Sam's Mission To Zambia Blog: January 29, 2018

From Mom - Will Someone Invent a Teleporter, Please?:

Dear Elder Smith,

I would teleport to Zambia, you know, just to be warm again. I’m now in the habit of coming home from anywhere, heating up my wheat bag and crawling into bed, which I won’t leave until I’m de-thawed. We have snow and another cold snap and a few more months of winter. I see your sunburned face and can’t help but feel a little jealous. Wish me luck. (I wish I remembered to take a winter photo.)

This week:

Josh went swimming with the girls and treated them to poutine afterwards.

They also were treated to Boston Pizza for fulfilling a Dad’s Challenge of doing 100 multiplication questions in 5 minutes. This reward seems a little excessive to me but wow, were they motivated. I’ve never seen anyone so enthusiastic to do math in my entire life.

Cody, of course, is still around a lot. He’s so lonely, I think, he comes here just to hear noise. This night we were drinking chamomile tea and laughing about a story Ben was telling. Because Ben is off school between semesters, he’s going to seminary at the Rector’s (Sheena was called to be a teacher). She offered him tea (on account of the cold) and Ben gladly accepted, adding honey to sweeten. He had consumed most of it before Sister Rector asked him if he going to add a tea bag. So the whole time he was drinking hot water and honey. We laughed, I think because he was so expressive as he told it. Lol!

Abby is 13 now. This is the pic I took on her birthday.

Dad and the boys made me this awesome headboard. I just need to stain it, then we can put it up. I’m pretty excited about it and it was super inexpensive to make (which is even better).

The girls insisted we try out our chocolate fountain.

Oh, I was called to be the Primary President and Dad was released as YM President. We’ve switched roles a little. What surprises me (but shouldn’t) is the added inspiration and sudden strokes of insight that comes from a new calling. I have a testimony of this work of bringing souls to Christ, including children. Pretty happy to be involved. It’s a good way to live.

So, how is Lusaka, Sam?

Has the cholera outbreak gotten worse or better?
Has your sunburn started to peel yet?
Any interesting experiences to report? With teaching? Or street contacting?
You sent us a video of what looked like a nightclub with no explanation. What was that?
Am I on your main email list? Can you double check to make sure we’re all on it? Especially the girls?

We pray for you daily. We love you.

Mom

From Sam:

Reply to Mom:

Lusaka is amazing. Everyone has a phone and most people have a car. I'm having mixed feelings about the heat and I found out it only gets hotter:/ My Sunburns have peeled and repeeled so many times, It's crazy.
While I was teaching an investigator who is really progressing, he told us about when he met us. He's not a very social person but while we were talking to him on the street, he couldn't stop smiling, and before he met us he was walking with his friend and was going to go home one way but ended up going a different way he wasn't used to, then he met us. There has been a couple of times when i'm praying for a lesson, I would say things that popped into my head that weren't there before.

The video about the "night club" is me, Elder Blanchard, Elder Hunter and Elder Christiansen eating out at a restaurant. It was Elder Hunter and Christiansen's last day in Zambia. The next day they flew back to Madagascar. We were at the restaurant at a time when a Soccer game was on and a live band played. It was really cool.

I make sure to have the whole family(except for Steph and Tyler because I don't have their emails) on the email list. If you're not getting the email, I don't know whats going on.

I love you all,

Elder Smith

General Email

It's been an awesome week. I'm finding lots of people to teach, though only a few are really commited. One investigator we're teaching is named Joshua, He's really progressing, he told us about when he met us. He's not a very social person but while we were talking to him on the street, he couldn't stop smiling, and before he met us he was walking with his friend and was going to go home one way but ended up going a different way he wasn't used to, then he met us. It's amazing how the spirit prepares people. It's also amazing how the spirit acts through me, there has been a couple of times when i'm praying for a lesson, I would say things that popped into my head that weren't there before.

This week I've had lots of days where every appointment we had fell through and we're stuck street contacting in our complex in the hot sun. There are also days where it just rains. That happened today, there were dark clouds on the horizon and I could hear the thunder. About an hour later it just poured. There's a reason here in Zambia that we had 4 foot deep gutters. It's also super cool to be inside when it's raining. Not so much when your outside.

Lusaka is amazing. Everyone here has a phone and most people have a car. I'm having mixed feelings about the heat and I found out it only gets hotter:/ It averages around 25C to 30C. I didn't know that you can get burned so bad. My Sunburns have peeled and repeeled so many times, It's crazy.

The hardest part of my mission so far on my mission has been Breakfasts(food in general) and mornings. I rotate from eggs and toast to french toast. Mornings are hard, part of because breakfast but also because I have time to think. I think about home, I think about how little time I spent with Josh before I left and what I could be doing if I wasn't in Africa. I pray a lot on this subject and read the Book of Mormon trying to find ways to stay motivated on being a missionary. During the day I feel great, I can keep working if I have a plan to follow. I love being a missionary. It's just in the mornings that are hard.

The Gospel is an amazing thing. It's true, there's nothing that can change that. I love you all, keep reading the Book of Mormon. It's full of light and truth. The biggest thing I've learned is that missionary work isn't just a missionaries job. Everyone has to bring everyone to Christ. The missionaries just help. It's the members job to help the missionaries help you. It's a gospel paradox.

Pics:

The video is me trying the pepper

The pictures:

-German Pancakes for supper