Sept. 24 Short letter

Well, ding dong everybody! Another witch is dead.

Ding dong the witch got shot, and elder williams aint dead! ding dong, doodly bop! thanks to peppermint oil his headache is dead!

and burn me, it was a freaking nasty headache, along with a fever, but I am feeling in tip-top shape at the moment and am back on my feet. (see alma 46:40)

this week was good, we got transfers and I am staying here in bluez with elder nellesen, but as for today, I am sorry I am literally being kicked out of the email shop. We had a zone activity today, and I have no more time. Zvakwana. Apana. Sianara. I will fill you in on more next week, but as for now, just the questions.

Mom

 Is there any special kinds of food that are in season there right now?

Just the usual stuff. Paw-paws and lemons, peaches and mangos are coming soon

what type of fruit is most common there?

Anything and everything

Do people like to cook their fruit or eat it raw there? 

Raw, just like yours truly

love you all, sorry for the rush!

~Elder Williams

-- 

new transfer to Bulawayo near Victoria falls

Nah, that's just what Elder Stephensen would say. I would say something else. . . don't know what. Anywhosawhatsit. . .

This week has been quite enjoyable. I am really enjoying my time with Elder Nellesen, and I can say that this is for sure going to be a fun transfer.

This week, we have set a goal to do service every week. On Friday, we went and saw the Mupasi family (20yrs less active, none of the children are members). We had a lesson, and then made an appointment to come and clean the yard (The father is blind, and the mother is very near sighted, children all in school, ages from teenager to early 20's). It was awesome, and then when we went to see a convert who had just had her baby, we helped her get water from the borehole. Water has been gone for 3-4 days every week, depending on the part of where we live, so we have been bucket bathing somedays, and then mexican bathing in emergencies. . . =P It has been fun, and also gives us lots of opportunities to serve others! by hauling 25 liter buckets back and forth! good times.

We had Zone Conference Yesterday, (P-day was changed to tuesday) and that was crazy. President Cook was down here, naturally, and also we had elder Ulisses Soares, of the 70 here. It was powerful, and we learned a lot. The goal I have with my companion is exact obedience, and in just the last week, it is already showing fruits. We are making sure that even the smalles things don't go unfixed. It is quite a cool time, and I am excited to see the longterm blessings which will spring from this. 
well, onto the questions!

Questions:
Aunt Michelle
SO  you say you all have a tent now? is the tent for church or is it for you all to sleep in?
We meet in it for sacrament meeting unless there is lots of wind. We also just got part of the meetinghouse itself tiled, so it is getting better in there. Hows the weather now? changing? same?
Well, it has been getting hot now. Although I have heard (and do not doubt) that Bluez gets less rain than Mutare. But hey, It's all good.How is time kept there is it like at home you go by the clock to meet someone or is it a round about.. noonish kind of thing?
Everyone has clocks on their phone, but there is something called Zimbabwe standard time in which 'I'll be there right now' means anywhere from now to 2 hours. and 'He's around' means within about 5 km. When you add Zimbabwe standard time to Mormon standard time, there really isn't a way to be 'on time' without trying to be 1hr early, which often, the mission plans for. "be there at 11:00" (we need to be there at 11:30, and the meeting starts at 12:00) (Phones also have torches. . . er flashlights on them because electricity isn't constant)
Have you been enjoying the nature there ? since  the last walk with the lions?
I haven't had many more encounters with nature recently, so kinda boring.are you getting to know the native plants and herbs that grow around there and their uses?
I don't know any of the plants here really.I like hearing how you learning new dishes to make and try. It seems one thing you know for sure there is.. change! wow  ya kinda just roll with the flow and expect  the change.. its a good thing to learn and perhaps do you feel alot of what you do is spur of the moment stuff or spontanious? and do you feel thats the same as  your life was  before  you started your mission?
Well, change is all around us, whether we like it or not, all we get to decide is whether we accept it or fight it. As long as we accept the change that is good, and leanr to fight only the negative 'attempted' change, life finds a nice flow. 
 how do you work the computer thing , is there a library  you go to or are you all able to have your own computer?
We go to an email shop in town

MomDo people raise animals for their own food? 
Chickens sometimesWhat else do they do that is self sufficient? 
That, I honestly don't know. Just growing food and chickesn mostlyDo they use their gardens to eat or to sell?
A little of both, depending on who, where they live, and how much they grow.Does the average person have their own cattle, pets etc.?
Cattle, no. Pets, many have dogs or cats, but that is about it.

Well everyone, I love you all so much! Thank you for your prayers, and thank you for your letters. Keep on keepin on, and have tons of fun!
~Elder Williams

life in Bulawayo...

I love you. Well, I guess it's true. You think so too? What about Sue? That cow with a Moo. . . ok enough with the rhyming timing here, and onto the better letter of this peak week. 

Well how are you all today? It is a bright and sunny day here in good 'ol Bulawayo! This weeks forecast consisted of lost days and miraculous finds!

Elder Nellesen and myself had set a goal for exact obedience, as I told you all. We had, accordingly, set higher goals than usual for this week. Then, lo and behold, Zone conference comes and steals away a full day of proselyting. Now, we had quite a bit less time than usual, and higher goals than usual. *que miraculous hand of God* we ended up meeting our goals! Extra lessons and all, we found all the people we needed to find, taught all the lessons we needed to teach, and to top it off, we have 3-4 people preparing to be baptized this weekend! The Makenas are having their wedding on Saturday, and an hour later, we will be having a baptism for them, Sis Dube, and maybe Evelyn. 

