Arriving in Angola

The Best of Times

Hey all, 

I know that I have been terrible at emailing over the past month or so, but I have either had technical difficulties, I have forgotten to email, or I had several hours of pickleball that distracted me from emailing. Anyways, I am now in beautiful Washington. The Seattle mission is amazing, even if the area is currently dealing with "Seattle Freeze" where no one wants to talk to missionaries. I've seen people cross the street to avoid us when we are walking towards them. 

If I am completely honest, the past month here in Seattle while I wait for further news about Angola has been such a short time. Most days blend together, then when you remember something from the day before it seems like it's been weeks. 

Alright, I know many of you want some updates on the mission, so I will give an overview. 

My companion and trainer (he is suppose to teach me all of the in-field basics) is Elder Andersen. He claims Rexburg, Idaho as home, but he has lived across the world because of his fathers job. He is amazing at connecting to diverse people because he has snippets of Tanzanian, Arabian, and Turkish culture thrown in his collection of memories. He is a very Christ-like person. He is also astounding at impersonating a person's mannerisms. He can take a character from a TV-show, a speaker from General Conference, or someone that we've spoken to, and just speak like them. He sometimes introduced two of those people together and has them have a conversation. He has made me laugh innumerable times. 

We have had difficulty finding people to teach in the area. There are a few that we are working with, and many of those are just sitting at only a first lesson/meeting. I will discuss two people in particular. One us Cheyenne. She grew up a member of the Church, but she had her records removed when she was about 20. She has spent the last decade discovering her own desire to have the Gospel in her life, and subsequently, this past month she requested to receive the missionary lessons again. We have met with her once (waiting for an extended family reunion to be over) and taught the most amazing lesson. We probed with questions throughout the lesson (that's for you, Irmão Stephens) but she kept insisting we continue with the lesson. Our final question for her was "is there anything else you want to know or have questions about?" To which she requested a set if scriptures (that's a jaw-dropper around here). I had decided awhile back to always have a Book of Mormon and a Bible on me to hand out. I was able to give her both and suggest some readings. She cradled them with such care it amazed me. I was told by some seasoned missionaries that they have never tried carrying around a Bible to hand out; in the two weeks since I started, I have handed out 3 Bibles and need more when we get supplies. 

While I return home almost every day and can think "today was a great day," it isn't always highs. In the month I've been here I've been cussed at for several minutes, had doors slammed--or worse--opened and closed with the only exchange of words is a "not interested", spat at, had people tell me I'm deluded, and had some use up an hour of my time to try and show me I don't know the Bible as well as they do (I'd like to say they were disappointed). However many times that happens I'm always astounded when I only feel love for the people here. It's the strangest thing. The missionary calling has the power to change people. I only desire that they will have a softened heart and perhaps treat the next missionaries with more kindness. Their efforts invigorate me. Their hate is not returned. 

I want to share a highlight that will be a highlight for my entire mission. This past Saturday my mission was visited by Dallin H. Oaks of the first presidency. He spoke solely to the missionaries in the Seattle Washington mission. He shared many powerful teachings, but the most powerful teachings came from the revelation that we received through the promptings of the Spirit. I will say that he is much funnier in-person than when he is giving his regular technical discourses in General Conference. He didn't have a script--and the funniest parts could not have been scripted--but he still shared his humor with us. My top 3 favorite teachings:

1) This Church is not here to make better people. It is not here to keep people from hellfire. It is here to get people the blessings of the Celestial kingdom and Exaltation. 

2) If you are struggling with something, act on it (that advice may have been given after a mid-speech bathroom break).

3) Missionaries need to learn to repent. Too often they are unable to teach others how to repent because they themselves do not fully know how to. 

Bonus: people who do not pay tithing often have the most creative ways on how to spend it. 

Already my mission has been a spiritual highlight in my life. I know that we are each rewarded for the sacrifices and trials in our lives, and those experiences can help mold us into the person we want to be if we apply the all-encompassing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 

Com amor, 

Elder Jonas Butikofer 

God Be With You

 

Week 5 - Temporary Reassignment to the Washington Seattle Mission

Oi Oi!

So this week was a rollercoaster, but it was a very good week.

 

So, first off, the big news. While it was expected it was still a shock for all parties involved. I got an email this week from my Stake President. He asked my to call him. The call was short. Due to the situation in Angola I have been temporarily reassigned to labor in the Washington Seattle mission.

