Monday, October 28, 2013

Staying busy

Haha Not a whole lot happened this week. A lot of opposition. Seemed like nearly everything went against us this past week. It's been rough. But we're good, hangin in there. Almost all of our "rendezvous's" fell through the past 4 days, no one is giving us the time of day, I got a ticket for going 9 over (one of the expenses), my retainer came back out, my joints have been giving me problems, headaches, feet problems, some sort of fungus or mold... The list goes on. Satan is trying to make our lives miserable down here. But he's going to have to try harder than that. 

I have to buy medication, pay for dental appointment, and the ticket.... I've been taking real good care of my feet. Changing socks several times a day and drying them off good. Still got something though. 

P-days are pretty chill. Shopping, e-mails, cleaning and laundry, but then, since we don't have a senior couple, and since Elder Santos is the ZL, we have to do everything that the Senior couple normally would do, and then some. We run around a lot, stay busy. I did get those pictures, last monday actually right after i had e-mailed. Can I get some pics of Friends too??

I don't know how long I'll be here. But i'm guessing it'll be a while. The four of us have a lot of clean-up to do. About every other week we'll have a member or even an investigator feed us.

Keep feeding those missionaries! 

I'm sure the quiet (at the Fraley home) is hard to get used too... We were loud. 

We speak English on occasion, it's weird. We go from English to French, French to English throughout the day, sometimes in the same conversation. But we're trying to speak less and less English. To the point where I don't need it. Language is coming alright, slow and steady. Staying somewhat healthy! 

I wanted to apologize again for funds. I didn't contribute anything... I feel really really bad. I'm very sorry.

We did get to teach an in-active member yesterday. Return missionary actually... Sad story. Powerful spiritual experience. I could feel the spirit speaking through us as we talked about the atonement. He has a testimony just has lost his faith. You can't have a testimony without faith, but once you get that testimony, because of spiritual experiences, you don't ever lose it, he said. 

It's cool to see how quickly you can grow to love someone, complete strangers. 

Love you! Can I get a list of Birthdays too? and pics of friends haha 

Ill try to send home another letter today or this week. 

Love, Elder Fraley

From the email he sent me:
We've been learning about Joseph Smith/Church history as we cover D&C in my primary class. I was telling him that our lesson was on the martyrdom yesterday.

That is an emotional story. Makes me emotional! I've noticed that I've become more emotional and sensitive since I've been away. It's a good change. Sensitivity is still manly. My testimony was strengthened yesterday at church, when the primary and congregation sang, "We Thank Thee Oh God For a Prophet". My testimony of prophets was fortified as we sang. Nothing cuter than a bunch of adorable kids speaking French. 

Love you too! Elder Fraley 

Monday, October 21, 2013

The Lord is preparing His children

Zone Conference was great! Cool, fun experience. Not a lot of missionaries get to do what West Indies missionaries get to do. We see and experience a lot of different things. I crossed a massive river, on the border, in a canoe. The rain is warm and lizards every night. (My mom had asked him if it is warm when it rains and if there are lizards and bugs in their apartment every day.)

Just last Tuesday, we went dowtown to do some paperwork. We didn't get ten feet from the car when someone stopped us. They had been taught previously, several years ago, by missionaries and wants to be taught again. As we were talking to him, another guy pulled me aside, same thing.  Wanted a Book of Mormon. Wants to be taught again and wants to come to church. As my companion was talking to the first guy, and as I was talking to the second, a lady walked up to my companion, gave him her name, address, and phone number and told him she wanted to be taught again. Then walked away. 30 Seconds later, as we were still talking to those two gentlemen, a man in a wheel chair, across the street, wheeled himself across the intersection, through traffic, to me, and told me to come talk to him when I was done. He then wheeled himself back. After we had finshed talking to the two men, we made our way across the street. The man in the wheel-chair had been baptized, many many years ago, but wants to come back to church. We grabbed his name and number, and made our way back to the car. On the other side of the road, a man was just standing there, looking at us. We crossed, then he approached us. He had been waiting for us to finish talking with the man in the wheel-chair. He had also been previously taught, many years ago, and wants to be taught again.... Needless to say, we were attacked! Cool experience, with listening to the promptings of the spirit and being in the right place at the right time. The Lord is preparing his children. 

Cool, sort-of confusing story... :)

Elder Miyasaki on the canoe, river-crossing (Elder Call's new companion)


I'm here for a unique reason

Just FYI: This letter was written on 10/5, before the last post I put on the blog. 

This last Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, President Mehr, his wife, and the assistants came to Guyane. We had a fireside with him. In our meeting prior, we discussed the missionary work in Guyane. Things are not going well. Guyane used to have several hundred active members and a district with 3 branches. Now, one remaining Branch and roughly 50 active members.

Guyane has only 4 missionaries (least amount of missionaries in one country in our whole mission). Guyane is the only area without a senior couple. Also, we are the farthest away out of all the islands and countries. The mission president informed us that he trusts us. He and the Lord has the 4 of us here for a very unique reason. Exclusively in Guyane, in the West Indies Mission, missionary work is about to change dramatically. A different and unique way to do missionary work. It is going to be exciting! :) Very difficult, but exciting. I wish I could explain it...not enough time.

There are some great missionaries in this mission. President Mehr promised us, that the Lord only sends His best here. There is no other mission like this one. It's a very difficult (a lot of temptation) mission. And it's my privilege to be working along side such incredible servants of the Lord. The Lord doesn't settle for mediocrity. I've learned so much from the missionaries in this mission, specifically Elder Santos. There's nothing mediocre about the missionaries here or this mission. What and honor and privilege!

