Ku baptizwa

September 24
Hello family!!! Goooooooodd luck to STever in the big move to Vermont this week. (This is where our family would break out in the song "snow" from A White Christmas... but i'll restrain myself) 

BRENDA GOT BAPTIZED!!!! 

KHUMBO PASSED HIS BAPTISMAL INTERVIEW!! 

Okay soooo fun facts: 

1. Having companionship study in the morning is much more effective... so I'think it's good that we do it this way now. 

2. Mini bus drivers turn off the engine while they're driving "to try and save gas" but truly turning it off and on really just wastes more gas. 

3. Tuesday a random guy at the bread shop bought us gelato... TENDER MERCY. 

4. Nsima = stomach issues. Investigators have been feeding us more and seriously the struggle is real. My stomach isn't enjoying it. 

5. ON THE WAY HOME FROM EMAILING LAST WEEK I WAS SITTING IN THE FRONT SEAT OF THE MINI BUS AND THE DOOR FLEW OPEN AND I ALMOST FELL OUT HAHAHAHAH. 

OKay so this week was bwino bwino!! This week I really started trying to focus on becoming the person that Heavenly Father wants me to become... yes I can follow all the rules and be obedient, but I also need to look at the other aspect of it... changing my attitude and opinions to be on the same track that Heavenly Father wants. okay sorry... missionary rant. 

Tuesday: We had 2 lunch appointments and i almost barfed... seriously I couldn't eat until Wednesday. I felt so so sick haha. 

Friday: WE went to chilimoni!! (Sis. Browning's area) and we are teaching the sweetest 16 year old girl named Vito!! She is so excited about the church. She came to church on sunday and after she was like "I was just so happy when i was taking the sacrament and the classes were so interesting!!" and she told us how bad she wants to be baptized.... YAY! 

Saturday: We were meeting Tenson in the morning at the chapel to teach him a lesson.... and we called every single lady in our branch to see if one of them could come teach with us (cause we need a girl) and no one could... so we just prayed and prayed and prayed that somehow we would find someone who could sit in on the lesson and GUESS WHAT? HEAVENLY FATHER ANSWERS PRAYERS. There were 2 girls from another branch who got to the church early for the YSA activity. seriously i almost cried. 

Then khumbo passed his interview!!! let me give you a quick reminder about the best. guy. ever. 

seriously.... him and his friend mendela (who we'll baptize later... he just has some slight learning disabilities so it is taking a little longer) were sitting outside their house when we walked by. He told us that his friend was on a mission in Uganda but he wanted to learn about the BOM. and so luckily I had one and pulled it out and we showed them the introduction. and ever since then we have been meeting with them 3 times a week... and he has introduced us to about 5 of his friends who we have started teaching as well. He always talks about how badly he wants to go on a mission. After he passed his baptismal interview he just couldn't stop thanking us for being such great teachers. He will be baptized by the EQ Pres in the branch who just got home from his mission in Kenya about 3 months ago! 

After his interview he went and introduced us to yet another friend... and then he wanted to learn how to sing "I Know that My Redeemer Lives" and so we sang it with them a bunch of times and we're gonna sing it as the musical number at his baptism since it is his favorite song!! (video attached in dropbox) 

Sunday: BRENDA GOT BAPTIZED. So during gospel principles class the branch president came in and told us that madzi pallibe.... meaning no water. luckily they had already started filling the font so we had some in there but it meant that we had to have the baptism ASAP. So we quickly took Brenda and her husband got them the classic white jumpers... taught him how to baptize her... and then took some cute pics and started the service. Turns out that the person who was supposed to give a talk on baptism wasn't prepared so lucky me got to speak:) but it really was so great to speak at her baptism because they were both so happy. Seriously her husband was just so proud... and they were just adorable and holding hands and being cute. 

The first attempt at baptism.... struggled a little haha. She didn't go all the way under and her feet came up. 

but second time.... SUCCESS. 

Can't wait for them to be dressed in white getting sealed in a year:) 

anywhoo..... SUCH A GREAT WEEK. Every week is good here... trust me, there are the ups and downs. I promise not everything goes perfectly or smoothly... but the good always out weighs the bad. 

I'm gonna miss introducing myself as Sister Thueson in 16 months. Have a wonderful week family and friends! you're all the greatest!