April 21, 2008

Dear everyone,

Well hello again! Another week flown by. It was a good one as well. Frida Banda (20), Michael Banda (16), and Sarah Chifunda (45) all passed their interviews. The only one we weren't sure about was Sis Chifunda. She has been learning English recently and sometimes she freezes up and forgets words, but she pulled through and will be baptized on Saturday along with Frida and Michael. Sister Chifunda's husband is the district executive secretary and a wonderful member of the branch. Next we will work on baptizing their 11 year old son Davis.

Saturday Elder Musgrave and I interviewed a husband and wife for baptism in Matero branch. I interviewed the husband. He was about 50 years old and the father to the branch clerk in Chainama branch, Field Banda, who has just submitted his mission papers. It was a great interview. He said he never though much of the Church until 5 of his 8 children had joined and then his son Field told him he wanted to leave his home for two years to teach people about the gospel. That was when he realized there was something unique and important about this Church and decided to investigate. Bro ans Sis Banda will also be baptized this Saturday.

Saturday also was the wedding of a member of Chainama branch. Saturday he was married to a returned sister missionary. They had the ceremony at the chapel at which they asked me to play the organ. It was cool to be a part of it. All in all it was quite "western," with a white wedding dress, her father walking her down the aisle, etc etc. The only thing that was a bit different was the bride arrived in a train of cars all with bows and ribbons on the hoods and all honking like crazy. And then when she got out of the car, all the old women (they call them gogos) make a weird sound sort of yelling and moving their tongues around in their mouths. Strange. Just an African tradition I guess. They said it means they wish her success and happiness or something.

The past few weeks we have been teaching a guy named Stephen Kabo. He was a referral from a recent convert and he had come to church 3 times and told us he knew the Book of Mormon was the word of God. So we were pretty excited about him, ready to give him a baptismal date. Then yesterday we were teaching his recent convert friend when he told us that Stephen's family are fiercely opposed to us being in their house and they would kick him out if we came over again. I can't even tell you how many times this has happened to investigators of ours. So sad. And honestly it is for no good reason. Rumours fly everywhere about us. That is the biggest hinderance to the work here. People are told by their friends that we are "satanists" and that we do all sorts of crazy things in church. There are even people that won't greet us on the streets sometimes because they are so afraid. Nevertheless, the work of God will move forward! No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing! So Andrew (the recent convert) said he and his wife would go visit Stephen's family and talk about the Church with them because they are too scared to talk to us muzungus about it.

A lady came to church yesterday named Beatrice, probably about 55. She stays in Eastern Province where the Church hasn't gone yet. Apparently she came to Lusaka once and somehow got a copy of the Book of Mormon several months ago and now she and her husband have stopped going to their church are just waiting for the Church to go to her home and establish a branch there. Reminds me of what Elder Packer said once: "The Book of Mormon has somewhat of a self-converting power." Wherever the Book of Mormon goes, people are converted.

I know this is the Lord's Church. No doubt about it.

Love you all,
Elder Mckay Moline

P.S. Again, send all photos, cash, taco seasoning, letters, packages, Butterfingers, nice ties, music CDs, and any other items to:

Elder Mckay Moline
P/bag 325x
Ridgeway
Lusaka
ZAMBIA