Count Your Blessings

I haven't had to lead the music in the entire 6 months that I have been serving in Ndirande Branch so I guess it was about time for the branch to hear my lovely singing voice:) The closing hymn was "Count Your Blessings" and as I looked out at our small but mighty branch, I couldn't help but feel so much gratitude for being blessed to serve here. I know I say that all the time but I can't express how much the Lord has been blessing us and how much JOY missionary work brings to me!!! 

                                                       Babies of the Branch

 We had a family cancel for FHE on us so last minute so we hurried and called The Chirwas and the Paselis and it was a success!!! Watipaso, who just put in his papers, taught a great lesson about developing Christlike attributes. I couldn't help but feel so grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ. I looked around at the youth in the room and felt so much excitement and anticipation for how they would grow and develop as they serve as missionaries someday! Developing these characteristics are so important and its been amazing to realize that the more I strive to lose myself in the work, the more I have grown in each attribute. I am FAR from perfect in any of them but I have definitely seen changes.  Vaida, Beauty, Joyce, Sister Chirwa were all particpating and once agian it was so great to be gathered with families who are striving to live the gospel. We had baked a box cake for refreshments and everyone could not stop talking about how good it was. We drove the Paseli's home since it was dark and when Vaida was getting out of the car she says, "We cleaned the pan with the cake in it for you!" When we got home and grabbed it out of the back seat it was licked clean!!!! Who knew a plain vanilla cake with no frosting could be so good! Mission has definitely taught me to love the simple things in life.

  Family Home Evening with the Paseli's and Chirwas

We had a lot of things going on this week that interrupted our proselyting....We had to go to the immigrationg office twice. I had forgot to tell the district member who is in charge of our visas that I needed to report to the immigration office a couple weeks ago...opps! But he was able to work it all out. I am so thankful that Malawi is so welcoming to us missionaries! Then we had to go pick up Sister Porter from the airport and her flight was 2 hours late. But it was sooo exciting to pick her up and to live with her!!! She knows a ton of people from home so its been fun. Then we had meetings with the Assistants for a total of 5 hours on Saturday which was actually mission changing!! Turns out we had reporting our key indicators wrong this whole time....we also were trained on how to make our meetings on mission more interactive and how to be more diligent in our planning and proseltying. Sister Arok and I were both bummed at first that we had to spend so much time away from our investigators and members but then we both walked away feel so encouraged and ready to work with greater enthusiasm and faith! And somehow despite all these unplanned interuptions, we had a lot of succes!! 

John Phiri hasn't drank in 8 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We went to visit him after Church yesterday and could not stop smiling the entire lesson! He is SO happy and we can see changes in him physically, emotionally and spiritually. Sister Arok and I were so humbled by the enabling power of the Atonemnet that we taught about last week with him. I have learned so much about repentance through this sweet old man. He has struggled with the Word of Wisdom for so long but has a sincere desire to change. That is all that it begins with and all that the Savior asks of us. And as we do our best, He is able to strengthen us in our weaknesses. After seeing him yesterday I felt like I could just as well come home. Seeing him come so far was amazing!!!! He is on date for September 25th and we can't wait! Oh funny story...Phiri means hill or mountain so we were talking about it with him and he said we can call him John Hill. Shout out to Bishop Hill!!

Tionge is another investigator who has been prepared by the Lord. She came to church last week and this week and loves it! We went to Young Womens with her because the other 18 year old girls are the YW leaders. We asked her to choose a song and she choose "Count Your Blessings" because she loved it so much! We saw her a couple times throughout the week and she is keeping all her commitments and has the biggest smile each time we teach her. I am amazed at how quickly she is not just learning but applying the gospel in her life. Yesterday we told her she can't drink tea anymore. She was a little shocked but after taking a minute she was determined to follow the Prophets counsel.

Joseph is still doing amazing! He received the Priesthood! After Church he was talking with Sister Arok about how much he loved the closing hymn and then he said, "Ahhh! From morning up to now?!?! I can't even begin to count my blessings!" It was only 10 am at this point. I love how happy the gospel has made him and how obedient he is. 

