I am so annoyed with the pictures. Especially since every week it's only my computer. My companion never has any problems. I really wish I could send pictures. :( I can't figure out what I am doing wrong!
We had interviews this week. I do like President Weed. He is going to be great for the mission, and his wife as well. I am excited to see what changes occur as he is here for longer and gets the hang of things!
This week was an interesting one. We have been working with one less-active for a while now and he came to church, and the same gentleman who came last week also came this week! My companion and I don't know what we did to get him back to church (probably nothing, it was all the Spirit), especially because he was marked as a do-not-contact less than a year ago! The only reason we stopped by is because we didn't have that info so we weren't deterred! Aside from our less-active work, we aren't doing much. It's difficult to find investigators here and the fact that there is more Church members than active Branch members doesn't help! The family we are teaching are still progressing and are overcoming the opposition they are being faced with. They are still on track for their August 5th date! We are so excited!
We had a linger longer (basically a lunch) after church yesterday. It was interesting. I have never been to one. The food was good! Fried chicken for days...literally. I am pretty sure that there was at least 15 chickens worth of thighs, wings, legs, you name it! I do love the Branch here. They are awesome!
So the other day we were sitting on Caratoke Highway up by our trailer waiting to turn left onto Shortcut road and I was looking at all of the tags on the cars around us and realized that most were from elsewhere! Here is the total:
Connecticut - 1
Texas - 1
New Jersey- 1
New York - 1
Maryland - 1
Pennsylvania - 2
Virginia - 3
West Virginia - 2
No North Carolina! There are so many tourists and they all drive through our area to get to OBX!!!!
I have learned a lot about crops out here! Did you know that all corn has to be hand picked? That is because there is no machine that can separate it! We are going to help a member clean his tractors this week. I never thought that I would be doing farm work on my mission! We are eating a lot more corn than seafood, much to my dismay, but a member took us out to a really nice seafood place that was SUPER good called Coinjock Marina in Waterlily. I got a fried platter. It had a Crab Cake, Shrimp, Clam Strips, Scallops, 2 Hushpuppies, and Pollack, all fried. SO GOOD!... especially the clam strips. Those were my favorite. It is right off the Intercoastal waterway so there were several yachts sitting at the adjacent pier. Pretty cool.
We are getting a mini missionary this week. I don't know if I mentioned it last week, but he is coming from Mt. Pleasant ward and we are excited to have him! He gets here tomorrow and leaves on Sunday. It will be nice to have a third male so we can visit whomever we want! :D
Longer email this week, I am trying to write better big emails. Have a wonderful week!
With love and XOXOXOXO,
Elder Ciminski
Week ..... ? (can't keep track) - 7/18/16
This week was rocky. We didn't feel very productive this week. We haven't been able to get out as much as we would like. Normally we like to leave the trailer at around Noon-1 o'clock and not come back until 9, but lately, our dinners have been such that we have to come back earlier. Then, due to mileage limitations, we have to stay in the area. We are trying to make the most of it that we can. I found some more funny records this week. Missionaries are funny people!
The family we're teaching is still progressing. They are still working and moving towards baptism and that is what really matters.
I picked corn this week! The Branch had a service project and we got to pick corn for a couple hours! It was pretty cool and harder than I thought it would be! And Muddier! But that is because we got two HUGE storms this week. Both were very windy and loud. We had the power go out twice in one night! But that could be because we live in a trailer park!
We also have interviews with President Weed this week. I am excited for those. He seems like he is going to be a good Mission President! We are also getting a Mini-Missionary next week!
That is all. I cant send pictures this week because the computers we have won't let me. Some of the things I wanted to say need a picture, so I can't include those. I am so sorry about that. I hope that y'all have a good week!
With love,
Elder Ciminski
The family we're teaching is still progressing. They are still working and moving towards baptism and that is what really matters.
I picked corn this week! The Branch had a service project and we got to pick corn for a couple hours! It was pretty cool and harder than I thought it would be! And Muddier! But that is because we got two HUGE storms this week. Both were very windy and loud. We had the power go out twice in one night! But that could be because we live in a trailer park!
