Sunday, March 15, 2015

3/9/2015

yup. its already been one month since i got to the coast! holy cow haha. and i opened my mission call a year ago!!! WHAAAAAT?!?! haha okay I'm done talking about time.


but this week was cool. flew by really fast. i was kinda sick on Tuesday and Wednesday (I'm pretty sure it was the turtle we ate) but we had very good lessons with some members present. its cool when the members are there to help us. we had 5 investigators at Church AND we have been working with a less active family who haven't gone to church in years and years and years and apparently the missionaries have been trying to get them to go to church for forever, and THEY CAME TO CHURCH!!! haha I'm not sure what we did, but we did it! it was awesome.


also, cool experience, the other day we were talking to the mom of one of our investigators and she randomly asked us who the new 5th missionary was. she said she had seen me and larroza and tragante and alberto walking down the road to lunch and there was a 5th she said he was a tall white missionary walking with us but not participating in the conversation just smiling. IT GIVES ME CHILLS TALKING ABOUT IT. haha but not bad chills. good ones. peaceful ones. she is a recent convert and i guess she has been having a hard time with the church because her daughter doesn't wanna get baptized. but when we told here that there's only four of us, and that as missionaries we have been promised help from God, she decided she was gonna come back to church too!!


Hna! qhubo pues? estas mejor? ojalà! es tan feo por estar enfermo en la misiòn. te amo! sè feliz. recuerde que donde hay dos ò tres unidos en el nombre de Dios, Èl estarà ahì entre ellos, ò sea nosotros :)


i love being a missionary you guys. its obviously hard sometimes. but its also amazing rewarding and fun. God loves us and this is what He wants us to do. share what we know. i love you guys! have a good week!


"Teach Me To Walk In The Light"

Elder Bigelow

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

He is killing me with this food....

Elder Bigelow and his comp at the coast Elder Larroza

The Hermana's had a Baptism!

Turtle Turtle!!

3/2/2015

pretty good week. flew by pretty fast! we now are working on setting up baptism dates and marriage dates of all the new investigators we have. its pretty fun. we are averaging around 21 lessons a week here and in Medellin it was normally anywhere between 7 and 12. its easier to find people home here. AND! we had a couple come to church yesterday!!!! it was exciting but kind of funny because when they arrived i was at the pulpit bearing my testimony and i could see them wandering outside but my comp didn't and i was trying to signal him with my eyes but he didn't get it so i ended up using my lips like a navajo. and he finally got it and went to show them where to go haha. the costeños do the same thing with their lips. its funny.


we went to a baptism of the hermanas in the zone on Saturday and had to clean the font because someone decided to clean their fish in it. it was actually kinda fun and the smell reminded me of ak.. :) some things make me miss Alaska. like all the heat. haha i ope you guys are enjoying the cold haha


the cost culture is a lot different then the culture of Medellin. they don't do as much drugs haha. but they are really lazy and laid back. the music is different too. its a mix of reggae and Latino. kind cool. i like it here.


RHET! i live with a brasilean! and hes teaching me portugues"O Elder Tragante mandou dizer que ele é o "O cara mais dahora do mundo", ele vive em Curitiba - Paraná. E ama Coxinha e Feijoada hahaha.


autumn! chevere que ya estás en oaxaca. no hace mucho calor allá cierto ó si? jaja no me vas a creer pero hoy comimos tortuga y iguana! comiste algo asi en la costa? cual es la comida mas extraño que has comido en toda tu misión? TE QUIERO!


well i love all you guys! remember that a prayer is just a conversation with God. talk to Him. he wants to hear! and He loves you.


"How Great Thou Art"
Elder Bigelow
is that a shaved head???

parrots!

mogambo

Pigs feet.... YUCK!

