September 5, 2011

Elder Job (from the Netherlands) and Elder Hulme

In the Suriname style Dutch, the word Gerechte is used as the english "dish" and Kwak is one of these dishes.  It's made from Kassava and ginger and quite good.  That's a really good translation though, I laughed at least.  I didn't get any shoes because they were all so awful.  I'm going to look into finding a cobbler.  In another few minutes, the Jansens will pick us up and take us to their house to eat, and we as a whole zone will be watching the newest Joseph Smith movie with lots of extra footage and stuff.  I'm happy to go and will enjoy being able to relax a bit.  I hope to find some more time to study though.  I've realized that I don't know nearly enough about repentance and forgiveness and things. 

Upon further investigation, Ricardo had been reading, just when Jerome wasn't home, so he didn't know about it.  That cleared him for baptism, and Brother Ricardo Babel is the newest member of the Wanica Branch.  It was great seeing him prepare and make the covenant.  It also really built up Dudie, the referrer of Ricardo. Dudie is the girlfriend of Ricardo's older brother.  She explained that while Lucian was giving his talk on the Holy Ghost she really was struck by it.  She really wants to get married so she'll not longer be living in sin.  I hope they take care of that quickly.  I think if you've been dating for 5 years and you're still not married, that is just bad planning and a bad idea. 

Zone conference was Saturday.  It was nice, we had President Gamiette present, and also President Vinas a member of the first quorum of the 70, meaning he is a general authority. All members of the 1st and 2nd quorums of the 70 are general authorities. I didn't know that until this weekend.  We talked about the atonement.  Many of the thoughts shared were verses that I felt I had been lead to in the month previous.  It was a cool experience seeing that God really has been leading and guiding me all along the way.  We got our transfer calls - Elder Job and I are staying in Wanica!  I'm so pleased with that.  Elder Tullis and Elder Fernandez will be working in Koewarisan, another area in our district.  I'm glad to be able to go on exchanges with them and have a good time with them.  

This whole week seemed abnormally hard, and stressful, and failure ridden.  I think, however, that Elder Job and I learned a lot due to the stress.  We organized a young men's activity, since there is no young men's president or anything.  It was a success all in all, but we didn't have as many people there as what would have been ideal.  We're doing a "learn to make a kite" activity on Thursday.  Elder Job did that one pretty much all by himself - I was very proud of him for it.  

I'm out of time, enjoy life.

Elder Hulme

August 22, 2011

Life is good here in the Carribean.  It's hot and sweaty and our washing machine is still awful, but we eat like kings and have been working hard, and learning a ton in doing so. 
Roberto got dropped, I may have mistyped Ricardo, who will be on the 3rd of September.  Good work at Payson lake, and good luck building a garage.  I think that once you get it on there, nobody will have anything to complain about right?  The number of houses here without a garage is many. 

Could I get some photos of Lacey's wedding thingy?  That sounds nice absolute.  Tell her hi for me too if you can.  Also the rest of that family.  Is Tyler still around?  Oh, I sent Jayson a letter to his mission address.  And one to Elder Knecht.  

I found a way to trick this computer into letting me send photos.  I hope it works.  If it does, this is me and Ricardo.  He doesn't speak Dutch or English.  I can only communicate with him in Sranan Tongo, or in Paramakans if I could speak that.  He was sick with evil spirits for a long time, and he's been completely better since he's been coming to church.  He smiles way big, it makes everyone else smile.  He's also quite possibly one of the largest people I've ever met.  His arms are like trees. 

Elder Hulme and Ricardo

The other one is me and Elder Job being photo friendly in the cyber, because we haven't taken any pictures together yet.  It's been too busy with missionary work for things as futile as that.  I did however go to Koewarisan on exchanges.  It was so incredibly beautiful there.  The locals claim that it is the garden of Eden.  Elder Lundgren and I had a good time, I've always wanted to work with him. 