President Mehr left Wednesday. Elder Santos and I took him (6 hour drive to Suriname border and back) to Suriname.

Thursday, Elder Santos had to go with an Elder to Trinidad, so Elder Call and I drove them to Suriname, so they could catch a plane. For the past couple of days, and for the next week, Elder Call and I have been and will be the only missionaries in the entire country. Our French isn't great, but we get by. We are covering 2 areas, with 2 vehicles with little or no gas, with 2 bikes in areas typically too large for bikes.

Haha we're doing fine. Kind of fun. The Lord is quickening our growth and progression as missionaries, that's all. But He is looking out for us. We're being blessed. (Aaron loved the time he got to spend with Elder Call!)

I set a baptismal date with an investigator! It's set for the 26th of October. She is progressing well! And we've set goals, to set 6 other baptismal dates. I hope and pray they all work out.

Haha unfortunately, Conference isn't in English. Hard to understand and get a lot out of it...

~*~

Today is P-day, Oct 7th. Still on our own until Wednesday. We will pick up Elder Santos and Elder Call's new companion at the airport. Today was our first "rain experience". It has rained before, but we've always been in-doors or in a vehicle. We were on bikes...down-poured for about an hour; from when we left the email place to when we finally reached home. It POURED. Haha it was fun. Luckily, my water-proof backpack saved my things from getting wet, thanks dad!

So as it starts getting colder there, just remember its still hot here.

I'm going to miss the snow and snowboarding. I already miss the mountains. Kind of a weird thing to miss?

Talk to you soon! A Lundi! (on Monday)

Love,
Elder Fraley

80,333 missionaries!
 Next letter I'll share some of my experiences with fasting and prayer.

Monday, October 14, 2013

Riding in the rain


Investigators are great! The Lord is really blessing us. This last week was pretty crazy! Elder Santos came back Wednesday. Elder Call and I had fun! (Elder Call was only his companion for a week I guess while Elder Santos took the other Elder back to Trinidad. But now Elder Santos is Aaron's companion again!) This week I'm headed to Suriname for 3 days for Zone Conference, Wed, Thurs, Fri. The Elders from Guyana, Suriname, and Guyane Come together every other transfer and have a conference with Pres. Mehr. Should be an adventure!

It's weird to think that it's Fall there. Still just as hot here. It rained quite a bit last Monday, Elder Call and I got to ride in the rain, soaked. It was fun. 

I pray for you guys everyday!

Love and miss you! Should be getting that letter this week or next. 

Elder Fraley

Part of his email to Audrey:

Haha gotta love Park City! I definitely wouldn't mind living there.. I definitely miss the temple.. You don't really realize what a blessing it is to have 6 WITHIN 30 MINUTES OF YOUR HOME, until it's gone. That's a good goal, which blessed my life and will bless yours. It's a lot easier to go with a good friend... Well, I gave my first French blessing this past week. I was so nervous, but as soon as I started speaking, my nerves were calmed and I could immediately feel the Holy Ghost speaking through me. The Gift of Tongues is definitely real! 

Love and miss you! Keep up the hard work!

Elder Fraley








Thursday, October 10, 2013

New companion

Pretty successful week! It's been kind of crazy! In fact, Elder Call and I are the only ones in the country right now.. there's a story behind this, but I'm sending it home in a letter today or tomorrow, hopefully. (Elder Call is a missionary that was in Aaron's district in the MTC. They are both greenies and now are companions and the only missionaries in French Guiana at the moment! Crazy!) Both of the vehicles are out of gas, so we have to cover two areas on bike. Our French definitely isn't the best, but we get by. 

 We've been very obedient. We've been working hard. Last Thursday, when Elder Call was put with me, I noticed we were falling far behind with our goals. We immediately got to work, and made up a lot of ground. Even though we aren't very far into the language, I could still feel the spirit, just as strongly in our lessons. I've noticed in my BoM reading, how many times it talks about how "plainly" the missionaries or prophets taught and spoke or they taught with "plainness". I've discovered simple language, good enough to teach a child and the simplest of testimonies, can be just as powerful if not more, than the most eloquent of testimonies. Elder Call and I both understand the idea of quick simple lessons; Bring in the spirit, bear testimony, have them feel the spirit, and get out; so they know what the spirit feels like when representatives of Jesus Christ are present and what it feels like when they are not. 

Our investigators are progressing! It's exciting! 

I'm not even going to put the picture of the dead possum that he sent on here. I'm sure nobody wants to see it! Gross!

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Short update (exciting news at the end!)


Short email this week. I took out all the boring stuff, like what he wants my mom to send him. He said he'll be sending a letter either today or tomorrow so hopefully we'll have a good long update in about 10 days!

Elder Santos has been out for a little over 10 months. Haha yes, I'm eating plenty of protein. Lots of meat down here. Fruit, just about any fruit you can think of, and then some. Star fruit is really good, kind of weird. The branch president here gave us some watermelon yesterday, the best watermelon i have ever had! Turns out, Elder Maoni, Calls companion, was just in Saint Martin. Left right before Emily got there. 

Can't wait for conference! Excited. Also, if you could ask dad, I learned that the oquirrh mtn temple has 28 steps on the west side and 29 on the east, why is that? I miss the temple. SOOO much.

Exciting news! We have two investigators with baptismal dates!!!!! SO excited. Cross your fingers! ;)

Love you! 

Elder Fraley