Elder CJ Rees

 We have been running around all week, but we still were able to teach people.  We had 2 baptisms on Saturday.  They are great guys.  We are working out how and when to have them receive the Holy Ghost.  Church was canceled Sunday.  The Bishops and Stake President were trying to figure out how to get the sacrament to people.  We were not allowed to go to homes.  We had to stay in and have church and the sacrament by ourselves.   Our zone had 27 baptisms so far - our goal was 32.  We were close.  We are not sure what will happen.  We hear that the sickness is in South Africa and another country next to us.   I am not sure what anyone will do if they get it.  I have had a hard time sleeping.  I wake up and can't get back to sleep for hours.  I think it is because I am thinking about so many things. We are hearing crazy things happening with the coronavirus.  Not sure what is rea...

Hey family! What a week, let me tell ya... we have been doing lots of run around and lots of work in the area like normal.  Well,  the week started out with divisions with our district leaders. I went on divisions with our DL in Dondo and we got in some great work and some solid 6 or 7 visits.  I love the divisions so much because you get to teach and see how the other missionaries are doing and how they act with other comps.  So it was a blast in Dondo.  Thursday I went on another division with a new Brazilan, Elder Mandadori.  Wow!  The things I learned from a new kid straight for the MTC!  We witnessed a miracle and had a real interesting experience together.  I took him to visit Domingo (He is the boy who just got baptized that has been real sick).  He has had struggles with his family and he has not been able to walk well or do much.  When Domingo opened the door I saw him walking around and asked him how he wa...

The week has been good.  We have not done much in our area, but we did run around alot! We had the 1st missionaries arrive to the Beira Mission this week.  We have 13 that are in our zone, all from Brazil.  The AP's and Pres Senna arrived the night before and we had a few vans to pick them up.   At 2pm all the missionaries arrived and we had a welcome banner for them at the airport.  We met with them at the the church and had everything set up and ready.  As soon as they all arrived what do you think happened?  The power dropped!  So we quickly worked on the generator, but that was broken...  So the districts gave their counsel and President Senna helped the missionaries get to know him better and then he scared the missionaries with all the health rules.  I think he has more rules now then when I came to the mission.  It was a little after 11am and he said to me and my companion that the Spirit is not here so we need to b...

Another interesting week.   Transfers were last Saturday so we have been driving everywhere.  Saturday we woke up at 2am and Sunday 4am to get to the airport. We left right after the Sacrament on Sunday trying to get missionaries and supplies out.  I am staying with Elder Sosa one more transfer.  I have been in Beira now 1 whole year.  I love it!   We are getting another dupla so we have 20 missionaries in our zone.  7 duplas will be training new missionaries.   George, the mission worker has to take care of 3 more homes now.  We have 4 Americans, Elder Hammer, Squire, Jones, and me in the zone.  The other missionaries are from Brazil or Africa.  The new missionaries come on the 26th.  The AP's arrive today and Pres. Senna comes in tomorrow.   We had 3 baptisms this week!  So excited. Domingo's is the skinny one.  He is always sick.  We wondered if we would have to carry him or if h...

Hey family its been an great week! Lots of work in the area and some amazing visits.  I saw a sunrise this morning at 4:30am.  Incredible. The Durban South Africa Temple dedication was awesome and Elder Rasband was there so it was incredible.  The Beira Stake President gave one of the talks.  The people have never experienced anything like this before.  They have never had anything so formal.  We were instructed to lock the doors when it began and each person had to have a recommend.  There were 3 sessions.  We had to turn down so many people for not having a recommend or coming late.  We would tell them they could see the next session.  They did not understand, but we had to do it.  They also had never seen the hosanna shout.  Just me and the other missionaries were waving our handkerchiefs.  They just looked at us and started waving their hands.  It was so wonderful to see them have this opportunity....