Baptisms

Dear friends and family:

We've had a great week. We had two baptisms on Saturday, for Jacquito P-L. and his wife, Marie. They, along with Olriche G. (who was baptized last week) were confirmed yesterday. Elder Peterson and I are thrilled to have had so much success this last week, and we're excited to make this transfer the best one we've ever had.

Elder Peterson is a really great missionary. He isn't afraid to go and talk to anybody, and he gets along with everyone. We have slightly different styles of tracting when we knock on doors, but we'll work out the rough edges in another week or so. Elder Peterson loves computers, and worked in IT before his mission, so we have a lot of things in common. (Although, he doesn't program. I'll convert him if we have enough time together. :D)

One of the things that we are still struggling with is finding new investigators. This is especially a problem now, because after we split from a tricompanionship again, each area had half as many investigators in the first place. And now we have baptized all of our investigators, leaving only a few follow up appointments as a source of new investigators. But we made a goal of 5 baptisms in this month, and we still have all of this week to find the last two people, so they can come to church for two Sundays, and then be baptized on the 28th (the last day of the month, but still in February. :) ).

We have zone training tomorrow, for which we are very excited, and we're bien animados to have a wonderful month of February!

News on the bed bugs: they haven't really been biting that much over the last month or so. Occasionally we get one or two bites, but the problem seems to have been temporarily eradicated. What about you, my beloved family? Do you still have bed bugs?

Thank you for all of your letters of encouragement and your effort on my behalf. It's nice to hear from you and to see how you are doing. I have a few questions, for all of my siblings who are in school; what classes are you taking? What class is your favorite, and why? Your least favorite, and why? And... how do you feel about Britney being engaged? That was a surprise. I didn't see it coming at all.

Thanks,

Elder Slade

Not Leaving

Dear friends and family:

This week is transfers. The trio I am in with Elder Reno and Elder Allen is splitting up, but I'm staying in Fort Lauderdale East. I will meet my new companion tomorrow, and I'll tell all of you about him next Monday.

This transfer has been one of the most instructive that I have had on my mission so far. I learned a lot about dealing with personalities that are really not similar at all to my own, and about encouraging others and forcing myself to work, even when there are so many (perceived) reasons not to. I consider this transfer a huge success.

Two days ago, we had a baptism. His name was Georges Olriche. It was a miracle that it happened, really. It is the only eight-day baptism I have ever had on my mission. He had been attending church for several weeks in Haiti already, when he and his friend (the branch clerk) moved here to the United States, then contacted us for help getting to church again. So he came to church last week, and we had his interview on Saturday and his baptism just after Stake Conference on Sunday. Elder Allen was excited to baptize a Haitian, and to say the prayer in Haitian Creole. (You just might have to make him a Haitian Creole missionary if he keeps this up :D)

I'm excited to meet my new companion tomorrow, and to start to build up our area again. It's not in a terrible state, but it's only been worked about half of the time for the last five weeks, so I honestly don't have many investigators at the moment. Half of them are in Fort Laud South's area.

This week I have been trying to work on self-improvement and Christlike attributes more. This effort is because of a combination of trainings that we have received over the last few weeks, from Elder Zwick, President Current, and everyone at Stake Conference. What I resolved to do is to write out a 3x5 card every day during personal study with the answers to the following questions:

Where am I now?

Where do I want to be?

What will I do today to help me get there? (3-4 commitments that I can do throughout the day)

It hasn't been working very well so far, because I don't have a way to be accountable for it. So, this week I decided to ask my new companion to ask if I completed the card for that day. That way, I'll be more accountable and I also believe that it will help me build comp unity quickly.

In summary, the three of us are sad to be parting, but we'll get over it quickly when we see what else the Lord has in store for us.

Thanks,

Elder Slade

Short but Sweet

Diligence has been one of the biggest things I have wished to gain here on my mission. Coming in I knew that my work ethic was very far from what I needed it to be and now I have the opportunity to change that. It seems like every day out here in LeMoyne I am exhausted at the end of the day, but I have come to love this. For it means that I have worked my hardest, from the moment I lift my head at 6:30 until 10:30 when I put it back on the pillow.

