#59 [Tortola - 5] Apr. 28th, 2014

Hello!

Well this week was fine. We went to the digitization ceremony on Tuesday and that was a fun activity. Apparently an anonymous member of the Church donated like $2500 to the library here in Tortola to install this technology, so on Tuesday was the day the library accepted the donation in public and everything. There was free food, too, so that was nice. It made me excited to do my family history. Hopefully more people will find interest in the Church through this new technology. With it, they'll be able to preserve special public documents and other ancient records that are falling apart and the public will be able to access them for free. The people here are very blessed to have such a commodity.

This week was a difficult one because it seemed as though everyone dumped us and/or canceled. And then all the new investigators we'd found these past two weeks or so either all said they don't want to meet with us or forgot about our appointments. But there's no need for me to be a Negative Nancy, I just figured I'd let you know. We need to find new people, that's for sure.

The biggest accomplishment I think we had this week was with the S__ young men, M__ and M__. They've come an incredibly long way in the past 5 weeks, but it was great because M__ got to bless the Sacrament yesterday in Church!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't even get over how proud of him I was. M__ came to Church too for the first time in 3 weeks and he wore the white shirt and tie we got him. Man, there's nothing more rewarding than this, seeing people change and become free from the chains of sin. He was really happy too because he hadn't smoked in like a week and a half. He's only smoking once a day, if at all. So he's almost kicked his habit, and I feel like a proud mother. I love helping the priesthood, especially helping them see their potential. For their whole lives these young men have been told they're basically good for nothing and not going anywhere, but it's been a real special privilege to be someone that can tell them otherwise. I think that's one of my spiritual gifts, being able to see the good in others regardless of the things they've done in the past.

So our interviews never worked out because on Saturday, the day President Smartt was supposed to come, an Elder got shot twice in Puerto Rico, so he had to cancel. Hopefully he'll be able to come soon, but if not, that's okay. Sister Butler was actually going to be getting transferred but because of the incident, he put it on hold. I'm glad because I'm not exactly ready to take the reins here by myself. But to put a rest to your worries, the Elder is perfectly fine. The intended target is dead, these two Elders just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Luckily, the Lord spared his life. Still waiting for details, though. I'm sure President will let you all know in an email, too. If not, just ask me for the juicy details next week.

Well, it looks like I'm outta time and thanks so much for all the pictures. Everyone looks nice. I feel like I'm super lame for never writing to anyone, so maybe I'll get better and start writing to people. But probably not. :) I love you all and miss you.

-Sister Erickson

#58 [Tortola - 4] Apr. 21st, 2014

I am so blessed and happy to be a missionary!

This week was a good one, I feel like the biggest triumph we had was with the S__ young men. They're very special. M__, especially, is turning his life around. He came to Church yesterday wearing a white shirt and tie and EVERYONE in the Branch was freaking out about how different he looked. He spoke with President Lyerly after the meeting and from what M__ said, he is cleared to start blessing the Sacrament again! We're really, really excited and happy about it because he also says he wants to serve a mission, and so all these baby steps he's taking along the way are making him excited, too. He said after Church that he felt so good and so happy to be doing the right things now. M__, his brother, has a little more to go, but I know that if we get M__ doing the right things, he'll eventually follow even though he's the older of the two.

We had a hilarious thing happen to us this week, too. Sister Butler and I thought we were out of propane because the stove wasn't firing up, so we called the people to come change it for us. When they called for us to direct them to our house, we didn't know how to tell them to get there, and so the guys thought we were weirdos (or stupid American girls) by the time they finally go there anyway. But the best part is, when they got there, they walked down the stairs to our tank, with the new one in hand, too, and when they went to pick it up, they say, "This tank is FULL of gas..." So we explained how the stove wasn't lighting, and he went in to check it out. I can't even describe the stupidity I felt when he lit the stove and had each burner firing. So they went to leave, right? (Luckily, we didn't have to pay the original $85 they would've charged us for the tank) And so we decided to invite them to Church, and Sister Butler says, "Yeah, it's upstairs Virgin Gorda..." -VIRGIN GORDA IS AN ISLAND... And they just looked at us, and said, "Yeah, maybe we'll show up, but we aren't sure how to get upstairs Virgin Gorda." (Because the Church is actually located above Virgin Queen, a restaurant, not the island of Virgin Gorda...) And we all DIED laughing. Long story short, though, we weren't funny enough because they didn't come to Church. It was a really funny experience, though.

