5/27/13

Farewells....Fung....and Monkeys....!!!

I received all the photos you sent from Arizona meeting the new Mission President: President Merrill and Sister Merrill and Elder Montgomery's Mom...so cool!
So last P-day we went to family night with Rita Paulo and Gelson and Antonio and Sidonia - they are all members of the church now!  We got to make Fung and stir and batter the Fung in the pot and we made dinner together..super awesome!

 

We made Fung!!


Stirring the Fung!!



Friends and Fung!



Then I shared what you sent me mom in Ether 12:4 about having esperanca (Faith and Hope) for a better world and a better life.  I shared that with them and related it to Angola and how it is difficult to live each day here but through the scriptures and daily prayer we can make it.
So then we went to see Hiumn to talk with him about the Priesthood and then to Tete who is a member but sick with Polydeshimo- that so many people are sick with now.
We said goodbye to the Thompsons as they were going back to the United States after serving 2 back to back missions in Africa.  All the Elders went to their house that night and said goodbye. We all lined up and sang Nearer my God to Thee.  Was super emotional and they got out of the car and hugged us all.

All the Elders lining up for the Thompsons departure...

We visited Irma Isabel at the church and said goodbye to Filomena who was recently baptized and now moving to Vianna we shared a special moment when she bore her testimony, and she began to cry and then I looked into her eyes and I began to cry. I could not hold back the tears, the spirit filled the room like no other time, I was full of love for her and it was truly amazing.

Farewell to Filomena!

We visited Paulo he is such a champ and has been reading the Book of Mormon everyday.  He told us about a dream he had about going to church. Angolans have tons of dreams here it's crazy.
We had divisions the next day I went with Elder Stuart.  We ate with the Valdez family from Portugal.  then we went to Kito and Milokas.  They had been robbed the night before they tried to get in by breaking part of their door. She said the Police arrested the robbers.
We went over the baptismal interview questions with Joao and had a discussion with his daughter. We went to Serafim's house.  He began to tell us how hard that his life is and how that he doesn't have money for food he has to go out with his friends and eat their food, it was truly sad.
Funny story, Elder Stuart and I were in a Taxi van and I started talking to these guys about the church and he asked me if he came to the church would I take him to America...well not speaking or understanding the language that well I thought he asked it he could sit next to us during church, anyways I said YES and everyone in the taxi started shouting hey these guys will take you to America if you go to their church!
Sunday was a great day. After church we had a meeting with the Ward Missionaries and we are going to work more with the members. Super Stoked!
We went to dinner that night with the Wegglands (SP) our American family that lives in a super nice building that pretty much makes me feel like I am in America.  Anyways super awesome family, I love them, we had food that was shipped from the Kroger in The Woodlands, super awesome that even over here I am still eating food from the same stores that I bought food in back at home.
This P-day was great we went to an art festival and bought a few things...some African Art.
I saw some monkeys they were so cool!  I got really close and it tried to scratch at my eye.

Monkeys


Super awesome day.  We are about to head out to a family home evening with Joao and Paula.
Super awesome week I love you all keep moving forward!

5/20/13

Hard life for the Angolan people....

My Angolan friends

The language has been coming along each week. I study hard to get it.  Talking to people is becoming easier. Plus the fact that they are starting to understand me.  Even more important. Anyways I do feel really bad for the people here.  They have a hard life.  Every day I see so many suffering and it really gets to me.  I almost want to cry sometimes.  It really gets to my heart.  I know that is one reason why I was sent here.  To learn of this suffering.  Angola needs the gospel here, more than ever.
We visited Kito and Miloka investigators waiting to be married then baptized.  We taught them about temples and the blessings. During the lesson their son Liao was in the house and ran screaming with his arm covered in blood. He had cut himself, so Miloka grabbed him and ran him to the hospital.  After that we visited with Yuri we taught the first lesson he is 20 super cool guy. Then we went to Joao and Paula who are preparing for their wedding so that they can be baptized.
The next morning we went to lunch with Serafim it was his birthday we bought hamburgers it was awesome.

