Tuesday, February 24, 2015

RAG Week, Shrove Tuesday and Zone Development Day!

Heya everyone,

Sorry this is a day late as we had Zone Development day yesterday which was loads of craic as usual!

We ended up spending most of our time inside because when we were first playing football we spent the time playing it in the wind and hail for a half hour and I thought it was awesome but we went in so people wouldn't get sick :(

Anyway this week has been a pretty crazy week.

First off last week was crazy from NUIG (National University of Ireland, Galway) having a thing called Rag Week which is best to described as Galway's version of people going to Cancoon for spring break (basically just partying and drinking till their dead).

We always leave early to get the bus for DM (District Meeting) in Limerick and the center of town looked like a post apocalyptic wasteland. They even had queue lines for the queue line to get into the pubs!

Anyway during this week we were chapping (should also mention it was on Ash Wednesday) and we came across a college flat and they were all drunk and eating pancakes (they were really crepes but they called them pancakes and that was because Tuesday was Pancake Tuesday while in America it's known as Mardi Gras).

The guy who made them was named..... Terry! He was a nice kid and me and Elder Shubin got talking with him about the Gospel and about Mormons in general. Well were going to see him tomorrow with possibly his friends so obviously something stuck with them while they were drunk (hopefully!)

We also had a lesson with our investigator Thomas which went alright except we have to explain Authority cause he thinks everyone has it to preach and prophesy.

Other than that lesson all our other lessons and appointments fell through again.

And the weather has gotten bad again with lots of rain and wind again so the "tempest is ragin'!"

To top it off while I was showering the shower head exploded on me while I was in there. So because the head blew off and the water turned instantly cold I was done with my shower for the night. We all agree and say that Galway is cursed somehow but we keep pushing forward!

Tonight we hope to have 3 lessons, 2 gospel ones and we might be seeing Ben, the alcoholic. Let all yous know how it goes.

Take care, slán !

Elder Tarbet (Wolverine)

PS. I forgot to mention the chicken nugget in my email from last week. So Elder Shubin and Novotny made a joke to describe the Trinity. Heavenly Father is the chicken, Jesus Christ is the Bread, and the Holy Ghost is the Egg and all three in the trinity triangle make up the chicken nugget.

Some Notes:
HISTORY OF RAG

The verb “to rag” was commonly used in the late 1800's in the UK, its meaning was to pester or badger someone. It is thought that the term rag came into common usage among students around this time as university students noticing inequalities in society began to take time out of their studies “to rag” members of the public to donate items to clothe the most vulnerable members of society.
Over the years RAG evolved to stand for “Raise & Give” and became the focal point of student fundraising for charities in many Universities.  


RAG WEEK has also become know for “a week of mischief and mayhem, hazy memories and hangover cures, wicked craic (fun) and worn-out wallets. The social highlight of the student calendar!!” Daithí de Buitléir—www.thejournal.ie
(Images downloaded from the Internet, February 17, 2015)
          


Hundreds of students queue up outside a Galway pub early in the morning as part of an unofficial Rag Week event known as 'Donegal Tuesday'. It's believed the tradition emerged in recent years and involves those from the hills heading for The Hole In The Wall pub on Eyre Street in the city.

SHROVE TUESDAY OR PANCAKE TUESDAY

Shrove Tuesday (also known in some countries as Pancake Day, Pancake Tuesday, or Mardi Gras) is a day in February or March, preceding Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent), which is celebrated in some countries by consuming pancakes.

The expression "Shrove Tuesday" comes from the word shrive, meaning "absolve." Shrove Tuesday is observed by many Christians, including Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists and Roman Catholics.

Pancakes are associated with the day preceding Lent because they were a way to use up rich foods such as eggs, milk, and sugar, before the fasting season of the 40 days of Lent. Traditionally fasting meant eating plainer foods and refraining from food that would give pleasure: in many cultures, this means no meat, dairy products, or eggs.

The term Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday", referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season.

(Image taken from the Internet)
Irish Pancakes 
traditionally served with lemon and sugar 
are eaten on Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day

Monday, February 16, 2015

Some Blessings, Growth and Don't Forget the Ukulele!

Heya,

First off before I forget I wanted you to tell the Edwards family that knew you and I forget the other family that knew you who have written to me a couple of times to tell them thank you and sorry that I haven't written to them in return. I apologize that I haven't gotten around to it mostly because my handwriting is so horrible it's not worth me writing. Everyone out here who sees my writing is unable to read it so I've gotten into calling my writing "Jaredite" writing.

So this week has been a week filled with both blessings and let downs.

We had a lot of success in finding people and talking to people and had quite a few QGC's and in giving out BOM's but then all of those appointments fell through :(

But I did learn to appreciate specific prayers and in them asking specifically for certain things and if you got the faith they happen.

We also got Bowen the priesthood this Sunday so that was really good!

It was also pouring rain yesterday for the first time in the last 2 weeks.

For Valentines Day (by the way Happy Late Valentines Day!) Elder Shubin got a red velvet cake mix and we made it, but funny enough Elder Shubin split a glass in half by melting the butter in the microwave and it split along the line where the butter was all melted when it filled the glass.

They do celebrate Valentines day out here but I didn't really see much in decorations and stuff but saw lots of chocolate in stores.

I really like the John 3:16-17 how it has valentine in it.

Picture from Facebook

I may have forgotten to mention that there is a LA we go and see who is from Nigeria and she makes us lots of food every time we go and see her. Well funny enough I like her food and she calls me White African cause I like the African food and can handle the spice! Haha.

