Monday, August 31, 2015

When in All Eternity?

Aug. 31, 2015
Chopped

Making sandwiches at youth conference with Mashike, my girl. She just submitted her mission papers!

Visiting the Chainama sisters.
Darling Family,

After emailing last week, I went to get a haircut. For all of you who plan to move to Africa one day I highly recommend great caution when getting haircuts. Azungu hair is very different from African hair. So, I told and showed the lady how much hair I wanted cut off and she ended up cutting about double the amount off. My hair has been chopped. But it's growing on me and at least I have short hair going into the hot season. The lady could see my eyes grow bigger and bigger and I kept stopping her but she said she knew what she was doing. A mantra I've adopted lately is, "When in all of eternity will this matter?" So yeah, maybe my hair is chopped but whatever. Eternally, it doesn't really matter. I'll embrace it.

So many times I was sitting in lessons this week and I sort of stepped outside the situation and thought, "I can't believe this is real life. I can't believe I'm a missionary in Zambia right now teaching this person. How did I get here?" I feel like the joy and amazement I had at the beginning of my mission has returned. Can you believe it? I get to be a missionary! I get to share the gospel! In ward council yesterday I just sat there listening to all of these ward leaders concerned about all of these people and thought, "These people are so cool. I can't believe I get to participate in this." Life is beautiful.

We were teaching an investigator called Dingani who seems very promising and I had an experience I've never had before in a lesson. He is a very passionate person. He can get very intense about every little doctrine. When we came and asked if he had read the pamphlet we left, he told us no but he had been reading on the internet. Probably in the past my heart would have sunk but Sister Quaye and I just smiled and pleasantly listened as he raged about the Bible being the only word of God and about all of these different doctrines that we have. When all of his steam blew over I boldly testified (practically a spiritual slap in the face [in the kindest way possibly]) and then his response was amazing. He said, "Can I pray?" I have never had an investigator want to pray in the middle of the lesson, let alone an investigator who was raging about anti material online. So he prayed and said, "Father, if I have offended these sisters, forgive me. And if they have offended me, forgive them." We were pretty calm because this sort of thing happen all the time but his intensity mellowed and the Spirit came into his heart. I was so impressed. In a moment of heat in his heart he just stopped and prayed. And he totally accepted the Book of Mormon. MIRACLE.

I went on exchanges with Sister Mulunda (from DRC) and it was nice. We also got to visit the other sisters this week because one is very sick. I love being an STL because instead of recognition it just gives you more opportunities to serve others. The sisters in the other flat far away were so grateful that we came to visit them. The Spirit was so sweet.

The stake young women president invited us to speak at youth conference on Saturday and it was so fun! The youth theme this year is all about missionary work and all the kids were so pumped. They even went out to do some finding. Free referrals for the Elders. Ha! It reminded me of my days going to youth conference and girl's camp. I am so grateful for the leaders that helped me to gain the testimony that I am sharing. Especially youth conferences in Virginia have become my foundation. What a blessing these youth have to get to participate. 

Well, kids. I hope you find some way to serve a brother or sister this week. You have more brothers and sisters around you than you can count. 

Love,

Sister Proctor

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