November 28, 2011

Well, I have been here for just over 2 months and it seem like the days are just going faster and faster.  It feels like I just got to Zambia yesterday.  It is the rainy season here and the weather is very nice.  It rains here almost every day.  With the rain there is mud, lots and lots of mud.  Yesterday, it was extremely muddy, and as a result we got stuck in the mud.  We had the whole zone here trying to get us out of the mud.  We did eventually get out, but was not easy.  I have some fun pictures of our adventure in the mud.  I will send them when I can.

On Saturday we had our day of service.  We helped some of the elderly members with cleaning.  Service is great, I enjoy being able to help others, I am so thankful that I am healthy and can help others in need.

I have not received any letters for about 2 weeks.   I enjoy everyone’s letters and hopefully I will be getting some more soon!

November 21, 2011

Zambia is amazing.  You have not seen Africa until you come to Zambia! The people here are humble and survive on the most basic items.  People in America who have not had the opportunity to travel to Africa have no idea what is like over here.  I can’t really explain it in words, but it is humbling.  I am more grateful for the things that I have been blessed with in my life, for example running water, basic food, appropriate medical care, and basic housing.

We finally got our money and I was able to buy some food and I was grateful.

It is starting to cool off here.  It has just started into the rainy season.  It rain here like crazy.  I have never seen so much rain.  So far we have been lucky and have been able to take cover in member home before we are totally soaked.  That has been a real blessing!

Last night, we had braai (pronounced BRY)—Afrikaans for barbecue at our branch presidents house.  It was a lot of fun.  It was a celebration for his 68^th birthday.  We ate a ton of food.  It was lots and lots of meat, along with music and dancing.  It was like another “P” day for us.  It was a lot of fun to just hang out and relax.  I am going to send some pictures soon.

At the end of this month we are planning on going to a game preserve for our zone activity.  I am excited about that.  It should be a great adventure!!

11/14/2011

Everything is going great here in Chinama.  We live about two miles away from our area.  It is a nice walk, however it is uphill all the way there but coming home is nice.  We just received our bikes today.  Our bikes are not the best but, it is fun and faster than walking. I just hope that they last for as long as we need them. Sometimes we get lost in our area (haha) but, we always find our way home. They do not have addresses here in the compounds.  So, the directions we are given consist of: I live by such and such, and that can make finding something very interesting!  We are having some problems with the missionary funds.  We should be receiving 600,000 Kwacha every two weeks, however as of right now no one in our mission has any money.  So, this week is going to be very interesting.

As for the food here, I have not eaten anything to crazy.  I did eat snake (it was actually pretty good) and nshima. Nshima is a staple food here in Zambia.  Nshima is like a cornmeal/cereal and eaten with your bare hands. The resources for food here are limited.  The food here is simple and that’s okay! I am not good at making anything complicated.

My new camera is not working.  I am really upset about it breaking.  Camera’s here are very expensive (for a decent one) they are about one million kwacha which is about 200.00 U.S. Dollars.  However, before my camera stopped working I was able to take some amazing photos.  I will post them as soon as I can.  I will need to purchase a new camera soon so I can keep sending pictures. Everyone will have to be patient for pictures.

Right now we are currently teaching a pastor. He is amazing and we are starting to make some progress with him.  He knows the scriptures well and we have really enjoyed working with him. It is so amazing how the spirit of the Lord directs us.  I am so amazed at how we have been able to answer his questions and the impressions I feel to say something or share a scripture that is exactly what he needs to hear.  The power of the spirit is so awesome.

It is nice to get letters from everyone and I really enjoy them so much. Keep writing :)

11/7/2011

I made it to Zambia.  I am serving in Chinama. I am learning Kinganja and I am really good at this language.  My companions name is Elder Santana.  Elder Santana is from Zimbabwe.   Chinama covers a large area and it has been difficult because neither of us know the area, however we are getting a lot of help from the branch missionaries.  We walk about 8-10 miles a day. The weather is hot and humid we jokingly call it Satan’s inferno (ha ha).

We are working in the compounds because that is where most of the members and investigators are located.  The compounds are extremely poor.  The poverty here is like nothing I have ever seen before.   I cannot even express how poor these people are and how they survive on what they have is beyond comprehension. These people have nothing, live in6x6 mud huts with dirt floors, and there is trash everywhere.  Due to the extreme poverty you cannot trust a lot of people or the water.  The camel pack I bought before I left has been one of my best investments.

I am doing well.  However, the work here is difficult and sometimes I struggle to make it through the day.  Some days I just want to sleep when we get back home, but we still have to go over the day, plan for the following day, and then study. We do not have a washing machine and I take a shower in a bucket.   The letters and e-mails help me through the week and I very much enjoy them.   Keep sending letters!

I think about my family daily and appreciate everything that I have been given.  Living here and seeing the extreme poverty really makes me appreciate my family and the things that I have.