3 in 1!

 November 25, 2024  

Good Morning/Afternoon/something my beautiful people! 

It has been a wonderful week out in the ABC islands! Zone Conference was this week and I'm stoked to tell you all about it!

     This transfer we ended up going to Bonaire for our zone conference. It's almost always in Aruba because of all the immigration things going on, but President was able to make it work to get us all to Bonaire for this one! First impression: A lot of Donkeys. Like a LOT. You have to be careful because the donkeys will just step right out into the road and in front of your car. Bonaire is also significantly smaller than the other two, and I absolutely love Bonaire already. Zone conference weekend was spirit-filled and fun.

     To start the weekend we did a proselyting activity where we were making videos for the Light the World campaign and we ended up running into 3 couples who were all on one of the Largest cruise ships I have ever seen. We also got some Gelato, and if you know me, you know that I am a Gelato man, so I was living my best life. From there we had our zone conference and it was incredibly spiritual and overall just a great experience.

     Saturday was incredible as well. We started by doing a sunrise hike to the tallest point in Bonaire, telling stories the whole way through. Next up was Sinter Klaus. My understanding of Sinter Klaus is that it is the original Santa Claus. He comes from Spain with his minions who have been painted black with chimney soot, and if you are a bad kid, they throw you in a potato sack and bring you back to Spain with them. They came in on a ship and ported, then paraded into the town center, where they held somewhat of a concert, but we were off to the fields to play games and eat some lunch.  The end of the day meant a plane with all of the Aruba and Curaçao missionaries on one 16-seater plane, and then we were back! All in about 36 hours! 

     I left this weekend very sunburnt, and very excited for everything to come in this mission. President Van Gils and I have been out for the same amount of time, so it was very fun to talk with him about our adjustment to the mission! This mission has brought so much growth and so many experiences. I have learned so much and it's only been a few months! This week brings transfers, so I'll let yall know what happens next week! I love you all, read the Book of Mormon, I promise it will change your life!

-Elder Aldrich

August 110th

 November 18, 2024

Bon Día mi Amigunan Stimá! Kon ta bai?

     I hope everyone is enjoying their August, cause I certainly am! Out here it's still 85°-90° and about 95% humidity, and so my brain hasn't left August, but that is the way of the Missionary on the ABC islands. I have a feeling it will never not be August in my brain for the next 18 months. This week was a warwarú (tornado) of things happening, woooo!

          Vroom Vroom 🛻

     This week the Zone leaders left for Aruba to do some exchanges, and so that left us with the truck for the day. Guys. I MISS driving. I got to drive for the first time in 5 months and it was glorious!

     The guy that Elder Seals and I baptized in my first transfer left for Holland to go to school to be an engineer. We had gotten him all set up with the missionaries in Holland and things were looking up. But then a few unfortunate things happened. About a month ago, his Curaslanian number was deactivated, and we lost contact with him, but it was okay because the Holland Elders got him. Problem number two: The Holland Elders didn't get him. Something happened where they accidentally wiped their phone, losing the area book and the WhatsApp, and then a week or so later the area got whitewashed. But our plan this week worked. I remembered where his parents lived, but it was out of our area. So this week with the truck we got permission and headed out to find our friend's parents. And we got back into contact with him! He is doing well, college is busy, and he will be going to church on Sunday! Miracles all around!

          Aldrich at the Aldrich's

     Yep, it's here again. My favorite member in the world had us over for dinner on Thursday night. At this point, he just feels like family, and we got to meet his Florida Family that night. They were all amazing people and the wife was from Honduras so I got to talk to them about where my brother served in his mission (shout out Caleb). I don't think I've ever heard so many Dad jokes. Speaking of which: what's the difference between a clown and an athletic rabbit?...  One is a bit-funny and the other is a fit-bunny. Also, I think I ate my weight in food, it was beautiful.

          Aldrich and Seals back at it

     Let's goo, another exchange with my trainer! I went to the Brievengat area Saturday for the exchange, leaving our two Greenies to take on Buena Vista, which they crushed it. But it was a solid exchange, it's fun to get to go back and work with your trainer again, especially now that I can actually say what I want to people in papiamento. We ended up at the edge of the area down some unlit dirt roads at some point... I gotta get out of murder scenes. The night ended with throwing chances at a cockroach about the size of two quarters sitting side by side. I learned a new thing: cockroaches fly.

     Highlights

-Elder Day and I had to ride our bikes to the church for game night on Friday and we lived, but it was a journey through backroads and highways. It was a good time!

-I get more culture shocked by American culture than I did the first time with Curaçao culture. I didn't think that would ever happen

     There were many tender mercies this week that helped a ton. Lots of moments that started with frustration or chaos and ended with seeing Heavenly Father place a miracle in front of me. I know that God loves each and every one of his children and that he is always there to guide and direct you. 1 Nephi 4:6 tells us "And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do." sometimes we don't know where we are going, but God will put us where he needs us if we have faith. I love you all, keep being amazing

Chao Chao

-Elder Aldrich

The car addiction will never end

Dogs, Dawgs, and Dogs

 November 11, 2024

Another week has passed as a Missionary dad out here in Buena Vista, Curaçao. This week has been a week full of dogs, of all different kinds. Many good, and some strange. But if I had one word to describe the week... It would be Dog. Let's get started!

