I haven't written for a while and I shouldn't procrastinate because then I forget things. We have been busy organizing things a bit better in preparation for the new couple. Actually Elder and Sister Prete will come to Blantyre and take our place here. They will already know how to keep the financial ledgers etc. but I will need to show them what we do with the Immigration paperwork and a few other things. They will be coming down this week for a few days and then the Lilongwe missionaries will all be coming down Wednesday for a combined Zone conference with Elder Soares, from our Area Presidency. We will have about 32 of us altogether. I am planning the zone conference lunch.
We have been teaching a family (or parts of the family) of John. He works for Swoop security who monitors our alarm system. They are fun to teach as they ask so many questions and love to discuss. It is so fun to see them when they understand the answers to their questions. John has investigated several different religions over several years. I ask him if this one felt different than the others and he says it does. He is anxious to have his wife and children listen to us but he allows it to be their choice. His wife, Prima, is becoming more comfortable around us and is gettng more involved in the lessons. We have started taking the Sister missionaries with us to their home because we will not be here for the duration. John, his brother in-law, and two daughters came to Church today - oh, and also a 9 yr. old.
Friday--- The week has gone by quickly. We had Zone conference with Elder & Sister Soares from Brazil. He is a counsellor in our Area Presidency. Of course, Zone conference was excellent and we along with a couple other missionaries bore our testimonies as this is our last Zone conference. We go home in less than 4 weeks. We are excited to go home but of course we will miss people here and miss working with the young missionaries.
Elder & Sister Prete brought a fellow down to Blantyre who is a member of the Church. He has been in a refugee camp for 8 months up near Lilongwe. He was living in Burundi and was head of a political youth group. The other party won the election and then people starting disappearing. This fellow received a phone call that he should not go home because there were people outside his house waiting to kill him. He never went back. We got him a place to live for a while for free and today gave him a couple of pots and pans, cup, dish, etc. and a bit of food and money. He has a job starting Monday teaching French at a school. He is well educated. He seems like a really nice fellow and hopefully he can rebuild his life. We will do what we can to help.
We took Aaron Benjamin shopping this morning and got him a suit for his mission, a suitcase and a few other things. He has been working with our missionaries here for almost 5 months since w are short Elders right now. He will go home Sunday and spend a month with his family before he reports to the MTC. The mission here helps young men get what they need because their families cannot. They do what they and thanks to the General MIssion fund of the church these young people are able to serve missions and return and help establisht he Church here. It is wonderful to see the returned missionaries lead in the Branches. They are such a huge asset.
I'm on the wrong computer to attach any pictures so I will have to do that later.
Hope everyone is doing well. Would love to get some emails! :)
Love, The Bullocks
