photos Jan. 2013

Jan 25, 2013

"If you get a 'fly so fast it reverses time itself' gadget, on your belt. . . lemme know. . ." "I'm batman. . . I carry things on my belt" "It's cool!" " cuz I'm Batman!" "Dude, it's cool!"

That's right. . . I carry things on my belt!

So, one thing I wanted to share with everyone was something one of our investigators, Prince, said. "Guys, I wanted to tell you something. As I have been reading from the Book of Mormon, I feel like I understand the Bible better! Plus, before I used to always have bad dreams, but ever since I started reading the Book of Mormon, I haven't had any more. This really is an amazing book." So, ya. I got a happy feeling when he said that. Now we just have to help him get to church again. He came once, but has been having some family issues and isn't able to come if his father forces him to stay home. . . yea.

We had the Hodges over on monday, and that was fun! We had a nice FHE and watched some of the Life of Christ videos. I really love having those at my disposal for seeing members and such. 

We are starting to work a little bit in a part of our area that doesn't see missionaries much, but it turns out it is a lot closer than we thought, so we are excited about that. We have some new people we have been teaching that are showing some promise and so we hope to really push for them to get baptized soon. The challenge is, they are all difficult to meet with! some of them we are only able to see one time a week, but we are making due. We also have a few families that are getting their marriages civilized and then will move on to baptism. 

well, I love you all. sorry for the short email, we are doing a lot today and I have got to get gone!

sarai zvakanaka!
~Elder Williams

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Jan. 14, 2013

1st, on saturday night, I had a dream depicting myself teaching 2 people. In the dream, what I was teaching was not really getting to the man until I turned the focus on the woman. (When teaching, due to the mission's focus on fathers, I, naturally, focus on the father). I thought that the dream was in reference to teaching someone I know back home. As I got into a tracting lesson on sunday with bro dandara (our high priest group leader), I knew he had a bit of a tendancy to go deeper into doctrine than needed, and that I had never taught owith him on splits before, so I said a prayer that we would both be directed by the spirit, and that we could teach in unity. Near the beginning, the dream I had came strongly to mind, and I felt the impression to shift the focus to the mother, and, bippity, boppety, boo, things started moving. The lesson was very powerful and I felt the familiar push to stop speaking and brother Dandara was ready each time with the right info/testimony etc. It was very cool experience, and I surely felt the hand of the Lord. . . now to go back on wednesday! =P

Last night, my companion and I  were getting on a combi to head home for the last time in the week, and as we got on, I heard someone at the back of the combi (the seat behind me) say mormons, mormonism, and many other words in Shona to the person behind him. I was slightly perturbed, and after sitting down, turned over and greeted him. I commented on his 'mormon' centered dialog, and asked what he knew about the church. He responded that he had heard some things, and I told him that not everything you hear is true. I asked what he had heard, and he loosely mentioned the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. After talking to him a while it came out that he was actually a member. He had been baptized, but as he said he had never really received an answer about the Book of Mormon. Over the course of the combi ride home, I spoke to him about how he could really come to know the truth for himself, and the way his answer would come. The spirit was there, which was surprising for the environment, and I saw a definite change on his face when I exited the vehicle. He said he would come and visit us so that we could speak more. I know not if I will see him again, but I hope that I was able to make a positive impact and point him in the way he needs to go on his search for truth.


New quote from yours truly: "People do stupid things. Stupid people do stupid things again."

Anywho, nice week
love you all, even if you didn't write me! (but those of you who did write get an extra blessing, and maybe a kit-kat too. well, probably not the kit-kat)

~Elder Williams

--
Remember: Pray always, and look to the Lord. Write often, and live life to it's fullest.

Doubt is the seed of failure. ~Taggart Williams

Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not. ~God (D+C 6:36)

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birthday dinner

Jan. 7, 2013

This last week was a good one. We didn't have the fall-through issues we had the previous week, and so we had a bit more success. We had a father who has been less active for a while at church on Sunday, so that was very nice to see. On saturday, we had a fun time proselyting in the rain, and then having 3 tag-along member kids with us for the next hour as we struggled, fruitlessly, to find a house of a referral we had contacted. Oh how I miss organized house addresses! But nonetheless it was a fun time =P this is missionary work! walking around in soaking wet shoes, socks, pants with a 4 year old on your shoulders inviting people to church and asking for directions to a nonexistent house!

