Maputo - Week 101

Looks like mom got me back pretty good on the subject heading... I was pretty nervous when I saw ''ambulance and paramedics ' as the subject. Now I know not to joke around in the future! haha sorry about that.

PD Activity in Maputo

This week was very stressful, yet very rewarding. We were very busy this week getting president's trip to Beira ready and getting zone conference ready as well. As I have said before, this zone conference we will be talking about two powerful keys to conversion. The Book of Mormon and Family History. We have been working a long time on the ''prezi'' for zone conference and we are now done with it! It took a long time... but it turned out really well. This week we finished another ''prezi'' as well which is the training that President Kretly gave this past weekend to the members in Beira and Manga on family history. They were two different presentations. I'm grateful for the opportunity I had to help with the presentations. We have received as an assignment one more prezi to make before the end of the transfer. We are going to get started on that as soon as possible. Because of a lot of zone conference preparation, we had very little time in our proselyting area this week from tuesday to friday. Including one day we weren't able to go at all. It was stressful, but it's good to know that zone conference is almost all ready to go! When we sat with president this week and looked over the presentations, he liked them a lot. I am excited to see him powerfully teach the missionaries on the importance of family history work. 

Elder Greenman

Our family home evening with Carlos and Ana went very well! We took Nelson and Luisa (progressing family) to Carlos's house it we had a lot of fun. There was so much lightening that night as well, so I think that made it more memorable. The spirit was strong as we had a little lesson on the importance of being obedient to the commandments of God. Obedience really is the only way that we can reap all the blessing the the Lord has in store for us. After the lesson we played a few games. We played ''agua na cada'' and ''batata quente'' which is hot potato. I'll have to explain these games another time. They all loved the games and they had lots of fun. It was incredible to see how much the family grew together through that small activity. The family proclamation really is true when it says that successful families are most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ and that recreational activities are also important. And at the end of the FHE, we all ate cake! It really did help their family. We plan on doing more FHE's like this in the future.

Elder Biddulph & Elder Williams

Ronaldo and Iva, continue to progress really well. We had two-very powerful lessons with them this week. We taught the Plan of Salvation with the first counselor of the branch and his wife. And it helped Ronaldo and Iva see the importance of the decisions that they make in this life. The second lesson was very powerful as well and they had many questions about repentance and baptism. That lesson specifically was very powerful. They showed up EARLY to church on sunday as well and are just missing one document. Their baptismal date is for next week... so that is the goal. It would help the branch as well since our area hasn't baptized a family in over a year. The branch needs more members out where we are working. Ronaldo and Iva would be a great place to start.

Nelson and Luisa are progressing very well as well. They will get baptized for sure! But we don't know when... They don't have money for documents and he doesn't work. They they have done so well teaching their 2 young kids how to pray and they do so well reading the scriptures together. We just need to be patient with them and they will continue to progress. 

We are working with other families as well and doing our best to help them keep their commitments and follow Jesus Christ. Following Jesus Christ is not an easy task.... but it's what we need to do to be able to have true happiness. A lot of the people we meet don't understand that. 

Some people rejected this week as well as we did street contacts. It really is so sad to see, because they don't know what they are turning down! Now I understand a little bit better when Jesus Christ said ''forgive them, for they know not what they do.''

Elder Williams & Brandao

It's sad when people hear negative things about the church. But yesterday people heard positive things about the church on TV. Mozambique TV (TVM) did a program on the church and it came out yesterday. It's the number one watched TV program in the country so everyone was able to learn a little bit about the church. My interview made it as well. Today while we were doing shopping some people recognized that I was on TV yesterday. Hopefully it doesn't become to distracting. We heard that since it came out, a pastor of another church has become interested in the message we have and will be sitting with other missionaries. We hope to see more fruits from this program.

The work continues to go on! Don't worry, I'm healthy. I got a little sick this week with a cold, but I'm almost all the way recovered. We hope to spend the next few weeks working hard on this last prezi, and preparing more families to enter into the Lord's fold. I am excited to see what these next few weeks have in store and what kinds of miracles the Lord is going to do amongst our investigators. 

I love this work and this people. I honestly believe I am one of them. I feel like the Mozambican people is way closer to my heart than the american people. I'm grateful for the chance I have to serve them. I know this work is true. Thanks for all the support that has been given to me all this time. I love you so much.

Elder Williams