July 21, 2014

The family history stuff has helped a ton!!!! Seriously! and I loved the pics of the weddings! I didn't know dad had so much style back in the day!!! I haven't gotten my package yet... not sure if it got stolen... we'll just have to wait and see. I am so sad to hear that coach stringer passed away... that would be so hard for the family being so young... That is pretty cool about the new family in the ward thathas a missionary in brazil. We'll get home around thesame time then. Ya its interesting... I truly believe that if we have righteous desires and then invoke the help of the lord, anything is possible. Before President Kretly got here, the missionaries and truly no one believed it was possible to baptize here. The branches all had around 25 people or less. WHen he got here, the missionaries literally told him, its impossible to baptize here. And then he said, no, the Lord has called us to serve here and so we know its possible.He had righteous desires and then he did all he could, we are doing all we can, and recognizing thatthe Lord will be theonly one who will truly baptize here. And since he has been here,the mission has baptized more than 370 complete families. Its not because its easier to baptize someone here. Its because the Lord needs these people for his work to go forward and we have an incredible mission president who understands that we can't do anything without the Lord, but with the Lord, miracles will happen. The only reason miracles wont happen, is if we don't have faith. But God is a God of miracles andif we have faith, miracles will always happen! All the missionaries are doing super well. Its interesting having missionaries from four different countries in theworld. America, brazil, mozambique, and south africa. Its great to learn from themand learn different cultures. Elder Juma from mozambique is always the life of the house haha. The missionary from south africa is new new. No, i still am horrible with the dialect here... some funny things from this week... this really shouldn't be funny but for some reasoni couldn't stop laughing. we were out doing contacts and we stopped a guy and went to shakehis hand, but he wouldn't shake our hand, and then we asked what his name is and he just looks at us with a dead serious face and says, "if its about church, i don't want it" and just walks away. Ithad to do with how he said it and just theway he was... I couldn't stop laughing haha.We had a new member ofthe 70here in our branch. His name is elder cumbulani or somehting like that. He is from south africa. He asked where I was from and I said wyomingand he laughed and said with his south african accent, wooo the wild west! apparently he has been to wyoming twice! Haha. He was really awesome to meet! Well i willsendpics and stuff next!I love you all lots and hope you have agreat week!

Love,

Justin

 

Some pictures of their apartment and where they meet for church