Coming Home

"HN" is baptized and it was awesome ! he actually chose me to baptize him! I just saw him like 30 minutes ago and he really is an amazing man! he thanked me for bringing him into the faith and I didn't really know what to say! he is so awesome I feel I barely did anything! he is going to bless so many in new Amsterdam! I am going to miss him!

He got the priesthood sunday gone! he is excited to bless others! "MN" also got baptized! her brother delon who just got baptized in august got to baptize her. I am also so excited for delon and Clint! those two brothers are going to change new Amsterdam and the Church! they have priorities set and correct!

To answer a next question yes I got to speak in church! President kirton gave me a minute. we were actually 5 minutes over time  but he still had me go up and share a thought. so I shared my favourite scripture. Mosiah 2:41

It was good . I didn't even cry !  haha

I have met a lot of awesome people in new Amsterdam. before I came to new Amsterdam I kinda thought since I was there for such a short time I wouldn't be noticed a whole lot. or get to attatched to the people. but boi am I going to miss them. and I think they will miss me!

we actually found another set of people to teach right around someone we got reactivated. and at least two of them came up to us and said " I want to get baptized"

They are really cool in this area!

But oh yeah I have another thing to tell you about!

On sunday I actually got to conduct a wedding haha  and sing love at home as a solo for more than half the song.  long story short the people having the wedding didn't really plan anything ... and then the night before we found out they expected us to have planned and confirmed everything! AHHHHH haha it was funny looking back. I was stressing so bad Saturday night tho!  I didn't want their wedding to blow up !

Whew! its over tho!

this week has been a good week! I think I am still in denial than I am coming home tho! it really does not feel like that!

All has gone well here!

But I have finished my course, I have fought a good fight , and I have kept the faith. 

I guess I can come home now! :)

See you soon!

Love Elder Pierson

Return With Honor

This week was eventful! so just so you know "HN" is still preparing and really ready for his baptism ! he is awesome!

Satan is trying to shake him pretty hard! Probably because he is a kingdom builder! He was on his way home from church and out of no where he was hit by a motorcycler who was going probably 80km/h . He is alright! his thumb hurts a little bit and his white shirt he searched for hours for was mashed up. and most sadly his wheel chair is kinda broken. well the wheel as destroyed. So sunday we spent probably close to 3 hours fixing his chair, WE took wheels off his old one and put them on his chair. Still not perfect but he can get around! so that was crazy! but he said it really strengthens his testimony even moe he is making the right decision! Like I have always said! "HN" IS A BOSS!

Yes "MN's" sister is a member! but "MN" is preparing well for baptism too! she has no huge obstruction!

Things are going well here in new Amsterdam !

Unfortunatly "FF" we can never get a hold of him and the only time we got through he told us we have bad timing! :/ sad. we are going to keep trying!

Church was good this sunday! we had 58 people there and that was really poor attendance! but hopefully it goes up again! we had 3 investigators there! 

This week was really good!

I learned how to jump my bike! :) ill get elder cook to video me doing it one time!

Gotta go do some Return with honour thing the mission wants!

But I love you much!'

Love Elder Pierson

I Wish it Would Never End

I really thought it was weird in 3rd nephi when it says that even babes and children did utter marvelous things, but now i do understand. since i have been in new Amsterdam its been cool to see how when parents listen to their children sometimes they learn alot. I Enjoy Children!

This week was a really good week! we had a good bit of success! "HN" is a strong as ever. He tells us of things people say to him to try to persuade him against the church. but he is steadfast and immovable! When we went to teach him about Prophets and obedience. Before we even started the lesson he bore his testimony to us about how grateful he was that thomas s monson was a living prophet on the earth! he is honestly a Phenomenal Man. I am Excited for his baptism!

We also got "MN" to come to church! she wants to be baptised but she misses church sometimes because he sister doesn't come. but she came this week even without her sister!

Also another highlight! (this was fantastic) as a back up while i was on a trade off i had written down to see a man who was pretty cool, but we just never got to see cause of his work schedule. his name is "FF"! he actually kinda reminds me of anthony!  But anyways we went to see him and met his wife. and started talking about eternal families! and lo and behold she said " i have actually been wondering if there was a way to make a family eternal ." she said she knew it all kinda dissolves at death and she dont want that! so it was cool to meet her. we still need to get back to teach the family! she was great, but her husband was out when we tried to come back for the family!

But all in all it was a really good week!

I am definitly grateful for the Lord Providing me such awesome people! People like that make me wish my mission would never end! i wish i could keep serving them!

Its cool to see all the progress in the work!

IN the dedicatory prayer for Guyana Elder Packer said that guyana would one day be dotted with stakes and have a temple ! and  i am so excited for that day! i can definitly see the kingdom builders flooding in!

Gotta go tho!