We also have interviews with President Weed this week. I am excited for those. He seems like he is going to be a good Mission President! We are also getting a Mini-Missionary next week!
That is all. I cant send pictures this week because the computers we have won't let me. Some of the things I wanted to say need a picture, so I can't include those. I am so sorry about that. I hope that y'all have a good week!
With love,
Elder Ciminski
I love this place! - 7/11/16
I seriously love this place and the branch especially. I was sitting in Sacrament Meeting yesterday and I realized how awesome and blessed it is to be serving in the Currituck Branch. Everyone is so nice and I never want to leave!
We had to reset the baptismal date for August 5. We think this is the last time that we will have to reset it. They know everything that is expected of them and how often we need to be coming by in order to make it and they committed to do what they can to make it happen! They are so ready! They are practically already members of the Branch for how well they fit in! The Branch is so supportive in giving them rides to church every week (they don't have a car) and in coming with us to lessons. I am so excited!
We went on an exchange this week and I went down to Nags Head with the Spanish Elders and got to drive! :D It was a surprise because the other Elder who I was with had an expired license. So I had the keys! We drove 140 miles that day, from Elizabeth City to Nags head then down to Manteo then to Kitty Hawk then back. No crash! You guys do not know what uncomfortable is like until some guy is making fun of you in a language you cannot understand. I think it was about how tall I was. I also went to a lesson on the exchange and that was weird. Again, I couldn't contribute anything because I don't know Spanish. But I did have a good time.
We also got transfer calls and I will be staying for another 6 weeks at least! Yay!
Elder Ciminski
Sooo.... - 7/4/16
The family we are teaching with a date for baptism are still doing well. We are meeting with them tonight. They are so awesome and so prepared and I feel honored to be teaching them! The Branch is excited for them as well and is doing a great job of fellowshipping them! Other than them though there isn't much going on for us. We have been doing a lot of tracting and have meet some potential investigators, but there is a lot of time between those meetings that we are just trying to find new people to teach. But we are working hard and that is what matters.
So we were tracting in a neighborhood that we haven't ever been in and we found a Mormon.org card in a door that previous missionaries had left! Apparently the blue doesn't get sun bleached!
But other than those finds it has been really stormy this week. We lost power one night while we were asleep. The only reason we know is because all of the clocks needed to be reset when we woke up! But they don't last very long. The weather is so volatile here next to the ocean you never know what is going to happen!
Anyway, I am glad that all is going well for you guys!
Elder Ciminski
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| One of the potential investigator records that we found. |
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| Super confused because it was raining...? but sunny? |
Good week! - 6/27/16
The family we are teaching is still on track for July 16! The Mom took off work (She works in Nag's Head with Rentals) to go to Stake Conference which is a huge deal. We are so excited for them!
We also got three new investigators this week, AND NONE ARE RELATED! So three separate people agreed to hear the message of the Restoration and to have us come back. We have high hopes (some higher than others) for all three and I am excited to go back!
President Weed arrives TODAY. It is crazy to think that we will be getting a new Mission President! My companion and I keep wondering what the changes are going to be - it will be interesting to see what happens.
We went on an exchange this week and I got to drive! So that was great (I miss driving a ton!) but what was 10X better was that I was able to lead us in a great exchange. One of our new investigators, and maybe the most promising one, we found on the exchange. Even if all of the contacts and the investigator falls though, it was still beneficial to me because I was able to follow the spirit and was able to see the fruits from that! It really built my confidence. :)
Last night we were tracting and every other person we talked to was nice, literally. It started out with people telling us to leave the neighborhood, then we had a awesome conversation with a man who is not interested, but loves the church and genealogy, then another guy told us go get off his property (he rode up on a lawn mower to tell us that from around the back of the house, kinda funny) then some other guys accepted a book of Mormon and were super nice! So that was a fun experience!
We also had a lady upon seeing us flash a tattoo of the Christian fish that was located on the inside of her right wrist then closed the door. At first I thought it was going to be a death mark from Harry Potter! People are interesting!
