Insights from the Islands: the Musings of Elder Massey: I See Fire!

Well, not too sure where to start at with this week, but here goes.

This week was week 2 in Santa Maria, and Elder Crooks and I began to see the fruits of our labors coming forth. We'd been working hard to get our 10 contacts a day in hopes to find new people, and while we didn't see a lot of success from it the first week, this past week brought a lot of good work for us. You coooould say that our area was on fire.

We were extremely lucky to find this one couple (who actually had contacted us) named Adriano and Darliza, they were just about the coolest find we had. When we first sat down with them, it was only with Darliza, who told us how she'd gone to the church in the other main city on Sal, Espargos, back when she was 10 or 12 or so, and was already pretty familiar with what we believe in, and when we had the opportunity to talk with them together, Adriano expressed to us how he'd been searching to find a church, having not had a religion for something like 13 years. They were SUPER receptive to everything we said, answered all our questions with super good answers, and told US that they would be coming to church on Sunday. True to their word, they were waiting for us by 9:40 Sunday morning, so we could walk with them to church which starts a 10. It was so sick to see, especially having not seen enthusiasm like that for a while. I'm pumped about it.

We also taught this super rad Brazilian guy (don't ask me to try and spell his name, I do not know how) who's been working here as a tour guide for diving at one of the hotels. In teaching him, I'm pretty sure my Portuguese went down the drain because of how nervous I was to be speaking to a REAL native speaker. With Cape Verdeans, it's a bit different because they've had to learn Portuguese just like us, while this guy spoke with an INCREDIBLE Brazilian accent, but he too was super receptive to everything, and even accepted a baptismal date off our first visit with him.

We ran into the strange Elohim-guy again on the street yesterday (he's NUTS) and he waas trying to stop us to talk to him to 'tell him the word of God', but Elder Crooks knew the guy was out of his mind, so we kept trying to walk, but he grabbed our arms and told us to stop. I was like, 'man, what the heck are we supposed to do?' and Elder Crooks looks at me and (in perfect form) says, 'Break the wrist, walk away, break the wrist, walk away' (a Napolean Dynamite quote) which just about killed me and made me start laughing. The guy sat down and told us, 'Jesus wants you to talk to me', so we left him with a Restoration pamphlet, and kept on going. It was SUPER strange, and also really funny.

Elder Crooks and I found a lot of good things going on for us, we felt that our area was doing super well, and we've been PUMPED to see what it's all gunna bring for us.

Until we got a phone call Sunday night from President Mathews.

Turns out, since the mission is losing something like 30 missionaries in the next 5 or so months and only gaining 10, that some areas need to be closed down. Since Santa Maria isn't that big of a city, and not a ton of baptisms are happening, one companionship is getting taken out. Unfortunately for us, we happen to be those two Elders getting moved.

SO, after spending two short, wonderful, and super fun weeks in Sal, I'm going to Fogo, while Elder Crooks is going to Praia. In all honesty, I'm pretty bummed, because I've been having SUCH a great time here, like this area is SO awesome, but, sometimes I guess stuff doesn't go the way we always want it to. So, on my fourth transfer, I'll be heading to my fourth area, Cova Figueira, to serve with my fourth companion, Elder Gunther, who goes home at the end of this transfer. Both Elder Crooks and I were shocked, and also decently upset, but, really, we can't do anything about it. It's a new opportunity for the both of us, even if our time together was too short.

I guess it's safe to say I'll be seeing Fire (aka, Fogo) pretty soon here. I'm heading out at 1:45 this afternoon. As for now, I'm saying so-long to Sal, having spent not nearly a long enough time. I'm gunna be missing the shwarma here something mighty.

That's all for this week folks, updates on my third island will follow next week! Love ya!

Elder Massey