Toss It Out, Bring a Solution and The Simple Joys of the Days

hey fam its been another great week here in Blantyre with the usual ups and downs of the work but with plenty of laughs in between. So me and Elder are loving our time together and we're starting to make some good progress in our area. White washing can be kind of frustrating and slow at times but we are learning how to work hard and look at the small sgins of succses as we work. We might only get to teach two people a day but we're meeting alot of great people, helping them change and creating networks in the area. We told ourselves whenever there is the tempataion to bring up a problem or complaint toss it out and bring up a solution instead.
 Right now we are teaching a number of university students which is an interesting change but they're great. They're young, smart, passioanate, and looking for answers and identity so as far as teaching the gospel, they are great to work with. We are planning on baptizing two of them this sunday so we are excited about that. We also got a nice dinner appiontment with them the other day which was fun. This week we also got to watch confrence which was very powerful and I really learned alot. It was also a cool experience watching it with our investigators. sitting with them as they hear the Prophet and apsotles testify of Christ really brought a special spirit in the chapel that I had never felt while watching confrence because i was not just watching but seeking to learn and not just for me but for the people i'm teaching. We're also planning to have some branch activites in the next few weeks to try to encourage more attendance and participation in the branch which i'm excited about taking that oppurtunity to get to know the branch a lot better and enjoy the company. I realize I don't have alot to write about this week but it's getting hard to describe just the simple joy of the days out here and how they are all just starting to blur together and time is flying. We are having a zone easter dinner on sunday so i'm really looking forward to that and we possibly might get to go visit Mount Mulanje next monday which is the second highest peak in Africa so thats exiting. Love you all

Elder Lusk

From Green, Fresh and Young to Experienced, Mature and Confident, Fist Pumping Behind the Pew and Ancient Prophets Going to the Mountains

Hey fam It's been a great week here in beautiful Blantyre! First of all,, yes I did get the package and man it was great to get the shoes as mine are just about done.
 So the week started with a great zone confrence and then me and Elder Day hit the streets learning our area more. We actualy know our way around now and only got lost once. We also had some success contacting some former investigators who readily agreed to meet with us again which is nice especialy because they had been contacted previously by sisters so at least we know their names are  not just taken down and they really actually are intrestested in learning from us. We also had this guy just come up and start talking to us and invited us to come teach him when we were eating lunch today. he's a retired police commander and he said he could even join the church if he likes what we teach so lets see. I also went on exchanges this week with Elder Tidwell who was also trained in my first distrcict in Lilongwe and was my temporary companion over christmas. That was fun cathcing up and laughing about how we were once these two green fresh young missionaries and now we are expeirienced, mature confident teachers and that was kind of cool. The biggest miracle came with these three guys we are teaching. They are all going to college together and are supper smart. We went to see them on saturday and spent about an hour and a half answering thier questions and testifying to them. Then on Sunday they all came to church and remarkably all the testimonies that where given where excatly the questions they had the day before and they got to hear it from their neighboors and friends who have taken the same steps that we were inviting them to do and testifying of it.  It was one of those times where me and Elder Day just fist pumped behind the pew...something we do a lot. we think alot alike,the two of u,s and we really enjoy it. The spirit was really strong and You could feel that they where really touched by that and so we look forward to thier progression in the gospel. We also had a less active sister we had been seeing come to teach and bear her testimony which was also very touching. For fun stuff this week: on saturday we had one of my favorite traditions and had a big BBQ for some missionaries hitting thier one year mark which was a blast as usual just enjoying some time together in one of the most specail and unique brotherhoods in the world. We also went out this morning to a big open air market and me and my comp bought matching futbol jersey's. All in all I'm really enjoying Blantyre it's really refreshing being around mountains. Something I've always felt and have been reading about was how many times in the sciptures the ancient prophets would go to the mountains to speack with God and I'v always felt that same spiritual conection looking at the majesty of his creations in the mountains. 

Lots of love too everyone

Elder Lusk