Two Bikes, Four Kids

Good Morning!!!!!!!!!!!

We had an awesome week this week.  Lots of lessons and lots of investigators at church.  Actually, funny story about that.  We went by to go pick up Soares and Domingas and they said to go ahead with the kids and we had our bikes. Four kids on two bikes.  It's a feat only accomplished by Mozambicans.  That was really funny, but I forgot my camera at home.  There was one sitting behind me and another sitting in front while I peddled all the way to the church.  We had lots of people there as well.  Three families and a few others who came by themselves.  It was a great week and I hope we can keep increasing our success as we go.  That reminds me of what you wrote in your last letter.   I appreciate what you wrote about what is happening in your calling, Mom.  That is some cool stuff.  Every time I read something about your calling, I think about what Jesus said "Suffer the children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for such is the kingdom of heaven."  It always helps me realize who I need to be, what my goal is (Mosiah 3:19)  That is an excuse for you to pick up your scriptures today.  I love hearing about that kind of stuff, please tell me more. 

Also, a quick note to Grandma Proksch:  It might be best to stop writing letters here soon because they usually get to me all at once and a month after you have written them.  I do very much enjoy your notes and letters of what is happening up there and hope to continue maybe via email when I get back so we can talk about how things are going.  I just won't get the letters you send out past June.

Anyways, I wish I had some event that happened this week that kind of marked it, but nothing really, save the fact we had a really good Sunday.

It's really cool to hear about Reid's graduation and his Spring Formal thing.  That was a really cool idea he had. I remember telling myself at the start of my mission that he would graduate by the time I came home and I thought that was weird, but I feel more at ease with that especially since he is so good looking. I don't have to pretend like like he's someone I don't know.  Actually, I think I want to hang out with him so people know that I'm related to him (Help me out bro, ha ha!).  I mean, who doesn't want to be related to Prince Charming, right?  But seriously, you looked very classy, not to mention that I'm so impressed with with the young lady that you went to the dance with.  Modest is definitely hottest (as Kyle would say).  

 

Thanks for the measurements.  I will need a little extra money to buy the nativity.  It's going to cost about 50 dollars, but that is way cheaper than anywhere else that wants somewhere around a hundred to a hundred fifty for some pieces of wood. 

To answer your question: Yes, I live a good distance from the city here in Mango.  It's about the same distance as T3 to the city in Maputo.

I hope you got my flight itinerary, I just got it today.  I leave Mozambique on the 14th at 3 o'clock and I land in Vegas on the 15th.  This week has been kind of trunky and not to mention that my companion just got a call from the office saying that his visa for Angola just came in.  So depending on the President's of our mission, he could leave here with in the next two weeks.  I'm super excited for him, but I worry about our investigators and if I will have time to visit them. Speaking of investigators, we had new ones at church!!!!!  It was great. Conference and everything.  Their names are Gilmario and Mariana.  They have the cutest little girl with the biggest brown eyes I have ever seen in my life.  Her name is Kayla.  They are a wonderful family and we taught them about the Book of Mormon this week and right after we left their house we saw them sitting there together reading it.  We also taught another family, Santos and Enella.  These guys are diggers.  When we started the lesson, we said that it focused on one question and that was, "Which church is the true church?" and he said, "Wow, I would really like to know because there are so many false ones around here."  I just had to laugh because literally no one says that.  It was a really good lesson.

Dad, I wanted to thank you for the letter you sent.  I think I would first like to say how lucky I am to have a father like you.  I see lots of families and things that aren't necessarily considered families out here and I know that I have been blessed by the father I have.  Not only are you interested in the things I do, but you also help me with them.  Now that I have been by myself more or less for two years, I value the input of someone who has more experience than I do.  You could say this is my realization that my parents are smarter than me, but I think I figured that out in part a while ago.  I would also like to thank you for teaching me about the Book of Mormon.  You have played a great roll in my testimony of the Book of Mormon, especially about missionary work (I think you remember the "Dream Team", right?)  A good part of my testimony is  based on the information that I learned while you taught that class of 16 and 17 year old's.  My testimony of the Book of Mormon has grown to be one of my most prized possessions. It leads me back to the things that are true and right in this world and helps me stay away from those things that would "bring me down to misery and endless wo".  Another thing is the way to study that book.  I used to think the war chapters with Moroni were just a dialog, but now they are probably the most marked up part of my scriptures and those chapters are mine now thanks to you.  Also, I have a testimony of the power of music from you. I don't know if you remember this, but there was a General Conference that we watched where we were listening to the Mormon Tabernacle choir and the song had just finish and I think Alex had made a remark about the singing.  You then bore your testimony and I remember how I felt after that (one of the sweetest testimonies I have felt) and started to pay more and more attention to the words of the songs.  I know that they put doctrine in those songs because I can feel it's truth.  That has taught me a great deal about how to feel the Spirit and know when it is speaking to me.  Last, but certainly not least, is the testimony I gained about the atonement from you and the priesthood for that matter.  We were still in Idaho at this point and you took me out of the class that day and we walked into the chapel.  We sat down on the front row where the deacons sit and you started talking to me about the sacrament, after which you showed me where the priests pray.  Prior to that experience, I always thought that is was God's voice coming from the speakers in the chapel. ha ha!  But I learned an important lesson of reverence for sacred things there and for things that matter.  I would just like to say thank you for those things in my life.  They go a long way into creating what President Utchdorf called the divine portray of the master

and I wouldn't trade it for the world.  In fact, you have taught me that I shouldn't.

Got to run.  We're heading out to play a little soccer and I can't wait!

Love you guys,

Elder Proksch