Hello Family,
Hey hows it going! You guys seem so great! I am glad you all are doing so well. I got your Package!!! Whoot! Ah i am so excited to open that sucker! I am really so grateful for your support. I dont know what i would do with out you guys back there! Thanks for the pictures this week and all this good stuff. I am so excited for the up coming weeks because i turn the big 20 and i get to call you guys!!! May 6th the last day of the transfer i will be calling. Wow its like i just called for christmas! Man i also got a package from Amy and David and becca gibson! They have sent me letters and package(s). Man they are so great. I want to send them a letter but my thank you will take a good month to get there so if you could find their email i would be eternally grateful so i can thank them properly. They sent me a valentines package full of stuff to make smores! Haha yeah the valentines package just got here. Man mail is lame here. Oh and i kinda am running out of money to receive packages. Like i am so grateful for them, but they are kinda expensive to pay customs on. These last three were $40. We are allowed to use our allotment on postage and packages which helps out but This mail system is so corrupt.
Anyway this last week was pretty insane. We had zone conference this week which was so freaking stressful but so spiritual and rewarding. President B said it was the nicest in the mission that he went to. It was nice for someone to appreciate me trying to make things nice. My comp is a whole lot of hot air. I do EVERYTHING! He is so exhausting. I am trying to be patient but he cant resolve a simple issue on his own. I know thats what companions are for but he thinks he is all that and a bag of lays costco family size tater chips! Just an indication of this is his middle name which is Pride!!! haha Malvern Pride Chimbetete. We are having some problems but these are the things i am supposed to learn here i guess. I got a few calls last week from Zimbabwe asking for Malvern. Me and the Pres are a little worried about him. Anyway it was a really good conference and i really got to talk with and spend some good time with president B.
My favorite part though was having Elder Pocock around. He came in for the conference. All of Tanzania comes to Dar es Salaam for ZC. He is my good buddy from the mtc the one from sugar city idaho. Oh Thanks matt for all you advice. I have never had such trying situations and delt with more suborn personalities and problems in my life like i have since i have been a ZL. Its just hard being one of two white guys in the zone and if something goes wrong its the Americans fault. Its a problem but the lord is teaching me. President be said you were put here because this zone was in big trouble. He said it is 10 times better now. I now know that you are put in different areas for different reasons. Man i learn allot everyday. I feel like once you have gotten along with East Africans you can get along with anyone. I know that love is the only thing that works. I thought how can i keep giving these guys love when they dont respect my effort and service being rendered. Then i thought about Jesus Christ, Does he every stop loving us when we are Bogus? Man i am learning allot but am so excited to be transfered. I have got my fingers crossed to leave soon. Man i really miss the people of kenya. Its just very very different here! I just dont feel like i am building as strong relationships with people as i did there.
We have also changed our missionary work completely. We feel that there is no point baptizing into a week branch that wont nourish and keep them. The work is there but they are not being taken care of like they should. So we are focusing on educating members and visiting recent converts and less actives. We are praying this will help these people. They complain that they need more missionaries because they want a stake. But we are trying to pound this into their little brains that if they are complacent despite the amount of missionaries they will never have a stake. So yeah thats what we are doing these days. Sorry if this is so short. We got to go. Thanks for all you do and i am so grateful for you guys. I love you so much!
-Elder Haynes
Monday, April 16, 2012
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Happy Easter!
Happy Easter!!!
Time aint a thang! Yeah i dont know if you know but today is my 8
month mark! Man i just started. Time is nothing. So how was easter?
Any fun stuff happening that side? Our easter was pretty special! So
we had two baptisms. Grace and Mercy, twin sisters, were baptized by
their father who was baptized like 8 monthes ago. We have been
teaching them since i arrived in Dar. They are SMART girls. They are
six teen but they talk like they are 25. Man some of their questions
really kept us on our toes. We were very excited for them. So saturday
night we had correlation meeting with the Branch Mission Leader. This
guy is a slacker!!! Man he is frustrating. Anyway he was supposed to
fill the font that night so we wouldnt be doing it on sunday. So after
the meeting he asked the guard to fill it. Elder Kiggundu and i both
said no its okay lets wait till tomorrow its to late now. The guard
said no no no its fine i will remember to turn off the water. We both
again said no but this guy insisted. So we ignored the promptings of
the holy ghost(not smart i dont recommend it) and went home. So sunday
morning we get to the church and of course there is like an 2 inches
of water in the ENTIRE chapel! Happy Easter! The guard fell asleep!
Every member was scooping water and trying to mop it all up. DISASTER!
haha it was really funny at the same time. Luckily the whole chapel is
tile! So it was tempting to lather up and have a giant slip n slide.
haha But it was really cool to see everyone come together to get
something accomplished. We kept apologizing and the members were like
hey it is a blessing to serve. It was really cool. I think these guys
are finally catching the vision of the church. Anyway so we had a
great service and the baptisms were so cool and the girls bore some
really powerful testimonies after. It is great to see the fruits of
our labors. We then headed right after the service to a members home
for easter lunch. This mama can cook! Oh man i ate so much, then after
that great experience we headed to our house to drop off all the food
they sent with us. Then we headed to the Bagenzis for easter dinner!
haha i am not eating today. It was like thanksgiving i seriously
gained seven pounds. Seriously these people wont let you leave till
you eat everything they cook. I hope i come home in decent appeal.
haha but it was a great day. Without all the eggs and bunnies and what
not i really got to feel the great love of our saviour. Who knows why
eggs were introduced. "Okay we got this holiday where we celebrate the
resurection of jesus christ what shall we do to celebrate? Uh how
about eggs? What do eggs got to do with jesus? Alright we'll hide
them! Dont worry theres a bunny!" hahaha what is up with our wierd
traditions? Anyway it was good.
