December 30, 2013

Wow I loved the pictures even though they killed me! Hahah. I cant believe its already been almost a week since we talked! The time went by way too fast when we were talking but luckily this time we only have to wait 5 months before we talk again and that is gonna be here in no time! So ya the Elders who are in the outside areas just do a phone call. I would love to go to an outside area for a while. Even though it would make the emailing hard, it would be such an amazing experience. Elder Galland was in an outside area called chimoio for one transfer and he loved it. Chimoio is a cold place, the only cold area that we go to right now so I wanna go there! Hahaha. It sounds like you guys had an amazing Christmas. I missed all the traditions of Christmas but I also learned that Christmas isnt about the traditions, its about Christ. After we skyped we watched a Christmas movie and then watched a clip of Christs birth and it was really good. It was hard being away from family but it was worth the sacrifice. Christmas day itself was a tough day. Here, the people celebrate by blasting rap music and getting drunk. So it was kinda hard for me to see them doing that on Christmas day. We found people who we love, also drinking, and it was hard but I learned a lot of important lessons. Iºm learning patience big time. A lot of times people think that as missionaries, we know everything and we know how to handle every situation, but thats very wrong haha. We are still only two 18 year olds walking around in Africa! The one down side to feeling comfortable in the language, is that when you get mad at someone, you know how to express it. I found out on the day of Christmas when I found people drinking, that it doesnºt help to get mad at them, you just need to love them and help them. But the rest of the week was pretty good. It was a battle, but we got the wedding done on saturday! It went well with little problems. The only thing that went wrong was that, he called us at like 4 in the morning freaking out cause her family was saying they were refusing to come to the wedding. Let me just tell you that as an 18 year old, I never thought I would be a marriage counselor, wedding planner, addiction helper, and missionary at the same time. He is not the only one who I have gotten calls from at early early in the morning saying he needed our help. So we went that morning and talked to her family but they said they wouldnºt come because they were muslim and it was against their religion to enter another church. So it was really sad for her. She was very sad, but in the end it was worth it. They had a little party afterwards and it went well. So just let everyone know that I have now planned two weddings on the mission so far and I made invites for this last one, so you could start up a business and when I come home Iºll run the wedding planning business haha. Then sunday after the church was the baptism. It went really really well. I baptized the wife and Elder Galland baptized the husband. Her name that I had to use to baptize her was Saquina Abdul Nampalama Ibraimo Dias hahah. Thats a mouthful! But she was so happy. She was scared of the water and wouldnºt let go of me until she was out of it haha but she was just so happy. I brought her up out of the water and she just gave a sigh of relief and then clentched onto my arm so she wouldnºt fall and just was so overwhelmed with the spirit. It was really really nice. Well I love you so much mom! You can use this to go on the blog. I sent pics of the baptism and I will send more of the wedding and other things. I love you so so much and hope you have a happy new Year!!

Love,
Justin