Refrigerator Blessings

Wow, Boyd as bishop!  That is way cool.  It just seems like everyone is so busy over there.  Sounds like you guys had an experience at Pioneer Days.  Did anyone go into the dunk tank after that?!  ha ha ha!

 

This week in our area we have been walking around doing more contacts and getting few lessons.  It's been a little difficult setting up meetings with people, but we are making it a goal next week to get it done.  This week it rained while we were out on the road and I had left my rain gear in the suitcase that they have in the office, so I got really wet, but my scriptures are OK.  We also went on a division which was really good.  We spent almost all day in the baixa (down town Maputo)  just trying to get some marriage paper work filled out.  Other than that, my week hasn't been that eventful.  Oh yeah, one of our investigators (his name is Francisco) got a fridge.  Now, that may not sound like much to you, but when we found him he had almost nothing in his house.  This guy is proof that the Lord blesses his children.  The fridge he bought cost 10,000 meticais, that's about $330 and that is huge money out here.  We sat there and asked him how he came up with the money and he said, "I did um trabalho muito forte (or I did a very strong work )  I said, "I'll say!  That fridge is telling me you hit the jack pot!   The whole time he was just sitting there telling us about it and how God had blessed him.  It was refreshing to see someone who finally gets it and shows their gratitude towards the person who helped them.  He actually bore his testimony on the fact that God does bless him and I just wanted to take him out in the street and have him shout it from the roof tops.  We need people like him to open their mouths and talk about all the great work and blessings there are for everybody.

I haven't got the package just yet.  The office elders are really busy and my area is kinda out of the way, but I should have the package by Tuesday.  I am really excited to get it.  It's been driving me nuts!

It's good to hear that everyone is doing good.  I was sorry to hear about President Shields's dad.  I actually got to sit and talk with Brother Shields for a little bit one time while we were over there.  I must admit that the more I talked to him the more I liked him.  We sat there out on his back porch in the sun and it was a little hot, but I so forgot about the heat.  We talked about his mission and how long it took him to actually get to his mission.  We talked a lot about just random things and I can't remember exactly what, but I do remember that he ended up giving me little tips that were extremely helpful here on the mission.  My only regret is that I didn't have more time to talk with him.  I felt like I could have learned a lot more from him, but at the same time I know I will see him again and I can't wait to talk to him.  I know that judgment is the Lord's at the last day, but I have a list of people that I think are shoe-in's for the kingdom and he and his wife are definitely on that list.

Well, I think I will close. I love you guys and hope your all doing well.

Love,

Elder Proksch

Holidays and Strikes

Hey!
 

This week was good.  We had a lot of running around to do.  First, we started out by doing marriage papers every morning and that just eats up a lot of time and things that you have to do, but it takesprecedence so you got to do it. The good news is that we got all the papers we needed and these families are one step closer to getting married. One of the couples has actually been worked on by missionaries for quite a while and are just now looking like they are ready.  So that's a blessing. Speaking of blessings, we had four families at church this week and two of which we had not even talked to, but they came which was cool. Fulfilling our other weekly goals as normal was difficult though. This next week is going to be great I can already tell because I finally got the package!!!!!!  It's still at the office and I am waiting for an opportunity to get it (don't know how that's going to work, but I will try to get it this week.) 

Also, our water went out because of a strike. It went out on Wednesday. They said it was going to be out for a month, so we told president and he said that we could move to the chapel in Maputo.  We did and spent a night there after already having spent a day without water.  When we came back the next day, we had water and they said the strike was over.  So the suitcases we packed to stay at the other house had to come back to our other house and it was kind of a headache and super fun at the same time.  A little adventure, I guess. It also took a toll on the work, though.

 

We are working with one family right now and the father came to church, but the wife is a little skeptical.  We're going to hopefully change that (sometimes when we talk about marriage, it changes things).  Usually that's how we get the wives to take a more active part in the conversion  process.  So we are working with that family and two others that were here before I was and things seem to be going good.

As for the year mark this week, I didn't have time to really celebrate anything because we were running around so much, but hey, what are you going to do right?  ha ha  I will just have to celebrate some other way.  :)

I think Pioneer Days is mainly an American thing, so it's not too popular over here, but the next time they have a holiday or a strike I'll be sure to let you guys know (holidays and strikes are pretty much the same thing here).

By the way, thanks for all the pictures I love them. I will try to be better about sending more of my own.  I just don't trust some of these computers here.

Life is great and I love you guys, 

Elder Proksch

Improving the Track Record

Hey,hey hey!

What's up family? OK, seriously, what's up with all the questions? ha ha ha.  I guess I should answer those.  No, I am not back in the same house. It's different and a lot better.  :), My new comp is pretty awesome.  His name is Elder Hall (it's a lot easier to say his name which is nice and it's easier to remember). T3 is a little ways away from my last area here, but I did see an old investigator that I baptized, but since has fallen away from the church.  That's another story entirely (it also tanks that he fell away).  T3 means T3. That's literally what the place is called.  When I got here I asked the same question. Oh yeah, and the other missionaries name is Elder Bender, 3042 Whispering Crest Dr., Henderson. He straight up gave me his address.  He's so hilarious.  We have way too much fun when we are in the house together.  He said he lives in Anthem now, but that should be his address so I don't know if you're going to start stalking his family or something. ha ha! 

So, on the topic of why I went to Beria, I think it was so I could learn a few things in relation to how to do good missionary work and it all makes sense.  Most duplas or groups of missionaries work to reach number goals, but you cant expect blessings when you're just counting numbers all day. What I mean by that is sometimes people focus too much on the whole let's reach the goal that President gave so we look good kinda goals. It's good and they fulfill the goals that president has set, but they lose the vision that he is trying to give them.  In order to get the most out of what he says, you need to go the extra mile. So, 35 contacts a week is good, but 35 contacts plus more contacts, plus some really good families that want to get baptized is really good.  I think the key is to hit your goal, yes, but you also have to remember your purpose in making that goal and not just do work so you can get recognized and just do your work so you can actually fulfill your job.  I think I went up to Beria to learn that.  Now I am back so I can baptize the world.  ha ha ha (just kidding, only if the Lord will let me).

I hope I didn't forget any questions here, but my area is one of the toughest areas in the mission or so I am told.  That I believe is purely because people are a little less open to talking with missionaries here because they have had a bad track record with us and just other junk but that is going to change this transfer so we can get things going.  This week did start out a little rough, though, cause my comp had an ingrown toe nail and it was bad so he had to stay off of it for the first part of the week.  That kinda ate into our week a little and transfers happening.  It will be good next week and we are going to get a lot of lessons and talk to a lot of people. The branch here has like 80 people in it and we need to start getting it to above 100 here fast and I know we can do it.  I guess with a little work ethic we are going to get this place to sing.

Anyways, it's good to hear about all the things you guys are doing.  I called all the American elders in our mission and our house sang the National Anthem on the phone and we celebrated America.......... AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Sorry, just had to get that out.  We wanted to do some other stuff, but we didn't and fell asleep.

  

Yeah, my year mark waaaahooo !!!!! , I'll be more excited next week.  Sorry, I just got a lot of stuff going on and it's kinda all a blur.

But, I love you, I love you, I looooovveeee yooooouuuuuu (that part from Elf when he meets his dad).  It's true!

ELDer PRoksch