2/23/2015

even though i just got sent here, we have transfers this week. AAAAAAAAND... I'm staying haha. its a little bit of a relief i guess. i was sure if i would. kinda thought maybe i was just here to replace the other elder until transfers, but it looks like this is my new are and where i will be for general conference this transfer and skyping the family the next transfer!! sweet! haha


its hot here. crazy hot at times. it can be energy draining too. we walked a TON this week. we started working with all the new investigator we found last week hoping to set some baptismal dates. nd we did set quite a few.. buuut.. only one attended church so now we have to reset all the dates.... the people here are so much easier to teach and talk to and so much more accepting..... but they cant commit to nothing. haha for that the attendance is really low. we have tons of investigators though, a couple families too (they are the funnest to teach) haha.


I've started reading the scriptures that go along with the hymns and realized how inspired they are. i even tried writing a song using scriptures, but its hard and I'm uninspired.. i don't suggest it. i do suggest reading those scriptures though. its cool to think about a scripture you've read a 100 times in the context its used in in a song. makes you think about it differently i guess. :) also, i recommend singing them. and sharing them. with everybody. sing primary songs to people in the streets and then tell them to come to church. haha it might work. i think I'm gonna try it.


autumn, entonces cuando te vas? y a donde? porque mamni se va antes del fin del cambio? ó me he confundido? jaja estas bien con tus compañeras? cuanto tiempo tienen ellas? te quiero mucho! y quiero decirte que una hermana como vos solo podría tener un hermano tan especial como yo... ;) jaja chau!

well, i love you guys! hope everything continues to go well back home and I'm glad you got my package!!! :)


"Give, Said The Little Stream"
Elder Bigelow
Sketchy Bridge

Coastal Family

Costeno with his platanos

Colombian Food

a pink chick!

Coastal!!

la nueva guitarra :)

2/16/2015
WHAAAAAA the coast? hahaha lemme tell you something cool :) listo?


Tuesday night me and elder ayovi were teaching a less active member, and in the middle of the closing prayer the phone rings. so after the prayer we call back. it was the aps. they said "Elder Bigelow, tienes cambios extraoficiales en la mañana. tienes que empacar las maletas porque te vas en avión a la zona montería sur en la costa".... WHOOOOO! haha translation: you have unofficial transfers in the morning. pack your luggage because in the morning you fly to the monteria south zone in the coast!


so I'm here. got here early Wednesday morning. my area is called Mogambo. my comp is elder Larroza from Argentina (he only has 4ish months in the mission). we live with the zone leaders elder oqueso (who was the ap when i got here) and elder alberto (from my group). apparently elder Rivera (my comps ex comp) had knee problems and needed to be in medellin closer to a good hospital and for whatever reason, i was chosen to switch with him. and guys its amazing.


montería is about 11 hours north of Medellín. we are right here close to the carribean sea. it smells like a mix of salty Homer, the greeness of hawaii, and a big pile of cow poop. haha theres tons of coconut mango and aguacate trees. frogs salamanders iguanas parrots and supposedly there are toucans but i haven't seen any yet. and i swear guys there are more chickens here than in Kauai haha i didn't think that was possible either. the people here are awesome. their Spanish is kinda funny sounding, absolutely NOTHING like a paisa accent. but i understand it all the same. they are so much more accepting to us and the gospel. they are super poor and very humble. and anyone under the age of 12 is always naked. hahaha BECAUSE ITS SO DANG HOT! i realize now that it was NEVER hot in Medellin. its RIDICULOUS here. there is NEVER a time when you aren't sweating. the air is super thick with heat. even when the sun isn't out. i put sunscreen on in the mornings but my forehead is still burnt because i sweat it all off haha. we all sleep in the same room on cool little mats on the ground with 4 fans blowing on us all night.


the work here is progressing. when i got here on Wednesday it was kinda dead because the elder who left hardly left the house cause of his knee. but we started really strong and found 13 new investigators this week and are starting the put baptism dates on them. my comps awesome, its cool to be with someone who has less times than you. transfers are next week and i am pretty sure we are gonna stay together for at least the next transfer. i honesty hope i stay in the coast for a loooong while :)