Anyway, that is all! I hope that this week will be a good one for y'all!
Elder Ciminski
We also got three new investigators this week, AND NONE ARE RELATED! So three separate people agreed to hear the message of the Restoration and to have us come back. We have high hopes (some higher than others) for all three and I am excited to go back!
President Weed arrives TODAY. It is crazy to think that we will be getting a new Mission President! My companion and I keep wondering what the changes are going to be - it will be interesting to see what happens.
We went on an exchange this week and I got to drive! So that was great (I miss driving a ton!) but what was 10X better was that I was able to lead us in a great exchange. One of our new investigators, and maybe the most promising one, we found on the exchange. Even if all of the contacts and the investigator falls though, it was still beneficial to me because I was able to follow the spirit and was able to see the fruits from that! It really built my confidence. :)
Last night we were tracting and every other person we talked to was nice, literally. It started out with people telling us to leave the neighborhood, then we had a awesome conversation with a man who is not interested, but loves the church and genealogy, then another guy told us go get off his property (he rode up on a lawn mower to tell us that from around the back of the house, kinda funny) then some other guys accepted a book of Mormon and were super nice! So that was a fun experience!
We also had a lady upon seeing us flash a tattoo of the Christian fish that was located on the inside of her right wrist then closed the door. At first I thought it was going to be a death mark from Harry Potter! People are interesting!
Anyway, that is all! I hope that this week will be a good one for y'all!
Elder Ciminski
Hello! - 6/20/16
I went on three exchanges this week and I am WORN OUT. But that is over so that is good. I went on two to Nag's Head and one to Elizabeth City with the Zone Leaders. I did learn a lot though, so it makes it all worth it!
The family we are teaching are still doing well. We had to push back their date because we can't get over there enough to make sure they are ready, but they are on board and excited! They have told us all of the differences they have seen in their lives and about the Spirit they feel at church and I am so glad for that! It is just about the coolest thing to see!
We were able to get some more lessons in this week for which I am grateful! We met with a couple of families from the branch I hadn't met before which was a good thing. We are trying to do some more work in the Branch!
This is President Baker's last week in the mission. At around this time next week President and Sister Weed will arrive and they take over "the moment their feet touch the Virginia Soil". I am super sad to see the Baker's go, but I am sure that the Weed's will be just as amazing as the Baker's.
I still am in love with the Outer Banks. The weather is warming up still (but not like Arizona yet, I am still convinced that Arizona heat is worse) and I am wearing sunscreen and getting a faint tan line around my neck and watch
I hope that all is well for y'all and that you have a safe week!
Elder Ciminski
P.S. Our trailer is famous because it is super old (Missionaries have been in it for 9 years) and President Baker's nephew lived in it years ago. I don't really see what all the fuss is about though. It is a trailer and motivation to go to college!
The family we are teaching are still doing well. We had to push back their date because we can't get over there enough to make sure they are ready, but they are on board and excited! They have told us all of the differences they have seen in their lives and about the Spirit they feel at church and I am so glad for that! It is just about the coolest thing to see!
We were able to get some more lessons in this week for which I am grateful! We met with a couple of families from the branch I hadn't met before which was a good thing. We are trying to do some more work in the Branch!
This is President Baker's last week in the mission. At around this time next week President and Sister Weed will arrive and they take over "the moment their feet touch the Virginia Soil". I am super sad to see the Baker's go, but I am sure that the Weed's will be just as amazing as the Baker's.
I still am in love with the Outer Banks. The weather is warming up still (but not like Arizona yet, I am still convinced that Arizona heat is worse) and I am wearing sunscreen and getting a faint tan line around my neck and watch
I hope that all is well for y'all and that you have a safe week!
Elder Ciminski
P.S. Our trailer is famous because it is super old (Missionaries have been in it for 9 years) and President Baker's nephew lived in it years ago. I don't really see what all the fuss is about though. It is a trailer and motivation to go to college!
