#LIGHTTHEWORLD

This week was amazing as usual!! I should probably start thinking of new ways to start out my emails.... 

This week it really hit me how much joy I feel as I testify of the truthfulness of this gospel and teaching of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. This week I have been really trying to focus on teaching people and not just lessons. I love teaching the Restoration, and love reciting the First Vision. I love answering people's sincere questions about change and repentance, and I love teaching about the Book of Mormon and how to receive answers to prayers. Everyone should go watch the new Christmas video by the Church... love it! "I am the light of the world... ye are the light of the world!" Let us light the world through service!! 

 Last week Sister SJ Bennion gave us the commitment to read "Teaching in the SAviors Way" and it really changed my life... Thank you SJ BEAR! I love it's focus on individuals, and preparation, as well as teaching in a way that your students want to go learn the gospel on their own! Truly it is a simplified PMG... but I think everyone of us should read it because we are all gospel teachers. We even had to do a leadership training for all the leaders in all the branches of Lilongwe and we based our whole training off of it, because leaders are simply just teachers. But of course the day after we give the presentation, and taught how important it is to prepare lessons in advance and not just read teh book in front of the class, the RS teacher comes up to me right before RS and tells me that i'm teaching. hahah classic.:) 

Well i'll just continue to give you the highlights of each week, but there are so many!! 

1. The Abdul family was married and BAPTIZED! They are the humblest and sweetest family in the world. They came so early to their wedding, but because of the leadership training we were all late, but they were so patient with us. Something that I loved about them is they didn't need a big white dress, a cake, a reception or anything, all they wanted was to make it legal so they could enter the waters of baptism. Their baptism was really sweet! They just kept smiling and laughing which is great. Brother Abdul was able to bear a powerful testimony about his conversion from Islam to Christianity. 

2. Addiction Recovery. Something amazing that I"ve been able to witness this past couple weeks is helping people with addictions. 3 of our investigators who are progressing very well have an alcohol addiction, they are very open about it and one (George) who came to church this week is even willing to talk about it in front of his mother. They really really want to change, but addictions are traps. We were able to do the 12 steps to addiction recovery and we're hoping and praying that they will be ready for the 24th baptism!!! Our gift back to the Savior. 

3. The Godrich family.... finally ACTIVATED:) they are so powerful now and even after our lesson with them on Wednesday they asked, "so who are you teaching now? CAn we come with you?" Love it soooo much. 

4. Paul Mwale finished the Book of Mormon!!! 

5. Paul Mbewe is already on Jacob!! preparing for baptism on the 11th!! 

6. Mpatso and Willard were confirmed members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:) 

FUNNY:

1. Paul... there isn't a day that goes by without him making us laugh. This week we showed him the Restoration video and he started quoting the first vision and he turns to us and was like, "you're supposed to have this memorized" sometimes i feel like he is my mission president or something. then after he told us... "I was really hoping to learn 2 GB of information today but I only learned a half GB" This kid kills me. 

2. "Sister Thueson .... you're so tall. ARe you trying to be like the Tower of BAbel and reach heaven?" -Stanley Phiri That's a new one. 

3. We texted our Recent convert Rose to see if there were gulle wa kullu where she stayed because we had seen some in our area and she replies "don't worry about gulle was kullus... let's go preach the gospel" She is definitely one of my favorites and she always signs her text, "from sister rose and sister doreen" doreen being her 1 year old daughter. 

4. Mangos now make me sick... I guess that's what happens when you eat like 3 a day. hahaha

5. Not sure if this is funny or a miracle but my companion got a nice laugh out of it. We are teaching another neighbor to Bro. Mfune and Mpatso. His name is Epna and when we followed up on his prayers if Joseph Smith was a true prophet he said, "YES. AFter you left last time I prayed, and then I just fell asleep and I woke up a couple hours later!! God answered me!!" Okay if that's how God answers you then that's great:) 

Anywho love this gospel and love doing the Lord's work! As I said before it brings SO MUCH JOY. let's light the world with love and service:) 

