A First of Lasts - Again

It's reached that point again. The point when things are reachin' the end, but not yet! NOT YET!

First of all, I have to send some of the photos I was supposed to send last week. The one with Elder Toutai and of us breakin' into the church because I locked the keys inside.


Last week was an adventure:

So After I emailed and shopped last week, I gave Elder Snelson a trim and then I trimmed myself. I actually had no intentions of trimming my hair for the rest of my mission. I thought about getting my hair cane-rowed (equal to what we call corn rows). However, I had a dream in which I was instructed to cut my hair. There was some quotation or prophecy about young men seeing visions and old men dreaming dreams. Somehow I didn't think that I was on the old category for dreaming dreams. But I had a dream in which I was instructed to cut my hair. Better follow the counsel. There are the before and after pics of my hair. No I did not walk around with my hair looking like a birds nest. I have hair gel I used to keep it looking nice and decent.

Wednesday was our zone meeting in Kingston at the Constant Spring building. The whole day was discombobulated. So we go down to the bus stop to get a coaster to go downtown. The conductor calls "town! town!" so we got on. Then the bus starts going the other way. I ask the conductor "you're going to town right?" "yeah". Ok..... Then we sit in Yallahs town square for 20 minutes (at least) I'm not too happy about this, because by the time we were halfway to town, I would have liked to have been there already.

Then we get on another coaster from downtown to Constant Spring. No sooner do we get on the coaster then it makes to leave. At this point I'm thinking YES! we're gonna make it on time. However, there's a police man who stops the coaster driver not more than 2 minutes after we get on the bus. So we now have to sit there for 10 minutes while he writes the driver a ticket. grrrr. We get underway again. Not 5 minutes later when he's making a pickup, he gets stopped by another police man and receives a second ticket. These tickets were for picking up passengers in undesignated places. Now we're definitely late. The zone leaders have called and want to know where we are.

Finally we reach the chapel about halfway through the zone meeting.!

On the bright side. I had one of the best lunches ever. after the meeting we all piled in to two vehicles (13 missionaries in two pickup trucks) hopefully you got the front seat. The meal was worth it however. We ate at TGI Fridays! I ordered a JD chicken and shrimp. It was somewhat costly, but so worth it. I haven't ate good chicken and shrimp like that for a long time... a long time.

But then it took another turn for the worse. Oh the bus ride back downtown was ok. However, the ride to Yallahs was ridonculous. We sat in the bus park for an hour waiting for our bus to leave while at least 6 other buses left! We were the bus at the very front, aren't we supposed to leave first! When we finally reached Yallahs, the driver totally passed up our stop. So I had to stop him at the next road. When I get off, I pay the conductor with $500 only to get $100 in return. He jumps back on before I even have time to ask for the rest of my change. I should have received $220. That day just made me mildly upset.

Friday, brought transfer calls. The last time I will receive a phone call about transfers on my mission. Oh, I still have one more, the transfer home, but the last phone call I will get for transferring. I will be staying here in Yallahs for my last transfer. Elder Snelson will not be here for my last transfer. I will be accompanied by Elder Madsen.

I do want you all to know that my mission is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I'd even put it above an eagle scout award. I always thought that old missionaries and returned missionaries had to be joking when they said, "I'd switch you places in a heartbeat" I could never understand that until now. I would do anything to do this over again.

Elder Huffaker

Transfer Week

I dont know how many of you have served missions. But when it comes to transfer week, it can be very exciting, except when you are not involved.

So, in case you missed the bulletin last week. Elder Snelson and I are still staying together in Yallahs. I did hear a rumor that I might move next transfer (great nothing like a last transfer move). So, on Wednesday, it was a full proselyting day. I kinda like the little missionary meeting breaks that we get on Wednesday mornings. So it throws me off if come transfer week nothing really happens.

In other news. Every companionship in our zone changed except for the Portmore Elders. SO, in my district is still Elder Toutai in Boulevard and Elder Brough as one of the ZL's. Elder Toutai is now with Elder Wilson and Elder Brough is now with Elder Kraus. Nothing like having a district that is younger than you.

Thursday, Elder Brough had me come down to Kingston for a tradeoff while Elder Kraus came up to Yallahs with Elder Snelson. I got loaded on sugar on this tradeoff. First we had dinner at a members house with doughnuts for desert. Then I got my second Christmas package, FINALLY. Dad's cookies were still good so more sugar there. Later we went to the Flakes for cheese crispers and lemon cake. Friday morning Elder Brough brought me a bowl of brownie slices and for lunch was banana cream pie. I think I've got a workout to do this week to get it all off. However, I got my package which means mincemeat pie!

