ELDER HARDY AND I IN GRENADA

Elder Hardy and I in Grenada

So, I don't have a lot of time to write today, but I did take a lot of pictures this week, so I'm going to send those (:

Quick update: Elder Hardy, my new companion, is pretty cool and is fun to work with. He's from Utah.

The Morris Family is doing good. We are having family night with them tomorrow, but Rachel and Rodney didn't come to church, that's two of the kids. We have a new awesome investigator! His name is Casnel, but I'll tell you more about him next week! (:

Much love,
Chase

P-DAY PIG ROASTING, KIRANI JAMES OLYMPICS AND A-HA MOMENT

Me roasting a pig with a Jab Jab helmet on.

So, I had a really adventurous P-day yesterday! The whole zone got together and roasted a pig with some members and friends. It was really fun, but killing and roasting the pig was a bit graphic. The Polynesian missionaries did everything for us, though. To answer some questions, Carnival is just a reason to have a huge party and drink for several days, aha, it attracts tourism for the island... umm. the locals go crazy. Some paint themselves black with tar and drag a chain around while wearing horns. It's called the Jab Jab. Carnival is pretty dangerous and inappropriate at times, so we just stay inside all day, aha.

I've been able to see some Olympics when we eat at Pizza Hut, but other than that I'm suffering. Aha. But, there's this guy named Kirani James, and he's actually from Gouyave and he runs the Mens 400 meters in the Olympics. People looove him here! Everyone went crazy when he ran. He took silver this year. Pretty impressive!

I'm doing well. Transfer calls are next week, and I really hope Elder Lameta stays because I still kind of get lost in Gouyave, aha. But I think he might be leaving :/ We had a really cool experience with a less active family! Well, the mother comes every week, but her kids don't. So, we called them up and had FHE at their home and the family all wants to do it every week now, and they all came to church last Sunday (: So, we'll keep working with them. They're the Morris family, by the way, so pray for them! Thanks (:

A-ha moments? hmm... well I've really learned how important it is to ask questions when I teach. Asking them questions may change what you had planned to teach, but it will only change it to what's on their mind and what they're concerned about which is what your supposed to teach anyways (: The Senior Couple here were talking to me about it, and it's super true. That's the Mills, and they're also super cool!

I love you and hope you have a super week!

Love,
Elder Chassse Mikkksell

The view from my apartment.

HAZY ON THE HISTORY, IAN IS PROGRESSING & I CAUGHT A MOSQUITO ILLNESS

I'm doing super! Grenada is pretty similar to St. Lucia but a little different in it's own way, aha. That's how all these islands are, similar but different. I know a lot of these islands used to be or still are owned by the French, but other than that I'm a little hazy on the history. All of the ones who are still owned by the French are doing better than the super poor independent ones. But, they take pride in being independent (even though they're technically not, but that's a whole other story). They just don't receive any help from anyone, and they are too small to sustain themselves.

This week has been alright. It's been nice having Elder Lameta around, haha, and our members are all pretty awesome (like all 12 of them, aha). We visited them a lot this week and some other folk, but I guess the only really progressing one is Ian. He's come to church every week, so that is coolio. We just want to make sure he's ready and committed to baptism and want to make sure he understands everything. Cool guy! Aha, in other news, I caught some mosquito illness and have this rash all over my body, a head ache and am really tired all the time. So that's fun (: But, they said it won't last long.

Lots of love,
Elder Chase!

TRANSFERRED TO GRENADA, NEW COMPANION ELDER LAMETA IS SO COOL!

Doctor Lameta and Nurse Mikesell

It's crazy to think 1/4 of my mission was spent in St. Lucia... It was tough leaving, but I'm here in Grenada now, and everything is good. I once again feel like I've started my mission over, aha. Every island has there similarities, but they are all so different at the same time, so I'm still getting used to Grenada. It's beautiful just like other places. My flight was fun. We had a layover in Trinidad, so now I can say I've been there! Trinidad looked HUGE from the plane. Like a real city with skyscrapers and everything. My area here in Grenada is nothing like that. I'm in a village called Gouyave (pronounced Gwauv), and it's a small place in the bush land as they call it. Not much of anything here but houses and some shops. There is a tiny super market, so that's good. (: My new apartment was so bad when I first got here, but I spent a few days cleaning it. Still not done. I don't even want to talk about it!

