Week 22 - May 26, 2014

RAIN

May 26, 2014 - Week 22 

Mom and Dad!

No we didn't have anything planned for the week, but we have our zone activity next week but I have no idea what we are going to be doing haha :) Everything here in the Ward, is basically the same. The ward is doing visiting teaching, it's just such a small effort, that nothing really gets done. But we are trying our hardest!

Golf. I miss those days haha :) Hope you're having fun! Jake Finally emailed me! Putz ;) haha jk, yeah, that's what he said! Mexico! He will do great! Hes not leaving till September though hahah  chupa su vida haha. I dont know why its so late. it's also weird they aren't sending him to Mexico for the MTC idk hahaha :)

This weeks letter should be titled "RAIN"

It finally started "winter" which here in Nicaragua translates to being 110 degrees all day everyday. It just rains everyday haha. The First day of rain was on Tuesday! I could not believe how much it rained. Seriously. Luckily I packed my dry sack, so I was able to put all of my scriptures and photos in that haha :) My "gringo Càmara" is water proof so no need to worry about that hahaha :) But I took a few pictures of that first day we couldn't make it to shelter and we had to get to one of our appointments, so we had to walk.  The streets here, when it rains for more than an hour, turn into rivers, because,  Miraflores is next to a mountain hill, so all of the water runs down from there and hits Miraflores hahaha. The video I have is that first day just trying to walk as fast as we could to the cita hahaha :) But other than that day we have been lucky and been in appointments during the rain :) It's so crazy when we have a thunderstorm on top of the rain. All Of the houses here have tin roofs, so its incredibly loud to begin with, but then throw lightning and thunder on top of it, is crazy hahaha :) We are right next to the smaller of the two lakes in Nicaragua, so the lightning is always hitting the water haha its pretty amazing here.

On top of all of that we baptized this week! We baptized a 15 year old boy Named Joseph, who is super awesome! He has such a strong testimony, and basically got mad at his mom for not letting him get baptized. I guess she felt like he was to young, and didn't know the doctrine, but he just went off on her and was like, Mom I know this is true. I am going to be baptized because God has told me this what I need to do. It was really cool!:)  Joseph is our first here in MiraFlores! We should be baptizing another guy next week, named Donald! :) Ill tell you about that next week! I love you guys!
 Hey, I am missing all of these photos of my family! I loved when you guys would send them! Surprisingly i haven't been that trunkey since I talked with you guys! It was a really nice reguvinator! I love you all!

Love Elder Naisbitt :)

Week 21 - May 19, 2014

Week 21 - May 19, 2014

Hey Mom!

What a crazy week you had! That's funny you cut/shaved  Torino too! Yeah I want to see pictures! :) Dad said he would put them up next week, so I will wait till then! :) That's great you got to have Korver for a few days, I miss my Korver! I can't wait to see him again! How did your tests go?? I will write Mathias when I know his email.  If you could ask him, and put in next weeks email, that would be awesome! thanks for Praying for us! :)

This week had its ups and downs for sure!

Basically the only good thing is that we brought 4 families, 4 priesthood holders, and 10 people in total to church!! :) It was really awesome, and the AP's sent us a text saying congratulations :) It was really awesome! So now we have 10 people progressing, and we should be baptizing this week and the following week! :) We are pretty Stoked! :)

Okay, for the hard part. So firstly, all we did this week was teach and contact. But the sucky part was that we could not find a positive Investigator all week, and that sucked, but tambien, we have been really focused on teaching less actives, and reactivating them. And its nice here because usually the in-actives will just start going to church if you ask them. But we have less than 15% of the ward active right now, so we have a ton of less actives to visit. The sad part is that when we would visit them, they usually would say, I have been a member for more than 30 years and was active for a time, and then inactive for the rest of the time. In the past 20 years of living here, No one has visited me once from the ward. Bishop, Counselors, Members, Teachers, No one. It was pretty discouraging. We have been working recently on a recent convert, who has problems drinking, but when we were visiting him on Wednesday he was super drunk, and we were talking with him, and he just starts bawling, and saying that in the past year no one has come to his house to help him, or just to ask him how he was doing. He was like, I just need a friend. That was pretty hard to watch, and to hear. The Ward isn't doing Their Visiting Teaching or Home Teaching. So we have coloration with the bishop this week, and we are gonna machete hard. Clearly the ward isn't doing their duties, and the only reason this ward is getting better is because we are dragging it by its feet. It's like trying to start an old car. But hopefully we can get this car running before we have changes. Anyway, I'm doing good, just missing the church I know back home.

