Growing in Faith, Humility, Patience, and Love... and having some fun.

Below is an update on our son Elder Connor Hollingsworth. He is serving in the Zambia Lusaka Mission in Africa and currently is living in Malawi. 

Please email him and say hello, he would love to hear from you. You can also write him and send it to the mission office. They will hand deliver it as soon as possible (4-6 weeks). Thank you all for the support and Love. We know this experience will have positive effects that will last into the eternities. These are small sections taken from letters sent home mixed with pictures... enjoy.

connor.hollingsworth@myldsmail.net

Zambia Lusaka Mission

Attn: Elder Hollingsworth

Plot No. 14038Katima Mulilo RoadLusaka, Zambia

Just hanging around in Africa

I am feeling great!!! I take my vitamins when I can, but I am trying to find time to sit down and fill my weekly vitamin box thing. It is still winter, but it is beginning to heat up. The Cold did not last for long. The rest will be hot/dry season the hot/wet season. Its seasons are way different. I think that is why I was getting sick last time because my body was so used to our climate. The Flat is nice, but we might move soon. I still have water, last time we had no water because of the waterboard. 7 months have just flown by. Things are just crazy!!! I feel like I am a member here now.

The week has been great!!! I am still learning a lot. I am doing my best. Elder Mabe leaves a week from today. So that will be depressing. But, the work is great. I am improving. I am doing my best to be a good missionary you can be proud of. 

Sister Natashais leaving for Ghana

-Connor and I were talking about Faith in a few emails-

I am grateful for your remarks. If I were to act in the manner described, then I would not be sufficiently humble. If I am to no longer be teachable, I will no longer progress. If I can no longer progress then I might as well be damned. I think that is why humility is so important. Because if we are not humble, we truly damn ourselves. But, I love Faith. I love the Faith of the Brother of Jared in the verses of Ether 12:20-21. Having such an incredible Faith that you can no longer be kept without the veil. It makes me think about the Faith that is required to receive revelation. The more Faith we have, the more our father can pierce the veil and speak unto us.

New members getting baptized showing their faith in the Lord

Kupus (New Mission President) are wonderful!! They brought their son named Junior. He is about 17 and is preparing for a mission. He is insane though. The Kupus are gigantic though. When Pres Kupu speaks it is like hearing the roar of a great mountain!!! But, they are so gentle and so kind and are incredibly close to the spirit. I am super excited to work with them!!! I talked to Sister Kupu for a while in between interviews. We got to learn all about Tonga and how more than 50% is Mormon. I hope I can visit someday. They say in Tonga to show appreciation for others you give them food. They are super funny too. Very relaxed happy people. Pres Kupu gave us all hugs and he has big plans for Malawi. He wishes to create a stake. I am so excited. 

Connor and Junior

The new president is awesome!!! I am so happy to work with him!! He is super Tongan. I love his accent. His son is funny. He said Elder Kobyana looks like Obama and Elder Tshabalala looks like the guy from big mama. I think I will be in this area for quite a bit longer. Possibly 3 more months. But, I will serve wherever the Lord wants me to serve. I find that no matter what I am given to deal with, it is easy to accomplish as long as I am humble enough to rely on the Lord. I love the feeling the Spirit gives me. I love relying upon it for my speech. I have stated it many times but it is because I enjoy it so much. 

President and his Wife visit Connor's area, no need to be so serious...

That's more like it, with the Mormon started Shaka

Connor and Sister Kgwetiane... she is going home. Hard to see new friends leave the mission

Missionaries always tell me how while on your mission you will notice great blessings come to your family while you serve. I see those blessings and I am thankful for them. I know I can continue to trust the Lord with my family as you have trusted me with him. What better hands to be in than the Lords!?

Elder Mabe is feeling better. I am very excited, but he is going home so soon. But, he is an amazing sport as he does his very best to not think of home. I think that as we continue to work together we can accomplish great things with the help of the Lord. But, he leaves on the 9th of August! It is way too soon!!! I am going to miss my best friend. But, his family will be very happy to have him.

