WEEK 44

week.... idk haven't figured it out haha (good thing Mom's keeping track)

Hey!!

That is soooo much snow!! I sure wish I was there right now! I really feel like snowboarding and snowmobiling so much right now haha it just had to snow like this when I left.

But my week was pretty normal. E. Hagood's birthday was pretty fun. We had a member cook (Justin) and then played basketball! It was great! We also had a missionary broadcast this week. So some apostles talked to us about teaching repentance and baptizing converts. It was a good broadcast, I learned plenty from it. Also they changed the schedule a little bit so that's interesting. It's a lot more flexible.

We did a lot of service this week. One was with Sister Boohdan, we cleaned out her garden. But a lot different than back home. We used machetes and chopped up all the vines that grow on the fence and everything. That was pretty fun! Then we did service for our bishop, we cleaned out one of his rooms they haven't cleaned in years. I felt like I was doing storage wars haha finding a bunch of different old stuff.

We had a lot of people fall through but we were able to find other people to teach. We were teaching this guy and his mother wanted us to come see her. She is ill and 99 yrs old! So we went and saw her, and when we were about to leave I said a prayer for her. In my prayer I said that she can be blessed with strength, and I said when we leave the spirit can be here to help her feel peace. We left and about 10 min later the son called and said his mom is still praying and when he asked her what is she doing she said someone is still here praying for me. 

So it's pretty amazing what prayer can do for someone, it is truly powerful. And I know that she could feel the spirit that was there and the peace it was bringing to her.

That's all for this week! Continue to read the Book of Mormon and always remember prayer, as we pray personally he is going to know us personally. He wants that communication with us, we just have to pray.

Have a great week!

Love Elder Bastian

-basketball!

-we found a Little Caesar that just opened!

-when you gotta go you gotta go haha

WEEK 43

Hey!! wat hapin to ya!

This week was pretty normal not too many things happened. We had an exchange this week so Elder Plumb came to my area, he is from Twin Falls so it was pretty fun hanging out with him. Also we are teaching a lot of part member families so that is really nice. There is one family that lives in Rio Claro, which is an 1 hr drive from us and it's headed into the bush or jungle pretty much. But he is a return missionary and his wife isn't a member so we are teaching them. He loves missionaries too, he made pizza and AW root beer and ice cream so he treats us pretty well.

Our investigators Affeza and Onika are doing great. Affeza lost her job tho so now it's hard for her to travel to church so that's pretty tough. So hopefully she will be able to find a job! But they are for sure going to be baptized! 

oh yea we met this pastor guy and he was trying to tell us that we are false and was dissing on us and our religion and it was no good. He eventually just walked off but the spirit was definitely not there haha he was a real piece of work haha but he will have to humble himself one day.

Other than that not too much happened. It's my companions birthday today so that will be fun. We have Justin (member in Couva) cooking and then we will play some ball so it'll be fun.

But I hope everyone has a great week! Remember the church is true, and always put your trust in the Lord cuz when you do you will see how much he blesses us! Also continue to read the Book of Mormon, it's truly a guide in our life that will help us through anything!

one love!

love elder bastian of trinidad

-rio claro

-the trini way.. doorag and hat haha

- carnival costume

WEEK 42

Another week goes by...

Hey everyone!

This week has been pretty normal, all that happened this week is that we have been working with a lot of less actives / part members families so that's pretty good! Our goal is trying to get them back to church and also get the non members baptized! Also this week we had zone conference which was good! We talked a lot about using our time wisely and teaching the lessons so we will be able to help them understand more and feel the spirit. It was pretty good! Defiantly want to use my time wisely out here. I've been around a lot of missionaries that have been going home cuz their time is up, so it makes me want to  keep working hard!

Our investigators Affeza and Onika came to church!!! Which is really good, we are trying to prepare to baptize them on the 4th of February! It's been hard to see them but not too long ago Affeza lost her job so that's really bad but we are able to see her more tho so we are trying to help her the best we can. But they are progressing very well tho so I'm excited for the next couple weeks.