Elder Nellesen and I have been having a lot of fun together, making some cake for DM (no, he didn't eat the whole thing, it just looks like he did), and we have been seeing some changes in our lives as missionaries as we have been striving for obedience with exactness.

In teaching, I have seen a very common mental 'defense mechanism' people here have. As they are feeling the Spirit testify to them that the things we are teaching them are true, often they will have a fear of change. They are so deeply rooted in their family's religion from generations back, that they will quite often try to disprove the necessity of only one true church. "All churches are one" or "We are all just worshiping the same God" have become some of my least favorite phrases. It was to my utter disapointment when two times this week I heard it. Both from the wife of an active member, and the 20 year old daughter of a less active member. It is often the cause of a rut in their progression, and with many has held them back for months if not years. However, with the way things are going with the Mupasi family (the less actives) we are seeing a ray of hope. Both the youngest son, Tinashe, and the Father (a devout long-time Catholic) are showing great desire in finding the truth, and we have even been going over the '17 points of the true church' with them to help them out.
Just yesterday, we gave them a Book of Mormon to read together and to pray about it with the promise that if it were true, they would know that this church is Jesus Christ's one and only true church. Time will tell, but I believe that they will come to that knowledge.

Questions

Grandma
Is your P-Day always going to be on Tuesday?
No, that was just because Zone Conference was on Monday. 


Alas, my time is far spent, and I must bid you all farewell. I love you much, and such and such
"Brethren, Adieu."  (Jacob 7:last verse)
~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)

Aug. 27, 2012

 

Well, if it isn't my little friend! Wait, it isn't

Anywho, sorry about all that. Point being-The end of the needle- this week was pretty boring. There wasn't much above average, and a bit that was below,but it wasn't bad. The makena family now have plans for the marriage. It will be in 3 weeks, so we are excited. Once they get married, we will be having the baptism that saturday (probably the 22nd of September).  

We were given some fish by sister Phiri (see last week) and brother Makena gave us some covo(veg), so on friday, I cooked a very legit african meal (will send pictures next week). Sadza, fish, and covo. It was pretty sweet. I have also been listening to some talks by Hugh Nibley some nights, and let me say. In-Cre-Dee-blay--- or, if you don't speak gibberish, incredible! I would really recommend him to anyone wanting some great talks to listen too! I found his talks on a byu site for speeches/devotionals.

 

Sorry again to everyone who is wanting a longer letter, I really don't have much to talk about right now, but I am having a lot of fun here in Zim.

 

love you all!

~Elder Williams

reply to Mom

If you look at things the other way, often the big picture will make a lot of sense. If we do things the world wants us to, however, we will often find ourselves confused to the purpose of everything. Look at it the other way, and you can see what can stop the underwear from breaking as well. I don't like it when things break =P

 

I bet collin will enjoy shooting up all the birds in the neighbors yard with a pellet gun, but I don't know how they would take to bird carcasses in their yard. . . purhaps poisonous gas would be a better solution? Well one thing is for sure, in your salsa this year you should make a few cans with like a billion peppers, spicy things, etc and label it "for Taggart- Warning: super freaking hot". Then you should save it for me  so I can try some! cuz I will bet that your garden tastes as amazing as it looks and feels!

I really have come to appreciate nature more, recently. I love to see all that God has given me!

I love remembering the picture we had in the 'fishy bathroom' growing up, the one with the boy in a small sailor's cap on looking at the ocean: "I say to myself as I look out to sea: 'there is nobody else in the world, and the world was made for me!' "

 

I love you so much mom! I can't wait to get your package and read the letters, but you can feel free to have the kids just send me a small email every week or so! I would love to hear from them (mostly directly) how they are enjoying school, play, etc. I love you tons!

~Elder Williams

letter from Mom Aug. 2012

Dear Taggart,

We got a little rain today.  boy would you guys laugh about the amount of rain we got.  In Zim it would seem like someone was playing a joke on you, as if someone splashed you with some water off of their hands.
the fruit is coming on and it is now officially canning season.  It is my favorite way to appreciate  home grown produce.  I am very happy about it.  Athen and Aren remember that you like to eat "all of the pears"  and they love peaches so they fit well into this season too.  We are off to AZ this weekend and going to see the cousins.  It will be a quick trip, but fun.  Camping and playing and making white man fires.  Kaitlyn comes out to BYU this week and we won't  get to see her, but maybe Amanda will.  Mackenzie is doing well and has great roommates.  I miss her though.  I love our yard.  I probably have told you that before, but it is one of the ways I feel God's love for me.  it is peaceful and beautiful and it allows me to help in making it that way.  I still need to get dad to make the fort for the little ones but it will be a while still.
trying to get rhubarb to plant in the garden and maybe more grapes this year.  The neighbors have a ton of birds that they love to feed in their yard and consequently we have to deal with them too.  I think they got to the grapes this time.  argh.  Tomatoes will be on soon and I will love making salsa too.
Today at church Aren did a pretty good job staying quiet and within boundaries I set.  while he was sitting on the floor in his kilt, he stopped stood up, lifted his kilt up and showed me his little penis had slipped out of the slit.  I quote, " Oh no Mom, it's broken"  Thurl Bailey was sitting right  next to us and got a good view of what was broken.  so I fixed it and then a little bit later he stood up and said again, "It's broken again".  And of course it was with a flash of the problem.  I then took him into the bathroom took his underwear off and put them on backwards and ouila, no more broken underwear and he can see the cartoon character better too.
Do you remember that you wore your underwear backwards too?  It was so you could see batman, poke man etc.  while you wore them.  I thought it made a lot of sense.
There is a metaphor in that.  Let me know what you come up with.
love you bunches.
Mom

the beautiful life in Zim. Aug. 13, 2012