Now I do not have much time at all but I did just want to share one thing. A good friend told me very wise words that I have since applied in the best way i could. This being. "Let your mission change you." This is the words that I wish to share with those who are on a mission or are preparing to leave on a mission, such as my brother. You have or will have the privilege to have the name of Jesus Christ on your chest. This badge is a promise. It is a badge that you will promise to do all that you can to bring the word of God to all the world. And within this is yourself. You have the opportunity change and the divine calling to change. "Choose ye this day whom ye will serve." 

For me I have chosen to work on diligence. With that I have seen myself not only change in this matter but as well in many attributes within this short period of time. It is my testimony that I have changed for the better and that you can to. And that you will if you let yourself. I love you all and enjoy receiving any news from any of you!

No transfers

Dear friends and family:

First off, transfers were not last week. We had P-Day on Tuesday because of MLK Jr. day on Monday. Transfers will be next week, we will find out who will be leaving on Monday night, we will pack and email on Tuesday, and then we will find out who our new companions are and actually transfer on Wednesday. I am almost certainly splitting back into Fort Lauderdale East, and getting a new companion, but not actually transferring anywhere. Oh well, we'll see what happens.

We had a great week again. We increased or were consistent in every key indicator except for referrals; and one of the biggest strengths we had this week was working more with the members. Our ward has had many families and individuals move in over the last few weeks or so, and we are very excited to work with them and work through them to help the work of Salvation grow.

We haven't been doing a really good job of working both areas over the last week or so. We mostly knocked in Fort Lauderdale South's area. We'll have to be better about covering both areas so that when we split up again in a week and a half, neither of the areas will have to be whitewashed.

This Saturday, we had an amazing miracle. We were struggling to find new investigators, and we were a little disheartened that it was Saturday and we had no potentials to follow up with. But after we finished studying and eating, we received a call from a member who had just moved to Florida from Haiti. He wanted to come to church the next day, and asked us to come by and see him. So we went over immediately, and were excited to find out that the member had moved in with two nonmember friends. One of them had been visiting the church for several weeks with the member in Haiti, and said that he wanted to become a member. We shared a message about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and helped them find a ride to church. We know that this miracle came directly from God, and it would not have happened if we hadn't followed the spirit and dropped what we were going to do to go and see the member when he called us. Currently he is preparing to be baptized on the 7th of February.

This week my personal studies have been unusually erratic. I have been trying to focus on gaining a stronger testimony of the restoration, but I have also felt like I should be working to better understand the Plan of Salvation, as well as reading the Book of Mormon straight through to better understand it. I feel like I learned a lot about all of them, but not as much as I could have if I had focused more intensely on a single subject.

Mom and Becky: I hope that both of you make it onto the Amazing race. But if you do, you have to promise not to watch it until I get home. :)

Britney: How is starting up college again? What classes are you taking?

Paul, Anna, Gabe, Eliza: How are your grades? What books have you read recently?

Paul: Did you work in the ER over the summer? Does Matt still work there?

Nathan, Liv: What are your favorite things to say? Can you work technology better than most adults yet?

Dad: Is the ward growing, or staying the same size? I'm trying to remember how many people came to church each week, or even who came to church, and I can't think of it. How is working at Piano Marvel? Do they still want to hire me when I get back? Are you still in contact with David Heath?

Thanks,

Elder Slade

Swag

Well this area in the most simplest of terms is pretty "Swag". We have a heated garage, my companion is not only Haitian but a cook with plans to open her own restaurant after her mission. We have dinner appointments every night almost. And the ward!! OH MY GOODNESS! They spent the entirety of ward council talking of missionary efforts! I felt like a kid in a candy store! You know when you’re a missionary when... Anyways so in short. Wonderful area, AMAZINGLY LOVING companion, and I am seeing miracles. Not just your everyday little missionary miracle. This week I saw a man get healed from extreme fatigued by a priesthood blessing uttered by an Elder who did not speak French up until a month ago.