Love Elder Pierson

Prepared by the Lord

i hope it snows before i get home ! so i can feel the full change haha!

i doubt you hope so also tho haha!

Go Stampeders!

This week was really good!

i dont think i told you this but last week a guy came to church who was really interested in the church! 

his name is "HN"! and boy oh boy is "HN" a  boss!

He has such a desire to learn and prepare for the celestial kingdom! he has a baptismal date for september 19th!

He is actually in a wheel chair! im not sure what happened yet but he couldnt use his legs from birth. So he is still super active and great! 

He rolls farther to church than most members would walk 4 times a week so we can teach him 3 times a week and once for church! He is awesome!

Very involved in the community ! he is even a scout master! all in all "HN" is just an amazing man! he has read every single trach and half of the gospel principle book so he is always right with us as we teach! 

I quite enjoy "HN"! he is definitly been prepared by the Lord for the Gospel.

So that was cool! Tonight we will teach him the gospel Which he already recited the 5 steps last time when we taught the plan of salvation. so it will be good!

we usually teach him with two wonderful young men named delon and clint! they are two brothers! and they are fantastic men! they have a strong desire to serve the Lord and are even wanting to serve mini missions. Clint has been a member for a couple well years now and delon got baptizes in august right before i got here!

IT is alot of fun to work here!

ITs definitly keeping me focused!

Elder Cook is fantastic! he is a hard worker and a throrough planner! things are going good with us here!

As for baptisms coming up! Every date we set now is for after i leave which is a really weird feeling! but we have "HN", "MN", and a child of record! YAY! new amsterdam had 75 people at church last week and it was awesome!

Anyways i gotta go.

Oh hey i signed up for pathway. hope i get in. 

Love Elder Pierson

Rabies

have you heard of rabies??

i think you probably have...

Anyways i got bit by a dog this week! Twice! :) yay! it kinda hurt quite a bit!

But im alright! i dont think i have rabies! the dog seemed healthy enough.. So all is well. just nibbled you could say.. :)

But all was good for the week!

We did actually have a baptism this week! a wonderful young woman named "IA"!

She just turned 18 and really wanted to get baptized! Even She was going to mission prep before she was baptized!

She is super cool!

She will go on a mission one year from now is my bet!

i lost my camera cord at the moment so i will search for it so i can find it for next week!

But yea it was awesome!

New amsterdam is a really cool area!

Cool thing about brother Phagwah is that he has a buisness in new amsterdam and so we saw him there this week! and he has been a member for plenty years and knows most all the members in new amsterdam! soooo he gave us lots of less actives to search for!

And now back to the important things!

MY companions bike Got tiefed yesterday! in broad daylight! we were in a house and he left it on the street! But the guy brought it back! it was an investigator! he just wanted to take it for a spin .. NOt really tief it haha. Scarry moment tho. I was on my bike ready to go barreling down the road trying to find the guy haha. And elder Cook is a runner so he was about to run after me to stay withing sight and sound .. But we had no clue which direction he went so we just waited.. and he came back :)

Hmm what else must i tell you!

Well we found some really cool less actives. they just kinda dropped off Both had been to the temple to be sealed when they were like 15 and 16 so now they really want to come back!

Super Excited for them!

This week has been good!

Missions are great! i love it!

But i gotta go!

Lvoe ya!

Love Elder Pierson

I Have Learned a Lot

my new area is pretty great!

Elder Cook is fantastic! he is obedient as what! and is a real help on keeping me focused. he is from colorado So he likes mountains, and he is a track / cross country man so he likes to run! Fernando (my stomach ) is slowly fading away! this way christie wont be able to call me the Himalayas when i get home :) haha so its great!

New Amsterdam is like the town of berbice! it is not terrible big but there are some taller buildings! there are like 4 Big buildings being built right now! but this is guyana so they will probably finish in 2019 haha

But its a pretty cool area! plus its close to canje so things are good! IT was really nice on sunday we went to canje chapel for a self reliance and other ting graduation and the canje members were glad to see me. But what was cool was brother Phagwah called me over and pointed out a lady from new amsterdam and said "i told her she is getting one of the best missionaries in new amsterdam.. So be the best missionary" haha i love brother Phagwah! i am sad i didnt start visiting the family more regular when i was here for so long! they are great! 

But About new amsterdam! we have a cool Branch president , he is a funny and great guy. HE told us recently his temple story, when he and his family got sealed.   and he has now been sealed for over 6-7 years. They have a kid born in the covenant! super cool!!

Any ways i like it here ! people are nice and the area is going fast! The only problem is we are finding really cool people and we have no time to teach them! we already have so many prepared people! it is fantastic!!

WEll This sunday i also got to give a talk! it was a lot of fun! i spoke on attitude! it was great!

