Cape Verde Praia Mission

Here are free resources about the Cape Verde Praia Mission:

• Mission address and phone number
• Mission map
• Missionary blogs
• Facebook groups
• LDS Mission t-shirts and gifts
• List of past mission presidents
• Cultural articles written by returned missionaries
• Survey with RMs

Cape Verde Praia Mission Address

Here’s a recent address for the Cape Verde Praia Mission. We try to keep this info up to date, but it’s a good idea to check the address with several sources, including your mission packet or the mission office.

Cape Verde Praia Mission Map

Here’s a link to the mission map for the Cape Verde Praia Mission (LDS). To access the official, up-to-date LDS.org map for the Praia Mission:

1. Log into your LDS account here.
2. Click here.

Cape Verde Praia Missionary Blogs

Here’s a list of LDS missionary blogs for the Cape Verde Praia Mission. This list includes the missionary’s name, URL and when their blog was updated.

*Send your missionary a gift (mission-specific shirts, ties, Christmas stockings/ornaments, pillowcases, etc.)

Cape Verde Praia Mission Groups

Here are Cape Verde Praia Mission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni of the Praia Mission.

1. Cape Verde Praia Mission Moms and Friends Group (67 members)
2. Cape Verde Praia Mission Facebook Group (1 member)

Cape Verde Praia Mission T-Shirts

Here are T-shirts for the Cape Verde Praia Mission!

Shirt designs include Cape Verde Praia Mission logo/emblem shirts and Called to Serve shirts. The shirts make great gifts for pre-missionaries, returned missionaries and missionaries currently serving. LDS Mission shirts come in all sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, up to 4XL.  The mission designs are printed on white shirts and are shipped to you.

*Simply click on a shirt design to view the details and submit an order. The designs on mission t-shirts may also be printed on other LDS mission gifts, including: Cape Verde Praia missionary aprons, Christmas stockings, ties, pillow cases, teddy bears and Christmas ornaments.

*Click here to browse Cape Verde Mission gifts

Cape Verde Praia Mission Presidents

Here’s a list of current and past Mission Presidents of the Cape Verde Praia LDS Mission.

1. 2017-2020, Julio de Amo
2. 2014-2017, Robert Paul Mathews
3. 2011-2014, Roberto Florencio de Oliveira
4. 2009-2011, Joselito Neves
5. 2006-2009, Ronald C. Tolman
6. 2004-2006, Romeo A. Piros
7. 2002-2004, Daryl Hobson

Cape Verde LDS Statistics (2015)

• Church Membership: 11,898
• Missions: 1
• Temples: 0
• Congregations: 36
• Family History Centers: 2

Helpful Articles about Cape Verde

Coming soon..

Cape Verde Praia Missionary Survey

Here are survey responses from Cape Verde Praia RMs, to give you a snapshot into what it’s like to live in the mission.

*Click here to take a survey to help pre-missionaries going to your mission.

When did you serve?

• 2015-2017 (Carter)
• 2015-2017 (William)
• 2015-2016 (Kari)
• 2015-2016 (Lauren)
• 2015-2016 (Victoria)
• 2014-2016 (Devan)
• 2014-2015 (Jennessa)
• 2013-2015 (Jared)
• 2012-2014 (Daniel)
• 2013-2014 (Connor)
• 2010-2012 (Emma)
• 2005-2007 (Rocky)
• 2002-2003 (December)

What cities/areas did you serve in?

