Like a Tourist - Week 42

Right over my left shoulder is the rock structure where the skeleton was hanging at the beginning of Pirates of the Caribbean.

This week was slow at parts and flew by at others! Today is the start of week 5 of my 7th transfer! I can't believe how fast transfers are flying by these days! It's crazy!

On Tuesday we went and saw a few people after district meeting which was pretty cool, but a lot of our planned appointments ended up falling through! But we had a really great lesson with the Ashton family about prayer I think... The days are really starting to mesh together... But it was actually kind of a bummer day.

On Wednesday Elder Pohl woke up sick and we spent the entire day inside playing dominoes and watching old VHS tapes of Mountain of the Lord.

Same thing on Thursday, except we swapped Mountain of the Lord for Legacy. After sitting inside for a few days, some of the "movie magic" of the 80s made us crack up pretty hard, so you could tell that we hadn't really had much comedic relief for a whole 42 hours...

But on Friday we were able to go on a trade off with the Zone Leaders which was really great! Elder Hatch and I spent a few hours in an area that neither of us had been into before and were able to contact and teach some amazing people who were extremely prepared to hear the gospel! It was really a testimony builder to me to see that Heavenly Father really is building his kingdom and has prepared souls to receive us! It was wonderful!

On Saturday morning we traded back and Elder Pohl and I were welcomed back into our area together for the first time since Tuesday with a day of never ending rain that soaked us through while waiting for buses and what-not... haha. but because of the rain we had a lot fall through and not a whole lot of people wanting to talk to two soaking wet white guys trying to yell over the downpour of water... haha But it was a pretty good day! 

On Sunday we were able to have President Mehr come and speak to us and rearrange the branch Presidency which had been how it had been for a while, so nothing too crazy! Then we went to a members house for lunch and then to the new senior couples house for a "gospel jam session" with President Mehr that is always cool. We just bounce questions off of him and he teaches us. We were there for like 2 hours just talking and learning it was so awesome!

Then today we were supposed to go hike a volcano but it didn't work out so a few companionships got together and took a 45 minute bus ride to what is called Wallibou Bay where a few scenes of Pirates of the Caribbean were filmed. One of them was the one where Orlando Bloom and Johnny Depp fight in the rafters. Kind of cool!

All in all it was a great week! Nothing to complain about! I hope all is well!

Keep me in your prayers!

With all my love,

Elder Dorrance

Sister Wood and Sister Shelton

Looking over a wall into the ocean

Elder Gutierrez

I told Elder Wilson to make it look real and you can see in my face I wasn't breathing too well. Those things really work.

Rain Rain Go Away, Come Again Another Day...Week 41

Elder Pohl and I got caught in the most amount of rain I've ever seen.

This week was pretty average! We worked really hard, got really tired, sweated a whole lot, and something to kind of put a spin on things it rained. And it rained and it rained... haha

On Tuesday we had a combined district meeting about understanding and teaching to understanding which was really good because it really focused on experiences from the Book of Mormon where the prophets there were really able to help the people they were teaching understand. We were also able to go on a trade-off. Elder Gutierrez came into our area with me and we  had a spectacular day. We were able to teach some great lessons, one in particular about humility with a member named Kolin. We focused on Heleman 3:35. Which talks about improving your humility and faith! It was awesome! It also started DUMPING rain on us while we were walking home, it was raining so hard that we just started booking it down this hill. haha. It was great until we got home and I realized that running brought back my shin splint pain so that hung around for a few days but is gone now!

On Wednesday we woke up and headed over to Calliaqua to trade back and elder Pohl and I were able to have a pretty interesting day. One lesson that really stuck out was with a man named Baynes who has met with missionaries before and knows a lot about the plan of salvation and Joseph Smith and wants to get baptised! So that was really great! The only problem is that right now he is living with his girlfriend and they aren't married, but nothing that can't be fixed!

