Montego Bay -10

 

One year burning of the shirt

This past week was Elder Jones' last full week in Jamaica. He leaves a couple weeks early to get back before the semester starts. He leaves this upcoming Saturday. Our week started off great, but ended a bit rough as we were quarantined because Elder Jones' caught a virus that has been spreading around the mission. Luckily, I was able to do a few exchanges with the other MoBay elders. They were happy to do that seeing that one of them would be in the air conditioned truck.

Last Sunday (8 days ago) we taught a 'branch mission fireside' with our legendary branch mission leader and some branch missionaries. It was held for an hour after church and most everybody stayed. I love the Montego Bay branch. It's so different than any other branch in Jamaica and the world. In the other wards I've been in it's not as lively. You almost have to pull their teeth to get someone to comment. But the MoBay branch is ALIVE. Everyone is almost fighting to share experiences and comments. I love it. The fireside went well, and we gave the members a copy of the Book of Mormon (or "The Book of the Normons" or the "Normon Bible" as Jamaicans call it). We committed them to set it somewhere in the house where they'd see it, pray about it over the week, fast about it in the upcoming fast Sunday, and to identify who they want to share the gospel with. At church yesterday we had 2 members in our area bring a friend to church. One is a lady in her 30s that came with ~3-4 'pickne' (kids). She enjoyed church. The other was a young man, probably in his early 20s who is dating one of the young women in the branch. We have appointments scheduled with them for this week.

Audrei is doing well. She's still just waiting for JPS to get the light up. It 'soon come' though. We're praying that she'll be baptized this Sunday!

Likkle more and nuff love

Elder Ritchie

Montego Bay - 9

(Hump Day package from home)

Yesterday was Emancipation Day in Jamaica, so our P-Day was moved to today. This past week was my 'hump week.' This past Friday I hit my year mark. As I thought back over the year I was so grateful for these 12 months of service and growing experiences. I love being in Jamaica. Love being a missionary. Definitely the most meaningful, worthwhile, and smart thing that a young person can choose to do.

Elder Jones and I taught zone meeting this past Wednesday. In prayer, study, and preparation for it, we both felt good on talking about vision/achieving goals. The prophet Enos is a great example of getting answers to his prayers. In his one chapter book, he received several promises/answers to his several questions/pleas.

Enos :12 - "And it came to pass that after I had prayed and labored with all diligence, the Lord said unto me: I will grant unto thee according to thy desires, because of thy faith."

Pray with diligence + Labor with diligence + Desires + Faith

Those are some of the principles that we pulled out from Enos. Some principles that we're striving to always use diligently in our area, and hopefully now the Northcoast Zone.

That evening we went home teaching with a brother in the ward. He's in his 30s, and RM, and a solid member. It's been difficult for him to make it every week to chruch because he works at a golf course, but this past month he's made the effort to really get back into it all. We visited an older sister, who is one of the pioneers of the church in Montego Bay. She's recently had a stroke and isn't as 'there' as she used to be. She's been a 'shut-in' for several months now. The Spirit was so powerful as we assisted this man in his home teaching. She was so happy to see someone from the church. After the visit, she asked him to giver her Priesthood blessing. Really a great opportunity for all of us there to gain/strengthen our testimony on home teaching.

Likkle more,

Elder Ritchie

pics 1/2 - Year Mark package

pic 3 - District lunch on P-Day at Pier 1

pic 4 - .....