Elder Hulme and Elder Job

We are going with the Zone Leaders to buy Elder Job a new bicycle.  Its about time, all the time playing bike wars didn't do as much damage to my bike as allowing him to use it.  It's ok though, I still love him.  

I studied the Atonement this morning.  It was intense I learned a lot and understand a lot better what's going on right now.  I love reading the scriptures, and Amulek is a good teacher.  Alma 34 is one of my favorite places to learn.  Verses 42-46 blew my mind. 

We taught a less active recent convert this week.  ZR Wijngaarde, she doesn't like taking the bus to church, so we were calling to set up a ride for her.  Mid phone call, our phone died and we lost the call.  Elder Job and I both prayed for a way to make the call knowing that this would be able to get the woman to come to church.  We asked someone, and they happened to have the same phone as us, so we just borrowed the battery long enough to make the call.  Cool little miracle. 

I honestly have no idea what else happened this week. 

Two new missionaries came into the zone this week.  One being trained by Elder Guinn, the other by Elder Pederson (who just got here 3 months ago, he's good). 

I love you all lots.  Thanks for not forgetting I exist. 

-Elder Hulme

 

The Monkey

Yes my Dutch is improving a ton.  Elder Job speaks perfect English.  It seems that the only country in which you don't learn another language is the United States.  Also, everyone learns English from TV and video games... That makes it easier I'm sure. 

I had no Idea that Eric and Austin were already mission ready, that came so fast.  Ghana Africa is the highest baptizing mission in the world last I heard.  East side of Brazil should be similar to where I'm serving.

I drove to French Guyana today.  Turns out if you don't stay there very long and if you leave at 6:15 in the morning, it's not too long of a trip. We arrived in Paramaribo at 3:15.  It was basically uneventful.  I had some guy yell at me when I asked him where I could pee.  I don't understand why people are so easily mad.  Volgens mij is het net als wat we lezen in 1Nephi16:2 waarin als je een grote zondaar ben, het word makkelijk om pijn te voelen in God's licht.  Ik heb geen Nederlands naar jullie gestuurd in een lange tijd.  Hopelijk schrijf Ik duidelijk genoeg voor je google translator. 

 

The Monkey.

Wednesday was great.  We had an appointment fall through at about 2:30, the absolute hottest part of the day.  So we were chilling in the shade of a tree cooling down a bit before going back into the sun.  We started talking about monkeys and before we left we prayed that whoever has a monkey that we find that day would be baptized.  We then went about our business for the day.  6:30 appointment fell through, and as we were walking away, I asked the woman that we were going to visit if she knew anyone with a pet monkey in the area.  She pointed out where, and we found the monkey.  Klopte de deur en er kwam een jonge buiten, we vroegen hem als hij het goed zou vinden om van Het Boek van Mormon te lezen.  Hij zei ja, zo we deelde een les met hem en z'n broetje.  Het was een geweldige les en ze vroegen ons om terug te komen.  

Looks like they have a real chance at progressing.  Oh, and their names are Roberto and Dilano.  Nothing in this country is spanish except the names. 

Thursday was great.  We found 9 new investigators on Thursday.  I've had entire weeks where we didn't find that many new investigators.  The only issue was that none of those ones in particular were from members. We're going to be working on that this week.  Elder Job is great to work with.  He's not scared of the people or of teaching or anything it seems. 

Oh!!! big news.  Marina, our investigator in Munder, got baptized on Saturday!  Boy was that good to hear too.  All those days wondering what we could do to help her, fasting with her and praying with her really payed off when Elder Guinn told me about that baptism.  And the family that we found together, family Roos, is still progressing and doing really well. 

I love you all. 

-Elder Hulme

In Wanica with New Missionary

I finally got grandma's package, and it was wonderful.  Everything was still fresh and uninfested by ants.  (VaLene speaking - we shipped that package the ordinary way clear back in the middle of April!  It took 3.5 months to arrive!)


