WE'RE HALF WAY THROUGH

There's a new church going up behind these gates.  Hopefully it will be done before we come home.

This is what it looks like so far.  Everything is made of that cinder block- everything!  I've never seen a stick of wood in any construction here.

Elder Salmon has taken on a new project.  We are getting into the fish business- not salmon, though.  It's  called bream and he is hoping to make a successful business of it.  The little fingerlings will go into these inverted water tanks for several months until they are big enough to eat.  Then they will sell like crazy.  That's the plan- to help some members to become self-reliant.

I'm not sure if they have ever used a power tool before but they had a great time and learned a lot.

This is what bream look like.  At least I think that's bream.  I did taste it and it was good, but after learning how they are raised and what they eat (pig manure) I'm not sure I will be partaking of it again.

These kids were having a ball in this old wheelbarrow.  Don't mind the garbage but it's the only place to play.

The  missionaries threw a ward party in the Matero Ward and they did most of the work- with a little help from the members and senior missionaries.  But they did most of the cooking and decorations and it was great.  That is the biggest pot of rice I have ever seen.  It fed about 100 people.  The theme of the party was temple work and family history,

Ready to serve it up.

Another district activity,  There are only 2 elders in our district and 6 sisters.

Just having a little heart to heart with Sister Awusu-Afriye. 

Just doing some flat inspections in Malawi. I hate being the bad guy but some of those missionary flats are so dirty I could not live in them or near them.  We had to tell them recently that if we had to send someone in to clean, it was coming out of their pockets. Hopefully it doesn't come to that.

We came across these makeshift weights at one of the Elders flat and it turned into a competition.  I have no idea how much it weighed- maybe 100 pounds.  This is Elder Mabe.

  

Elder Tshabalala

Elder Salmon- who started the whole thing.

And the winner, Elder Lewis!

We visited the farm of one of the members who completed the 9 month program at SAFI (the program run by NuSkin).  He is doing great putting into practice what he learned there.

He insisted that we get into the pen with his cow- why, I don't know.  But that cow did not like us in there and she started snorting and throwing her head.  I thought she was going to charge us for sure and I didn't stay in there long enough to find out.

He was pretty proud of his land and his crops.  He has made some big plans and I sure hope he is able to make it all happen.  One big problem is that he lives so far from the church now that he can only make it there if he can afford to pay for transport.  Transport is always a problem here in Malawi and also in Zambia.  If the members don't have money for transport then they have to walk and sometimes that is a great distance.

Zambia had elections this past week and we  noticed all this barbed wire was installed along the main road through Lusaka.  The missionaries have also been told to stay home for a few days until they announce who the winner is and life goes back to normal.  We have been out and around and not had any trouble at all.  Most people here love talking about American politics.  They really want to know if Donald Trump is going to be our next president and then they laugh.




I came across this quote by President Monson that I love.  I have been using it when talking to the members about having a desire to be self- reliant.
"Should there be anyone who feels he is too weak to change the onward and downward course of his life, or should there be those who fail to resolve to do better because of that greatest of fears- the fear of failure- there is no more comforting assurance to be had than these words of the Lord:
"My grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them" (Ether 12:27).
Miracles are everywhere to be found when priesthood callings are magnified, when faith replaces doubt, when selfless service eliminates selfish striving, the power of God brings to pass His purposes" (Ensign November 1999).