• Fogo: Ponta Verde, Relva. Praia: Pedro Badejo, Monte Vermelho, Achada St. Antonio. Sal: Espargos. Sao Nicolau: Tarrafal (Carter)
• Ribeira Brava, Sao Nicolau; Campinho, Sao Vicente; Quemada Guincho, Fogo; Espia, Sao Vicente; Porto Ingles, Maio; Achadinha, Praia. (William)
• Praia, Fogo, and Sal. (Kari)
• Porto Novo Bairro (Santo Antão), Porto Novo Norte (Santo Antão), África 70 (Sal), Tira Chapéu (Praia), Porto Novo Sul (Santo Antao). (Lauren)
• São Filipe, Fogo; Palmarejo, Praia; São Filipe, Praia; and Preguiça, Sal. (Victoria)
• Praia (lem fererra, achada Santo Antônio), tarrafal (Santiago), sal (espargos – both áreas), São Nicolau (helped open the island), maio, Boa Vista, São Vicente (chá de marinha). (Devan)
• Assomada, Santiago/Cha Vital, Sao Vicente/and Achada Santo Antonio, Santiago. (Jennessa)
• Cova Figueira- Fogo, Ribeira Grande-Santo Antao, Ponta de Agua-Praia-Santiago, Riberao Manuel and Cabeca Carreira-Santiago, Santa Maria-Sal, Ribeira Brava-Sao Nicolau, Campinho-Mindelo-Sao Vicente. (Jared)
• São Filipe, Cova Figueria, Tarrafal, Mindelo/Fernando Pó, Corvo/Achada Grande, Misteiros. (Connor)
• Praia, Fonte Aleixo, Sal. (Emma)
• Assomada, Chadian Grande, Palmarejo, Nova Sintra (Brava). (Rocky)

What were some favorite foods?

• Cachupa, Djagacida. (Carter)
• Catchupa, a heavy bean stew; Kamoka; ground corn powder commonly eaten for breakfast; Xereng (Coursely ground corn that is mostly used as a side dish for Fried fish); yum; Rice and beans; Grilled chicken all day everyday. (William)
• Catchupa and Kamoka. (Kari)
• Couscous, catchupa, fijos (fried banana bread), and brigadeiro. (Lauren)
• Canja. I also ate a lot of tacos and peanut butter waffles, but that’s just me, not really a cultural thing. (Victoria)
• Catchupa, grilled fish and rice, schwarma. (Devan)
• Cus Cus, Caldo de Peixe.
• Cachupa! Mangos Kamoka. (Jared)
• Cachupa! It’s like stewed corn, beans, and meat. Love it! Also fried fish and beans. The Fanta soda there is so good. Also you need to get some fresh sugar cane from someone and if possible you should try breadfruit (fruto de pao). Try Kamoka. It’s like ground up corn. You mix it with milk, sugar, and cinnamon. It was a favorite of all the Elders. (Daniel)
• Cachupa, Beans and Rice, Fried fish, Eel. (Connor)
• Bife de vaca (feito por Segunda), Sumo de manga, Fresquinhas Pão de churriso. (Emma)
• Cachupa, kus kus. (Rocky)
• Coconut rolls from the bakery in Sao Felipe Fogo. Feijoada, a dish that is probably like a gumbo from the South in the US. (December)

What was a funny experience?

• A funny experience was when I was on the island of Fogo in the little town of Relva, me and my companion were walking along the volcano rock trail when we ran into a very large porco(pig) i guess the porco felt trapped so it decided to jump off of a 10ft+ ledge. I guess pigs do fly! (Carter)
• We were working out of a group and a ward. The group was situated in the mountains about a three hour walk away from the area where we lived. Combined with the incalculable bus times and fees it usually took a while to find a ride up. One day we decided to try something new and go just before lunch and count upon the hospitality of one of the members for lunch. We ascended to the area and met up with the group leader who then fed us a raw yucca and several handfuls of raw peanuts which was the only thing that we had powering us for the rest of the day. (William)
• I remember laughing so much on the mission. When you’re tired, sometimes everything seems funny! We just tried to see the good in everything. I remember having water fights with my companion when we got home and slipping on the soaked floor. (Kari)
• Learning to ‘kola São João’ on Santo Antão. It’s a dance for one of the festivals in the summer, only on one of the islands. (Lauren)
• I once asked someone if they wanted a massage instead of a message. I also accidentally told someone that I would marry them if they came to church… thankfully he didn’t come. (Victoria)
• I sat on a goat (in the most ghetto vehicle I have ever been in) as we drove down the side of a volcano on broken roads inches away from huge drops to death. (Jared)
• One time I got chased down the street by a crazy dude that drank half of my Pepsi. We hid out for awhile in some investigator’s house and after a few hours, they walked us home because it was getting late. (Daniel)
• When I got one of my new missionaries, I convinced him that I was a native Portuguese that didn’t understand English. Long story short, it terrified him! (Connor)
• Meeting a man who kept a tiny bird on a leash Being asked on multiple occasions to marry someone so they could go live in America. (Emma)

What was a crazy experience?