I love you Mom! Thanks for sending those pants, I really Appreciate it! :) Praying for you always!

Elder Naisbitt

Hey Dad!

Where he studies in the house.

shower/ commode

Mom has the full update of the week, but I just wanted to tell you how grateful for you I am! Thanks for Everything! This week was pretty hard, And I'm so grateful for home teaching and Visiting teaching and how great they strengthen the ward. I am really missing the church back home. It's the Same teachings, but it is so different here, it seems like a completely different church with the same teachings. I'm so grateful for the church we have. We have found a mountain of people that are less active, and all say the same thing. "I have lived here for 20 years and no one from the ward has ever visited me" "I just am looking for a friend in the church, I know it is true, I just feel like an outcast there." etc...  I know its pretty dramatic, but the people down here are really driven by there feelings. The fact is that people don't do Visiting or Home Teaching, which has been hard to accept and we are hoping to help with that process.

Picture Explanation

"washing machine" ha ha!

Okay so the first few pictures are of the house, we have the shower and the clothes washer haha! We wash our own clothes which is well awful, but what can I do haha!

The Ones in The church are of a Family activity we had, and a University came and did Cultural dances. the Last video is of Micheal Jackson hahaha!

I hope mom Gets a kick out of that hahaha :)

And the last few are of me in front of a.. thing of a famous Nicaraguan Colonel of the Army or Something like that, But its down here in Managua! :)

Garrett in front of a famous Nicaraguan Colonel.

I love you Dad! :)

Elder Naisbitt

Week 20 - May 11, 2014

Week 20 - May 11, 2014

We were blessed to talk to Garrett on Mother's Day.  He answered all of our questions and sent some pictures to show us the countryside where he lives and some of the food (icky) he has eaten.

Fish head soup!

Garrett told his companion about French Toast & made it one p-day

Dad!

I feel like we just talked like yesterday or something... :) hahaha I'm really happy that I got to talk to you guys and see your faces!! I feel like it has been so long! I'm happy you guys are doing really awesome! I'm happy you had a great birthday and are doing great! Happy birthday old man! :)

So, well I guess I can just update you on what we have done today hahah we had bean soup today! It was actually pretty good, but it is basically beans mashed up and then add water and onions and peppers hahaha it is pretty third world country hahaha :) But yeah we just have been washing our clothes, cleaning the house, buying stuff for the house, and yeah here we are :) it has been a good p-day! :)

Ruth Chris Steakhouse! I'm jealous. I don't think steak exists down here haha just pulled beef haha :)

Have an awesome week dad! :) Love ya! :)

Elder Naisbitt

Garrett in Miraflores Managua

Miraflores

Hey Mom!

Yes, yesterday was super awesome!!!!!! I was so happy to have talked and seen you guys!! Everyone looks so happy and is doing really really great! :) I'm super happy! :) Happy mothers day too! I was soo happy to share that with you! I'm happy RFTC went really well! I cant wait until I can wear that down here! Thank you for the vitamins and the pants! They will be super great :) Malnutrition ..... its fun, not :) Well I really don't have much to talk about but well here we go!

Well... Our investigators are doing really well! Everyone is progressing really well, but the how we judge their conversion is, if they go to church! Its super frustrating when they choose not to go, because its like all of our work we did the last week went down the drain, and we have to machete them for not going. But usually they will go the next week after we machete them because we have become pretty good at just making them feel  realllllllyyyy bad haha :)

We should have a baptism in the next week on the 24th for a kid named Josef! He is super pilas and is really into the gospel and has a ton of friends in the church! We are working really hard for him, so hopefully everything works out! :)

Bueno, Next week will be a better letter, I'll have more to talk about hahaha :)

My new comp. Elder Sanchez from Guatemala 

I love you Mom! :) Thanks for all that you do for me!

Love

Elder Naisbitt!

May 5, 2014 - Week 19

Week 19 - May 5, 2014

Dear Mom and Dad,

I will be on this Sunday! Dad sent me his info for Skype so it should be great! :) I'm so excited to be able to talk to you guys!!! I cant believe its may already! I am so so so so so happy Baylee got baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been talking with her for the past month about her baptism and just sharing my testimony with her! It has been awesome! :) I am happy you got my package! :) Hopefully everybody liked their gifts! :) I have been praying for all of your tests to go well Mom! :) Dad be safe in Argentina! Hope everything is going well on the temple and progress is being made! :) 

Oo I got your package too!!!!! thank you so much!!! And Ash's letter! so cute! I miss him a ton... I love you and am so grateful for you! the candy is awesome and the ties are super awesome! I love you mom and I cant wait to see you!!!!! :) 

Look -I like selfies!

