PUSHING TO THE END

 Our office couple, the Groesbeck's went home in February.  We miss them terribly and there has been no one to take their place yet.  We are in desperate need.  With them is a member of our Stake Presidency, President Mushala.  He attended BYU, Idaho and then earned a masters degree from Gonzaga.

 Another couple also left in February- the Hull's.  That leaves us the only senior couple in Lusaka.  There are two more couples but they are both in Malawi so we don't see them very much.  We had a lot of fun together and I'm glad they both went home at the end of our mission and the not at the beginning.

 I'm always amazed at the amount of food the Elders can put away.  Elder Kabisa and Elder Day with the pile of bones they left behind.

 It rained really hard one night and we finally found water in the swimming pool at the gym we go to.  But it was not to be because they pumped it out the next day.  Maybe some day they will finish it.

 We found these kids playing a game of checkers using bottle caps as the pieces.  When Craig played by their rules he lost and when they played by his rules he won.  They were 2 very different games.

 Mission Leadership Council (MLC)- I think that's right.  There's so much picture taking that you have to get a little crazy every now and then.

 We're just helping our friend, Bernard move (or shift as they call it here in Zambia).  That was everything he owns in a few plastic bags and a small mattress.  It really makes me think about how much stuff I have.

 I wish you could see the size of the room that he "shifted" into.  It is probably about 8 by 8 1/2- no water, bathroom, or kitchen- one bare light bulb hanging from the ceiling.  400 kwacha per month ($40).

 Feeding some hungry Elders once again.  Elder Ogooguo and Elder Mpofu.  They are great young men and great missionaries.  We've had the privilege of doing some teaching with them and it has been a testimony building experience.

Moses is a member of the church who Craig has hired to do most of the repairs on the vehicles in the mission.  He is a colorful character who always has a new outfit.  This is one of the best and we had to take his picture.  One day he came dressed in his white temple suit, black shirt and white tie.  It really caught my attention.  He pointed out to me that he was wearing a black shirt and black socks and shoes so it was okay.  He's a great mechanic, though.

We took our fourth trip to Kalimba Farm, the crocodile farm.  The snake was very active this time and started to wrap itself around Craig's leg.  He hates snakes but made sure that I took his picture, quickly.  The missionaries are always looking for something to do on p-day and this place is close by and inexpensive.


Several months ago Craig and I thought we would try out this companionship study thing and we have actually really enjoyed it.  I would highly recommend it to anyone.  We started with the New Testament which has been a mouthful to say the least.  This is a quote we read from the New Testament Student Manual by Elder Orson F. Whitney (1855-1931) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
"No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted.  It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility.  All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable".

Elder D. Todd Christofferson said of the Lord's chastening:  "Correction is vital if we would conform our lives 'unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ'.  Paul said of chastening, 'For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth' (Hebrews 12:6).  Though it is often difficult to endure, truly we ought to rejoice that God considers us worth the time and trouble to correct".

I'm not sure if I'm ready to be thankful for my trials but I will think differently about them.