          Dogs

     Every. Single. Day. This week. We have had some of the wildest interactions with dogs. Picture this. You're riding your bikes down a perfect horror movie street, and you stop to talk to the only person on this side of the Mississippi, only to have them go inside and hide the second they see the Dutch boys (we are not Dutch). Now, you're alone (with your companion), and all you hear is a dog in the distance. Take a deep breath. That dog in the distance? Not in the distance. Not A dog, but several... In a full sprint, coming at you. 2 rocks (I don't like to hurt the dogs), 7 dogs. Elder Day is now a hater of dogs, bonbini na Kòrsou. Another moment, we are casually on a street with over 20 dogs around the houses, all barking simultaneously, every single one of them tone deaf. A horrible harmony, terribly off pitch.

          Dogs

     Chilean Hot Dogs. I did not know that this was a thing until two days ago. People in the Caribbean, Guyana, and apparently Chile absolutely LOVE their hot dogs. Us and the zone leaders did service or a less active family this week, and so as a thank you they had us over for dinner. There's a technical name for it, but we had Chilean hot dogs. Chilean hot dogs were pretty much a hot dog in a bun with tomato, avocado, sauerkraut, and fry sauce. Honestly probably some of the best hot dogs that I've ever had, and now I will never be able to eat a hot dog the same way.

          Dawgs

     This segment is for the people who are Dawgs. For clarification, a Dawg is a good thing. As a mission for the month of November, we are doing a gratitude ice bucket challenge. Our district was nominated, so on friday we did our ice bucket challenge. We decided to nominate Sister Van Gils, our sister mission president. Not even a full day later our mission group chat received a video. Sister Van Gils was such a great sport, another reminder that our mission president and his wife are epic. The other Dawg of the week is Elder Day. He's learning really fast and takes the busy days well. He may have told someone that everyone in the world is "hot sauce" but his papiamento has come along very well.

      Overall it's been a good week! Lots of weird moments and much laughter. Something that has been very cool this week is just how much I've felt guided by the spirit throughout the week. Lots of small promptings of people to go visit and turns to take. The spirit guides us in many different ways. But I've found most consistently spiritual promptings come in the form of little thoughts. I know that God loves and looks out for everyone. Just keep your eyes open, cause if you count your blessings, you won't be able to count them all!

I love you all! Have a great week! And send me an email if you get bored! 

-Elder Aldrich

I just realized... I missed shark week

 November 4, 2024

 Bon dia! I have just had the terrible realization that I missed Shark Week. I don't think I've ever felt this lost... Did they finally find the Megaladon this year?! And I am also realizing that Shark Week was about 3 months ago. But that is the fever dream of Missionary work!  But welcome to another week and another episode of storytime with your favorite Elder Aldrich!

          Rubiks Cube Master

     That's right. Ya, boi can solve a Rubik's cube now. Be impressed, be proud. My greenie, Elder Day, brought a Rubik's cube with him and told me that no companion of his would not know how to solve one. So our trade was simple... I teach him papiamento, and he teaches me to solve the Satan box. For the last week the Rubics cube has been the bane of my existence, but now I can solve it and I feel accomplished. Am I smarter? Probably not, but it's a fun experience!

           The Lady Who Speaks in Tongues

     This week as we were going through a neighborhood, we found a lady, probably 60's, sitting outside of her house. So why not? Let's talk to her. She started by telling us that she had no time to talk to us and then talked to us for about 45 minutes about all of her beliefs. After about 15 minutes of her spitting Spanish at us, we tried to tell her we needed to leave, but we couldn't get any words in cause she was GOING. I probably should've just left, but I don't like being rude. But I learned a few really good things! 1. When someone is convinced that everything you believe is wrong, they will ask you trap questions. You can answer them correctly, then they will tell you that you are wrong and talk themselves into a circle of exactly what you believe. Or 2. They go off about something that contradicts itself a lot. She told us that the church is a scam and that the church of Christ is simply your heart. She then told us about how she was speaking in tongues in church with her pastor, but she had no idea what she was saying. But also that you can't speak tongues and you can't receive revelation? I don't know either. But hey, I understood a lot of the conversation, so that's a WIN

          Curaçao Culture Moment

     There are so many different cultures here on the island. Surinamese, Guyanese, Dominican, Columbian, etc. So there is a lot of variety in the type of food I have tried. On Saturday we went to a members house for a member meal with all of the other missionaries. She's a very sweet, and loves to feed the missionaries. Usually, we get the same thing, rice, a strange part of the chicken, and some pickled vegetables. Nothing super crazy. But this time, we had pig tail and shrimp, weird combo, a little too raw, but we didn't get sick so we got a double win!

      This week was so strangely fast and eternally slow, and I don't remember a lot of it so I'll cut it there!

      Ether 12:4 

Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.

     Faith is such a powerful thing. Faith allows us to do anything that God needs us to do. Have faith in God's plan, his timing, and his love for you. If you can do that, you can do anything. I love you all, go have a wonderful week!

-Elder Aldrich