The Wanica apartment is nasty filthy, but I've found new shirts and socks there, so I don't have to buy any more new ones:) I will likely want to get the shirts tailored, but that's way cheaper than new ones and more custom fit. We'll hopefully have a half hour or so to clean it, but I'm not sure because Elder Job's proved to be quite a bike killer.  He keeps up though, so that's way good.  He's from Holland, and has been helping me a ton in learning the language.  He was born, however, in Curacao, and both his parents come from there.  Its nuts when I realize that he's only been a missionary for  24 days. I assume he knows things that there is no way he would know.  He's cool, loves working hard, and is full of ideas and ways to improve, I love it.  I don't have a way to send photos, I need to purchase a card reader next week, because I don't have one.  


We got to Wanica, taught Elder Tullis' investigators twice (he's in Blauwgrond) and determined that they weren't progressing and had to be dropped.  All but one, the boyfriend of Vallerie Ritveld.  We taught him last night and realized he has absolutely no testimony of the Restoration.  No biggy, I know how that can come to someone.  The issue is that he's supposed to be baptized in 12 days.  Wow!  So I need to figure out how to get him studying hard and stuff.  I'm out of time, sorry.
-Elder Hulme

Transfer to Wanica

I got your package!  Thanks so much, pictures were number 1!  I still haven't seen or heard anything about grandma's.  Thanks also for putting cash in the box, it makes it a lot easier to pay for.  

After the trip to the binnenland, Elder Guinn and I thought we were going to get busted hard.  We called the assistants and asked them about it, they asked President Gamiette, and nothing happened.  The whole thing turned out just fine.  


Transfers
I got a crazy crazy transfer call.  I'll be working in Wanica.  I get to serve as a trainer for an elder fresh out of the MTC name Elder Job.  He's from the Netherlands, but his parents are from Curacao.  He arrives Wednesday morning at like 2, and I'll be working in Wanica with Elder Tullis until he arrives.  I'm very relieved (and a little sad) to not be the zone leader anymore.  That's a really big mantle and I can feel the weight of it lifting off me already.  I will miss driving though.  I get to learn Dutch from a native now too, that will help lots.  Elders Guinn and Pederson will also be training.  Their trainees got stuck due to visa delays, but they shouldn't be held up long though.  Elder Norton is going back to being zone leader, with Elder Scott, who will be coming back from Guyana - he left a few months ago and gets to come back.  
I'm down with going to BYU, I'm a bit torn between BYU and UofU.  BYU has a good scene, but I think UofU does too.  I like this list of ideas.  I've been pondering about becoming a physics professor.  If I do it at BYU, I could also remain associated with CES, where I could further improve my teaching skills.  
Marina is doing well, she will be baptized on the 6th of August.  We found a family too, the Roos. That means pink.  They are sweet, and should be baptized soon


There was that same iguana who used to live in the tree outside my window, we found where he's living now.  He was hanging out on our big water tank this morning.  So we started chasing him around.  What it finally came to was us walking around behind this boomkip and now he's stuck on our balcony where we chill on the hammock.  Pets are not allowed, but I don't think it's bad to leave nature where nature wants to live right?  


Studies have been a lot on obedience if you can see the irony there.  There is this quote by Bruce R McConkie "Faith is a gift of God bestowed as a reward for personal righteousness.  It is always given when righteousness is present, and the greater the measure of obedience to God's laws the greater will be the endowment of Faith."  If you mix this quote with Ether 12:12 you get miracles.  So I've been trying to become more righteous.  Trying to lift myself from the physical to the spiritual side of things.  Then yesterday morning I received some of the best revelation I've ever received, it came from a talk given by Kevin W. Pearson. "The ability to focus and be steadfast , continually holding fast to true principles, nothing wavering, even when the mist of darkness confronting us is exceedingly great.  This quality of faith is exceedingly powerful."  When things get rough and the mist gets thicker what can you do?  There are really only two options.  Stop and start sliding backwards, or press forward.  Using Lehi's vision, how would one take steps forward?  If you can't see anything but want to get to the tree, what could lead you there?  There's only one thing really, the word of God.  It's been a good week of studies.