When I see a pretty Sunset like this I can feel Heavenly Father's love for me! :) Even through a dirty car window. This is on the bridge connecting Point Harbor to Kitty Hawk.
Kitty Hawk!
A lighthouse.
IYVOUFLJGVKTHUFGVCKHG!!!!!!! - 6/13/16
It was a good week.
We got 5 people with Baptismal dates. No big deal.
JK DO YOU KNOW HOW EXCITED WE ARE????? WE TAUGHT THEM THE WORD OF WISDOM LAST NIGHT!!!
I include what I wrote to President Baker about it:
"We got 5, solid, baptismal dates! They are a family who are just simply amazing! We were able to meet with them both Saturday and Sunday night. Saturday's lesson was good, but the truly amazing one was Sunday's! To start off, it seemed as if Sacrament Meeting was tailored just for them. (We literally just got a text from the Father that he knows that the Book of Mormon is true! :D We are so excited for them!!!!!!!!) The Spirit was so strong and they knew it and felt it too! We had planned to teach the Word of Wisdom with them and base the lesson off of Sunday's theme of Faith in Christ. We brought two members with us who are both converts and we went over with them before what they should share and when. They did not follow that at all, but they were following the Spirit because what they ended up sharing was so much better than what we had prepared. After we finished the lesson we informed them that in order to keep their baptismal date they would need to stop smoking and drinking coffee by this upcoming Wednesday. They agreed with almost no hesitation and said that they would do it! Words cannot express how happy we are for them! But what really is the miraculous part is that this family were our spiritual creations for the month of June! And it is looking like they are going to be baptized at the end of the month!"
I do think that they will be able to make their date and I am so excited! They are amazing!
But other than that there hasn't been much this week. We didn't get too many lessons, but we did go on an exchange. I am still in love with the Outer Banks and Currituck. My companion and I are going to get a shirt that says "Straight Outta Currituck" today. :)
President Baker leaves at the end of the month. We are sad about that. I like him a lot. But I am also looking forward to President Weed. I am sure that he is going to be awesome too!
With a lot of love!
Elder Ciminski
Apparently there are a lot of bears around here, and here is a cub we saw. He was running into the tree line when this was taken.
We got 5 people with Baptismal dates. No big deal.
JK DO YOU KNOW HOW EXCITED WE ARE????? WE TAUGHT THEM THE WORD OF WISDOM LAST NIGHT!!!
I include what I wrote to President Baker about it:
"We got 5, solid, baptismal dates! They are a family who are just simply amazing! We were able to meet with them both Saturday and Sunday night. Saturday's lesson was good, but the truly amazing one was Sunday's! To start off, it seemed as if Sacrament Meeting was tailored just for them. (We literally just got a text from the Father that he knows that the Book of Mormon is true! :D We are so excited for them!!!!!!!!) The Spirit was so strong and they knew it and felt it too! We had planned to teach the Word of Wisdom with them and base the lesson off of Sunday's theme of Faith in Christ. We brought two members with us who are both converts and we went over with them before what they should share and when. They did not follow that at all, but they were following the Spirit because what they ended up sharing was so much better than what we had prepared. After we finished the lesson we informed them that in order to keep their baptismal date they would need to stop smoking and drinking coffee by this upcoming Wednesday. They agreed with almost no hesitation and said that they would do it! Words cannot express how happy we are for them! But what really is the miraculous part is that this family were our spiritual creations for the month of June! And it is looking like they are going to be baptized at the end of the month!"
I do think that they will be able to make their date and I am so excited! They are amazing!
But other than that there hasn't been much this week. We didn't get too many lessons, but we did go on an exchange. I am still in love with the Outer Banks and Currituck. My companion and I are going to get a shirt that says "Straight Outta Currituck" today. :)
President Baker leaves at the end of the month. We are sad about that. I like him a lot. But I am also looking forward to President Weed. I am sure that he is going to be awesome too!
With a lot of love!
Elder Ciminski
Apparently there are a lot of bears around here, and here is a cub we saw. He was running into the tree line when this was taken.
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