Trusting and relying

Hello again!

 

Well it was another week of ups and downs. Luckily it was mostly ups though. But the downs definitely are making me learn to trust and rely on Heavenly Father. Its not like any one thing went particularly bad or wrong this week. But a lot of little things have just been building up to try my faith. Before I came on mission, I don't think I really understood my relationship with my Father in Heaven or with Jesus Christ. Or maybe I just didn't appreciate it. But that is one way I have grown a lot here. When you are out here, yes you have a companion at all times, but sometimes things can get very lonely. There are times when I just want to talk to someone or vent to someone, but there really is nobody you can turn to. There are times when I wish I could just call home really quick and just talk for a few minutes but I can't. And its in those times when the only person I can go to is my Saviour. Which if you think about it, is the perfect person to turn to. He knows my struggles better than I do. He's felt everything I have. He understands better than anyone else and He can help in ways nobody else can. Prayer is so powerful. Its the phone call home I need when times are hard. Its a way to get everything off my chest and unload my burdens. And He always hears me. While I don't always get a solution to the problem right away and the trials almost never just disappear, I find that I have the strength I need to endure. I find that I can be happy through it. I find that I am given greater understanding as to the lesson Heavenly Father is trying to teach me. And I am learning to trust Him more fully. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ really are the ones I can rely on when I have nowhere else to look. Sometimes that's a hard lesson to learn but the things I am experiencing here are helping me to learn it. I am realizing more and more each day why missionary work is set up exactly the way it is. Missionaries not only help other people change their lives, but mission helps to change missionaries' lives. You always hear that before you come out. You hear how much mission changes you. But can't fully realize to what extent and in what ways it changes you until you experience it. And its amazing that these changes come purely and completely through the Atonement and the gospel of Jesus Christ. I will be eternally grateful for the things I am learning here and for the sacrifice of Christ that makes it possible.

As for the ups of the week, there were quite a few! We met some great people. On our way home one day a guy stopped us and asked "Are you Vea?" Sister Vea and I were so confused. He couldn't have seen our nametags from where he was. But we went over to talk to him. As we talked we found out that he had seen one of our pass along cards at a table where he works. Do you remember me talking about John? We met him a few weeks back. He stopped us and said he could tell there was something different about us and he felt like he needed to listen to our message. Well that John goes to a small local university in our area. He accidentally left a pass along card at the library. The man who stopped and asked "Are you Vea?" works at that library. He'd seen the picture of the Book of Mormon on the pass along card and was wondering what it was. So he saved our number in his phone and he was trying to decide if he wanted to call us or not. And that's when we ran into him. I don't know what prompted him to ask if we were the same ones from the card but I'm glad he did! We taught him once this week he is awesome! He had so many great questions and he has a genuine desire to learn the truth. I'm really excited to keep teaching him.

We are also teaching a great man named Mr. Tembo. He is a security guard for a house in the area. We have been teaching him for a few weeks now. He's doing really well. He loves the teachings and knows the Church and the Book of Mormon is true. But he works on Sunday so he can't come to church yet. We are working on it. But this week we were reading the story of Nephi getting the brass plates.  He was getting so into the story it was great! He kept stopping and asking "What's going to happen next??" We kept having to tell him to just keep reading. When he was reading the part where the spirit constrains Nephi to kill Laban, he read it with so much enthusiasm "And the spirit said unto me: SLAY HIM!!!!" Thats how he read it! It was hilarious! Sister Vea and I had to try not to laugh. I really hope he can come to church soon. He would make such a great member.

My favorite scripture from the week was Mormon 8:22. I just like how it says that God's work will move forward no matter what. Its comforting to know that no matter what else happens, the church will still be true.

Well I hope you all have a great week! I cant believe I've been in Africa for almost a whole year!! NUTS! 12 down... 6 to go!!!

Lots of love, Sister Gehring

Brownie Sunday! Every Sunday after dinner we eat brownies. Sister Vea makes them from scratch. I'm so glad she's my companion

Me and Mwe Mwe.

Mwe Mwe as a sister missionary.

When Zambians speak English, most of the time they switch the L and the R sound. So fries are flies and my name is sister Gehling. This sign is near my flat. Can you guess what its trying to say? Yup... they were trying to say "No Road" Lovely huh?