We had a less active member that's been coming back to church. He came this last Sunday again so that's really great too see. We really have gain a close friendship now!

Also today we climbed sando hill which was really fun it's a great site up there! I think mom already got the pics so that's cool!

Well have a great week and always remember to trust in God cuz as we put that trust in him, we shouldn't doubt! He is going to help us through anything as we do this!!

take care!

one love!

-trini mini

-sando hill from far

-my comp haha

-cocoa bean

-Sando Hill

-Sunset

-Hakuna Matata

What a handsome man!!!!!

WEEK 41

2017!!

Hey everyone!!

This week has been pretty nice! nice warm weather, sun everyday, 90 degrees, nice Caribbean breeze haha! definitely not Idaho right now, don't freeze everyone!!

This week was good tho! I said my goodbye once again in Couva and in Princestown now with my new comp, his name is Elder Hagood. He's pretty cool, he's into wake boarding and hunting so that's real cool. We've been working hard here trying to see everyone again since its been a time away. But I saw Affeza and Onika (with baptismal dates) and it was a good lesson. I shared alma 40:12 , talking about the spirit world and paradise and after she started crying so it was pretty nice to see that scripture touch her heart like that! They are a great mom and daughter investigators, they are for sure going to be baptized. 

We found this one young guy, on the streets and he is pretty poor, he suffered from a coma and head injury. But he was really humble. I was talking with him and he asked me this question, "how is it being a missionary" and I kinda thought about that and I responded "you know it's great, I love being a missionary and helping those around me." and  that is so true, being a missionary is wonderful. You really get to see how people really live there lives and to see and hear what people go through in life. It's a real humbling experience to witness this. And it makes me really grateful for what I have and how I get to know about this gospel. and even more glad I get to share about the gospel, how families can be together forever and share about the happiness it brings!

I'm grateful for everyone back home and for all you do and the difference you make in random peoples each and every life! love you all and I hope you have a great week!

Elder Colton Bastian

WEEK 40

Hey Everyone! Happy New Year!!

It's so weird being 2017 now, it doesn't even feel like it! Well at least I get to say I'll be home next year now haha. But we didn't do anything really for the new year, only thing is watch some fireworks cuz they woke us up in the middle of the night haha. But this last week was pretty good! I'm still in Couva saying goodbye to everyone once again haha but I was able to see a lot of my recent converts and investigators progress within these two weeks so that was really great to see!

I'm heading back to Princestown finally tomorrow. I'm excited to go back cuz I have some great investigators with  baptismal dates there so I'll be able to go and see how they are doing and help them towards their day! And my comp will be elder Haggood, he's from Oklahoma. From the sounds of it he is a really cool guy!

Nothing too extremely exciting happened this week, but I have realized even more how this church is true! It's amazing how much happiness is brought by living the gospel of Jesus Christ! and how we can learn more about that is reading the Book of Mormon!! As we read it brings the spirit into our lives more and helps us truly understand the importance of everything! Not just this life but the life to come! cuz this life is just the start and helps us prepare what's to come! So I challenge everyone to read the Book of Mormon for this year! STARTING RIGHT NOW!

I miss and love all ya and I hope you have a great start to the new year!!

one love!

service time, e. plumb from Idaho

I have more videos then photos this time haha ill send the videos next week!

WEEK 39

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

This last week was super great! Skyping was wonderful! I updated everyone about my weeks during then so ask my mom about it haha. But Christmas was really great this year. I was able to go to a rich members house and had a big dinner so that was really great. She has a big sky view looking over the ocean and a library that's 3 floors so she is pretty wealthy, big house and big heart.

Being the KING!

We had another baptism for Couva. Her name is Mya! I started teaching her and was able to help her be baptized.

I'm in Couva again for a bit until I get my new companion. The total time I would have stayed in Couva now is 200 days haha like 7 months so it's like my Trini home now.

Mya's baptism

Saying goodbye to Elder Steed

The signs they have here.....oh boy

But I love all ya and I hope your Christmas was great! Don't have too much time today!

one love!