Hey Fam,
So this week has been crazy. But full of great stuff. I will try not to expand so much. I know it gets a little boring and dry. So Mom no worries your not getting old. I have a list every week of what I am going to write home about. I don't want to forget anything. So I will get started....
Well Monday we had that big storm which I sent pictures of. It was fun to go down to the sea organ and hear it during a storm. I have a video but it was to big to attach so the pictures will have to do for now. I know I have been saying this for a while but I really am getting close to sending a camera card.
Tuesday we had district meeting. Because I am the district leader I get the ¨privilege¨ of planning and organizing that every week. It can be tough sometimes especially being so busy. But I am trying harder everyday to seek the Lords will for my small little district. I just want to be sure that I can be of the best help to the Lord in the work here in Zadar. So they are getting better. Just another opportunity to learn and grow. The better I get at this the better I will be able to lead board meetings when I am a CEO HAHA.
So Elvino that I talked about a little before, our investigator, is doing better. He is still so quiet and I keep trying to talk to him but he just is that way. I know this is such a different personality type to deal with lol. But we are working slowly and hope to be able to help him. His mom is really sick so I just want to let him know that he can find peace and hope in the Gospel. So cool experience this week. We were over teaching them and just talking with them both. His mom likes to talk to us a lot and just lays on her bed, because she is so sick, and says whatever see pleases her, which is not such a different personality type lol. Elvino had asked us to come and give her another blessing and so that was good that he requested it his time and it wasn't solicited to him by a member. So we went over and before we left Truman stood up and we walked over to her but then Truman just offered a pray at her bedside. I was so confused. Why wouldn't he give her a blessing. We sat down and talked a little more but I was just thinking that we should really give her a blessing. We have the priesthood. Anyone can offer a pray, but we have the priesthood and use it! I thought of the talk by Pres. Uchtdorf titled, ˝Your Potential, Your privilege˝ that he gave in priesthood session. I was convinced that we were living below our potential and not using the privilege that we had, at that moment. I thought well maybe I should give the blessing?? I quickly backed down to the fact that my companion had felt that a prayer was better and we should stick together on this. I left that apartment that night not pleased with myself at all. I knew that I should have said something and I didn't. As we walked home in silence I honestly felt that I had failed the Lord. He had sent me a prompting and an opportunity and I didn't take it. My night was ruined. As we got home I knew I had to say something to Truman. So I asked him, ˝why didn't you want to use your priesthood?˝ He of course felt attacked and I expressed to him what I was filling and why. He said maybe I wasn't supposed to use my priesthood. I knew then more clearly that a blessing was supposed to be given and by me. Dang it, I thought, I don't know Croatian but this lady is supposed to be given a blessing and I am the one who needs to give it. I took this as my second chance and without calling we walked back over and had explained that I was sorry but I forgot to do something before I left and asked if it would be ok that I give her a blessing. So I proceeded. It was hard to translate the voice of the Lord into Croatian. I knew that the language that I said it in was important only so that they could know what I was saying. As I finished Elvino told me I could have done it in English, I told him that she needed to be able to understand. I said thank you for the opportunity and we left.
That night I didn't just learn how to give an blessing in Croatian. I learned a great lesson that will bless me for the rest of my life. I have the priesthood. I can bless people's lives. The Lord is will to give me personal revelation only if I am willing to listen and follow. I was fortunate enough to have a second chance. I hope that I wont need 2 in the future that I can be bold enough and in tune enough to follow it the first time.
In other news we had a baptism this week. It was the daughter of a couple here. They are both members making this the FIRST EVER full family in Zadar! This is just another of those experience that I talked about last week about being able to see church history form here. It was great and now we just wait for them to be able to go to the temple together!
Last night we were at Elvino's again and they insist on feeding us every time we are over there. So they made us grilled pork chops. Don't be jealous they aren't that great. Then in the grease of that they fried eggs. I like fried eggs but even for me they had a bit to much grease. So on Trumans he was scrapping every last bit of grease. So just to tease Truman I told them that he loves eggs especially like this. He glared at me then said I will give you 100 Kuna ($20) if you eat these. I couldn't resist so I did it. I'm sure it was worth it though. I made 20 bucks on eating 2 eggs that just had a little extra grease. SWEET DEAL!
That is about all the fun for this week. President is working on breaking down the barrier between the countries. We already have a huge barrier called language, but he wants us to get to know and interact with each other more. So one of the sisters from here is in Slovenia this week. He told me he would be doing this with elders to so I may be going on a little trip to be a greenie again.
Ok Ryan this is for you but I want everyone to hear it. Timmeri Blair!! That is so weird to me! How did that even happen!? I'm pretty sure she hated me in high school. Have you kissed her yet. You cant possibly let Tommy beat you right now! When I heard that I squirmed a little like I imagine Dani does about her brother dating her friend. Well have fun!
Well I love you all and hope you have a great week!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Week 37
Hey Fam,
So the best thing out of all the Emails I got was the Utah BYU game. Oh how great was my joy! After hearing that there in sunshine in my soul today even though it is rainy here in Zadar. We got hammered on the way home from grocery shopping this morning. Ok enough about that. So everyone keep your heads straight with this next story, it's just a thought that quickly went away.