We also were investigators for someone who was a potential while I was on exchanges and they were telling us how the BOM doesn't make sense evidently and so on and the whole time we bear testimony they argue with our testimonies and well it was really interesting but funny because they were saying how we were "feeling the Holy Spirit work on us and we shouldn't be afraid" and that they have been given authority to preach the Gospel (they don't believe in priesthood authority, they believe the scriptures are the authority and power spoken off and believe in the Trinity).

It was an interesting experience but we got a free meal out of it and we promised them on Wednesday we'd go to a little bit of one of their services so we'll do that before we go to our church next Sunday.

I almost forgot to mention that I've learned how to play "I See Fire" by Ed Sheeran from the Hobbit on the ukulele and I found an intro and created my own finger pick for it and all the elders in the flat like it so it must be good but if you don't know the song look it up to hear how it sounds and then imagine a ukulele instead.

Anyway take care and remember the Trinity is like the chicken nugget! (I'll explain next week....)

Elder Tarbet (Wolvegeta)


 
                         
Some pictures of Elder Tarbet playing the Ukulele
 (These were taken while serving in Portadown)

Monday, February 9, 2015

A Week of Ups and Downs, Rockin' Joes and District Conference in Limerick



(Pictures of Rockin' Joes taken from the Internet)


Heya Hope you's all had a good craic this week.

This week has been lots of ups and downs but it's still been a good week.

On Tuesday we got to meet with a FI (Future Investigator) named Adam who's an Australian and is really cool. He's a nice guy and took us out to at a burger place called Rockin' Joes and we had a great discussion with him.
(Pictures of Rockin' Joes taken from the Internet)

Then we also met a guy named Stephen on the way back who loves Batman and comics so I got talking with but we then got a reply from him say he's not interested. :(

We also had some other appointments we made fall through in the week so we did lots of chapping and finding but not a ton of luck.

One cool experience we had though was that Elder Shubin went into a neighborhood to ask if we could close the boot (trunk) of a car and as we were walking back I decided to knock on the last door of the neighborhood. Well the guy that opened it is a guy named Ben who is from Alaska and has some Mormon friends. He's been to church and had some of the lessons but isn't really interested but the thing that got me was the fact that he asked if we help with addictions. He's been struggling with alcoholism and is in isolation in his flat, so he told us this when he was drunk but still functional to talk. He's a nice guy and we hope to be able to help him in the future.

No, we never got around to teaching the JW's last week. The girl who invited us was sick so we didn't teach them (personally I think they chickened out, because Elder Shubin thought we passed the girl a couple of days later and she didn't say anything to us). We only got to go to the Sunday session of the District Conference.

We haven't been able to contact Christy yet either, the girl from Nigeria, but hope to this week.

Hope you's all have a grand week, and take care of yourselves!

Love ya!


Elder Tarbet (Wolverine)

Photos from Sister Sandra Uraski Hale


Munch and mingle for Limerick Zone Missionaries and Limerick District YSA after District Conference February 8, 2015 (Pictures from Sister Sandra Uraski Hale on Facebook). 

Elder Novotny (White shirt, green tie)

Elder Shubin far right

 Sister Montoya, Sister Martin, and Sister Weber

Elder Novotny and Elder Udell

Elder Tarbet is in the white shirt

Monday, February 2, 2015

Passed Bump Day, Eyre Street, and Butter Pecan Cake!


Heya whats the craic? 

Well I've been out for 6 months now, time flies! 

This week didn't have too much success teaching wise or whatever but we have found a couple of potentials for us to possibly teach, hopefully. 

Got a cool story from last PDay. 

So after emailing we went GQing (Golden Questioning) in Eyre Square which is like the city center and is usually busy so I don't like GQing there because of the crowds. Well it wasn't so bad that night and after a couple of conversations we did a quick gratitude prayer and right after that we had a guy come up to us from Waterford (out of our area) and asked us for a BOM (Book of Mormon)! 

I now have a firm testament that gratitude prayers work, very much! 

We then, later in the week met a nice girl from Nigeria who is working on her PHD in microbiology here at NUIG and she said she's interested in learning more. 

We've mostly spent all week finding so it's been a little slow week but it's been good. 

On Friday we had a lesson with a RC (Recent Convert) from California who is here till May and she made us dinner so we brought dessert. 

I found an American cake mix up in the cupboard and made it and well let's just say for my first time making a cake it wasn't too bad (Elder Shubin got sick from eating to much of it, it was that good! haha!)

We finally get Zone Development day this transfer it's in our 4th week. 

I didn't hear about Br. Keery so glad to hear he's doing better. 

We haven't really done anything on PDays just go shopping cleaning then email and that's all we have time for. 

But if I get sometime I usually spend it working on playing the Ukulele. 

Forgot to mention in my email that tonight were teaching some JW's (Jehovah's Witness) that we met who invited us back over but they might only want to Bible Bash. I'm going to try and stay away from that but just in case as Elder Udell put it "Im loading bullets, (scriptures) into my mag to unload on them" and Elder Shubin says I'm bloodthirsty when I study up scriptures to defend my point haha! 

It's also been storming a lot with snow this week and been quite chilly but were powering through it. 

 Anyways love ya and take care of yourselves! 


Elder Tarbet (Wolverine)

 EYRE STREET, GALWAY



Here's the cake I made. Betty Crocker Butter Pecan.... it was amazing! 
(Probably cause we didnt have enough oil so I used melted butter instead haha!) 

DISTRICT MEETING JANUARY 27, 2015

SUNDAY AT THE GALWAY BRANCH
with Elder Udell and Alexis, January 25, 2015


WE MADE IT INTO THE GALWAY BRANCH NEWSLETTER

SOME PICTURES OF OUR PAD:



Here's some pictures of Galway and some sunrises we've had.