But first, the build up. We have been meeting with a man named William and his girlfriend for a while now. Leonie, his girlfriend, is an investigator however William is a convert who had gotten baptized fourteen years ago in the Congo, but due to the wars and violence over there lost complete contact with the church and the missionaries. He moved to Canada and ended up living a three minutes walk from the LeMoyne church building. One of Leonie's friends had referred them to us, not knowing before of this situation, so when we knocked onto their door they knew exactly who we were and had since been attending church and reading the scriptures.

Well for the first time in a month William didn't come to church. We decided to swing by that night, where we found that our beloved returning member was nearly crippled with a fatigue. We didn't know where it came from but only that he was so tired he could barely walk. We were asking him how he was and I felt impressed to ask him if he would like a priesthood blessing. After explaining what would come to pass, as he had not yet received a blessing other than the confirmation of the Holy Ghost, he very heartily agreed. We called the Elders but were not able to get in contact with them. We continued with the lesson and just as we were finishing we received a call from the Elders. They said they were on their way, and when they arrived they said that right after they had received our message they were beginning to discuss whether to come to give the blessing or to continue to another appointment that they had felt impressed to make that morning. As they discussed the man they were going to go and meet called and canceled their appointment. Taking that as a sign they hurried over.

The Elders described more in detail what would happen and mentioned that all could be accomplished by faith. At that moment William gave the most beautiful testimony. In it he told us that he had the faith to be healed. He chose who would give the blessing, which was an Elder Shumway who's French is, in the most lovingly way, not the best in the world. However while giving the blessing the spirit was with him. He spoke a French better than I had ever heard him speak before. The Spirit was so strong and everyone could feel it. It was almost as if there was a pulling and then suddenly a release. The blessing was finished and William with tears in his eyes sat up. He stood up. He smiled. The symptoms he had been feeling were gone. He had God given strength

I am so grateful that I was trusted enough by God to see this miracle happen. I have a feeling many events will happen in this area if I am willing to work and be obedient. I now know for a surety that God's power is on this Earth and through it I have been able to see this miracle. I love being a missionary and to have opportunities for this. Please keep me in your prayers as I continue to work and improve. I love you all!

Weird Week

Dear friends and family:

We had a really weird week. One of our strengths was that we had nine lessons with recent converts and less-active members, and we had ten lessons taught with a member-present. One of our weaknesses is that we had only two new investigators. So we're praying that we will be able to find the people we need to find quickly, so that we can teach them and get a good start for the month of February.

We still have a few different potentials to be baptized this Sunday. They all have baptismal dates for this Sunday, but they all have different things that might prevent them. We'll be praying and working for the best, and hopefully we'll be able to see all of them baptized this Sunday. That is: Mike, Mary and Ghandi, and Jacquito and Marie.

Life in a trio is so fun. It's still hard to stay focused, but we have been blessed because of it. We were able to go on splits two times last week, and we'll be doing it again tonight.

My mission is completely different than it was at the beginning of it. And there's still a lot of time for it to continue to change.

A big change that just recently took place: the Fort Meyers stake was added to our mission, including 30 missionaries, 8 of which are Haitian Creole speaking. They came from the Tampa mission, which had iPads already. When they transferred missions, their iPads were confiscated. (Sad face.)

In other news, we just received another noncommittal confirmation from a general authority that iPads are coming to our mission! ...soon. The keyword is noncommittal.

I really don't know what to do about colleges. The more I think about it, the less I feel like I actually have a solid direction to go.

Here are a few deciding factors:

- I will not be released early to go to school, there is a new mission policy in regards to that, so if the semester starts before I get home or too soon after it won't be a possibility.

- I want to have a good education for my chosen field, but I also want to be able to use my mission language. This means learning French, probably, because it's really close to Haitian Creole and it's an awesome language besides.

- I want to be close to my family, and I want to be in close contact with many of my mission friends as well.

- I want it to be cheap...

I'm about out of time, so I'll send this as it is.

