Sister Caroline Richards: Week 31: Tino Fara!

Hi Family! Hi Friends!

Everything here in Zimbabwe is so good! Minus Sister Park and I dying for like a day everything is great. We ate this pizza on Monday that was SO GOOD (pictures coming) but apparently our bodies didn't think it was as great because we spent the whole next day throwing up. I had to give a presentation during Zone Meeting that day, but fortunately I made it through without a catastrophe. Anyways we were still able to go to the area that day for a couple hours so iri bo!

Sister Park and I are getting all the pranks in that we can for our last week together. Sister Walbeck got this very, very minor cut on her foot, and we told her that it was extremely infected and needed to be scraped out with a hot knife I told her I experienced this same thing at girls camp, and since mission is zimbabwe is kinda like girls camp, she believed us. No one was cut with a hot knife, don't worry. But it was really funny. She was getting all ready for it. Also I got the most giantest splinter in my foot, so sister park had to perform surgery. Fortunately I came out alive, and I even got pictures of the procedure. Everything in the area is so good, and they're even thinking of splitting it in half because it's so productive! Transfer news comes this week so we'll see what happens.

Brother innocent: He and his wife are doing so well! We taught the restoration to her, and Innocent was there contributing and loving every second. After we finished the first vision, we asked her how she felt. She spoke quietly, but her answer was powerful and sincere: "I feel so good. Everything just feels good". We scheduled an appointment with them for this coming week, but they ended up calling us to come back on Friday because she wanted to discuss the Plan of Salvation so bad. It was so cute! We asked her if she had prayed about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, and Innocent jumped into the conversation and said, "She had a dream too!". We asked her about her dream, and she said, "Not much happened. But we were together and we were just so happy". At the end of the lesson, they both just said how thankful they were for the gospel because it's bringing their family together. Innocent never goes out to drink with his friends anymore, but wants to stay how with his wife and kids. The gospel truly was made for families! Innocent was not able to come to church, but his wife did and brought her little sister with her. The members there were so welcoming to her and I think she had a really positive experience. We're working on their marriage right now, but as Innocent says, "We will be in the church of Jesus Christ no matter what. You will see".

Sister Verity: Sister Verity is the sister of our Elders Quorum President, and she just moved in with his family. She moved away from her husband because he was abusive, and wanted to be a polygamist. Obviously she did not agree with this, but they couldn't seem to make things work, so she moved in with her brother, President Ruvinga. She came to church with him last week, and we started teaching her that same day. We taught her the Restoration last week, and gave her a couple verses to read in Mosiah 24, one of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon! She read the verses where the Lord spoke to Alma and his people, saying that he would ease the burdens upon their backs. When we came back, we asked about her experience with reading and praying. She said, "When I was reading, I really could feel that God loves me. After I put the book down, I could feel the burdens being lifted off of my back. I know that this book is true." Sister Park and I just looked at eachother with emotions of pure joy and happiness. Sister Verity has faced so much opposition, and believe me, her burdens have been heavy. But through the power of the Book of Mormon, those burdens are being eased and she can feel the love on God in her life. The spirit is such a strong power, and the Book of Mormon is the absolute best!

Brother David was confirmed this week, so we told him he needed to be early to church. Church starts at 8, so we were assuming he would show up at like 7:45ish, but no. 7:00 on the dot. In his words, "The earliest bird catches the fattest worm." Hah. The guy's a hoot.

Everything is great. Everything is wonderful. Zimbabwe is hot. Mission is cool. All is well.

TINO FARA! (we are happy)

Love, Sister Richards