Sister Caroline Richards: Week 39: 9 MONTHS HALFWAY WUDDDUPPP!

Hello my people!

That's right, I'M HALFWAY!!! Can you even believe it?! I seriously feel like I've been here for 2 weeks, but also 2 years! Time is flying but wow, 9 months down and I LOVE ZIMBABWE.

So this week was crazy. We went five days without water and it was absolute torture. You can pretty much do NOTHING without water. Then our house flooded for a second but now it's okay. Also the shower that I was so jazzed about broke this week. It was a nice one shower that I took, but back to buckets we go.

White washing is an adventure. Shamwari. If those previous two sisters were in Harare, my wrath would've been upon them during weekly planning on Thursday, but fortunately for them, they are far away. They left nothing in the area book! How are you supposed to white wash when you have nothing in the area book?! Oh, that's right, YOU CAN'T. We're figuring it out, though. Iri bo. My companion is awesome!! She's a hoot and a half. A two man house is totally weird but it's been fun. She's a contacting queen and we are just laughing and laughing and having and great time getting lost together.

Sooo yesterday, Brother Faison, who Sister Namugenyi and I contacted a couple weeks ago, showed up to sacrament meeting 100% completely DRUNK. He had his restoration pamphlet stuffed in his suit coat pocket and he was just drunk. It was absolutely hysterical. We were singing the opening hymn, and he turns around and in his drunk whisper shouting voice says, "I kindly ask you to help me figure out what's going on" hahaha so I moved my pen along with the words and he started figuring it out. Have you ever heard a drunk man try to whisper? Yeah it doesn't work. Then we sing the sacrament hymn, I Stand all Amazed. The guy was feeling the spirit hard core. He kept putting his hand over his heart and lifting up his arms to praise hallelujah. It was hysterical. Sister Talemwa and I were almost crying. Then the speaker spoke on Resurrection. He turned around about halfway through the first talk and said, "There's life after death?!?!!?" in his whisper shouting voice. Yes brother faison there is but shhh!! And then after church, he was just talking to us and was so upset because his wife didn't come to church with him (we think he came straight from the beer hall). "Sisters, I kindly ask you to help me, I just want to be with my wife forever!!! Why won't she come to these programs with me?!?!" Apparently he was really touched by sacrament meeting, knowing he could be with his wife forever. It was heart warming, yet hysterical. Every time my companion and I ask a question, we always begin with "I kindly ask you..."

We're having a nice time exploring new areas! One area called Cornerstore is turning out to be our favorite. Tichaona, one of our investigators there, is a dwarf and has a really difficult time walking. Yesterday was so stinkin cold because of the rain, and he walked about 2 and a half hours to church by himself. The rest of his family couldn't come and he walked the whole way alone. I continue to be amazed at the dedication of the people of Zimbabwe. They are incredible and I feel so blessed to be serving them.

And on service, Light the World is amazing! We're not able to do a lot of things because we live in Africa, but even just small acts of service for those around you makes all the difference. In this first week with my new companion, I've been focusing on trying to serve her. We have our differences, but you develop so much love for someone as you serve them. Let's Light the World with the light of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

And finally, stay tuned for my 9 MONTH PREGNANCY PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Sister Richards

welcome to our new area! dombo after dombo after dombo (rock)

doing yoga on rocks. powerful.

stopover

that rock out there is called domboramwari, meaning rock of God. Apparently Jesus walked on the rock or something.

on top of the world!

me walking to heaven.

can you see the madzi babas in the distance? they wear all white and sit in the sun for hours upon hours upon hours listening to their pastors scream shona at them. rain or shine they are there. talk about dedication.