I Think i have learned a lot from my mission , im not sure if i have changed from who i used to be. ITs been a slow gradual process! i guess i will have to rely on what my loving mother says when she see's me!  but there are always still changes to make so i will keep working!

But all is well here! i am still working hard! doing my best!

Tell Grandma and Grandpa that i love them!

Thanks momma!

Love Elder Pierson

PS my apartment is good! the land lord is about to make it more good with a new coat of paint!

Oh also it have an Air conditioning that makes life way to cold i set it at 22 and i freeze at night!

Last Transfer

Yes all is very well for me!

i am going to new amsterdam to finish off a missionaries training! so my daughter gets to kill two missionaries for his first two transfers!! haha sad. 

But yeah i am going to miss canje bad!! 

When sunday came around, only two families knew. The bahadurs and the moses, the branch president! so sunday i got to speak and i spoke of the importance of keeping the commandments and also sacrament IT was good. when president moses announced i was getting transfered, like half of the congregation turned around in surprisse! it was kinda funny haha

But i will miss people plenty here

Jamacie is cool! Reminds me of lindsey and christie sometimes!!  kinda cool! the whole bahadur family is just amazing!

I love them all!

and yeah i am finishing a missionaries training! Elder Cook is my new companion! and Elder day is staying with an elder Horsely! so i am no longer a zone leader! :) no more doing reports! yay :) now i gotta focus on training this new one right! :)

Yay twelve week training program!

We havent seen "OJ" back sadly! and he didn't come to church! something must be wrong! we will figure it our tomorrow night!

And oh we recently got in contact with a referral named the "IN" family! and boy are they awesome! a family from new amsterdam gave them to us and ahh they are cool i am sad i don't get to teach them all the way their baptisms!!!

Oh for my homecoming talk you should find out if i can pick my topic! i kinda want to speak on the importance of a cheerful or good attitude! :)

ANd now we no longer work in rosignol! there is elder patatefa going there! ( he is in my group)

so it should be great working around him!!!

ANd she will probably get a new one when he goes and meets them back!!

I am going to a new apartment so i no longer need to worry about prepaid current! but the black outs have still been happening! at least two to three a week!

yay!

But all is well in guyana! no problems for me!

I love Guyana! i never want to leave! so all yall better come here to live cause i need my family ! :)

Love You tons!

Love Elder Pierson

Hunting Jaguars

Well even just today has been full of adventure. Last night we were at the bahadurs house and we told them we are going to start running and they didnt believe us so in the morning we ran to their house and got there at like 6:45 haha so sister bahadur gave us some fruit and every kid who tiredly walked out of their room to wake up was startled awake to see us haha. but while we were there we played a game of chinese checkers and while playing i guess siter bahadur called the radio. and here you can wish people well on the radio you just call and deliver you message to the people and they read it! anyways While we were sitting there we heard she had wished well to all her kids and then at the end She also wished a "SPecial goodmorning to the two Best missionaries, Elder Pierson and Elder Day" haha i love that family so much! they are fun as what!

But this week was good!

We also moved ourselves into the new apartment and it is so nice! :)

but this sunday we split Elder day went across the river to rosignol with Bro pooran and i stayed with jared Bahadur and went to canje!

No investigators in canje :( but 4 in rosignol!

This week was a lot of fun!

Highlight for the week was probably finding a brother to a l.a who wants to get baptized.   His name is "NN".    Right now his reasons arent so good, he wants to get baptized because he wants to join pathway! a church program which requires being a member! 

but he is pretty cool So he will gain a testimony

I am Excited for him he is a pretty wonderful Guy so it will be fun to teach him!

Anyways i guess i am overtime ! 

You rock!

Love Elder Pierson

P.s the missionaries in  new amsterdam called me this morning to inform they could not study today because there were people hunting a jaguar on the road in front of their house! :0 awesome!

Running My Shoes to the Ground

There was two baptisms saturday gone! one in the rose hall area and one in new amsterdam! go zone! just now we will have one!

for "ZR" it really kind of brakes my heart. she is doing good but he changed from binge drinking every two weeks to drinking light every two or three days.. :( he will take some time to overcome and put priorities straight! but i am really hoping they succeed with the marriage papers. because once they are married she can get baptized. and he will come with time!

but this week we actually did not go to church. in canje branch anyways. since there is a shortage of missionaries there is none in an area called rosignol. now me and elder day have been working it once a week to keep it going . and the members are fantastic! we showed up to church and they were ecstatic to see us and greeted us with the news that they have 3 people who want to be baptized who came to church. and they came seeking advice or permission to do all the teaching themselves and have us come and do an overview to make sure they understand! so no investigators came in canje but we had 3 in rosignol

So we are seeing good work all around the board!

Im running my shoes to the ground haha but i still have an inch or so on my ecco's :)

its fun!

dont send more!

We get to meet our mission president soon! in person! i am excited!

Anyways i gotta go!

