Pictures Week #72

Waiting for an appointment 

Wedding

Wet Wet Week

Oi! Family and Friends,

This week we got very wet, very very wet. Haha but that's the
missionary life now isn't it. Well the Lubango Rains have officially started as it has rained at least once per day since Tuesday. And here the rain comes down hard. Like it hurts sometimes when it hits you. So we got soaking wet a couple of times this past week. Especially on Saturday, when the biggest storm I've ever seen hit us hard. And it started going when we still had 30 min to walk home, and then a 20 min walk to the Chapel for baptisms. It was so crazy, a very crazy experience. Wind and rain whipping everywhere, quite an adventure.

Well we finally got to the chapel for the baptisms, and we had 3
baptisms in the branch. One was ours whose name is Bia, and she actually comes from that Mahuilan tribe that I've talked about. Her aunt brought her from the tribe when she was like 9. So that was cool. And I also got to baptize her, so I was very honored. Her full name is Biatriz Daniela Tchatula Kamolola. But it was raining so hard. We were literally 2 feet from the speaker during the baptismal program and we couldn't hear them because the rain was hitting the roof so hard. Lighting everywhere, thunder, it started hailing, crazy. But that's my crazy story for the week. 

We have found some cool new people this week that hopefully will continue to progress and come to church, as well as
Zecarlos is still as awesome as ever, he is sticking with it, and I'm
sure he will be baptized. 

Spiritually I'm so grateful for the mercy of God. I'm not a perfect person, not even close. But although I'm not perfect, and I sin God still loves me and jsut wants me to get back up and keep going. He knows what I can become so he wants me to keep going. The danger lies in when we fall down and we stay down, and then
Satan has more and more power over us. But after we do something wrong, if wer humbly go before God, wanting to change with real intent, God will forgive us and continue to love us. And its hard sometimes to feel his love and mercy after you just sinned and distanced yourself from him. But he is always there, and thanks to our Loving brother Jesus Christ we can become clean again and overcome all of our weaknesses. Im just grateful because sometimes the weakness and the sin can be dishearteing, but trusting in God and the gospel you have a better perspective and hope. But yeah thats my spirtual 2 cents for the day. 

And that picture was some pork meat but on the skin it
still had the hair on it.... But life is good in Lubango, last week in
the transfer which is really weird because it hasnt felt like 5 weeks
already, just shows that time is passing fast. So we shall see about
transfers next week. And I wish I could send more pictures, but the
internet down here in Lubango is atrocious, I wish I was in Luanda, esp. since they have Dear Elder up there now. But oh well. Love you all and have a great week!

Love,

Pictures Week #71

Kimbo do Soba

Elder Brown with Big Nelo and C4 Pedro

Elder Brown and a very sweet little girl

Hanging with Ivo

Puppy! 

What was inside the Feijada

Fun Weekend

Oi! Family and Friends,

This week was pretty good. Elder Cafferty got better so that was good.But at the beginning of the week nothing was turning out for us. Things dropping, striking out left and right, it was hard not to get discouraged. But I have a cool story about a division that me and Elder Wilson went on in his area. So we went to this appointment with this recent convert. And he always has sat with the missionaries on the railroad tracks, because they are practically abondoned, rarely trains run on it. So were there teaching a lesson, and we get to the end to the prayer. And we look out in the distance and we see a one engine train car coming towards us, but it's aways off. But Elder Wilson goes "Uh oh, whose going to say the prayer" and the member says he will. Well he starts praying and we hear the train horn get louder and louder. And then for 30 seconds it's quiet, but we know its coming towards us. And the member is still praying, and I'm just nervously rocking a bit hoping he finishes soon. Well then all of the sudden the rails start shaking, and me and Elder Wilson both open our eyes and look down the track, and coming around this corner super fast, horn

blasting is this train. Thennn the member decides he wants to end his prayer, as he quickly said in the name of Jesus Christ amen, and we hopped off the tracks ASAP. With like 2 to 3 seconds to spare haha. That was a rush for sure. Haha good times, good times. 

Anyways, President and Sister Merill and The AP's came on Friday late afternoon so we got dinner with them. Saturday we played soccer in the morning, and then me and Elder Wilhelm left because it was just getting stupid. The thing was is that we left without a phone and the keys to the house. So we were wondering a bit in the city, and there was this event that was going on with music. Well me and Elder Wilhelm bought some of the music and we got it signed by these big Angolan Superstars in music, haha as well as I got a picture with two of them. Haha it was pretty funny and the other missionaries were jealous of us. 

But we had good lessons that day. Bia is getting baptized this Saturday so that will be super exciting. She has had a hard life, but she has overcame it and she is about to have an awesome life. Also that night we had a zone meeting which I always love to hear from Sister and President Merill, I enjoy it so much, and I know they were called here by God to help us here to have the best mission we can as well help the church grow here. 

Then Sunday was good, I was a little sick, and part of it was because of the Feijada that we had for lunch. I'll send a pic of something thats inside of it. But yeah good weekend. Sunday there was this little girl that was my best friend at church. I just wanted to take her home haha. We also had Ivo there who is an investigator from Luanda who used to be a basketball player, and when you shake his hand, your hand is just swallowed up and gone in his hand. 

