Monkeys are Getting Married

Jan. 5, 2015

My two Zulu ladies.

Yes, I am gaining many African skills including carrying my scriptures on my head as I walk. It's a work in progress.

Darling Family,

So I guess when it is both sunny and raining at the same time (my favorite weather) South Africans say that, "monkeys are getting married". These are things you learn during rainy season. Also, when you are put with two zulu sisters.

So, I feel like I say this every other week but I got a new companion. I think Heavenly Father is trying to teach me something because sometimes I feel like I'm getting whiplash with all of these sudden transfers. But at the same time I am at peace, I am still happy, and I am so blessed to be here. I say two zulu sisters because Sister Komiha got sent to Lusaka and Sister Griffus was moved to the other area in Blantyre so Sister Mntungwa (Zulu) and I were left companionless. Sister Mntungwa's companion is having visa troubles so she has been with my new companion and I for the week. 

My new companion is Sister Dlamini from Joberg, South Africa. She was called to the Liberia mission and served two months there and then because of the ebola crisis she came here. She is 25 and so short and kind and loves to laugh. She is the second best table tennis player in South Africa. She calls everyone "dear" and she is about the same age on mission as I am. She is also pretty quiet so I am taking the lead quite a lot. But I love her already.

We were walking in our area one day and I saw this guy getting out of his suburban and I about passed him when I just had a feeling to stop and talk to him. He said, "Are you Mormons". No one in Malawi calls us Mormons so we were surprised and said yes. He went on to tell us that he lived with a Mormon family for a year in Arizona in 2013 and learned a lot about the church. His wife even went inside the temple for a temple open house. It was a pretty cool orchestration because how many people in tiny Malawi, one of the poorest countries in the world, have been to America and further more lived with Mormons. Probably one guy in all of Malawi.

We did more visits with the Relief Society president and counselor on Thursday. They are sweet people. Before we left, we had a small testimony meeting just the five of us and the spirit was so strong. We may not be having a ton of success in our area but we surely are fulfilling the calling to help establish and strengthen the branch. I am coming to love Ndirande branch so much.

Opposition is continuing to hit hard. It's funny how there can be two areas in one branch and one area can be thriving and the other can be suffering. The Elders have about 14 investigators a week and we have about 2. It's a good thing that the Spirit regularly reassures me with hope or I might be tempted to get discouraged. I do have to admit, after a day of walking in the pouring rain and calling every person I could think of and knocking every door I could think of and having every single person say no I shed four tiny tears, but Sister Dlamini gave me a hug and we continued onward.

Something that has really helped me is keeping a small, pocket-sized notebook on my desk and every day I write a page of things that I am grateful for. This is one of my new year's resolutions--to write in that notebook everyday. I was inspired but a friend of mine to start it. Even on days when everything seems wrong and hard and impossible there are a million things to be grateful for. If it is at all raining, no one comes to church. Like literally there were 20 people at the beginning of sacrament meeting. But Alinafe was EARLY, he bore the sweetest testimony, and he received the priesthood. That is enough to make a sour day sweet.

And you know, at the end of a long day of walking in the rain and no success, the fact that we actually had water and it was actually hot was a great blessing too. I will never take advantage of water again. It's the little things, my friends.

Wherever you are, look for all the good things in life. When you change your focus, all of a sudden life is good no matter what.

This next week, Sister Dlamini and I fly to Lusaka for MLC and it will be such a spiritual refresher. I can't wait!

Love you all,

Sister Proctor