I have already been out for 6 months, so mission is too short. Elder Mabe is going home this transfer now, so in August. I think I will be here even after that so I have many more months to work in this area. But, a mission is not about me, it is about the Lord, his work, and Gods children.

Finding joy in simple things like grass milk with sugar... what a treat.

I love the idea of supporting each other. We even know that the first saints to come into the Utah Salt Lake Valley were able to survive because they shared with each other. Because they were able to show each other that love. It reminds me of Jacob 2:17-19. That we share with each other so that we are all rich together. That we will seek for riches so that we can benefit others, not ourselves. This week I was able to give a priesthood blessing to a sick member. I sealed the anointing. I love the awesome power of the priesthood and I now hope that I can value having that power more than I value the things of the world. I know the power can only come through righteousness, by having the Spirit.

More simple things... The joy of some banana bread made his week

I have also seen a wonderful example of a member in our branch. His name is Brother Tsegula. He was telling us how when he hears missionaries coming to his door, he hears the footsteps of Christ. That when we knock, it is as if he is knocking. He went on to tell us how grateful he is for his trials. How excited he is for the mountains he must climb, for he knows the growth and strength he will receive if he does well. I hope that I can look at my trials and temptations the same way he does. That I can climb those mountains. 

Well, Fourth of July has been interesting. Got to play soccer with the other Elders though. It was nice. This week has been pretty slow since we have our new mission president and transfer news comes this friday. It is funny though, if I do not get transferred, I will be here for a long time, but it is nice. 

I do not know if you got the pictures but I went to a wildlife Game reserve called Majete! I saw a Lion eating a warthog from 20 feet away! It was sweet! But, it is not super common to see a Lion. I also saw buffalo, hippos, crocodiles, baboons, elephants, sebo, impala, waterback, warthog, and others!!! But no hyenas!!! I think Kylie is going to be disappointed!!! (Kylie asks Connor each week if he has seen a hyena) But, this is something I hope the family can come and enjoy someday!!! The jeep, hopefully you can see, is completely open. It was so cool!!! We went with the Zone Leaders so we made a little family of our own. It was fun.

A little close for Mom's comfort in an open Jeep

Small African Lizard

No Jungle Cruise here... this is the real deal

The very rare Horned Elder

I was very happy to talk to my President. I just hope I can be the example I am needed to be. My hope is that my little siblings can be better than me. That they will do the things I did not do. They will be more loving, caring, and better people than I am. That is why I hope that even when I return home I will do my best to keep that image for them so that they won't get discouraged. 

This week has been very nice. Seeing Joyce get baptized, we went to a nice dinner for Elder Tshabalalas 23rd birthday!!! It was awesome!!! I love the Elders in this zone! We get along very well. Today we were also able to hike up Soche mountain with a braii stand and cook meat at the top!!! It was so fun and cool! 

BBQ with a view... and a knife

A few days ago there was a little boy in town who was missing one leg so he used 1 crutch like Little Timmy. It was so sad to see as he asked us for food. For money. But, we are not allowed to give money to people or it will ruin peoples idea about missionaries. The only comfort I have is from Alma 11:43. It is nice to know that his body will be restored, no more will he suffer from the things that ail him. I just hope with all my heart that he will be comforted and strengthened by the Lord. It is sad to see what children deal with here. Asking for money, in pain, even having bad examples like when we passed an alcohol stand with drunk people and children were just sitting right there watching. It was about 50 feet from a primary school. We told the mothers that were sitting right there that they should send their kids home. The mothers just laughed though.  

Things can be delightful, and things can be sad. But I know there must be opposition in all things so that we can learn and experience what the Lord wishes for us to. 

He always finds a silver lining...

Thanks again for following Connor's journey. Our Family has been blessed because of his example. We are closer to our Savior, our faith has grown, and we feel your love and support. We hope this blog makes you smile, and in some small way makes your days a little brighter. Hopefully we can all be a little more like Brother Tsegula and be thankful for our trials. I also hope we can all find ways to support each other during those trials so we can smile together.

Love,

Hollingsworth Family