• Besides walking at night amidst the gunshots in Praia, the crazy experiences where always taking Hiace rides going mach 5 through the twisty roads by Assomada, I don’t know how we never flew off the road?! (Carter)
• I served on an island that was split down the middle with a companionship serving to each side. the only road that connected the two areas was a newly paved road that zigzagged through the mountains. District meeting was over and the other companionship jumped into their haice (pretty much public transport) to start their journey to the other side of the island. We were startled to see them again several hour later at our house. They told us that as they were cutting through the mountain pass a woman yelled for the haice to stop and as they did a huge boulder fell off the mountain and took out the entire road in front of them. The boulder took out all transport and power for a week but thankfully the other Elders made it back safe and sound and the road was fixed. (William)
• I was robbed several times on my mission and the first time the robber cut my arm with a glass bottle. (Kari)
• Gun shots on our way to church, with the gang members running down the alley way as we rushed into an investigators house. (Lauren)
• I had to stay in a ghetto hospital late into the night with a sick companion. Let’s just say that it was VERY unsanitary. (Victoria)
• Getting chased by 10 dogs, or hearing about other missionaries getting robbed. (Jennessa)
• One time, we were walking home in a pretty well lit area that got a decent amount of traffic and we were approached by two kids in their 20’s, one of which had a concealed knife. (This was the only time this happened to me the whole mission, and we usually walked home from places that didn’t have any light at all) The one without the knife approached us and asked why we were walking around on their turf, and we told him we love it here and were there to teach people about Jesus. As soon as we mentioned Jesus, the kid with the knife backed off completely and we proceeded to make friends with the other and gave him a pamphlet about the Plan of Salvation. (Jared)
• One time in Boa Vista, a guy got shot and then the whole town rioted. Also in Praia, there was a shootout down the road from our house after we got home. (Daniel)
• I ate blow fish… But have learned since that those are super dangerous…. Oh, and I was in the area closest to the volcano when it erupted. (Connor)
• Jumping out of the path of a charging cow. Getting mugged. (Emma)
• My companion and I were talking with a member and her boyfriend came up and punched her, and my companion physically separated him from her and restrained him. (December)

What was a spiritual experience?

• Daily I was blessed to experience amazing spiritual experiences with investigators, members, and companions. Some of the most spiritual experiences i was able to be apart of were the baptisms of new members in small groups around the various islands. (Carter)
• I was on splits in my area. my companion had told me that an old member who was bound to a wheelchair lived on a certain street but we had never passed him. While on splits as we were passing the street where he lived I felt a strong impression that we should give him a visit. He was paralyzed in half of his body and frail but we had a lively conversation with him and he bore a powerful testimony that brought a tear to my eye. Later that week that man passed away and with no family was expected to have a poor mans funeral. The ward stepped in a provided nice flowers and a coffin. You wouldn’t have known that this man was poor because the entire ward showed up for the funeral. I know that the we were sent that day and I am so glad that I had the opportunity to meet people like him. (William)
• So many. Seeing the changes in people is the most beautiful thing. Seeing them pray or enter the waters of baptism is life changing for everyone. (Kari)
• Hearing the testimonies of converts after their baptisms. (Lauren)
• I found some of my best investigators (and later recent converts) after praying in the middle of the road to ask for direction. It turns out that they were praying, too. (Victoria)
• We were contacting in the street and this man was sitting down and we went up to him and shared with him our testimonies and talked to him about Joseph Smith. He stopped us and told us that he recognized that name. He had never talked to the missionaries but he had heard that name before. We are there to help people remember what they had already been taught in our premortal lives. (Jennessa)
• One transfer my companion and I tested the power of fasting and we fasted at least once a week. During that transfer, it seemed like everything we did was a miracle. We found a lot of investigators and many people got baptized. This transfer was the spiritual peak of my life. (Daniel)
• Haha. Well, the entire experience was a spiritual experience. Anyone’s conversion is the biggest miracle ever. (Connor)
• Asking a man to pray and ask if Thomas S. Monson was a prophet and he explained that he knew the Book of Mormon was true and Joseph Smith was a prophet so he already knew Thomas S. Monson was a prophet as well. (Emma)
• There was a fireside where music was performed by various people. A group of about six to ten children sang “I’m trying to be like Jesus”. It was POWERFUL. The spirit was so strong. (December)