We found some new families this week!!!! Thank you for all your prayers! Unfortunately we couldn't meet with a lot of the families but we are excited to see them this next week. Vaida Paseli was gone all week which was weird cause we see her about everyday but then she came and worked with us yesterday. At church she told us she had something really important to tell us. Later that day she told us that she had been praying to know how to help her family and help her dad want to be taught the gospel. She hadn't received an answer but felt that the missionaries could help her.then in  sacrament meeting a talk was given about reading the scriptures as a family. She felt the Spirit so strong and knew that was what her family needed. She asked us to come a teach her family the importance of daily family scripture study. I was so touched by this young girl who is so concerned with the spiritual welfare of her family and who listens so intensely to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. She is such a great example to me!

This week flew by and I didn't even have time to write about it in my journal since Sister Arok and I have permission to stay out later and so its hard to remember all the great things.  But our area really is doing so great! We have 9 people on date for September! I am learning more and more each day as I have been focusing most of my studies on the very basics of missionary work and the gospel. I love the Book of Mormon and the special Spirit it brings into each of my days. I love you all!!!!

This week we have Mission Tour with Elder Ellis from the 70! We can't wait!!!!

Nalikutemwa Sana,

Sister Bingham

 Lunch with Sister Fellium and Sister Paseli

 Way of the Cross with My girls

The picture with Sister Arok and I is a pose that Zambian and Malawians LOVE to do and we have no idea why.......

Fun with Peace 

Agogo and Cows Feet

Ndirande Lovin

 Fun with Faith!

Transfer News: I’M STAYING IN NDIRANDE WITH SISTER AROK!!! We both already knew that but here is the exciting stuff…..Sister Brown is coming with Sister Porter to serve here in Blantyre and they are going to live with us for at least a month!!!!!!!! I can’t wait!! But also I am SO happy that I am staying in my area. Especially this past week, my love for the members quadrupled. They continue to amaze me with their strong faith and determination to live the gospel and to join us in doing the work of the Lord.

FHE: Sister Arok and I are focusing on building up the few families that we do have in our area so last week,  we did Family Home Evening with the Paseli’s and Sister Fellium. We got there and Grace was conducting. It was so cute!! She said, “We want to welcome you to Mr. And Mrs. Paseli’s family home evening”. She was so professional and serious, it made me laugh and cry at the same time! She is doing so GREAT! Then Vaida, her 15 year old daughter, gave an amazing lesson about the woman who washed the Savior’s feet with her tears and ointment. Everyone shared a few thoughts. Grace even pulled out a verse that she had read from the Book of Mormon that day. The entire time, Sister Arok and I kept making eye contact as we felt so proud and excited for this family who is becoming so strong in the gospel. I think being in this area for awhile has been the greatest blessing as it has allowed me to see the growth of recent converts, less actives, and members. It was also really great for Sister Fellium to be there to feel loved, included and part of a family as she is facing some family difficulties in her life right now.  We sisters were in charge of the games so we played charades and had them act out different animals….they all acted out every single animal the exact same way. Lol.  Later that week, we helped the Paseli’s learn how to conduct music….we were crying we were laughing so hard! But they got it…sort ofJ

Aggie Mpepe: She is progressing really well!!! We went to their house 3 different nights at 7 to teach her and her husband but he hasn’t ever been there which is a big bummer. He just lost his job so he has been busy trying to find one. We usually sit outside on small stools and buckets or on the ground because she usually complains that her home house is too small but this week she let us in. She has a 6 year old boy, Valentine who is the cutest! Every lesson, he sits there and copies everything I do. Anyways every time we are with her the Spirit is so strong. After an especially long day, every fall through was forgotten as we sat in their TINY one room home, teaching the plan of happiness revelaed through Prophets of God. I felt a new desire and love for missionary work that I never want to go away. She has been reading the Book of Mormon very slowly but almost everyday. Last night she told us that it makes her so happy and she loves it! She couldn’t come to church because she had family visiting but she accepted the invitation to be baptized on September 18^th! The cherry on top of Aggie’s lessons was that Joseph (our recent convert) has been join us. It really is amazing to sit in a lesson and hear him teach and testify of truths that just months previously we had taught him! One of the lessons, he shared a scripture that he had found a couple days before….it didn’t really connect with what we were teaching at all but it was so sweet.  Oh quick update on Joseph….he couldn’t come to church because of work. He has to work every other Sunday but this week we retaught the importance of keeping the Sabbath Day holy. He wasn’t at church yesterday but we ran into him and he was so happy to see us. He told us a 15 minute long story how he went to work on Saturday and requested to not work on Sunday and how he got in an argument and the guards ended up chasing him and all this crazy stuff. He ended up working but as soon as his shift was over he went up to his manager and said, “Money is yours. Life is mine.” Hahahah I wish you could have heard him say it but man, he is so converted to the gospel and is making so many great changes in his life!!!

