Mon, Apr 18, 2011
Hey Fam. How's life? sounds like everythings going great. the bahamas are treating me well. I'm emailing you today from an internet cafe down by the cruise ship docks.
I figured i'd start off by answering your questions.
How are your investigators doing?
We have a couple of solid investigators right now. Mylande is doing way good- reading her book of mormon 30 min a day. she finishes her college finals this week so she should be more available soon. she's been coming to church for a couple months now and she has some good member support. her baptism is scheduled for May 1. Thomas is another really solid guy. he's 18. the sister missionaries before us started to teach him in January and really liked it but had to move to the island of andros for work. over the last couple months he's been flying back to Nassau every couple weeks just to go to church. He finally made the decision about 2 weeks ago to give up his job there and move back to nassau just so he could join the church. He finally found a job here so he's here for good. He's also scheduled to be baptized May 1.
How much of the regular church programs exist in your branch?
This branch is pretty legit. it's probably the most functioning branch in our mission. we actually have functioning auxilleries and such. This week we, along with the branch mission leader, are putting on an branch Easter activity on Friday for fellowshipping our recent converts, less-active's and investigators. It should be pretty cool. we're doing a walk-through in the church of the last week of the Saviors life. We'll have each room represent a day and show what he did and talk about it's importance and such.
Are the branch leadership locals? From the Bahamas or elsewhere?
The leadership is pretty much all locals. we have some good returned missionaries that provide the core. we also have a few families from the states/England that live/work here in Nassau.
What kinds of things do you do on PrepDay?
Well, mostly we've been spending our time with the senior couple, the Ockeys, that live next door. They are way cool and she is a way good cook. Today we're planning to go out to Paradise Island and take a look around Atlantis and Cabbage Beach and such. Should be fun.
Any cool foods or other cultural stuff?
The bahamas is pretty lame when it comes to culture stuff. It's not near as exciting as Jamaica. It's mostly just a mix between their old British heritage and their modern American neighbors. There are a lot of Haitians around, though so I've got to try some good Haitian food. It's pretty close to Jamaican food- rice, beans, and chicken - just with different spices.
Anything I could send you that would be helpful to you or others?
As far as other stuff, I think we're doing just fine. I can't think of anything. I can get just about anything in Nassau.
How often do you see someone from the mission office?
It's not very often we get to see anyone but the senior couple next door. This week, though we are having zone conference here so Pres. Hendricks, the assistants, and the elders from Freeport and Turks and Caicos are all coming on Thursday and spending the night at our place. should be fun.
How many missionaries serve in the Bahamas? Any other places besides Nassau?
We are the only missionaries in Nassau. There is one set in Freeport, Bahamas, One set in Turks and Caicos, and One set in Grand Cayman. besides that everyone else is in Jamaica.
Well, got to go. have a great week.
Elder Kartchner
Oh, another interesting tid-bit is that we do our district meeting (which is for everyone not in Jamaica) every week over skype. I had to teach this last week. It was a bit weird teaching over the internet but it was cool.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
hey fam
Mon, Apr 11, 2011
So, thanks for the emails. I really appreciate all the support from home. Well, at least Jeff emailed me so it's all good.
Editor's note: I sent an email to Devon about a half hour before he sent this, but I guess it didn't reach him in time (the ethernet currents must go west). So, moral of the story is write to him by Sunday for Monday delivery. : )
well it's been a good week. we had a bunch of people at church. we have several really good investigators. we have one baptism scheduled for may 1st for a lady named Mylande. we have another really solid guy named Thomas that should be baptized pretty soon as well.
well, love you lots. later
Elder Kartchner
So, thanks for the emails. I really appreciate all the support from home. Well, at least Jeff emailed me so it's all good.
Editor's note: I sent an email to Devon about a half hour before he sent this, but I guess it didn't reach him in time (the ethernet currents must go west). So, moral of the story is write to him by Sunday for Monday delivery. : )
well it's been a good week. we had a bunch of people at church. we have several really good investigators. we have one baptism scheduled for may 1st for a lady named Mylande. we have another really solid guy named Thomas that should be baptized pretty soon as well.
well, love you lots. later
Elder Kartchner
Monday, April 4, 2011
conference
Mon, Apr 4, 2011
Hey Fam,
Things are going well. I can't say I've picked up a whole lot of Creole yet. I still can't understand much at all. There are tons of haitians in the branch but most of them speak a little english so we can usually get by. to answer your question dad, many of the Haitians are here legally but some are not.
We've been having to spend a lot of time finding. We've met some good potential. We are trying to get the members to help us with the missionary work and we're getting there slowly.
Conference was awesome. we got to watch all the sessions at our branch building. It's so nice to have a building.
As far as mailing things, still send any letters and such to Jamaica but send packages here so we don't have to pay duty on it twice.
My address for packages is:
P.O. Box SS-6360
Nassau, Bahamas
Have a great week.