So we are doing great very overwhelmed but doing great. The
sisters arrived in Dar this last week. Wow talk about different. Man
so we only have african sisters serving in this mission so you think
they would be go getters cause its like the same enviornment. They
SHOULD just hit the ground running, Nay! These are the most needy why
did they come on mission sister missionaries! AH this week has been
exhausting! I mean there are amazing sisters but it is definetely not
these! Our zone is really struggling. Since i have been here in Dar
mine and my comps numbers are better than the rest of the zone
combined! It is really hard. I am at whitts end. Luckily Zone
Conference is this Friday so we can discuss things but the APs are
constantly asking me to fix it and i dont know how. I have tried all i
know how. They have a pride issue also having a young missionary lead
and council because they think they know how it should work. I have
been praying like crazy but it seems to be getting worse! We will see
if president has some insite. We are the biggest zone in th mission
now by far so we should be tearing it up! Whats the worst part about
it is our DLs are the worst ones setting the bad example for the rest.
Pray for us Please!
Well I hope you are all doing good! I know the spring fishing
trip should be this week! I am so stoked to hit slam cove when i get
home. Man it is hard having conversations with these guys about what
we do for fun in america. They look at me like i am so wierd. They
dont see fishing is exciting at all. Anyway, Bronzen congrats on your
win against canyon view! I would tell you to pack your bags if you
lost to them. haha i dont think we lost any game against them while i
was in high school. Meree, Ryan Palmer has been accepted into the
dental hygeine program! He is such a stud! Do you guys ever get to
grace good old conrad carwash with your presence anymore! I think i
will work there when i get back. Miles and jeremy are back from
mission and both are working there again. haha I think Miles bleeds
conrad blue! So i feel bad about not voice recording you guys i dont
know what to talk about cause anything interesting i write in email.
So maybe if you give me a list of random questions it will be able to
get a nice little voice recording for you next week. Oh my goodness.
May 6th is so stinking close! Man once again time aint a thang. So i
have a specific question for matt, What do i do to help my zone? DDMs
are only conducted for the sake that we are supposed to and no one
listens to the ZLs. Please I am in need! Porter! You are such a little
stud! I have listened to your recording of you singing like ten times.
I felt the spirit so strong i teared up. I bet matt and meree were
proud of you! So have you got a girl friend yet? With a voice like
that you should be beating them off with a stick! Keep being a great
big brother to Owen and dont give bronzen such a hard time! Have you
beat my record in the 3 point challenge on Wii sports or is it still
standing? Matt thanks for always making me laugh in your emails, it is
much needed right now! Thanks for being a great example to me! Meree,
How is the diet? I dont see why you need to diet. Diets are for
shmoos. How is working out? You got calves yet? Well i love you all
and i hope i will have alot to tell you after Zone Conference. Man it
is really nerve racking doing the trainings for an entire country.
Pray for me. Well i love you guys so much and again thanks for the
support and your love!
-Elder Seth Ryan Haynes
PS I am so sorry about not getting more pictures to you! Between this
lame camera and these third world computers its rather hard. Be
patient with me!
Time aint a thang! Yeah i dont know if you know but today is my 8
month mark! Man i just started. Time is nothing. So how was easter?
Any fun stuff happening that side? Our easter was pretty special! So
we had two baptisms. Grace and Mercy, twin sisters, were baptized by
their father who was baptized like 8 monthes ago. We have been
teaching them since i arrived in Dar. They are SMART girls. They are
six teen but they talk like they are 25. Man some of their questions
really kept us on our toes. We were very excited for them. So saturday
night we had correlation meeting with the Branch Mission Leader. This
guy is a slacker!!! Man he is frustrating. Anyway he was supposed to
fill the font that night so we wouldnt be doing it on sunday. So after
the meeting he asked the guard to fill it. Elder Kiggundu and i both
said no its okay lets wait till tomorrow its to late now. The guard
said no no no its fine i will remember to turn off the water. We both
again said no but this guy insisted. So we ignored the promptings of
the holy ghost(not smart i dont recommend it) and went home. So sunday
morning we get to the church and of course there is like an 2 inches
of water in the ENTIRE chapel! Happy Easter! The guard fell asleep!
