Elder Winget gets la Grippe

I woke up this morning to a special surprise - Collin had emailed us during the night, and he even sent us this picture! He made it out of pictures I had emailed him recently, but he didn't mention how he got access to Photoshop... but I laughed so hard my stomach hurt! I feel just like that baby sun in Teletubbies :D So, here is most of the email he sent me:

So sorry I didn't send a weekly email on time- the internet place was closed in the morning and we were too lazy to go back in the Afternoon- so we came today. This week was not super eventful-- I can't remember a lot that happened. But I do remember a couple things.. I got pretty sick the other day and got all feverish and dizzy and wanted to die. I was hot and then cold and then hot and then cold.. It started out during church.. It was a nice sunny warm day and I was freezing cold chattering my teeth and shivering all through church. Miserable. Then I started dying so eventually we went home. I slept for about 15 hours.. kind of. horrible night. but then in the morning I was.. decent. Throughout the day it got better.. And now i'm okay. It was a pretty short flu. Everyone's freaking out over the swine flu (or Grippe A as we call it in french I guess) so I was thinking it would be something serious but I tihnk i'm fine now. I've still got about a gallon of mucus inside of me, but other than that all is well. Today was Elder Green's birthday- we made lunch at the house and the zone leaders brought over a cake and it was fun. I drank about a gallon of vegetable oil-- or rather I ate a bunch of deep fried food- and so now I am all tired and fat. But we actually have to go teach a lesson soon so I don't have a lot of time. I did make a picture for you though..

( for this next part, I had asked him what people over there think of Americans)

People here.... have so many ideas of americans.. This one guy on the street told me to go home and told me in strong language that I should go back to america with my rich clothing and stop telling them how to live their lives. I said dude, do you know how much money is in my wallet? About 5 dollars. Do you know what I ate for breakfast? nothing. Dinner last night? nothing. Do you know what apartment I live in? No, not the most expensive hotel in noumea, a small crappy apartment in vallee des colons. My tie did not cost 300 euros (which he said) but about 9 dollars. My shirt was about 3 dollars. Calm down. Other people think that america is constant gang fights and that you're always running for your life. I do hear much talk about cowboys. Elder Livingston started telling these girls that the USA they see on tv doesn't really exist- it's all a hoax- people live in tin shacks and there's fires everywhere and you have to scrape for your food and that Socks in english is chaussets. He got sick of people telling/asking him what america is like.. So he made up a new america. So needless to say.. America is a hot topic. Some people are still grateful for America saving them in World War 2 (look it up- new cal was a huge military base aparently) and many people are flaberghasted and honored to meet americans.. so- it's interesting.

Anyway, I hope you have a wonderful week and I'll see you later!

Love,

elder winget

Lost in the Jungle has a picture now!

Hey, I just wanted to let you know I added a picture to the post a while back called "Lost in the Jungle". Collin emailed us some pictures - one of them was what he and Elder Wilcox looked like as they came out of the jungle all wet and dirty :D So if you're interested, go back and check it out!

Also, the last 3 posts are new and contain lots of stories and pictures, so if you have some time to read, have fun!

Lots of New Stuff! part 2

Ha ha... Me and Elder Green convinced this kid that he doesn't want to go to America- he was saying how America is so great blah blah blah and we're like well, there are lots of problems too. Like, bears. And he's like huh? Yeah, bears in the streets. Thousands of them. In all major cities. Hundreds of people get mauled per month. And he's like well, why don't you shoot them? And I'm like um, environmentalists. It's illegal to shoot them.. Even in self defence. You get put in prison if you do. And he's like wow that's lame... Why don't you just go into the forest? And we're like um.. Forest fires. Everywhere. Millions of acres. And he's like wow.. america sounds dangerous.... Then he went and asked Elder Payne if it's really like that and he's like .. what? no.. And so our cover was blown. Dang. That was a few weeks ago though.

This week we went to the beach on monday- Kuendo Beach in Nouville. It's really pretty. It was really fun. We actually caught a small sting ray too! it was really cool. I saw A sting ray, a squid, lots and lots of little fish, and 3 sea snakes! All this week. They just came up to the shore randomly. We actually caught the sting ray and touched it and stuff. On Wednesday a girl threw up on Elder Green in the bus.. She's 15 and was kind of drunk. It was funny. It was only a little bit of barf. Embarrasing for her though.

