the LAST week

i was trying to give him bunny ears but it didnt work out

Hello everyone!!! 

Well i surely hope this is my last email to you all From Jamaica. Had some news come up from mission headquarters that the missionaries that are coming to replace Elder Randle, Elder Ostberg and myself are being delayed.. I got a phone call asking if i would extend for 5 more days so they could have time to get all the paper work done for those missionaries. Kind of a bummer deal i know but I'm sure if you haven't already you will be getting and email from the mission or someone. So Tuesday next week will be the expected arrival date.

 I love you all!!!

 

Love Stetson

 

 And i hope you know that I'm just pulling your legs!!! HAHAHA WOOHOOO Final email home! I really can't believe how fast the time has gone.. it really doesn't feel like it is time for me to come home but that's what everyone is telling me so i guess that's how it is. Just seems like I'm packing  to move to my next area.. well i guess i am.. GOOD OL' IDAHO!! Wow crazy to think that! Saturday was my 2 year mark i sat there and was just in shock. I guess it will all be real when i walk off the plane!

 

Well this week has been awesome. We worked our tails off. And i have no regrets about my final week! It has been a good one. My last Sunday was really good got to bear my testimony so that was cool. I'm going to miss this place its going to be hard to leave.

 

Well last night as we were about to go to bed the power went out and stayed out for several hours.. I couldn't sleep it was so hot sweatin and all. Then probably at 4 or so the power came on and i could finally go to sleep. But it was a long night. its been raining hard here. yesterday on our way home from church we got soaked. So when it came time to leave the house again i was like dang i wish i had another pair of shoes so i don't have to wear my wet ones.. LIGHT BULB... So i grabbed my Cowboy boots and dusted them off and wore them the remainder of the night! So i have proselyted in Cowboy boots! :) But dang everything is going great!!! I will just have to wait and tell you the rest on Thursday!! I love you all!!! SEE YOU SOON!!!

 

Love STETSON

"I'm loving every second just gotta really soak it up time soon run out.."

Well time is going way fast!!! 

I can't believe that its another Monday... Elder Randle is ease dropping on my message here at the office... Wants me to say hello!!

Well anyhow back at the Ranch.. things are going pretty good. This week we have been again focusing on the real growth. and we have been trying to find people to teach. We have been walking like crazy trying to find and visiting members trying to get them helping. And Lo and Behold that was what the district speaker spoke on in Sacrament meeting. It was pretty awesome having him come and really crack down so to say on how everyone needs to work together and get the ball rolling.. But everything has been good. 

We have 2 people with Baptism dates, Christina for the 18th of August and also Brother Moody for the 25th Of August.. Pretty crazy extending dates and then saying i wont even be here for that.. Really strange. It still seems unreal that there is only 10 days.. ugh im trying to keep my mind off of it but its pretty hard some days.. haha 

 The other day Elder Stuart and i were talking and he was all this has all been a dream your just going to wake up the first morning you are home and your Mom will come in and say Well get up its time to get to the MTC.. haha.. 

But all is going great.. I'm loving every second just gotta really soak it up time soon run out..

 Well I know its short and not to much to this email but its pretty distracting in this office missionaries all over... But anyhow i love you all!!

Love Stetson 

gum ball eating contest... I WON ....28 ya thats right

GROWTH...... OR......REAL GROWTH???

That is the question....
And that is the question that Elder Stuart and I have been asking ourselves a lot this week. And it all started on Wednesday at our Zone Meeting that we had.. It was really good and it really opened my eyes up a little more to "The Big Picture" Each person we have been teaching over the last few weeks we asked ourselves.. Is this person real growth or just growth? 
Growth- Someone who just goes through the motions of the gospel... never really "live" it...
Real Growth- They Live the Gospel. Thats the best thing to call it i guess.
Well we had  a lot more Growth investigators than Real growth so we started to weed them out and really been focusing on that and the week was really good because we just focused on those real Growth People. 
A missionary that is long gone once said one of his regrets was spending so much time on those that aren't ready to accept the Gospel... "The field is white already to harvest" well we just have to find those that are ready to harvest. so thats what we have been doing and we are going to be asking this question a lot more so we can make sure we are doing all we can to find the real growth. 
But this week has been good.. I had to go to Kingston to have my toenail looked at again.. yes the same one the one that has been cut out 2 times already.. well it was bugging me the other day and thought i better get it looked at early on rather than wait.. but the doc said there was nothing they could do for it at this time.. So i just have to hope it doesn't go ingrown again.. 
This weekend was also district conference. It was so good to see people from Linstead and Kingston again.. Got to see a lot of the recent converts and the members it was so cool. Seemed like it was just yesterday i was looking through the calendar at the church and said thats awesome i will have a district conference right before i go home and look at it its already gone... man time flies... Well by the speed of things i will probably be home tomorrow... haha 
Well everything is going good i love you all!!
Love Stetson 