Ndimakukondani kwam biri

Sister Thueson

"It's Better to Hear 'Well done' than to Hear 'Well Said" - Paul

Our recent convert Paul told us this during our lesson this week, and it's something that really touched me. It's more important what we are doing than what we say. Our acts speak louder than words. And this week we got told that a lot, mainly by the members of the branch which really always gets me more motivated when the branch is excited about the missionary work going on. My favorite though was when a members landlord who is a Jehovah's Witness came up to us and was like, "You two are doing amazing!!! I heard you had another baptism today! You are doing such a great job.. how do you do it?" and the only answer we had was that Heavenly Father is doing everything!! I wish I could say that the success we were having was coming from us, but it isn't. God is just aware of the area and knows that it is ready to grow! 

Wowie this week was amazing as usual!!!! 

1. Paul was confirmed! He was sooo happy, and told me after he recieved the Holy Ghost, "I just feel so inspired!" and like ran with so much energy out of the chapel. He is also in the Book of Alma and loves the story of the Sons of Mosiah. We stressed him out pangono talking about callings, and he told us he just wants to review everything that he has learned so far. 

2. HOpe.... HOpe is a less-active YSA. She had hardened her heart for some time because she was offended by some things, so she wouldn't let us teach her for some time, but last week we had fall throughs so we felt prompted to go visit her (Well. let's be honest I never recognize it as a prompting until after the miracle happens) And she let us teach her, and opened up to us, and then this week she came to church and everyone was so happy to see her. It reminded me of the talk by Dallin H Oaks where he said that we teach people when they're ready to be taught, not when we're ready to teach them. God prepares peoples hearts when THEY are ready, and many times we just have to be patient. Continue to pray that she'll continue to come! 

3. The Abdul family. Wow I just absolutely love them... and they passed their baptismal interviews yesterday!! They'll hopefully be baptized this Sunday... turns out they're not legally married yet because it's not their culture, but they were so willing to be married so they can get baptized!! Definitely very wise of them as Elder Ellis defines it! The district president agreed to marry them this Saturday, so let's all pray that all goes well and that they can get the witnesses!!! All of their children came with them to church on Sunday! They are under 8 so wahooo future children of records!! 

4. Paul Mbewe... referall from Brother Abdul (the person above) they are both night guards for the church meetinghouse. Paul completely accepts all that we are teaching him, and his wife that he had only been married to for 2 weeks even left him because he wanted to join the church, but he still had an optimistic attitude.( I don't think he loved her that much anyways..) It reminded me of Nelsons talk of having joy no matter what!! His focus truly is on Jesus Christ. 

5. Brother Mfune (a recenct convert baptized in October) introduced us to his neighbor Mptaso, and this week Mpatso got baptized!!!! Bro Mfune was the one to baptize him and he kept saying, "Sunday is our Big DAy!!!!" He was so excited to baptize him. After both lessons with Mpatso this week, he went and bought all of us maize!! So sweet. 

6. Brother Winson... YIKES. He is an elder at CCAP church, and pretty much called us the Anti-Christ. hahahaha I just ended up laughing about it, wish I could say it was the first time on my mission. 

7. JOhn!! John is amazing.. still struggling with Word of Wisdom and Law of Chastity, but all night Saturday night he took us around to 4 different referrals!!! YOu can always tell how converted someone is by their desire to share the gospel. 

8. So my companion and I got all dressed up for Claire's wedding and we were the best bridesmaids, and even that night as we were at our last appointment these little kids were pretending to have a wedding! It was so funny!! 

9. Walked into the chapel on Saturday to find all of our recent converts the youth cleaning/scrubbing the chapel... so humbling to see them walk all the way to church for seminary and for cleaning the chapel.. many times I find myself asking... did I do that as a youth? and most the time the asnwer is no. 