On Thursday we had a good lesson with a man named Leslie comparing the Book of Mormon with the Bible and seeing how they teach the same things and how they both simply testify of Christ. Which went really well because he told us that he is going to start looking into the Book of Mormon to find other things that are similar in them. Then we headed down to the church to help some members clean and it turned out to be us and one other member and there was only one mop and two brooms, so Elder Pohl and i swept while Sister Smith mopped and she had to stop to go to a meeting so it just ended up with us being there for 2 hours while we took turns watching the other one mop... Loads of fun... haha 

On Friday we had almost all of our appointments fall through. But one we didn't have fall through was with an awesome member family named the Browns. We talked about the sacrament and how it really cleanses us. It was awesome! And on the way home we found ourselves running again because of the downpour of liquid from the heavens... It was a magical experience, I thought I was swimming again... 

On Saturday we had a great lesson about the restoration with a woman named Keisha and her sister which went really well. I love talking about the Book of Mormon when teaching the restoration because of how vital it really is to the establishment of the church. It is so vital. And it also completely rained like a hurricane on Saturday too. By this point Elder Pohl and I were pretty tired of getting home completely soaked through, especially me when I only have one pair of shoes and have to wear some semi-wet shoes all day the next day... haha

On Sunday we had great church. We had some good talks on seminary and missionary work, one of them by a missionary that just got back from his mission that was really good. After church we headed to a members house for lunch where we had some pretty good chicken and rice and peas. Pretty good! Then we went home to study and then to choir practice where it started pouring rain once again and no one showed up but the director with a car and the four missionaries, so that was fun... Then when it didn't let up after about an hour we decided to just book it home.

All in all a really fantasticly wet week. Taught some great lessons and found some cool people to teach and got really really wet.

I heard once from an older, more experienced missionary once, the more times you get caught in the rain as a missionary, the cuter your wife will be. So I'm not complaining.:)

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

Elder Dorrance

The Weeks are Flying By! Week 40

I can't believe it is already P-Day again. The weeks are just flying by. This last week was independence day here in St. Vincent on Monday so we had P-Day on Tuesday which was kind of a bummer in some ways but better in others because the week feels so much shorter. 

But on Wednesday we had all of our appointments fall through but we were able to see one of our most progressing investigators named Kelly, who should have a baptismal date for the 15th of November tonight when we go see her and she came to church so that was great! 

On Thursday we were able to have one of the returned missionaries who just barely got back like 2 weeks ago come out with us just to have all of our lessons fall through and spend a day contacting which was pretty unsuccessful... but it turned out alright... 

On Friday we had one lesson in the morning and the rest of the day cancel on us. We literally tried contacting and talking to people but people wouldn't even talk to us. It was an awful day... haha oh man that's all I can say about Friday ... Happy Halloween.

On Saturday we went to a baptism in the morning which was really great! then we got back in the afternoon to start our fast which went extremely well. We had some pretty good lessons later Saturday evening and I got really really sick from some food that I had eaten for lunch earlier in the day so that was fun... haha But as usual got home completely exhausted and ready to sleep from not eating or drinking...

On Sunday we had really great church where Kelly and her sister both came to church which was super awesome and we are meeting with them again tonight to follow up on a baptismal date! 

All in all we had a really great week of working really hard and teaching a whole lot! It should be a really great week and I'm excited to be here. 

Thank you so much for all that you guys do for me! I love you so much! Have a great week!

All my love, 

Elder Dorrance

Goodbye Elder Staley - Week 39

This was a hard and rewarding week for Elder Pohl and I here in St. Vincent.

On Tuesday we had a good zone meeting where we spent the whole time talking about things we learned from our companions and then we took some time to take pictures and sign books and stuff it was a lot of fun. Then we actually all but one of our appointments fall through, but we had a great lesson with the Ashton family, it got a little hostile at times, but it turned out really good.

On Wednesday it was transfer day and we woke up at about 5 to tapping on our window because the zone leaders were dropping off a missionary to stay with us until his companion flew in. It was also the last time I would see one of my best friends for a long time. We got up and tried to see some people after studying but that ended up falling through too, so we caught a bus to the airport to get the missionary to his new companion. Later, we were able to have a great lesson with a girl named Kelly who is the older sister of one of the recent converts in the branch. She told us about how she wants to change and be baptized but there are things she has to do first. It was a really spiritual lesson and it went really well!