"I LOVE THIS MISSION!!!...best thing i could have ever done."

Well Another week Gone... I cant believe it.. 

this week has been really good. We had a zone conference this week Tuesday.. My last one at that that was pretty hard to grasp. They always have the new missionaries and the ones that are going home soon bear their testimonies so there i was shakin like a leaf.. I never thought this day would come  and i was just so over whelmed just the feeling that this is the last zone conference. It was not an easy thing to do. But i Held in the tears but once i sat down and Elder Randle went up man they came. I LOVE THIS MISSION!!! i have come to love Jamaica when i first got here i was like well i will just kick it for 2 years but it has come to be a whole lot more than that. This has been the best thing i could of ever have done.. Just coming and trying to help someone else get nearer to God. I never thought that it would be so hard to say Bye. I dont know how im going to do it my last night its going to be hard. but im glad im going to have elder Randle there.. he has been there from day one... even though they didnt even know i was going to Jamaica with them for about a week or so but he has always been there just who you want with you in something like this! Been a great friend! 

Well This week has been pretty good. wish it could of been better. Crazy how fast the weeks are going though i really can't believe it..i think i have said that ever week of my mission though! This week i had another interview with President Hendricks. What an awesome Mission President. He is amazing. Told me well You can see the finish line so no need to pace your self... SPRINT... give it everything you have. said you will always remember how you finish! just a really good meeting with him! 

But other than that we are still working with some of the same people trying to help them Progress... Have a pretty high maintenance one... Not naming names but man been giving us a run for our money!! But everything is going great.. Looking forward to these last few days!

I love you all!!!

Love Stetson 

YO MONTY

Well this week was pretty Long.. we had so many people blowing us off.. didnt know what the deal was.. Day after day the days seemed super long but looking back it still went super fast! so there is nothing really to talk about this week besides the fact that we walked forever each day trying to find and just having disappointment after disappointment but we kept on keepin on.. Sunday was a really good day though Elder Stuart and I gave talks in church my topic really helped me out a bunch and it was pretty tough to prepare for it.. The topic was Willing and Worthy to Serve That was President  Monsons talk at conference... How can i compete with a Prophet?? So i used alot of what he said in his talk and it turned out really good i was really pleased! Elder Stuart gave a really good talk as well. We had 3 investigators at church.. Christina, Sister Francis and Paula. So that was really good! Im glad the final day of the week was a good one.

So the whole  YO MONTY...

After district meeting we were eating at Burger King of all places.. and we were just eating and i look over to my right and i see this guy looking at me so i turned away and then took another look over at him and he was still just looking at me with a look of like this guy doesnt even know who i am... So i turn to Elder Ngubane and was all man that guy looks really familiar i have seen him some where.. and right after that i hear.. YO MONTY look over and it was Jack Henry from Cayman i jumped up and was like no way!! It was so awesome seeing him. He has been visiting for a month or so and we were trying to link up but it just wasnt working..and lo and behold Burger King of all places! So that was super cool!!

But i cant Believe that i only have 31 days left thats so crazy.. Im super excited but at the same time super nervous... Its going to be a shock for sure but anyhow trying to hold out to the end its tough some days but im doing my best!! 

Anyhow have a wonderful week all of you

Love you all

Love Stetson 

"the best decision I've ever made!"

GOT MAIL!!!

Well I found these letters in my book the other day so I figured I had better get them in the mail soon or I will be hand-delivering them.