 

I am fully excited to have to opportunity to serve in that mission. The call from my Stake President was on Thursday afternoon. I have already met with the president and his wife: President and Sister Beardall. They are very kind. Hobbies, I am told, are golfing (while not serving as mission leaders), spoiling their 13 grandchildren, and family history work. I am also fortunate to know someone that just returned from that mission (also there because of reassignment) who returned just 3 weeks ago. We spoke briefly today; he was excited to hear I was going there. Another Sister from my district also reassigned to that mission, so I will have a friend there already (though with around missionaries in that mission I may not see her often).

 

I had a bittersweet experience when my favorite MTC teacher (though I love them all), Irmão Stephens, told us that we were his last district. He bore his testimony and everyone present was in tears. He is sincerely one of the kindest and funniest people I know (his memorable quote of the week was “anyone have any questions? Comments? Childhood traumas? Hate mail my messenger pigeon?” and also “there are few bad things in this world: sprite, clowns, cobras. But the worst of them all are Spaniards”). I will miss him and my other fabulous teachers when I leave the MTC. I have one week left and I want to do as Irmão Stephens asked and give this last stretch my all.

 

I cannot wait to be out in the field and serve where ever I am called. I already have a love for the people of Angola and I have begun to have the same feelings towards those in the Seattle mission. There is something special about being set apart to serve and love people that gives you an increased love.

Until next week,

Elder Jonas Butikofer

 

Week 4

Oi oi! 

This week was a blur. It seemed to move incredibly fast and I do not remember all of the details. The week started with a special experience. I got to attend, and speak at, the baptism of a family friend. At the start of my missionary service it was amazing to witness the joy and peace (and maybe a small miracle or two) at her baptism. 

This week I am sure that I learned plenty, both from the scriptures and also about Portuguese, but all of my classes and study times blurred together (especially since my teachers played musical chairs with their class times). 

This week I did discover the trove of Portuguese music that the Church published. Hymns, covers, and the youth albums all hidden in the Sacred Music app. I’d highly recommend it. 

Até tarde, 

Elder Jonas Butikofer

Mission Week 2 and 3

 Hi y’all!

 

First off, If you think that you missed an email or that you were removed from the email list, rest assured that it was all on my end. Last Saturday, the day that I am allowed to communicate with friends and family (at least for the next 3-4 weeks, then the day may change), I was more busy than usual. I drove minha mãe (my mother) to the Veterans Hospital, which took the time that I would usually write my email, so I did not send an email.

 

Now for a recap of last week:

The biggest challenge was the internet issue in the area where I was. If you are in the Northern/Central Virginia region you would also have gotten blasted my large thunderstorms. Each evening the storms would blow in and, however much an inconvenience, prevent our satellite internet from working. Thankfully I still had cell service, so I was able to call my companions to have our daily companion study.

 

I am back in Alexandria now so the internet issues are resolved. I am very grateful for the internet connections that I have, no matter the issues, especially after this last year.

 

My funny story from last week happen on the Sunday after my first email. If you are familiar with how people try and prepare young men for missionary service you are likely with how they try and scare you into knowing how to sew a button back unto an unfortunate pair of pants. Like, every “mini-MTC” or once every other year I would be subjected to a panicked leader teaching us how to sew a button. I’m sure you can guess where this is going. A single button popped off one of my shirts. About three minutes later I was able to locate a sewing kit and had the button on more securely than previously. To those that teach people how to sew on a button/are those that help plan such activities: please calm down. It isn’t that complicated.

 

This week:

This week we started Portuguese immersion. I have about 6-7 hours of class each day almost completely in Portuguese (we have four 7-10 minute breaks throughout the day where you can ask questions in English). So far after 3 and ½ days of immersion my comprehension is way up. On Tuesday (the day that we started immersion) everyone in my district was so worn-out at the end of the day that our productivity was nil when we met together. I was lightly sick on Thursday (just a headache and fatigue; going to bed early after a Vitamin-C supplement fixed me up), so class was terrible for me—I gleamed almost nothing from our Portuguese chatter and teachers expressive hand-waving.

 

On Tuesday my companions and I also had our first Portuguese TRC. TRC (Teaching Resource Center) meeting is where we are given someone to teach (we did have an English one last week, but that was an unpleasant experience that I will not recall). Our 15-minute meeting was full of the three of us not understanding most of what our amigo Thomas was saying and us occasionally speaking in our broken Portuguese.

