Free Pig
I'm not sure what I was more excited about....the free pig or Joel (our recent convert) sharing the gospel with a man in the background
Comfort and His friend
We told them to smile and then the second picture is their reaction...too cute
So the week....it really was amazing but there is always so much more to improve upon!
Family Home Evening was another hit! I love love love that we have been able to hold FHE with so many different families. It has helped to not just bring families together but even our branch. Clifford Katunga (13 years old), his grandmother and cousin are members and his other cousin is THoko who will be baptized next week, conducted and did such a great job! He couldn't stop smiling and was so professional. The youth continue to amaze me. Vaida Paseli pulled out clutch with a last minute lesson about making good decisions. We ended up tying it in with President Monson's last conference talk. I am so grateful for such simple yet important advice that the Prophet gave. I forgot to write about it but we have been reading this talk with a lot of members and investigators and its been incredible because every single person knows the story of Alice in Wonderland! It seems like if we ever mention a story or movie or person, no one in Malawi knows what we are talking about but they actually knew this story!!! this strengthened my testimony of our true and living prophet so much! How blessed are we to be lead and guided by him today.
Exchanges with Sister Porter went so great!!! I learned a lot. I could hardly believe that it was 15 months ago that I was at the same point she was....it seems like just yesterday. This exchange helped me to once again realize how much I love my area. Ndirande has so many prepared hearts and so much work to be done. And our area that we teach in is all compacted into probably a mile!!! We need more missionaries out here so that we can go out to our farther areas. but the time will come....We taught Susan, a member, about going about doing good. We are trying to help the other sisters build up their relationships with members so to focus on it, Sister Arok and I have been teaching the Restoration and Missionary Work with all members, less actives, and recent converts. Well in the lesson we were discussing service and all the sudden she realized that the past couple of days she had done a lot of service and helped many people. She had helped a lady carry maize flour from the mill home. And she gave a boy 50 kwacha when he told her that his mom gave him 100 kwacha and he dropped the other 50 kwacha. Susan got this huge smile on her face as she realized that all of that was bringing the light of our Savior Jesus Christ into their lives. As a missionary we are constantly serving but I loved helping Susan realize that even she can serve and feel great joy by doing so each and every day! And in those serving moments we will be helping to shared the restored gospel with our brothers and sisters.
Sister Porter
Exchanges!!! I wore blue and orange in honor of Boise State:)
We have 5 baptisms scheduled for the next two weeks which has been such a tender mercy and testimony builder for me. A couple weeks ago President Kupu told us that if we haven't had a Cornelious (Acts 10) experience yet then we needed to go seek one. I have felt that many people that I have taught were prepared by the Lord yet Sister Arok and I were so touched by this counsel that we prayed to have such experiences together. And we haven't just had one but so many! Thoko, is a granddaughter of a member. She has always ran away when we would come visit. Then about a month ago she asked us to come and teach her and has come to church ever since! She is the most shy person ever but has a strong desire to follow the Savior. Malawians are always late to everything so we told her to be at her baptismal interview at 730 so she would be there by 8. guess what time she got there?? 715!!!
Thoko and Majorie
She passed her baptismal interview!!!!!!! And her baby is the cutest
Tionge was also interviewed and passed!! She is 19 years old and we met her through a former investigator. She keeps her commitments and is so aware of the Spirit in her life. She is a great example to me of finding joy! She has the most beautiful smile. Every time we go to teach Adisum he already knows the principle that we have prepared to teach him. Last night we asked him if he has heard of tithing and he went on for about ten minutes describing it and quoting scriptures! He joined us in a lesson with his friends, the Makuganya family and was teaching them! He went over there before we went to teach him about the Word of Wisdom. Then Adisum told us, "I already started living it! I ate apples today!" Aggie...man she is my favorite. This week after teaching her she told us that her son Valentine, five years old, learned about tithing at primary last week. She gives him 100 kwacha each day for lunch at school and every day he gives her 10 kwacha and tells her "Mom, I don't want to steal from Heavenly Father." How sweet is that? Aggie was really concerned that her baptismal date was shifted from September 18th to September 24th...but she is excited to make this important covenant and enter the waters of baptism.
Last night we taught the Makuganya family with Joseph. While walking to the lesson we asked him what part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ he would like to teach. He said repentance. It was so neat to hear him say this because we have had a lot of missionary broadcasts and training about teaching repentance and baptizing converts. Joseph is truly converted to the gospel and while walking home he said "I love the restored gospel!!!" I love love love seeing people make changes in their lives that brings them so much joy! Life is far from easy. We each face different challenges and those that live in Ndirande definitely have their fair share but it is incredible how each week I find that the gospel of Jesus Christ solves everything. There is nothing more important or worth our time then to live the teachings of our Savior. And there is nothing that will bring us great satisfaction and happiness.
This week I was touched by the Atonement of the Savior. Especially as I make a lot of mistakes each day and fall short of my goals. My favorite verses for the week were Mosiah 4: 2-3. Go read them. They are so great. I am so happy that I am able to continue to be a representative of Him who makes it possible to be forgiven of all our sins and to be filled with joy.
Ndimakukonda,
Sister Bingham
Lunch with Vaida
We told her we'd pay her the same amount that we usually pay at our restaurant and it was delicious!!!!!
Limbe Market
Branch Talent Show
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