Mission Tour with Elder Carl Cook and terrific wife Lynette. It was a great week starting in the Copper belt, then Lusaka and then Blantyre.

                                Elder Massey, Sisters Mulunda and Dlamini and Elder Shai

 The Cooks are wonderful teachers! The missionaries enjoyed them so much.

                                                 Sisters Nyachwo and Makunye

                                                             Elder Chathyoka

                                                     Elders Malinga and Tayembi

                                                       Sisters Lyon and Mbele

                                                    Sisters Natsala and Hirwa

                                                  Sister Solomone and Sister Hirwa

                                Lusaka East and West Zones and the Skidmores at the mission home

 It was raining so hard outside and on the chapel's metal roof that Sister Cook assisted so all could hear.

   Lilongwe and Blantye Zones and our senior couples, Beals, Merrills, Stones, Fisks,  Reynolds, Bodilys and Binghams.
                       

 Converted unto the Lord by Elder Bednar was our pre study for this powerful discussion

 Copper belt and Kitwe Zones with Oriens and Sisters Query and Lowe

Linda's newsletter column for February 2015 to the elders and sisters: I loved mission tour with Elder and Sister Cook. I wish you all could have been in all three of the zone conferences with President Erickson and me. I learned so much from the repetition. I really appreciated President Erickson talking about the Lord making BARE his arm as we read in 1 Nephi 22:10-11. Your insights and comments added to my testimony of this concept that the Lord is:  going to work…showing his power…showing himself to us … and hastening his work. The amazing part to me is that He invites us to join him in this incredible work and as we do join him he calls us “friends”. (D&C 84:77)

The discussion Elder Cook led on being converted was powerfully motivating to me. I especially liked the three circles that he drew on the white board. KNOW, FEEL and DO. How closely do your circles - know, feel and do overlap? If our will is aligned with God’s will….wouldn’t our three circles look very much like one circle? The process of overcoming the natural man that King Benjamin talks of in Mosiah 3 is lifelong. We need the enabling power of the atonement every day! We need the sanctifying power of the sacrament every week! We need each other’s fellowship, love, patience, forgiveness and encouragement.

I feel so blessed to be having this mission experience with you all! Isn’t it great? We are learning so much together and the bonds of this friendship through Christ will last forever!

 Blantyre District's Self Reliance Center! A small room with big possibilities and lots of fellowship!