Area: Maseru 1, Lesotho, Africa
Companion: Elder Shinga
I am beginning to think that every week on mission is a fantastic week..... ya..... life is good....tough, but good.
So where oh were to begin? We are teaching quite a few people who have baptisms lined up. The best part is our recent converts, especially Bolelang, and Liako are bringing their friends to church. Liako brought Lerato who was baptized awhile ago and has now brought her other friend Fidlia who will be baptized next month, Liako is a power member, and Bolelang brought 3 of her friends to church the other day, it was incredible! I love it! It makes our job as missionaries so much better when we got members helping us out. We really contribute so little if we are the ones carrying the members but when the members carry us we can do wonders.
We had MLC this week which was just awesome, it feels like it was two weeks ago because of how busy we were. It was awesome to sit with our mission president and to have an amazing discussion about how the mission is doing and what we could do to improve. We came up with specific points that we should carry through the mission as our new culture. I love our mission president, talk about one inspired dude. He also gave us quite a bit of marriage council which of course is always fantastic and much needed. haha. One of my favorite ones was. "We were given two ears and one mouth for a reason" listen more! Apply that not just to marriage but everything :)
There is a whole lot of expectation getting placed on Lesotho and now the whole mission is watching us closely. We are trying to make this place the burning heart of the mission. It's a lot of pressure but the good kind. I have not been this busy, hard working, and tired in a long long time. We go on exchanges with the whole zone, their are four other areas, three of us are in Maseru including us. One in Masionkeng, one in Leribe (2hrs away by themselves and meet in containers.) Mission is hard but so amazing.
Someone asked us today why we don't get paid for being a missionary, she said, we teach all day every day, talk to so many people, we are doing the most important work on the planet but yet we pay to come, not get paid. She couldn't understand, I told her I do get paid, just not with temporal things like money. The early apostles of Christ were told to take noting with them and to have faith. We today get paid in blessings beyond measure. You would not believe how blessed I feel, you cant put a price tag on it. its to great... or if you know the Kellogg Frosted Flakes commercial... There GGGGGRRRRRREAT!
Also I'll include my a bit of my email to president because it adds some insight to the week:
This week was fantastic, we have had members bringing their friends in an unseen number for Lesotho. I am really grabbing hold to the new spirit in the air here in Lesotho. We cannot thank you enough for the motivation and movement you have brought to Lesotho, and for opening our eyes to the great potential for this area. Members really are increasing in trust and desire to help the missionaries, or so I feel.
This has been the busiest two weeks of my mission since I was "green" and it is AWESOME!
Something about going till you just are so tired at the end of the day, makes you feel great. I have been really trying the past few days to increase my studies, to not just read and learn but to apply and love and enrich. It makes such a difference when you approach your studies with a strong desire to increase rather than to just do it.
I am loving my companion Elder Shinga, he is a quite example and leader to all around him, and with a big big smile. So much to learn and always so little time to do it. He is already changing me for the better by his love for the Savior and the people. He really loves the people and they become his close friends who I am sure will not forget him.
The Zone is continuing to learn how to increase our efforts and baptisms, but we will get there. I am excited for our ZTM tomorrow where we can really sit down and discuss about what we want, and need to happen in Lesotho and what needs to happen to get there.
We have found an amazing new investigator, she is a single parent stuck in the same desk job that she hates for the past ten years. She feels like her whole life is stuck and that God doesn't hear her prayers. We talked a lot about prayer and assured her of His love. We also talked about how she recently started looking for a new church and is now going to one different than the past. She just felt like she was missing something, even still in this new church she feels a void. She feels like God still doesn't hear her. As we were disusing about her trials and pleads for help from our Father above. I looked at her and said, He has answered you. "In the past 10 years have you ever seen missionaries like us?" No was her reply. "When did you start praying to know where to go or what to do with your life?" withing the past two months she said. "Is it coincidence that two strangers from a foreign countries came to you with a message of the restored gospel just after you started praying for it? " I suppose not was her reaction. she then began to think about the past few months and said, I think He has been answering my prayers. I am just not seeing them. She is beginning to recognize the spirit in her life and its amazing. She even came to church this week! YES! That is just a short part of our lesson with her, I am very excited to continue meeting with her and seeing her life turn around. I could just feel a love for her that I knew was not my own, I am so thankful to be serving in Lesotho right now.
This has been the busiest two weeks of my mission since I was "green" and it is AWESOME!
Something about going till you just are so tired at the end of the day, makes you feel great. I have been really trying the past few days to increase my studies, to not just read and learn but to apply and love and enrich. It makes such a difference when you approach your studies with a strong desire to increase rather than to just do it.
I am loving my companion Elder Shinga, he is a quite example and leader to all around him, and with a big big smile. So much to learn and always so little time to do it. He is already changing me for the better by his love for the Savior and the people. He really loves the people and they become his close friends who I am sure will not forget him.
The Zone is continuing to learn how to increase our efforts and baptisms, but we will get there. I am excited for our ZTM tomorrow where we can really sit down and discuss about what we want, and need to happen in Lesotho and what needs to happen to get there.
We have found an amazing new investigator, she is a single parent stuck in the same desk job that she hates for the past ten years. She feels like her whole life is stuck and that God doesn't hear her prayers. We talked a lot about prayer and assured her of His love. We also talked about how she recently started looking for a new church and is now going to one different than the past. She just felt like she was missing something, even still in this new church she feels a void. She feels like God still doesn't hear her. As we were disusing about her trials and pleads for help from our Father above. I looked at her and said, He has answered you. "In the past 10 years have you ever seen missionaries like us?" No was her reply. "When did you start praying to know where to go or what to do with your life?" withing the past two months she said. "Is it coincidence that two strangers from a foreign countries came to you with a message of the restored gospel just after you started praying for it? " I suppose not was her reaction. she then began to think about the past few months and said, I think He has been answering my prayers. I am just not seeing them. She is beginning to recognize the spirit in her life and its amazing. She even came to church this week! YES! That is just a short part of our lesson with her, I am very excited to continue meeting with her and seeing her life turn around. I could just feel a love for her that I knew was not my own, I am so thankful to be serving in Lesotho right now.
Well yep life is good, we are teaching people and trying to bring them the greatest thing on earth. The knowledge that they are children of our Heavenly Father, we all are.
Something I have been sharing a lot lately is this. is God perfect? Yes. Can he make mistakes? No. He made you right? Yes. that means you are not a mistake, you are perfect, God is not capable of making anything less than perfect. Wow isn't that just like mind blowing. we are of such divine worth!
God has a plan for us.... and guess what! I know what it is!!! It makes me smile so big and makes me so happy, I mean that is why I am here in the first place. Wow, You know what you should do? Call the missionaries, invite a friend who may not be going to church and then have the time of your life as your life begins to change. I have seen so many peoples lives completely change for the better as they come closer to Christ. His light will begin to shine throughout you and will really change you to something new, something brighter, excellent, and without compare. Only the gospel can bring such a light and change in our lives. it just does. I don't quite understand how knowing Christ makes me someone else, and changes me from the inside out, but it does. and it does for everyone. I promise. Don't take my word for it. That's the beautiful thing, we all can find out for ourselves. just give it a shot, whats the worst that could happen?
I love you all and hope you have a great week.
Elder North
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