause of the skinny curvy roads. We saw some members that live up there and they live quite in the bush. On the edge of the remote rain forest practically. As we were walking up the trail to where they live, something really sweet happened. A huge flock of wild local parrots, probably like 15 of them, came squawking and flying around with this beautiful backdrop of jungle and mountains behind them. We stopped and just watched for a minute. I tried getting a picture, but I couldn't get one with the birds, but I have one of the view where we saw them
On our way back from Roxborough we caught the sun setting and although it was on the other side of the Island, we got a nice pic, here is one with me in it.
Lets see, other noteworthy things this week... on a side note i hope you all appreciate how long I make these things, I have done a good job lately I think with these. I found out this week that Tobago has around 55,000 inhabitants, which surprised me how small it was. Grenada was even bigger than that, and Trinidad had 1.3 million, so its definitely smaller!
I got to play a members flute, that was fun. Even though I haven't played for like a year, and its been almost 3 since I have played seriously, I still remember most of it. I will definitely be applying myself to further study on that instrument when I return. (Dad, Mom, would you please get my flute service before I come home so that its all ready for me? thanks! I think its in my closet.)
One last sort of funny story, Daniel James, Br. and Sis. James' son, asked us a question. He asked us why we were teaching them, and when we answered and asked why he asked, he told us that a lady he knew told him that we were really just teaching them to steal their souls. He wasn't really concerned, so it was funny. Gives you an idea of the superstitions we fight against here. Stealing souls... what would I do with extra souls anyways? Even If that was possible, It's taking all my time and attention to figure out what to do with just one, mine, IDK what I would do with more!
Thats about all for our week, I can't believe its already week 6, this transfer has gone SO fast! I can't think about anything else, I wish you all a happy thanksgiving, try to be grateful during in it and mindful of those without as much.
-Elder Jeppson
I got to play a members flute, that was fun. Even though I haven't played for like a year, and its been almost 3 since I have played seriously, I still remember most of it. I will definitely be applying myself to further study on that instrument when I return. (Dad, Mom, would you please get my flute service before I come home so that its all ready for me? thanks! I think its in my closet.)
One last sort of funny story, Daniel James, Br. and Sis. James' son, asked us a question. He asked us why we were teaching them, and when we answered and asked why he asked, he told us that a lady he knew told him that we were really just teaching them to steal their souls. He wasn't really concerned, so it was funny. Gives you an idea of the superstitions we fight against here. Stealing souls... what would I do with extra souls anyways? Even If that was possible, It's taking all my time and attention to figure out what to do with just one, mine, IDK what I would do with more!
Thats about all for our week, I can't believe its already week 6, this transfer has gone SO fast! I can't think about anything else, I wish you all a happy thanksgiving, try to be grateful during in it and mindful of those without as much.
-Elder Jeppson