Elder Lameta is my new companion, and he is so cool. We were friends back in St. Vincent. He's a really big Samoan guy, and I love him! He's so funny. He doesn't complain or obsess over things that don't really matter, aha. Stephon is still filling out his missionary papers. He was so mad when he heard Elder Page and I were both leaving. I did end up getting to say goodbye to Randy, so everything worked out in the end. Aha, prayers are answered.

Well, as for my area... I'm in a group here which is smaller than a branch. Most of the members came to church last Sunday, and we had 9 people there, so that was a cool experience. It already feels like a little family because I met everyone and everyone knows and talks to each other in church. It's like a group of friends getting together you know? The teaching is a challenge here. Elder Lameta told me most of their investigators have been dropped for different reason, but we'll see how it goes.

Thanks for the updates on everything! I love you! Have a super week!

Elder Chase of the Mikesell Clan

BASICALLY, I TOOK A LOT OF PICTURES WITH ALL MY FRIENDS HERE... IT WAS PRETTY SAD :(

Emmy, Elder Zuniga and I

Well, I'm on a plane in 2 days, but we will talk about that later. Aha. My week has been good... a lot of walking in the rain... uphill... for hours... lol in a good way! But, yeah, like I said, I'll be flying to Grenada in a couple days. I have some mixed feelings. I mean, I've been here in St. Lucia for 6 months now, so I am kind of ready to go... but at the same time it has been really hard to say good bye to everyone. :/ But, I'm sure Grenada will be good. My new companion's name is Elder Lameta. We're actually really good friends, so that will be fun. He's a cool guy from Samoa. Really big guy, too, so he'll make me look even smaller. But anyways, I'll let you know how Grenada is when I get there. Stephon is one of my best friends out here, and I'm going to miss the guy. He gave me his necklace, so I gave him one of my sock ties. Hard to part with... but he was beyond happy. He's serving his mission pretty soon, and he was like, "I will wear this tie everyday." He's a great guy. When I first got here he was kind of a punk who was too cool for everything, but I made good friends with him and brought him out teaching with us all the time, and now he's one of the most spiritual guys I've met. I could tell you all about the people that I've come to love and now have to say goodbye to, but that would take years, aha.

Kennedy and Germane, and her sister... and me!

All my bros here in St. Lucia

AMAZING PACKAGE, PROGRESSING INVESTIGATOR, PIANO LESSONS & RASTA TRUCK

Elder Page and I being stylish... I guess. 

I got your package and opened it immediately! Aha! Tell Brandon I said thank you for his art work. It was really fun explaining everything to my companions and the senior couple. LOL but thank you so much for sending me a package just for the fun of it. (: I finally have a watch again, and I've devoured most of the junk food already. I gave a bag of hot fries to Kennedy, though, because they don't have those here, and he was like, "Holy Smokes... these are good." Aha.

My week has been good (: We have this really progressing investigator named Nisa, and she's come to church twice now (: She really enjoys it... even though our branch president started yelling false doctrine over the pulpit yesterday. Like yelling. But, he always does that. We are teaching Nisa's whole family, but she's the only one really progressing. She's about 21 and is treated very well by the young adult priesthood holders here, aha. Long story short, everyone thinks she is really cute, so Junia, Stephon, Rodrick, Valance and others have all tried putting the moves on her. It's kind of weird, but at least she's making friends at church, aha. As for Ozwald's family that I told you about, they are doing good. Ozwald is just kind of confused about the historical evidence of the Book of Mormon he says. He said he found stuff on google that makes it seem like it could be true but that he also found stuff that makes it all seem fake. So, we had a lesson with him about how proof and evidence will never be enough, but how he needs to read and pray about the book to receive a witness from the Spirit. We were able to give a blessing to a member and her daughter. They were very sick, and the blessing helped them so much. I had no doubt it would. Emmy (that's the mother) has so much faith and knowledge of this gospel. She is easily one of my favorite people I've met on my mission. She's so chill and loves watching church movies with us (: aha.

Have a stellar week. I love you!

Chasssse the Elder Mikesell

The two girls I am kind of giving piano lessons to. Also, they genuinely believe that I'm Adele's brother...)

ADDITIONAL COMPANION, ELDER PAGE & NEW FAMILIES TO TEACH!

A picture of Elder Page and I... it ain't much but it's a picture.

Elder Zuniga and I have another companion. His name is Elder Page. He's pretty sweet. It's nice to be able to talk to someone about music, haha.

I'm doing well. We found a few actually married families this week that we are going to teach, so we'll see how that goes (: I"m pretty excited about it (: Pray for Ozwald's family especially. I'll tell you about them next week.

I love you and thank you for like eeeeverything!

Love,
Elder Chase