Addsum: Another investigator that has been prepared by the Hand of the Lord! This week he could not stop talking about how much he loved church and how comfortable he felt and that he was the one who answered the question right in gospel principles class. I love how unique the impressions of the Holy Ghost are to each person. I love how it doesn’t matter who we are, what background we come from,  or whatever, we each are entitled to feel the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. I am so grateful for the influence of the Spirit that is guiding so many of the people in our area.  At the same time, it is so frustrating to see so many people completely ignoring those feelings! Anyways, Addsum went out of town to visit his family in the village but he called us a couple of times to let us know he has been teaching his family and friends all about the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.

John Phiri: We are so confused on what to do….this week we found him at home and he was drunk.  We set an appointment later that week sort of doubting he would be there. We stopped by and his niece said he was gone. We were really disappointed but then later that night we felt prompted to stop by. Turns out that he had been there waiting all day for us. We hadn’t planned a lesson but felt like we should read from the Book of Mormon with him. I felt we should read Alma 7 and it ended up being exactly what he needed as it taught us about the Savior’s Atonement and our duty to fear not and repent of our sins. He is still really struggling with the word of wisdom but slowly he is making progress. He ended up coming to our Mormon Helping Hands service and Church on Sunday!!! He is just so addicted to alcohol but it is a miracle how the gospel  is changing someone who has for years been struggling to overcome such a terrible thing, to now coming to church, praying and studying the scriptures. Someday he’s going to enter those waters!

Peace: She was supposed to get baptized in April but had some family problems. We talked to her mom this past week and we started teaching her again. She is the cutest. She made us lunch,  nsima with these nasty looking dried fish but we both loved it!!! I honestly love nsima now. We read from the Book of Mormon with her and then acted out the story of Nephi and Laban. Sister Arok suggested we use my water bottle as a sword and joked that she could pour the water all over me. So Peace was Nephi and I was Laban and she ended up pouring the water all over me!!! It was so funny though.

 Acting out Nephi and King Laban with Peace

 Yesterday after we taught Peace I asked her to say the closing prayer in English instead of Chichewa. She said the most sincere prayer that I have heard her say. She thanked Heavenly Father for us and asked to bless us in our missionary work. I was really touched this week by Peace’s childlike faith and humility. We had a lot of really prideful investigators and it was crazy to go teach her and how easily she understood and accepted. As I have been reading the New Testament this week, I was reminded again and again that we need to follow the Savior’s counsel in becoming like a little child. We need to be more like Peace.

Mormon Helping Hands: As a branch we went to the local “hospital” and mopped inside and swept outside. We ended up having a great turnout!! Over 40 members came. It felt so good to do a service project like that again!!! The whole time I was having so much fun with the members. In fact when I was looking back through the pictures we took, I was taken back by how white I looked! Haha when I am with them I forget that I look different. The members here make me feel so loved and a part of the branch! This week,  I thanked my Heavenly Father again and again for sending me to not only this specific mission, but to this area. It has shaped my testimony and life more than I thought possible.

Well this week was sort of a blur and I can’t believe how fast time is flying. I think I say that every week but it just goes faster and faster. But I love Sister Arok. She is really great at constantly looking for ways that we can improve. I don’t think I have ever worked so diligently or so hard. We set some high goals this past week and we got em!!! I am grateful that we aren’t always as successful as we hope or plan to be but for each and every single experience that draws us closer to Christ. I love being a representative of the Savior Jesus Christ and I am so grateful I get another week ahead of me to do His work.  

