July 16, 2007

Dear everyone,

Another week gone already. I only have two more weeks with my companion until he goes back to America. Aye aye aye!

Well, have you seen the July Ensign yet? I'm sure you have. We get it much later than you I'm sure. If you saw that article with the sister missionaries in Temple Square, I'm sure you saw a few black ZAMBIAN GIRLS. They are the Sheas, and I've met their family. One sister (Mable) was AP there and has since come home, and now there are two others there (Sister Bwalya, whose mom is in Kitwe branch, and Sister Lillian Shea, who sister is Mable). Anyway, I thought that was pretty cool to see them there.

Chainama branch is wonderful. We met with the Bulawayo family again this week, and we shared with the the Family: A Proclamation to the World. They loved it, but afterward Brother B. unfolded to us a lot of problems that their family has been facing recently. Years ago, he studied at a Bible college for some time, and then joined himself with several different churches that subsequently went bankrupt and collapsed or something (I'm glad I'm not part of a church "business"). So for the past 10 years or so his wife has been the breadwinner, and he has had a lot of trouble finding work and providing for his family of 5 children. Not to mention he has a 17 year old son, Moses, who is absolutely out of control. A few Sundays ago he attacked his father and beat him over his left eye with a lead pipe. Consequently Bro B missed coming to church had to turn him in to the police for some time. So the Bulawayo family is having a lot of problems as of now and the father told us something about how he thinks he needs to wait before he joins himself to the Church. It was a really spiritually draining lesson, and after we left we just felt so much love for their family. I wish there was so much more that we could do for them, but we're just young foolish boys who really don't know all that much. Anyway, even though they are going through struggles, Bro. B (and even his wife) has felt the Spirit very strongly and we really have faith and are praying that they will realize that the restored gospel is the answer to all of their prayers.

This past Friday was in a general a pretty lame day: a lot of fall-throughs and not many good contacts. BUT, as we walked down the street I greeted a man, and he walked over to us and just said, "I'm Kelvin Sichone. Good to see you! I've been looking for you!" Then he proceeded to tell us about how the previous day he had met the elders from the Lilanda branch (Thayn and Weight) and they had taken his info and were going to give it to us on P-day (we don't have phones to use). But we beat them to it! Talk about tender mercies of the Lord! He said he had a few minutes so we walked to his house and he introduced us to his wife and two small children. We shared with him the Restoration and he loved it. He told us he had studied to be a Catholic priest for 3 years in Malawi and then backed out and went to Bible school in Ndola for 2 years. Since then, he has yet to find a church that he feels is right and correct. He told us that the message we shared was "exactly what my heart has desired for so long." He really seems like a smart man, and he was very excited to read and study the Book of Mormon. We have high hope for he and his wife.

Well, I love you all. Feel free to write me letters!

Send pictures, stamps, packages, or anything else to:

Elder Moline
Zim-Har Mission
P/Bag 325x
Ridgeway, Lusaka
ZAMBIA

Or just use the pouch for only letters.

Until next week. . ..

Elder Moline

P.S. We met a lot of people with funny names this week: Macguyver, Wisdom, Mushroom, Pethious, Clever, Business, Winter, Wishbone, and Soft. All males. And also we met a woman named Romans.