Week 34: Tacos and Miracles

Family and Friends!

Great week down here in the ZHM just preaching the gospel and getting sunburnt. We had a fun halloween party last week with the other sisters in Queensdale, and had real life TACOS. Pictures to come. They were incredible. We had some really great experiences this week and some funny ones too. 

So we're teaching this guy named Partson. He's come to church a couple times, but isn't really progressing. Last week we left him Moroni 10:3-5 to read and pray about, and when we got there this week, he said he wanted to go through it with us to understand it better (meaning that he didn't read). So he's like sitting on the edge of his chair, practically yelling these verses to us. I think he thought the more volume he used the better he could understand it. So Sister Namugenyi and I are just cracking up, AND THEN the dude starts narrating Moroni's punctuation. And I quote, "Behold, now here Moroni uses a comma, which is telling us to go on, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things and here Moroni uses another comma, so let's keep reading.." so on and so forth. THE ENTIRE THING. I almost lost it. I was laughing so hard. First time the Book of Mormon has been yelled at me, complete with punctuation. 

But wait, it gets better. He shows up to church on Sunday, but leaves after the second hour. He didn't tell us why or where he was going. But his friend was like "oh yeah Partson went to preach the word". What. After further investigation, we found out the guy's a preacher and goes to his congregation and preaches everything he learns at our church every week. WHAT IN THE. Welcome to Zimbabwe, my friends. Welcome to Zimbabwe. 

NOBERT! We met Brother Nobert when another investigator of ours brought him to church with him.  We saw him on Tuesday and he really opened up to us about everything. He has a 33 year old son who recently had a stroke, so Nobert has moved back to Epworth to take care of him for awhile. He's felt so lost, and in his own words, his "soul needed healing." We testified to him about the miracle of the gospel, and that through the atonement of Jesus Christ we can be healed and freed from all bondage. We went back later in the week and taught the Restoration, and he pretty much taught us! It was incredible. He said he had read the pamphlet three times so he could really understand. We went through the introduction of the Book of Mormon with him, and he was just in awe and asked how soon he could get one of these books. We brought him one on Saturday, and he said he was so eager to read and pray. He accepted baptism and just told us over and over again that this gospel has been a "safe haven" to him. During my study of the Book of Mormon this week, I read in Alma. In chapter 13 we read that there were angels in the land preparing the hearts of the children of men to hear the word of God. I thought of Nobert, who was extremely prepared to hear the gospel. Even in Chapter 16 we read about how the Lord did pour out His spirit upon all the face of the land that the people would be prepared to hear the words that Christ would speak to them after His resurrection. It goes on to say that he would do this, "that they might receive the word with joy." I love this because I feel like the same thing has happened with Brother Nobert. The Lord has been preparing him for who knows how long, and he truly is receiving the word with joy. 

Good stuff happening down here. The Lord has prepared the people of Zimbabwe and I feel so blessed to be able to see countless miracles in the lives of God's children! 

Isn't life grand?

Love, Sister Richards 

Mbare district! Our goal for this month is 40 baptisms. I think we can do it!

Selfie in the rain 

mango season is right around the corner!! 

zimbabwe about to rain

 I made killer teriyaki chicken this week. I won't even lie.

 I made killer teriyaki chicken this week. I won't even lie.

We were talking to this super drunk guy and couldn't understand what he said his name was. He asked to write it down and wrote it right smack in the middle of my planner, so while we were closing the day and I had to write around him. Still not sure what his name was...

tacos with ma seestas (the word "ma" means you're talking about something in abundance. I have sisters in abundance)