We visited a bed-ridden inactive girl named S__ this week and convinced her to read the Book of Mormon and she said that we were the only missionaries that have come and actually given her the desire to read the Book to find out for herself if it's true. So that was cool. It's so sad because she's been sick with the parasite she's had since she was 16. She's my age. It made me grateful for my health.

We have a new investigator named S__. He's one of the people that work at the gas station nearby and it was really cool because he invited us to his house, and he said that for months he'd been meaning to invite the other missionaries before us over, but hadn't been able to since he was moving and what not. He's really been prepared and is anxious to learn because he used to be going to a church actively, but he had some family problems and got divorced and lost everything, but he feels ready to join a Church again and he said that he felt that we, specifically, had a message he needs to hear. He also says that if he finds out the things we teach are true, he'd be baptized again. I'm excited to see where this goes.

Sister Butler and I are doing well together. I feel like we work together well and I'm happy to be working with her. She's great and I like being with her because I feel like we're on the same spiritual level. :)

Dad, it's funny that during Jake's Hope of America Concert, you were thinking about D__ B__, because I was thinking about that, too this week!! What a funny coincidence!! :)

Good Friday was kinda lame here because EVERYONE on the island left for a big three-day party on Virgin Gorda (so maybe the propane guys went after all!! hehehe!) so the island was deserted.

CONGRATULATIONS TO JEFF AND SHAYLEE FOR THEIR ENGAGEMENT!!! Whoopeeee! I'm so excited for them!! :)

Congrats to Josh, who will be going to Prom. I hope it's good and a lot of fun! Don't forget to be a gentleman and open all the doors for her!! :)

Jake, congrats on your birthday and on Españolandia, and your Boy Scouts award!! I'm proud of you, bud!

Head! Congrats on your learner's permit! Can't wait to go drive with you when I get home!!

President Smartt will be coming to Tortola this weekend for our interviews. I'm excited for my interview because I have a lot of doctrinal questions to ask him and he's gonna have me cut his hair, too. He says he's been waiting since the last time I cut it because my cuts are the best.

Well anyway, hope you have a nice, safe, week and had a good Easter yesterday. I was missing all the candy. They don't have ANY candy here... :( Well, bye!

Enjoy the beauty that radiates from these pictures. Wish you could see what I get to see every day. It's SO gorgeous here, I can't even get over it.

-Sister Erickson

#57 [Tortola - 3] Apr. 14th, 2014

I'm happy to hear everyone is happy and doing well! I loved the pictures of Krispen and Jess' new baby!! She's a cute little one!

I tried my very first Roti and Curry, a typical island dish here. It was DELICIOUS!! There was this mango sauce/jam stuff that you put on it, too, and it made it even better. I hope I can learn how to make it for you because I know you'd all LOVE it. My mission has the BEST food ever.

I forgot to tell you we have District Meeting with the senior couple every week at their house, on Thursdays. It's fun. This past week we studied Chapter 10, about how to improve teaching skills. Then we did practices. It was a lot of fun. I love Preach My Gospel!! It's really is an inspired book. It has made me a more effective teacher, that's for sure.

We're working a lot with less active youth here. The island is so small and so boring that they get into doing bad habits. So we've been taking them with us to visit people these past weeks and it's been effective because they strengthen their testimony, get to have a spiritual experience, and help us teach, and obviously they get to hang out with us, which is a lot of fun because me and Sister Butler know how to have a good time. I just love being her companion!! :)

There are a lot of 7th-Day Adventists here. We taught two guys this week from that denomination. They're all very knowledgeable regarding the Bible, but don't accept anything outside of it (except the books written by their Prophetess.) They gave me 3 pamphlets and I accepted them and said I'd read and pray about them as long as they'd read and pray about the Book of Mormon. So we'll see how that goes. So far, I'm not convinced. I'm so thankful for the Book of Mormon and the understanding it gives upon the doctrines found within the Bible. I know it's true and I couldn't possibly imagine not having it.

