Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Christmas Arrived 4 Weeks Late

Thank you, thank you, Thank you!!!!
I got your package this week.  This was the best Christmas ever!  
There was a box of chocolates
The tools I needed
and a Wonderful scrapbook
I am sure you smiled when I said a scrapbook would be a good birthday present.

Here's what's up with the work this week. 
We had to drop Franklin, he's a member referral who was very promising, had a baptismal date and everything, then when he asked his mom what he should do, she said that since he was born muslim, he should remain muslim.  There is a lot more to the story but that's enough for now.  

I still struggle knowing how to get people to church, which is tough because it's so necessary for someone's conversion.  This week we had no investigators and only one less-active member.  Usually we at least have 4 less active members, but this week was a bust.  
Our other two investigators are still on hold too.  Iben lives in the jungle apparently, and keeps going into the Binnenland(jungle) because his sister is sick.  He's still never been to church.  Stephen asked us to wait a few weeks before we start teaching him. I think of Alma 34:34 when people say that.  

We did a cool competition on Thursday, it was me and Elder Bell, vs Elder Norton and Elder Freeman.  We decided to see who could get more contacts in one day, the finals were
us: 39
them: 25
It didn't seem very fair because how bad we beat them, but they can purchase us lunch now.  

I gave a talk on one of my favorite scripture passages.  It's Nephi's vision consisting of 1 Nephi11-15, but I only read from the part later when Nephi is talking about it in 2 Nephi 31.  Verses 5-13 are way good.  I can't really imagine having the voice of the Father and also the voice of the Son speaking to you.  When it was over, Zuma said that he thought I wasn't prepared. I tried to explain that I was plenty prepared, but just stumbled over my words a bit.  If nothing else it was fun for me, maybe someone understood something I said.  

You should fatify a picture of me (This is in reference to a FatBooth photo I sent him of me). I want to see how I'll look at the end of my mission.

This is actually bird poop.  The birds eat various seeds and the poop is enough to grow these big huge plants.

Me and Elder Bell

This is Elder Norton, my District Leader

I love it here in Suriname.


Friday, January 21, 2011

Jansen's blog

Elder Hulme has mentioned the very kind senior missionary couple that oversee the elders in Suriname. They are named Jansen. He told us of their blog and finally got us a url to use. If you use Google Chrome it will translate it for you. They seem like great people. It is nice to know that they are there. Read here. I am intrigued that it translates their name to Jones.

Monday, January 17, 2011

1/10/11 and 1/17/11 Update

I keep realizing how much of my mission has passed.  I'm getting a bit frustrated because I had hoped to have baptized half of Suriname at this point in time, do the second half next year.  I do however understand that baptisms do not measure success, but it sure does feel good to see someone repenting and becoming better.  


The work here seems to be stopped dead in it's tracks.  We have 0 progressing investigators, nobody was able to make it to church, members have been dropping the ball on us and I can't get to the bottom of it, or rather, figure out why all this isn't working.  There is no recipe for converting people, but I'd hope that more people would at least be able to talk to us.  Yesterday for example, we had every single one of our plans fall through, we spent the whole day talking to grumpy Hindu folk, and have nothing to show for it.  I just keep telling myself that it's part of the game, I trust that the Lord has something big in store for us if we bear with patience our afflictions.  I've been learning a lot, still love studying from Preach My Gospel with the scriptures.  Yesterday we had a broadcast for the whole Caribbean area, from Elder Oaks and President Uchdorf.  I am bad here where it is so hot, because I've never gone to a whole meeting without dozing off.  The only talk I heard was President Uchdorf. I liked it a lot.  

I was studying yesterday about praying with faith.  It's in chapter 4 of Preach My Gospel if you want to look it up.  It lists like 15 things that missionaries should do and think and have during praying.  One of them stuck out to me, it was praying by the Spirit.  At first, I thought it was dumb, because if I prayed by the spirit it would then be God talking to himself, but thought that that likely was not the answer.  I studied it out a little bit more, and realized this; God has a whole bunch of blessings he's ready to give us if we ask.  If we ask for things that he doesn't want to give us, he won't give it to us.  If you pray by the spirit, you will ask for the things he's ready to give you, making the whole experience far more fruitful.  Beautiful revelation for a Sunday morning.  Praying is hard, and became more engaging and challenging.  

I will be giving a talk on Sunday.  I don't know what about yet, but that should be fine.  I like the verse in D&C where it says to treasure up continually the words of life and it shall be given you what you should say, I'll likely have to simply do that, now that I'm down to the last week of preparation.  Yes it's going to be in Dutch.



We played ultimate frisbee this morning as a zone, it was way fun.  
I was passed the frisbee and was chasing it, having two defenders and dove and won the game.  Well we were already winning, but it was even more winned after this other point.  It was cool, I haven't before been one to dive for the frisbee.



I love you bunches.  Did you get my letter yet?  Has anyone got anything from me?  I think I've only sent one thing to the fam though... 
Thanks for all your support.
I think I'm going to go to school in China - they pay for you if you are learning Chinese.  
-Elder Hulme




Thursday, January 6, 2011

New Years

This photo nearly brought a tear to my (the mom's) eye.  That little boy is so cute, and he's wearing a shirt that Xander would have loved at that age, and I love how he's hanging onto these elders.  The 2011 glasses are so funny to me.

Xander mentioned a while back that he had some new pants made for him.  We're guessing that this is the guy who made them.

Some of the house in which they live.  They have the whole house for 4 elders.

An overgrown cemetery that Xander and Elder Bell found.

Xander's new bike.




Downtown Paramaribo?


New Years here is nuts.  It was completely unreal.  The entire sky was covered in huge fireworks, like the ones at "Stadium's on Fire", but they were all launched privately (not so many fireworks laws here).  The air was a bit foggy, and it looked and sounded like we were in a war zone.  The entire country is now covered in fireworks shrapnel.  


Grocery shopping here is so fun.  It's like a scavenger hunt every week.  Nobody has everything, but everybody has something.  I'm getting more savvy at shopping here though.  It's hard, but coming along.  Zone conference will be this Saturday.  I'll get to talk to President Gamiette again, which will be nice.  We're so stranded out here. We rarely hear from anyone, and very very rarely, once a quarter, have anyone travel to here.  I hope for a big inspirational boost.  I want to learn about goal setting and reaching.


I'm happy when I'm working.  I love you all.  My time here is being well spent.