Parents Note: Elder Williams has been blessed with great friends. All of them are currently serving missions throughout the world. Before they left, they agreed to write a letter to each other that can be sent in a newsletter every quarter. This weeks letter was the only letter we received due to a slow internet connection in Matola, Mozambique:
Well Hello Friends!
It has been a long time since I have written to all of you. I hope and pray that all of you are enjoying these two years and having very successful missions. I will be excited to read and hear about the experiences you are all having, all over the world.
For me, I am doing well and I love the place in which I serve. Never, in my whole life, have I been as happy as I am over the past 18 months. I have had many experiences. Some crazy, some funny, some scary, some frustrating, and many spiritual as well. I have served in a total of 4 areas on my mission and I grow a love for each area more than the previous. I am currently serving in an area called Matola. And I have been here for almost 6 months now, which is longer than I've served in any other area. It is the suberb of the countries capital Maputo. There are tons of people out here! I believe there are about one million people in the suberb of Matola.
As some of you may already know, the country of Mozambique has seen many miracles in the work here. The church is very new here. There are no stakes, and only 2 districts in total. But many missionaries are working hard and we have gotten to the point where these two districts, are ready to become stakes. It has been an amazing opportunity to be one of the pioneers in this country in misisonary work.
We do lots of contacting. Everyone believes in Christ, and it is very easy to find people that are willing to hear our message. Then the majority of them, are strong in their church and won't leave. Even if they receive an answer. Being in Africa, there are many churches the are big into witchcraft and spirits and stuff. So for some people, it is easy to recognize the truth when they see it.
I've been serving as the Zone Leader for almost 6 months now, so I've had the chance to help in the training of church leaders here. There are a few returned misisonaries, but other than that, the church is being led by recent converts. In this mission, we focus on familes. Over the past 10 months, the mission has baptized 172 complete familes. It has been a miracles to be apart of it.
I have learned a lot about the Love our God has for his children since I have started my mission. I know he loves us, and that he is in front of this work.
i have also grown a love for the Book of Mormon. I know that it contains the truth of the things we need to do to be happy and to gain eternal life. I invite all of you to make the most of this time we have! It goes by fast. Here in time we'll all be home thinking about these past 2 years. I love you all and miss you!
Elder Willliams