I spoke in Church yesterday about Truth and Tolerance. It was fun speaking in English. I like teaching in Spanish, better, though. We had more visitors in Church yesterday, too. She took a picture of us and sent it to my number, so I don't know if you received that, but she sent it.

Saturday was my very first baptism on the beach and it was beautiful!!! We went to Long Bay Beach, on Beef Island (over by the airport here), and that's where we all met up to see the ordinance. It was so much fun and I loved that at least half the branch was there, even though it was early (8 am.) But both W__ and M__ were baptized, and it was super great. I was SO happy for them!! Sister Card made cinnamon rolls for everyone, but they didn't compare with Mom's. I can't wait to eat those again!

 Well anyways, I love you all a lot and hope you have a happy week! I hope Jaker has a good birthday!!! oxoxoxox

-Sister Erickson

#56 [Tortola - 2] Apr. 7th, 2014

My goal is to talk like a Tortolian by the time I see you guys. :) (guessing it's Mother's Day?)

Plane ride to Tortola (Mar. 26th)

I feel like the weeks are going by so much faster now that I'm out here, stranded on an even smaller island! But I really like it so far. I haven't contracted a case of cabin fever yet, either.

We're in the process if finding new investigators right now. We found a guy named A__ who is a gangster. He is reading the Book of Mormon and says that when he finds out if it's true he'll be baptized.

We have 3 baptismal dates right now, so that's exciting news. I love being companions with Sister Butler, she's so much fun and I feel like she's so much like Rachel. I feel like I say that every week, but it's fine. Sister Butler is getting me to start a diet with her because she wants to lose weight and we feel like the 30 minutes of exercise doesn't do enough.

We're working with the youth of the branch because there are a lot of less actives. It's amazing though how many youth there are. Sister Butler says that she and Sister Burgess couldn't get many of them to open up and talk to them before, but for some reason, they're talking to me, so that's a blessing. I'm glad I can get to know them and win their trust. They have amazing potential and will strengthen the Branch a lot if they go on missions and live righteously and raise their future families in the gospel. I wouldn't be surprised if they got a ward here eventually. Even within the next 5 years! :)

W__, our Dominican investigator, is excited to be baptized this weekend, along with a young lady named M__. They'll be baptized on Saturday. M__'s mom was recently baptized, so they're both just really excited about the church.

General Conference was great. We met up at the meetinghouse and watched it. The internet was having problems for the first session on Saturday, so we only got to listen to it instead of seeing the video, but that was better than nothing. I wanted to talk to Dad SO bad because I knew he'd know what to do! But we got it figured out. I loved all the talks and felt the Spirit so strongly. I love the way lds.org has made it possible to post things online promoting General Conference and all these other meetings. It's a great way to invite people!

That's exciting news about everyone's mission calls! I'm so happy about all the youth in our ward! They're all wonderful! Which school is Joshy going to, again? I don't remember. Congrats to him on winning the Spirit Bowl!! Also, when is Rae's come home date!!?

I got SUPER trunky reading about the Family Plans for December. Just thought I'd let you know. :) I'm WAY excited for that!! :) Especially if we come to church here in Tortola, all the Branch members will be so excited; they LOVE it when tourists come visit! We had a group of them come in for Conference yesterday and it was fun. They were going to take a picture with me and send it to you guys, but we didn't end up doing it. Sister Butler and I can spot the tourists from a mile away (with their sunglasses and backpacks and sandals and Hawaiian shirts) so I'm excited to come back and actually BE one of them. ;) Hehe. Okay. Trunky moment over.
 
I'm excited to hear about Jeff's China adventure. Is he nervous?!? I'd be nervous. How long will he be gone?

Well anyway, I love you all so much and miss you and pray for you. Continue being wonderful!

Here's a few pictures. Enjoy!

