Outer Space

Hey Mom and Dad,

Today for Pday we woke up at 4 in the morning again to come to Ochi, it’s a tourist town with beaches and craft markets. I didn’t really find anything worth buying in the craft market but I’m excited to go to the beach after this:) I’ll send those pics next week.

It’s sad, but a good amount of people join the church here for support, but since no one really pays much fast offerings there’s never really anything to go around. I don’t know all the details, but it feels like the church out here doesn’t really get very much support from the US. 

It has been so hard out here! I’m not too  tired anymore though, I kinda got used to it, but teaching out here is crazy difficult since no one really has a desire to exercise faith and mostly just want to talk with the white guys and the china man. None of our investigators came to church again which was kinda discouraging, but I guess it’s the norm out here. God always lifts my spirits though. Like the other day, I went to the baptism of the sisters investigator, and wow, she went in glowing and came out shining! I could see she truly had faith to follow her Father in Heaven. I know God has people He wants me to meet out here, even if it’s not to baptize all of them, He still wants me to help them. I’ve never felt so much love for random strangers:) The peoples life style here is often really jacked --and it’s really starting to take a toll on me spiritually. It’s just a lot of darkness, but God is strengthening me by it, without a doubt and I feel I’m growing closer to him every day. 

We bike so much out here, probably like 10 miles or more a day sometimes. My companions have kinda crappy bikes, so they’re pretty slow and I ride ahead. I’ve gotten really good at wheelies-- then I tore a hole in my pants:) oops! Good thing you sent me with those patches! Thanks Mom:) 

I’ve been practicing meeting people and finding potential investigators. My favorite thing to do is to walk up to someone with a smile, pull out the Book of Mormon and say, "Hey! Have you ever seen one of these before?" It works pretty good! The other day, I met and made 7 appointments, which is a lot. But numbers don’t matter, out here it’s all about just helping people at least have a desire to show faith to God. Everyone is Christian, but no one wants to do anything about it. But there are a few we met and things are going well with. One of our investigators, named Kernel, we asked, “When do you want to get baptized?” and he just said, “Whenever you’re ready!!” and he was serious. He’s already read the Book of Mormon one and a half times. He was telling us though, that he wants to make this dramatic exit from his 7th Day church and try to bring some people with him, we just told to bring everyone who would come:)

Ok you will not believe what happened to me literally just now! This old lady came up from behind me and  just kissed me on the neck, and then said, “Do you remember me from outer space?” I was like, freak no lady! I’m writing an email!!! Holy crap, freakiest thing ever!!!!!! 

Me and my friend Elder Gordan, the Jamaican missionary who lives with us, are pretty good friends. Every night we sing an EFY song together and compare Jamaica to the US. We have a good time and I feel like we get each other. This is Elder Gordan and I in front of our house:) The other one is me and my companions on a bridge over a nice river.

Walking to the caves

Entrance to the caves, via tree roots and vines

Elder Fitkau climbing down

Luke climbing down

Inside the cave

Lots and lots of bats, it felt like they were going to run into your face the whole time!

Crazy rock formations inside the cave, it looked like an alien planet!

Oh and happy fathers day dad! I really am so grateful to have my best friend as my Dad. Love you guys.