Hey fam
We had a pretty good week here in Kitwe. Funny story. The Kupu's (our mission president and his wife) were coming around for flat inspections on Wednesday just before zone conference on Thursday. In their effort to find the flat, they got lost and after about ten phone calls of me leading them all over Kitwe in the dark, I finally just told them to stay put and Elder Robins and I took off to get them. Picture this: Its pitch black outside and you have two young white guys in white shirts and ties sprinting through the dark with a flashlight. Yep, by the time we found the Kupus we had sprinted about 1.5 miles in just under 10 minutes (feeling proud about that feat in my current lack of conditioning).
We had a great zone conference and President Kupu says he's pleased with my efforts as a district leader.
Then on Friday, we went on splits with the assistants and that meant we got to work with one of my favorite missionaries, Elder Chartier. He was my zone leader back in Lilongwe and he's just a blast to be around and the boldest teacher I've met. We had some great contacts with him including a man that had been taught before but felt like God had abandoned him to which we said that the fact that two missionaries were standing in front of him shows that God still cares for him.
For me, I had a new insight when we were teaching the Plan of Salvation to a man the other day and he asked if there was such a thing as spiritual resurrection and then it came to me that repentance is the spiritual resurrection that comes through Christ's atonement. So that was a special moment for me when, as a teacher, I was taught.
Finally, we found an amazing soft serve ice-cream stand just by our flat!
Love you all!
Elder Lusk
Sunday, December 10, 2017
16 Hours on a Bus, A Few Good Dinners, Dust Road "Sermons" and Jeus the Christ
Hey fam! This was a pretty crazy week that is turning into two crazy weeks! So, the beginning of the week was normal and we did a lot of finding new people until Thursday morning at 9:45. We had a great day planned and were just about to head out when the phone rang and one of the missionaries who is an assistant to our mission president told me that we were due to appear at Zambia's immigration office in Lusaka on Friday morning. So, we had to cancel our plans for the day and rush to pack and then meet up with the other Elders in Kitwe who also had to go and then jump on the next bus to Lusaka for an eight hour cramped bus with no A/C. We get in late Thursday, got dinner with the APs (assistants to the mission President) and then crashed. The next morning I go into immigration and two minutes later walk out having signed the one form that was required. Then apparently a last minute law change came up and my companion and the other new missionary in our district didn't pass and we're still battling the red tape.
On Saturday morning, they put me and Elder Blanchard on a bus back to Kitwe (again insert 7.5 hours of no A/C with an active two year old next to you). So right now we are on extended exchanges till they get everything sorted out and we get our companions back.
As crazy as it was, I did get to enjoy a few good dinners at the mall in Lusaka and catch up with some old mission friends I have not seen in a while. We should still be having our baptism this week or next for a wonderful brother.
Also, with 16 hours in a bus this week, I had a lot of time to read and ended up covering a significant portion of the book, "Jesus, the Christ" by James E. Talmage. While it about as dense as a law text book, I ended up seeing so much strength in reading again about the simple and humble birth and life of our Savior. Somehow after 13 months of dust road "sermons", it feels a little more real to me as I understand more of the character and mission of our Savior.
Love you all! Have a great week!
Elder Lusk
On Saturday morning, they put me and Elder Blanchard on a bus back to Kitwe (again insert 7.5 hours of no A/C with an active two year old next to you). So right now we are on extended exchanges till they get everything sorted out and we get our companions back.
As crazy as it was, I did get to enjoy a few good dinners at the mall in Lusaka and catch up with some old mission friends I have not seen in a while. We should still be having our baptism this week or next for a wonderful brother.
Also, with 16 hours in a bus this week, I had a lot of time to read and ended up covering a significant portion of the book, "Jesus, the Christ" by James E. Talmage. While it about as dense as a law text book, I ended up seeing so much strength in reading again about the simple and humble birth and life of our Savior. Somehow after 13 months of dust road "sermons", it feels a little more real to me as I understand more of the character and mission of our Savior.
Love you all! Have a great week!
Elder Lusk
Once Upon a Time.....
Hey Fam!