Last week I mentioned a man we're teaching from California. I don't know how to say this, but it's kinda weird. Teaching a Caucasian person in Jamaica! He's doing fairly well and we've been able to see him pretty much every day since Thursday. It was hard for the initial contact after Saturday, but now he wants us there every day!

Take care this week

Elder Huffaker

Coincidence? I think not!

Well, another year has come and gone. But before the new year arrived, we had transfers on Wednesday. Elder Snelson and I stayed here in Yallahs, so nothing special there. It was just 3 full proselyting days back to back. It feels weird when we proselyte on Wednesday mornings instead of meetings and I dislike not being involved in transfers. Not that being with Elder Snelson is bad, it's just so fun with the moving around of missionaries and all.

Wednesday night we have a study night at the church. We read from the Book of Mormon and talk about what it contains. Well, afterwards, I thought I'd be nice and give Jamaicans a little taste of America! I brought mom's poppyseed bread over and gave those who attended a slice. Ever since then They've been asking me, "When are you gonna get some more. Tell your mom to send more! We want the recipe!" Yeah, I like it too.

New Years Eve isn't anything special to us missionaries. In fact, I think every 6 months in our mission is more important! I dropped asleep before midnight even rolled around. Not like I'm really doing anything to keep me awake either.

Elder Snelson received his Christmas package a little late, but that's ok. It was what was inside. Somehow we both received ties for Christmas from the same company with the same design only a different color. Check the pics!

Elder Huffaker

P.S. from Marilyn:

I'm actually shocked that Brandon shared the poppy seed bread. He loves it so much, I thought it would be a stretch to give just his companion a slice! It's definitely a family favorite.

Also, he forwarded some mission group photos to me, from the Christmas Eve gathering in Kingston, so I am posting those as well. Can you find him? He's near the center, and one of the 3 missionaries standing between the back row and the second row from the back. (Clear as mud, right?)

Singing

There are many reasons to sing!

First you can sing in the rain! It rained all last week until Sunday, when it finally stopped. Tropical Storm Nicole hit us on Wednesday. Sad to say, I was out in it for a good portion of time on Wednesday night. A little rain doesn't hurt missionaries, but a lot... well that makes us a little more than upset. To make a long story short, we had to have the Assistants come and rescue Elder Branson and I from Portmore. We didn't get home til after 10:00 p.m. For full details, please email mother Huffaker as she will be getting a snail mail with complete details (hopefully she'll post it on the blog too.) So most of last week involved getting wet or staying inside.

You can also sing when General Conference comes around and the person conducting the session says, "The choir and congregation will now sing..." So we attended General Conference last weekend and heard some really good talks. To me, a lot of it seemed to be focusing on us. As far as our character goes. I believe Elder Scott put it in pretty plain terms.

Also, you can sing as you work. I know whistling is a bit more common, but Elder Ostberg came to Kingston for a few days. They moved Elder Walker to the Boulevard house with Elder Ostberg's companion since both of them have to stay in. We really just worked Friday, since Saturday and Sunday was conference.

Lastly, you can sing to your new companion. That's right! I am now in Yallahs and training a new missionary. His name is Elder Jarman from Riverdale Utah.

So when things in life are bad or good. SING!

Elder Huffaker

Here are some of the photos Brandon sent this week. Yallahs is pronounced, "Yowl-us", and is located on the southern coast of Jamaica, a little to the east of Kingston. Brandon says it is a little smaller than Falmouth was.

Elders Huffaker, Branson, and Hoffman on Transfer Day:

Flooding in one of the main gulleys in Kingston from Tropical Storm Nicole:
Closer view of landslide damage in Kingston:
Street flooding from Tropical Storm Nicole:

Flooding on the missionaries' street in Kingston:

In Linstead

Well I am no longer able to see the sea. I'm actually inland for once. The people here in Linstead are really cool. I've met some amazing members already. I do miss a few from Sav, not to mention the terrain. Linstead is very hill as compared to Sav which was really flat.

My new companion is Elder Peterson. He's one transfer behind me in missionary time. He's the second companion I've had that's younger than me. He's also our district leader. Linstead itself isn't very big, but it's still a great place. Since transfers went down, I don't really have much to write about, but I do have pics for y'all. However, I'll have to send 'em to ya later. I can't get the pictures to load onto the computer.

Remember, I love you all and haven't forgotten about you. The church is true and the book is blue. ;)

Elder Huffaker


P.S. from Marilyn:

Brandon shared a little more information about Linstead with me. He said the branch is a good-sized branch, bigger than in Savanna la Mar, and they have their own building. The Falmouth and Lucea branches were dissolved and the members there are now to attend Mobay (Montego Bay) branch. Having served already in Falmouth, Brandon feels that it will probably result in some inactivity for the members, because now they will have to taxi to church, and a lot of those members barely scrape by.