Ndimakukonda Kwambili,

Sister Bingham

Fall throughs bring forth the Blessings of Heaven

hiking

This week....I don't know where to begin or what to even say!! We had so many fall throughs. More than I ever had before but then somehow we ended up teaching more lessons this week than I ever have on mission! Diligence and faith plays such a HUGE role in missionary work and I know that if we have righteous desires and seek to do our very best, the Lord is able to provide. We taught the Restoration over 20 times this week but it was amazing to be able to adapt each lesson to the investigator's need! My testimony was strengthened each and every time that we testified that the Savior has brought back His church and restored the fullness of His gospel to the earth! My companion and I have been focusing every single lesson, no matter the concern or investigator, on the unique message of the Restoration and it has brought a lot of miracles. And my own testimony has been strengthened and its crazy how each time we teach, I learn something new. I love teaching and the challenge of making each lesson different and specific to each person. 

Last week I wrote home about finding the "Cornelious'" that the Lord is preparing for us and this week we were greatly blessed. Addsum...his name was Albert but because he was good at Maths, his dad changed his name to Addsum....We met with him twice, he came to church, and he is so excited! He cancelled one of our appointments which made us nervous but then we showed up at his house the next day and he had bought us drinks and biscuits. He is sweet. Connie continues to read from the Book of Mormon almost every single day!!! We taught her about the Plan of Salvation and she was soooo engaged and was asking so many great questions and we could just tell that she felt the Spirit. Multiple times throughout the lesson, Sister Arok and I just looked at each other because we were so happy for her!!! Then at the end of the lesson we invited her to church and to be baptized and all her doubts started to flood back. It was so hard but we need to be patient and trust that she will accept and listen to the Spirit. The same thing is sort of happening with John Phiri. We tried to see him this week and he was always gone. Then Saturday night we happened to run into him and he was really drunk. It broke my heart and I felt like giving up on him. Then he came to church on Sunday!!!! And every time we go and see him, he is so happy and talks about how blessed his life is and how he is slowly changing. He is trying SO hard to repent and overcome this addiction. It has really strengthened my testimony of the atonement of Jesus Christ. On Saturday we were lost on where to go or what to do. We had visited everyone we could think of...members and all. Then we got a call from someone we met the day before. Weird...no one calls us.....we go to his house...BTW his name is Million Chamillion. Cool I know...and we had a great lesson with him and 2 of his friends!!! Another tender mercy from the week. 

Sorry that I didn't send a great report from the week.Its hard to capture all the experience and blessings but I LOVE being a missionary!!! This week I really found a great love and gratitude to be here teaching and inviting others to come unto Christ. I am so grateful for an amazing companion who inspires me to be better. I am so grateful for the Priesthood and a true and living prophet. I am so grateful for my family and that families can be together forever!!!

I love you all!!!

Sister Bingham

 Homegirl

 The sisters of Blantyre

 Ndirande with Arok

 Comps

Know Your Leader

Mission Leadership Council, reunions with old companions, riding kabazas in Lilongwe again, sending Sister Zohner off, meeting my new companion.....this week was sort of crazy but one that was inspiring and motivating. I don't have a lot to report on but I just want to let you all know that I LOVE being a missionary, with all my heart. It's funny how I know the roads like the back of my hands, I know what each member will wear on Sunday, I know exactly how our guard will greet us each night, I know how many kilometers we will drive each day, yet there continues to be lessons learned and testimonies strengthened every hour of every day. 

Tuesday I spent the day in Lilongwe which was so great to see the sisters that side! I also was able to go to the church for district meeting which was my favorite! I got to see the Branch President but the best was Precious who was baptized right after I left there. I got to sit and talk to him for a couple minutes. Man nothing gets better than going back to your old area and seeing your investigator living the gospel faithfully. He told me about some struggles he is facing in his life but he told me that because of the gospel, he is happy! As we were walking away I said, "Precious, keep on smiling because I love your smile!" Then he said, "I love you too!!" opps....but hey it melt my heart and made me so grateful for the many people I have met here and have taught. It also reminded me of the importance of planting seeds everywhere I go. The more that I plant, the more that will grow. 

Members in Lilongwe

The one on the far right is Precious who was baptized the week after I left Lilongwe and is one of my favorites!!!