Thanks for everything,

Elder Slade

Twiddles Thumbs Aimlessly

Well I know you all are wondering, what happened on Saturday night at 8:45 when we received our transfer calls. I'm sure the suspense is killing you like it was killing me. In fact I resorted to sleeping with my frisbee as a little girl would sleep with a teddy bear. (Thats right mother I managed to smuggle my frisbee onto my mission. No regrets =D) Surprisingly it helped a lot. Well anyways it was a dark and stormy night...<insert really long narrative> Okay I'm just kidding. The news is that Sister Avaemai will be staying in Hochelaga Groupe de Nord and will be receiving her best friend since childhood, aka the only other Tahitian sister in the mission Sister Tehaamatai. While yours truly will be traveling a little farther south for the winter and serving in LeMoyne with a Sister Blanc, who is Haitian. Thats right! Rizcolle for life!! So this is my third French speaking area.

Another bit of news, I got to take part in my first baptism! Actually more like first three baptisms. Linda, Lulu and Zach took upon them the name of Christ this past Saturday afternoon in the beautiful form of baptism by immersion. After the deed was done Linda, the mother, told me how she found the church. And I wish to share it. She said

"I worked at a hospital as a nurse and we had fun every break talking all sorts of nonsense that you don`t want children to be hearing. After a while one of our coworkers stopped hanging out with us and seemed to prefer more the quiet corner of the cafeteria. One day I went over to him and was very direct, "hey why don't you talk with us anymore, are you too cool for us?" in return he was very direct. "No actually, I've been meeting with some friends and they gave me this book to read and I cannot put it down." Sure enough my friend was talking about the missionaries and the book in his hands was in fact the Book of Mormon. Now I had studied for many years before with different branches of religion. I had prayed with the Jehovah's Witnesses, I had taken part of Ramada with the Muslims, you name it I had done it. But I had never heard of this religion. So I asked him about it. He answered all my questions as best that he could. Then the break bell rang and we parted ways. After then I had many restless nights where I could not stop thinking about what he had told me. Finally I gave into it and googled the thing. It led me to a page where I could ask for a book of Mormon. The word FREE really got my attention. A couple of days later two children dressed up as penguins came to my door and introduced themselves as missionaries. I thought it strange that they had the same name of Elder. Now in any normal circumstances I would not have let them in. But I did. They came in, started talking to me about the gospel. They asked me how I had heard about this, I told them about my friend. Turns out these two gentlemen were in fact the two friends of my friend and that he was to be baptized this weekend. So I attended the baptism of my friend, I met these two Sister Missionaries who started coming over and teaching my daughter and I more and more. And now my hair is wet and I have God`s name taken upon me."

Gorden B. Hinkley once said "Every Member a Missionary." And as a full time missionary I can tell you we would never have one baptism is we didn`t have the love and support of members. And not only do these efforts bless us, they bless your own families. I myself have seen the change. Before I left for college my family took part in the Hill Camorah Pageant which includes a lot of testifying on the part of the cast. After I left for college my family continued to practice those missionary efforts they had learned about that summer. By the time I got back there was something different in everyone of my family. It felt like I was missing out! I came to know that my brothers had given out enough book of mormons at school that they could have made a book club. Missionaries had tracted into multiple people who recognized who they were because of my siblings. My brother Jared had accompanied the missionaries on multiple occasions and was given the opportunity to baptize someone and then go to prom the night after. There was a love and a unity in my family that I didn`t understand until I got here and I realized what it was. My family had been blessed as they helped bless others.

Our job as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is to prepare those around us for the gathering of Isreal. It is our duty to share with the world the gospel of Jesus Christ and his Atonement. There are people you walk past everyday who do not know that they have a Father in Heaven who loves them, nor do they know that there is someone who has taken the weight of the world on his shoulders so that they don`t have to. You have the secrets to eternal life. Why would you want to hold that back? I encourage you to branch out and find those people who are prepared for the gospel. And if they aren`t prepared, thats not a big deal, prepare them. We have been promised by multiple apostles and I repeat this promise as a representative of God that there is someone in your life who is prepared to know these truths. Invite them to dinner, introduce them to the missionaries, show them the light that you have and lead them to it. Maybe while reading this or hearing this a name has come to your mind. Write it down. It is there by inspiration.

I love you all and I thank you so much for your prayers I have felt them everyday of my life out here, I love you so much.

Avec Amour,

Soeur Cummings