HERMANA! al fin estoy en la costa! pero en el otro lado, acá en el caribe!!! jaja que tan chevere parra decir que estay serviendo mi misión en el caribe :) en serio estoy tan feliz. ojala que estés bien allá en la costa pacifica. y que no estés trunki aunque te falten poco. jaja. siga trabajando. yo sé que eres la misionera que Dios quiere que seas. gracias por tu ejemplo. te quiero :)


and i love all of you. i hope you week is great and you share the love that you have with everyone. that's what I'm learning from the costeños haha :)


"My Heavenly Father Loves Me"
Elder Bigelow

2/9/2015

i cant believe i have been in this area for a month already. crazy huh? just 2 more weeks til transfers and a new comp! haha


well this week wasn't ALL that great. i mean, its always awesome to go through another week as a missionary. it was just a little disappointing i guess. only one of the 7 people we had planned to go to church went. we had to tell one of our investigators that she had to start making progression or she couldn't be taught anymore. and a lot of appts didn't go through and it make my comp bored so there was a day he didn't really want to work so i went with elder padgett. that was probably the best day of the week cause we taught some good lessons together.


just a little bummer i guess..... but I'm gonna go into more detail of the investigator we dropped.... her name is Laura, shes 26, and she is not capable of moving her legs so she is in a wheelchair. and we have been teaching her since my first day here. and when we invite her to church she says no because her mom wont let her. so we told her to call her mom into the room so we could talk to her. and before we got a word out she flipped out on us and started yelling and saying the only reason she lets us come is because Laura doesn't have friends, and that there's no way shes ever gonna let her go to church.. it was super sad... so we cant go back to visit her.


but you know, you keep working. its annoying sometimes so not have good numbers at the end of the week even when you're working. but i know that not what is all about.


hola hermana. te extraño. todavía no puedo creer que solo te faltan 3 cambios. a mi me faltan como 11 ó 12 jaja. ¿donde quieres morir? y como está sister thrownout? jaja  juiciosita? estás enseñando buenas cosas? cual es tu parte favorita de la costa? te quiero. exitos!!


well family, i love you all. just remember that our "hard times" are just a tiny portion of the suffering of our Savior Jesus Christ. and that thanks to Him, we can make it through all of them. i know that to be true and i am so thankful for it. stay happy!!


"Put Your Shoulder To The Wheel"
Elder Bigelow
Elder Bigelow, Padgett, Ayovi, Sandoval!

6 months out!!!!

Burgers with members!!

Teaching Ayovi guitar!

2/2/2015

another fast week. it honestly feels like p day was 2 days ago! this transfer is halfway over!!! and this week changed a lotta stuff!


we had planned to have a baptism every Saturday this transfer... but it ain't happening. it was a hard week. a lot of our investigators canceled the lessons or just weren't home when we got there and our family we have that were supposed to be baptized this Saturday wouldn't do their paper work to get married first and then they didn't even end up going to church yesterday. it got pretty frustrating.. and tiring. I'm still tired haha


but something cool happened while i was on exchanges with Elder Dahlstrom (hes new and doesn't speak Spanish). we went to a meeting with the ward mission leader and after one of the new converts in the ward introduced us to a friend and we committed him to get baptized on the 21st of this month. hes an AWESOME guy. yesterday was the coolest part of it though. it was the first time in his life he'd ever put on a tie or gone to church. and after about 4 or 5 testimonies he went up to the pulpit and bore his testimony!!!! he told the congregation about some trials he has had and at first it was weird, but then he told about how he had started reading the book of mormon and prayed about it and he started crying. then he held the book in the air and said "its true its all true. this is His church. and you guys are my new family". IT WAS SO POWERFUL! one of the coolest experiences i have had so far. made the week feel like it wasn't a big fail :) haha


JOTA! jaja Autumn. como estas? tienes cambios esta semana cierto? no recuerdo. yo creo que voy estar acá en medellin hasta que tenga un año. pero no sé. te quiero mi hermanita misionera. ojala que toda vaya bien con tigo. y que seas feliz!


well you guys. remember to be grateful. we are so blessed as members of the church. we are all watched out for and loved. and i love everyone of you. and miss you like crazy!!!