So my companion and I were listening to some takes by Elder Holland and we happen to come across one that was a devotional at BYU for the beginning of the school year. He was just basically bragging up BYU and there standards and school history and stuff. So you all know what an amazing speaker Elder Holland is. Well just to show how amazing he is, as he was talking I began to think wow this school doesn't sound all that bad, maybe I could handle it... WOW then I went and put on my Utes shirt and shorts and the thought ended, hopefully never to return again. Oh Holland, you have such a way with words. Then I also listened to a talk where he absolutely tore into the student body for booing their own quarter back. I wont say that Utah has never done that before because I'm not sure but I do know that they didn't win the award for most regrettable sports move of the year. The talk was about loyalty and I learned to also be loyal to my Utes. Ok now onto the real convincing of men, missionary work.
So everything has been going really good here. It is still hot but what can you do. We continue to go outside and work on our tans while staying as far away from the beach as possible, we don't want to get distracted. We have been working on trying to get the Book of Mormon out to more people, knowing that if they will just read it with an open heart and mind they will see the happiness it brings. So we headed out Thursday morning with each of us carry a backpack full of ˝Mormonava Knijga˝ Books of Mormon and went to work. Well after about an hour and a half we passed out one. He was so kind as to give us his number, that didn't work. So I will speak for myself when I say I got a little down about the whole thing. But no worries we smoothed it all over with some gelato!
This was the day after we headed up to Zagreb for a specialized training meeting, so special that everyone was invited. The way the mission is running now everyone is either a leader now or will soon be one. So going back to Zagreb felt like going home. I love it and maybe miss it a little but Zadar is the change I begged for and got and now love. It didn't help my Zagreb ˝homesickness˝ when a member from there came to church in Zadar on his way out to one of the close by islands. The meeting was great and based off a meeting that Pres Rowe just went to in Denmark for Mission Presidents all over. Elder Bednar lead the meeting.
I know that I said that everyone wants to be my companion because of my ˝tidiness˝ but I have begin to discover that this may be more of a blessing than a curse. This is in correlation to the deep frying which seems to be turning out the same day. So as my mothers child I clean when I get a little stressed out. Well our apartment is currently spotless including baseboards, blinds, and windowsills. The deep fryer however is a different story. It totally stuck it to me when I made the decision to clean it because it was so nasty. I tried everything we had and it did not meet my expectations. So I finished what I could and placed it on the top shelf, not to come down for another week and a half. I need to find a different, more productive, less time consuming stress reliever. I don't want this small idiosyncrasy to impose on my job to be a missionary. If no one can relate I still know that you can mom.
So we now have a progressing investigator, Elvino. He is the previous investigator that came to church upon our invitation the other week. He is really quiet which is proving to be somewhat of a challenge. But he is doing good. Keeping his commitments and coming to church without a problem. Operation baptism is fully underway.
I also had a cool experience this week. Well it was interesting to me at least. We met with one of our member to teach her how to teach a lesson for Relief Society. It was easy and fun but the great part game in the latter of the day when Elder Truman and I were walking home and I was thinking of what a unique and amazing mission I had heard. With my companion as the branch president, which yes happens often here, only two branches have native branch presidents, and only about 6 active members our job is to build this branch from nothing. Many of these members have no idea of what a fully functional ward or stake even runs like, so as we teach them the simple things that I was taught as a child, we get to have great experience. I told Truman that I don't care if we only have 5 members at church we get the opportunity to meet each of them one-on-one and teach them things that will help them for the rest of their lives.
Just a bit more on my comp as the Branch Pres. Bless his soul it is so hard im sure. The kid is a stress case! lol. He tells me that I keep him sane and is thankful for me always cracking a joke to keep the mood light.
Well I think that is about it from me this week. I love you all and hope everything is going well.
Love Elder Massey
So the best thing out of all the Emails I got was the Utah BYU game. Oh how great was my joy! After hearing that there in sunshine in my soul today even though it is rainy here in Zadar. We got hammered on the way home from grocery shopping this morning. Ok enough about that. So everyone keep your heads straight with this next story, it's just a thought that quickly went away.
So my companion and I were listening to some takes by Elder Holland and we happen to come across one that was a devotional at BYU for the beginning of the school year. He was just basically bragging up BYU and there standards and school history and stuff. So you all know what an amazing speaker Elder Holland is. Well just to show how amazing he is, as he was talking I began to think wow this school doesn't sound all that bad, maybe I could handle it... WOW then I went and put on my Utes shirt and shorts and the thought ended, hopefully never to return again. Oh Holland, you have such a way with words. Then I also listened to a talk where he absolutely tore into the student body for booing their own quarter back. I wont say that Utah has never done that before because I'm not sure but I do know that they didn't win the award for most regrettable sports move of the year. The talk was about loyalty and I learned to also be loyal to my Utes. Ok now onto the real convincing of men, missionary work.
So everything has been going really good here. It is still hot but what can you do. We continue to go outside and work on our tans while staying as far away from the beach as possible, we don't want to get distracted. We have been working on trying to get the Book of Mormon out to more people, knowing that if they will just read it with an open heart and mind they will see the happiness it brings. So we headed out Thursday morning with each of us carry a backpack full of ˝Mormonava Knijga˝ Books of Mormon and went to work. Well after about an hour and a half we passed out one. He was so kind as to give us his number, that didn't work. So I will speak for myself when I say I got a little down about the whole thing. But no worries we smoothed it all over with some gelato!