Okay so here is the information you asked me about! ha ha :) I had changes! Surprise! I'm am in the area, MiraFlores, which is in Managua! It is really awesome! Our area is actually pretty wealthy, not Masaya,  wealthy, but it is pretty well set. :) My comps name is Elder Sanchez! He has 15 months in the mission, and has served in 2 other areas! He's from Guatemala :)  He and I  get along really well, and we are working like horses hahaha :) 

Miraflores - New Casa

Okay but there is a twist with our area, we have had to reopen Miraflores. There were two sister missionaries here, but they weren't getting anything done, so President closed the for a time, and now we are reopening it. It is really really really hard. We literally have nothing to start off of. All we do all day is contact casas, and look through our area book for people the sisters taught in the past....which wasn't much. We started off this past Wednesday with 0 people with fecha and finished yesterday with 12 people with a Baptism date for first of June! It's so hard. Then on top of that, our ward is well.... its alright haha. We have a SIMI (total ward members baptized) of 360ish, but they have only been having 48 people in church every week. The 48 people are very fiel to the church, and have really strong testimonies, but we have over three hundred inactive members..... it's really bad. These first four days have been awesome, just super super super hard. Our companionship goal is to have a church attendance of 100 in the next 6 months. Our first week here we raised the attendance from 48 to 60, so that was good! :) Its just really hard. But me and my comp are doing awesome and getting along well! 

maybe outside Elder's room/apt.?

Ill talk to you on Sunday!!!!!!! :) 

Love Elder Naisbitt

ps..Okay so we have permission on Saturday to email at 10 in the morning or 9 in the morning for you, so please have your phone on and nearby so we can chat for the 10 minutes about this whole thing. Okay? I will only be on for 10 minutes so it just be ready for my email. I have to get off the computer, so I will talk to you on Saturday at 10 (9 for you) on the dot :) I love you Dad!  Be safe in Cordoba! :) I love you! :)

Elder Naisbitt

Week 18 - April 28, 2014'.

Week 18 - April 28, 2014

Mom!!!! :) family and friends,

I'm sorry you were so sick! I will definitely be praying for you and for your test results! Lauren is so head over heels for this Wade kid! I need a picture of this child to approve! How dare she date a boy without my permission! hahaha j/k :) Dad says your hooked on Candy Crush hahaha :) That is so funny! You and Ash rocking your Hipads! :) hahaha dad sent me a picture of my Elphy! She looks like a rag doll!!! she is probably really sad and lonely without me constantly scratching her belly ;) hahahahah jk :) Crazy its time for Race for the Cure,  again!!! Ahh time is cruising! :) 

So this week was really great! We prepared for two baptisms and for 2 other confirmations on Saturday of past investigators! :) This first kid to be baptized was Kenyon! He is super awesome! :) Super Pilas (battery hahaha we use the word pilas for investigators that progress really fast and are just constantly wanting to get better, because the Energizer bunny just keeps going and going haha :) ) haha.. funny missionary lingo :) Anyways, he is super Pilas! :) Hey got baptized in 3 weeks and we really didn't have to do much teaching hahaha, he read everything and just understood what he needed to do! :) His mom is a less active member and his "dad" is a return missionary! The dad isn't married yet to the lady, but the kids are the ladies from a previous marriage.  Sorry, tons of information. haha :)

The other little girl was mission baptism. The family is all way active, they just hadn't baptized their one daughter, so we got to do it because she was over 9.  Free baptism.  hahaha :)

Then on Saturday night we had our ward talent show! That is what most of the pictures are of haha :) There was a group of kids that performed in English and sang a song haha.  It was super impressive! Other kids in the primary just danced to cool music :) Some made sculptures of Angry Birds.   Overall it was an awesome night!

Today we had a zone activity at the National baseball park Masaya! It was super fun! We played baseball and kickball all morning! :) It was SO HOT though! The sun down here is so strong and it just torches everything! The grass in the field was the only green grass I have ever seen here in Nicaragua! 

Changes are this Wednesday!! I am almost 100% sure I will have changes, because they won't leave a new missionary working with zone leaders longer than they need to! I don't know where I am going, I get told this Wednesday at change meeting! Then I will take a ride on a micro bus with my new zone leader to my new area with my new comp! hahahaha craziness!! :) So next week I will be emailing you from my new area! :) Wish me luck!!! ;) 

I love you mom!!! :) Did you get the package yet????????? 