Wednesday and Thursday we had our Mission Leadership Council. Words don't really do justice for the Spirit that was there and the testimonies that were given. A lot of the focus was just being better missionaries and teachers of the restored gospel. We were there as leaders to discuss and help each other to fulfill our calling but I loved the simple reminder that my first and foremost duty is to "declare repentance". I came away from the meeting with an entire page of things I need to improve on, implement, do more of, etc. But a repeated phrase from the council was "Know Your Leader". These words stuck with me and have been on my mind a lot the past couple of days. I am grateful for the reminder I was given that it isn't me who will change anyone's life. I am not here to seek the approval of my mission president. I am not here to impress my companions or other missionaries. I am here to invite others to come unto Christ. I am here to become like Him. I am here to do what He would do if He were in Malawi. I am here to learn and do His will. I am here to know Him. 

Thursday afternoon we hopped onto a plane and made our way back to Malawi. Oh at MLC, President Kupu told us who our companions were. We went into MLC sort of guessing but we didn't really know....My new companion is Sister Arok!!! She is from Craig and Kathy Anderson's home ward. Both her parents are from South Sudan but she grew up in a refugee camp in Kenya. When she was 9 she moved to Utah and has lived there ever since. I remember her from BYU my freshman year and we have some mutual friends which is cool. She is amazing though. I have been out on mission twice as long as she has yet I feel like she is 10 times better of a missionary than me. The first two days together I felt like all I could focus on was my weaknesses as she has so many strengths But i quickly realized that she is here to help me become more like the Savior and to lift me to higher ground. I love her and can't wait to serve with her. This companionship is just another chance for me to realize that Heavenly Father does love and know us and has a plan for us. He will provide us with people and experiences that will help us become who He knows we can.

The branch already loves her!! Brother Mbawa (the first counselor in the branch presidency) stood up and said, "Today I have gained a testimony. When I met Sister Arok and found out there is Christianity in Sudan. Brothers and Sisters God is coming soon." We died laughing.....

Updates on the area. Joseph and Vanderson are still killing it. We retaught the Plan of Salvation to Joseph and all the sudden it just hit him mid lesson that his family is in spirit prison until he goes to the temple. He put both hands over his mouth and gasped when he realized it...He also borrowed Meet the Mormons from a member and could not stop talking about it!! We met with Angie Mpepe again and she is progressing so well. Unfortunately she is going to the village this week. But at MLC we talked a lot about the story from Acts 10 and how the Lord prepared Cornelious for Peter to teach. President Kupu told us, "If you haven't had an experience like this GO FIND IT!" I have witnessed a lot of tender mercies and Angie is one of them. It is a big responsibility for me to now take care of the blessings the Lord has given but its exciting. Lucy and Grace and also doing so well!!! Grace was baptized in May and she is a completely different person now. She is more happy, more outgoing, more kind. Yesterday as we taught her I could hardly believe it! Mission continues to amaze me. We also found 2 more families!!! 

Fast Sunday was the cherry on top for the week. SO many people got up to bare their testimony and each time that a member stood up, my heart was filled with so much love and gratitude for them and my time here. I can't believe its been 5 months that I have been here!! It seems like just yesterday I was here. Anyways what touched me the most was that every person testified of our living prophet, Thomas S. Monson. Their flames of faith continues to add to my own fire and helped me to go out that day and share my testimony with the power and authority that we missionaries have been given. I know I have a lot of flaws, I can't answer every question but I know that Joseph Smith was called by God to restore Christ's church on the earth. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I know that Christ lives. My testimony is simple yet I cherish it and am grateful for how it has been strengthened the past 14 months. 

This morning I said goodbye to Sister Zohner at the airport. She changed my mission and her friendship will always be so dear to me. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be and I honestly just feel this huge new desire to GET TO WORK. Time is slipping....Hope you have a great week!!! Share your testimony with someone in a new way that you haven't ever before. 

Ndimakukonda Kwambili,

Sister Bingham

BYU in MALAWI

Sister Kinikini and I were so excited!!!!

Crying Companions

We just want to be Malawian

We finally convinced them after 20 minutes to let us draw water for them....they only let us do half a bucket and thank goodness cause even just that was so hard!!! I love these women!