On Thursday we had some  great lessons planned but actually had most of them fall through again. We had some awesome lessons with the ashtons and a man named Leslie! It was great!

On Friday we had a lesson with someone we had never met before named Steven and he was really interested and really wants to grow closer to Christ! It was an awesome lesson! 

On Saturday we were able to visit with a woman named Rachael who we contacted a few weeks ago.  She is really involved in her faith at the moment, but loves having us come over and talk to her about what we believe. We talked to her about the Book of Mormon and while explaining it she read a little about the Book of Ether and the confounding of the tongues and she was happy to find out that it is the same tower of Babel as in the bible. It was a great leesson and she is excited to learn more! 

On Sunday we had great church and we were able to have a sweet FHE with the Brown family that night.  We talked about Joseph Smith and watched a little movie about him!

It was a great week and Elder Pohl and I are doing really well! We got some new missionaries on the island and it is really fun to see them just starting, it reminds me of about 9 months ago tomorrow when I entered the MTC. Boy I can't believe time has flown by like that..

I love you all and thank you for the emails and letters! Have a great week!

Love, Elder Dorrance

Sister Christiansen, Sister Shelton, Sister Worthington, Elder Oleson, Elder Staley, and Elder Gordon

Elder Shariatmadari (Back) and Elder Staley

Lots of fun fun fun! - Week 38

This week was a lot of fun and a lot of hard work... 

On Tuesday we had almost every single lesson fall through which is still kind of a bummer but we find other things to do that I feel are pretty effective. Especially visiting with less active members in the area we are in.  Trying to just visit with them and see how they are doing...

On Wednesday we spent a good part of the morning trying to get the baptismal font filled up for a baptism that evening and getting into the office because it was locked. But we ended up working it all out and getting it put together nice. We had some alright lessons but mostly everything tapped out again. The baptism was for the next Elders. Her name is Alicia and she is way cool. On trade-offs I have been able to teach her a few times. She is really cool and has gone through a lot to get baptized it was really cool! 

On Thursday we had a trade off planned where Elder Staley would be coming into my area which was probably the best trade-off I've had on my mission... We taught some great lessons and had a whole lot of fun. We actually had a cool experience with the other zone leader trying to call someone and getting someone else and contacting them to the point where they were willing to let us come and visit her. So it was way cool to go and to talk to her about the Book of Mormon. But we had a great day and some wonderful lessons.

On Friday morning we traded back and actually ended up having another kinda cruddy day with everything falling through. We did have an okay lesson with some less actives but nothing too great... Kind of a bummer.

On Saturday we were able to go see a woman named Nikisha who's brother and friend were all there and they all were extremely interested in the Book of Mormon which was super cool! Also later that night we had a great lesson with the Ashton family focusing on the restoration which is the only problem they are facing right now. It's hard to help people be converted when they won't read the Book of Mormon. That is one thing I have definitely learned on my mission.

On Sunday we had great church! Alicia was confirmed and the whole thing was set apart for the primary program which was hysterical! haha. It wasn't like at home but it was still pretty good. Then we were able to have lunch at a members house and a lesson with a woman we contacted earlier in the week who is super prepared to receive the gospel which is super cool to see! 

It has been a great week with a lot of the same stuff going one. Serving the Lord in paradise. Beautiful sunsets, lots of great people, and tons of good times!

Thanks for all the prayers and emails and keep 'em coming! I love you tons and have a great week!

Love, Elder Dorrance

This Really is Christ's Church - Week 37

Well I think I'm getting to that point on my mission where really nothing changes too much. I go out and do missionary work every single day and that is kind of it... haha

This week we were able to make some great progress with a couple investigators though. 

