27 September 2010

This week has been powerful. We have right now 8 baptism dates ready to go and on the 10th of October we have two that have been interviewed. We hope by the 31^st(October) to have 15-20 baptisms,  looks like we need to work harder.

This week taught a man named Emmanuel. In telling us his religious experiences in life and the life he used to have, he described almost all the lessons to us.  We hope he'll get baptized. In fact he trusts us so much he's done two things. Asked for names for his baby that will be born soon and he holds my hand which is a sign of great trust and friendship. This so very exciting. Also we taught four families which consisted of 30 people. They all begged for the Book of Mormon and have a great desire to be baptized. We'll see what happens as time goes on. . The gospel is well received in the poor parts (compounds) but drinking is a HUGE problem here. You can get wasted for just a dollar drinking shake shake. Just one more thing for the people to overcome. We have 10 investigators or so but we teach quite a few people. Most go through all the lessons or just the first. When we teach Word of Wisdom most say they'll stop and the do for awhile but it is an ongoing challenge. It reminds me of the parable of the sower. There are lots of rocks here but also lots of soil. We just need the branch to do home teaching. We are trying to start two classes here. Music/Book of Mormon and member missionary training. We think that'll strengthen the branch and help it grow.

I've gotten sick from this heat every day of this last week and even before. It’s ok. We get over it very quickly. Water and a blessing fix everything. Stomach and other digestive tract issues are common especially as we get into the hottest month of the year, October.  So far 45C has been the hottest we've recorded on my watch. ( more than 100F.) Crazy hot here.

We usually eat chicken, nshima, rice, pasta, beef, and veggies for dinner (not all at once) but we change it up as often as we can. Nshima (shima) is a mash potato texture maize mill and you use it to eat instead of a fork. Don't worry about the food. I cook very well and people love what I cook. I made a fruit salad yesterday with 1 peach can drained 1 fruit cocktail undrained and 1 pineapple well cut undrained and added a bunch of yogurt and custard powder and it was great. Sister Rose loved it (she's like our mom feeds us every Sunday even though she's very poor). We also just recently bought a peppercorn grinder. We are very proud of it. Have a great week!

Brianna's Betrothed

Ashley's betrothed...six Cokes. What a bargain!!

Mr Clean??

Mushani!!

This week has been one of many experiences. So to start off Ashley and Brianna (my sisters) are now betrothed to Elders Sibanda and Chitenda (in order of who they are going to marry). We started with cows but I think the price now is 6 things of coke. Good deal on my part and the elders don't look half bad.

 So prices here are funny. To buy a loaf of bread is 4,500 Kwacha which is 90 cents American. To get 2L of milk is 12,000 and 1Kg of corn flakes is 30,000. So if anyone reads this please send some Capt Crunch!! We found out it costs about 5 pin (2,500-3,000 Kwacha) to catch a conbe (15 passenger vans that act as busses) They are very crowed and break down often. Glad I have a car.

Driving is very fun but very backwards here. There aren't many painted lanes so you just drive however. Lots of pot holes here and outside of town there are no paved roads- just very uneven footpaths just barely wide enough for a car.

 I've lost weight here. I now am on the third notch on my belt and my suit is looser than normal. (no scales here). Food is good here but I only eat once maybe twice a day. Lunch is a rarity but my companion loves to eat so we try to eat lunch

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In Kiwamwe (just outside Kitwe) I have seen the most powerful saints in the world. Kennedy and Chris are members of 3 weeks and they teach the gospel powerfully in Bemba( a language here) and in English.  We never tract there because they give us 4-9 referrals a week! In Kitwe and richer areas we are having problems. Kitwe branch has no home teaching and is missing many important things.There are many less active members but that just gives us people to teach.  The branch is very kind and very giving. They love the gospel.

 While I was teaching in town I was talking to a conbe driver. He calls me Elder Obama or Elder Mazungu (white man) very funny. Anyway- he's a little drunk (that just tells you how the drivers are here) and starts petting my hair asking how I got it so soft. It was weird but so funny at the same time. 

