FIRST WEEK IN Terrafal CAPE VERDE

Africa. I can´t even begin to explain how amazing it has already been. The Mission president and wife are so wonderful! i donºt have the time to correct anything, by the way. everyday just gets better and better, i really donºt know why i have been so blessed. the first night in praia i went out teaching with this legendary missionary from brasil, he was so awesome and i actually said some stuff in the lessons. the portuguese has been the hardest part for me to get used to because nobody speaks portuguese! Everyone only speaks in Criole so I am pretty much always lost. And in that first lesson the lights totally went out and so we taught half a lesson in absolutely pitch black which, by this point, seemed totally normal. the things i have seen already would definitely not be seen in the United states but this has made it all the better!

I got my trainer on thursday and the mission president gave me the absolute best! Elder Drawe from Hurricane Utah, and I know you will all unitentionally judge him off of that but he is honestly the best mission dad i could get. my mission grandpa (my trainerºs trainer) is one of the APs. the missionaries here are absolutely awesome.

The ride to my new área, Terrafal, was beyond stunning. it had rained recently and so on our ride through the mountians we drove up into the clouds. The 12 person van we fit 23 people into it, with a driver who knew how to get around without hitting anyone, not getting him, and going as fast as was possible.

We had a talento show this past saturday, which was a great activity for new investigators. Dancing and singing is a huge part of cabo verdean culture. Everyone here is much more open with everything and people will always say hi when you walk past them in the street. We had a record number of people come to church this sunday, 82, where we only expected 60.

We taught a chinese lady who only knew mandarin who had a friend that could translate to criole. We then had Paulo, a member of the bishopbric,, translate from criole to portuguese then when i wasnºt understanding everything, Elder Drawe would translate to English. This is life here in Cabo Verde. I think I am the first greenie to get called to Terrafal, I already love it here but there is sure a lot of work to be done.

One lesson was supposed to be to this great lady, Na, but when we started there were some women from the relief society who showed up and wanted to be part of the lesson. After a minute a few more women showed up, then a few more, then a few more, then a few kids, then a dog. Soon there were almost 15 people packed into this tiny super hot room...Mom, I donºt know how you do it, that many ladies together spells trouble. They were super chatty and the lesson was super difficult.

I have so many other experiences I could share but we get next to no time here. Ether 12, great chapter, really helps.

Love always,

Elder Judd