What are some interesting facts about the Praia Mission?

• Some of the interesting facts about my mission is that there are 10 islands, 9 of which have people on them. There is an active volcano in my mission. The official language is Portuguese but very few people actually speak or understand it. Other interesting facts are that the islands each speak differently than one another. (Carter)
• The country is an archipelago of ten islands, one being a volcano that erupted in 2014. Judging the square mileage of the country, all of the islands could fit comfortably inside of the state of Rhode Island. Each island has a different terrain and color of sand; a popular keepsake of the missionaries is getting all ten sands. One of the only places in the world that speaks Cape Verdean Creole (each island’s is slightly different) More Cape Verdeans live outside of Cape Verde than inside. Cobble stone roads. (William)
• It’s 10 islands, it has its own African language which is Creole and it’s the best mission in the world. (Kari)
• You know how in the movie, “The Best Two Years” the main character says, “That’s not the language they taught me in the MTC.” Well, that probably fits Cape Verde better than the Netherlands. They don’t really speak Portuguese, so get ready to learn Creole! (Lauren)
• It’s really small. Less than 100 missionaries in a country only slightly larger than Rhode Island. (Victoria)
• Most people don’t speak Portuguese. They speak Creole. It is very humid and every island is different from the other. (Jennessa)
• The people grew up speaking Creole, but pretty much all understand Portuguese. The Creole will vary pretty drastically from island to island and place to place. You will have a lot of people that are illiterate. If you really master Portuguese first, Creole will be pretty easy to learn, but don’t waste time trying to learn it, especially at the beginning of your mission. (Jared)
• It’s a desert…there are giant centipedes and lots of dogs. The people are incredibly friendly. There are like no diseases like malaria. You walk or bus everywhere but it’s really small so it doesn’t take you too long. They speak Portuguese that’s similar to that which is spoken in Portugal. However, most people actually speak a thing called Creole, which is like a mix of Portuguese and several African dialects. (Daniel)
• It’s ten African islands. Nuff said. Super tight! (Connor)
• Spread across different islands; transfers often required plane or boat transportation. Portuguese was the official language but different dialects of Kriolu were spoken. (Emma)
• Water is not guaranteed in your apartment. Or wasn’t when I was serving. A water truck would go around and fill water tanks on the roofs, if they ran out of water before your building, you didn’t get water. We learned how to shower with two 2-liter bottles of water. That made sure that you would at least get some kind of shower. Also you ONLY drink bottled water. (December)

What was the weather like?