-Sister Erickson

#55 [Tortola - 1] Mar. 31st, 2014

  So this week has been weird because I’m having a hard time getting into preaching the Gospel in English. It’s fun every once in a while, but now I’m doing it all the time. I don’t feel like it’s as spiritual for me. It’s weird. But we had some funny experiences this week. My companion is Sister Butler, like I said last week, and she reminds me of Rach SOO much!! We have been having a lot of fun. It’s also my first time being the junior companion since I started my mission, so I feel like a greenie again. I know nothing about the area, we drive on the other side of the road, and then the language is a struggle for me because the English here isn’t really understandable especially on the phone! It’s funny because I really do feel like I can’t do anything! But I’m happy to be here; I love the people and the culture is refreshing. People walking next to you on the street actually acknowledge you and greet you with a pleasant, "good afternoon," so it’s different. And they're very polite on the road, as well, so it's not anywhere near as scary driving here as it was in Puerto Rico, even if I am on the other side of the road!
 
Tortolians are a very kind, polite people. Easy for contacting purposes. They're almost TOO nice, though. A kid asked me to be his girlfriend this week. He posed the question when my companion was on the phone. I said no, though, since I’m already taken. He was very persistent, I think he was high on something. When I continued explaining other reasons why I wasn’t interested, I said, "I don’t have time for dating right now," and he said creepily, "we could make time for each other!" So that was the last straw and we left. He didn't want a Book of Mormon, either. It was just super awkward.

We’ve been visiting the couple I visited with Sister Burgess when I came here back in February, A__ and M__, from the DR. Since then, A__ has been baptized but M__ hasn’t, but they were both so excited to see me! I was too. I love them so much! And were also visiting other Dominicans, a guy named W__, who will be baptized after Conference weekend, and his friend, G__. We taught G__ the Plan of Salvation and when we got to the part about the 3 heavens, he stood up from his chair and started freaking out, and pointing at Sister Butler, he said, "I DON’T BELIEVE THAT! YOU ARE PREACHING FALSE DOCTRINE!" And so we explained and showed him the scriptures in 1 Corinthians 15 and after we read it, his face was priceless when he said, "...There are... 3." He was amazed! It was so cool though to teach him something he never knew before and see him understand and accept a doctrine he didn’t know before.

I'd been looking forward to seeing the General Women's Meeting on Saturday, all week long, and when we went to the chapel, the internet connection was awful and it took forever for us to see the program, so we all just went home and watched it Sunday morning before Church. It was great. I enjoyed it a lot and I feel like the music was probably the best part. I was trying to look for people I know, but I couldn't spot anyone.

The Branch is really great here, they're all really nice and really welcoming. I loved Church yesterday. We're learning about Family History work and it's great. We had 10 investigators at Church, too! The work is going well here and I'm excited for everything. I feel like I'm walking in to a bunch of baptisms, so I feel bad because Sister B__ didn't get to see all her hard work through, but that's okay. It's all the same.

I have an address everyone can send mail to! Hurray!

Sister Marissa Ann Erickson
P.O. Box 8309
PMB 512
Cruz Bay, St. John
U.S.V.I. 00831

J__ (from Cidra) got baptized apparently. I'm really happy about it, too. :)

Well anyways, I love you all and hope you have a wonderful Conference weekend! I can't believe it's my last one as a missionary! It's going to be wonderful!! I love you and miss you so much!!

-SISTER Erickson

Tortola Island - pic from the web

#54 [ST - 6] Mar. 24th, 2014

Hi, family!   

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY, JEFF!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO COUSIN COLE ON THE 26th!!

So it's funny you guys had corned beef last week because WE DID TOO! I was at the Mission Home last Monday and I thought of you guys eating that. It was really good, too. Not as good as Mom's, though!! I didn't even realize it was St. Patrick's day last week until later on that evening.

