New Years in Cape Verde

January 6, 2014

New Years in Cape Verde is a little different than Utah haha.  I love it tho, it was super fun.  So most the people here just drink like its a job on New Years Eve.  We went out to our area, and came home around 6 because the sun started to go down, and everyone was hammered by 5 in the afternoon. So we went over and spent the night at the Zone Leaders house! The whole district was there and it was sweet!  We brought mats, and sat on the roof in Lem Ferra, and it was sweet.  I sat up there and had a good talk with Elder Evans from Vegas for a while.  He has a lot of family in Cedar City, and we know some of the same people so its fun to have someone to relate to.  So we sat on the roof and watched the "Firework" show.  But to be completely honest, the firework show in the front yard of the Jarvis home would give Cape Verde a run for its money.  There were only a couple fireworks that we could actually see, but it was still fun to be there and hang out with all the guys.

Missionary work is crazy around the holidays because Everyone is drunk, and it's tough to find sober people to teach.  New Years day was sweet as well, but there were more parties so we didn't get out and teach a whole ton.  But the work is still sweet!  Igor, the last non member in Noberto’s family will be baptised this week.  And Odgevanilto, son of our recent convert Dina will be baptised this week as well.  Familias!!!  But we should have one or two for the week after that too so its all good!  We also had most of our recent converts come to church, so its looking good.  We should become a ward pretty soon here, which is sweet!

Other highlights from this week.  I did my first baptismal interview.  I interviewed a 14 year old boy, and it was good.  It was amazing because I was really blessed with the gift of tounges during the interview.  Like I can understand some creol now, but I’m in no way fluent in it.  And the kid answered every question in Creol, and I understood everything.  Which I guess is just a tender mercy the Lord definitely blessed me with on Friday.  

Also, Friday while we were doing our usual division with the Zone Leaders, Elder Smith asked if I would give a training the next day in Zone Conference.  I’m only in my third transfer, and technically I'm a district leader, but thats just because Elder Gooch is the district leader and hes a boss.  He asked me to give the training in Zone Conference on why Diligence is "cool".  And I said "Elder Smith, I’ll be completely honest, I dont even know how to say the word Diligence in Portuguese" And he said I should give the training anyway.  So I prepared it and gave it and it went really well.  It was a little weird because Im in my third transfer giving a training to Elder who are all older and smarter than me.  With the language, and probably spiritually.  But I prayed like crazy, and God definitely helped me out, and it turned out pretty good.   

Another crazy thing that happend was this fight on Sunday.  So we were trying to find Junior, an investigator.  And all of a sudden everyone started running up this street to watch this fight.  And so the whole town is gathered around this house.  And there are 2 full grown women standing on the street throwing beer bottles and rocks at, and into this house.  And the people in the house were throwing beer bottles and rocks back at them.  And the whole town was watching these four girls go at it, just throwing beer bottles and rocks into, and out of the house.  Elder Gooch and I turned to corner, saw what was going on, and immedietly turned around and walked the other way.  A couple "cops" showed up and cleaned up the fight a little.  It was just funny to see these grown women fighting like that! Like I doubt any four of the women were hit with rocks, it was grown women throwing rocks at each other.   We got out of there fast tho, we were never within 100 yards of the fight.  And it wasn't dangerous at all, we walked away right when we saw it.

Another sweet thing was Sunday after church.  Idk if you can find it on good maps, but there is this big road straight up from Lem Ferra to Achada Grande.  Just straight up the hill.  And the sun was setting over the ocean Sunday and it was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.  The sky was seriously  purple, orange, red, light blue, dark blue, white, and yellow.  It was the most colors I've ever seen the sky.  And the ocean was there, and we could see the whole city of praia, and it was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen in my life.  Elder Gooch and I literally sat down and started at it for 20 minutes until the sun went down.  So pretty.  I take it for granted, but I see the ocean every single day, and not many missionaries  get to say that.  Its pretty!  

This next week should be the first normal week in a while, which will be nice to kind of settle down.  I’m looking forward to just studying, and working in Achada Traz.  Also our Recent Convert Dina made us cake this week! What a boss! Were not allowed to eat with members, but its dina, and it was sweet!

Overall I love this place, another great week with the Dynamic Duo.  Love Elder Gooch.  Love all you guys and miss you like crazy!

Much Love, Elder Jarvis