We Get to Use Bikes!

Wow, this week has been nuts!

So my new companion is a power house, to say the least.  I am learning new things about faith every day with this guy.  Families are coming out of nowhere.  We have people that are already married, like Soares and Domingas.  They are a wonderful couple that was shown to us by a widow named Veronica.  We are teaching all of them and Soares already has the beginning of a testimony.  It's great.  Then we have Daniel and Reinha (or queen is her name).  It's kinda funny because Daniel was a king.  Ha ha!  Anyways, they are doing well also.  Daniel is reading the Book of Mormon and receiving answers to his prayers.  Not surprising though because that's kinda what God does.  Then there's Manuel and Ida who, in the first lesson said and I quote "You guys have something we need and I want to hear your message because we want to get married."  I was like, "Oh, wow.  You are kidding."  You would think that he just wants to get married by the church, but he was actually interested in our message and he showed up to church and has family members there.  The one that takes the cake is Bazilio and Suzana.  We have had multiple reasons and opportunities of finding this family.  It's like God is trying to point a neon sign at them that says "Baptize them,  please."  He has some problems with the commandments, but his wife is on board and told us that even before we had a lesson.  Manga 3 is ridiculous!  Oh, and our ward mission leader was the second missionary to leave Mozambique on a mission and he is super legit.  I thought his wife was a return missionary, but she wasn't.  She sure acts like it though.  Oh and one more family...  (I know, right?  Who else could there be?).  Paulo and Maizinha.  Paulo is from Zimbabwe and speaks English mostly and his wife is from here.  They have a cute little family and a little boy named Wayne, who I swear wants to destroy the spirit in every lesson, but he somehow manages to contain himself.  Paulo is already a member and was baptized some time ago and is less active, but now he wants to get back in.  No problem here!  My job is not to ask about the past, but to improve their futures.  So they need to get married, but Maizinha was the only one who came to church yesterday out of the two, so we might need a little help with them.  Anyways, that's a short look into our area.  This place is definitely going to take off here in the coming weeks.  I just hope I can hold on.  My comp is a fire ball.

To answer your question about how to open a new area, it's pretty simple.  You walk into your new area and you start talking to people and contacting them in their houses and after a few houses you slowly start to get your area up and running.  It's been crazy because it usually takes a while to get to this point, but I think the Lord has stuck me with Elder Mavile to show me a few things about having faith and doing work and being proactive.  Those are some things he is really good at it and it's a humbling experience.  The church building is a good distance away from our house, but guess what?  WE GET TO USE BIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I have been waiting my whole mission to use a bike.  Oh, I was so excited to finally get on one.  It felt so nice. (and yes, I still remember how to use one).  They are tanks and they are the worst bikes I have ever ridden in my life, but it was so much fun.  I'm smiling just thinking about it.  Elder Mavile struggles a little to keep up with me, but I'm getting better at not just leaving him.  That alone would have been enough in this area, but the fact that all these blessings are coming in on the random, I feel so blessed just to be in this area and humbled that the Lord would see fit to put me out here where there is so much success to be had.  I just can't believe it.  I just hope I can do everything that the Lord expects out of me in this area.  I mean, I only have twelve weeks left, why not go at it like there's no tomorrow?  I have only twelve weeks left of this adventure and I need to make the most out of it and squeeze every last drop out of it. (pray for me so I can push myself and help Elder Mavile wherever I can).

As  for a missionary moment, I don't know really what you want because maybe what you think is a missionary moment, I do all day and I'm kinda used to it, so it's hard for me to think of not doing this stuff right now. Sorry, maybe something about faith.  I think Heavenly Father knows really how much effort you are capable of.  Let me give you an example. Home teaching, you can do your home teaching by leaving the car running while you just pass by to say hi so you can get credit for doing your "calling " or you can magnify your calling and become a real friend to this person and maybe even a best friend.  I think there is a reason that Heavenly Father says magnify your calling.  I would like to go one further and say if your not magnifying your calling, maybe your not fulfilling it.  Fulfilling... now that's a funny word if you break it down: full and filling or filling it to the fullest.  Just food for thought.  The Lord knows our potential and his potential combined with ours, so if we are not giving our best, how can He?  Like peddling on a bike and having someone push you (don't let them do all the work themselves... you have to peddle too!!).  That's why Moroni says that without faith, God can do no miracle.  It's a prerequisite.  If it's not in your heart to do your best, take a moment and pray and get your mind right.  Remember all things spiritual before they are temporal and by small and simple things are great things brought to pass.  This could be a small and simple thing (faith\effort).  I'm learning that going through the motions is like your calling but with cancer.  The more you go through the motions, the harder it is to get rid of that mind set. Christ chose his disciples while they were working (tediously, might I add.  Mending nets is not easy.  I've seen fishermen do it out here).  The adversary will choose his while they're not working.  Anything that impedes you from FULFILLING your purpose as one of Heavenly Father's sons or daughters, might be a diversion set by the father of lies, to take a way what greater gifts our Father has for us.  This is my testimony, in progress on faith and effort and I'm busy learning new things from my comp.  The pay off is almost too much.  I love this gospel.  It's so rewarding, once you get on the right side of it (IE: repent and get yourself some blessings already!!!).  I know it's true and I can't wait to share other things I have learned out here.  I leave you these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

 I hope you all have a great week.  I love the pictures!  Please send more.  Tell George he looks really sharp in his Air Force jersey.

Lots of love, 

Elder Proksch