I haven't written a letter in 4 months, sorry everyone.  Actually, I did send Tyler a post card a few weeks ago.
I love you all lots, hope these photos go through easy.
-Elder Hulme

Binnenland, Mud Puddles, Circumstance, and Faith

Thank you all for the ideas on my future, could I ask someone to compile them?  I don't know if that's too much. 

It was requested that we go to the binnenland (inland country) before the end of the transfer.  90% of the country of Suriname is uninhabited Tropical Rainforest.  We went to a part of the inhabited rainforest this morning.  Elder Guinn and I spent some time making plans and phone calls this week and got permission to go to the interior and we did, at about 6:30 this morning.  We drove out there with the bus, I was driving, and the Jansens in the truck and a member guide.  We took off for what we thought would be a great day.  We planned to go up there, do a hike to a waterfall, eat some lunch and then come back and be home around two.  Notice it is now 5.  

About 20 Kilometers before you reach the parking place, you begin on a dirt road.  Dirt roads in the Amazon are awesome, massive massive puddles of water.  The issue is that this water got into our engine, and about half way in the car stopped in a big puddle, not so deep that we couldn't get out, but it was stopped.  Everyone started flipping out, and wondering what we were going to do.  Our guide, who is Broeder Holman, (whose name when spoken sounds similar to my name and I kept getting confused), took out the filter, and sprayed some aerosal bug spray into the engine and got the car running again.  So, we continued deeper into the jungle.  Then we got to this big big hill, with big ruts and a very steep decline on the left side.  As we drove, the bus lost traction and slid into the rut and we got stuck.  (I'm sorry that this story isn't written in a way that is fun to read, but I'm trying to type quickly.) Now some of the Elders were getting somewhat uncomfortable.  I was loving the whole thing.  Just giggling about the entire experience, being in the middle of the jungle with one local and a bunch of white people.  It was decided that we'd ditch the bus after getting it unstuck, and walk the rest of the way to the parking lot.  I took a picture of a monkey, but have no way to send pictures.  It was a nice walk, and at the parking lot they had these crazy birds that I don't think can fly.  They are black, about as big as a chicken, and have this helmet of grey feathers.  They also have some green and purple on their neck (think male mallard).  They make noises like the sound effects on the Donkey Kong game for Super Nintendo.  By the time we got to the place, we had time to eat lunch, hike back, and go home.  We didn't really have time, because we were way late, but we did it anyway.  There was a nice lookout at the parking lot though, that was cool.

Photos stolen by VaLene without permission from Sis. Jansen's Facebook 

The whole experience really proved the point that sometimes what you planned simply doesn't happen.  But if you go about yourself enjoying it, it ends up being way more fun that what you had expected.  But I still got scared because president Gamiette told us specifically to be home before 2, but we didn't even go home yet and it's 5:40.  What a great adventure.  We have to personally fund the fuel and stuff (we have to buy the car a new filter I think). 

Must be the monkey Xander spoke of

President Gamiette tried to teach me this principle, and I've been experiencing it ever since.  This principle I will explain right now:

There are two factors, circumstance, and faith.  Circumstance can come in many forms; i.e., you were placed in a bad branch or area, you don't like your companion, the members aren't helpful, your plans fell through, you can't reach your daily goals, etc.  Now, circumstance like this is unavoidable, nothing will work out perfectly.  The choice we have is how we react.  If I get to my 5pm appointment and it falls through, and the member who was going to come bailed and everything falls to pieces, this is a bad circumstance.  This is where faith can come in.  My desires, my thoughts, and my actions if mixed together becomes my faith.  If I desire to still have a good day, I'll think about what I can do to create it, and then I'll perform in a way that brings a good day.  If my desires are to chill, or simply do mediocre missionary work, or anything like that, I'll think about those things and act accordingly.  Abraham 3:23.  God made us his rulers.  If I choose to rule the situation, I become this ruler, this creator.  If I choose to let the situation rule me, I'm wasting God's time.  I have loved experimenting with this principle all week.  

