Colorado to Kingston : First Transfer-Check!

Hey everyone!!

Que pase??? (That's creole for what's happening? Except I don't actually know how to spell it haha)

Well I made it through my first transfer!!! One down, eleven to go! Ahh I can't believe I've already been here almost two months. What is up with this life??

Transfer calls were on Saturday, and Sister Wilkinson is going back to Jamaica. :( Sister Woolf is coming out here to Nassau, and I've heard she's super fun though... so I'm excited to get to serve around her!!!

Hmmm... let's see. What happened last week?

Last Monday, we decided to take a slow day. We just kind of lounged around all morning, emailed home, went shopping, and then we decided to take a road trip for the afternoon. Well as much of a roadtrip as you can take when you live on a tiny island and you have mile limitations on your car. haha. We drove to the west side of the island and found a little beach in the middle of nowhere. We took a nap, built a snowman out of sand, turned it into a missionary, found a decapitated lobster, and called it a P-Day. That night we had FHE with a family in the branch. We taught them how to be member missionaries and had some of the most hilarious role plays of my life. Missions are great.

Tuesday we mostly just ran errands and taught a few lessons all day. We still don't have our new cars... hopefully we get them soon :)

Wednesday we woke up to a GIANT thunderstorm. We also woke up to no power, gas, or water! We had our studies by candlelight and ate mangoes and leftover pancakes for breakfast. We didn't shower due to the lack of water, and our hair was crazy all day because of the lack of power, but it was one of the best days ever haha. Oh the adventures of being in the Bahamas. Wednesday was also district meeting again! Sister Rampersad and Sister Wilkinson taught about finding. Another great lesson! I love learning from the sisters I'm serving around. After District Meeting we had lunch, and then it was time to teach! Our first two lessons for the day were a bit discouraging... BUT then we found two of the most prepared people I have ever met in my life. We have such high hopes for both of them!

One of them is George. George lived next to some members of the branch and asked them to take him to church with them last week. He came up to me after sacrament meeting and asked me to come teach him more about the church. So we went to meet him on Wednesday night, and he is so cool! When we told him about the Book of Mormon, he got all excited and said he would go buy one the next day. When I pulled one out of my bag and told him we could give it to him for free, he got so excited that he stood up, walked across the room, shook our hands, and started crying. We called him the next day and he'd already read most of 1 Nephi. It's people like George that remind me why I'm here. I have never seen so much joy on someone's face when they are told they can learn more about God and how they can improve their lives through Jesus Christ. Seeing him so happy and excited makes us happier than I could have ever thought possible.

Thursday. What in the world happened on Thursday. Oh yes. We had District Leadership Conference in the morning because Sister Rampersad is district leader. Then we went and did service (in the pouring rain) for most of the afternoon. We had a lovely little dinner appointment, taught a few lessons, and called it a night. Nothing much happened on Thursday besides the fact that we looked like drowned rats again due to the torrential downpour and ridiculously large puddles. PS I've been puddle jumping more this last week than I ever have in my life. I'm pretty sure it was the best week ever. I love puddle jumping. Also! We found lizard eggs in our apartment behind a bookshelf in the living room. Empty. Lizard. Eggs. Ahhh some sneaky little lizard laid her eggs in my house! How rude. No wonder we've been finding so many small little lizards in our stuff. They were born in our living room! (There was a lizard in my pillowcase two more nights this week. I'm learning to shake my pillows every night before I go to bed so whatever little creatures that have decided to move in are kicked out. Hahaha.)

Friday we had superplanning. Again. After superplanning, we all went to lunch at Outback because it was Sister Wilkinson's ten month mark!!! Haha ten months ago I was at BYU... it's crazy that she's been on a mission that long. I think I just assume everyone has only been out as long as me but then I remember I'm one of the youngest in the mission. But not anymore because new people are getting to Jamaica today!!! Woohoo!!!!

After outback, we taught a few lessons, had correlation meeting with the branch mission leader (he's seriously the best.), and went home! Good day, good day. Haha most of the afternoon, Sister Wilkinson and I decided to work together. I wasn't allowed to talk. I forget why. But we played like an hour and a half long game of charades where every time I wanted to say something, I had to act it out, and she had to try to explain what I was saying. It was quite hilarious. I'm going to miss that girl.

Saturday, Saturday, Saturday. Saturday we taught some lessons in the morning, and then the afternoon was the Father's Day picnic at the branch (Happy Father's day everyone!) We got to go because about half of the people at the activity were our investigators. We played some super fun games and laughed a lot. I love this branch so much... they're all so fun!!! Saturday evening was a baptism of one of the other sisters' investigators. So we went to that... we had a few investigators there and it was such a good experience for them. After the baptism, we went and taught the most spiritual restoration lesson I've experienced on my mission so far. I got in the car and just started bawling because I love this gospel and these people so much. (It was a good cry, no worries Mom:) If you would have told me before my mission that I would get this attached to people I've known for less than two months, I would have told you that it was impossible. But now that I'm going into my second transfer, I can't imagine leaving this area! Everyone here is so good to us and they do so much for us. They're like a family I never knew I had, and I love them more than words can describe!

Sunday was one of the harder days I've had since I've been out. Sometimes it's hard not to get discouraged when you see other people around you having what looks like more success than you. But I think what I'm realizing is that you can't always judge success by the number of baptisms you have. You become a successful missionary when you give your full heart to the Lord, and work as hard as you possibly can, having full faith and trust in the fact that He will make up whatever part you can't do on your own. This week I'm going to work on throwing my whole self into this work. I've been working hard, but I'm sure there's something more I can do to improve the work here. Sister Rampersad and I had a really long talk last night, and I think we got closer than we've ever been. We realized we need to work on putting our trust entirely in the Lord rather than in other people.... because He will be there for us always! I have to remember to leave every little worry and concern about worldly things behind, because the next year and a half aren't for me. They're for the Lord, and it's not fair to him if I keep part of my heart from him. He's given me everything I have, and the least I can do is try my best to give back 18 months to Him! I know that He really does hear and answer our prayers, and that we can find strength beyond our own if we turn to him and ask for His help. He is there. He loves us. And He wants us to succeed. We just need to trust him!

I say it every week but I'll say it again. I love this mission, I love these people, and I love the gospel more than words can express! I am so so grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I know it can heal people and strengthen people more than they ever thought possible, as long as they put their full trust and faith in our Savior.

I love you all so much! Have the best week ever!!!!

xoxoxoxxoxo,

Sister Oman

Our "Snowman" we made out of sand!

Sister Wilkinson and I on our mini road trip!

And outback for Sister Wilkinson's ten month mark! We got fancy drinks haha. And please ignore the fact that ten months is written on a bottle of moonshine. We didn't notice until the picture had been taken. We really are super obedient righteous missionaries i swear