Thunder and lightening but the works goes on!
This week was pretty good! Water and electricity wise, it was much better. When we came home on Monday, we still didn't have power and more importantly, we still didn't have water! But not to worry! I'm learning self-reliance. I knew we could go and fetch water and so I told the other sisters to gather all the bottles and buckets we had in the house so we could go fetch water and we spent about an hour doing that out....and of course, about 20 minutes after we had gotten back to the house with our water, the power came back on. ALL THAT HARD WORK FOR NOTHING! But, at least we figured out a solution if we REALLY need water.
This week it was also raining every other day in the area. But what would happen is that it would be ridiculously hot for a couple hours, RAIN HARD for a couple hours (thunder, lightening, the whole deal) and go back to being hot again. Every time it started to rain or get windy, we would pray that our power would not go out and although it did, the power came back on quicker than it usually does. But on the upside, I LOVE the smell of the air right after it rains so at least my nose was happy this week(: I was thinking about it, it's going to be really difficult when I come home because everything is just there for us. We don't have to worry about water, the power going out, getting cash...since I've been here, I've just adjusted to not having things there for me. But without these simple temporal needs that are so attainable back home, I can pay attention to the beauty of my area (the skies here are SO pretty, i wish you could see the night skies because the number of stars are ridiculous!). The kids here that run around in the streets are so cute and they always yell my name when they see me and give me the biggest hugs every single time! I love the people who are so humble and so friendly. Life is hard here, but I don't think I've experienced so much peace in my life.
Investigators:
Sister Delight: We were able to teach her the Restoration today and although she hardly speaks any English, I was amazed because the entire lesson, I knew pretty much what she was saying in Shona. Although I am still learning to speak it, it was amazing that I could hear Shona and I knew what she was saying! The language barrier didn't even seem like it was there because she understood what I was asking her in my broken Shona/English and I understood her! When I asked about how she felt about the First Vision, she replied saying "When you said it, I felt like I was there too!" How beautiful is her soul and I'm so excited to have this one baptized.
Mai Nicole being baptized by her brother!
This past weekend we were able to Mai Nicole and I think she has been my favorite baptism by far. I think I've talked about her to you guys in my previous emails but she was finally able to enter the waters of baptism! Out of all my investigators, I have never met anyone how has loved the Book of Mormon the way she does. When we first started teaching her, she was not in a good place and it was sad to see her in such a condition. She wasn't happy because her marriage had turned for the worst which caused her to move in with her brother here in Mabvuku. There was also a language barrier and so when we asked her to read the Book of Mormon for the first time, she didn't really understand what she was reading. But after prayer, the next time she said she felt overjoyed because she understood everything she read and her English also started getting better! Right after her baptism, she stated how she wished she could be baptized again just so she could feel that initial joy of cleanliness and purity again and again. As she bore her testimony that day, I almost cried....and as you guys know, it takes a lot for me to cry. I felt so much joy in my heart because the woman who stood before us and bore her testimony was so different from the one I first met. This woman exuded confidence and light and you could see how joyful she was. She stated about the Book of Mormon "was a great relief in my life that lifted all the burdens I've been carrying on my shoulders for years..." The Book of Mormon really does change lives and it shows how God really does love every single one of his children.
I miss you guys and I hope everything is great back home! Can't wait to hear from you guys next week...
Sister Park
Christmas decorations are coming up in the market...and I just gave Santa Claus the Book of Mormon...also, don't mind the sign..i didn't read the sign until after i took the picture :
taking out sister well's hair...i'm getting really good at doing this
I have shorts on my head because while my companion was getting her hair done, these ladies insisted on playing with my hair because it's "so soft and straight"...well I was being nice but they added something called "hair food" that the people use here and my hair was SOOOO GREASY!! so i wore shorts so that it wouldn't get on my pillow
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