Sarafim's Birthday Cake

Then we met with 2 Jehovah's witnesses, it was an amazing lesson. The father said in his prayer..thank you for sending these servants of the Lord to our home.  That really hit me.  I was so grateful we usually don't get  an opportunity to sit with Jehovah's witnesses. We visited with Siresty Grandi and talked with him about getting the Priesthood as he will be receiving it soon. Super awesome guy I love him.
Anyways saw a women in the street trying to stab a man with a piece of glass and he was trying to grab it out of her hand. And then after that we saw a young man pour gasoline in a shirt and then huff in it.  He was delirious and almost got hit by a car and then walked off.  Super sad the stuff that I see.  It makes me feel so grateful and yet so much compassion for these people.
We went to Irma Sarah's house..the Portuguese family both are sick with polideshimo (a minor form of Malaria).  Then we went to visit with our newly wedded investigators Joao and Paula.  We were so happy for them...they had been working for 4 years now trying to get married.  It is very difficult to get all the paperwork done, anyways now they can be baptized..super awesome! They were so happy. We celebrated with ice cream after.

Joao finally was able to get married!

We then met with Rita and Gelson and Sidonia.  We shared our testimony of how the Lord guides us out of every situation we are in. Rita told a heartfelt story of how her ex-husband used to beat her and she left him and crying she told us that for 4 years she suffered from the abuse until she met Paulo.  Who is an awesome husband my heart was truly touched.
On Saturday we woke up at 5:50 in the morning and ran over to full up the font.  We bucketed water for an hour and 15 minutes. We were a couple missionaries short.  My back was killing me, truly hard work...anyways the baptisms were in an hour so we ran back home and showered and then went back to the church. Antonio was baptized!!

Antonio's baptism

After that we went to Kito and I shared my testimony of how we follow promptings and then we taught Filomena about preparing to have the Priesthood in her home and how it will bless her family. I told her of how my father had blessed my family by using his priesthood.  I shared these experiences and spoke great Portuguese and even lead the lesson it was awesome!!
Sunday we had Elder Bricknell from the Seventy who is charge of  West Africa and South East Africa he bore an incredible testimony that touched my heart and I could feel the spirit immensely and it was in English! Super cool after we met him and he punched me in the arm (he does that to all the missionaries!)
We went to Wetglands the American family for dinner, they feed us food every Sunday from The Woodlands too. Super cool. It's like getting a little bit of home all of the time, anyways great week.  Love you all. Keep working and pressing on never give up- the Lord is always on your side! Ciao!


5/16/13

Family Home Evening...Natural History Museum!

So amazing seeing all of your faces on skype yesterday for Mother’s day and hearing your voices! It was truly amazing! I didn’t think I was going to cry at all but just seeing all of you brought back all of the feelings from when we said goodbye at the airport.
Elder Montgomery and I make a great team he knows how to teach very well so it’s something that I have been learning from him and I’m very grateful.  We work so hard each day.  I love it, anyways, the people here are just wonderful.
For Family night the other night we went to a member’s with 5 daughters. It is fun to visit with them because they are so lively and have games for us to play.  We shared a message with them and then played a game where we tied balloons to our legs and got toothpicks, then ran around the house trying to pop each other’s balloons tied at our ankles..I got second place…super fun. 

Family night balloon game

Then we played a game where we wrote down an action on a piece of paper and then you have to pick one.  I got 25 pushups while saying eu gusto de fung (I like fung)( Fung is a typical dish here) So fun!
Tues. our water pump broke, there was a short. So no water, only bucket showers.  We went to Santana’s for a lesson he still has a bad rat problem, they are always climbing the walls and under our feet during the lessons.  After that we went to Serafim, we went over the restoration again and he gave a sincere and heartfelt testimony he is such a great guy.  Recently I learned that he is extremely poor and often he doesn't  have enough money to eat so he goes to soccer games because he can get free food..I love him so much I wish I could help. We then visited with Sidonia. Had a lesson about faith…In English sometimes we say faith has a short shelf life.  So I tried to take the literal translation into Portuguese and when I said it she looked at me like it made no sense! It doesn't have the same meaning in Portuguese.
We had district meeting this morning…I love my district they are awesome guys, shared spiritual experiences from the week after that lunch at the Teodoros  house (Isabel) and had the hottest soup of my life. Almost could not swallow it. My tongue completely burnt. Later on a Taxi driver hit a bump so hard hit my head on the roof of the taxi, everyone went into the air!
Went to visit Santana again, funny thing he has a twin brother and every time we go to visit him I always think that his twin is him and I can’t tell the difference. Elder Montgomery has to let me know which one it is.
We had dinner with an American family they had food shipped over from the Woodlands in crates super cool! We went over the baptismal questions for Antonio with him he is getting baptized this Saturday and we were teaching him in his store all the kids come up to the window while we are teaching. Super cute! They always stop our lessons and talk with us.  After that we went to Pedro (the paraplegic) and read with him and helped his wife put him in the wheelchair to bring him outside.
A family we are teaching read 1 Nephi in the Book of Mormon together and I was able to bear my testimony on the importance of raising your kids the right way as Nephi was. I shared experiences of how I was raised by goodly parents and how being on my mission I realize all that my parents have done for me. Super cool experience anyways after that I had pizza for the first time and Sidonia made it for us.  Really good!

