Letter dated 24 March 2014--Missionary or Matchmaker??

Olá família e amigos!

Wow... I am tired to say the least, but it was a great week in the work. This week we have really worked hard to get São Filipe up on it's feet again and getting the members involved in the work by asking for references and contacting like crazy. If all works out, this week should be no different.
 

So, the first thing that I want to talk about is the marriage of M and P! This was the first marriage that I have ever witnessed here in Cape Verde and also it was also the first one where it was my investigators who were getting married. It was kind of a small crowd ( a couple of drunks and us) with them in the Registro. The lady who lead them through the vows spoke in Creole (that was kind of interesting) and when she asked if anyone objected to the marriage, everyone responded aloud "No!" It was funny. Their daughter was their ring girl and then they kissed and then the party moved to their house where we ate goat, a weird corn/grain mix, beans and rice (a staple food here, yea...remember when my staple was PB&J?), and of course, cake (they didn't have any fancy ole' cake). I took like 100 photos (I was the photographer at the party) but I think I will only include couple of my favorites.
 

Congratulations M and P!

It was also my luck not only so see their wedding but Ro's too! Maybe you will remember my recent convert Ro (she was baptized in November)? Well, right after M and P's wedding, she and her fiance, W (the ward secretary), were married too! I got to see them and a whole bunch of people from Achada Grande Frente. It made me "trunky" for Achada Grande and I was so happy to see the happy couple.



Aw.. how sweet! Congrats!

 I will also get to see another marriage of Achada Grande, Z and L. They were a couple preparing for marriage before, during, and after my time in Achada Grande and next week (this coming Friday) they are finally being married. You can bet I will be there for that. Also, I was working with another marriage in Achada Grande and the wife was expecting a couple of days before Christy's due date. I received word that she had her son and that his name is James (other names in between) M.  and he was born on the same day as my 10 month mark). This is cool because they got the name from the English tabs in my Bible! I'm taking credit for the name :)
 

P-day today was a little bit different then it has been. Today, we didn't got to play soccer but instead we went to Cidade Velha (or "old city", clever name for the oldest city in West Africa). We did almost everything. We hiked in the mountains, went to a fort, walked on the road next to the beach, and just enjoyed the company of one another. It was I, Elder Gonçalves, Elder Welch (MTC companion), Elder Jarvis (can you believe that we have 2 Elders by that name here? One in Assomada, one here), Elder Wells, and Elder Stratton. It was almost the whole district and it was fun. Good exercise after a stressful week. I took a lot of photos, but I don't think I will be able to send them all too you.
 

 

 

Oh, other news, Elder Gonçalves still doesn't have his visa so it looks like we will probably finish out the transfer, (maybe longer), here with me in São Filipe. This is good because we get along well and joke around a lot. We still need to work on teaching together but he knows the doctrine and the langauge which is a lot more than what other missionaries know when they arrive at the MTC, let alone after they leave.
 



My new companion from Fogo, Elder Gonçalves

Well, thanks for the letters and emails everyone. They make me super happy every time I read them and they are probably the reasons why I don't feel very trunky. Love you lots and I will talk to you later!!!

Tchão

Elder Dorff