This was the day after we headed up to Zagreb for a specialized training meeting, so special that everyone was invited. The way the mission is running now everyone is either a leader now or will soon be one. So going back to Zagreb felt like going home. I love it and maybe miss it a little but Zadar is the change I begged for and got and now love. It didn't help my Zagreb ˝homesickness˝ when a member from there came to church in Zadar on his way out to one of the close by islands. The meeting was great and based off a meeting that Pres Rowe just went to in Denmark for Mission Presidents all over. Elder Bednar lead the meeting.
I know that I said that everyone wants to be my companion because of my ˝tidiness˝ but I have begin to discover that this may be more of a blessing than a curse. This is in correlation to the deep frying which seems to be turning out the same day. So as my mothers child I clean when I get a little stressed out. Well our apartment is currently spotless including baseboards, blinds, and windowsills. The deep fryer however is a different story. It totally stuck it to me when I made the decision to clean it because it was so nasty. I tried everything we had and it did not meet my expectations. So I finished what I could and placed it on the top shelf, not to come down for another week and a half. I need to find a different, more productive, less time consuming stress reliever. I don't want this small idiosyncrasy to impose on my job to be a missionary. If no one can relate I still know that you can mom.
So we now have a progressing investigator, Elvino. He is the previous investigator that came to church upon our invitation the other week. He is really quiet which is proving to be somewhat of a challenge. But he is doing good. Keeping his commitments and coming to church without a problem. Operation baptism is fully underway.
I also had a cool experience this week. Well it was interesting to me at least. We met with one of our member to teach her how to teach a lesson for Relief Society. It was easy and fun but the great part game in the latter of the day when Elder Truman and I were walking home and I was thinking of what a unique and amazing mission I had heard. With my companion as the branch president, which yes happens often here, only two branches have native branch presidents, and only about 6 active members our job is to build this branch from nothing. Many of these members have no idea of what a fully functional ward or stake even runs like, so as we teach them the simple things that I was taught as a child, we get to have great experience. I told Truman that I don't care if we only have 5 members at church we get the opportunity to meet each of them one-on-one and teach them things that will help them for the rest of their lives.
Just a bit more on my comp as the Branch Pres. Bless his soul it is so hard im sure. The kid is a stress case! lol. He tells me that I keep him sane and is thankful for me always cracking a joke to keep the mood light.
Well I think that is about it from me this week. I love you all and hope everything is going well.
Love Elder Massey
Elder Massey and his comp, soaked from the rain Ü
This lady and I, this is the place where we do service. We deliver lunches to older people who cant leave their apartments.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Week 36
Hey Fam,
So I have to admit this week has been very emotionally and physically draining. I had to help organize my first funeral in Croatia. There was a member here in Zadar that had been sick for awhile and in the hospital. She passed away on Tuesday and the rest of the week was consumed with trying to contact people and organize a service. Because the branches are so small here missionaries serve as branch presidents in some of the cities. Well my companion is the Branch President here and so we had a lot to do. From what we had known she didn't have any family. However, after having searched through her wallet we found a number and got in contact with some family members in Zagreb. So they came down here on Wednesday to be caught up to speed on what we had already done and organize some other things. I thought that maybe they would be mad that they weren't contacted sooner but they were really nice and very appreciative. So it was an interesting experience. The family was very considerate of her obligations to the church in the way that although she will be cremated she will be dressed in her temple clothes. My companion and I worked through the whole thing together and all is well now. It all ended, for us at least, with a small service here in Zadar before she is moved up to Zagreb where the family lives and the main service will be.
Throughout the whole thing I had a great opportunity! So I don't really know why but when missionaries serve as branch presidents they aren't really sustained or set apart. So when the week was getting really stressful and Elder Truman and I were thinking of what else we can do to help the branch and family he asked me if I could give him a blessing to help him. He spends a lot of time in the spare bedroom which has now been named ˝the revelation room˝ as that is where it is quieter and he studies in there. So as he came out from saying his personal prayers and we were talking he asked me to give him a blessing. As I begun, I took a deep breathe and my head began to spin and little. I was a bit nervous, I had never done this before. As I stood there with my hands on his head in silence for a moment I tried to clear my head as to be sure that what I said was from the Lord and not my own thought. This turned out to be a great experience. As I searched for the Lord's will to be dictated through me to my companion I could feel the spirit working through me and it was truly a great experience.
So that was one blessing for me this week, that I gave. But my companion managed to one up me this week. We went over to an investigators house and gave his mom a blessing. She is sick but we decided that it would be better to not bring our oil until they understood a little more about it. Well the member that accompanied us was so nice as to explain to her that next time we might bring the ˝holy oil˝. Wasn't that so nice of her!
The other blessing was to a member who had found out that she was pregnant this week and has had some problems with that so they asked Truman to give her a blessing. Her husband has been a member for about 3 months and told us that he anxiously awaits the day when he wont have to call on the missionaries to offer a blessing to a member of his family. It was great to hear that a recent convert already has such great goals for him and his family.
We played tourist last week after emails and I got lots of cool pics. Just for Lance I visited the 5 wells, Lion's gate, and the sea organ. This is along with all the b-e-a-utiful sunsets that I see off our balcony. I have attached a few.
