Chinese Food!

Chinese Meal!!!

Chinese Meal

Ok, so this week's letter will be better! 

So to start off, a few days ago we contacted a guy named Silvino and the contact, to be honest was not very good, but later that day we saw him go into his house and I realized that he was a reference from a member! We saw him later in the week, and he talked about how the Elders talked to him in the past, but had never come back and that really made him mad. But now he wants to talk to us again!! The only problem is that he works a ton, so it's hard to sit down with him.

Also, we have been teaching Bia, she is a teacher and a single mom. She really likes our message, but we found out the other night that she has no intention of switching at all... that kinda hurt. This is the first time I have run into people who will shut you down in the first few words. Kind of like Europe!!! 

We had interviews with our president this week and they were really good. He also gave a training here to our district and it was super good! He and his wife went over the importance of the restoration and are really focusing in the mission for us to preach the restoration!! That is what makes us different. As missionaries, we are not here to establish "common ground" but to show them the truth! That has been hard because I am changing the way I have learned to teach over my whole mission, but it is a lot better! 

Last night we had this sweet little Asian couple feed us dinner! In Cape Verde there are a lot of stores that are run by Chinese people. They sell all sorts of things that have a life expectancy of about 3 days! ;) But this couple is very friendly and always talk with us (in their Chinese Creole!! not easy!) So we made a deal that if they would feed us one night real Chinese food then we would make them American food. MOM I am going to need some recipes for them! But that was really fun! 

Hope y'all have a good week! :)

Love,

Elder Naylor

Thank you Aunt Becky!! :)

I have been here so long, rice is the night snack!! (note the home made salsa! :))

Still Building...

Bright future for Sao Nicalau

This week was good! A lot of things have been going well! We have been doing a lot of street contacts, and we have a few people who could prove to be very good investigators!

Today we have interviews with President. That should be really good! I am excited to ask a few questions and get some help with my area! 

One highlight of this week is:  I got yelled at by a guy from Holland that thinks we are here just trying to steal money from these people. He said how we are part of a pyramid scheme, and that we are being lied to. Oddly enough, I didn't get too mad, but I just felt sorry for how misinformed he is and what he is missing out on. I have plans to drop a Book of Mormon off at his house with a few pamphlets. I hope that he might learn. 

I have been reading in the D&C (Doctrine and Covenants) lately. This week the scripture that rang true to me was D&C 41:5. It says if we know what to do and do it, we are His disciples. If we don't, we are not. Here in Cape Verde we find a lot of people who "know" what to do, but will not do it. As it says in D&C 29:45 "They love the dark more than the light." I am not sure who it was, but someone important said "If they are not keeping the commandments, it's because they believe they have more to gain by not keeping them than by keeping them." 

That's really what we have been running into lately. There are people that love our message and what we do, and even some that know we have the truth, but they will still not follow. 

I am hoping that next week I can send more information about people progressing. :) 

Love,

Elder Naylor

Referrals!

So, first off my comp is finishing his mission and going back home, so I will be serving with a mini (a member of the Church from that area of Cape Verde) again. It should be good though, because he is a member here, and I will be able to help him out.

The week was great in terms of references! We got about 10 references and 8 of them have proved to be possible investigators! I wish I could write more, but right now it is a lot of hard work and in the streets. 

I do love the members here though! They are so sweet and kind! They threw a little going away party for Elder Jensen and they all are doing their best in life! 

I am happy to be a missionary and be able to preach this wonderful gospel! That has brought so much happiness to my life! 

I promise to write more next week! ;) 

Elder Naylor 

The District

Happy New Year!

First off, this is the address to the new mission blog! They are not going to update it much, but you can look if you want. thecapeverdepraiamission.blogspot.com

So, another slower week! Let's just say Cape Verdians love to party!! It's hard to get much work done or appointments set. We did get to see a cool firework show! 

We have been working really hard lately and trying very hard to find people who are ready to listen. Efforts have been high and fruits low, but we will not give up! 

I want to share a little moment I had this week! Our little group is full of who you could call "outcasts". Not to be rude or mean, but we have some kind of crazy people, beggars, and others of the sort. My companion and I were talking and I just thought, "Why?" Then I remembered the publicans and sinners story. Christ did not come to heal the healthy or to preach repentance to the worthy! As weird or as strange as these people may be, God loves them!! And I have been called to guide them! I felt a huge sense of love for these people after that! They are my happy little strange family, but we are all fighting and trying to make it on the path of righteousness, and I love them! (Note: Todd is in an area that has too few members to be a ward or even a branch, so it's just called a "group".)

Something I have really come to learn on my mission is the worth of souls is great in the eyes of the Lord!! I know this! From the richest to the poorest, from the successful to the addicts, he cares and wants us all to come! There is no need to judge or put down or any of those things.

Thats my Thought for today! :)

Love, 

Elder Naylor 

Pic: New years, Sprite and Apple juice drinks!!

Week well done!