Week 6: This week has FLOWN by!!!

This week has been pretty crazy!

First off I gave 7 blessings this week. They were wonderful and the spirit was so strong. I've never been more grateful to be worthy of the priesthood I hold. We had zone meeting this week which was a lot of fun. It was nice to get out of our area and see some new scenery.

We took our car in to get serviced that morning as well and expected it to be done by about 1 or 2 by the time zone meeting ended. Well it turned out there were more problems with it than we thought. Long story short we got a different car for the next week or 2 and we didn't get to our area till 5:30. And we had been asked that day to teach institute at 5:30. After institute we headed to our 7 o'clock regular appointment. Well that fell through. It was dark and storming so there was no one on the streets so we just contacted a few referrals then went home. That was the worst day this week.

There have been lightning and thunder storms every night this week. Thunderstorms here are crazy! I had gone to bed and passed out when all of a sudden BOOM! Elder Thompson and I jumped out of bed. It was thunder. I have never heard thunder so loud and so frequently in my life. I can honestly say I felt like I little child again who's afraid of thunder.

So Saturday all of our evening appointments fell through and we were frustrated. We wondered what it was we were doing wrong. We decided to go to Leratos, a 10 year old girl who was recently baptized, and her mother who is considered less active. We had tried to visit Sis. Richards, Lerato's mother, about 2 weeks ago when I first got here but no success. So we got to the house and Lerato was outside playing with her friends so we stopped and played jump rope with all of them for about an hour or so. About 7:00 Lerato invited us in and we talked with her mother. She proceeded to tell us how she had thought to call us that day but just kept ignoring the thought to do so and then all of a sudden we showed up. She said it was an answer to her prayer. We then knew why our evening appointments fell through. It was an amazing experience. She has been going through some depression and has been trying to get out of it and the doctors have her on a ton of meds that don't seem to be helping. She just opened up to us. She expressed that she enjoys talking to us because she knows she can trust us and everything she tells us wont spread to other members. We were able to talk to her and share some scriptures and help her a lot and regain some hope. We then gave her a blessing. She's amazing and so friendly. After that we headed home.

We hopped on the highway to head back. The highways here are so different from the states. People can walk on them and you see so many people just walking along the highway. The speed limit is 120km/hr or about 60-70mph. And there are no street lights. It was a Saturday night so everyone was drinking and partying. So back to the story. We hopped on the highway and began to head home. Not too long later we came up on some cars with their hazards on. We figured it was an accident. As we came up on the first car we saw something in front of the car and I figured it was the bumper. It turns out it was a body... Not too long before we got there a man had been hit. He was dead. I'm assuming he was drunk and in the middle of the road but who knows. It was so sad. We pulled off to the side of the highway and just sat there in disbelief. Apparently this is normal in Africa and my district leader has seen 8!

So Sunday was the Primary Program. About 5 min before sacrament started Sis. Panyapanya told us that we were singing in it! I didn't really have a choice so I did anyways. We sang "We'll Bring the World His Truth". After the program and church everyone told me I was a wonderful singer and that I did a great job. I've never heard that before. I've always been told I'm the tone deaf child lol. But the primary program was so cute.

Regarding dad's question about what the church is like here, the church leadership here struggles. It's been said that the church in Africa is in the Kirtland stages like it was in America 100's of years ago. So leadership is definitely different. As well as programs. The church is definitely growing here and has some improvement. So it's been kind of different to me and kind of awkward but I'm getting use to it because that's just how the church is here and they don't know any different. Although the people and their knowledge in the gospel is different than that of other places, the teachings and gospel is the same.

I know this gospel and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints is the true church. That is why I am on a mission. I love you all and can't wait to hear from you next week.

Love Elder Rash