He and his new companion are the only missionaries in Linstead. They bike everywhere, and Brandon is having some bike difficulties, made worse by being in the hills. The next nearest missionaries are in Spanish Town (6), and Elder Peterson is the district leader. Zone conference will be in Kingston (the capital).

Another Transfer Gone By .... 10 out of 17

I hope everyone had a good week..... GOOD!

Wellllllll this last week was transfers. Don't worry though, I'm not in Kingston. I'm still in Sav with the amazing, the wonderful, the stupendous ELDER GANTT.

Along with that, since we weren't sure if any of us were leaving, we were invited over for dinner at one of our favorite member's homes for dinner. While there, Elder Gantt found the wig. (see pictures)

Wigs are somewhat popular down here. It's one of threee styles that female Jamaicans will do with their hair, becuase down here, you can't just let your hair hang low. 1st style - the plait, basically their word for braiding, this includes cane rows (we call it corn rows back home). 2nd style - the cream, basically applying gel or mousse to the hair, this is how they get the straight hair look. 3rd style - the wig, when you just find the hairstyle you love, but you don't want it permanently, you get a wig. So Elder Gantt wanted a change of hair style for a few minutes.

While we were there, the little 2 year old, named Devaughney, a.k.a. "Vaughny" found our bicycle helmets. He didn't know how to wear it, but he likes the sideways look. We tried to put it on correctly, but he would change it back to this look.

Next, we made a cake on Friday, just for fun. We bought cake mix and frosting at the store. It was all rainbow chip. I thought this would be the coolest thing since the ice age. NOT REALLY! the cake turned out fine, but it didn't agree with our stomachs at all. Our mouths and minds were saying, "Wow, this is delicious!" our stomachs were saying, "Oh no it's not... GET OUT!"

This morning, Elder Gantt and I decided to set up an exercise program rather than just doing whatever. So we jogged, did pushups, pull ups (YES I ACTUALLY DID SOME FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE), and sit ups. By the time I got in the shower I wasn't sure if I should puke or get on with the day. Thankfully everything stayed down.

Have a nice day, somewhere else

Elder Huffaker

To Savanna la Mar

Hello everyone, I hope you have all had a good week. Things have been a little crazy here. It's Jamaica of course, sun, humidity and all that other fun stuff.

Well, the big news is yesterday, I found out that I'm being ET'd (emergency transferred) to Sav. They're moving a few other missionaries too. It's not because of problems, but rather (as Elder Rebeiro and I believe) because of convenience. We believe a missionary is coming back from the Bahamas and will be with him, while I go to Sav to be with a fairly new missionary named Elder Goins (Go - ins not like Groin without the r)

Along the past week, I've been doing a lot of travelling. I went to Mobay a couple of times and to Ochi once. I guess that's what happens when your companion is a zone leader.

We've been doing pretty good, we found out that one investigator who has been waiting for a court case to be done the last six months is now able to be baptized. So hopefully that will happen this Saturday. Sad thing is is I won't be here for it.

Other than that, email me about anything you want that I can tell you the answer to. If I don't have the answer, too bad!

Elder Huffaker

P.S. From Marilyn: "Sav," or Savanna la Mar, is located on the western side of Jamaica, on the south coast. It sounds as though this transfer isn't an "emergency", but rather a transfer that just doesn't happen on a regular transfer week.

(from December 21. This is late because of our busy-ness during the holidays. In this post, Brandon explains the terms, "killing" and "dead" missionaries. The term, "white-wash" refers to a complete change of missionaries in an area.)

Well, it has been raining off and on for the past three days. The last couple of nights, Elder Vea and I have been riding our bicycles home in the rain. It wasn't the ideal conditions, but it is nice to have the rain on your face and not be that cold.

Well, it is the first week of this transfer. It happens to be Elder Vea's last transfer. He will be going home. This means in missionary terms that I am killing him and he's a dead missionary. Also, we received two new zone leaders who white-washed in Sav. No one else moved in our zone except for one of the zone leaders went to Negril and the one in Negril went to Santa Cruz.

Mostly, we've been building ourselves up for Christmas. So, I'll get to say hi to some of you and to those I don't... HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Elder Huffaker

Transfers

Transfers, in missionary lingo, means the missionaries get moved (or not) to other areas of the mission, usually resulting in getting new companions. Brandon has been looking forward to transfers for a few weeks now, which we could tell when he started counting down: "three weeks to transfers", "two weeks to transfers", "Transfers are next week!". For those of you who may not "get it," this link is an excellent explanation of how, when, and why missionary transfers happen, all over the world.

Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord: Transfers: How Missionaries Reckon Time

Maybe you can see why Brandon's last email sounded so encouraging!