We had 182 people came to church which is an all time record! Super Cool

For P-day Monday we went to a museum with all of the elders in the zone.  Had a great time there looking at all of the animals that are in Angola..Oh by the way we killed a mouse that was running around in our Apartment!  Keep praying and reading your Scriptures!

Angolan fish!


Elder Dunkley and Elder Clifford

At the Natural History Museum in Angola P-day



5/11/13

District in Luanda, Angola Africa!


I have missed everyone so much, this week absolutely flew by! It was crazy feels like yesterday that I had emailed you.
Ok so here is the week's report:
So our meeting house is pretty nice, Most of the time we don't have electricity but we have a generator and we can get air conditioning some of the time.  So that's good, we have about 150 people that come to church in the Cassequel branch each week. So it's pretty big! We do meet a lot of people from the Congo and they speak french. So we try and communicate the best we can and try to tell them about the church it's really fun.
So I can skype you all for Mother's day this coming Sunday.
We had a great day when we were leaving the house and walking through Cassequel, I noticed that there was a big smoke cloud rising in the distance,  apparently someone had set the entire pile of trash on fire.  They burn the trash to get rid of it here, something that I learned. Anyways gave a recent convert a blessing today. The next day she was healed and felt perfectly fine. We were able to find a lot of people that wanted to hear about the church today. It is hard to find families that are married because it is very difficult to get married here.  There are a lot of expensive traditions and on top of that the people need their papers which they usually don't have.  So anyways also taught 4 lessons and we introduced a lot of people to the church that want to be taught.  We did divisions the next day and Elder Stuart was sick so I studied the Doctrine and Covenants then we switched back that night and I was back with Elder Montgomery.
We have 4 Elders in our Apartment.  Elder Clifford who lives in our apartment made a full turkey for all of us for lunch, it was so delicious. We had vegetables and rice and turkey, anyways super cool meal. Some of our appointments fell through so we talked with some little kids...super cute! I love the kids here! The kids followed us all down the street, anyways super cute! After Cassequel we decided to go to another area Rocha. We visited Joao and Paula, Two investigators who will be married on the 16th and one baptized on the 18th. Such an awesome family! They have been working(trying) to get married for 4 years now and we get to see the results! I also lost a bet with Elder Montgomery that I couldn't talk about Texas for a week!
Friday (sexta fiera) morning we went to go fill up the baptismal font. Yet again the missionaries have to do this so for 2 hrs. we bucketed water from the well (tank) to the font.  I got blisters all on my hands from  pulling up the bucket out of the tank. anyways so we finally got that all filled, after that had lunch with the family from Portugal.  They are the only ones in the ward from Portugal. She cooks so good.  Great meals sempre!!
Sunday was awesome.  Gave Yuri my Suit to use for church because he didn't have a suit to wear, also I bore my testimony during church it was awesome.  I was super nervous but I just got up there and introduced myself. Super great experience I feel that it brought me closer to the members. They all know who I am now.  We gave 4 blessings that day. Then we went to the Lacullets for lunch. We broke our fast there. Super great meal I love eating there.  She always cooks great meals, we gave her 2 daughter's blessings.  After that I gave a street guard a protein bar because he was hungry and working a 48 hr. shift. He was really appreciative and glad I could help in anyway possible. P-day was great and we went to the campo de futbol to play soccer, got really sunburned and the went shopping and we got a ton of American good stuff. Gatorade $40.00 for 15 so expensive here because everything is imported. We also found  Cinnamon toast and Pop tarts.  Well that was the week...did a ton of work. I love you all sooooo much I can't wait to be reunited!

With Elder Montgomery!



5/10/13

Opportunities to serve....

