We saw the news about Osama Bin Laden today at Mars Cafe. We were joining in on the singing that came through the TV. We were pretty excited about it too.
It is good to hear that Lokey is chasing bunnies in the back yard at home. Oh Lokey, I miss that dog so much! There's one member of the church here that owns a dog that's black and white just like Lokey is ("fiba cow" as we'd say here, which means "resembles" or "looks like" a cow), and it makes me miss my furry friend like crazy.
We're currently having this thinly veiled "fuel crisis" here in Bo. The gas stations are in a combined effort to withhold all of the fuel in town (it's not that hard, I think there are two or three stations in all of Bo) to artificially inflate the price of fuel. It's making life DIFFICULT. First of all, we use a generator every night, and we refill our 4 gallon container every week or two at a cost of 76,000 Le. Now, it's 100,000 Le. AH!! It's insane. Most of our districts don't have enough money to afford fuel to run the generator every night, like we have a right to as missionaries. It's tough.
Second, there is suddenly a scarcity of motor bikes, and the price to ride is doubled or tripled. Ugh, I hate it. Sure, it's a difference between 1,000 Le and 2,000 Le for a ride, but it adds up QUICK. So, on Saturday, we were forced to walk to Reservation Quarters, because there were no bikes around (and even if they were, I'm sure they wouldn't have wanted to take us.). We WALKED. It's FAR. We arrived at the quarters and Elder Lancaster chucked in the bushes. I suppose my companion is doing all right, but he's still struggling health-wise. I don't see him staying another transfer here. We're doing okay though, we just have to pull off another week and things will be better.
We had a program on Saturday where we watched The Testaments with our recent converts and some investigators. It was really awesome, actually. One line in the movie really stuck out to me, and perhaps it's the Spirit talking to me: It's where Helam is talking to Jacob after he returns with the caravan with all of those nice riches and things. Helam explains to him the reason why God blesses fathers with sons, saying that they are there "to take care of them when they grow old; to be a friend when no one else is there." I thought a lot about that...
I really want to come back to the business and work with you Dad. I just keep realizing how hard you've worked to provide that business for us children to provide for us, and that I ought to take advantage of that as well, and continue your legacy. To take your place. I don't know how you'd feel about that, but I keep feeling more and more that I am supposed to take an active part in the family business. I hope you'd be pleased to have me around for good.
I'm very VERY excited to hear the family on the phone when you call on Mother's Day. In terms of phone calls, I'm halfway done with my mission! Ha ha ha, oh I'm so depressingly far from returning home...
I'm trying my best to write in my journal. Sometimes there's just nothing to write about though, and that can make it hard. I write every week at the very least, but usually more often than that. Most days just feel like "another day," so it's hard to write a lot of days. Things will be changing soon, as transfer news is coming on Sunday. It'll be a good change.
So, experience time: Lately this area has been REALLY hard. We have VERY few lessons, even fewer investigators, and most of those that we have are, well... not so good. Remember Festus I've talked about? His sister was one such investigator, by the name of Florence. She didn't take us seriously at ALL, but we've been building a really good relationship with her and the rest of the family. Finally, she accepted the invitation to come to a recent convert/investigator fireside. We watched the Testaments at the activity, and it was wonderful. The next day, Sunday, she surprised us and showed up to church! A first, to be sure. We went after service to visit her, and we asked her how she saw things. She said that she felt amazing as she watched the Testaments, and we taught her from that feeling that what she was experiencing was the Spirit. We then read from 3 Nephi 11 about Christ's visit to the Americas, telling her to focus on how she feels. She said afterward that she again felt "amazing." We asked her if she wanted her to keep that feeling with her always, and of course she said yes. We talked briefly about the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and gave her an assignment to begin reading the Book of Mormon so that she can invite that feeling to be with her even when we aren't around. Not sure what will happen next, but she's suddenly interesting in what we are saying. It makes all of the trials we are facing here worth it.
On a different experience, Festus came over to our apartment for dinner. We took the table out onto the veranda so that we all could be together (visitors aren't allowed in our apartment), and we made some delicious Alfredo from the box you sent. I got some chicken from the market, and it was a super-delicious enhancement. We also enjoyed some mashed potatoes and gravy, and lemon poppy seed cake for dessert, compliments of the boxes you sent. Festus was excited to try some American food for the first time. It was a lot of fun (and a lot of work! Cooking is such a thankless and difficult job. I LOVE YOU MOM!!!).
Well, time to jet.
Love,
Elder Vaughan
No comments:
Post a Comment