Area: Zimbabwe, Bulawayo/Nketa
Companion: Elder Allen
Dear Family People,
(we asked Jake if he had been writing in his journal and if he'd been getting up early- he was wanting to get up early so he could exercise). Well, since my last writing you journal=2 (days), and I do not have a problem getting up I only have a problem getting up early. ;) But I have been getting up early at 6:00 am this week. I do not work out like I want to, but I have had extra time for extra studies. I hope I can get back into waking up at 5:30 though so that I can work out.
Thank you once again for updating me on Grandma and Grandpa. Of course I will keep them in my heart and my prayers.
The camera came this week so we are all good now. I also received a letter from McKenna and a lovely Christmas card from the wonderful Watkins family. Can you tell them that I say thank you, they are POWERFUL, I love them, and that Bishop looks like a stud!
So my week was wonderful, but I think I will start off with the bad news. I finally became sick. It was a combination of overheated, dehydrated, and a bad can of cream corn. Wednesday I ate the evil can of corn and the following morning I woke up fatigued, no appetite, and a painful headache. I kind felt like throwing up a little, but I did not. :) I forced myself to work, but after a couple of appointments and some member mom's giving me fire for working in really hot weather without a hat and while sick and also almost passing out I decided to go home and sleep. I drank a lot of water and Elder Nellesen gave me his sun hat and I have made a full recovery and I was working the next day. Well, an almost full recovery, I just cannot seem to eat that much food any more since Thursday. I was thinking about something that was told to us in a past zone conference. "We all know the 10 commandments, but do we know the 11th? Do not be stupid. It is hard for the Lord to compensate for stupidity." I was thinking about it. Walking around in the heat of Bulawayo without a sun hat and sunscreen and is stupid. I cannot expect the Lord to bear me up in that situation just because I am working hard. I also have to work smart.
A baptism was held this Sunday. Brother A, Brother M, and Sister M were all welcomed into the fold. A is a cousin of some members and is staying with them. He has been coming to church and wanted to be baptized. Great guy. Brother M is the young brother to Sister Land uncle to M. Sister M was a sister who was taught by the missionaries, referred to use, was just baptized, and is dating the man that taught her. We focused mostly on making sure she was being baptized for herself and not for the guy. I pray the Lord to be with all of these souls. May the remain forever more.
This week my companion and I felt inspired to some tracting. I have never really done any tracting ever on mission, because I know there are better ways to find than knocking on doors, but now we felt it was necessary. The people we are teaching are not progressing and we felt like we should focus more on our center of strength. Elder Suares came and taught the mission that our centers of strength are our chapel buildings. We should focus on the homes closest to the chapel. The chapel is not in our area, so we decided to do tracting and finding in the homes nearest to were the chapel is. We feel this will help our teaching pool and real growth.
The reason why we need to let go of people is for real growth. Maybe in some missions it is good to hold on to people, but in this mission we need to be willing to let go. A lot of people let you in the door here. It is easy. Also, part of the culture here is to say yes, even if you do not want. And to go along with the parable you shared about the sheep, sheep need to be brought to the fold before they can be lost and then found and brought back. We are interested in finding those who want to be in the Lord's fold and who will not leave the fold. Also, there is a section in PMG that says no effort is wasted. It is in chapter 9 last subtopic. It talks about how sometimes we are just ment to plant seeds. Of course everthing is done acording to the direction of the spirit. Elder Allen and I feel that we need to let go and find new people. Those whom the Lord has prepared for us.
So a tip for mom: In missionary work after an investigator is baptized they become a recent convert. We do not stop teaching. We have recent convert lessons. Guess what those lessons are? The same ones we taught when they were investigators. The reason for my bringing this up is that Jordan still needs to learn. That is so great that you talked, discussed, read scripture, and came up with the decision to be ordained, but he still needs to be taught the "why of priesthood service." Go over those scriptures more than once. In Family Home Evening take time to review what he can do that week as a priesthood holder. Keep teaching him and help him understand what it means to be the "Royal Priesthood" spoken of in 1 Peter 2:5,9. POWERFUL job helping him. Keep up the good work.
I love you all and thank you for your support. May Father in Heaven pour His blessings upon you.
Keep the Faith
L O V E like a DISCIPLE of JESUS CHRIST
Elder TOM
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