Guarding the Church and Embracing the Truths, On My Knees, Setting Mission Records, We're Never Alone When We Reach for the Savior

Hey Fam! This was a bit of a crazy week but pretty standard. As far as the area goes we have a lot of work ahead of us. All of the current investigators we've meet have not shown any real signs of progress so we are pretty much starting over in regards to the teaching pool. We did however have a baptism yesterday which is special because that is Elder Jonah's first ever! Our convert is a great man who works as a guard at the church. He's lived a very interesting life and was so prepared to receive the gospel. Apart from that there were plenty of frustrations this week and moments where I was pretty exhausted both physically and mentally and then in the midst of that I found myself on my knees asking for some confirmation of success that day. I had read a scripture that said that "Love endures by diligence unto prayer". With that in mind we went out without a single planned lesson for the day (after a frustrating morning planning session where nobody answered there phone) and started walking. We ended up at the church and were lead to a golden contact. The man runs a construction company that is working on the meeting house and agreed to sit down with us. After teaching him he look straight in our eyes and said that this was what he had been looking for in his life for his family for years!  I'm so glad that Heavenly Father knows where we need to be and when. I can't wait to teach this wonderful family. He is also looking out for us in other ways I set a record for my mission by having four dinner appointments this week! So despite my frustrations and the times I feel like I'm just walking the hot roads of Kitwe aimlessly I really am being looked out for! So too anyone that feels alone....don't!  The Savior didn't do what he did so you would feel alone ,but that we would never have to be alone if we reach out to him! Love you all so much and can't wait for the week ahead.

Elder Lusk

Teaching A Pastor, Discussing the Bible with Missionaries of Another Faith, Teaching A Guard, Let's Talk About the Savior, and Stepping Up My Game

Hey fam! this was a pretty exhausting week but a good one at that. So we are learning our way around Kitwe and realized we cover like half the city and surrounding area so for the past week we've been walking upward of six-eight miles a day (looking forward to hot season) and spending more than a little on transport. But we had a lot of positive lessons and meeting this week. Among the highlights there was teaching a pastor who requested a Book of Mormon, having a constructive Bible session with some missionaries of another faith, committing a guard at the church to baptism for this Sunday, an unexpected dinner appointment, conducting my first baptismal interview, and getting to watch the live broadcast of Elder and Sister Renlund from Ghana with the youth. On top of that there where many times this week where I learned a lot of lessons in patience and humility. Training a brand new missionary isn't easy especially when they come from a very different back ground than you.  One thing I love about my greenie though is he is bold in contacting people. He just loves to stop everyone we pass and share his testimony of the savior. He's making me step up my own game in following his example. After spending my whole mission around old missionaries this has really been a learning process for me where in mind my I have gone back to my own experiences with my trainer and tried to follow the example he gave me. I have also learned that when those days come when you wake up and aren't feeling it. Just go out put on a smile and show one person love and by the end of the day you'll feel the joy that you have helped spread. There is real power behind positive thinking and actions that follow those thoughts.Not much else to say this week I love you all!
> Elder Lusk

Not Sure Where to Begin, Glad I'm Not Training...Just Kidding, President's Hands, I Needed a Kick and Some Humbling, and I'm a District Leader

Hey fam! well I'm not really sure where to begin.. I am here in Kitwe Zambia after a lot of travel. So, on Tuesday I flew from Blantyre up to Lilongwe and had a really great conversation with a nice Muslim man about my mission faith in general and he ended up inviting me to dinner at his home (unfortunately I had to turn it down).

 I spent the night in Lilongwe with the zone leaders there then flew to Lusaka on Wednesday morning. So for the first time since my first day I am back in Zambia. I ended up waiting in the airport in Lusaka for over an hour turns out there was a miscommunication on when my flight was.

 Anyway, at the mission office I was told that I wouldn't be leaving till Friday and I would just sit in on the meeting for new missionaries and trainers the next day. So, I sat there in the meeting looking at all the new missionaries thinking about how far I've come in a year. Anyway the meeting ends and I'm "thinking well that was all well and I'm glad I'm not training" when president's hand lands on my shoulder and calls me as a trainer and new district leader on the spot. Apparently there had been some last minute revelation. So I am now training Elder Jonah from Nigeria. He's got a great heart and really wants to work. He's a convert of about two years and he comes from a very very humble background. He's one of  two brand new missionaries that I am looking after in my new district here. The Lord must have known I needed a kick in the rear and some humbling because I am definitely feeling the weight of my new responsibility.

 On top of that we are practically white washing the area. There is another missionary here to show us around for the next two weeks then he's wheels up on the flight home and safe to say his mind and effort are already gone. That being said, I have a lot of hope for this. Honestly I've already white washed twice and all my new areas have been in a state of decline when I got then , but have been blessed with success. We got here on Friday after a seven hour bus ride from Lusaka so I'm still catching up on all the travel and lack of sleep. Kitwe is nice though. the only thing is our area is super huge so we can't walk it all and bus fair is high so where going to need to work smarter and find the key places to work. I hope everything is going great back home for everyone and things will all work out. Love you all!

Elder Lusk