• The weather was usually a dry heat but sometimes it got very humid. Each island has unique weather and temperature, for example Assomada can get freezing cold outside, while Sal is usually very dry heat and windy. At points during the year African Dust blown from winds of the Sahara desert will cloud the sky and prevent air travel for up to weeks at time. (Carter)
• 70-80 degrees all year round. Three seasons: hot hot season, rainy hot season, and windy hot season. (William)
• Hot. It only rains like once a year and then it’s just hot and dry. (Kari)
• The temperature doesn’t change much; it stays between 70 and 90 most of the time. It is HOT though. The sun can be relentless in the summer months. There is no winter, and maybe a week of rain. (Lauren)
• I had a sweater, but I only ever used it after dark in January. It’s super warm and windy year round, with the occasional downpour. (Victoria)
• When I was on São Vicente it was very humid especially in the summer time. I was there for 10 1/2 months so I was there for all seasons. It rained a couple of times but was mostly humid. During the winter season it would get chilly at night because of the wind. In Praia it was humid, but it never rained. (Jennessa)
• Pretty much beautiful all year round. Depends on where you are though. Some places get lots of sun and can get pretty hot, while others have lots of wind. (Jared)
• Hot and humid, but not too bad. It averages around 70 degrees. Some areas are very windy and kind of cold. In the summer, most places will seem way too hot. (Daniel)
• Warm all the time. Once it was cold enough that I thought about wearing a sweater. I didn’t though. (Connor)
• Perfect. Near 70 almost year round. I wore a sweater maybe twice in the winter. Rainy season in the Fall (islands differ). Fogo and Praia got pretty hot sometimes. (Emma)
• The weather was warm all year long but never extremely hot. The nights never got cool either. (Rocky)
• Hot and hot and hot. (December)

Any things you really like about the area/people?

• The country is amazing!! I love Cabo Verde and the people. The people are so friendly and open, numerous times people would invite us in and offer us the little rice and beans they had. On the streets people say hi to one another which is actually very different from America. Also I loved the diversity, each island has a unique culture some African while other cultures are more European. (Carter)
• Absolutely lovely people who have simple uncluttered lives. You have to have a bit of a sense of adventure to serve here. If you serve outside of the capital you are most likely to be the only foreigner for a hundred miles around. There are many places that seem untouched by human hands, and beautiful country sides that give off their own flair of Euro African flair. (William)
• They are so inviting and kind to anyone, even as a stranger or even if they lived very humbly as most did. They would offer you whatever they had. (Kari)
• They are extremely accepting. They love everyone and are willing to give anything they have to serve the missionaries. They are also very stubborn about their traditions, so they love to share them with you! They are always happy, even with the little that they have. (Lauren)
• The people are so open to the gospel. They are the sweetest people you will ever meet. (Jennessa)
• The people are amazing. So open. (Jared)
• They are funny. And they live such simple lives. (Victoria)
• I liked the food and I really liked street contacting because everyone was so interesting. If someone is sitting on the side of the road (everyone sits on the side of the road), you can just sit next to them and there is no way for them to escape haha. Fun times. (Daniel)
• The people are so humble and so friendly!! (Connor)
• Everything. The people were incredibly friendly and welcoming. They celebrated countless holidays and loved to have parties. The landscape was beautiful and there were always interesting things to see. (Emma)
• People from Cape Verde are extremely generous. (Rocky)

Any packing/clothing advice?

