Lost Sheep

So, this week I didn't have too much to write. There's too much going through my head to be able to organize the email, so sorry about that. We've been working really hard with the 2 sectors. Elder Diaz and I have been doing our best to fortify Vridi 2, but it's slow progress with few members to work with. I had to bless the sacrament in French, which was a surprise, but a cool experience. That was the first time I've broken a baguette for sacrament. In Vridi 1, there's progress as well. We've found a few really good investigators that seem like they'll progress, so I'm excited for that. The famille Djehi brought one of their daughters to church today, who we're hoping to start teaching soon. We've had many wonderful lessons where I've felt directed purely by the spirit for the whole time. There are few feelings that can compare with that. In both paroisses we've been searching for less active members, and we've had a lot of success. I think with time we will be able to bring some of them back into the fold.

I ate some sauce graene and garba yesterday. And by some, I mean a colossal amount. It was hard to walk with that mass in my stomach, but we made it to our rendez-vous on time (in africa standards of course). Not much else for food updates. Maybe we'll try to deep-fry one of the 20 rats here one of these days. That'll be a story. Not much else for food updates.

Cool experience: I haven't gone to sector on lundis until last lundi because my companions have said it wasn't very effective and stuff like that. So, last lundi, I decided to plan to go to sector. While we were at cyber, the power went out twice (that's why I didn't respond to some of the emails last week, sorry). The power came back on, and because we hadn’t had much time to talk to our families, I said “no, we'll stay at cyber.” 2 minutes after I said that, at 16:58, boom. The power went out again. I felt like it was a pretty blatant sign that we should go to sector haha. So we went. We were walking to our last rendez-vous, when I felt like we should visit this one lady that we hadn't in a while. We started talking, and this time things were different. After asking her a couple questions, she opened up to us. She was baptized 15 years ago, but ever since she moved to Vridi; she hadn't gone to church. She didn't know that there was a paroisse here and the members here didn't know she came. So, she started going to another church, and mostly forgot about what she had before. She went to that church for 8 years. Things weren't feeling right, and one day she prayed to know what she should do and what church was true. Less than 2 weeks later, Elder Kalala and I showed up at the fish shop where she worked. She said that after then, all her memories of the church and feelings came back and now she has a firm testimony that it's true. We're going to try and help her get to church this week. The Spirit works in wonderful and marvelous ways. 

That brings me to the scripture for the week.

"Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man." (D&C 84:85)

I had a different one in mind, but I couldn't find it. This one is second best. This past week I have noticed a significant increase in spiritual guidance: where to go, what to say, what people mean. It's been such a cool experience. I hope I stay in Vridi for the next 2 months. There's a special work to be done here, and Elder Diaz and I are starting something great. I can feel it in a way that I can't describe. I love the mission. There's no greater or more true work on the face of the planet. The power of the Holy Ghost is real. It guides, whispers, comforts, and most of all, touches hearts. I love this work, this place, this gospel, and most of all, my Savior. Love you guys too.

-Elder Lyman

These children are always out playing in the sand. Today Elder Lyman told them Elder Diaz had money in his pockets. He ran and they ran and chased him.

 

 

The elders from Elder Lyman's apartment at the Vridi1 Branch President's house. Elder Ngindu in front, Elder Diaz is next, and Elder Tehiva is next to Elder Lyman