10. Mpatso and Willard were BAPTIZED!!! and Mpatso brought like 3 friends... and Brother Mfune comes up to me and was like, "THIS IS A MIRACLE!!" of course he is excited as usual!!! He had to baptized Mpatso like 4 times because he kept saying it wrong or mpatso wouldn't go all the way under, but after many attempts the ordinance was complete:) I love the order of God, that ordinances need to be done the correct way, I feel like many people in this life don't understand that concept, but God is a God of order and things need to be done under his laws and conditions. When Willard bore his testimony he compared himself to the Israelites because he went through many struggles to finally be "delivered" or baptized. and after Bro Mfune told us that Mpatso was "walking on air" because he was so happy. Haha love these people SO MUCH. 

Well as this week is Thanksgiving, I am so incredibly grateful for so many things in my life. Grateful for: (here is a random list)

Jesus Christ

Malawi

Nsima

The book of Mormon

Sunsets

Rainy Season

Mangos

My companion

doxy

mosquito nets

Coke

My family

tender mercies

funny investigators

Liahonas

an so so so much more!! 

ndimakukonda kwam biri

Sister Thueson

Happy Hikers .... Not Really!

Lots happened this week, but I forgot my journal so looks like you'll just have to get the highlights!! 

1. FHE with the Nzemas which turned into a push up, headstand, and back bend competition between me and a 8 year old boy. 

2. John... John is doing really good. He finally opened up to us and told us that he is still drinking 10 bottles of alcohol every day. He feels like he has no hope to give it up which is really sad, but we were able to watch the beginning of "12 steps to addiction recovery" with him, and you could see that hope entered into his life that one day he will be able to overcome it. He lives next to 2 prospective missionaries who have been there helping and supporting him so i'm grateful for them!! He came to church this week, and we're hoping that he'll be able to be baptized in December once he overcomes this. 

3. SERVICE. Didn't take any pictures but us with the elders built a bathroom!!! I'll take a picture with what we built this week so you can see it.... who knew that I was a brick layer??? Amazing the skills we learn. All you need is dirt and water and you can make a house!! It took like 3 hours and we didn't finish, but worth it! 

4. Paul... a miracle in itself. He was BAPTIZED this week. and he was sooo happy. He kept texting us through out the week telling us of what he was repenting of, and kept saying, "just making sure i'll be ready for my special day... I never thought at the beginning of this year that I would be getting baptized.. but here I am and I know it's right. Probably my favorite moment with Paul this week was after he had studied Preach My Gospel. He asked us, "do you really follow this schedule?" and we said yes, and he was like, "that is amazing... but then why are you always late to come teach me?" FIRE. and then he was like, "now i know why you only teach me for 30-45 minutes because that's what your supposed to do" You know.. .kinda embarassing when your investigator knows your approaches of missionary work haha. But his baptism was splendid!!! We actrually had to combine 3 branches because there was no water at the other branches so they all came to our baptismal service and 3 others were baptized with him!! you should have seen him after he came out of the water.. he did a nice fist pump and was smiling from ear to ear!!! I've never seen any of my investigators so happy at their baptism.. then during his testimony after he said how "i have felt a load of bricks lifted off my shoulders" and I know it's because he TRULY REPENTED before his baptism. 

5. Less-actives... so many good things!! The Mitapelas, the Godrich, B. Chipapala, and HOpe came to church. If you knew these people you would be crying tears of joy like I almost did!! I don't know how it happened, but I know Heavenly Father softened their hearts... He needs the Kalambo branch to be strong so he is providing the way. Almost the whole meeting house was filled and that was the first time in a long time that it has been that way!!! 

6. Got a flu shot! 

7. Willard... WOW. okay soooooo throw back to Willard. he was supposed to be baptized a month ago, but got married to an 18 year old but not legally married so then we couldn't baptize him... but she ended up cheating on him this past week (really sad.. he was really embarassed but he told us, "you told me to be happy in every circumstance so I can still be happy") but now they are separated and he'll be baptized this week!!! 

8. Mpatso was interviewed and will also be baptized on Sunday!!! 

9. Went hiking this morning... hahahahah funniest experience of my life. I dragged this sisters to come with me and they hated me the whole way up and i was just smiling because I had missed hiking soooo much. But we had a nice tour guide named Maxwelll... and I guess people pray at the top of the mountain so they have made these little houses to sleep there to pray all night. It's like everyone wants to be like Moses or something. 