• All you need is short sleeve white shirts and some pants, don’t bring fancy shoes because you will be walking on sharp volcano rock, sand, cobblestone, or sewage. (Carter)
• Advice on packing: You get one bag of around 20 kilos in country… ONE. Suits are not required; I did not take a suit and was fine. I suggest being mindful of things that you will not be needing. Life gets pretty spartan on 20 kilos. Materials for shirts and pants i would say lightweights that are durable, things that will dry fast because there are no dryers; everything is line dried. My suitcase barely survived. I took a regular lightweight suitcase which I practically dragged it scraping off of the plane because it was just destroyed. I believe that it really doesn’t matter what kind of suitcase you have, if it gets you through it gets you through. Shoes: I took closed toe, closed heel sandals which were awesome, I don’t know if they are still approved for mission use but i recommend the two brands of sandals that I had which are Timberland and Propet. Eccos are good as well. There are shoe repairmen in every single area who, for a very affordable price, can put a new sole on your shoes. Ties: Really cool ones, ties all the guys are going to be wanting. Socks: I took what I had at home and was fine. Under Clothes: I took 50/50 cotton poly (what i wear at home) and was great; I do not recommend 100% cotton just because it absorbs water and holds it. Anything with more cotton will hold water and be a nightmare. Anything lighter is great. (William)
• Light simple clothing. Mid calf skirts for girls since it can be kinda windy and you often sit on the floor. Girls wear chaços as footwear. (Kari)
• Don’t get fancy clothes because they will be destroyed! Bring clothes that you will be comfortable sitting on the dirt in, crisscross-applesauce style. So A-line skirts and t-shirts are the way to go! And all the sisters wear chacos! (Lauren)
• Sisters: CHACOS!!!!!! Wear durable and lightweight clothes, and not too flowy. (Victoria)
• Take light clothing. I took a few skirts with a few shirts but by the end of my mission I only had 2 skirts and 4 shirts because I gave clothes away to people who did not have much. I took an umbrella but never used it. Chacos are a need or the sisters because of how much walking we do. Bring a nice pair of flats for church and meetings. (Jennessa)
• Don’t take what you don’t need, and get a light suit case. You can’t leave stuff in the mission office. Transfers are difficult with a weight limit if you are flying which happens frequently. (Jared)
• Bring extra garments. No one uses the rain jacket because it rains for like two weeks and that’s it, and it’s very sporadic. Don’t bring the gospel library because there are a million copies of it in every missionary house and it just weighs you down. Bring some sturdy shoes…the streets are made of rough cobblestone and they will destroy your shoes. Learn to sew. (Daniel)
• Lots of short sleeved shirts for Elders. Also, don’t go cheap on the shoes. Get durable ones. They have guys who can repair shoes for cheap, but any shoes you buy there will be very low quality. (Connor)
• Pack light, but don’t expect to find tons of American clothes there. (Emma)
• Be prepared to walk through a couple pairs of shoes per year. (Rocky)
• Loose skirt, as the terrain is hilly and straight skirts make ascending the hills hard. Lightweight sandals because you walk a lot and heavy ones are tiring. (December)

What blessings did you receive from serving a mission?

• I learned to love others and become less worried about myself. Being in the service of our Savior Jesus Christ is one of the most life changing things you can do. I was blessed to grow closer to my savior. (Carter)
• I was able to meet so many amazing people who I wouldn’t have met if I hadn’t have gone. The greatest blessing I have received is a testimony and personal relationship with God. It is very valuable to me. (William)
• I learned so much on my mission. I think about it every day. It shaped so much of the person I am now . (Kari)
• Learning the Portuguese language has been a huge blessing in my life. Just being able to communicate and connect with random strangers is a cool experience when you get home. I gained a much stronger testimony of the purpose of the gospel and the basic truths that truly do make us happy. (Lauren)
• I was able to serve in a 3rd world country with a companion by my side even though I am introverted and hate germs. (Victoria)
• There are unlimited blessing from serving a mission. It helped me become more mature. It helped me prepare myself for college and marriage. The experiences will forever stay with you. (Jennessa)
• I came to know my Savior so much better and made some of the greatest and most inspiring friendships of my life. (Jared)
• Most of them will probably be manifested in the future, and as I get older and have a family or something. However, I think the greatest blessing was my testimony. (Daniel)
• Haha! Where to begin? (Connor)
• I saw a lot of unification and reactivation in my own family. I made lifelong friends and understood better how God’s children are so different from each other but all wonderful and so loved. (Emma)

What are some skills you gained?

• I gained great communication skills and leadership skills. I also gained the skill of driving stick-shift in the busy streets of Praia. I gained self-reliance skills and much more. (Carter)
• The skill of not complaining and being happy wherever you are. Bed making, cooking, house upkeep, planning, study habits, teaching, talking to people skills, following the Spirit. (William)
• I went 5 weeks without running water, so you learn how to make due with what you have. I learned to talk to strangers with confidence. I learned to live really simply and appreciate what you have. (Kari)
• Hand washing clothes, how to kill cockroaches and centipedes, how to carry a 5 gallon bucket of water on my head. (Lauren)
• Learning the difference between understanding what words people speak and what they are trying to say. I taught and baptized a lady who I couldn’t understand most of the time. (Victoria)
• Speaking Portuguese, being patient with people, making the food that people would make, understanding Creole. (Jennessa)
• Running from crazy people (see above), scripture study skills, enduring long church meetings, surviving without water for a few weeks, eating a lot of rice. (Daniel)
• Confidence in talking to people, work ethic, study habits, etc. (Connor)
• Speaking to strangers, cooking, confidence and language abilities. (Emma)

What do you wish you knew/did at the beginning of your mission?