I am learning a lot out here, mostly about who I am and myself, you can't run from being yourself on the mission.
So last Tues. Elder Clifford made pork chops..great chef! Santana had read the Book of Mormon after our first visit and he received many answers that it was true!! Awesome stuff! I was so excited, he always asks if he can hang out with us and I tell him we really aren't allowed to hang out but we can have dinner appointments.  He is such a great guy with an awesome spirit! Anyway that day I got to give a baby a blessing. Was super cool. Great experience to give a blessing of health.
In our lesson with Sarafim we found out he is struggling with his girlfriend having an abortion. Abortions are common here and they can cause a person to not be able to be baptized for some time. We taught him a lesson on the Atonement.  My feet were killing me we walk so much each day and its really hot here.  But when we go home and have air conditioning the blessings come.  It's all worth it then.
Wed. it was rainy and we had zone meeting with everyone for the first time and we watched the new Atonement videos. Was awesome!
After that we met a guy named Basilio in his Mechanical workshop.  It was super loud.  As are all of our lessons here.  We talked about the Priesthood and the importance of having the Priesthood in his home.
Driving in Angola with the Taxi drivers is like dodging pin balls it is nuts! So we almost crashed when we gave a message to the taxi driver but he heard the message it was great!
Also we always look for opportunities to serve. This week we helped a young boy carry a big metal construction pole up the street a mile or so. And we helped a couple taxi's start by pushing them from behind. We taught a guy from Sweden this week! We had a planning meeting and after that I tried a "rock apple" it is an African apple, kind of chalky but has some flavor, interesting.
So Isabel is supposed to be baptized soon but she said that her family is shunning her and other problems, she can talk for days.  We decided that we needed some extra time to teach her.
Okay so cool we saw a guy carrying a full mattress on his head!
So we visited Pedro the paraplegic again on Friday he can't be baptized but he knows the church is true.  He is trying to save money to go to Cuba so he can have surgery. So we try and visit him and just read the Book of Mormon with him.  I feel so bad every time I leave and walk out and I take for granted (and think about how much I take for granted) that he is stuck in a bed and I can walk.  Anyway I love him he is such an awesome guy.
We went to Santana's house no one answered but the door was slightly open, he was laying on the floor in pain from a toothache. Apparently everyone here has really bad tooth aches because no one brushes their teeth.
Sat. a lot of our discussions fell through. We did get to watch the Conference sessions..I was hoping it would be in English but it was in Portuguese. Sunday we watched the last session after church until they started the party next door.  Angolans play their music to the max volume.  So we couldn't hear. So we had to end.
it was still a great way to end the day with Conference.

Elder Dunkley and Elder Montgomery


Fung and Mucua...and shaved head!

Mucua Tree and Mucua Angolan Fruit!

So here is the low down on what happened this week. My Portuguese this week was mais ou menos bem. I feel like I have some days that are better than others.  I have been studying as much as I can. But I have found where I get the most help and experience the most growth is when I am talking with others. I try to do this often, so some interesting things happened this week.  Very cool things..we worked really hard and our numbers for weekly planing shot up this week,  It was awesome, I think I am getting used to the schedule.  It is very vigorous work, I come home each night exhausted.  Pass out on the bed and then it is already time to work again.  I am loving it though! Elder Montgomery and I tried having an English fast..only Portuguese this past Tuesday.  Almost lost my mind only trying to speak Portuguese, but anyways I really want to learn this language.
Tried some of the imbonderia fruit this week.  Also known as Mucua. The National fruit of Angola,  It was very dry and didn't taste like much.
We are teaching a lot some families and some individuals.  There is this one family Rita and Paula and they have 3 kids, they came to church this Sunday, they are reading the Book of Mormon.  I have been super stressed this week, the language, the heat, and the immense amount of focus, time scheduling everything!  P-day was a breather for me, I could relax for a bit.  Anyway the food is pretty good here.  Some of the stuff is strange but I haven't been sick. So I tried this delicacy here so to speak it is Fung.  It is made with water and flour.  Boiled and then beaten like crazy until it is thick enough to cut it with a knife.
We went to go see a woman who had stopped coming to church a few weeks ago.  It turns out that her husband has been beating her for wanting to go to church.  Horrible situation. Super sad, we were devastated. We set up an appt. for her to see the Branch President.
We met Arlindo from Brazil and Santana and taught them this week.
On Thursday morning we went to the church to fill the tank for the baptisms, we get there..thank goodness there was enough water to fill the font, so to fill the tank we have to bucket water out of a well and bring it to the font.  After 2 hrs. of bucketing we filled up the font.  The next day for the baptisms we showed up and the water was too low for the baptisms and it started in less than an hour.  So in our church clothes we hauled butt to bucket for about and hour, its a big tank, So finished that..all sweaty. Had the baptismal service for 6 people..was awesome!!
We had 9 people show up to church that we had been teaching the next day on Sunday! I was so happy!
When in contacting it seems s though most people are drunk.  Here beer is cheaper than water.  Everyone here in Angola drinks like all the time, it is really annoying sometimes. But the Angolans are so awesome, they are such loving and caring people.  They are just great:) The food is interesting, but I like it.  It takes  some time to get used to.  My favorite part so far has been that everyday something amazing happens.  I see the Lord's hand working here very swiftly. Everyday here is an adventure!