So that is pretty much my week. Hopefully we can hit the ground running this week with the funeral over. I have specialized training on Wednesday in Zagreb and I am excited to ˝go home˝ for a day.
Well I love you all and hope you enjoy the pictures!
So I have to admit this week has been very emotionally and physically draining. I had to help organize my first funeral in Croatia. There was a member here in Zadar that had been sick for awhile and in the hospital. She passed away on Tuesday and the rest of the week was consumed with trying to contact people and organize a service. Because the branches are so small here missionaries serve as branch presidents in some of the cities. Well my companion is the Branch President here and so we had a lot to do. From what we had known she didn't have any family. However, after having searched through her wallet we found a number and got in contact with some family members in Zagreb. So they came down here on Wednesday to be caught up to speed on what we had already done and organize some other things. I thought that maybe they would be mad that they weren't contacted sooner but they were really nice and very appreciative. So it was an interesting experience. The family was very considerate of her obligations to the church in the way that although she will be cremated she will be dressed in her temple clothes. My companion and I worked through the whole thing together and all is well now. It all ended, for us at least, with a small service here in Zadar before she is moved up to Zagreb where the family lives and the main service will be.
Throughout the whole thing I had a great opportunity! So I don't really know why but when missionaries serve as branch presidents they aren't really sustained or set apart. So when the week was getting really stressful and Elder Truman and I were thinking of what else we can do to help the branch and family he asked me if I could give him a blessing to help him. He spends a lot of time in the spare bedroom which has now been named ˝the revelation room˝ as that is where it is quieter and he studies in there. So as he came out from saying his personal prayers and we were talking he asked me to give him a blessing. As I begun, I took a deep breathe and my head began to spin and little. I was a bit nervous, I had never done this before. As I stood there with my hands on his head in silence for a moment I tried to clear my head as to be sure that what I said was from the Lord and not my own thought. This turned out to be a great experience. As I searched for the Lord's will to be dictated through me to my companion I could feel the spirit working through me and it was truly a great experience.
So that was one blessing for me this week, that I gave. But my companion managed to one up me this week. We went over to an investigators house and gave his mom a blessing. She is sick but we decided that it would be better to not bring our oil until they understood a little more about it. Well the member that accompanied us was so nice as to explain to her that next time we might bring the ˝holy oil˝. Wasn't that so nice of her!
The other blessing was to a member who had found out that she was pregnant this week and has had some problems with that so they asked Truman to give her a blessing. Her husband has been a member for about 3 months and told us that he anxiously awaits the day when he wont have to call on the missionaries to offer a blessing to a member of his family. It was great to hear that a recent convert already has such great goals for him and his family.
We played tourist last week after emails and I got lots of cool pics. Just for Lance I visited the 5 wells, Lion's gate, and the sea organ. This is along with all the b-e-a-utiful sunsets that I see off our balcony. I have attached a few.
So that is pretty much my week. Hopefully we can hit the ground running this week with the funeral over. I have specialized training on Wednesday in Zagreb and I am excited to ˝go home˝ for a day.
Well I love you all and hope you enjoy the pictures!
This is Elder Massey and Elder West (his companion from the MTC) holding signs for their car wash/service project they had a couple weeks ago while still in Zagreb
This is from a couple weeks ago as well, at Dajana's baptism Ü
Monday, September 5, 2011
Week 35
Hey Fam,
So the info you have all been dying to know. Either that or I've been dying to tell... I absolutely love my new area! It is so beautiful. I get to see the sea and the boats everyday. It is a little hotter here but it will get better and then it will just be great. I am so happy to be down here. It is exactly the change I needed. It really is so pretty here. I almost fell in the water the other day cause the sidewalk just drops off into the water and I was just staring into the water. Partly because it is so beautiful and partly because it is so hot and I want to go swimming. But it has been really fun being here and getting adjusted to a new area.
Elder Truman is my new companion. I am the district leader and he is the branch president, so we are just telling people what to do all day, just kidding. He told me the other day that it felt like he had been dragging me around the week. Well we came to the conclusion that this is because he walks so dang fast that he is always a couple feet in front of me. No worries we walk side by side now and no dragging, physical or mental, is taking place. I think that we will compliment each other well in our teaching styles and such, I am excited to get teaching some people.
So I got to meet the branch on Sunday. This is one of the biggest changes. We had 10 people at church on Sunday, that is including the 4 missionaries. So that is a lot different but it is what it is. Everyone here is really nice and I got to teach a recent convert the day after I got here. That was good and he is a great member. He is the only male in the branch.
So when I first arrived here I had to do some cleaning which resulting in me taking out 6 trash bags and the landlord getting mad that we filled the trash can lol. I'm not sure if this is a good thing but I am now known in the mission as the ˝clean freak˝ and that if for nothing else people want to be my comp so that they have a clean apartment. I take pride in the fact that I am clean and like living in a tiddy apartment where everything has it's place.
So with a transfer over that means that we lost some elders. This time 8 people went home and my trainer was in that group. I know that I complained about it but I really liked him, mostly after the transfer was over, but none the less. I knew all of these elders pretty good and was sad to see them leave. I feel like I ˝grew up˝ in the mission with them and it was a little tough to see them leave. But at the same time they needed to leave. They were making everyone pretty trunky lol.
