So, you asked about my favorite lesson... Hmmm... We teach a LOT in a single day, so it's hard to pin it down to a single one. I always love teaching Joseph + Mama and their son Junior (He's 10). Joseph is a Hondaman here, and he gets SO excited whenever he sees me or Elder Priddis. Oftentimes, he'll blast past us on the streets, and as he passes, he'll just yell "MISTER PRIDDIS!!!" as he blazes by! He's so funny. Teaching him is hard because his English is pretty bad, and Mama's Krio is even worse.
So, we do our best. I think the most productive lessons have been with these two brothers, Kenneth and Festus. We met them like we meet all of our other contacts: They fall from the sky. Their English is very good, which allows us to teach them much more quickly than with those who we have to really slow down with. They have a baptismal date set for the last half of this month. I'm really excited for them! They're one of the first groups of investigators that I've taught from contact to now. It's really exciting!
We shoot for 40 lessons every week (we usually get between 30-35). We get about 5-6 baptisms a month, but there will be more this week. We're shooting for more family baptisms.
So, transfer news this week. Elder Vaughan: Staying in Njaie Town. That's right, greenie of 6 weeks gets to manage the monster that is Njaie Town. Elder Priddis: Going to Congo Cross, Liberia. He's nervous like crazy. He's spent his whole mission here in the bush, and he hates the city. My prayers are for him. But, he'll do well. I have faith in him. My new companion will be Elder Lancaster, from Utah who is getting married 2 months after he gets home (seriously, he's been planning his wedding out here). He served in Bo some months back, so he knows that area really well. I think he'll be good. I met him while I was in Freetown, but didn't really get to know him. I'm excited to do so! It'll be good to be pushed into a form of leadership. We'll see how it goes... I'm a little antsy about it, but I listened well to my trainer, and am confident that he taught me well. He worked so hard to make sure I could manage out here after he leaves. Aye... He'll be sorely missed among the people. He truly was one of them.
Elder Allred is going to Freetown, and Elder Chikwendu is training a greenie from Zimbabwe. So, I won't be the youngest missionary in the apartment anymore! Woo hoo!! Since Elders Allred and Priddis are leaving, Elder Chikwendu and I are going to raise some English hens in the spare room. So cool... Although, it won't fill the hole that Elder Priddis will leave behind. He'll be sorely missed by all of
Njaie Town.
I won't lie, it's daunting to have to lead things in my area after only 6 weeks here. The bush is tricky to navigate, so I'm going to be praying extra. I have no fear though.
Speaking of, I haven't felt fear my whole mission. I remember specifically that President Wilcox said that "fear will take no place in [my] mission", which I initially construed to mean that I would be courageous in the face of fear. On the contrary, there is literally no fear in my heart. The Spirit has had some miraculous way of removing it entirely. Any time I'm in a situation where I'd otherwise be afraid, I feel nothing but this warm boldness in my heart. No fear. It's pretty amazing.
On a less-spiritual note, we killed Butch, and another rooster we bought to make into ground nut stew. Seriously, a chicken with it's head cut off is the funniest thing I've ever seen in my entire life. I laughed so hard. I shot video of Elder Allred killing his Christmas present, but I'm not sure I want to send that home... He missed the first swing... and the second swing... and finally got the
head ALMOST all the way off on the third, when it started doing it's headless chicken dance. Elder Priddis killed the rooster like a pro though. I couldn't breathe I was laughing so hard!
Another couple things: First, I LOVE the handwritten letters I've been getting! As a public service announcement, letters ought to be written/typed on paper as strong as printer paper or stronger. Lined paper usually needs to be assembled upon arrival... :/
It's so weird to think that Hilary is home! Arrggghhh... I wish I could see her... But I really like how she didn't want to leave her mission. That's building up in me right now. I'm sure she'll attest; it doesn't come all at once. However, I'm learning and growing, and I couldn't ask for more. Someday, I'll bear my testimony in Krio for you. ;) (Unless of course I end my mission in Liberia, where they don't speak it. I'll probably lose it all there).
It's funny that people like to hear the stories of the African bush. It's really not all that exciting out there. We just walk boku (means "a lot") in the hot sun. It's really pretty out there though. Not a lot happens, just teaching and teaching and more teaching. It's pretty amazing. I tell you, my favorite lessons are out in Banja Town at the end of the day, because when the lessons gets done after dark, we get to parkour a bunch of streams and stuff out in the middle of the rice marsh to get to a road to find a Honda. It's pretty amazing.
Well, I'm running out of time. I wish you could see this place for "una sef" (yourself). Happy New Year! You're always in my prayers.
Love,
Elder Vaughan
No comments:
Post a Comment