Marina is going to be baptized on the 6th of August.  I don't know how she'll get free from her chinese boss, but we'll figure something out.  I'm so glad to be seeing her progress.  Zuma taught the best Law of Chastity lesson ever on Sunday.  It's not quite as monumental as what happened with you home boys on Sunday, but I enjoyed it.  We also had Brother Chin give one of the best talks I've ever heard, he spoke about work.  How it is a principle of the Gospel.   He's been a member longer than anyone in the branch, he's also been less active for longer than anyone else has been a member.  He was ordained to be a priest last week, and is doing well.  

I'm doing very well, I'm busy but good.  I love you all a ton.  Thanks for the Birthday whatups.

-Elder Hulme

my hands hurt from typing

7/11/11

4th of July with the Jansens was gezeleg. They put up all these American flags with Dutch flags next to them. There was one that looked like a tattoo that a man on a Harley would possess. Zr Jansen made us hamburgers, and really they were top 3 of the best hamburgers I've ever had, not very American at all though. They take good care of us, and I'll be eating there on Thursday for lunch :). It's nice being with the car, because they are always needing us to come over for one reason or another, so we have more interactions with them than normal. Their grandson is going to be here for the next 3 weeks. He's 16 and is doing what's called a mini mission. He's here working with a pair of elders for two weeks, then he'll spend a week with only the Jansens. It sounds like a pretty good gig for a well behave 16 year old. I think at that age for me, I wouldn't have enjoyed it very much.



Oh, If you ever see Ande's chocolates that are the crunchy toffee flavor, don't be fooled, they are awful, and cost 11SRD.

Pres. Gamiette flew in Wednesday night, and we picked him up Thursday morning for zone conference. Our portion was shortened down to 20 minutes because he wanted to talk more about planning, then it got shortened again to about 8 minutes. It was pretty easy, and we only covered one topic. Pres. Gamiette is brilliant, absolutely the best teacher I've ever encountered. He ended up teaching basically the whole experience. But the real treat came from my interview. One on One with him for about 45 minutes, it was super. I expressed concerns about how long it's been since I've baptized, and he said that if I begin teaching better, contacting better, and repenting more, "we'll see if you don't baptize" the whole experience gave me a lot of hope, and drive to do better. I never have enough time to study and ponder all the things that seem necessary to study and ponder.

We talked to Ruben Saturday. He explained how the Book of Mormon gave him nightmares, and how he believes that it is not of God but of man. He gave the book back and asked us not to return. This blew me away. I was so bummed. We now have 0 families to work with again. We've got to find a whole new teaching pool. We have one girl with a baptismal date for August 6th. I think she'll make it, she's best friends with Zuma, and we think they should get married. Zuma will put his papers in in a few weeks, I'm so happy for him. I was a bit bummed to learn that the only Suriname missionary now is Elder Hoepel, and he goes home the exact same time I do. He'd be returning to be in this branch too, we've only got one returned missionary in this branch, and that's Ritchi Bishesar, and he still needs to finish his mission. Ritchi is good though, his younger brother is also working on his papers, we just need to help him fill them out.
One of the areas, Wanica, is District leadered by my old companion Elder Bytendorp. I learned a lot of good things while working with Elder Bytendorp. It's his last transfer, then he goes home in the middle of August. I'll be eating lunch at Burger King with him in about 35 minutes.

It's interesting reading from the BoM and seeing how closely even missionaries, servants of God can follow the Nephi, Sam, or Laman and Lemuel pattern. There is:
Yes of course, I don't know how but I will do it.
Ok, I'll try
That's going to be hard.... I don't know... Whose Idea was this?



I try to never assume that I'm out of the range of being in these categories.

I used to sleep on my side or stomach. I hit the bed so hard now, that I lay down on my back to wait a little while to cool off before I get under my blanket, and wake up when the alarm goes off not having moved at all.
Thanks for all the birthday love
-Elder Hulme