Chinese Ndyio

Just a quick one today!

I hope this week has been fantastic, for me it's been tiring, hard, but so great.

We taught an insane amount of lessons, we found some amazingly prepared people as usual, and we saw mighty miracles, showing us that the Lord's hand is in the work. I never get tired of seeing miracles...

This week is going to be even better, not having zone meeting or any other distractions, some pure solid work will get done, so this time next week I'll hardly be able to stand!

The photos this week are of the Banda's children, Mildreid and Emmanuel, who both call me 'Chinese Ndiyo' (Relish) as the parents always watch Ong Bak and there aren't many white people here. They also eat a lot of Chinese Cabbage with NShima... The influence of TV on children is real!

The other is our amazing Ward Missionary, Kennedy Chisopa. He is one of the greatest saints I have ever met in my life. He loves the gospel, he is the best missionary I have ever met, and he'll never wear a black badge, whether rain or shine he will always come if we ask. He is a true disciple of Christ.

EF x

Blog post and photos

YES!

I'm back, it's Monday, it's around 4 o' clock, and once again, whether or not it's a good thing, it's blog time baby...

This week was still strong, but we had some things happen that meant that it wasn't as powerful as last week. We did a service at a Less-actives house all day Saturday which was hard work, but was so great to meet her again and help her out, as she's an old lady of 23, and is seriously big, so the manual labour saved her the effort...

I also had the chance to speak to my family yesterday which made me really happy, thank you to everyone who has kept them alive whilst I've been gone, I know they are heartbroken every minute of every day thinking that i'm starving or being eaten by a lion, but they were such an inspiration and i'm lucky to have such amazing parents and sisters.

I think that's all this week, but i'll send some photos from the past few weeks that will wet the appetite somewhat,

EF x

"Elvis and Rosaria from last week- 'God blesses families'"

"Me and Lilanda FC- every Monday we go to Matero Girls school ground and play against other teams in a round robin, so far unbeaten..."

"A weird looking girl that looks like she comers from Prometheus, bit a decent photo opportunity arose..."

"Me and Amadi, my recent convert, along with his nephew who wants to be baptised, Owen."

"The rains at our house a few weeks ago... River"

 "Malinga enjoys his water"

Miracles

This week has been completely and utterly exhausting, I am just so tired. It's hard to even concentrate on doing nothing, let alone trying to email everyone back after my birthday. On that note, thank you to all those who have wished me a Happy Birthday, i'm so humbled and thankful to have so many people who care for me even though i'm so far away, couldn't be happier. I went and spent some time with a lot of my recent converts, Thulani, the Banda family, Vincent and Nora a really special couple we're teaching, and the bathroom after eating way too much food! Grateful for all the stuff people sent and things that are still coming. It was interesting to spend a Birthday in Africa.

Otherwise this week has been one filled with miracles of a huge and small kind:- 

One of the most powerful experiences of mission so far has been the story of Rosaria. She was finally baptised on Sunday after years of preparation and prayers- her parents had previously denied her the chance of choosing to be baptised herself, but since meeting Elvis, a member of the church for 3 years who she married, she was able to receive the courage and strength to 'take the plunge.' I'm so lucky to have been part of this special day for her. But she told us she won't feel complete until she has been sealed to Elvis and their little daughter Tina in the Johannesburg Temple a year from now. A true miracle and a testimony of God's work in Lilanda.

Another miracle was that our iron broke on Sunday, and I hadn't ironed my shirt, came round to putting it on and it was wrinkle free. I now have a testimony that 'Non-Iron' shirts are true. It's a modern day miracle.

I hope you all had a good week too, transfers this weekend, will In stay or will I go? If I stay, i'll be the longest serving missionary in the Lilanda area, being dubbed the Patriarch of Lilanda. Tough times- but we have some amazing people prepared who I want to be with when they get baptised, so i'm seriously torn at the moment.

Take care loved ones, 8 down, 16 to go, time flies when you're having fun,

Ford. 

(Photo to come next week). 

Happy Monday

Happy Monday,

So this week has been another good one, as always, and long may it continue.

Fantastic news, the water and power are now (pretty much) back! So emailing and 'showering' are back to normal and life goes on in Lilanda.

This week we had an unbelievable miracle, someone we've been teaching for close to 6 months, Brother Boyd, finally came to church! It was truly fantastic and he definitely felt the spirit from conference. Also a sister we have been teaching was interviewed for baptism and will be good to go for next Sunday, she is the most prepared candidate i've ever had the privilege of teaching. She's seriously powerful, a true follower of Christ and a special daughter of God.

