A brief snippet of the blessed experiences we have here on a mission...as well as a look into the wonderful senior missionaries that we work with!

Elder Kapatamoya boarded a bus in Lilongwe for a 5-hour ride to Blantyre to be set apart by a counselor in our Mission Presidency, Elder Beal.  It was the first time he had been outside of his home town and the first time he had ridden on a nice big bus.

We gathered all the Senior Missionaries and his temporary companions and Elder Beal set him apart.  Then he went out with his companions to finish the day, actually got to help teach a lesson.  I marvel at these young people here.  This young man, probably about 20, had been a branch missionary starting when he was about 14.  He has served as the Branch Mission Leader, and as the Branch Clerk.  He was working on his second year as a seminary teacher when he received his mission call.  I wonder how many USA elders are half as prepared when they leave.  He has an awesome testimony, a deep knowledge of the gospel, and was practically jumping up and down with excitement to be starting his mission.  It was a great treat, just to meet him.

We took him to the airport this morning, after he had spent the night at the missionaries flat, and with his passport and yellow fever card, we bid him Godspeed and left him to catch his plane (something else he has never done before).  We coached him as best we could on what to do when he got to Jo-burg airport, and promised that the MTC president or his assistants would find him.  This is really a leap of faith.  

Elder Kenneth Royal Reynolds

Zambia Lusaka Mission

Blantyre, Malawi

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

On Sunday February 8th 2015 the Ndola District was created from the Kitwe District. We attended 3 sacrament meetings to announce the changes and sustain the new district presidents and counselors and to release President Chishimba. First in Ndola, then Luanshya and then in Kitwe. It was a great day to be with all the Copperbelt members and leaders in one day as they are all very spread out and have challenges with transportation.

                                Newly released President Matthew and Sister Charity Chishimba

            The Kapatos. Sister Kapato had just returned from India as part of a training program for teachers of weaving. She teaches weaving to mentally challenged students in Ndola.

 President Erickson and Sister Grace Mitambo of the Masala branch.

 Cretus Kapato and Stephen Kanta and wives - new Ndola District presidency

 President Cretus Kapato and family

 Brother Stephen Kanta - Ndola district presidency with family

 President Kapata - new district president for Kitwe.

 Brother Bwino called into Kitwe district presidency with family. 2 sons are on missions.

 Brother Macklin Sichalwe (born April 21, 1938) rides his bike an hour or more each way to church was called into the district presidency in Kitwe.

YOU LOSE SOME AND YOU WIN SOME! Feb 17th we lost 13 and won 10! It was a big day for us - truly tears of joy all the way around. Even though we are sad to see great missionaries depart there is a great sense of satisfaction that we helped them complete an honorable mission. We return them to their parents and families and wards and branches with high hopes they will continue to be their best and do great things with their lives. Each of these 13 departed missionaries have touched our lives in unique ways which shall always be treasured. They each know the special place they have held in our hearts and we say thank you to them for serving faithfully and finishing strong. 10 WONDERFUL NEW MISSIONARIES replaced the energy loss and filled the gap with near perfection!

 Sister Nxele homeward bound to Port Elizabeth SA, Sister Ruth to Nairobi Kenya

 Elder Moya home to Dar es Salaam Tanzania

 Sister Jones home to Kaysville Utah

 Elder Jorgensen home to Sparks Nevada

 Elder Van Arsdale home to Bountiful Utah

 Elder Hunter home to Idaho Falls Idaho

 Elder Barnard home to Oakley Idaho (and the ranch!)

 Sister Scott home to Little Rock Arkansas

 Sister Lyon home to Morgan Utah

 Elder Johnson home to Magna Utah

 Elder Chathyoka home to Lilongwe, Malawi

 Elder Blanchard home to Idaho

Out with the old and in with the NEW! Its so nice to receive new missionaries the same day as those who depart to replace the energy loss! And this group brought a lot of wonderful energy and excitement for missionary work!

 Sister Zohner from Idaho

 Elder Slade from Germany

 Elder Knobloch from Alabama

 Sister Nkosi from SA

 Sister Kgwetiane from SA

 Sister Tuai from Salt Lake City! Attended EAST HS! Go leopards!

 Sister Moyo from Zimbabwe

 Elder SSengooba from Uganda

 Elder Maele from Kenya

 Sister Motsi from Zimbabwe

P-day with some lions just north of Lusaka

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!