So yesterday was a national holiday so that's why we didn't hear from Elder Lynn. So much of his e-mail is in response to my e-mail to him that I thought I would post parts of mine first, and then his after.
Dear
Elder Lynn,
I can hardly believe January is already gone! We just celebrated Christmas and
the New Year and now it's time for valentine's day. I really don't know where
the time goes. Did you get your things that we sent with the auditor? The
reason we sent so many pictures of you is that you said the people like to see
what you were like when you were younger. And I really thought they should see
your long baseball hair!!
So President Kretly put two pictures up from zone conference. He only put up
one of them in an elder's apartment and it was yours! Maybe yours was the only
one they visited. Great picture!! Did you have the house all cleaned? There was
also a picture of the whole zone. I only have one question. Why are you always
hiding on the back row???
We had Phil and Pam Johnson over for supper last night and had the best visit.
They were here for three hours and I couldn't believe when they left that it
had been that long. We learned so much about Mozambique and shared your pictures
with them. They freaked out when they saw the chameleon on the back of your
head!!! Are you quite certain they aren't poisonous? Anyway, it looks like they
are going to be able to bring your shorts, shirt and wash cloths. They don't
have a space problem, but weight. So as long as they have about 14 ounces to
spare they will be able to bring you those things. We gave them your phone
number too and she said that it is usually on Mondays that she goes into Beira.
They are going to be there for about three and a half months. She says she
typically sees the missionaries in Beira alot getting groceries.
Wouldn't it be something if you got
transferred to Dondo?? They were wondering if you know what cell phone carrier
you use. I don't think it really matters, they were just curious. And they also
wondered what the name of that hand sanitizer is that you use once a day. They
work in the hospital alot helping to take care of patients with AIDS. I am
shocked at the large percentage of the population there that suffer from aids.
And the little children! It is such a heart breaker. After visiting with them I
am so excited to know that we will be coming to pick you up. What an amazing
opportunity it will be! We need to pray for good health.
So how are things going back in your old area? Have you found any new people to
teach? Did Felizardo and Dorca ever get baptized? Has she taken up being your
second mom again? Have you seen Tercia yet? I hope we get to meet their family
when we come. And what about the man that had two wives? Did anything ever get
settled with him? I didn't realize until visiting with the Johnsons that
polygamy is actually fairly common there?? Between that and most people not
being legally married, that's why there are so many with aids.
So Pam Johnson said that for sure we need to go to the Gorongosa National Park
when we come. She says it should be calmed down enough from the elections by
then to be safe to go there. It sounds like it would be pretty incredible to
see. Oh, and she was saying that seeing monkeys and baboons is like just a
daily thing there. Do you see at least the monkeys pretty regularly?
Well, life is good. We are so blessed. Heavenly Father loves us and hears and
answers our prayers. He loves His children in Mozambique and loves that you are
teaching and helping them. Our happiness and eternal life are His main design
and He wants us to return to live with Him. As a parent I can totally
understand that. Like you said, He is hastening His work because He wants all
of His children to return home to live with Him.
I love
you and hope and pray that you are well and happy. Keep the faith, build the
kingdom and follow the rules.
Love you tons!
Mom
So
yes the package arrived in Maputo with the auditor but unfortunately the
Assistants forgot it when they came up so hopefully they will be sending it up
here before too long! Haha he went to the zone leaders houses. So he went to
the one in Beira and then our house and luckily our house was pretty clean.
Unfortunately, we didnºt have any water to clean dishes and so the kitchen was
dirty but they understood. And I always just end up in the back haha but I dont
mind... its just a picture haha.
Haha
you can tell them that the natives have no idea what they are talking about.
