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

Photo's

December 2012

I hope that everyone is enjoying the holiday season! I hope that in the busy holiday season that people take the time to remember the true meaning of Christmas.  I hope that everyone can be with their families, help others, and renew their faith in our Savior Jesus Christ. 
"Born in a stable, cradled in a manger, He came forth from heaven to live on earth as mortal man and to establish the kingdom of God. During His earthly ministry, He taught men the higher law. His glorious gospel reshaped the thinking of the world. He blessed the sick. He caused the lame to walk, the blind to see, the deaf to hear. He even raised the dead to life. To us He has said, 'Come, follow me.'
"As we seek Christ, as we find Him, as we follow Him, we shall have the Christmas spirit, not for one fleeting day each year, but as a companion always. We shall learn to forget ourselves. We shall turn our thoughts to the greater benefit of others" (Thomas S. Monson, "In Search of the Christmas Spirit," Ensign, Dec 1987, 3).
I love you!!
Happy Holidays
Elder Jasper

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November 2012

Nov. 6
This week has been interesting.  Due to the security issues here they are putting in our new security system.  We now have motion sensors at our flat.  If it gets tripped the security comes right out with what is similar to a SWAT team in the US.  As I said in previously in emails there have been a lot of break-ins into the houses here as well as in the Lilongwe area.  The word from Salt Lake is that if there are anymore robberies in the area or at the flats then they are going to close the country and take us out of Malawi.  We have a few new rules. They are: only carry a little bit of money, but enough to have if we meet any thief’s, we have to be home by dark to avoid being robbed.  The crime is up due to the devaluation of the Kwatcha (money) and there is a big food shortage. The food will run out by the end of this year.  As a result, the prices for food are going higher.  As a result, the people are more desperate for money and when they see us, they think we have money.  I am sad for the people here and to see their suffering.  The people here are good.  They are just so poor and desperate they are only trying to survive.
Otherwise, everything else is going pretty good. In addition, we have a baptism for the 24 of November.  I am excited about the baptism and fell that the work here is going well.
Love you,
Elder Jasper

November 12-26
On November 12 we hiked Michiru Mountain today and went to the Hyena Caves.  That was awesome.  Hyenas are very fast!  I must say I was quite impressed.
Here in Chewa is the national language of Malawi. I have been speaking Chewa most of the time.  Sometimes it is hard for me to remember English.  Someone asked me what something met in English the other day and I really had to think about it.  Wow! That was a bit surprising to me.  I hope I don’t need to go back to elementary school when I get back home (LOL).  It’s a good think I read my scriptures in English and write my family in English!!
I will be here in Malawi for awhile.  I am still training a missionary. I will most likely be in Malawi until around February.  However, I might train again after I am finished training this missionary.  We are supposedly getting another twenty missionaries between now and March!!  We will have up to 60 missionaries in the mission. 60 missionaries will seem like quite a lot considering that we only had forty before.  
Elder Jasper

October 2012

10/8/2012
I am doing well.  It is getting extremely hot here.  I feel like I am melting.  There is of course no air conditioning here and it makes it difficult to sleep here at night. But, hey I guess that is all part of the experience here.  My new companion is Elder Majafe from Botswana. We have just been looking for new investigators in our area.  Our next baptism is on the 24 of October.  We are looking forward to that.
10/22/2012
I am doing well. We did not get to watch conference this weekend but we will watch it next week. I am excited about watching conference and am excited to hear the messages from our leaders.  I had my interview with the mission president on Saturday. My interview went well.   Tomorrow is our Zone Conference.   I am looking forward to that as well. 
How is the weather in Utah?  It is HOT, HOT, HOT and extremely HOT here!! (LOL) It is so hot that I have a hard time sleeping at night. Last night, I think I fell asleep around two in the morning. 
The missionaries in Lilongwe are staying with us here in Blantyre they have been having problems with people breaking in at night and robbing them.   The office in Salt Lake said if it happened again and they would pull them out of the area.   Recently, the couple missionaries were robbed by the police!!!  As a result, they are staying with us until they can up a security system.  They want to put motion sensors, an alarm system,   and four security guards at night, and burglar bars on the doors.  Currently, we have a big wall around our house with barb wire. Until they get all of the security precautions set up the missionaries from Lilongwe will be staying with us. The reason why people are being robbed is because of the devaluation of the kwacha and there hasn’t been an increase in anyone’s salary.  In addition, they have a maize shortage, the food will run out by the end of the year and they won’t harvest until March. As a result, a lot of people will suffer. It is hard to see the people here suffer.  They are so humble and work so hard for what they have.  I hope that a solution can be found that will help the people here.
 Anyways, that’s all for today love you all Elder Jasper