So in cleaning the apartment I made an amazing discovery with has been used everyday since.... A DEEP FRYER!!! I went shopping today and sometime in the near future will be trying homemade mozzarella sticks and onion rings. As of now the sisters just gave us a bunch of potatoes that they got from their land lord and we have made french fries and hash browns. I also deep fried my chicken nuggets and it made them so much better. It is really a great an uplifting tool here in the mission.
So some other things on a more missionary note happened this week. We were going through our area book to see if we could find anyone worth contacting and Elder Truman called on guy just invite him to church and he totally came! It was awesome! One of the members at church was talking to him and even went over to his house after church to talk with him and see if she could help with his mother, whom he had mentioned was sick. So that was great. Also we contacted a man on the street and he told us he had been to church before and mention some missionaries names. We asked him for his number and he told us we already had it lol. So we looked in our phone and we surely did. It was kind of funny. He told us that he had read the whole Book of Mormon so we are going to meet with him sometime this week and see what is up with him. Sounds like some pretty dang exciting prospects for the first week of the transfer.
Well I think that is about it. I am so happy to be here on the coast. I am taking lost of pictures and cant help but think how much you all would just love it here. I saw a cruise ship at a dock the other day and thought how much you (Mom and Lance) would just love to cruise here. No worries lots of pictures are being taken.
I love you all and hope you have a great week. And just so you all know the gelato is sooo much better down here. Lance that is for you!
Love, Elder Massey
These are just a few pictures. We use an internet cafe here instead of the library so I can plug my camera in now. I will send this every once in awhile but dont expect something every week lol. Love yall!!
So the info you have all been dying to know. Either that or I've been dying to tell... I absolutely love my new area! It is so beautiful. I get to see the sea and the boats everyday. It is a little hotter here but it will get better and then it will just be great. I am so happy to be down here. It is exactly the change I needed. It really is so pretty here. I almost fell in the water the other day cause the sidewalk just drops off into the water and I was just staring into the water. Partly because it is so beautiful and partly because it is so hot and I want to go swimming. But it has been really fun being here and getting adjusted to a new area.
Elder Truman is my new companion. I am the district leader and he is the branch president, so we are just telling people what to do all day, just kidding. He told me the other day that it felt like he had been dragging me around the week. Well we came to the conclusion that this is because he walks so dang fast that he is always a couple feet in front of me. No worries we walk side by side now and no dragging, physical or mental, is taking place. I think that we will compliment each other well in our teaching styles and such, I am excited to get teaching some people.
So I got to meet the branch on Sunday. This is one of the biggest changes. We had 10 people at church on Sunday, that is including the 4 missionaries. So that is a lot different but it is what it is. Everyone here is really nice and I got to teach a recent convert the day after I got here. That was good and he is a great member. He is the only male in the branch.
So when I first arrived here I had to do some cleaning which resulting in me taking out 6 trash bags and the landlord getting mad that we filled the trash can lol. I'm not sure if this is a good thing but I am now known in the mission as the ˝clean freak˝ and that if for nothing else people want to be my comp so that they have a clean apartment. I take pride in the fact that I am clean and like living in a tiddy apartment where everything has it's place.
So with a transfer over that means that we lost some elders. This time 8 people went home and my trainer was in that group. I know that I complained about it but I really liked him, mostly after the transfer was over, but none the less. I knew all of these elders pretty good and was sad to see them leave. I feel like I ˝grew up˝ in the mission with them and it was a little tough to see them leave. But at the same time they needed to leave. They were making everyone pretty trunky lol.
So in cleaning the apartment I made an amazing discovery with has been used everyday since.... A DEEP FRYER!!! I went shopping today and sometime in the near future will be trying homemade mozzarella sticks and onion rings. As of now the sisters just gave us a bunch of potatoes that they got from their land lord and we have made french fries and hash browns. I also deep fried my chicken nuggets and it made them so much better. It is really a great an uplifting tool here in the mission.
So some other things on a more missionary note happened this week. We were going through our area book to see if we could find anyone worth contacting and Elder Truman called on guy just invite him to church and he totally came! It was awesome! One of the members at church was talking to him and even went over to his house after church to talk with him and see if she could help with his mother, whom he had mentioned was sick. So that was great. Also we contacted a man on the street and he told us he had been to church before and mention some missionaries names. We asked him for his number and he told us we already had it lol. So we looked in our phone and we surely did. It was kind of funny. He told us that he had read the whole Book of Mormon so we are going to meet with him sometime this week and see what is up with him. Sounds like some pretty dang exciting prospects for the first week of the transfer.
Well I think that is about it. I am so happy to be here on the coast. I am taking lost of pictures and cant help but think how much you all would just love it here. I saw a cruise ship at a dock the other day and thought how much you (Mom and Lance) would just love to cruise here. No worries lots of pictures are being taken.
I love you all and hope you have a great week. And just so you all know the gelato is sooo much better down here. Lance that is for you!
Love, Elder Massey
These are just a few pictures. We use an internet cafe here instead of the library so I can plug my camera in now. I will send this every once in awhile but dont expect something every week lol. Love yall!!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Week 34
Hey Fam,
So I know that I usually start an email with, ˝So this week hasn't been to bad˝. However, this week has been great!! It was filled with lots of work, service, transfer calls, and a baptism!! So I will start from the beginning, a very good place to start.