Love Elder Naisbitt

Hey Dad! I loved the Pictures!!! :) Elphy looks like a mess haha :) I miss that pooch!! She looks so sad without me there haha, jk :) It sounds like Lauren had an awesome time! She is head over heels for this kid! If I were home I would torment her and him  so much!!!!! hahaha I had no Idea I had an accent, you heard it in the last video? haha :) That is so funny! :) I haven't noticed hahaha :)

So this week was just a normal week, working like horses haha :) But on Saturday we had a ward talent show that is what the majority of the photos and videos are haha :) It was super funny and super fun! :) There was a group of young men that sang in English which was very  impressive!! :) Then we baptized one boy and one girl :) The Boy is so awesome, named Kenyon! We have been teaching him for about 3 weeks! He progressed super fast! and he is super intelligent! The girl was baptized by her dad but since she was over 9 she was a baptism for the mission rather then for the ward :) then today we went and played baseball where the National team plays haha :) It was super fun Zone Activity! :) We had a blast! It was so hot! hahaha :) 

That was pretty much our week hahaha Sorry not else much happened haha. But I will find out tomorrow if i have changes, then we have change meeting on Wednesday to see where we are going! :) It is pretty definitive I will have a changes, I just don't know where hahaha :) I ll email you guys next week from my new area and my new Comp! :) I'm  sad I'm leaving Masaya, but ready to work on my own with just my comp and my area and just put our heads down and work! :) 

Have an awesome week Dad!!!! :) I love you!! Thank you for all of the support!!! :) 

con amor

Elder Naisbitt

Week 17 - April 21, 2014

Week 17 - April 21, 2014

Mom, family and friends

I can't believe Lauren is a legal driver!!! How Crazy, I feel like I was Just getting my licence! Craziness! I'm glad Arizona was awesome! Did you get a chance to go to the temple and do a session or just the pageant outside? I have seen pictures of the Gilbert Temple! It looks gorgeous! I will never take having a temple near me ever again!!! It is so hard not having one here! Ugh I miss Toy Story too! One family we were visiting had it on their TV and I was super Trunky! (missionary phrase which means you are thinking of home and "packing your trunks" hahaha) :)

Okay so this week down here was Semana Santa ( Holy Week) for the Catholic Religion, which is basically Easter, but it was absolutely crazy!!!!! People in the States have never seen anything like this ever! So since the middle of March there have been little processions going past our house and around Masaya and it has been people caring around Christ with his cross and a small Band following it around haha. But This week escalated! I have never seen anything like this ever!!!  I have a few videos and a ton of pictures with us on our balcony of our house watching this procession on Friday night, and there is a figure of Christ in a casket and behind it was three little kids next to a glowing cross! Sorry for the bad pictures, the lights on these things were absolutely crazy! Sunday was crazy too, there was a ton of fireworks and a procession of the resurrected Christ! Super dramatic!

Elder Naisbitt's Residence

So,  while all of this was going on, we baptized another little boy! He was a kid of a family who were less active, and he had been a few times in church so we just had to convince the parents that the Church was where this kid needed to be :) It was great! The kid is a super cool kid and should stay active because his grandparents are Active :) And next week we have another baptism lined up! :) This next kids name is Kenyon and is super cool as well. He is around  12 years old and he is super smart, and has progressed super fast! We are really excited for that one!

A family we baptized 

We have a new family named Kenya &  Jonathon! They are super young, but Kenya is super intelligent and has been reading the Book of Mormon a ton and reads it to her boyfriend everyday! They are progressing to fast and completing with their compromises! They will go down in the water in May for sure! Too bad I Wont be here for that! GYARRRRRRRRR :) I'll be transferred by then.

Well That has pretty much been my week! I love you mom! And no I haven't gotten the package yet! I will probably get it at change meeting! :) Have an Awesome week mom! If there is anything I can do for you, Let me know! :) OH, I forgot to tell you last week,  I sent a package home and it should get there  tomorrow, or sometime this week! Its got little presents for you and the family! hahaha I wish I could explain what yours was, but I thought It looked really pretty :) I love you!!! :)

Elder Naisbitt

Samana Santa (Holy Week)

Hey Dad! :)

I'm glad you had a great Easter! Our Easter was good, but no one ever feeds us dinner... Our members are kind of stingy... but its also because Everyone is focused on s Samana Santa (Holy Week) for Catholics! Its pretty wild.  Some of the members go to the Catholic celebrations because  they think it is fun!! Its super Frustrating! I have two videos and a ton of photos of the processions walking in front of our house on Friday! Hahaha Its pretty ridiculous! They have a huge band walking behind the statures and caskets playing music haha. Its so hard to do missionary work during this time of the year because of how passionate people are about being catholic, even the Evangelicals become Catholic this time of the year because of big of celebrations that are occurring , haha crazy! :)

That was pretty much our week! Changes are next Wednesday, I should find out if I have changes next Tuesday, but I wont find out where I am going  until the Change meeting Wednesday.

