1/11/2016

Happy 2016!                                                    Jan.11,2016

It is crazy to think that I will be going home this year. 2015 flew by way fast. 

New years went well. They didn't really want us in our area on New years eve and day. So we just spent our time in Queenstown. On New years eve, most of the zone gathered at our flat and we stayed up all night. When 2016 came a lot of fireworks went off around town and people were yelling and going crazy in the streets.

I celebrated the occasion by drinking some sparkling juice that we had bought that day. It was quite the missionary party!

The work has been somewhat slow but enjoyable all the same. Things are going to really heat up when the holidays are over and people return to Ilinge.

P-days have been nice. There are a lot of tall hills around Queenstown and we have started to climb them often. Sometimes, they are covered with really cool trees and have caves in them.

We've had a good week for missionary work in Ilinge. School holidays are ending and our teaching pool is getting better. We found a cool father-led family and taught them the Restoration. The lesson went well and Elder Bowers really participated well. We got a less active list this last week and met with bishop to narrow down on those he wants us to see. 

We have spent a considerable amount of time trying to visit these people. I think our efforts paid off. A handful of them came to church for the first time in a while.

We are going to have a baptism soon. We have been teaching this one boy named Emitle. He is ten years old and a part-member family. He has been coming to church for months faithfully and never misses a Sunday. Previous missionaries have taught him but have struggled because he doesn't speak or understand English. Our Bishop requested that we reteach him so that he can get baptized. He doesn't stay with his parents.(They might be deceased) He lives with his older cousins who are super active members. 

His date is set for the 24th of this month and hopefully we can have some others soon. 

Life here continues at a fast pace. Days tick by and I try to make a spiritual experience out of each one. I now have a little over 10 months left on mission and  I hope that I will this year strong and come home a changed man.

Love,

Elder Sean Patrick Herrick