May 9th 2012

Well in three months time from today I will be back in town. Crazy to think huh? Sure is crazy how fast the time has/is going. Transfer calls are already this Saturday. I already know what's happening to me though. We met up with Pres. Hendricks yesterday talked with him for a while. He told me "You have every right to know...you're one of the best missionaries I've got. You just have been top notch! He said I'm going to have to call Salt Lake to make sure I can keep the mission open once you leave... Haha! He was all well you're making the last corner now just whip and spur to the finish! I said well you know president I never did much barrel racing! It was a good one! Anyways he told me I am going to be training my last two transfers again. He said the best thing you can do for this mission is leave us with a superstar missionary like yourself. So train him good! He also asked if I was glad I made the decision to come out. I told him it was the best decision I've ever made! And that's the truth! I left that interview feeling about 10 feet taller than when I got in there. He is just an awesome mission president. But anyhow things are little bumpy here and Old Harbor. Just can't seem to find anyone that's willing to act. It's pretty tough especially on the new guy. He has had a rough second transfer but he is definitely learning from it. We have been doing a lot of walking around trying to find people but nothing has come of that yet. But we're not giving up I know something will eventually come of it! Other than that I'm doing good. Just peddlin away. Good thing it's flat here. That makes the walking a lot easier. Sure has been raining a lot lately. But it is the rainy season now. Well I don't really know what else to say right now. I'm getting tired. Elder Barker is out cold! Must have worked too hard today. Anyhow I miss you all. In three months time I will be home and the way the months are going it will seem like three weeks. 

Well I love you all. Thanks for everything! Love Stetson

 Things are going good it's Pday June 11. Crazy to think about the time and how fast it has gone. I told Elder Stuart that I have only eight sundays left. That's crazy! I honestly don't know what I'm going to do when I get home and it's coming down to that time. Seems like only a dream. But it's been the best dream ever! Couldn't be doing anything better right now. It's been rough and tough some days that over all it's been awesome! Still got some time left so I'm going to push to the end of the line... that's if I don't faint! It's been super hot lately and lots of walking. It's been an awesome transfer with Elder Stuart. he's still pretty quiet in lessons that he is coming around. Anyhow only a few more weeks and I'll be on the iron bird as the Rastas say. Rasta man says "nah fly pin nuh iron bird." but I'm not Rasta so I'll be on it! Well I love you all! See you real soon! Love Stetson 

"whipping and spurring all the way to the end"

Well now for the week.....

#1 The Adventures of Pinkeeeberry Gold.... YES with 3 E's

First i must start off with a pretty funny story.... So Elder Stuart and i are walking home after a long day... well we hear someone say HEY.. right then i know that it is the mad woman that stalks us... Well she comes up and is talking giberish to Elder Stuart telling him something about putting something on the computer and hands him a plastic bag with a piece of paper in it... while doing this she is cussing him out because he didnt want to grab it from her... Well just before she walks away she says here take this and it just looks like a bundle of weeds i said what am i supposed to do with this?

 She says Eat it... and then she walks away... so we walk all the way home with this stuff in our hands.. Well we arrive home and look at the paper that she gave to Elder Stuart and it says Pinkeeeberry Gold. So we get some pics and then toss it in the can and then scrub our hands for a while... it was pretty crazy!!!

# 2   BOLT yes like Usain Bolt!!!

So we are trying to think of someone to talk to or go see... well these 2 kids ask us what our names are so we talk with them and the one says Jamal Bolt... I just made up Jamal because all i know is he said Bolt... So i said like Usain Bolt? He said ya he is my cousin.. So i said shut the front door.. so his mom comes out and confirms it all to us... sure enough its his cousin so we took pictures and all! so that was pretty funny!!

# 3 WHATS THAT NOISE? 

So Elder Stuart and i were at our desk planning and it had been a pretty crazy day... well then i hear this popping noise and its super load and i look over to Elder Stuart and i see him going down i jump up while asking what the noise was i was getting out of that room i had no idea what was going on just loud noise and Elder Stuart going down! Well after i took a second and thought about what was going on i realized his chair had broke and he had fallen. but i'll tell ya i wasn't stickin around to find out what was going on! 

Now for the sum total all of these things that happened on the same night first Bolt then the crazy lady then the chair breaking! 