Have a great week Dad!!!! :)

Con Amor!

Elder Naisbitt

PS.. I miss Elphy a ton! Send me a picture when you can! :)

Week 16 - April 14, 2014 - Earthquakes!

April 14, 2014 - Week 16

Mom! 

 I'm sorry you were sick!!! Que Triste! Lo Siento! I hope you are feeling much better now! :) I have not eaten any Iguanas yet, but my companions have,  and they say its really great! hahahaha :) Lauren, I'm sure is losing her mind planning  MORP and stuff!! I can't believe that she will be driving this week! How Crazy!!! :) Cute little Chauck Chewback is Vieja!!! :) (old) Yeah,I miss home sometimes! Some days I want nothing more than to just walk back into OUR home and play with my Elphy and hang out with you guys! Then I just realize that I am not supposed to be anywhere but here! :) I miss you guys a ton, but I will see you soon! :) Spring time.. I forgot what that feels like... All we feel is 100+ degrees everyday hahaha its the hottest time of the year right now! It's so hot hahaha luckily the humidity doesn't hit till May, when the rainy season begins hahaha :)

This week was really great! We baptized a woman name Rosa! Thank goodness! She was so fun to teach, but her problem was that she lived in Managua, so we could only teach her on Sundays when she would come to church with her boyfriend name Mario! But she was really awesome! We had not taught her everything, but she just accepted the gospel, and knew that it was true because of how she could the blessings in her boyfriend's life! That is why Member Missionary work is SO Freaking Important!! :) This work is not called missionary work, and it should never be called that! This is the work of Salvation, and everyone needs to be apart of it! This missionaries can only prepare for baptism, but the members are the key! When I get home from my mission, I will take up the challenge in General Conference, given by Elder Ballard! Invite one person every Quarter to come to church and here the lessons from the Missionaries! I really hope that everyone back home will take this same goal! THE FIELD IS WHITE!!!! That is a promise, not an observation from Christ! If we try to reap with our might, we will have success! We have activated  so many members here! Missionary work in our ward has taken off because we have the members help!

So Now that I am done giving my Machetes,  hahaha, I just have to say that how crazy it is here right now! We have felt +6 earthquakes in 4 days! They are super strong and its pretty sketchy, hahaha We had 3 quakes yesterday, a small one during the day and two more during the night hahaha.  I'm so tired hahaha.  My companions and I slept near the front door, so if a really bad one hit we could get out of the house fast with just our shoes and shirts and basketball pants hahaha :) Luckily we didn't have to do that, but we will see how tonight goes! We had like 0 electricity yesterday because the power kept getting knocked out due to the earthquakes. All of Masaya was in Dark last night for like 2 hours and everyone was in the streets waiting for the earthquake to hit again.  It is very strange. Times are crazy here, but we are doing great! :) Everyone is kind of worried about the volcano nearby and if Masaya gets hit hard it could upset the Volcano, so we are hoping that they earthquakes stay smaller than an 8! haha, But I know that we have been getting pretty close these past few days haha, but other than the earthquakes we are doing great! One of the pictures I  have this week is my scriptures, and it basically explains our situation! :) Its pretty funny :)

scriptural references re: the numerous earthquakes near Managua, this past week.

The  other pictures are these:
1. Me eating a fruit called a guanabana! Super great! It had a funky texture, but with some milk, its really good!

Guanabana fruit, best with milk

2  & 3. are pictures of me on Friday, getting chocolate cake rubbed in on my shirt haha :) The shirt was Elder Grays, but he told me to switch shirts before District meeting :) The example was we need to give people the gospel on a plate and give it to them and let them try it, rather than forcing them to eat it :) super funny I wasn't expecting it hahaha

Elder Gray and Elder Naisbitt teaching an object lesson.

4. is elder Macias with my glasses haha Speaking of glasses, I am just going to wear my glasses for the time being, so don't worry about rushing the contact solution. Thanks mom, sorry to be confusing and frustrating with this!
5. and 6 and 8 are pictures of a bag of fresh mango's a ward member gave us!!! There is like 30 inches here and they are so awesome! :) They were like when you finish these just come back and we will give you more! They have Two HUGE Mango trees in their backyard! YUMMY!!! :)

Mango's, Yum!

I am loving my mission!! This is where I am supposed to be! I love you mom! Have an awesome week! Hope you get feeling better!! :)

Con Amor

Elder Naisbitt