This past week was a blur of a week and a lot of new changes are happening which is so great but also really hard.You would think that by now I would be used to it, but nope it doesn't get much easier. It all started with District Meeting....

Our district leader presented on "Relationship with you companion" from the missionary handbook. 90% of the time anyone is asked to review the missionary handbook in a meeting, this is the topic. I have heard it discussed so many times that I joke about it with Sister Zohner. But even though I have heard it a LOT, it really made me think about each of my companions and how much I love them. Especially with Sister Zohner leaving next week, it hit me hard. So yep I started crying at the beginning of district meeting. Then Sister Zohner presented on effective study and at the end she had us each share our favorite scripture or hymn. Then we had to tell our companion what we learned from them and their testimony. Whenever we gather as missionaries, the Spirit is really strong but that day there was a special feeling of great love in the room. One of the greatest gifts we have been given is the love from our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ. As I have come to feel of this love in great abundance while serving as a missionary, I have learned how important and rewarding it is to love others just the same. There are cultural and language differences in many of my relationships that I have built here but there is always a common blessing of love. I think they should change the words to the hymn "Called to Serve" to "Called to Love."

We taught Vanderson this week and he brought a friend to the lesson!!! And he didn't even wait for us to ask him to say the opening prayer. Usually we ask him and he gets shy and points to someone else to say it but today he asked if he could! His confirmation on Sunday was really sweet and it was a tender mercy to witness another one of God's children become a member of the Church and receive the Holy Ghost. 

Evans Namanja....well we dropped him. Last week we had such a great lesson but this week he was just all over the place and didn't want to learn. He was asking all these weird questions and jumping all over the place and making up all these weird scenarios. I was really trying to listen to the Spirit to know if we should continue seeing him and right after the opening prayer, I felt the impression that this was our last lesson. It was sad...but I am grateful for simple promptings that help us to use our time wisely and to find those who are prepared to hear and receive the gospel.

Joel

I went on exchanges with Sister Chibase (the new sister from South Africa) and is was so great! She has a big heart and I learned so much from her!!! We saw this new investigator named Connie who we had given a Book of Mormon to last week and she read all the way until 1 Nephi 8!!! I know that doesn't seem like a lot but this hardly ever happens!!! She still has a lot of doubts and questions but I know that there is power in reading the Book of Mormon. I have felt it in my life, especially this past week as I was able to finish it. President Kupu wants it to be a focus of our mission which is really interesting because about a month or so ago I felt like my study wasn't quite as effective as it should be. I felt like I needed to make the Book of Mormon a bigger part of my study and to feast upon its words. Funny how that all works out? Anyways it was exciting to be with Connie and explain and testify to her something that has changed my life so much! We also were able to see Brother Phiri together and he was amazing!! He was happier than I have ever seen him and you physically can see changes in him...but he didn't come to church:( I am nervous but I know that someday he will get where he wants and needs to be. 

Joseph is great as ever!! We brought two members with us to reteach him about the Book of Mormon and the importance of daily reading. It may have been my most favorite lesson of the week. First of all we asked Joseph how the Book of Mormon has blessed his life. He gave the most sincere and powerful testimony. Then  Maybe, 17 years old, bore another powerful testimony about how she was so nervous for school exams but she read from the Book of Mormon and felt peace and now she reads each day to prepare for her mission. Then Praise, 19 years old and working on his mission papers, also shared how much it has blessed him. After that lesson I felt like running around our area handing out copies of the Book of Mormon left and right!

We had probably the worst lesson in either of our companionship's together. It was with a lady who contacted us on the street. She spoke English and was wearing nice shoes, so we were excited! We get into the lesson and we brought a member. We sat down on the reed mat on the floor of her home and the member was sitting in the most awkward position with his back to us....hahahhahah we were dying. Then I ask her to give an opening prayer and she just looks at me and says "I pray Islam." I look at Sister Zohner and she mouths "She is a Muslim." Ok no worries...we have taught Muslims before but we always have to be careful to respect their beliefs. Well long story short the members decides to give the entire first lesson and then repeats EVERYTHING in Chichewa. Oh and mid lesson two ladies walk in because Stella, the lady we were teaching, is the only person with electricity on the street and they need to blow dry her hair. So the member starts speaking really loud to be heard.........hahah it was awful. But right after that we had a really good lesson with a member about repentance, one of my most favorite lessons to teach. It made me really grateful for the Savior and His Atonement and the blessing of being forgiven in my own life. That feeling is one of the greatest in the world and it was amazing to be able to help someone else learn that they have experience the same. 