Wednesday afternoon I was sent to St. Croix to work with Sister D__. I'm just loving St. Croix! But I have just been here with her until today, I leave this afternoon to go back to the Mission Home, pack up everything, and go to Tortola! That'll be my area for the next few months if everything goes as planned! I'm really happy about it because I'll be working with Sister B__. We became really good friends back in the day in Pontezuela! So I'm SUPER stoked to work with her. I've heard working/living on the islands is really challenging, so I'm a little nervous, but I'm really excited and happy that the Lord trusts me enough with a whole little island to myself! There is an Elderly couple there, the Cards, and then just me and Sister B__. It'll be interesting and I'm really excited to go back there because I fell in love with it when I went back in February! :) I fly out tomorrow.

Working with Sister D__ this past week has been really really great for me. She's going through almost the exact same situation I found myself in back in Pontezuela, so I've been helping her realize that missionary work, although we have a strict schedule and strict rules, is meant to be fun, and if you're not enjoying yourself because you're so obsessed with the rules and doing everything perfectly that you lose yourself, then you're doing it WRONG. She has a lot of the same fears I do and it's been refreshing to talk to someone who has the same anxieties I guess. But we've both been blessed being together this past week. I can't believe how much I felt the Spirit here with her and we've only been working together for this week. But it's been perfect for the both of us. I'm so blessed to have met her. She's a convert of 2 years from California, she's my age, and she's got about 8 months on the mission. She's super awesome. LOVE HER.

We had so many miracles this week, too. Sister R__ had to go back to Puerto Rico on Thursday and we actually ended up missing her flight, but she HAD to be there that evening due to an emergency that was happening, so we checked with all the other airlines and all the flights were booked. We waited around for an hour or so just hoping and praying that she could get in a flight on Stand-by, and lo and behold, she did!! It was a miracle, really, because the Lord blessed us after all we could do. It was just a dramatic but really spiritual experience. It doesn't seem like it as I write about it, but I guess you just had to be there. :) I just love Heavenly Father, though and I know He's aware of the little things and the big things in our lives.

We picked up the Elderly couple who will be taking Sister D__ and Sister R__'s places here on St. Croix last night. They're from Utah and Elder Larsen reminds me of Dad a lot. I feel like they'd be friends. We made them an extravagant dinner when they got in last night and then we've been showing them around the island. They're really awesome people and I feel like they're going to kick butt here. The branch here will receive a lot of blessings from them, I'm sure.

This past week I cut President Smartt's hair and it was the first time in a year I'd used my clippers. But I'VE STILL GOT IT! He said he just wants me to cut his hair from now on! :) Hurray! :) I don't know how that'll happen when I'm on Tortola, but I'm sure he'll find a way to get there. But I feel like he's going to be a General Authority one day. He's super awesome and I hope you get to meet him!

I just love my mission so much, even though it's really hard, I love it and I wouldn't trade the things I've learned for anything. I really do feel like I've become such a better person and I am so happy with what I've done so far. I'm really enjoying this and I'm so thankful for your support. I really wouldn't have gotten this far without you all so thank you and I love you all so much!

Thanks for getting my scholarship deferred! I'm so glad I don't have to worry about school stuff yet! I'm so excited for the things Dad mentioned! (vacations, romance, etc.)!! :) Hehehe

Head, I like your glasses! You're a cutie! How's your calling as Ward Missionary going!?!
Jake is getting to be SO tall! I didn't know of whom the pictures were when I first opened them! Everyone is looking happy and healthy! :)

It's getting warmer here, starting to feel a lot hotter than it was. I'm kinda sad about it because winter weather here is SO nice.

Well anyway, I guess that's all I have to say for now. I love you and I miss you all so much!! Thanks for writing to me every week! I LOVE YOU!!!

-SISTER Erickson!! (I'm not speaking Spanish anymore!!!!!!) So weird.

#53 [ST - 5] Mar. 17th, 2014

I can't believe I've been gone for a whole year!
 

A flower that's currently blooming at O__'s house. It only blooms at 6:30 pm and then the flower falls off the tree the next day. SUPER GORGEOUS, right!?!?!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHELSEA!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSHY!!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEFF!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE WHOLE WORLD WHO HAS A LUMPING BIRTHDAY IN MARCH!!! I hope everyone has had/will have good birthdays. MOM! Congratulations about getting a free trip to Disneyland!! Can I go!?!?!?!!