Conference was just amazing, after a month of waiting, we finally got to hear all the sessions, a particular highlight was the talk given by the Prophet at the end of the Priesthood session, I felt a confirming witness that he is God's chosen servant on Earth and that I can sustain him without question- unlike some others ;) D. Todd Christofferson is always my favourite and there was no change this time either, that man has doctrine, wouldn't mind 30 minutes with him sometime...

This week should be a better one as there should be no distractions, conference and interviews got in the way somewhat last week so i'm excited to have 7 days of undisturbed work to do.

Not much else to report, no crazy spiders or hurricane-esque storms this week, but it was Elder Shai's birthday today and last night we celebrated the only way we knew how... ate a cake and read scriptures. Mission life eh...

Much love, 

EF

Dodgy times in Zambia

Fords, friends, and fellow sufferers

So this week has been good, strong one, good indicators, but today has been very disappointing- power hasn't been on since the morning, all the way until now, so we only have 20 minutes before we have to be back home to the flat, meaning I can't email everyone, hence this monster.

I am alive, well, and surviving, somehow... this week we were in a combie crash, nearly got our house flooded by the rain, and power's been off-and-on all week. Dodgy times in Zambia. 

Exchanges with Elder Nakale, my previous companion and zone leader, happened on Wednesday which was emotional to say the least... Two months has been a long time, a lot of growing, changing, and responsibility made it a really nice opportunity to express ourselves and remember how hard we worked together. Tears were shed when he left... Good times.

We saw some of the scariest looking spiders at Brother Muzhinga's place on Saturday, gave me the shivers and I don't mind spiders... Also, my best friend from the branch, Musa, got his mission call to Ghana, Cape Coast mission this morning. He'll be a boss- leaves in July. 

Interviews with President on Thursday, going to be nice, will receive some personal support and encouragement, i'm very excited for this one...

Also, me and Elder Malinga bought the nicest drink this week, it's called Vigo, and that's the reason for the smouldering photo... Forgive us.

Love you all, sorry I didn't have time to reply to you all personally, but I was able to read them all- I am so lucky to have beautiful people like you emailing me every week, thanks. 

EF out... 

"the man of the hour, the man of the shower"

Great week this week focusing on finding fathers- the hardest job ever, seriously, but with some success. Been seeing a Pastor this week too, he blasted me for not telling him the exact date the Apostasy happened, but was confounded when I asked him where the person who baptised him got his authority, stumped him that one...

Had Lusaka Leadership Council on Saturday and was able to get some feedback on the missions focus, the successes and failures of the Zone and to come up with solutions on what to change. We decided that as Lusaka is the example, we need to be focusing on people who have their own testimonies, namely self reliant and spiritually driven people, and to better retain our recent converts- both our goals for this coming week.

This week sees the mighty return of 'the man of the hour, the man of the shower' Elder Nakale to Lilanda. It's exchange time again and I'm first in line for the Zone Leaders Iron Fist. Should be a nice reunion but I'm bricking it, he knows me well and will expect a lot, a lot of planning is in order that's for sure... Zone Meeting Tuesday, no surprise call to give instruction yet, I think I'm off the hook this month.

That's pretty much it this week, super tired and don't have too much to report, just hard work and a lot of blessings. Just keep looking up.

EF

p.s. This is Elder Collins he's a strange child.

Birthday Month

This week I have NO time for the blog and I missed last week so I have to write something to all of my 3 fans...

The work is great, progressing, loving life in Lilanda for another transfer as the District Leader. Got exchanges with the Zone Leaders soon which will be scary as, but we are totally boss here so it should be a walk in the park.

Elder Malinga is somehow still putting up with me- this week we've been teaching like crazy, 41 total lessons and a lot of brilliant people in the fray. Couldn't ask for anymore blessings at the moment, except the weather. We've had no power and water pretty much for the last two weeks due to the drought-esque days, and the Typhoon-esque nights. Zambia has the weirdest weather systems.

Oh, I almost forgot, it's been celebrity spotting week this week- we taught Jamie Foxxx, Lil Wayne drove our combie, and we saw Satan in the flat... Crazy times in Lilanda. 

Have a nice week, talk better next Monday!

EF x

p.s. Still washing in the bath...