And then there were two...

Sometimes your investigators just get up and walk out of the house and you are left alone.......

About a month ago we met with the District Relief Society President and helped her plan Blantyre's first ever district relief society activity and on Saturday it happened!!! It was quite the activity...I'll probably ever experience anything like it again. It started out with the district president speaking about the Relief Society's role in funerals. He went on for almost an hour...in the middle of it, Sister Newey leans over and says, "When did you ever think you would be sitting in a church in Malawi, Africa talking about what songs are appropriate to sing at funerals?" Then the district Relief Society President, Sister Ella, got up and wanted to discuss the strengths and weakness the women have in our branches and district. Well they must have zoned out the strengths part because they just started ranting off weakness after weakness. It was really sad! The four of us sisters tried to pull it together and help them to build love and unity but it didn't work out so well. At the end though we got them to have a dance competition and they were all having fun so it was worth it!!! I did feel a special spirit in the room as we were all gathered together. I love to be a part of this great organization of women around the world!

 Blantyre District Relief Society Activity

Another highlight from the week was Sunday, as always. I don't know if I will ever be able to express how much I love the Sabbath. What really touched me this past week was sitting in the meetinghouse singing the hymns. Sometimes it is difficult for us, or we don't make time to express to our Heavenly Father our love and faith we have. But I am so grateful that once a week we get to gather together and worship Him through songs. It was extra special to see the members sing and to feel the power of their testimonies. I sang a little bit louder this week as I thought of how it really is a prayer unto Him, and also maybe because the branch gets a little confused on the tune of some of the hymns:) Aggie came to church!!!! She is a mother that we met a couple weeks ago who has a sister in Lilongwe who is a member. It was a miracle she came and we had a great lesson with her that evening. She asked a lot of questions that I honestly did not have an answer for. It was scary to look at her and just say, "I don't know." But then I remembered the things that I do know and I was so grateful for the opportunity that she gave me to bare my testimony of the Savior and His restored gospel.

So this week we are having a Mission Leadership Council in Lusaka. I'm riding on a bus today to Lilongwe  and then I'll flight out with the other sisters and elders. I am really really really excited to learn from President and Sister Kupu and to be able to know where I can improve in my missionary work as well as help the other sisters to. We will fly back to Blantyre on Friday so we will be out of the area for a long time which is hard. And the other bummer...Sister Zohner isn't coming with me! Since she is going home next Tuesday it wouldn't make sense to have her come. Its been really hard for us the past couple of days though. Last night she was really quiet in our last lesson and the entire car ride home. We closed our day and week but then we knelt down to say the closing prayer and the whole prayer I could tell she was on the verge of tears (which by the way Sister Zohner doesn't cry). Then I started crying and ughhhhhh.....but all is well!!! I am beyond grateful for our friendship and happy that it doesn't end with mission!! I still don't know who my companion will be once Sister Zohner leaves but I'll hopefully find out in Lusaka.

I still love Malawi. I still love being a missionary. And I still have the worlds best family.

Ndimakukonda,

Sister Bingham

  CRICKETS!!!!

our new favorite snack!

Indian Food in Malawi!!!

So I've been dying to try this restaurant in Blantyre called Veg Delite. It has a sign that says it is on Trip Adviser so we figured it would be good. I loved it!!! Sister Zohner wasn't as excited about hers but its was a fun experience. They gave us this free milk drink and we all about threw up. hahah.  Also check out how tired we look after our hike......

Twinning is Winning

a member back in the Belt gave us these shirts and we finally remembered to take a picture in them.

GO USA

MAYBE!!

This is Maybe. She is the daughter of the Chief of Makata (the township next to our area). In the background is the council members for the chief. 

 

Drawing in the dirt.

SISTER BIRRELL!!!