December 26, 2007

Merry merry Christmas to everyone!

My second and last Christmas in Africa is now gone! And it was wonderful. On Sunday we had the sacrament meeting Christmas program; we didn't have enough time to practice all the songs with the choir so we just had kids come up and read scriptures about Christ and then between each scripture we sang Christmas hymns from the hymnbook while I played the keyboard. All in all it was nice except for the fact that most people are afraid to sing loud so it was a bit quiet. Christmas Eve (Monday) we took a bus to the Stevens' house in Luanshya and went and sang Christmas carols to the patients at a nearby hospital. It was really nice and a lot of people appreciated us I think. It's wonderful just lifting people up. It makes you feel great.

Christmas day (yesterday) all ten Copperbelt elders spent all day at the Stevens' house. We watched the movie Ben Hur, played Phase 10, Rook, and even Uno, and did our Christmas phone calls. It was nice to take a day and just spend time with other missionaries. Sister Stevens made us ham and turkey and scalloped potatoes and pumpkin pie. YUM! I got my package from home just a few days before so I saved it and opened it then. So thanks for everything in that (although my speakers are broken so I can't listen to any of those CDs yet). We also did a little white elephant gift exchange and I got a stick of Speedstick deodorant (which they don't have here, and the other stick deodorants cost K30,000 or $7.50).

On Saturday we had my first baptism in Ndola, Charles Kalaba. He was very excited to be baptized and the service went smoothly though the turnout was a bit disappointing. His wife and his parents all came though they are all not very fluent in English.

Sunday we met with Brother Mumba and his wife again and he is loving reading the Book of Mormon; he was telling us in his strange French/Zambian accent how as he reads it his mind is opened to so much understanding of the Bible and Jesus Christ in general. It was a really spiritual lesson and we taught him about the word of wisdom and he committed to stop drinking tea and coffee immediately. He's a really great man.

Well, I love you all very much! I hope you all had a great Christmas!

Elder Moline