• Don’t be stressed about the language, you are going to make mistakes anyway so enjoy the greenie stage while it last. (William)
• The language will come with time and practice, and a lot of help from your companion. Don’t get caught up in the ‘exact obedience’ of every rule to the ‘T’. Sometimes we need to focus on what the Savior would do, rather than what the missionary manual says or what the mission president says. You are there to serve and teach, not just to baptize and report numbers. (Lauren)
• That no one is perfect. That it takes time to learn the language and the lessons and that’s okay and that God called you to that mission for a reason, so don’t try to be someone else. (Kari)
• Don’t sacrifice being compassionate and loving for being exactly obedient. AKA: don’t be a robot. (Victoria)
• I wish I would have studied the scriptures more and gained a stronger knowledge and testimony of the scriptures and the Gospel principles. (Jennessa)
• I wish I knew that it was a desert and not a tropical paradise like the tourism websites made me believe. (That’s all that was posted when I went on my mission.) It is pretty, but in it’s own rugged way. Also, there are beautiful green spaces and beaches, but you won’t be around those much. (Daniel)
• Wish I’d read ALL of preach my gospel beforehand. (Connor)
• The first transfer may suck, but it gets better. (Emma)

Any advice/testimony for pre-missionaries going to Cape Verde?

• My advice is do not try and prove you are better than someone just because you are a member of Christ’s true church, learn humility and show you know what that is. I learned so much from the Cabo Verdean people. Also I think it is important that you do not go on a mission to gain a testimony, you should already have one. Be a friendly person now and its never to early to start sharing the gospel. (Carter)
• If you get motion sickness, take along chewable motion sickness pills because they are going to make your life so much easier. (William)
• You are enough. My mother told me that before I left and it stuck with me my whole mission. It’s easy for missionaries to be extra hard on themselves, but try to love yourself, love the people, and love God, and everything will work out. (Kari)
• Don’t forget your purpose; Not just the missionary purpose, but the reason that YOU decided to serve. The times that I felt I was most successful as a missionary were when I was focused on what I felt the Lord had sent me there to do. (Lauren)
• Embrace it all. Take pictures. You’ll miss it so much when you leave. (Victoria)
• Follow mission rules and what the Mission President says. If you follow the rules you will be protected and blessed. Apply what you learn in meetings. (Jennessa)
• No matter how hard it gets, it’s completely worth it. (Daniel)
• You’re going to love it so much! You’ll get out of it what you put into it, so work hard every day so you don’t have any regrets. 🙂 keep the rules!! (Connor)
• Love the people and realize you’re making a difference and furthering the work, even if you can’t always see it. (Emma)

What was a funny language mistake?

• I would often mess with the barbers asking them to cut my onions (Cebola) instead of my hair (Cabello) and they always thought it was really funny. (Wiliam)
• I spent the entire MTC thinking I was saying “I’m so cold” but I was really saying “I’m so ugly.” (Kari)
• The whole time in the MTC, my companion and I thought that ‘feio’ meant cold. So we continued to say that we were very ‘feio’. Later, someone reveled to us that it actually means ugly. Yeah, we’re very ugly. Oops. (Lauren)
• A funny mistake I made was early on in my first area. I did not understand any Creolo and my companion and I went to teach a family where the father was very against the restored gospel, I remember testifying that everything he said was true and my companion just stared at me. I don’t know why I did that when I didn’t even know what he was saying. (Rocky)
• The word for stew is estufado and the word for couch stuffing is estofado. I didn’t know this. My companion was Brazilian. We had eaten lunch at a restaurant where we had delicious stew. We had also gone contacting earlier in the week and met a guy that was making a couch. My companion asked “hey, do you want to try to talk to the guy that was doing the estofado?” and I was like ” the guy at the restaurant? With the estufado?” and I was super confused. It took him like 5 minutes to stop laughing and explain what he was talking about. (Daniel)