Family Home Evening Questions from Home

Dear Elder,
As a family we would like specific questions answered.
Please respond accordingly.

Dad - tell me about a family you are currently teaching, how many in the family, what they do for a living and what prompted them to take the discussions?

Mitchell-What is yo fav color.

Sydney-why would you want to leave when you said The Lord wants you there?

Jonah- What do you miss most about home?Why?

Riley- what is your favorite Guyanese food and why?

Mom- what do the people there do for a living?

Dad- We don't really have any whole family investigators right now. We really like to focus if we can on part-member families because it helps to get everyone to church if they have someone there to help them. But those we have taught that aren't part members are because they have a friend in the church that really helps to let them see how normal people in our church are. They are scared because there are white boys promoting it. Everyone needs a fellowshipper and a calling in the church. The fellowshipper is vital

Mitchell- probably blue right now, i've noticed I don't have as many blue ties, I need to keep my eye out for more!

Sydney- Because Satan wants me to give up. It's really hard to be a missionary, and it would be so much easier to just come home and take it easy. So I say that when I'm really vulnerable and weak where Satan can get to me.

Jonah- The food. I basically starve myself because I can't handle how bad everything tastes, looks, and smells. I miss mom's cooking too, even though she doesn't cook often, I miss it.

Riley- They have this desert called a pine tart that is really pretty good. It's like a flaky pastry on the outside with some jelly filling thing on the inside. It's not too sweet but it tastes really good especially when it's warm.

Mom- Most people here cut cane for a living. It's really hard work, but that's really all they have to do! The cane season is about to end so I don't know what people will do when it's time to just wait for the cane to grow back...

Testimony -Week 9

This was not a week like last week. We had a few good lessons but most days were filled with some disappointment.

We spent a good three days cleaning out the old apartment and then another day doing some good service.

I am really starting to get into the swing of missionary work which is good for me!

Not a lot happened this week, I don't really know what to say.

OH! I figured out how to keep the bugs off me at night! I just have to cover myself in lotion and it greatly minimizes the bug bites I get! So that was nice!

I really think I'll just bear my testimony of some things I know to be true.

If you are not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and you have been following my blog, there has to be some part of you that wonders why I am doing this and experiencing these things. I wouldn't be out here if I didn't know it was true. So if there is anyone out there that is even the tiniest bit curious, I would invite you to really look into it and do as it says in Moroni 10:4-5-

 "4. And when ye shall receive these things I would exhort you to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."

I know this to be the true church of Jesus Christ on the earth today. I know it to have been restored through the prophet Joseph Smith just 200 years ago. I know the Book of Mormon to be the word of God and to contain the fullness of the gospel. I know that if you will pray and ask the only person who will never lie to you if this is the true church on the earth today, he will give you an answer.

I know these things to be true.

I love you all and hope you have a great day and week!

Shoot me an email if you get the chance or send me a letter! I would love to hear from anyone!

hayden.dorrance@myldsmail.net

Elder Hayden Dorrance

243 Cedar Court

Lamaha Gardens

Georgetown, Guyana

Stay safe and sober!

All my love, Elder Dorrance

Short Update - Week 8

I can't believe I am already one transfer in! it's crazy how fast time flies when you're having fun!

I'll get right into it though, Wednesday we baptized sister Bickram, who is a sweet older lady that was told by her husband to attend "the White man church" she's super awesome and should be ready for the temple in a year!

Then on Friday we were able to baptize Oksana who is 18 and really going to be strong member in the church!

Then on saturday we baptized Lisa who is 9 and has taken a LONG time to get baptized because she has a hard time remembering stuff!

President Mehr came to district meeting this week and was able to attend our baptism on Friday!

I hope all is well and I'm sorry that this email is short, I spent too long doing other stuff! I'm sorry! I love you all! have a great week!

Much Love Elder Dorrance

Elder Hodgkinson, Sister Bickram, Elder Dorrance

Elder Hodgkinson, Brother Persaud, Oksana (Their Neice), Sister Persaud and Elder Dorrance

They had to walk through some mud to get deep enough in the river to be fully submerged.

New Haircut - New Apartment - Week 7

Momma!

So this marks the beginning of my last week of my first transfer! I'm beyond excited to finally hit some kind of landmark! I have a long way going, but I can handle 17 more of these!

I feel like the weeks are really flying by! We were supposed to have a baptism last Saturday, but her dad pushed it back so he could be there, so this upcoming week we have a baptism on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Super exciting week! And President Mehr is coming to our Zone alone! Pretty awesome!

So I was almost unable to say that my grandmother was the only woman to cut my hair, but I still can! The man who cut my hair was named Trevor and he is a sick guy! His shop is setup like 15 steps from our old apartment! super sick guy, but you can see I got a little sun with my thick, curly locks...

Then we have our apartment all packed up again, just a short time there and then the nice new apartment! I didn't get a picture of the outside, sorry! Next week though!

Then we have a Macaw being held by Clinton, a 14 year old member boy who is kind of less active. He's a great kid, but won't come to church. He said I could hold his bird on that pole if I didn't want my fingers anymore... haha!

Then we have Elder Betty White making some super delicious Mac & Cheese this afternoon before emailing. I found that apron in the cupboard from the last senior couple, thought I'd give it a try, and just let me say that I do believe that my mac and cheese is probably some of the best anyone has ever had. Just saying...

And that is the outside of the meeting house for the Bushlot Branch, we cover two branches so I will get pictures of that one next week!

I would love to hear from anyone! My address is

243 Cedar Court

Lamaha Gardens

Georgetown Guyana

I love and appreciate you all! I hope you have a blessed week and a great day!