On Tuesday we were able to have President and Sister Mehr join us in our Zone meeting which was cool to have their insight into the lesson. President Mehr was there to do interviews with the missionaries. It's nice to be able to sit down with the mission president for a little bit to talk with him. After Zone Meeting we went to see a woman named Amanda who is supposed to be preparing herself for baptism but is kind of fizzling away from commitments which is kind of sad. We were able to sit down and have a nice lesson with her and her sister though. Her sister is very interested in the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith and how the whole thing came about. So that is really cool to see her interested in that.

On Wednesday we got to go see a cool man named Leslie. He is very humble and we always have really good discussions whenever we go over. We have been stressing the importance of the Book of Mormon if he really wants to find out if anything we share is true. I really think that he is starting to understand. We also had correlation with the branch president on Wednesday night and about half way through President Mehr came and sat in with us, but nothing too crazy...

On Thursday we had a fantastic lesson with the whole Ashton family about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith which is cool because they are the ones we have been focusing on for the last few weeks, I really think that they are about to get it.

Also on Thursday in our Book of Mormon reading we were right in the middle of Third Nephi. I love reading about the Savior's ministry in the Americas, I especially love how closely related the church is now to how it was when Jesus Christ was on the earth...

This really is Christ's Church.

Then on Friday we spent some time trying to contact and tract a part of our area that we hadn't really been to before, but it turned out to be a dud. I have never been so downhearted on my mission than when a contact with a complete stranger goes badly. Haha I'm okay now but it just completely kills me on the inside because I feel like people won't even give us a chance to talk and just shut us down.

But on Saturday we were able to see someone in the morning and got back home in time to make some spaghetti and start our fast. This had to be one of the quickest fasts I've ever had. I don't know why, but I feel like it just flew by. We went walking a whole lot Saturday night with our Branch President while he showed us around to a few people which was kind of hard but nothing too crazy.

Then on Sunday morning the hunger and thirst pains really hit me, but we headed off to church and had a really nice Sunday meeting. Then we were able to have lunch at a members house and have an alright rest of our night.

All in all it was an okay week I guess. Fasting is hard but something I learned is in Helaman 3:35 Which talks about some blessings that come from fasting. like greater humility and faith.

I love this gospel and I love you!

Have a fantastic week!

All my love, Elder Dorrance

My now Wife's family spent a lot of time in Seaside Oregon which is where this kids sweatshirt is from.
He had no clue what it was.

Conference - Week 36

There wasn't a whole lot that was going on this week, we taught some lessons and walked around a lot, nothing out of the ordinary for a day in the life here in St. Vincent.

On Tuesday we had a great district meeting about accountability for our actions and how we should not be slothful but be diligent and obedient. Its really cool to see these principles of missionary work talked about in the Book of Mormon. It really strengthens my testimony of it when I can read and apply what I read into life, especially missionary life. After district meeting I was able to go to Campden Park with Elder Wilson from Wisconsin. He is a hoot and we had a lot of fun serving together for the day or two. We taught some of their really cool investigators and had a really good time!

On Wednesday I spent most of the day with Elder Wilson and then headed back to Kingstown for correlation and a couple more lessons for the night. It was a really good lesson with a less active family about General Conference.

On Thursday we had some great lessons and were able to set a baptismal date with a woman named Brontie! She is excited to be baptized but knows that there are some things in her life that she needs to change.

On Friday we had some alright lessons but one that stuck out in particular was with a woman named Shakie. We taught her about the prophet Enos gaining a remission of his sins and going to do missionary work. She understood it well and wants to read more into the book of mormon! So that was super cool!

I cant even begin to talk about Saturday and Sunday though. Saturday was amazing. I've never had such an amazing experience with conference as I have had on my mission. The spirit is so strong. It was great! 

Sunday was a great day! I loved being there at the branch with all the members listening to the men and women called of God to speak to us. It was such a fantastic experience.

It was an average week, a hard week, but an okay week. Conference was a definite improvement and a great way to finish it off.

Thanks for all the love and prayers! Keep up the good work! 

Love you all tons!

Elder Dorrance