"Count Your Blessings"
Elder Hunter Bigelow
Baptism


Elder Bigelow and Elder Sandoval

Someone got tired during a lesson!!

1/26/2015

CAN  Y'ALL BELIEVE ITS BEEN ONE MONTH SINCE CHRISTMAS?!?!?! i cant, that flew by so dang fast! the fastest moth of my mission so far. but cool. time flying aint a bad thing.


this week was crazy busy! we have a zone goal to meet the number of baptisms in this transfer that the ENTIRE MISSION had in the last transfer. (because in the last transfer the mission only had 39) so work work work. that's all we are really think right now!!! me and ayoví are lining up to have 12 baptisms by Feb 21. we had our fist last Saturday and have 3 more this coming Saturday! we aren't doing a lot of contacting just cause we wanna work with who w have now and get them to baptism.... so that means that in the next transfer after ayoví leaves I'm gonna be doing a lotta contacting.


also, interviews with the pres were this week. it went well. i love the president. he talked to me about what he "sees and has always seen in me". we talked a lot about leadership. and he hinted towards the idea of me possibly training next transfer. nothing is for certain obviously... but that got me excited :)


well things are great here guys. i love being a missionary! i complete 6 moths this week!!!! LOCISIMO!!! just 18 to go, and i know its gonna go even faster. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Mom this week!!!!! i will celebrate somehow haha


remember always the covenants you have made with God. as baptized members we have all promised Him that we will take upon us His name. so in that since, we should ALL strive to be His representatives. not just the missionaries. :) love you all!!


"I Know When I Am Baptized"
Elder Bigelow
New Area


Elder Bigelow and Elder Padgett doing service!



New Comp and Zone Leaders eating some mexican food he says!

1/19/2015
This week has been GREAT!!!! i have to admit i was disappointed in the
transfer last week. (wrong attitude). i didnt like that i was super close
to my old area (i actually found out i am closer than i thought. i can put
one foot in Altamira and the other in Aranjuez) nor did i like the idea of
being a missionaries last comp (TRUNKY). BUUUUUUUT, its awesome!!!! the
area is really cool, it feels the same but its all new people! new ward new
members new investigators and new FUTURE investigators!! and although its
my comps last transfer, he works harder than some missionaries i know that
have less than a year!! we already set baptismal dates with some of the
investigators he had and are working with some new ones we found this week!
and we've been doing a lot of service.

the new house is awesome too. its about 3 times the size of the one in
altamira. and I'm finally living with a gringo!!! haha we live with the zls
Elder Sandoval (El Salvador) and Elder Padgett (California). elder Padgett
reminds me a lot of Hayden so we get along great.

PA RICE! i got news for you! i met a REEEAALY old man here in this ward
named Hno. Mesa who said he knows you, and a member who is in th elders
quorum pres. named Jorge Gamero said and elder from Alaska taught his
family 20 years ago or so. ALSO, the branch pres in itsmina right now is
pres garcia. i got to meet him at a training meeting last week and he said
he was baptized by the first missionaries in choco.

listo... i love you guys! and i am so happy to be here! i already love the
people in my new area. it is so awesome to be a missionary. KADE, it is the
best thing when the young men come to lessons with us. they help out more
than they know and it really helps them too. really get involved and make
time to help the missionaries out there. i LOVED going and teaching with
Bartling and Turner and McCusker and Milby. and it helped me accustom
myself to mission life when i get here.. soooo DO IT! haha ANYWAYS, you're
all awesome. and you're all needed in Alaska(or wherever you are) to help
out with the work :) even if its just giving service or showing someone you
love them.

"We'll Bring the World His Truth"
Elder Bigelow