Love Elder Pierson

Crazy Week

This week has been sooo crazy! we have been able to get little to no work done in our area.. well at least i was. 

 i think i taught a grand total of 3 or 4 lessons in my area this week! :0  

crazy stuff happened and a missionary had to be sent to trinidad. and since we are the zone leaders and have a car we had to drive him down to georgetown at 6:30 or 7 in the evening so he could catch a flight in the morning! now its a 1 1/2 hour or 2 hour drive  (depending on if you drive the speed limit. so we got back home by about 10:30 in the night. anyways all the crazyness happened on our workdays (we were splitting days between canje and new amsterdam area) but now that we were another missionary short we fixed the missing temp problem so now we are finally back to work in our area! 

The reason i lost so much time in my area was also because I went so skeldon on saturday and then drove from rose hall again there on sunday to attend church. 

so when i got to church i got to give an impromptu talk. so i decided to speak on scripture study and i thought it was good. it was a lot of fun!!  

But im excited all the crazyness has slowed down. im exhausted haha. but its all good!

This week has been crazy but i would say from it i learned very strongly that God Does answer prayers! and Grants unto us our Righteous Desires!

oh i also went cast net fishing this week haha it was fun!and sorry i forgot my camera so i will do the photos next week!! :) Sorry!

Anyways i love you a lot!

Elder Pierson 

Covering Three Branches

this week has been a pretty interesting week. im not sure if i told you this last week but the New Amsterdam area only has one missionary and his temp has not yet come or been found! soo he has been with us for the last 3 weeks haha. i sure hope i told you since its been that way for 3 weeks! it hs been a lot of fun to have him around! he adds a whole new aspect to our teaching together!  

 

 soo friday gone was a holiday called phagwah. which is a hindu holiday which actually color me rad was based off of i believe. its a color festival. it has some interesting background! and now the cool thing is like half the people in berbice are hindu.. and in skeldon its like 75-80% sooooo they play phagwah very much over here!. basically you just walk around all day talking to people and they smear colorful powder all over you! soo needless to say is that we had a fun time.. it was a lot of fun i actually went up to skeldon on friday to teach and got pretty colorful.    the elders who stayed here didnt have a car and were visiting people to get colored so they were way worse but it was an interesting holiday to work on. . . Ive got a nice souvenir shirt. Skeldon is awesome though! we met with brother sancho's Soon to be wife and she is really cool. during the lesson we actually found out missionaries had visited her before and she wasnt baptized because she "wasnt ready to join the Faith" so we asked her "what about now?" and she said she is ready! so after they are married she will get baptized shortly after! Super Exciting! oh and (subject change) Hindus are really nice they will always feed you! its part of their religion.. soooo we ate a ton on phagwah day! so much vermicelli and sweet rice ! so good!

Its hard to get a ton of work done in  this area  because we rotate days in canje and new amsterdam! soo we go back and forth days and only get to cover our areas half the time! 

For me it is really interesting because i am covering 3 branches ! Canje, New amsterdam, and Skeldon. I actually didnt even get to go to canje church on sunday. i went with Elder Clark to new amsterdam so i didnt even get to see my branch! and the sad thing is i wont be there next week either! we have done some forward planning and actually planned an overnight skeldon Trip with me and Elder Aukusitino saturday coming. So i Will Be in Skeldon branch On sunday! ahh! i can only imagine what traveling high Councillors feel like!

Anyways all is well! its been really amazing to see what has been taking place over here in the area of berbice Guyana! there is talk about a District! we have set that as the goal and the church is slowly but surely working towards that Goal!

 But that is so amazing to know of all the temple attendance! its interesting how when a temple is so close we kind of take it for granted. and down here people long and wish they could attend regularly. its interesting to talk to people who have a temple trip planned like 8 months in advance and when i think about it, any given day i could just decide to go to the temple when i am at home! one thing i love is every temple on the earth weakens the power of satan!

This last week i have been thinking about the spirit in our lives. the question that always comes to mind is , do i heed all the spirits calls? i dont think i do at this point, but i could imagine what would happen if i did!  i always meet people who i would call "spiritual Giants" and its interesting to think at one point they still started as a spiritual baby.  over time trial success with the spirit they become who they are!
The struggle to perfect ourselves is an interesting one!
Gotta love it!
its really great to hear about all that is hapening back home! return missionaries are really the way to growth! i think here in Guyana i have devoted myself to trying to get  more  missionaries  to serve out of these branches! they really need it!

But to hear how much the church is growing and to think of all my friends who will be returning from missions just now! i cannot imagine how fast wards (i almost put branches) will be splitting and new ones organized ! its crazy!

"no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing!"

But Yes all is well over here ! i love guyanese food! especially seven curry! it is great! you get to eat it with your hands!

But I gotta Go!

Love you Tons!

Elder Pierson