Neverthless...I didn't get lost in the Bermuda Triangle :)

Sister Howells and I on my first day here :)

Aloha Family a me Friends!

Bermuda is the most interesting place I have ever been in my life. 

Oh. Sorry I didn't say "Good Afternoon!". If I were talking to a Bermudian right now, I would be called rude. It's no longer the "hello/hey whats up" to the people we pass on the street in Harlem. Everyone here says "good morning/good afternoon/good evening" and if you don't it is looked down upon. Everyone here is VERY proper. But they do have their own slang...its like pidgin but not. I'm still trying to pick up on it haha

The island is tiny and is about 2 miles at its widest part and 23 miles long. There is a population of about 60,000 people. There are 175 churches on the island and the main religion is Seventh Day Adventist. 

Me and my 20 lb bag of rice hahaha
my comp got a kick out of it

I can honestly say that I feel as though I changed missions haha went from driving on the right of the road to the left of the road. From the buzz of the city and people at night to the sound of kokee frogs and wind rustling throuh the branches. From bright lights in the big city to no lights and just the stars and moon illuminating my way home. From buying $1 slice pizza to seeing $5 slice pizza in town. From night time being the best time to meet with people and find to few wanting to open their door past sundown. From using electronic Areabook to everything being on paper and a physical areabook. From navigating a grid map to people giving us directions like "I dont know the address but its across the street from the gas station up the hill from a few minutes and the pink house on the right". From running around to get to appointments to all our appointments falling through and going tracting all day. Hahahah living here is such an adventure and such a chage from the past 9 months!

Nevertheless, I am so stoked to be here. Every morning when I get up and see the blue ocean and the green trees, hear the chirp of the birds, and feel the sun shinning down on my face, I am happy :) I am so grateful to be here and to be a servant of my Lord. The people here all seem to know the missionaries and are either are very set in their own religion or very not religious at all; "nevertheless the night shall not be darkened" (Helaman 14:4). Our appointments have been falling through left and right, "nevertheless the Spirit of the Lord did not fail" me (Alma 5:14). 

As long as the sun riseth and my Lord liveth, I know that "angels are declaring [the gosprel] unto many at this time in our land...[and is] preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word" (Alma 13:24). I know it and I can't deny it. 

And at the end of it all...

"Nevertheless, in this I do not glory, for I am unworthy to glory of myself" (Mosiah 23:11)

Bye bye NYC

Took this on our way home! The houses are all white roofed and colorful! So cute!

Randoms:

1. I feel like my weekly this week was randoms lol so we shall see what goes here this week

2. Being here reminds me of Hawaii. There chickens everywhere. There are a lot of Filipino people here and they look like they could be from Hawaii as well haha. There are tons of hibiscus, ti leaf, plumerias, banana trees around. Driving on the road reminds me of driving out to Laie on Kamehameha highway. The water is beautiful (or as some people here say "Bermudiful"). So imagine like north shore side of Oahu...except smaller and friendlier and everyone has a British accent haha. 

3. It is super expensive here. Went shopping this morning. I thought Hawaii was expensive then I thought New York City was expensive and now I know that Bermuda tops them all. There was either a 2 lb bag of rice for $5 or a 20 lb for $30. So of course I bought the 20 lb bag. I also used to buy bananas for about 50 cents a pound...I bought bananas for $2 a pound. Maddness haha 

4. Crested a hill and I can often look left and right and see either sides of the island. Pretty nuts. 

5. We have a washer and dryer in our apartment. Blessings. Our water all comes from a catchment system so thats a bit different!

6. Sister Howells is my new companion and she is from San Diego, California!! We didnt know about day light savings so Sunday morning we woke up an hour early. But it all worked out because we needed to finish up ministering assignments for the relief society haha 

7. The Bermuda Branch (takes about 2 hours to get to church btw) is full of some of the kindest people I have ever met! I am so excited to get to work with them more and know them better :) 

Me ke aloha,

Sister Ellis

Believe, Love, Do