May 2013

5/6
Hello,
Things are going pretty good. For my birthday, I am having the sisters make some Texas sheet cake that will be pretty awesome! The President told me last year: "One more year and you will be legal." I said Legal for what President; kids start drinking here when they are twelve.  I don’t think they really care what age you are, they usually send their ten year old children to buy them beer in the market.  Anyways, I think maybe I will eat out on Friday. There is a nice restaurant here called Spur. My time here seems short, but still seems far away.  However, time is going by pretty fast.  I think it is because I am with another experienced missionary. I don’t have to teach him what to do, he just knows. The teaching is great, because we are both experienced it run a lot smoother.  I think that makes is go by fast. 
Now that I am the Zone leader I make the rules.  I don’t have a Zone leader breathing down my neck saying: do this and do that!  Some Zone leaders are so tight, they are just like Robots, but I am a pretty chill person.  I work hard during the day and then relax and have fun in the evening.  Some missionaries don’t understand that sometimes that it’s okay to have fun.  Without having some fun it makes their missions really long. 
I wouldn’t mind staying in this area until I finish.  The couple’s missionaries want to move us to an unsafe place.  It is a lot like a ghetto in the U.S.  My companion and I already talked about it, and we won’t stay in that house.  If they want us to stay there then they are going to have to transfers us and remove us as zone leaders.   I don’t think they will it states right in the white hand book "housing should be Safe, clean and economical it should allow you to Maintain your Privacy and the dignity of your calling." so they can’t argue with me.
That’s all for now
Love Devin

April 2013

4/1
Easter was okay.  My companion has Malaria and a Urine Infection so we have been home. We did have a BBQ last night that was good.
Malaria is like the common flu here.  In fact, it is hard for you to come here and not get it. I am use to Malawi and Malaria.  My body is use to it but, he has only been here a few weeks so I think that is why he got it. However, it is pretty treatable you can get rid of it in three days with medication.  It is only when you don’t go to the doctor when it worsens and goes from stage 1 to 2, and then into cerebral Malaria.  If you don’t go in for treatment, it will kill in just over a week.  It is sad because, a lot of people don’t have money to the private clinics and the public hospitals they don’t have medication,  so they just refer you to a private clinic to get the medicine.  However, most people don’t have money to buy the medication so they end up suffering.  It is hard to see people suffer.
Driving in Africa can be more dangerous than Malaria.  Driving here is like the bumper cars at Lagoon. People just do whatever they want; the police don’t have vehicles, so even if they make a traffic violation they aren’t going to catch them.  It s just so strange, I think I’ll be the best driver ever after this!!
That is all I got for now till next week
 Love Devin.
4/8
I am doing pretty well.  We went to a dinner appointment last week to the Collins. They are an American couple.  He is from California and his wife is from Provo. I don’t know if you remember Mrs. Kramer she taught me math in Sixth grade.  Anyways, that was his wife’s mother. It is a small world!
 I keep the car pretty clean everyone seems to be amazed to ride in a nice clean car all the time I don’t think they know what to do. Thanks to Dad I learned quite a bit from him. I hate dirty cars.
 I had President and Sister Padovich get some Scripture cases from South Africa. One is made out of Crocodile, one out of Elephant, and the other Ostridge.  I got one for everyone they are awesome.  They have an imprint of the continent of Africa. 

4/15
I am doing pretty well.  The time seems to go by pretty fast here. I received a package from Donna the other day along with the one that you sent.   Hopefully, the other one comes soon.
 We will have some baptisms soon!! I think we will have about 12 of them. Lilongwe baptizes a lot.  Currently, we are teaching the chief.  We have taught him twice, but we will see how it goes.
 We are planning a trip to go to Lake Malawi; it is the 8th biggest lake in the world. The Tanzanians are saying that part of the lake is theirs and are claiming it.  Malawi says it is theirs; they are fighting, because they have discovered that there is oil in the lake.  The Tanzanians are only claiming the part that has the oil. They never had a problem the Lake, until they found oil.  People are funny sometimes.
 Tell Donna thanks for the package I enjoyed it. It got here pretty fast, she sent it the end of March but she sent it to Blantyre though. I think they might be a bit better about it.
Well that is all i have for this week love you all
 Devin
4/22
Well, things are great!  We went to Lake Malawi today (8th biggest lake in the world) It was pretty cool The scenery was great. It was about a two hour drive to get there.  It is in Salema,  if you wanted to look up the resort where we were at then you can.   We did a hike and that was pretty cool.  Transfers will happen again soon, probably near the end of May. This might be my last area. I might get a new companion but same area. I am happy where ever I am.
From your favorite missionary
Elder Jasper.

4/29
Things are going pretty good. We are still staying at the same place. They have not yet split the branch; I imagine that they will do it when President Padovich comes again in May.
I have been thinking about college. I am feeling motivated to get back into school when I return.  I am still feeling like medical school will be a good path/career choice for me.  I am hoping to get right back into the grove of college when I return.
I hope that you have a great week!!
Elder Jasper

March 2013

3/4
I am doing well.  I will be serving in Lilongwe.  We will be driving down there tomorrow.  I will be driving now since I will be the Zone leader.  I am just going to be super busy now. doing all sorts of stuff. Lilongwe is the capital city of Malawi.  However, it you can believe it, Blantyre is more developed that Lilongwe.  Lilongwe It is more like a village.  My new area is called Kuwhale and it is definitely a village. It has been dry here and with the heat it has been super dusty.  I have found that for the most part, Africa is super Dusty.
 My new companion will be Elder Govidisami .  He is an Indian, but he is from Durban South Africa. I met him once in Zambia, he is a young missionary but he is smart. We will be busy this week dealing with all of the logistics, since many people will be moving out and coming here.  We have to get everyone situated in their perspective areas and make sure everything runs smoothly.
 Today we are going to hike Soche mountain today.  That should be fun.  I was with Elder Muthoka from Kenya Elder Fairbanks from Highland and Elder Ngobeni from South Africa last night and we made Chapattis which are like tortillas but, they make them African style.  I will make them for everyone when I come home and we can eat burritos I guess( haha).