So Tuesday was a normal work day but just lots of errands trying to get things organized for the baptism and a big service project that we have been planning. So we got lots of things done, no worries I will be sending lots of pictures home! So we did that ran errands, had an emergency transfer for a kid who went home. So blah blah nothing to special.
After trying to bribe our AP's to tell us where we would be transferred we got our transfer calls on Wednesday. We tried to give them homemade hamburgers with chips and root beer even, you know a good American meal. So I got my call that night with what I thought was a pretty good idea of where I was going. Us as missionaries always try to figure out where everyone will be just for a little fun. I had been joking with Pres. Rowe about it all week. So I was completely wrong on almost all of them. I will be going to ZADAR!! I will be serving with Elder Truman. I lived with him when we had the four of us in that one apartment at the beginning of my mission. So I am so excited!! It is rumored to be the most B-E-A-utiful city that us as missionaries can serve in. I am so pumped. Going to the coast baby!
So the fun starts on Friday when we made cards to pass out at our service project. So I know that I haven't mentioned this before but we planned a free car wash for a service project. So we went and made some business type cards to pass out that just let them know that it was the church doing this and just to say thanks for coming. So when we were in the process of designing those and printing and what not we basically ˝contacted˝ the graphic designer helping us. He started asking us questions and we had a great experience with him and got to talk a lot about the church. It is always so much nicer when other people ask you. I feel like that way it is non threatening and they are actually interested. I have a hard time with the whole stop someone on the street thing. So he was super nice made us some super sweet cards to pass out and it was fun to meet him.
So then comes Saturday the day of the car wash service project and the baptism. This was a crazy day but oh so fun! So how this whole car wash thing works is that we have a free car wash at the church and while the car is being washed the people go and tour the church. The members do a great job at that! So honestly it was kind of a flop haha. We were there for about 4 hours and probably washed like 5 cars. But it was so fun! We had a water fight, waved some people down with car wash signs, and had the news paper come do an article. Since Westie is in this city we had a great time together. Like I said I will be sending a camera card home soon!
So then after the car wash we had to hurry and get everything ready for the baptism. That was fun too. I love being busy with things that are worth while not just walking around in the heat all day. Ok ok I know that can be a worth while activity but I like to be doing things like this more. It makes me feel more accomplished. So we had to make some food, make the church look good (inside and out), and fill up the font. So we got everything in order but the water was a little cold. I guess the water heater was broken or something. It was all good, not to cold. So Dajana showed up we took lots of pictures and put on our white clothes. Then we took more pictures. She was a little nervous and the water was a little to cold for her but she did good. I memorized what to say in Croatian in one week and didn't even mess up. It was such a great experience for both of us. I was so happy for the opportunity to be able to help her on this journey back to her Father in Heaven. She was so happy and said thank you over and over again. It made me so happy to see her so happy. I know that she will be a great member! However, some may be thinking this is kinda serious business for such a young kid as myself.
So yes this week was awesome! I can't wait to get to Zadar. I will have so many good opportunities there and lots of cool pictures too!!
Well I have to go get my hairs cut! I hope this week's email was a little happier for you all. Sorry about last week just wasn't feeling it. I hate when that happens on P-day then you all worry. No worries it's all good in the hood.
I love you all and hope you have a great week!!
So I know that I usually start an email with, ˝So this week hasn't been to bad˝. However, this week has been great!! It was filled with lots of work, service, transfer calls, and a baptism!! So I will start from the beginning, a very good place to start.
So Tuesday was a normal work day but just lots of errands trying to get things organized for the baptism and a big service project that we have been planning. So we got lots of things done, no worries I will be sending lots of pictures home! So we did that ran errands, had an emergency transfer for a kid who went home. So blah blah nothing to special.
After trying to bribe our AP's to tell us where we would be transferred we got our transfer calls on Wednesday. We tried to give them homemade hamburgers with chips and root beer even, you know a good American meal. So I got my call that night with what I thought was a pretty good idea of where I was going. Us as missionaries always try to figure out where everyone will be just for a little fun. I had been joking with Pres. Rowe about it all week. So I was completely wrong on almost all of them. I will be going to ZADAR!! I will be serving with Elder Truman. I lived with him when we had the four of us in that one apartment at the beginning of my mission. So I am so excited!! It is rumored to be the most B-E-A-utiful city that us as missionaries can serve in. I am so pumped. Going to the coast baby!
So the fun starts on Friday when we made cards to pass out at our service project. So I know that I haven't mentioned this before but we planned a free car wash for a service project. So we went and made some business type cards to pass out that just let them know that it was the church doing this and just to say thanks for coming. So when we were in the process of designing those and printing and what not we basically ˝contacted˝ the graphic designer helping us. He started asking us questions and we had a great experience with him and got to talk a lot about the church. It is always so much nicer when other people ask you. I feel like that way it is non threatening and they are actually interested. I have a hard time with the whole stop someone on the street thing. So he was super nice made us some super sweet cards to pass out and it was fun to meet him.