What a week! But it has been a really good week i got to go to transfer day and say bye to all the missionaries that went home and then it hit me that im the next to go... that was pretty crazy.. I cant believe that its the last transfer already... But Im striving to keep whipping and spurring all the way to the end.. Just struggling finding some people but everything is going good! Lovin every moment!! well i love you all sorry i dont have much more time to talk about other spiritual matters but time is short!!

Love you all Stetson 

" i was just hit with the Spirit...my eyes were full BUT i didnt cry.. :)"

Yo Step.... Yo Mi Nah Step 

Well another week is gone!!! and also another transfer.... 1 left! 

Holy smokes where does the time go? I cant believe its already transfers this week! Well Elder Stuart and I are going to be together for my last one here in Old Harbour. which im excited i have come to love this area.. I think its one that just takes sometime to grow on ya. but things are going really good. 

This week we really focused on working with the members of the church trying to find some people through them.. Got my fingers crossed that some will pull through for us. We are scrappin the bottom of the drum for investigators. We have got 4 main ones. Christina who is doing really good she is getting more and more comfortable when she comes to church this week was a really good week for her she really enjoyed church. Then we have Sister Francis, she is doing good we have been focusing on her a lot and not really getting the results from her and thats tough but hoping for the best. Then we have Ann-marie and Abigail doing really good but haven't come to church and i think once they just make that step all will be well! 

Yesterday we met a less-active member who has been less active for a while. She is awesome though been through the temple and all. But anyhow had just an awesome lesson with her she was in tears and then i shared a personal story with her and as i was telling her it and i was just hit with the Spirit i was almost in tears my eyes were full BUT i didnt cry.. :) Spirit was just so strong and i think it was just what she needed to hear. When i finished she said thats exactly how i feel. It was just amazing! 

But anyhow all is going really good i can't say it enough im so thankful for this opportunity that i have to be here in Jamaica! 

Thanks for all the support!!

I love you all! Love Stetson

P.S. the weather has been pretty good nothing much happening...just hot and rainy... typical day in jamaica  

"good thing we had wood to build a boat to get into town"

i took these pics this morning... thats why we were late to email.. 

Thought we were going to be trapped in our house all day today but good thing we had wood to build a boat to get into town.. All kinds of rain this morning. It poured rain all the way to church yesterday as well was wet all of church and then right when im almost dry we leave and get about a hundred yards from the church and it dumps on us! All of our appointments fell through so we we left soaking wet wandering around for a while until we could find someone to teach. 

Anyhow this week has been pretty slow. I woke up Tuesday morning feeling horrible and about half way through the day it hit elder Stuart as well. Just miserable. But it went away for the most part and then Sunday it came back to me so most of the week i have been sick. 

There was a lot of good things that happened this week though. We had a zone meeting where we really focused on the recent converts and how we can help them to progress and become Active members of the church. Learned a lot from that. 

Then on Friday we were having our super planning for the week and we were reviewing a lady that has a Baptism date and were discussing how we felt that she wouldnt be ready by that day. Well we thought on it and i remembered that when we extended the date we said July 7th but she thought that was to far away and said she could be ready by the 23rd of june so we moved it to that. Well after talking about it and so forth we just felt that that was the day July 7th is when she needed the date for. She could be more prepared by that day... Well then we had to tell her and i was nervous because she is so excited for her date to come.. Well we just start by telling her how when we first extended the date we wanted to shoot for July 7th and that is what we really feel that God wants. I truly believe that that was the day that when we prayed that the Lord wanted. So it was just a cool experience and once we put it that way she said well if that was the first date then that is the right one. So i learned to always stick to what we receive the first time. 

But other than being sick it has been a pretty good week overall. 

"little view of paradise" 

One night we were walking home and we live about a mile from town so we are on the road and i turn around and see this lady walking really fast behind us. I turn to Elder Stuart and say is that the crazy lady?? I look back and sure enough it is! She just blows past us and then goes up to this gate so we speed up almost to a jog but she comes up with a Mango in her hand and is trying to give it to Elder Stuart.. Finally he takes it and then she does a creepy face and then turns around and walks off.. it was pretty intense.. And every time we see her on the road she comes up and is just creepy. But anyhow that was the random story of the week..

Anyways i love you all!!

Love Stetson