5/9/13

Antonio..Siresty and Filomena!

I love the kids here!

This week we went to the Bia Family and had dinner with them.  We were asked to give blessings to all of the family there were 12! I had my first family night Elder Montgomery had me give the lesson I was super nervous. I taught them the story in 1st Nephi 16 when Nephi broke his bow and his family murmured and complained to the Lord and Nephi said I will go in faith.  Great lesson.  Even though my Portuguese was struggling..everyone said they could understand me.  Anyway I have been super tired waking up and trying to get my body clock to adjust. I think I am almost adjusted to the time difference.
So we went to see Anotonio we visited him in his store (like a rock hut) and gave him a lesson over baptism.  I got to invite him to be baptized and he said yes! Great Moment! Also on a side note...he has a really bad rat infestation,  He has rodents the size of my feet, running around beneath us!
Also got hit by a car this week..twice actually.  The taxis are crazy and I am pretty sure they try to hit us (Oh  just hit by the car mirror) not the full car. Just to let you know mom! Anyway the women over here can carry huge things such as big buckets of vegetables and stuff and whatever huge thing they have on top of their head. It's incredible! I've never seen such talent! We don't have electricity at times, but when we do it's great because we have air conditioning.  After a long day. That's a Hallelujah! We have to take bucket showers when we don't have electricity.  The apartment is nicer than I had expected.  It's very roomy but it has no furniture.  In their markets they sell meat and stuff and all of it is covered in flies.  It's super nasty. Nobody should eat that.  You could die, will die.
We had out first District meeting it was great and I got to know everyone in my district.  Great group of guys, anyways this place Luanda like every street looks the same and at first it was really tough I had no idea where we were and would get lost.
We have 2 baptisms this week. Siresty Grandi and Filomena.  They were taught by Elder Montogmery and the previous elder that was here but I am still super excited. They are awesome!
There is a lot of corruption here.  We were in this taxi just the other day and it got pulled over by the police.  The guy got out of the car with a 500 Kwanzaa bill and handed it to the cop then he just dove off.  The other set of Elders were coming home and witnessed a shooting from a robbing incident. Just thought I would share that.  Ok so anyway on a happier note.  I got to go to church for he first time, great ward, had an awesome time I absolutely loved it!






5/8/13

First days in Luanda..Flooding...Bucket Showers and no electricity!

Our Apartment floodedBlue container is water for the Bucket showers!


Taxi stuck in the mud after the rain!


More Flooding!