So then comes Saturday the day of the car wash service project and the baptism. This was a crazy day but oh so fun! So how this whole car wash thing works is that we have a free car wash at the church and while the car is being washed the people go and tour the church. The members do a great job at that! So honestly it was kind of a flop haha. We were there for about 4 hours and probably washed like 5 cars. But it was so fun! We had a water fight, waved some people down with car wash signs, and had the news paper come do an article. Since Westie is in this city we had a great time together. Like I said I will be sending a camera card home soon!
So then after the car wash we had to hurry and get everything ready for the baptism. That was fun too. I love being busy with things that are worth while not just walking around in the heat all day. Ok ok I know that can be a worth while activity but I like to be doing things like this more. It makes me feel more accomplished. So we had to make some food, make the church look good (inside and out), and fill up the font. So we got everything in order but the water was a little cold. I guess the water heater was broken or something. It was all good, not to cold. So Dajana showed up we took lots of pictures and put on our white clothes. Then we took more pictures. She was a little nervous and the water was a little to cold for her but she did good. I memorized what to say in Croatian in one week and didn't even mess up. It was such a great experience for both of us. I was so happy for the opportunity to be able to help her on this journey back to her Father in Heaven. She was so happy and said thank you over and over again. It made me so happy to see her so happy. I know that she will be a great member! However, some may be thinking this is kinda serious business for such a young kid as myself.
So yes this week was awesome! I can't wait to get to Zadar. I will have so many good opportunities there and lots of cool pictures too!!
Well I have to go get my hairs cut! I hope this week's email was a little happier for you all. Sorry about last week just wasn't feeling it. I hate when that happens on P-day then you all worry. No worries it's all good in the hood.
I love you all and hope you have a great week!!
Monday, August 22, 2011
Week 33
Hey Fam,
So this week wasn't too bad.
So guess who is going to baptize someone this Saturday?? Oh that's right me. She ˝officially˝ asked me on Saturday and I was so happy. Other than that honestly we didn't do much this week.
I wasn't feeling well this Wednesday and it was so hot so we worked a little then i went home and threw up but then i was ok. I am having a hard time eating just because i don't actually know. I just got bored with the breakfast food, which consists of the nasty milk and corn flakes. So i just kinda don't eat and it makes me real hungry so i am looking for other things to eat. for now it is just a peach and yogurt for most of the time. But i will get over it.
Other than that we are just waiting for transfer calls..... I just need to get a real good change going on! I want to go to a diff city with a diff comp in a diff mission in a diff country..... ok just kidding but the comp and city thing is legit.
Honestly it has just been hot and i had a hard time getting out the apartment. But it will be a good change/motivator this next transfer.
I love you all and hope your all doing well.
So this week wasn't too bad.
So guess who is going to baptize someone this Saturday?? Oh that's right me. She ˝officially˝ asked me on Saturday and I was so happy. Other than that honestly we didn't do much this week.
I wasn't feeling well this Wednesday and it was so hot so we worked a little then i went home and threw up but then i was ok. I am having a hard time eating just because i don't actually know. I just got bored with the breakfast food, which consists of the nasty milk and corn flakes. So i just kinda don't eat and it makes me real hungry so i am looking for other things to eat. for now it is just a peach and yogurt for most of the time. But i will get over it.
Other than that we are just waiting for transfer calls..... I just need to get a real good change going on! I want to go to a diff city with a diff comp in a diff mission in a diff country..... ok just kidding but the comp and city thing is legit.
Honestly it has just been hot and i had a hard time getting out the apartment. But it will be a good change/motivator this next transfer.
I love you all and hope your all doing well.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Week 32
Hey Fam,
So this week has been pretty good. I have emailing on Tuesday this week because yesterday was a Holiday here so everything, like the library, was shut down. They have a bunch of holidays that are kinda stupid, at least I feel like that. But when it is a holiday here everything is closed and no one is home or on the streets. I don't know how that is possible but it is and it really just fowls things us. But luckily it was Pday so we didn't have to try and find some people to talk to. But we did go play basketball and that was super fun and some sand volleyball. That was super fun too! We invited some friends over that we met here and then also some of our investigators. It was so fun but I got a little sun burnt because we were outside all day long.
So I'm sorry but i don't really have any good stories for you. My life really is kinda boring. We do in fact do the same thing everyday, and we wear the same thing everyday. We are going to have transfers in a couple of weeks like 2 i think. I am excited for that.
So Marijana and Dajana are progressing pretty good. We have decided move Dajana's date from this Saturday to next Saturday. We just feel that there are a few more things that she needs to be taught and some principles of the gospel that she needs to grasp before she can become a good member. It is really hard for me to push it back because i want to see it happen. I will see it happen even if it on the 27 but i am just so excited. I feel that it is pretty rare in this mission for someone to be able to see their investigator come full circle. However, because i have been here for so long i have been able to see Dajana, as well as Marijana, progress to where they are now. I have come to realize that I need to not think of Dajana being baptized as my blessing. This, in the end, will do nothing for me except give me some moral boost. For Dajana, she is one step closer to our Heavenly Father, she is one step closer to salvation. I have to put all this excitement aside and realize that i need to do what is best for her and that is wait a little. I also asked her to start thinking about who she wants to baptize her. She at first said that she doesn't care and that she doesn't want one for thing to worry about. She asked who could do it and I started listing people in the branch that can. Then she asked if I could. I told her that I can but does she want me to. She said yes. So as happy as I am that she asked me too I want to make sure she really means it.