And then we saw these drunk OLD WHITE men (weird..) tangled up on the ground.. Apparently the one guy had hit the other guy or something and they both fell to the ground. One guy was gushing blood out of his eye and the other guy was SO drunk.. Drunkest I had ever seen anyone in my life. He couldn't stand up. And he kept saying Je rend chez moi - I'm going home - and we're like um.. How? You're going to get hit by a car. So a passersby took the one bleeding guy to a hospital and we walked the other drunk man home. He was so drunk.. Me and elder green had to stand on either side of him and hold him up and walk really slow. That was silly. But lots of people saw us and were like awww, les freres you do such good things...it's annoying when people just swear at us and we want to say hey, we're actually here for your salvation, give me some credit. But then when people actually see us doing service, maybe the next time they won't cuss at us. We'll see. There aren't too many people in this city so it's pretty easy to be seen. :P Other than that not a lot happened. We're going back to the beach today and then on Tuesday the entire mission is being transferred- besides me and elder green and dumbea elders. Literally. Its really shaken up. Elder green is going to be district leader.

Anyway... The yellowstone thing sounds fun.. It will be weird to come see mountains and bears instead of ocean ocean ocean. I really like the ocean a lot.. And there is a lot of it here. Since Noumea is a small peninsula (in french is presqu'ile- almost island) on a small island, there is water in every direction. And it's pretty. There's not a lot of ocean in Utah.. But that's okay. I'm excited to see what's changed. I was amazed when I got here that there's actually lots of mountains. I'd be interested to know the highest elevation.. On one of the mountains I heard it gets down as low as 40 degress! Holy cold... 80 degrees is fine with me. Why is it snowing in August at yellowstone? Weird.( we just got back from Yellowstone last week )

Well, that's the news from Elder Winget from the last month. Right now I am just waiting here at the computer for today's email... so when I get the latest from Collin I will post it right away this time :D

Thanks for reading!

Lots of new Stuff!

Hey everybody, I'm sorry I haven't posted anything new for a month. It's not that Elder Winget hasn't been doing anything interesting, it's just that I had some trouble with our photo storage on the computer and Rusty and I finally took the time to sort it all out. NOW I can post new pictures that Collin has been sending us, along with the stories that go with them. And there's a lot of them! So, let's get started...

Here's part of a letter he sent to Rusty early in August:

The weeks are indeed flying by.. it weirds me out that I've got only 30ish weeks left-- I remember when I was dealing with 104 of them and it sounded like an eternity... But really it was pretty short. The MTC was still pretty dang long though. Eugh.

Fast and testimony meetings here in New Caledonia are always a missionary's nightmare. People get up there and say n'importe quoi! (that means... whatever. random stuff. crap. etc.) They get up there and sing, tell stupid meaningless stories, and link strange scriptures together and somehow get to their point. But somehow, our investigators seem to love fast and testimony meeting. I think the thing is that I'm just horrified at what unorthodox things people are saying but the spirit is there regardless because it's sincere and from the heart. It will almost be boring to go home to Orem Utah where people follow the book... you know, don't pop balloons or answer their cell phone during sacrament talks and don't sing or yell during testimony meeting. Oh well. :)

People in New Caledonia always dump their TVs outside on the street. I see probably 10 a day- either TVs, computer monitors, etc. People also dump fans out on the street, and missionaries pick them up and fix them. It's silly and fun. Also this entire country is still on strike- apparently I found out that the strikers are actually blocking roads and getting violent with people trying to go to work and so the store shelves are getting kind of bare- the trucks bringing stuff into town can't get through. And also, the GARBAGe people are on strike.. So Noumea is very stinky these days. Oh well, what can you do.

Well I hope all is well with you. Papa Winge as Elder Ammundsen says. :D I love you. have a great week.

Love,

Elder Winget

Also a big American Navy ship came into Dock in Noumea.. It was awesome. When we came around the corner and saw that American flag, it was amazing. Not a lot of American ships come in.. Once every few years maybe. A Mormon guy got off the ship and said hey elders! He explained their mission and stuff- he's a navy doctor stationed in Guam, and they are touring the really poor islands to give free medical care.. Noumea is just a "fun stop" he said. But I was really amazed at what cool stuff the US Navy does for people.. We hear about the crappy stuff on the news every day "spun" to make the US sound horrible.. But really they're doing good things for people every day.. And we don't ever hear about it. I love america.