So my life is crazy I feel, but I really love my life anyway because it keeps things interesting. I really can't believe how quickly time is flying. I got my hair cut on Tuesday and the girl chopped a TON off. But that's okay because hair grows... But I'm kinda sad about it because it was so long... :(

This past week, I went down to Mayaguez and worked there for a few days. Ever since the beginning of my mission I've had these fantasies about working there, but after visiting, I realized I am SO glad I don't live there because I didn't like it at all. It rained like every other 3 hours and we contacted EVERY day I was there. Now I don't mind contacting, but I don't like doing it ALL LUMPING DAY. And that's what we had to do because the sisters there don't like contacting (they aren't doing all that much down there apparently) and didn't have any investigators. So we had to find a bunch for them. And we did! It was really cool. We met a lady named R__ who lived in New York for a while and she let us in and told us a long time ago, some missionaries had come to teach her and they stopped coming for some reason and when she saw us she thought we were Jehovah's Witnesses, but then she saw me and since I'm a "gringa," she knew we were Mormons. It was funny, but thanks to my white skin she let us in. :) I have a feeling she'll progress and get baptized, too, because she said she's been looking for a Church to join and just wants to find the right one. She's never been to ours, though, and she was supposed to go yesterday.

I left Mayaguez on Saturday morning and drove ALL day long because I was supposed to go to take a flight to Antigua to visit Hermana A__ and Hermana G__ over there until Wednesday. But that didn't happen because I got stuck in traffic and missed my flight. I felt SO SO bad. So instead of going to Antigua, I went down to Cidra and worked there for a day. I am SO glad I went down there because I got to show Hermana A__ where some of the less actives live in Cidra that I couldn't show them last time I was there. We went to visit one of them and she's been sick for like two months straight and apparently, no one has been to visit her and so when we walked in the door, she started bawling and was so glad that the Lord had answered her prayers. And another less active family was so happy to see us because they said they'd been thinking of us that day and wondering what had happened/why we hadn't gone to visit in so long. So I know the Lord answered these people's prayers by not sending me to Antigua (even though President Smartt was probably way ticked that I'd missed the flight). I went to Church yesterday in Cayey and it was so good to see all the members. I love the people in that ward so so much.

So about coming home early... I don't think I will. Especially because if classes start on August 25th, I've missed the first day of school anyway and that's the best part of starting a new semester!! But really, I don't want to come home, so I'll just put it off for as long as possible. :) And I don't want to start school stressed out so I'll take the fall semester off and start in the spring. I gotta take some time and get back into the boringness of normal life.

To answer the question about if I have a companion yet... Apparently I'll be having a companion for a week straight, but I don't know who it'll be. But that'll just be until transfers, and we have transfers next week, so I have no idea what'll be happening. There's only one Sister missionary coming in that I know of, so we'll see who she'll be with. The mission is crazy right now. Wish I could tell you all the details, but even I don't know what's going on. I'm going into the mission office today, so maybe I'll finally meet Mr. B__'s brother! Hahaha.

Well anyway, I'm sorry this email isn't all that exciting, but I love you all so much and I'm so happy to be doing this. I love the mission and I'm so thankful I came. I'm learning so many great things and I feel like I'm becoming a better person. I had a very spiritual experience yesterday while taking the Sacrament in Church by really paying a lot of attention to the sacramental prayer. I love knowing that we're clean when we feel the Holy Ghost in our lives. That's something that I've learned lately: the Lord has forgiven us if we can feel His Spirit. It's so simple to receive a remission of sins but sometimes, we feel like we have to suffer for a long time in order to be worthy to receive it, when really, the Lord is ready and willing to forgive us as soon as we are willing to forgive ourselves. The Lord can't do anything for us unless we allow Him to do so. We have such a loving, perfect Heavenly Father and I'm so thankful I am learning so much about Him at this time in my life. The Gospel is beautiful and I love its simplicity. I know it's true.

Well I love you! Have a good week and be safe please!

-Hermana Erickson

Mission humor -- luckily it's not needed.