 

I am way tired after this week (I also started a more rigorous exercise routine, so that doesn’t help), but I feel rather fulfilled after watching my progress after such a short time.

 

My favorite part from the week has been reading the Book of Mormon in Portuguese. I am at the point that I can read about half of the verses without needing to translate from my English copy—it is always those words like “sojourn” that we do not use in everyday English that trip me up. I have read the Book of Mormon in English between 15 and 20 times but reading it so slowly and deliberately, aiming for comprehension, makes the experience that much better.

 

Alright, I have a talk to give at a friends baptism tomorrow that I need to start writing, so, as always, I love y’all,

 

Jonas Butikofer

 

(P.S. I found this version of “If You Could Hie to Kolob” that I really like… maybe give it a listen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7M2u1Fy748&list=PLDDz4v_uS8LMjs1xezgX2ltXniOfPs0bs&index=17)

 

Mission Week 1—starting training

Hi everyone!

 

I started my mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints this past Wednesday.

 

I was “set apart” as a missionary Tuesday night with my direct family (parents and siblings) with grandparents over Zoom. Along with this I am now referred to as “Elder Butikofer”.

 

Since then, I have been the busiest I have ever been—and I have worked jobs where you put in over 50 hours a week and been through college finals. I am currently at the Missionary Training Center or what is affectionately called “the MTC”. There is a new group of missionaries that starts every 3 weeks (the duration you stay is according to your language you are learning. Native speakers leave after 3 weeks, most languages are after 6 weeks, and hard languages [think Korean or Mandarin or other character-based languages] leave after 9 weeks) The group I started with has around 370 missionaries. From that group we are separated into districts according to the language you are learning. Since I am going to Angola, I am with 6 other missionaries that are learning Continental Portuguese (the Portuguese that is spoken in Portugal, Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde).

 

Because of the pandemic I am just attending classes over Zoom. I spend 7-8 hours a day in class. That includes classes with my district on how to plan and teach, workshops with all the missionaries on various topics, and language classes (both with my district and individual tutoring). I also have two hours of personal study each day—one of my choosing and one specifically for Portuguese. But wait, there is more! The last structured meetings I have each day are with my companions. Missionaries are always assigned a companion to do everything with (more about mine soon). Each morning I have companion planning (30 minutes) and companion study (an hour). Starting this next Thursday I will also have two 30-minute lessons to teach a day with my companion. So far, the best words I have to describe this schedule are “exhausting,” “overwhelming,” and fulfilling.”

 

As promised, I will talk about my companions. Yes, companions. Typically, missionaries are a couple, two, duas. However, I am lucky enough to have two companions. I have been working with Elder Livingston (a quiet Chicago boy with the voice of Morgan Freeman) and Elder Reil (basically think of me if I was from Canada and several inches taller). They have been called to the Portugal Lisbon and the Mozambique Beira missions, respectively. I honestly love these two. The amount of self-motivated study and planning that we have already accomplished in just 3 days astounds me.

 

The only real negative I have had from this experience has been the scheduling, We have people in my district that are Zooming in from 4 different time zones, and with such a packed schedule we’ve all had to compromise a little. My “lunch break” is between 3 and 4 in the afternoon (less than ideal). I have meetings (companion planning) starting at 8:30 each day, and poor Elder Livingston (who lives a time zone back) starts at 7:30.

 

Ok, I think I gave a decent overview of my experience over the past 4 days.

 

Because of my time constraints and mission rules I am unable to call most people that are not my parents, but I would be happy to get any and all emails. I can be reached at jonas.butikofer@misisonary.org While I can read emails throughout the week, I am asked to only reply on my preparation day (“P-day”) which currently is on Saturday.

 

My spiritual thought is inspired through my personal study from this week. Since I have read the Book of Mormon numerous times in my life, I have decided to not read it chronologically but read the sermons. The one I studied on Friday can be can be found in Alma 10. The message I got was “God blesses faithful families; he wants to bless all”.

 

Alright, sorry for the very lengthy email. My dad promised to swim to Africa and skin me if I wrote short emails (not really), so I will have to write longer ones while I am still at home for the next 5 weeks (I do not expect any to be this long in the future).

 

With love,

Elder Jonas Butikofer