Saturday, September 3, 2016

This is Africa Now, Going to Lilongwe, Walkig the Dusty Roads, "Mr Mental Toughness", No Time for Fear or Self-doubt, Soldering On and I Saw God Today


Hey fam it's been a crazy week so i'll try to get it all out. So tuesday we left the Missionary Training Center and flew to Lusaka and all had that  "this is africa now" moment. We went to the mission office and had lunch with the Kupus and  got our assignments and left wenesday morning. It was hard leaving Elder Mira and sister Porter who were heading to Blantyre. we all meet in Atlanta on our way to the South Africa MTC and sat on the plane by each other and had gotten close but im glad im in Lilongwe. Elder Ketchum is awesome and we get along great we also live next door to two cool elders in a really nice flat that we had to do some deep cleaning on alot of times. we make a big dinner together at night with all our food. so we live in a nice area then walk 20 min to get to the bus(seriously scetchy but we have to)and go to our area which is a really poor area. Seriously its a large jungle of tiny windowless mud brink shacks on dusty roads. Its the most poverty ive ever seen.These people have nothing. Its really just life changing the things i see now everyday it really puts things in perspective walking these dusty roads everyday has taught me so much that i could have never learned if God had not have sent me to this far off corner of his kingdom. I feel like ive aged like ten years in the last week being here.People seem happy though especaily the kids when they see two white guys they think it's really funny.I had a thought the other day that heavenly father sees us all like those little kids out of the dusty roads of Kauma who are just so happy and inocent. Its hard to teach because people dont really speak English. its almost all chechewa and so we have to have members intrepret our lessons.we are also white washing and this is ketchums first time in Malawi too so there is alot of guess work right now till w are more situated. So pretty much all the ways i taught at the mtc(which i loved every minute of) pretty much went out the door. We have been blessed to work with brother duma who is amazing he used to be the brach president and is a great man. The branch is pretty good. we have 3 teenagers on date for baptism for the 18th which is exciting.I got to share my testamony on sunday and honestly i dont know if anyone really understood all that much exept for a few who speack english well. we also got to have a bbq with a senior couple that is leaving soon. Food wise we are fine im not losing any weight. we eat pretty well on our budget and im getting better at cooking too because we dont really eat with members. You can actually find almost all the same stuff in the grocery stores here. Also i found out that alot of the crazy things i heard about the mission are not true. One things though, it is  pitch black here by 6 oclock so we generally leave early so we can get back inside and do our study at night. I am sleeping like a log every night here. we come back and i am straight exhausted. I also learned alot about humility and just solidering on, I thought i was so ready and all "mr. mental toughness" till i got here and realized this is africa and there is no time for self doubt, fear, or homesickness you just have to get to work and ignore all other distractions. The nshima i'm getting used to. It's bland but super filling and keeps you going all day. I will say sometyhing amazing though to quote the great George strait I really do see God everyday here( great song by the way go listen to it this is just a crazy expeirience full of ups and downs that really test you but i really look forward to everything i can learn from it. i have more to say but i have to send a couple more emails so you might get another small one. No pictures to send now but i promise i will send some.
I love you all so much and i know God sent me here to lilongwe for a reason his gospel is true and i love it. Lots of love elder lusk








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