Week #73 - Now in Beira Mission Boundaries

We have transfers today!  Elder Silva is being transferred to be a zone leader and open a new area!  No break for his last transfer.  I am staying in the Manga Zone and getting a new comp - Elder Sosa.  He has been the AP in Maputo.  He is a hard working Elder so we will get lots done!

I have had such great companions. They have taught me so much.  I'm not sure how I would be as a missionary without them. We have been driving missionaries to the airport yesterday and this morning and I have more drop offs and pick ups tonight.  Elder Silva just received a call Saturday night that he had to fly out Sunday. He was sad he did not get to say goodbye to the people.  Thursday we have leadership conference with Pres Senna in Maputo.  I think I'll go to KFC and have a warm shower for my birthday!!  I'm most excited for the warm shower.

Pres split the mission now.  So I am now in the Beira Mission boundaries.  In 6 months the new mission presidents will be here and he is getting everything set up.  He created 2 more zones and about 6 duplas in each zone.

We had 31 baptisms in our zone this week with 6 duplas.  Only 2 of the Baptisms were in our area. It was incredible!  We spent 3 days driving around to do all the interviews.  Some of the people have real good questions that are hard to know how to answer.  One of them that I sent to Pres was "How do I know when I have been forgiven?"   I share with them about the Saviors sacrifice and we basically talk about Christ's atonement.  We talk about covenants we make with God and obedience to his laws.  I testify to them that through Christ we can be forgiven and can be clean and the importance of the steps to prepare for baptism.  This is so new to them, I hope I can give them even more information to help.  

It is so sad to realize how little education is here for the people.  This week when I was needing to get signatures from people I put the paper up and showed them where to sign.  Some of them had never seen a piece of paper or pen.  A few of them did not know which way the paper went.  It made me so grateful for what we have. There were adults and they did not know how to sign or even write their name, so I wrote it for them.

This is the cool story I wanted to tell you from last week. We had a really special experience. We started teaching a girl in Palmada and she told us her sister is sick and then starts shaking violently.  The doctors don't know what is wrong and the preachers tell the parents that she is possessed with the devil.  The parents don't like hearing that so they won't go to church.  The girl is 7 years old.  So we went to visit their home.  I asked the parents if they believe in Christ.  They said they did. Then I knelt down and ask the little girl if she has faith that she can be healed.  She looked me straight in the eyes and said yes.  Then we anointed her with oil and blessed her that she would be healed.  It was a real sacred experience.  I don't know if I will ever forget it.  The spirit was powerful.  At church this Sunday the sister told us that her sister, Emaza (I think) has not been sick all week.  The family wants us to come back.

We are working with 10 families who need to take steps to get married.  They have come and asked us for money because it costs so much.  We have to share with them that we are only here to share the gospel.  We send them to the Bishop to help them.  These bishops are incredible with what they do and how they try and help these people.  The needs are greater than you can imagine. 

I am jealous you have snow!  It is the same here, hot!  Keep reading the Book of Mormon.  It is the word of God!

Com Amor,

Elder CJ Rees