So, an update on our area: By the way, it's transfers this week. The same Evo guy we found out is just causing problems with his wife. She said that almost anytime he gets a little money he spends it on beer and becomes less than a desirable person. Which to say the least, is frustrating after all the progress that we have seemed to have made with him. I really just wanted to shake him because his wife is such a nice lady and I don't think he realizes what he has. His wife, Marline, has such a great sense of humor. She is very sweet and she reads the Book of Mormon almost all the time and anytime we ask her. It's just her husband that is kinda holding her back because they need to be married. So a few problems here and there, but that's life I guess. ha ha We just need one of the families in our area to commit and be baptized and then the flood gates will open. I don't know if that is going to be while I am here, but I am definitely going to try. We had a lesson last night at a new investigators home and that was interesting. This guy named Julio is about around forty or fifty years old and his son died when he was nine and Julio's dad died this past week, so needless to say this guy could use a lesson on the plan of salvation. That's what we had planned to teach a little bit about (by the way, my understanding and speaking of Portuguese is getting better) so when we got there, we talked for a bit about life and just chatted for a little bit. Then his wife came into the room (they are married in the registro !!!!!yes!!!!!!) and she offered some food. She called it coakahna and this other stuff called sheema. I don't spell these things correctly, I know, but at least you know how to say them. ha ha. Anyway, we had just ate and my comp declined. That should have been my first clue, but before I could decline, he said that I would have some, and I didn't want to be rude, so I accepted (mistake). Coakahna basically looks like canned spinach with about the same texture, but it tastes like a bar of soap :P. I finally figured out why people are so happy here. It's because life is a lot better when you don't have to eat that stuff. Heck, everything can taste better than a bar of soap! She said it had a lot of vitamins and it was good for you. I was sure, because nothing that tasted that bad could be bad for you, of course not. So this whole time my comp is dying with laughter inside and is almost crying. Sheema is like mashed up rice and it looks like the consistency of jello, but is tasteless and debatable. I guess it's the only way to get any taste out of your mouth. ha ha ha We began by teaching him the restoration (Julio ) and up walks his nephew named Castigo (which in Portuguese means punishment, I didn't understand the story on why, but that's his name) anyway, so we started teaching these guys the restoration on the basis that they need to get to know from where we have all these answers about life and death. We are teaching them all these things and we finally get through it all and it was a good lesson and I liked it a lot. The Spirit was there. My comp had a lot of good points that he hit and I was busy trying to keep down the bar of soap I just ate. I have since tried other foods like the national drink of Mozambique which is the consistency of a milk shake, but none of the qualities. It's made out of corn flour and water. That's basically it and it sits in a tub or a reservoir until you drink it with a teaspoon full of brown sugar. It's not bad, but not something I would want on a hot day. So those are my culinary adventures here in Mozambique so far. I have seen the chicken and that peri peri sauce that Anthony Bordain talked about, but have not tried it yet. It looks interesting, little weary about the way the chicken is prepared though, so I am going to watch out for that.
We finally got Conference and let me tell you it is so much better that I thought it was going to be. I have not received the email about President Utchdorf's talk, but I am excited to hear it. I still need to watch all of it, but a reocurring theme in Conference this time was the call to be anxiously engaged and to practice what you profess to do. I think a lot of people do this and are really just all talk when it comes to the church. I think people need to realize that it is time to put their money where their mouth is and get to work. All the talk in the world can't pick up a shovel. Eventually, you're going to have to get your hands dirty and mud on your shirt. I mean, that's the sign of a hard worker right?Let's all come home at the end of the day physically and mentally spent and quit worrying about what he or she said. Many are called, but few actually get to work and gain wisdom through it. I really like Elder Ballard's talk about the honey bees. Listen to it over again if you can (I won't ruin the fun of trying to listen to what the Spirit is going to tell you), but it's a good one and also give Elder Anderson's talk another listen when you get the chance. He talks about how turning away from God during a trial is like walking out side a safe shelter in the middle of a tornado. He also talks a lot about how faith is not gained until it is tried and how it is something that is priceless. Speaking of priceless things, is Elder Robert C. Clay of the 70 and how we should keep our integrity and not sell our soul for a nickle. Itdoesn't have to be just many that we sell a ourselves or our salvation. We sometime sell our spirituality for some gossip or some other worldly thing. Another good one was Walter F. Gonzales and talking about following the spiritual promptings. I especially liked it when he talked about following and seeing with your heart and spiritual eyes the needs of others rather than just looking at the outside. I know the Savior did this in many, like the lepers of the poor and needy and almost certainly in the rich and wealthy that like to hide behind all their worldly possessions their feelings at heart. I have to say my favorite so far was the talk by Elder Jeffery R. Holland. I mean, wow, where did all that come from? I mean you could just feel the Spirit just emanating from him as he spoke. Makes you wonder how much you actually know your Savior and think of him this way. I know this talk has forever changed my outlook on the Savoir and what he has done for us and our duty to him now that he has called us to continue his work. I don't want to say too much on what I got out of it because for each person it is different, but listen to the way he talks and the type of feeling he puts into that talk (it's a lot better when you can hear it). So I have heard for my own ears the news about the 18 and 19 year old's. That is exciting and I can't wait to get to that this week in my studies.
I don't think they do Halloween down here and I think people just eat bucket loads of candy anyway. It would probably be another excuse for people to start worshiping crazy things and witch doctors out here, so I am not going to endorse it in a people who already believe in devils :P. That's also a challenging thing out here. People believe in devils and things like that out here and every problem you have can basically be blamed on a devil of some sort (thank you, Catholic church). So, that's crazy. It's good to hear about your escapades in the candy drops, that's funny. Don't forget to get the Concoby kids all excited and jacked up on sugar. By the way, I can receive letters from George since he isn't in my mission and I think it might be okay to receive letters from a few of the people, so I don't know about all of that, I will have to look into it.
I am happy for grandma and tell her para bens for me (congrats in Portuguese) on the job and tell her to stay away from all the colorful jelly beans :) OK, so on to the good stuff, I totally got that package that grandma sent a long time ago and tell her thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!! It was so cool to get some of America back into my life! ha ha ha When we all got packages in our house we all just screamed, America!!!!! It was really funny. Oh and I got all the letters that Grandma Proksch has sent me and all the Dear Elders I was missing. Thank you again for the recipes. They will be put to good use. I also really enjoyed Kyle's letter. That was so good and also funny to read about all of his experiences in Russia. I feel like some of the same craziness happens here too, minus all the gore. ha ha ha I had a question, more of a request that if you could forward some of my letters onto him because there is no way of getting mail by letter out of here and on it's way to really anywhere and email is more effective. I would really like to continue to hear about him and maybe pass on some notes and to Britton as well, so we can stay at least somewhat connected.
But, as for things that I would want for my birthday and Christmas, um maybe some American hair products because they don't have anything for white kids like me down here (at least like one or two containers). Um, candy and jerky is always great and any kind of nuts is good too. The box that I got from grandma was kind of beat up, so nothing fragile. Oh, and send pictures of just stuff that's happening and events and things like that. Letters, if any one wants to send them in the package with them (it saves postage). They have a distribution center down here with garments and other stuff so I am good, my shoes and boots are holding up good (thank you for those). I can't really think of anything else maybe some deodorant just in case, but ya anything else you wanna throw in there is good too.
On the topic of laundry, we have a washing machine and no maids, so it's basically the usual stuff down here. It rained the other night and we had a thunderstorm which was way cool to see. So this letter is getting kinda long so I think I will save some for next time! ha ha
Lots of love,
Elder Proksch
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