Brandon's Call Center Experience

OK, I am a huge slacker, but I am finally getting around to putting this experience from Brandon's first letter on the blog. My apologies---JKB

Today we spent about an hour and a half in the referral center. That's where we call people who have ordered free stuff from the church. Usually when we make calls, people don't answer, and when they do we usually just follow up on what they ordered, and then they hang up or something. But on my first call this morning a lady answered named Virginia Mott. She was from somewhere in New York. She had ordered some DVD about Christ, and so I asked her the normal, "What do you know about Christ?" and we just started talking after that. She told me how she believes in Christ, but that she doesn't claim any single religion. We talked for about 15 minutes when I asked her if she would accept and read a copy of the Book of Mormon. She told me she would, but she was really busy, so she wasn't sure if she would have time to read it. I bore my testimony to her that I know if she made time in her day to read it, the Lord would help her manage her time so that she would have time to read it. She accepted, and a couple of missionaries are going to deliver it to her and hopefully share a message.

Well, that's my story. Probably not as big of a deal as it feels like to me.

(JK says--It feels like a big deal to me. The week before I got this letter, I was on a plane and barely spoke to the people next to me. They asked where I was going, and I said that I was going to be with my brother when he was baptized into our church, but didn't follow up. Way to go, Elder Ackerman!)

Hey, Mom. My week was great. Elder Jarvis and I have been teaching a lot more people because of some changes that President Gamiette made in the mission. Our days are so busy now. I'm not sure if I have told you, but President said that each day, we have to get 20 peoples name and number. Because of that, we have had so many more people to teach. It's getting tough to talk to all 20 people because we have so many appointments. When you ask if we are having success, I would have to say yes. We found 15 new investigators this week, and currently are teaching a couple named Akeil and Shaniqua. They are both awesome, and they prayed about the Book of Mormon. It rained like crazy yesterday. For some reason here, when it rains, church attendance drops dramatically. It rained more during church than it did all year in Grace. I've got soaked a few times. I always seem to forget my umbrella when I actually need it. And it broke the other day, so not like it helps anymore anyway. I'm getting used to the heat now. I'm sweating almost all the time, but it' s not so uncomfortable anymore. There's nothing that I can think of that I need that I can't get on the Island. I don't live in a shack or anything. It isn't as commercial as Trinidad, but it still has a lot of stuff. There is a KFC in town. I haven't ate there yet, cause we cook most of our food. But just to give you an idea of what it's like. There's only one branch here. There are about 45 members, but only about 25 or so are active. The church has only been on the Island for two years. We are currently holding sacrament services above a grocery store but we are currently waiting for a building to get done that will be our new building. It's actually a house that we are converting into a church building. I'm writing in my journal every day. Even if I don't have a lot to write. I want to remember certain things that i wouldn't otherwise remember if I didn't write them down. Just in case you didn't know, the adress to the Mission Office where you should send all of the mail is West Indies Mission OfficePOBag 543 1 Moraquito Avenue Valsayn, Trinidad Trinidad and Tobago You can post that on the blog so that anyone can mail me letters. No packages, though. Well, that is pretty much it. Let me know how everything is going back home. Love you. Love, Elder Ackerman

Yeah, this last week has gone by way fast. They say it gets faster. I'm pretty sure it's fine that you copied the pictures from sister Ross's blog. They aren't copyrighted or anything, so dont worry about it. We had to drop Fay. She didn't come to church, and she's having trouble with a few of the commandments. She wan't to be baptized, but she doesn't really have that drive to stop doing certain things to get ready for it. But we found a few other people to teach. We met a guy from Guyana named Troy, and he his really open to the gospel. The only reason he doesn't have a baptismal dat yet is because he had to go to Trinidad over the weekend, so he couldn't go to church, but he should be back. Hey, what is Sam's email adress? I don't have it. I can send mail, but I don't know how much it costs. Basically, I'm living in an apartment. It's pretty small. Once I fill up my camera's memory card with pictures, I'll send it to you, and you'll be able to see it for yourself. We do have a hot shower, though. And a washer. So that's pretty nice. I love the food down here. It is great. Elder Jarvis and I do a lot of our own cooking cause it costs less, but from time to time, we get some food from the members. Or we find a good food stand. There are these things called doubles and roti. Roti is where you take kind of a tortilla thing, and there are a bunch of different fillings for it. You should look it up, cause I can't explain it. And doubles are basically the same as Roti, just deep fried. And they make a ton of smoothie type things that they call punches. The best is peanut punch. Elder Jarvis and I make one every day. (not just peanut punch, but a bunch of different kinds.)Well, that is pretty much it. I love you, mom.

This was Brandon's first baptism, Thank You to Sister Ross' Blog, I copied this picture from her. The husband was baptised the week before, and was able to perform the baptism.

Tobego

Hey, mom. So you know, I'm not going to call every time I am in an airport. They told me to give one last call to friends and family because I had over an hour of just sitting in the airport. I wasn't breaking any rules. That's great that you guys found Sister Ross's blog. That's probably the best way you can keep up with everything that's going on. I love the Island. It is so awesome. And so you know, with mail, just send it to the mission home, because we don't have a mailing adress here. We'll get our letters at transfers or when someone comes out to Tobago from Trinidad. Elder Jarvis and I are the only elders on Tobago. Elder and Sister Ross are here as well, but we're the only elders. Yeah, we baptized a lady named Natasha. Her husband, Kerron, got baptized the saturday before I got here. He got to baptize her, and it was so awesome. The branch here is really small. There are only about 25 members that are somewhat active, and in total, about 45. We're trying to get more investigators out to church, but it's tough. Everyone says they'll try to come, but that basically means that they aren't coming. But yesterday we taught this lady that one of our members brought to church. Her name is Fay, and she seems pretty willing. She said she would be baptized, and so we're hopin that she'll be ready in two weeks. That's great that Hailey is being so good at keepin on her scripture study and stuff. I wish I had been better at that before I came out here. So you know mail can take months to get to me, and so I wouldn't suggest sending too many letters. Email will be just fine. And I told dad that I don't want any packages for Christmas, cause it costs so much, and there is a chance that it won't even make it out here. It's part of customs that they open every package and search it's contents, and if the person searching it likes what's inside, they'll just take it. So, that's a lot to pay for a package that may not even get to me. So don't worry about it, even at Christmas. Wanna know how we get around the Island when it's too far to walk? We hitchike. That's actually how a ton of people get around. It's kind of like a taxi service. We pay the driver depending on how far we go. It's acually really cheap. And not as dangerous as it would be in the states. Well, that is about all that has happened this week. I love all of you, and am loving it out here. Love, Elder Ackerman

There are pictures of Elder Ackerman arriving in the mission field at gandeross.blogspot.com

Brandon is now on the Island of Tobago. His companion is Elder Luke Jarvis, who used to live in Grace, as Jeri Kay said, Grace is the center of the universe. In more ways than one. We don't have is address yet, but will post it when we get it.