So, on my birthday, yup, you guessed it! We went to a steak house! It was practically american (the silver spur), and right before we got our food, my comp went up to the counter. When he came back he said "yup, it's american". Elder Hansen was surprised. I was oblivious. What was it that made them american? IDK. They continued talking about it, and then it hit me. "You told them it was my birthday, didn't you?" my comp asked what I meant, but I KNEW! and sure enough, after we order our milkshakes, this loud noise starts in the back. Suddenly, a group of employees comes over with a lit sparkler in a bowl of Ice-cream singing a crazy cool birthday song I had never heard before! I did not, however, record it. On the bright side, Elder Hansen's birthday is feb 9, so we will go back and I will record it then. We started teaching a new family this week, and we are hoping that it will go somewhere. One of the moms there has cancer and is not doing too hot, and we gave her a blessing (at her request), but there was no promise of recovery. It was for peace and comfort. We are going to be baptizing a family this weekend (jan 12) and so we are excited, and so are they.

 

love you all tons! keep on keepin on.

~Elder Williams

Christmas 2012

Fah! lahlala fah lalala Ding Dong Ring Rong Fing Fong Sing Song malalalalalala merry christmas! farararararararara merry christmas. . . DING, RONG FING, SONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

yup
It is that time of the year
to top it off! the world is over!
oh wait? it isn't? what is this? the mayans apparently didn't predict the end of the world. . . big surprise. . . =(

well, it's ok, because it is CHRISTMAS TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!

This just in! This last week was a good one! we had an investigator we haven't been able to see for a week or so and were ready to drop him if he didn't come to church saturday morning comes around, and we set him as an appointment around 3. We got a call from a random number that didn't respond upon call back at around 8am that morning. Turns out, it was him. We get to his house, and he says "Oh good! you came. Rumbidzai (the other person we found him through) is waiting for us". Now, we are like "what? how did he know we were coming?" so, Rumbidzai apparently still wasn't interested, but we were able to hep him out, and he was at church on sunday!

For those of you who remember my attempted farewell talk (the one that was supposed to be 10 minutes and was like 5) and how I really hate speaking. . . Well, last week I was approached by our bishop and was asked to give a talk. I said sure, and got the topic: The atonement of Christ. I prepared the talk mostly by just thinking about the atonement, and picking about 2-3 scriptures about different sections.

Might I say, when I got there and there were 3 speakers including me, and the other 2 only ysa/youth aged, I was sure my talk would be longer than the 10 min I was told originaly. I was approached by a member of the bishopric and he (a powerful RM, Brother Tadokera) told me sorry, but my talk would need to be about 25 minutes. I felt prepared, however. When the time came, I was ready. My talk started with the allusion between sin and leprosy (using the story from mark 1:40-42 about the leper being cleansed) and moved into how the atonement helps us in our lives, what it entailed, what we need to do etc. I was doing well, when brother tadokera put a note on the pulpit saying I could cut at 10:55 (I started at about 10:40) because they had another speaker show up. So, around that time I wound down, even though I could have kept going with the subject. I really enjoyed it and it showed me what happens when you really rely on the Lord for assistance rather than relying 'on the arm of flesh'.

Good times. Also, we have a family, the dhomingo's, who are preparing for baptism on jan 12, and we are excited for them! they are doing well and are loving the gospel so far.

Anywho, things are well this side, and we are having one of the senior couples in the mission over for FHE tonight! it is going to be great, and we prepared Cajun Chicken, so it will be delish!


love you all, have a merry christmas, and I will talk to you again once I am 21!
~Witchdoctor Williams


-- 
Remember: Pray always, and look to the Lord. Write often, and live life to it's fullest.

Doubt is the seed of failure. ~Taggart Williams

Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not. ~God (D+C 6:36)