Once upon a time in the dead of hot season, two Elders were sent on a rigorous mission. Take a large area that has been left desolate for months, pour their sweat, blood, tears and prayers into it in hopes of a divine miracle in teaching repentance to its people. Who were these Elders? One, a brand new farm boy with a heart of gold and the drive that drove his ancestors across the plains. The other, a handsome, well tested veteran of many tough assignments throughout his extended tour of duty. They faced down the blazing African sun in defiance as they fearlessly and faithfully traveled the dusty roads, talking to all with their natural country boy charm, youthful joy and the unwavering strength of a lion in th efface of reveilers and challengers. Faithfully, on aching feet, they hit the roads before it happened. When the blessings of the their efforts showed. In one week they never sat but spent their days from sun up to dusk preaching and testifying. They taught more new people in one week than the veteran ever had before. Who were these people that they taught? Two brothers getting a new start at life, a women who had long given up on religion till a prayer that morning was answered with a knock at the gate, a dedicated grandfather full of love for all men, a new pastor seeking God's will, two Russians full of questions about America (yep, that happened) and a brother and his family long removed from the church due to living far in the bush. These Elders hit their knees late at the week's end thankful for the past days and hungry for more.
Oh, and my comp and I made homemade pizzas this week that were awesome.
Love you all
Elder Lusk
Once upon a time in the dead of hot season, two Elders were sent on a rigorous mission. Take a large area that has been left desolate for months, pour their sweat, blood, tears and prayers into it in hopes of a divine miracle in teaching repentance to its people. Who were these Elders? One, a brand new farm boy with a heart of gold and the drive that drove his ancestors across the plains. The other, a handsome, well tested veteran of many tough assignments throughout his extended tour of duty. They faced down the blazing African sun in defiance as they fearlessly and faithfully traveled the dusty roads, talking to all with their natural country boy charm, youthful joy and the unwavering strength of a lion in th efface of reveilers and challengers. Faithfully, on aching feet, they hit the roads before it happened. When the blessings of the their efforts showed. In one week they never sat but spent their days from sun up to dusk preaching and testifying. They taught more new people in one week than the veteran ever had before. Who were these people that they taught? Two brothers getting a new start at life, a women who had long given up on religion till a prayer that morning was answered with a knock at the gate, a dedicated grandfather full of love for all men, a new pastor seeking God's will, two Russians full of questions about America (yep, that happened) and a brother and his family long removed from the church due to living far in the bush. These Elders hit their knees late at the week's end thankful for the past days and hungry for more.
Oh, and my comp and I made homemade pizzas this week that were awesome.
Love you all
Elder Lusk
Only One Guard Dog, His First Nshima...and Then There was More, Excited to See the Miracles
Hey Fam! It was a busy week here in Kitwe. Elder Robins is the man! He came out pre-trained so we have gone straight to work here. So we have been opening up some new areas around our house. We actually had a lot of success with it and got in behind several gates and got about 50 numbers for people including a CEO of an international mine. All of that and I only had one guard dog nearly bite my arm off. Its great, though, and people are very receptive here.
We also met a super great guy who has been waiting his whole life for someone to come and share the gospel with him after he had some early signs in his life of the Savior's presence and plan for him and he even came to church with us.
On Tuesday we had dinner with our branch president. It was Elder Robins first nshima and we enjoyed a nice square meal and we were just saying thanks when his wife sets down two large plates of rice and beef in front of us...yes, we finished that also...barely! Also for Elder Robins birthday in line with our usual Sunday night District dinner tradition we went all out and had a nice feast which we super enjoyed.
We also had a great talk with our District President who thanked us for our efforts and told us that he can tell that we are serious missionaries.
We are excited to be here and turn this area around and see the miracles the Lord can work here through our efforts.
Love you all and have a wonderful week back in the beautiful fall weather.
Love, Elder Lusk
We also met a super great guy who has been waiting his whole life for someone to come and share the gospel with him after he had some early signs in his life of the Savior's presence and plan for him and he even came to church with us.
On Tuesday we had dinner with our branch president. It was Elder Robins first nshima and we enjoyed a nice square meal and we were just saying thanks when his wife sets down two large plates of rice and beef in front of us...yes, we finished that also...barely! Also for Elder Robins birthday in line with our usual Sunday night District dinner tradition we went all out and had a nice feast which we super enjoyed.
We also had a great talk with our District President who thanked us for our efforts and told us that he can tell that we are serious missionaries.
We are excited to be here and turn this area around and see the miracles the Lord can work here through our efforts.
Love you all and have a wonderful week back in the beautiful fall weather.