Elder Kartchner
Hey Fam,
Things are going well. I can't say I've picked up a whole lot of Creole yet. I still can't understand much at all. There are tons of haitians in the branch but most of them speak a little english so we can usually get by. to answer your question dad, many of the Haitians are here legally but some are not.
We've been having to spend a lot of time finding. We've met some good potential. We are trying to get the members to help us with the missionary work and we're getting there slowly.
Conference was awesome. we got to watch all the sessions at our branch building. It's so nice to have a building.
As far as mailing things, still send any letters and such to Jamaica but send packages here so we don't have to pay duty on it twice.
My address for packages is:
P.O. Box SS-6360
Nassau, Bahamas
Have a great week.
Elder Kartchner
Monday, March 28, 2011
Happy Bahamas!
Mon, Mar 28, 2011
Hey Fam,
Nassau is great. Elder Brockbank and I flew here on Wednesday. We replaced the sister missionaries that were here before so I'm whitewashing again. There is a senior couple here - the Ockeys - and they are way cool. The branch here is big. there are about 600 people on the role but about 100 are active. plenty of work to do. the branch is solid though. we actully have a functioning branch presidency and elders quorum and everything else. we even have a branch mission leader! I'm excited to get some things rolling.
I feel like I got a whole new mission call. Nassau is so modern. It feels like I'm back in america. My apartment is so nice. it even has carpet, ceiling fans, hot water, couches, and a weight bench!! We have a car here so I'm learning to drive again but on the left side of the road. There are a lot of Haitian immigrants here looking for work. They are very humble and receptive to the gospel. probably half the branch is Haitian. Now I have to start learning Creole. We started teaching a few Hatians already using one of the members as a translator. It's fun.
It is so weird being back here as a missionary. It's pretty awesome though. I'm totally excited. Elder Brockbank is really good.
Well, later.
Elder Kartchner
Hey Fam,
Nassau is great. Elder Brockbank and I flew here on Wednesday. We replaced the sister missionaries that were here before so I'm whitewashing again. There is a senior couple here - the Ockeys - and they are way cool. The branch here is big. there are about 600 people on the role but about 100 are active. plenty of work to do. the branch is solid though. we actully have a functioning branch presidency and elders quorum and everything else. we even have a branch mission leader! I'm excited to get some things rolling.
I feel like I got a whole new mission call. Nassau is so modern. It feels like I'm back in america. My apartment is so nice. it even has carpet, ceiling fans, hot water, couches, and a weight bench!! We have a car here so I'm learning to drive again but on the left side of the road. There are a lot of Haitian immigrants here looking for work. They are very humble and receptive to the gospel. probably half the branch is Haitian. Now I have to start learning Creole. We started teaching a few Hatians already using one of the members as a translator. It's fun.
It is so weird being back here as a missionary. It's pretty awesome though. I'm totally excited. Elder Brockbank is really good.
Well, later.
Elder Kartchner
Monday, March 21, 2011
Transfer!
Mon, Mar 21, 2011
So, it's official. I'm off to the Bahamas on Wednesday. I leave highgate tomorrow and go into Kingston. It's always weird leaving an area because you're sad to go but excited for something new. The branch here is doing well - much better than when I first got here. The average church attendance has gone from 15-20 to 30-35. We've reactivated several of our priesthood and have extended callings to several of the members (when I got here almost no one had callings and there wasn't any priesthood to speak of besides the branch president). It's been an awesome learning experience. I just hope the next missionaries keep it going.
Elder Ferrin will be staying in Highgate and Elder Luke (the one from Yuma that's cousins with Aunt Donna) will be taking my place. My new companion will be Elder Brockbank. He's fairly new so I don't really know him yet. I'm excited for nassau. It should be awesome. I'm going to miss my mountain view though- nassau is totally flat. Rumor has it that the apartment there even has carpet!
I don't know my address yet. I should know by next week.
Love you lots. Later
Elder Kartchner
So, it's official. I'm off to the Bahamas on Wednesday. I leave highgate tomorrow and go into Kingston. It's always weird leaving an area because you're sad to go but excited for something new. The branch here is doing well - much better than when I first got here. The average church attendance has gone from 15-20 to 30-35. We've reactivated several of our priesthood and have extended callings to several of the members (when I got here almost no one had callings and there wasn't any priesthood to speak of besides the branch president). It's been an awesome learning experience. I just hope the next missionaries keep it going.
Elder Ferrin will be staying in Highgate and Elder Luke (the one from Yuma that's cousins with Aunt Donna) will be taking my place. My new companion will be Elder Brockbank. He's fairly new so I don't really know him yet. I'm excited for nassau. It should be awesome. I'm going to miss my mountain view though- nassau is totally flat. Rumor has it that the apartment there even has carpet!
I don't know my address yet. I should know by next week.
