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| Mattise... a deaf artist Connor wrote home about!!! |
Connor told me I had to find a blog from the Senior Missionaries in his area. It was so neat to see their pictures of the people Connor has written home about!
http://georgeandcarolemalawibeat.blogspot.com/
Messages sent home 4/4/2016
I was not able to watch conference yet, but I think I will
this coming Saturday and Sunday. I heard it was wonderful!!! I know that their
words are truly scripture!!! I am
slowly becoming accustomed to the food and water. Soon I will have a stomach of
Iron! In D&C 88:71-72 says that not even poison can take effect. This is
only because of the later verses, mainly 86-88. Missionaries are protected by
Angels, by the Spirit, and even the Lord will be by our sides. This is of
course dependent on our Faith and righteousness. I won't be stupid and try to
tempt God, try to put myself in harms way, but I know that I am supported, and
I know I am protected. I feel like without the growth my family has helped me
through, my mission would be too much to bear. I even feel like traveling so
often with them, going to Mexico, and learning about working hard has helped me
to come on my mission. Truly Malawi is actually similar to Mexico, it is just
not as developed, but the people have the same hearts.
I am
indeed feeling better. I have not taken Doxy for awhile but I was talking to another Elder and he said there are many missionaries who do not take Doxy. I
have bug spray though. Zone Conference was wonderful!!! I loved every minute!
It went from about 8:30-6ish. Our presentation went very well as we discussed
about our new standard of excellence. President Ericksons words were amazing!!!
I think he will be a General Authority or something!!! His knowledge of the
gospel and his ability to be led by the Spirit is actually very inspiring. I
want to feel the Spirit more and more often. I was listening to Elder David A.
Bednar talk about the Spirit and how if we do something that makes it hard for
us to feel the Spirit, we need to stop doing that thing. It is not worth it.
Something that touched me was Elder Birrells testimony. He is a senior couple
with his wife. He has been on mission for 5 months and his calling is to teach
self-reliance training. He talked about hearing children sing because I have
been given much, and talked about his tears falling to the dirt floor. He
expressed how the people they have nothing, yet they are so humble and so
grateful. He was crying as he shared and it made me cry. I see people each and
every day. They have hardly ANYTHING. They get so excited when you do the
simplest of things like giving candy or like when I gave the little boy the hat
I was wearing. The smiles they have and the humility they possess makes me
think about all that I have, and how embarrassingly ungrateful I am for all of
it!
Sister
Chikapa is doing well! We hiked up to her house the other day. I could not
quite remember the direction to her home so I said a quiet prayer. As we were
walking I got the distinct impression to "Turn Back" I did so but I
doubted this feeling. I had it in my head to go another way. I followed the
impression and we were taken directly to her house. This made me think about
how often I pray for help, yet I do not hearken unto the counsel I recieve. I
reallly don't even listen for it. I just keep trudging along, expecting that
the path I am already on WILL be the right one. Like God will just change the
path for me, instead of me changing for him. I feel like when I pray I need to
understand that prayer is not to change the will of God, but to align our will
with his.
We
make chipatis with flour. I eat beans, cheese is too expensive. The Mwales are
indeed members! Powerful Members I might add!!! Chimanga is another word for
maize or corn.
In a meeting with our Branch President we got on the topic of
snakes. He told us of how he was with his brother and they were chatting when
his brother became quiet. What he did not know is that a python was coming down
from a tree and towards his head. It went behind him, slithered threw his legs,
the its 15-foot body sped off into the forest. He said he was so shocked that he
slept for 3 days!!! Also, President Banda, Elder Kobyana, and later Elder
Tshabalala confirmed for me about a flying snake that goes from tree to tree.
It can hunt people, kill 5 men, it just strikes you once and you're done, and it
makes the noise of a cock. He said cock but I prefer rooster. They say if you
hear a rooster in the bushes, you know its the snake because roosters do not go
into the bushes. The snake will go into a tree above you and strike your head
as you walk by so they heat up boiling porridge in a bowl and put it atop their
head so that when it tries to strike it dies from the porridge. Luckily, it is
farther north. I will be good.
This
week we noticed that one of our investigators, Gomiwa, stopped coming to
church. We found out that the reason was because of hurt feelings. I now feel the
importance of showing love to all those I come in contact with. In our next
lesson I told him the love that we have for him and how much he means to us. I
even told him Ndiwe Moyo Wanga which he laughed and gave me a bro hug after.
Some scriptures I have been thinking about is in Alma 5:30-41. First it talks
about mocking our brother. How we persecute each other. I began to think about all
the time I have persecuted those I know. Of all the times I have been mean,
or made a joke at another's expense. I did not know how to draw the line.
But the scriptures continue. They go on to talk about which shepherd you
follow. I think that the only way to draw a line for yourself is to decide
which shepherd your actions will say you follow. If I have this upon my mind I
will become more considerate, more Christ like because I will be one of his
sheep. I wish that I could go back, be kinder, better, more righteous. But I
know that those mistakes is what will remind me to change. That guilt will
drive me to repentance and to the Lord. Now is the time to bring forth my good
works and become better.
I am thankful for the
support I have been given. I love all of you.
Love,
Elder
Hollingsworth
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| Selfie with a Bowbub |
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| We all have differences, but really we are all just the same. |
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