That's about it for this week... My testimony is strengthened everyday at how much the Lord is aware of me personally and aware of my investigators. We couldn't do this work without him. 

LOVE YOU ALL!!! 

Sister Twoson

Do Your Best, and the Lord Will Do the Rest

This week was amazing!!! I am always amazed at how aware the Lord is of us personally and how aware he is of the people we are teaching. This week we spent Monday-Thursday in Lusaka so we only had 3 days in our area, but the Lord still worked miracles!!! 

First of all,

MLC: 

Learned so much and it was so fun to be gathered again with missioaries that I haven't seen in many months!!! 

here are some highlights.

 - the mission is trying to budget... so we ate a lot of cornflakes. 

 - Lilongwe zone got roasted and was the joke of the meeting because of miscommunication and we have been confirming our investigators at baptismal services... oops. But not phased. 

 - Got destroyed by mosquitos as usual. 

 - Sis kupu bought the lilongwe zone gelato. bde. 

 - Long chats with Sister Ratema, Kinikini, Newey, Bingham, Arok and many many more!! 

 - learned that we get to go down to Blantrye for a Chrismtas zone conference on the 2nd... which means i get to see all my recent converts down there:) biggest tender mercy ever. 

 - Got to go on exchanges with the sisters in lusaka. I got to go back to my old area Ngombe for a night and man it was great. All the people they are teaching i have never met because it was like 10 months ago, but I had to lead the area that day because the sister that I was with (Sister Newey) just got transferred there. So we went to go see some members I knew and it definitely made my week... especially a recent convert who was confirmed while i was there... when we called her she couldn't believe it was me and she came running from her house!!!! She was so excited and she has been going less-active recently but she promised to work with the missionaries!! attached is a picture:) 

 - exchanges in the woodlands area the next night. WE were with sister rice from canada and sister ntwe from south. They are white washing and still both new on mission (sister ntwe 4 months sister rice 1 month) We were able to discuss a lot about the blessings that come from white washing an area, and how we shouldn't look at it as a "hard thing" but a blessing!! I loved white washing because it allows you to own your area, and not live with other missonaries mistakes. 

 - all in all, learned so much. and as usual it left me more motivated to work even harder in the area. We have a big goal to turn the 4 districts in our mission into stakes in 5 years!! a big goal but it's possible if we continue to increase our baptisms... not just baptisms but those who will build the kingdom of God! 

Then when we land down in Lilongwe and turn our phone on... we had a long message from Paul saying something like this, 

" I read the history of Joseph Smith, and I know without a doubt that he is a true prophet. I know the Book of Mormon is true, and i'm ready to be baptized any day." 

it was much longer than that as usual, but amazing!!! He was interviewed on  Sunday and will be getting baptized this week. He is so excited and he is one that is completely prepared by the Lord. He even promised to finish all of Preach my Gospel and the Book of Mormon by the end of the month. 

Another miracle of the week was Brother Maurice. He has come to church teh past 2 weeks and this week during our lesson he asked the golden question, "How can I change?" It was really inspired, and you can tell that he really feels the spirit. He will be baptized on the 27th! 

Another miracle is Brother Abdul. He is the night guard at the church, and when we went to go teach him and his family this week he said that a less active member (more like an apostate member) has been discouraging him from learning. But he told us that he won't listen to someone who has left the church, but he'll follow what he knows is right. He even said how this week his wife couldn't come, but next week she will come so they can be baptized together as a family! 

One last miracle... but there was many. the Nzema family came to church after 3 months of being gone. They are a less-active family who he used to be in the branch presidency... but he bore testimony and he promised that he was back to stay. That he has no where else to go but this church... and he needs to raise his family in righteousness. Love it. 

All in all, 

I LOVE MISSIONARY WORK. Thank you all for being so supportive. This morning I was reading my journal from teh beginning of my mission and was overwhelmed with gratitude towards all teh people i have met and all the experiences i have had. 

Ndimakukonda kwam biri, 

Sister Thueson