Love you lots. Later
Elder Kartchner
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Howdy
Mon, Mar 14, 2011
Hey Fam,
It's been a good week. We had our baptism on Saturday. It was fun. After a short service at the church, 11 of us piled into the branch president's mini-van and drove down to the ocean at Robin's Bay. It is an awesome place. Very beautiuful with the ocean and the view of Blue Mountain Peak in the distance. Anyway, her name is Gabbrielle Granston. She's 11 and we were able to get her father to baptize her which was good.
We got her confirmed in church yesterday. Also at church we had 2 of our investigator families show up at church. (the only problem is neither of them are married). It was a good day at church though. We had over 30 people there and about 1/3 of them were our investigators. yeah. It was the most investigators I've ever had at church. We have several solid investigators right now that I think are going to do really well.
The only problem is that I have a feeling that I'll be moving next week. I'm not positive but I'm pretty sure that I'll be moving to Nassau, Bahamas. Cool, huh? It's been exactly 2 years since I've been there. I'll be sad to leave highgate though. At any rate don't send any packages until I get official word. I think the elders off Jamaica have a different mailing address. I'll let you know for sure as it comes.
So, yeah, It's been fun. Love you lots.
Elder Kartchner
Hey Fam,
It's been a good week. We had our baptism on Saturday. It was fun. After a short service at the church, 11 of us piled into the branch president's mini-van and drove down to the ocean at Robin's Bay. It is an awesome place. Very beautiuful with the ocean and the view of Blue Mountain Peak in the distance. Anyway, her name is Gabbrielle Granston. She's 11 and we were able to get her father to baptize her which was good.
We got her confirmed in church yesterday. Also at church we had 2 of our investigator families show up at church. (the only problem is neither of them are married). It was a good day at church though. We had over 30 people there and about 1/3 of them were our investigators. yeah. It was the most investigators I've ever had at church. We have several solid investigators right now that I think are going to do really well.
The only problem is that I have a feeling that I'll be moving next week. I'm not positive but I'm pretty sure that I'll be moving to Nassau, Bahamas. Cool, huh? It's been exactly 2 years since I've been there. I'll be sad to leave highgate though. At any rate don't send any packages until I get official word. I think the elders off Jamaica have a different mailing address. I'll let you know for sure as it comes.
So, yeah, It's been fun. Love you lots.
Elder Kartchner
Monday, March 7, 2011
Howdy!
Mon, Mar 7, 2011
Hey Fam,
Broken-hearted does not adequately express my sincere regret for missing the historic ball. I was so planning on going this year too. I thought you would at least have the decency to let me know ahead of time so I could have made arrangements to be there. Oh, well. Maybe next year.
Everything's going pretty well here in highgate. We had a good testimony meeting yesterday with about 30 people. Most of the people with new callings are doing very well. Things are running a little smoother each week. we had an investigator show up at church that I've never met before. One of the branch members, Sis Dryden, is a very good member missionary. she met this guy on the street the other day and invited him to church. He made up his mind to come and Sunday morning he walked over a mile taxied the rest of the way just to visit. His name is Micheal and he is way good and we should be meeting with him later this week. Just goes to show how effective members can be at missionary work. Most of the time, we missionaries can meet with someone for weeks and they still won't come to church.
We ended up not having our baptism this last week. It got postponed till this next saturday. Our other baptism that was originally scheduled for this saturday might have to be postponed as well because the girl's step-mom doesn't think she's ready. We also have a 10 yr old girl who wants to be baptized but her mom, a less-active member, won't let her. It's Jamaican culture not to baptize until you are 12 or even much older just to be sure you know what you are doing. Things are going good, though. We have several solid investigators we are working with.
Love you lots. later
Elder Kartchner
Hey Fam,
Broken-hearted does not adequately express my sincere regret for missing the historic ball. I was so planning on going this year too. I thought you would at least have the decency to let me know ahead of time so I could have made arrangements to be there. Oh, well. Maybe next year.
Everything's going pretty well here in highgate. We had a good testimony meeting yesterday with about 30 people. Most of the people with new callings are doing very well. Things are running a little smoother each week. we had an investigator show up at church that I've never met before. One of the branch members, Sis Dryden, is a very good member missionary. she met this guy on the street the other day and invited him to church. He made up his mind to come and Sunday morning he walked over a mile taxied the rest of the way just to visit. His name is Micheal and he is way good and we should be meeting with him later this week. Just goes to show how effective members can be at missionary work. Most of the time, we missionaries can meet with someone for weeks and they still won't come to church.
We ended up not having our baptism this last week. It got postponed till this next saturday. Our other baptism that was originally scheduled for this saturday might have to be postponed as well because the girl's step-mom doesn't think she's ready. We also have a 10 yr old girl who wants to be baptized but her mom, a less-active member, won't let her. It's Jamaican culture not to baptize until you are 12 or even much older just to be sure you know what you are doing. Things are going good, though. We have several solid investigators we are working with.
Love you lots. later
Elder Kartchner
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