Monday, October 7, 2013

Matatas, ruts, and happy dances...

Dumela!!
This week I'd like to start off by sharing a poem.

 
THE MATATA

a poem by Sister Scott and Sister Gehring

written for our Zone Leaders- Elder Fleming and Elder Mabuza

 
Once upon a time

In a land far away

There lived two young Sisters

Who sure loved to pray

 

One Saturday night

After a long day of teaching

Their nice little flat

They soon would be reaching

 

But they noticed their gas tank

Was getting quite low

So they thought to themselves

"To Engen we'll go!"

 

It was not their intentions

To make a big scene

They just wanted to keep

The Lord's Sabbath day clean

 

So they filled up their car

But to their dismay

Their card wouldn't work

When they tried to pay

 

Despite many attempts

To talk their way out of it

Their honest, sweet natures

Just wouldn't allow it

 

They knew they were stuck

With nothing to do

So their Zone Leaders they called

The Dynamic Two!

 

The valiant young Elders

They came to their aid

And though it was raining

The ransom was paid

 

So in order to thank you

For all that you've done

Here's some cookies to eat

While you're out in the sun

 

THE END

(Based on a true story)

 

 

Well I hope you enjoyed that fine piece of literature.

 

This week was pretty good. I cant say its the best week we've ever had but it wasn't bad. The main news for the week is that we dropped like 75% of our investigators. We just feel like we are in a bit of a rut. The great thing about Botswana is that pretty much anyone will let us teach them. The bad thing about Botswana is that pretty much anyone will let us teach them. I'll explain. Our purpose is to do more than just teach people. Our purpose it to help people understand and live the restored gospel. It requires them to act on the message we share. Not just listen. That was the problem with most of the people we have been teaching. They all just like the company and the word of God. Which in and of itself isn't bad! But we need to be teaching and focusing our time on people who will act. So we prayed about it and realized we need to find some new people. Unfortunately we are out of ideas of how exactly to go about doing that. Other than tracting, not much really works. So this next week will be full of knocking doors.

 

The investigators we do have are doing well though. We started teaching 2 new people this week who seem very prepared to accept the gospel. Mma Musi and her boyfriend Mr. Parks. They are both in their upper 50's/ lower 60's. I'm not sure how they ended up dating at their age but its pretty cute. They sit and read the scriptures together every day and they are just so accepting of everything we say. "It just makes sense!" That's what they said when we were talking about the restoration. I wish everyone would just get it like that! They have a lot of potential so I'm excited to see where it goes. Their conversion to the gospel will come pretty easily I think. It will be pulling them away from their current church that might be a bit more difficult. But we will do our best!

 

One of the other matatas this week was getting a purple ear. I got a purple ear like this: Once upon a time it was very windy. Very Very windy. In case you didn't know, skirts and wind do not make a nice combination. So I was getting out of my car when all of a sudden the wind blew my skirt all the way up over my head.  I wish I was exaggerating... So in a desperate attempt to get it to go back down (the wind wasn't making it easy) I wasn't paying attention to anything else. Therefore I didn't see the wind also blowing the car door towards my head. It bruised my entire left ear, thus turning it purple. It was definitely the most graceful 30 seconds of my life. The end.

 

Then the other matata this week was that out front door is broken! Whatever mechanism makes the handle work, is broken. So when you turn the handle, nothing happens. Luckily we have a back door so we aren't stuck inside but its still pretty annoying. And we aren't sure when it will be fixed.

 

We had a couple of great times with Gosego this week. She is one of the girls who was baptized last month. We gave her the new member kit this week which includes a bible and a triple combination. When she saw it she literally squealed for joy and did a happy dance. It was probably the cutest thing I've ever seen. She just loves the gospel so much! Also she came teaching with us this week. She said something and Sister Scott and I reacted in the exact same way(that's what being within sight and sound of each other 24/7 will do to you). She just started laughing and said "Its like someone pressed play!" maybe you would have had to be there but it was just really funny.

 

Well my favorite scripture of the week is Alma 36:3. The scripture itself is good but its the story that happened with it that made it my favorite. So we were teaching Adam about how he needed to trust in God to overcome the challenges he is going through. Sister Scott had her scriptures open to a scripture to share but right as she was about to share it, the wind blew her scriptures open to this one. We took that to mean we needed to share this one instead. And we definitely did. After reading this scripture you could tell he just got it. It was pretty incredible. The Lord works in mysterious ways.

 

Well I love you all lots and lots! Give yourselves a nice firm handshake from me!

 

Love, Sister Gehring

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