Marijana on the other hand. I dont know how long she will take. She said she wants to finish the Book of Mormon first. Which is fine, but she didnt hardly read any last week. So I don't know what she is doing....
So we finally got a hold of Marko. He said that he has been working a lot. I dont know how true that is but we are supposed to meet on Thursday. So i hope that works out. He kinda went of the radar for awhile. I hope everything is ok.
As for me, well im doing alright. This language is just really hard. I'm just saying. I still can talk to people I just dont like not being able to saying exactly what I want to. Some of the things i want to say just dont mean the same thing. It is really killing my wit and sarcasm. Making a serious man out of me, i dont know how i feel about that! Some have asked how I am feeling lately also... tired. All the time I feel so tired. I just want to sit down all the time, sometimes it just makes me really ornery. I feel like i eat the same thing every day too. I just need to get some mix up going on. I am feeling a little to routine for my liking. I did buy some peaches and nectarines at the store that were so good but they had fruit flies on them in the store. I know that you can just put them in the fridge and all of them will die, but having worked at Lins I know that is not acceptable geez.
I also noticed something interesting this week. A lot of people that live here dont like it here. I thought people were just being nice when one of the first questions they asked was how do you like it here. Well I asked a Croat why they do that and they told me that it usually means that they dont like it here so they want to know if foreigners do. oh how sad!
If Ryan is not reading this tell him to read it and reply to it! I know i wasnt the best but i would love to hear from him. So with all his work and such he moved up north right? So adam is the lone ranger at home? Sounds fun. Did i understand right that he is going on a business trip back to africa??? Sounds like everything is going alright for him.
Well i think that is about it. Hope you all have a great week and know that I love you all!!
So this week has been pretty good. I have emailing on Tuesday this week because yesterday was a Holiday here so everything, like the library, was shut down. They have a bunch of holidays that are kinda stupid, at least I feel like that. But when it is a holiday here everything is closed and no one is home or on the streets. I don't know how that is possible but it is and it really just fowls things us. But luckily it was Pday so we didn't have to try and find some people to talk to. But we did go play basketball and that was super fun and some sand volleyball. That was super fun too! We invited some friends over that we met here and then also some of our investigators. It was so fun but I got a little sun burnt because we were outside all day long.
So I'm sorry but i don't really have any good stories for you. My life really is kinda boring. We do in fact do the same thing everyday, and we wear the same thing everyday. We are going to have transfers in a couple of weeks like 2 i think. I am excited for that.
So Marijana and Dajana are progressing pretty good. We have decided move Dajana's date from this Saturday to next Saturday. We just feel that there are a few more things that she needs to be taught and some principles of the gospel that she needs to grasp before she can become a good member. It is really hard for me to push it back because i want to see it happen. I will see it happen even if it on the 27 but i am just so excited. I feel that it is pretty rare in this mission for someone to be able to see their investigator come full circle. However, because i have been here for so long i have been able to see Dajana, as well as Marijana, progress to where they are now. I have come to realize that I need to not think of Dajana being baptized as my blessing. This, in the end, will do nothing for me except give me some moral boost. For Dajana, she is one step closer to our Heavenly Father, she is one step closer to salvation. I have to put all this excitement aside and realize that i need to do what is best for her and that is wait a little. I also asked her to start thinking about who she wants to baptize her. She at first said that she doesn't care and that she doesn't want one for thing to worry about. She asked who could do it and I started listing people in the branch that can. Then she asked if I could. I told her that I can but does she want me to. She said yes. So as happy as I am that she asked me too I want to make sure she really means it.
Marijana on the other hand. I dont know how long she will take. She said she wants to finish the Book of Mormon first. Which is fine, but she didnt hardly read any last week. So I don't know what she is doing....
So we finally got a hold of Marko. He said that he has been working a lot. I dont know how true that is but we are supposed to meet on Thursday. So i hope that works out. He kinda went of the radar for awhile. I hope everything is ok.
As for me, well im doing alright. This language is just really hard. I'm just saying. I still can talk to people I just dont like not being able to saying exactly what I want to. Some of the things i want to say just dont mean the same thing. It is really killing my wit and sarcasm. Making a serious man out of me, i dont know how i feel about that! Some have asked how I am feeling lately also... tired. All the time I feel so tired. I just want to sit down all the time, sometimes it just makes me really ornery. I feel like i eat the same thing every day too. I just need to get some mix up going on. I am feeling a little to routine for my liking. I did buy some peaches and nectarines at the store that were so good but they had fruit flies on them in the store. I know that you can just put them in the fridge and all of them will die, but having worked at Lins I know that is not acceptable geez.
I also noticed something interesting this week. A lot of people that live here dont like it here. I thought people were just being nice when one of the first questions they asked was how do you like it here. Well I asked a Croat why they do that and they told me that it usually means that they dont like it here so they want to know if foreigners do. oh how sad!
If Ryan is not reading this tell him to read it and reply to it! I know i wasnt the best but i would love to hear from him. So with all his work and such he moved up north right? So adam is the lone ranger at home? Sounds fun. Did i understand right that he is going on a business trip back to africa??? Sounds like everything is going alright for him.
Well i think that is about it. Hope you all have a great week and know that I love you all!!
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