Mar 27 Home Sweet Home

It's official! Chilobwe is my home! I'm staying here another transfer with Elder Ngendabanka! This news was actually easier for me this transfer than last because I have come to know transfers are truly directed and chosen by the Lord through His servants the Mission president! I learned so much these past 6 weeks and just know if the Lord is keeping us here there are still things for me to learn and people I can change over the next 6!

 As for the week, it was good! We are teaching a woman named Rosalia who is progressing super fast. She has gained that witness that these things are true and the Spirit just is working in her! We taught the Plan of Salvation and she seemed touched when we explaned the Spirit World, which is one of my favorite things to teach because it just makes sense and gives us all hope and confirmation of a merciful and fair God. Of course those people that never got the opportunity to hear about Christ and the Gospel will get the opportunity! She came to church again this Sunday and loved it again.

Church was awesome on Sunday actually. Sometimes I get annoyed or impatient with the branch when they're disorganized and such, but I'm learning to just look at the good because if we look for faults, we will always find them and then the spirit won't be there with us.  So as I look at the good, I just feel the spirit in abundance at church and love the branch! We have had great attendance lately too! Less actives coming and most members coming consistently which is awesome. I love when the small home is full.

After church, I had the opportunity to interview the Zone Leaders' two baptismal candidates. One was a man we would previously see in Chilobwe drunk with his friend, but over time I have gotten to see the change he has made and how repentance has changed him. He expressed how amazing it is going to be to be baptized on Easter because he feels like he is resurrecting from the dead - starting a new life. It was just so powerful. The next man is another I've seen coming to church for awhile now and he has such a light about him! He always comes in and greets everyone and is just so excited about the gospel! And I got to see why when he shared his conversion with me. He had been introduced to the church by his Uncle in Zimbabwe and was given the Book of Mormon. When he came back to Malwai the church wasn't to be found in his area until a member's father saw the Book of Mormon he had and said his son had it too. His son, Maxwell, brought him to church (a 2 hr walk) and he hasn't missed a Sunday since. He also comes to institute every Saturday as well. He had tears in his eyes as he shared these things with me and many more things. When I asked him to close with a prayer I casually just bowed my head to pray when I saw him getting off his chair to kneel. I of course followed suit but this action amazed me and I couldnt fight back the tears from coming during his prayer. The Church is true haha.  I don't always like being a District Leader, but moments like those make me so grateful.

This letter is getting long sorry, but we also did some service for the Chikapas this week! We collected small stones for 2 hours to lay down under the cement of their floor. Their son Time and I decided it was quicker just to break stones to the right size instead of scowering for them haha.

It's good to be a missionary!
Love
Elder Grant Hiltbrand