 There is another person I was teaching (his name is Jorge). We asked him who Jesus was to him. He replied promptly "my Father." We said ok then asked him who God was to him. He thought for a moment and said "our Grandfather." We all just started laughing even his siblings (he's 10).

I find that often I have to break words down to simplify them. The people here speak well but their vocabulary and grammar is a little off.  The hardest thing here to get past is the accent. In fact as I was teaching this man (very, very, very poor. brick house no doors no windows no anything. barely had a bed. even his roof was barely there) but i bore my testimony and taught him about God. It  had to be translated into Bemba. Then elder Chitenda (from Zimbabwe) spoke and no translation given. So depressing.I got to have a milkshake this week. It wasn’t even thick. The "American food" here is not American. But this is Africa and I love it here.

1st area- Copperbelt, Zambia

Love the washing machine...beats using a rock any day!

The members feed us well.

Barbed wire...You WILL attend Sunday School!!

Me & Elder Smith

Zambia is dusty and green, the land is beautiful. The roads are full of pot holes and the people are poor… very poor. But they are humble.  My companion is Elder Smith from South Africa and he is teaching me well. I now love house music and Zambia music (at member’s homes they play it often.) We work very hard.

I don’t need any food, people feed me well. I got to drive on the wrong side of the road and I am having a blast. Life is hard here but we manage fine. I gave away my bread to a man who had nothing. Girls here listen to the gospel (even members) in hopes of us coming back to them and taking them home. We get fire from people who don’t like the church but it’s all good.

They call me mazungu meaning white man. So I am elder mazungu. I love the elders in my area, we have a great time together. All the kids here yell at us mazungu's in English saying things like "how are you?" "I’m fine" "good night" and things like that and go nuts when we respond back in English. It’s very cute. Brianna would love all the babies here.  They are on their mother's back held by a wrap around skirt. It’s hard to explain it.

 I have so much to say and don’t know what to say.  Be strong and have faith. The Lord has a great work for me and I don’t feel adequate. But he will help me. . I just thank God for the atonement and for being here. I love you all.

Photos from South Africa

Pretty Money

Who knew home was so close?!?

28 August 2010

It was a great week!! We went to the temple and about to go to the mall. I am carrying $1,400+ to exchange to about R9,800. Very exciting. I saw an elephant skin Book of Mormon. Very cool looking and very cheap. Taught some 30 minute lessons and I testify that through the power of the spirit all things can be done. Food here is good for the most part and the people very kind. I am loving the local food as we went to the market last week. Next week I will be tracting. I can't wait!!!!

Settling In

21 August 2010

Having a blast here. We play sports (maybe some rugby today) like basketball "football" (not American) table tennis Frisbee and stuff like that. Next week we are either going to the "mall" or going on splits in the area. My companion is amazing. He's very spiritual but i have to speak slowly so he can understand. He's from Kenya and speaks Swahili. Food here is really good but the juices are too sweet. in fact last night for supper I took a picture. We have great food. We had a performance from some workers singing for us in local tongue with clicks. Can barely hear the clicks. soooo pretty sounded. We have a tradition here that when you don’t push in your chair in the dining facility we have to sing a primary song. same if we're late. Oh! and every night at 9:30 we're allowed to raid the kitchen. PB&J, Quesadillas, pop corn, juice, milk (all fat ewww), and whatever is in there. The classes are great and we're learning a bunch. start our days at 0630 breakfast at 0700 lunch at 1230 supper at 1700 and classes in between all ending at 2100. companion study for 30 mins and personal study/personal time till 2230. Life is great here.

Arriving at the MTC

18 August 2010

Just got to the MTC here in South Africa. The airport was so big and the city was so colorful at night. I flew over with 22 elders or so and the flight there was almost empty. So far there are only 4-5 missionaries who are going to Zimbabwe. We are all very excited. The trip was long but well worth it. made loads of new friends. (If you can send a USB SD card reader I'd send you pictures) MTC is small but not many people here. 30 tops. i share a room with 5 other brethren and my companion's name is Elder Rono from Kenya. I'll meet him tomorrow. Talk to you Saturday!! (that's our P Day). Send my love to all. Be strong the church is true.