Every member was scooping water and trying to mop it all up. DISASTER!
haha it was really funny at the same time. Luckily the whole chapel is
tile! So it was tempting to lather up and have a giant slip n slide.
haha But it was really cool to see everyone come together to get
something accomplished. We kept apologizing and the members were like
hey it is a blessing to serve. It was really cool. I think these guys
are finally catching the vision of the church. Anyway so we had a
great service and the baptisms were so cool and the girls bore some
really powerful testimonies after. It is great to see the fruits of
our labors. We then headed right after the service to a members home
for easter lunch. This mama can cook! Oh man i ate so much, then after
that great experience we headed to our house to drop off all the food
they sent with us. Then we headed to the Bagenzis for easter dinner!
haha i am not eating today. It was like thanksgiving i seriously
gained seven pounds. Seriously these people wont let you leave till
you eat everything they cook. I hope i come home in decent appeal.
haha but it was a great day. Without all the eggs and bunnies and what
not i really got to feel the great love of our saviour. Who knows why
eggs were introduced. "Okay we got this holiday where we celebrate the
resurection of jesus christ what shall we do to celebrate? Uh how
about eggs? What do eggs got to do with jesus? Alright we'll hide
them! Dont worry theres a bunny!" hahaha what is up with our wierd
traditions? Anyway it was good.
So we are doing great very overwhelmed but doing great. The
sisters arrived in Dar this last week. Wow talk about different. Man
so we only have african sisters serving in this mission so you think
they would be go getters cause its like the same enviornment. They
SHOULD just hit the ground running, Nay! These are the most needy why
did they come on mission sister missionaries! AH this week has been
exhausting! I mean there are amazing sisters but it is definetely not
these! Our zone is really struggling. Since i have been here in Dar
mine and my comps numbers are better than the rest of the zone
combined! It is really hard. I am at whitts end. Luckily Zone
Conference is this Friday so we can discuss things but the APs are
constantly asking me to fix it and i dont know how. I have tried all i
know how. They have a pride issue also having a young missionary lead
and council because they think they know how it should work. I have
been praying like crazy but it seems to be getting worse! We will see
if president has some insite. We are the biggest zone in th mission
now by far so we should be tearing it up! Whats the worst part about
it is our DLs are the worst ones setting the bad example for the rest.
Pray for us Please!
Well I hope you are all doing good! I know the spring fishing
trip should be this week! I am so stoked to hit slam cove when i get
home. Man it is hard having conversations with these guys about what
we do for fun in america. They look at me like i am so wierd. They
dont see fishing is exciting at all. Anyway, Bronzen congrats on your
win against canyon view! I would tell you to pack your bags if you
lost to them. haha i dont think we lost any game against them while i
was in high school. Meree, Ryan Palmer has been accepted into the
dental hygeine program! He is such a stud! Do you guys ever get to
grace good old conrad carwash with your presence anymore! I think i
will work there when i get back. Miles and jeremy are back from
mission and both are working there again. haha I think Miles bleeds
conrad blue! So i feel bad about not voice recording you guys i dont
know what to talk about cause anything interesting i write in email.
So maybe if you give me a list of random questions it will be able to
get a nice little voice recording for you next week. Oh my goodness.
May 6th is so stinking close! Man once again time aint a thang. So i
have a specific question for matt, What do i do to help my zone? DDMs
are only conducted for the sake that we are supposed to and no one
listens to the ZLs. Please I am in need! Porter! You are such a little
stud! I have listened to your recording of you singing like ten times.
I felt the spirit so strong i teared up. I bet matt and meree were
proud of you! So have you got a girl friend yet? With a voice like
that you should be beating them off with a stick! Keep being a great
big brother to Owen and dont give bronzen such a hard time! Have you
beat my record in the 3 point challenge on Wii sports or is it still
standing? Matt thanks for always making me laugh in your emails, it is
much needed right now! Thanks for being a great example to me! Meree,
How is the diet? I dont see why you need to diet. Diets are for
shmoos. How is working out? You got calves yet? Well i love you all
and i hope i will have alot to tell you after Zone Conference. Man it
is really nerve racking doing the trainings for an entire country.
Pray for me. Well i love you guys so much and again thanks for the
support and your love!
-Elder Seth Ryan Haynes
PS I am so sorry about not getting more pictures to you! Between this
lame camera and these third world computers its rather hard. Be
patient with me!
8 Months Already?
Well hello!!!
Another week! So can you believe i have been out almost 8 months? Crazy right! Time be a flyin! Wow so i got some news for you good and bad. Mostly bad! Every comp i like I get for one transfer. So me and elder kiggundu are being split. He will be training and i am getting Elder Chimbetete. He is From Zim. We are also getting sisters in the zone :( so we will be the biggest zone in the mission. I am still a ZL and it is stressful. I am ready to be released! Sorry i dont have much time to write today, but know i am doing good and time is flying by. I will have much more to report next week. I love you all
Elder haynes
Another week! So can you believe i have been out almost 8 months? Crazy right! Time be a flyin! Wow so i got some news for you good and bad. Mostly bad! Every comp i like I get for one transfer. So me and elder kiggundu are being split. He will be training and i am getting Elder Chimbetete. He is From Zim. We are also getting sisters in the zone :( so we will be the biggest zone in the mission. I am still a ZL and it is stressful. I am ready to be released! Sorry i dont have much time to write today, but know i am doing good and time is flying by. I will have much more to report next week. I love you all
Elder haynes
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)