But yeah right now were sitting in a cafe which is not the best,
but oh well. Our house is really good though and were a 15 min walk to the church. Yeah you can take over Mom and coordinate with Laura for BYU housing for us (for Keegan and 5 friends), I know you, so I know you will get us something good:) Christmas, idk really. When it gets there only 5 months left. Idk, I'll let you guys surprise me haha. And Ridgely can do whatever, she should write him back, but it's up to her haha. Well Love you all guys and I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Love,

Slow Week!

Oi! Family and Friends!

This week was a long week. Why? I was mostly at home during the week as well when we did work we had to take it slow because Elder Cafferty got super sick this week. He was dead on Monday and never really got better during the week. He is still sick but not as bad. So we didn't go to the small animal park last Monday. 

Also I wish I could send some pics, but this computer wont read my card so I guess I'll try next week. So I had a lot of time studying the gospel, and also alot of time to think, which isn't the best thing for a missionary haha, but it was still a good week. I'm loving the New Testament. I started it a while ago and I'm in the middle of Acts right now, and it's awesome. Also I love the Book of Mormon, I'm getting right to the part with Alma the Younger and I just love reading it. It was a good study week. 

We did get to sit with Zecarlos again though, and he is golden. Still kind of weird, but he does everything we leave with him, he has come to church the last two times, it's awesome. I'm loving teaching him right now. The rest of our area is wishy washy but it will get better in the future. 

I really did miss General Conference this weekend. I really could have used that spirtual pickup. But I'll read the talks or
see it soonish like in 3 weeks. But I'm glad everyone enjoyed it. 

Also, we went to the hospital to do tests for Elder Cafferty. Yeah no one back in America can ever complain about the waits at the doctor or the hospital. I'll Take those waits over the chaos over here. Holy cow. Also just a random funny story.... so while we were home Elder Wilson and Elder Kearney left to work but they secretly put an egg on top of the door, so when we moved it, it would fall and break. Well I found it before it broke so I put it on their study room door. When they came in I told them that it already broke and I cleaned it up. Then unexpecting Elder Wilson goes into the study room and boom the egg falls just barely missing him. He let out a big yell that I tricked and faked him out. It was pretty funny. 

Well I hope this week will be better and I'm sure it will. The APs come on Thursday and Merrill's come on Friday for the weekend so that will be fun. But other than that, that's my life in Africa for the time being. 

I hope everyone will have a great week this week, and follow the counsel of our Prophets and Apostles this week to invite the spirit more into their lives. Love you all!

Tchau,

Pictures Week #69

 

Serra de Leba

Cristo Rei

Hard Working Week

Oi! Family and Friends!


This week was an intense week work wise. We got 30 lessons this week. 30! I've always wanted to get 30 lessons in a week but it's just way hard, and finally me and Elder Cafferty did it. But it was really hard, haha. Alot of hard work but we got it, so I'm happy. 

Last Pday we went to Serra de Leba and Cristo Rei, which was really awesome. Serra de Leba was probably the coolest thing I've seen in my life, I'm so glad I had the opportunity to see it. And then Cristo Rei was pretty cool, it's just up on a mountain overlooking all of Lubango. But it probably was one of the best Pdays I've had here. 

One guy that we met this week is named Zecarlos. We were waiting for a new person to meet us, but she never showed up. But he walked past us and started talking to us. We got his number and passed his house later in the week. Our first time sitting with him was a little weird. He went off on his life problems, how he owns the house but all of his neighbors are trying to get him to leave. He won't leave so they throw rocks at his house and at his roof, causing there to be holes in the roof. Write cuss words with his name and his son's name on the door, etc. It's a sucky situation but he has a good attitude and he isn't leaving. 

Well our next visit we taught the first lesson which went well, and he is very humble. He admitted that he is like a child with the gospel, he doesn't know much and he wants to take it slowly. Well then I invited to be baptized on the 9th of November, and his response was so funny. He said that he would respect my date because I was the missionary, but if I invited him to be baptized tomorrow he would be there haha. It was so funny, he is going to get baptized, and he really liked church yesterday so he is going to be a solid member. 

Today for Pday were going to this tiny animal park so that should be fun. There is always something to do for Pday here so that's way cool. I'm truly seeing the miracles of hard work and just the touch of the Master´s hand in all things, it's amazing. I'm loving it here, I really am. Weird that it's only 8 more months, but that still a long time right. 

That's cool that our ward split, it's weird that weve now been through 3 different ward splits since we moved there. But the work of the Lord just keeps growing and growing and growing. Good luck to Kell on his driving test, and get your grades up to man! Ridge seems like she is doing good in college and hopefully she does well on her 4 tests this week. 

The Angolan people are funny, they have there little quirks that I'll probable bring home and have for the first couple of weeks back at home. But I love them, they are so funny and awesome. I love you all, I hope you guys have a wonderful week, and enjoy General Conference. I'll for sure be missing it bad. Love you all!

Tchau,