Love, Elder Lusk
Heading Back to Normal, Good Ole Boy from Cache Valley, Sore Feet and Barrels of Sweat, Its What the Work We Do is All About
Hey Fam! This was a pretty great week and things are heading back to normal. On Tuesday morning, the zone leaders called me with the now all too familiar "you have two hours to get on a bus to Lusaka thing" Reinsert 8.5 hours of hot bus ride. Luckily this time good news was waiting for me there. The Lord knew I needed to learn from my mistakes of the first six weeks of being a trainer so he gave me a brand new missionary. My second new missionary is Elder Robbins, a good ole farm boy from Cache Valley, Utah. He's a great guy, hard worker (I will need a hard working companion since I have had two weeks out of the area and the rising heat wave temperatures) and he's dealing with the Africa transition a lot better than I did. We've gotten along great.
We went back to our flat, scrubbed it down and organized it and I have to say that Spirit of God was strong in our flat after that. Then we went and hit the dusty roads. We have a lot of potential new investigators. We also had a great lesson with a man that is a gardener for the church and he committed to baptism and then didn't come to church. We'll work on that but Elder Robbins did a great job in his first lesson.
It's definitely going to take some sore feet and barrels of sweat but we can get this area back up to speed. We had a great experience with our recent convert, Brother Sydney. He's lived an interesting, long life but seeing the changes in him in the month since he was baptized is amazing, just seeing how he glows now, his smile, and hearing him speak of how the gospel is blessing him and his family is really what the work we do our here is all about. He got his first dress shirt and tie so he can prepare to bless the sacrament soon! Can't wait for that!
Hope all is well with all of you! All of my love
Elder Lusk
We went back to our flat, scrubbed it down and organized it and I have to say that Spirit of God was strong in our flat after that. Then we went and hit the dusty roads. We have a lot of potential new investigators. We also had a great lesson with a man that is a gardener for the church and he committed to baptism and then didn't come to church. We'll work on that but Elder Robbins did a great job in his first lesson.
It's definitely going to take some sore feet and barrels of sweat but we can get this area back up to speed. We had a great experience with our recent convert, Brother Sydney. He's lived an interesting, long life but seeing the changes in him in the month since he was baptized is amazing, just seeing how he glows now, his smile, and hearing him speak of how the gospel is blessing him and his family is really what the work we do our here is all about. He got his first dress shirt and tie so he can prepare to bless the sacrament soon! Can't wait for that!
Hope all is well with all of you! All of my love
Elder Lusk
The drama continues, sweet baptism, Heating Up and All These Things will Be For My Learning
Hey fam. So the drama here continues. Our companions were not able to get Zambian visas so they got transferred to Malawi. I have been on permanent exchange with Elder Blanchard in his area and it looks like it will be Thursday or Friday before I can get back to my area because we are still waiting on transfer news.
We did have a baptism in Elder Blanchard's area on Sunday and it was a very sweet experience for that sweet sister who has been waiting patiently to be baptized.
Elder Blanchard and I have been able to get to know each other and I got to explore his area with him and meet the members of the Church in the branch here.
It's also heating up here as we head into another hot season and here in the Copper Belt is the hottest of any part of the mission we're in for a roasting the next two months.
Not much else to talk about this week but all is well in our service and I've got a lot to do when I finally get back to my area.
Thinking about all the challenges lately, I stumbled across the answer to prayer that Joseph Smith received from the Lord where he was told that if the very jaws of hell are open in front of him that it will be for his good and give him experience and learning. By no means are the jaws of hell open to me but I know all these mishaps will help me learn and grow in the long run.
Love you all so much!
Elder Lusk
We did have a baptism in Elder Blanchard's area on Sunday and it was a very sweet experience for that sweet sister who has been waiting patiently to be baptized.
Elder Blanchard and I have been able to get to know each other and I got to explore his area with him and meet the members of the Church in the branch here.
It's also heating up here as we head into another hot season and here in the Copper Belt is the hottest of any part of the mission we're in for a roasting the next two months.
Not much else to talk about this week but all is well in our service and I've got a lot to do when I finally get back to my area.
Thinking about all the challenges lately, I stumbled across the answer to prayer that Joseph Smith received from the Lord where he was told that if the very jaws of hell are open in front of him that it will be for his good and give him experience and learning. By no means are the jaws of hell open to me but I know all these mishaps will help me learn and grow in the long run.
Love you all so much!
Elder Lusk
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)