We left on Thursday stopped in Chicago and then 13 hr. layover in London..arrived in Luanda on Saturday 50 hrs. after we left the MTC in Provo! When we landed and got off the plane it started raining cats and dogs outside (literally) then just following that the power went out. We walked outside of customs and met our Mission President and his wife ( President Thompson) who stands in place of President Krietly right now while he is in Mozambique. My first area is the capital Luanda and my companion is Elder Montgomery!  We carried our luggage to their car in the pouring rain.  Everything got soaked. They drove us to the apartment (so to speak) where I would be living. When we got there the entire floor was flooded.  There was massive flooding everywhere.  The drains don't work that well, after I got settled in and went through training with the President and the details and guidelines.  After that started walking the streets on our way to go and visit an 18 year old boy named Doival. Sat down with him in his home and could not understand a word that he was saying.  I was trying to respond to him at some points but he laughed.  That's how bad my Portuguese is!  After that we went to a lady's house named Sedonia.  She was awesome!  I got to bear my testimony to her about the plan of salvation it was way cool.  Also she had super funny kids.  I love the kids here. They are awesome!!! So then we went to visit Pedro who is a paraplegic  and can only move his head and arms. I read to him in the Book of Mormon. It was awesome. Read in first Nephi about the ancient prophets that were here on earth.  My Portuguese is alright ( sucks) kinda.  But I'm getting a lot better, I'm picking up a phrase here and there.  Elder Montgomery is a great mentor.  I think I would have died it he wasn't here!  Took a bucket shower that was nice, and then Elder Montgomery and I went to the Cinica (Hospital because he was sick and thought he had malaria), anyway ended up being there for 6 hrs. got to talk a lot in Portuguese while I waited. I got to ride in a taxi for the first time.  They are big blue vans and they cram them full, people are on your lap and everything.  It gets wicked hot. Most of the time they don't have A/C in the vans. Here there are trucks full of soldiers that ride around that all have AK 47's and machine guns.
Sunday night we got to watch the priesthood session of Conference in English! That is so awesome that they mentioned President Krietly in General Conference and my mission! And the Prophet quoted my missionary plaque scripture Matt: 28: 19-20 WAY AWESOME!
My first P-day I woke up without power ( hot sleep) then we went with some elders and some Angolans to the soccer complex and played soccer. MUITO BOM! Had a lot of fun.
We were traveling home from the Presidents house in a taxi and the tire popped and had to get out and walk a long way (in a very sketchy area walking with 500 dollars in our bags and our cameras.  We were nervous about getting robbed.  Anyway it's really crazy here those are just some of the things that have happened.

This is how we email at the Internet Cafe!

P-day- My First Apartment- Luanda


First P-day- Basketball with Trainer Elder Montgomery!

New York Trip!


Trip to New York to appear before the Angolan Consulate to acquire our Visas! Took the red-eye and back to the MTC in less than 24 hrs.!



5/7/13

Loving the MTC...!


The Missionary Training Center
Weeks 1 & 2 HEY mom!! The MTC is going great!! I got all of your packages thank you so much for the food!! It meant a lot my district loves you for that.. and they haven’t even met you. My companion is cool he is 24 and from California. Great guy (: YES I did meet Greg’s friend he is in my district!@ HE is one of the new 18 year old missionaries!! He is going to Mozambique. The language is going great I’m learning so much!!!! I can literally give a discussion in Portuguese and have a conversation already just after 10 days!!! The MTC is great you should be getting a letter from me with more information about the MTC from me in the mail that I sent just 2 days ago so keep your eyes peeled at the mail. I love you!  (: Connor
3rd week I miss you guys so much! My district is the bomb and my Portuguese is going well... I think!  The ambassador of Portugal is coming to visit our district only. Its so cool! Even though I am going to Angola, Africa -Best mission! Elder Russell M. Ballard spoke at the MTC and that was awesome I love everyone here!
4th week I think my visa will be here in the next few weeks..so pumped to get over to Africa! Can't wait to start presenting the Gospel, Baptizing, and helping people come unto Christ. Wow never thought I would say that.  Got my Malaria medication the other day. The list of side effects are crazy. I am learning so much Portuguese! Love you all.
5th week Just got my travel plans today. Fun stuff has been happening all week.  The spirit is strong. We also have tons of fun. Other districts have so many issues and the only issue our district has is that we love each other too much! I am studying so much in the language I'm killing it...I think.  It takes a lot of patience and effort.  I can give the restoration, apostasy, baptismal commitment, the first vision all in Portuguese now! And basic conversation skills... I am still learning but that will come!  I was deemed the Travel leader for our group so I have to make sure everyone is ready. We fly to Chicago, then London, then Luanda. I leave April 1st and get there April 3rd. Crazy!
6th week This is my last P-day in the MTC that has gone by fast! In three days I will be going on a plane to Africa.  I've learned so much already. Mostly about myself and about the Gospel. I wonder how I was able to make it on a mission.  I've learned that it is obviously because I have such an amazing family.  I just have to say that each of you played a role.  I love you all.  A little more about my district: My 24 year old companion used to be a DJ, Elder Sortenelli is from New Zealand and he reminds me of the Belbins! I start packing up all my things tomorrow.  President Krietly wants me to bring some of the new "12 week program packets".  We are learning so much everyday I am lucky to have a moment to myself.  It is crazy how much my life has changed. I had in field orientation yesterday and learned how we should work with members when we are out in the field.  Overall I loved my MTC experience.  It was really hard work. But when I started loving to work hard that's when it started being fun:) I am going to call everyone when I get to London.  I love you and miss you all!