3/8
I am doing well; being a zone leader is a bit busy. Today they are rioting because the opposition party wanted to remove Joyce Banda.  They went with the police to arrest her, but the military surrounded her house so they couldn't get to her.  Then they arrested the leader of her opposition party, who is a son to the previous president of Malawi.  Anyways, there was some violence around the cities, as a result we are on lock down, but we were allowed to go to a small store to shop for the week. So, we were very busy today running missionaries to and from places.  I am driving- driving quite a bit now just doing stuff for the zone.  . It is difficult being a zone leader it is a lot of responsibility I feel overwhelmed at times especially today I have to prepare tomorrow for zone meeting and make zone goals and help the zone to progress. I will have a lot of work to do when I get back seems over whelming.
We did have 4 baptisms on Sunday that was nice.  Families are a gift from God that lasts forever through sacred ordinances preformed in his holy house. How great is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ

3/18
Yeah this zone leader thing is busy we drive around a lot. We drove 88 miles in one day just doing errands and stuff, but we still managed to get 30 lessons this week! I don’t know if I told you or not that last week we had four baptisms. That is exciting. 
There is a lot of crime in the area. For example, we had our car window smashed by some crazy dude in our area. He threw a metal rod through the window.  Then, my companion drove the truck into a drainage ditch that only took twenty five men to lift it out. That was yesterday, not to mention it was raining (pouring) and I was soaked.  This week is just been crazy. 
 Well, it is getting down to the final countdown.  I only have a short time left here, only six months. It doesn’t seem like I have been away for so long. The difficult thing about being a zone leader is trying to keep a zone unity (missionaries getting along) we have had a few bumps in the road already.  Looking after each and every missionary and making sure they are doing what they are suppose to be doing.  The one thing that I have to realize is that I will not be able to be everyone’s friend because they don’t like it when you correct them a bit. I am grateful for my companion. My companion is good; he is smart and knows a lot of doctrine. 
I am hopeful we will be able to go to Lake Malawi for our Zone activity, but we have to wait till we get the other car back it is being repaired.  When we get the car back we should be able to go we have zone conference next week.
Devin.

Feburary 2012

Well, it is the rainy season here.  It seems like it rains 24/7.  When I wake up.....it's raining.  When I go to sleep.....you guessed it! It’s RAINING!!  I had to get a new hand book because mine had mold in it because of all the rain.   Speaking of the rain, with the rain there is a lot of bugs. 


BUGS!!

 

DINNER!!!

The rain makes everything so green.  However, it has rained so much here that the heavy rains are destroying the crops.   I hope that it will let up some and the crops can be saved.

 

Baobab Tree

These Trees are HUGE!

We just finished up our Zone Conference.  The theme for conference was taken from 1Samuel 17..."Who is your Goliath?" What holds you back... "Is there not a cause?" I had great time learning about our "cause".  As we work together we will make a difference.  I am blessed to be a missionary.

Transfers will come at the end of February or the beginning of March.  I am not sure if I will be transferred or remain here in Malawi for now.
I am glad to hear that everything is going well at home.   It sounds like lots of changes are happening with the new house, the twins going to a new school, and Bryce joining the Navy.   Change can be scary and is difficult for most people.  Most of us don’t want to leave our comfort zone.  However, changes happen daily.   Most changes are for the best some are not.  Change reminds me of missionary work.  If you dare to take the step into the unknown the blessing that you receive on the other side our great.  We are changing to become more Christ like.  Keeping the commandments is one example of that helps us to change, to become better, and to be more Christ like.  For people in the LDS faith we are required to give up coffee, tea, tobacco, 10 percent of our income, and our time.  We are required to sacrifice some thing.  Some wonder….when will my sacrifices pay off.  Sometimes our sacrifices will not pay off until after this life when we return to our father in heaven and inherit our exaltation, and triumph over all our enemies. 
That is all for now, Love and miss you!!
Elder Jasper

Wild Life

January 2012
This month I have been doing well.  However, I have been sick with a bit of the flu.  I am doing better now.  It has rain quite a bit here.  Some of the streets look more like rivers when it does rain. 
On January 21st we had our zone activity.  We went to Majete Wild Life Reserve Game Park.  It was great. The drive there was also pretty cool. We saw lots of big game animals and a beautiful water fall.  On Thursday we had to stay indoors because people were protesting about the devaluation of the kwatcha and no increase in pay.  The protests here can be violent. For example, when they protested in 2011, 27 people were shot and killed.  So, we went to the Shields (the couple’s missionaries) and stayed there for the day.
 We are getting a new mission president in June, because President Padovich is getting released.   I want to go to the hospital tomorrow to have my shoulder looked at it is bothering me.  I don’t know what I did but it feels like a muscle tear or a really bad strain.  I will go tomorrow morning. 
 We are supposed to be getting some more missionaries between now and March. That will be great!! So, I might train again and that would be great.
Well, that is all for now love and miss you all
Devin

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