Colorado to Kingston : Funerals, weddings, and transfers... oh my!

Late Friday night, we got a call from the AP's. They told us that Sister Rampersad, Sister Collier, and myself needed to start packing our bags because we were going to Abaco!! (Another island in the Bahamas.) They told us that our flight left the next morning at seven am, and we were getting such short notice because President Brown just got the approval to send missionaries out to open the area. The elders said we would be opening the island with two elders. There's not even a chuch unit on Abaco, and we were really confused why they would be sending three sisters out to open an area like that...haha. So when they told us our flight itineraries were in our inboxes, we called good ol' Lisa and had her check our email for us. (because we don't have internet and it was after curfew.) She said that there was most definitely not a flight itinerary in our inbox. So I called back Elder Daniels and Elder Prete and they admitted that it was a joke... to get back for something we did to our zone leaders earlier that week (I'll explain that in a minute.) But... they only told Sister Rampersad and I that. Sister Collier was still under the assumption that we were going to Abaco. So she went in and started legit packing all of her stuff.... hahahahhaha it was so funny! We let her pack for like ten minutes until we couldn't take it anymore and told her it was all a prank. But... long story short, I'm not going to Abaco.

I'm staying in Nassau another transfer!!!! We got transfer calls Saturday morning. Sister Rampersad got transferred to an area in Jamaica though... my new companion's name is Sister Bailey. She's from Jamaica and I'm so excited to meet her! Sister Collier also got transferred back to Jamaica. She's being replaced by Sister Judd.... who is American but I can't actually remember where she's from right now. Oops.

Kay so now what happened this week? Holy moly so much!

Monday we went out west to the beach. We were just hanging out and taking pictures when we had a brilliant idea. We called the Zone Leaders and told them that Sister Collier had gone out on the dock to take a picture and was floating away. We said that there was no way we could get to her or she could get to us unless she swam to shore. Elder Peters totally bought it and gave her permission to swim to shore... hahahahahahah so basically we discovered how to get permission to swim on your mission. But I mean she wasn't actually on a dock so no swimming occured. But... when the zone leaders found out that it was all a joke they said they would get us back. Hence the light night phone call from the AP's on Friday. No worries... a prank war has begun and they shall pay :) Muahahaha.

So after p-day ended, we went to dinner at the Smith's house. Man I love those people so much! Then we went and had a few adventures due to some forgotten keys and a lost cell phone... and taught a lesson and called it a night!

Tuesdays are usually so spiritual and good and full of lessons and teaching, and this Tuesday was too! Just nothing eventful happened so I'm not going to talk about it. haha.

Wednesday was zone meeting. Best zone meeting ever. Seriously. First of all, President Brown sat in on it. Which made it awesome. Secondly, we have the best zone leaders ever and they were so inspired last week. I'd been praying about a few different things relating to both the mission and just my life in general for a few weeks, and they answered both of my questions without even meaning to in a matter of minutes. God is good, you guys. And He really does answer prayers through other people, including ourselves, without us even realizing it. Those elders had no idea that I'd been praying about those things and seeking an answer for so long, and they had no idea that the things they were saying would be the answer to my prayers. But Heavenly Father worked through them to help me... and I'm so grateful for that. So that was why zone meeting was so good. But also, Sister Rampersad and I had to teach for the first twenty minutes. Which was terrifying to begin with, because it's the whole zone. And there's this thing called I've been on a mission for about as long as a summer vacation lasts. Which isn't very long. And then to add to all of that, there's the whole thing called our mission president was there. So that was only insanely intimidating. But anyways, we taught on the importance of working with members and I only forgot how to talk like twice. So I guess it all worked out in the end... hahaha.

Thursday we spent a while doing service for Lisa and Andrew. We blew up approximately 50,000 balloons for their wedding and I almost blacked out in the process. Like there was black around my vision and I had to sit down because I forgot to breathe in between balloons. Weekly advice from Sister Oman: Always remember to breathe or you black out. Oh well. We still had fun. We taught a bunch of lessons and found two new investigators! I'm so excited to teach them... they both are just such sweet ladies and I love them already!

Friday we did our usual weekly planning. This week was uneventful though. And then we taught one lesson to a lady named Marguerite. Unfortunately, she only says like three words of english and we know maybe twelve words in creole, and our translator didn't show up... so the lesson was very short and consisted mostly of us telling her Jesus loves her and wants her to be happy. (Mostly because that was what we knew how to say in creole hahah.) Then we went and did yet more service for Lisa and Andrew. We helped them decorate the church for their reception. We left for a few hours to teach another two lessons and run to do some immigration work, and then we came back to the church to attend the wedding reception!!! It was so fun and we met so many awesome people. Woohoo for referrals! Then we headed home and did the usual night time stuff. (AKA planning, laughing and running around the house for an hour and then crashing in our beds at 10:30). Friday was a little interrupted because of the infamous Abaco phone call, but it's all good.

Saturday morning, we got ready and then hung nervously around the phone for about 10 kabillion years until we got our transfer calls. Then we did studies and headed out the door. We spent all morning at Brother Curry's funeral. His family was just distraught... It made me so sad that they haven't accepted the gospel that he did! When they do accept this gospel, it will be such a joyous day... what's up plan of salvation??

We spent all afternoon at Lisa and Andrew's wedding!!! They're married!!!! YAY!!!!! Lisa rented a camera and asked me to shoot the wedding. No pressure or anything. I basically was just stressed for like four hours. But I think the pictures turned out okay :) We taught some lessons and called it a night!

Sunday, Andrew finally got baptized!!!!!!!!! It was such a big weekend for that family! I am just so happy for them. Even though Andrew wasn't technically our investigator (they live in the other sisters' area), I have just grown to love them so much and I am so happy for the amazing progress they are making together. I've loved seeing them grow in the gospel over these last three months!! We spent all afternoon going around to visit people so Sister Rampersad could say goodbye, and that was that!

We dropped off Sister Rampersad and Sister Collier at the airport this morning and they're in Jamaica by now! The power was out all over the island so that's why we're emailing so late today... sorry Mom :)

I've been studying a lot about faith this week. I've realized more and more that having faith in Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father literally gives us power to do anything. I mean, the scriptures say if you have faith enough, you will be able to move literal mountains. So that's huge. But there's something President Brown told me a few weeks ago that's made me think a lot... there's a difference between having faith and being faithful. We can have faith for just like a few seconds and then it's gone. But if we are faithful, we have a consistent and sure knowledge that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are there and they will not forsake us. Being faithful is what brings us happiness in this life and in the life to come. Being faithful is what eliminates all doubt and worry from our lives. We all should just press forward with an eye single to the glory of God always, and we'll all make it! And even better... we'll find joy in every step of the journey! Heavenly Father loves us all so much and there's so much we all have to be grateful for. And hen we have faith... we need not fear!

"Fear not, little flock, the kingdom is yours until I come." -Doctrine and Covenants 35:27

I love you all! I hope everyone has an amazing week!!!

xoxoxoxo,

Sister Oman