...

So I had a bunch of CLB rings.. I found some in my apartment and I rounded up all the ones you sent me, and I ended up with 21 rings. So I wear one on my pinky all the time and whenever any kids comment on it I give it to them. So I've been giving them out from time to time. So I think I told you about the drunk guy on the street, whose name was "Manos"... (hands..??) who said Hey, give me that ring! And I'm like okay... here you go. He said he'd give it to his daughter. Anyway, that was a few weeks ago. So this monday we were walking back from internet to our house, and this drunk guy sitting on a wall was like hey! stop! Who are you guys? etc etc. We told him a little bit and he told us our religion was a cult and that we're satan's friends and stuff and we're like yeah yeah okay. And he's like hey! I hear you give out rings! And i'm like... What?? You mean like.. this one? And I held up mine and he's like yeah! And i'm like woah, woah, how'd you know I have a ring? And he's like... My friend told me! And i'm like whoah, is this.. Manos!? And he's like yeah!! SO i said well, if I give this to you, you have to choose the right! And he said yeah I'll do it.. blah blah so I gave it to him. I thought that would be the end of it.... But then last night we were walking down our street on our way home, it was about 9:00 and this lady comes running after us and was like hey!! Do you give out rings?! ANd I'm like..... Yeah.. I guess so... And she's like hey, I want one! And I'm like.. Well, do you know what it means? This says CLB- Choisir le Bien. When we look at it, it reminds us to keep God's Commandments. If you want to do something bad, look down and it will remind you to keep the commandments. If I give you this ring, will you choose the right? And she promised me she would... So i gave it to her. So weirdly enough, there are 3 grown people running around Noumea wearing children's CLB rings. I hope it helps them to choose the right.

....

Now, here's some news from Aug. 9 :

Let me tell you about my week.. We didn't get very many lessons, but we did get a baptism. It went well and everything worked out. No I didn't get to use my white pants- although I actually did use them for when Soane got baptised last August. Ausia is a very large guy- my companion says he'd be a good NFL linebacker. But he's a very gentle giant. And then the guy who baptised him is also very very large. So they got out the big jumpsuit tihngs. It went very well - All the missionaries came, besides those out in Exile (Paita, Boulouparis, Borail) and they all brought amis. There were about 15 or so at the baptism.. That's always really good because the spirit is relaly strong at baptisms- and feeling the spirit is the most important thing for an ami to feel. Our amis didn't come, but one got baptised so that's good enough, eh? :)
So everything went according to plan. Almost boring when that happens- but I'm not complaining. :) Other than that, not a whole lot happened. My shoes are on their last stretch- My 1st pair of sandals died months ago and I bought some new ones and THOSE died- and now these ones have huge holes in the bottoms and hurt my feet. BUT I made insoles for them out of tape and cardboard, and it actually works really well. I am in the middle of sewing them together too- there is a part that completely blew out so I have to sew it. I already sewed it once but it didn't stay so this time I'm sewing heavy duty. It's amazing that my silly little needle can cut all the way through leather and rubber.. It's a little bent, but it works. :D I'm happy they're not completely dead though- and I'm not spending more money on stupid shoes. Blah. Other than that, at the baptism on saturday- --- we were talking to a member and she asked us which members fed us this week and we said well... Only the Sekeme family. And she was like whaT?! The members aren't feeding you? I have to buy you dinner! And we're like oh no, we're fine.. She's not in our area but she's in our branch- so we can't relaly go eat at her house. But she said woah no I have to feed you-- can I buy you groceries? Make a list and I'll buy it. And we're like no, we don't need anything.. don't worry about us.. And then that night at about 9:00 she pulls up with about 50 dollars worth of food and says I didn't know what you liked so I hope this works!! She bought us frozen pizzas, ice cream, ham and cheese and bread and butter and.. hmm.. oh yeah chocolate. And we're like oh no we can't take this-- but she insisted and so we're going to eat well this week. :) We started marinating our stake on Friday night and still haven't had the chance to make it- so we're going to eat really really well marinated stake on Tuesday night.. :D

So, are you still with me? You haven't fallen asleep yet? Well if you're still reading, you must really be an Elder Winget fan! That makes me happy :) Okay, on to more stories and pictures, which I will put in another post.