All my love,

Elder Dorrance

Old Apartment - Love the blue

New Apartment - Moving up in the world

yes, the spidey sheets are mine

Yum - Mac n Cheese.  Still not loving the Guyana Food.

Bushlot Branch Building

Another Week Down! Week 6

Today is the beginning of week 5 of a 6 week transfer! I am almost done with my first transfer! Pretty crazy! But it has been the most interesting and eye opening month and half of my life!

So I have the esteem privilege of being the feeding ground for a plethora of wonderful mosquito and Chiggers (What the senior Couple calls them) Which burrow into my skin and itch. It's not too bad, it definitely looks worse than it is though.

The Lizard is named sausage and he has been hanging out in our apartment for the last week or so, he's a good guy who leaves when we come in but he likes to lime (Chill) with us...

I'm getting much more accustomed to Curry. But I still don't like having to work to get my food off the bone. Not a huge deal, oh and the spice! HOLY MOLY I can't believe people eat this stuff on the daily! I drink so much water with every meal I eat with Guyanese people... haha I 'm doing very well though!

We had a baptism fall through on Saturday but we will have two this upcoming week and hopefully two next weekend as well! It's been good and the work is progressing here in Guyana!

I'm really learning a lot from my trainer and he keeps telling me that I'm training him and he's leaving for the islands after only one transfer of training me, you can tell he's been here in Guyana for 7 months or so.... he wants to get to the Islands bad. haha, he's a good guy though!

I'm losing a ton of weight! I don't know how much because I can't weigh myself, but it's a ton!

I'm also extremely sad to say that as of today I can no longer say that my grandmother is the only person to cut my hair, I had it cut extremely short so I can keep cool! I will send pictures next week, I didn't have my camera when I got it cut!

A funny story.  So the government has a restriction on the amount of missionaries that we can have in the country at one time. So we need more missionaries here in Guyana. So on thursday night we were just walking home when all of the sudden a big line of police cars drove by. when we asked who it was we were told it was the President of Guyana going to speak at a Hindu temple! when we went over there we were invited in by a very nice Hindu lady and we were able to give him a paper with the mission presidents phone number on it and told him to call him and talk to him. haha, a pretty cool experience! we were laughing because it would be a crapload of a lot harder to get to Barack... Good times...

Just a note...Hindu Temples are really weird... lots of freaky idols and loud annoying music with tons of flashing led lights and loud yelling. kinda stinky too...haha

So that's been my week! Lots of bug bites, plenty of hot days and lots of teaching about Jesus!

I love you all, keep me in your prayers, we all know I can use 'em!

Our "pet" lizard. We call him Sausage

Bug bites were a real issue for my sweet blood in Guyana 

One Month Down!

I have been out now for a little over a month and have come to accept a saying that my trainer told me.

"The first month feels like 6 months, and the next five feel like 1"

But I think I'm really beginning to get into the swing of missionary life!

This week has been very extremely good and bad. Every day seems like it takes forever, but once I sit down at night to write in my journal I can't believe that 9 hours had flown by like that... Time flies when you're having fun!

We were supposed to have four baptisms coming up on the 8th of March, but two of them didn't show up to church so we have to push them back a week, but we have two still which will be so cool! We've got some great new members joining the Church!!

I think I'm getting better at teaching, because we have gone on splits with the Branch president a couple of times now, so i'm teaching on my own! I'm really liking it and think that I'm getting the hang of the lessons and such!! I'm also really enjoying trying my best to memorize scriptures we have been assigned! It's been challenging but a good challenge!

I'm glad that everyone is doing alright though! I always get scared when I'm trying to fall asleep that I'm going to check my email on Monday and I'm going to find that Dad got into a fight on top of a blimp again and he broke his legs... always in the back of my mind...;)

But I'm doing well. I'm getting eaten alive, even with repellent. The Senior couple over us is super sweet and from one of the Carolina's and Sister Carter is beyond scared for me because she thinks I'm going to get Dengue... haha. It could happen, but I've been meaning to lose some weight.....JOKES!

I'm getting a mosquito net either tomorrow or the next day, so no need to worry mom!

I'm really beginning to love the people now that I can understand them and really want to help them find their way to Christ!

Every day is a new adventure! I wake up and kind of mope around, our apartment doesn't have many windows, so the floor is always dirty, so I don't have much desire to work out on the floor, and walking is good enough excercise... haha! Then I have breakfast and start studying by 8! then at nine we have companion study and then at ten to noon we have training. where we just talk about stuff really, kind of pointless... We are usually out of the apartment by noon going to see people and not back until 9! I am loving the work and loving the people!

I hope everyone is well and enjoying themselves! Keep staying safe and keep me in your prayers! Thanks for the support! I love you all! have a great week!!

Love,
Elder Dorrance

***Info from extra emails***

The picture of me standing like on the titanic is from the day that it just completely poured rain, i was completely soaked... haha...

My companion is great, he has humor that is pretty different than mine, but it's just political humor and factual stuff, not my style, but he's a great guy and I'm learning a lot from him!

I am definately understanding people better! I really think that it is an answer to my prayers because that was probably the most frustrating thing I was dealing with... but it's definately getting better!

We have some freaking amazing investigators, that are really coming along great if they would just show up to church, gosh dangit.... but We have lessons every single day at every hour, I haven't had a single day where we scheduled time to go tracting, we always have lessons.

I mostly eat cereal, ramen, and spaghetti. I've definately lost weight, and my appetite, I eat like 5 or 6 little meals a day rather than two huge meals like my companion...

Singin' in the rain...

My companion isn't much of a picture taker so a bunch of selfies it is...

 

Results of the pig slaughter from last week, a little crispy on the outside but tasty underneath.  We only cooked half of the pig, we'll cook the rest in a couple of weeks.

The rest of our district lunch

New alligator scripture bag