Chameleons are literally the most harmless animal. The natives are scared of
them because of old stories that were told from a long time ago about them
having venom. When they bite, its just feels like velcro. We have been bit
before and nothing even happens haha. Whenever we find them we love just having
them chill on our hand while we walk with them. Nice! We all go grocery
shopping every monday so I am sure she does see lots of missionaries. we should
have no problem meeting up there. Our cell phone carrier is Vodacom. And we use
Biosense for our hand sanitizer. It truly is sad how common aids is here. Its
super sad. Whenever I have an investigator sick, I always worry that they have
AIDS. I dont see monkeys super often but they are definitely there. I would
love to go to Gorongoso!!! We always hear so much about it but we never can go
obviously so I would love that. Thats where like all the animals are at. And
ya, hopefully by then things have calmed down in the districts out there so we
can go out there.
So
things are going super well in our area. We have ran into a little stumbling
block of finding new families but we just gotta keep working hard and the Lord
will help us. Unfortunately Felizardo and Dorca have not. Dorca is still very
strong but Felizardo has kinda lost force and also hasnt been home for a couple
months so we are waiting for him to get back home. The man with two wives is
really close right now to getting married and baptized. We are really pushing
for March 1st or March 8th, it will just depend on documents. I have seen
tercia but not a ton lately cause we have been working some other areas lately.
Ya polygamy is fairly common. And not being married is the norm. I have
actually never taught a family where they were legally married before we taught
them. I actually have only met about one family outside of the church who was
legally married. If they are, they are normally a part of the catholic church.
So
this last week. If I could sum up this past week and give it a title, I would
title it, HUMBLE PIE. What is humble pie? Humble pie is when little things you
take for granted, are taken away from you and you realize how much you need the
Lord. So last monday when Elder Hamilton came we didnºt have any water, which
happens every once and a while, not a big deal. Then tuesday we still didnºt
have water. Then tuesday night, we woke up in the middle of the night and the
energy had gone out. When it goes out we normally just expect it will be back
on in a few hours. But now we are a whole week from last week and we still dont
have energy in Manga! Beira luckily has energy so we can still email but we
havent had water or energy for a week at our house. So wednesday of last week,
Elder Ensaldo and I, (he is my zone leader) we went to the church that had
water and we filled up big tanks of water to take home so we could take bucket
showers and stuff. And on the way to the church we found a chameleon which is
why we have another picture with him haha. But anyways we filled up big things
of water to take to our house and then we went and bought tons of drinking
water. Meanwhile all our food went bad cause it was in the fridge that didnºt
have power, so we ate lots of bread and I ate dried ramen and noodles haha.
Unfortunately also, its blasting hot here right now, so our house is like an
oven. One night an elder who had a thermometer measured and our house was 96
degrees at night time. So no one has been sleeping cause we are all pouring
sweat. So we tried some interesting things. One night we tried sleeping outside
with our mosquito nets hung over us but it was still pretty warm and the
misquitos still attacked us. One night I poured water all over myself and then
hopped into bed hahah. And now, we cant get ahold of our investigators cause no
one can charge their phones. So we have been doing our best to just visit who
we can during the day. But anyways, none of us were sleeping much so we finally
got it approved by president and now every night we go to the chapel in Beira
and there are 8 of us from manga who sleep in the relief society room haha
where there is good AC. hahaha its like a sleep over every night. We arent sure
how long the power outage will last but we have heard possibly untill the 15th
of this month. So we are learning to adjust! So through all this we really
learned how the people here live. They dont have AC, or running water or any of
that. And yet they still just go on. Its a tough life. And it has really
humbled me. When the simple things like running water and electricity are taken
away, you really get dependent on heavenly father again. I am liking bucket
showers now though because its so hot I want to take a cold shower haha. Oh and
then yesterday we were on our way to manga again and it started raining on us
when we didnºt have boots or our umbrellas so we got soaked and then I ended up
having to take off my shoes and socks to get through the flooded streets haha.
So humble pie, that is what I have been eating lately. We also emailed today
because yesterday was a holiday and nothing was open so pday got moved to today
this week.
Well
I love you so so much! I put some pics on of our sleep over haha... I love you!
Love,
Justin
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