I have yet to say a kneeling prayer without being crawled upon.

So this last week has been pretty hectic in the apartment. We had transfers and they opened up a bunch of new areas near our apartment. However, they didn't have an apartment for the missionaries in the new areas... soooo.. we had 10 elders in an apartment with 1 bathroom that doesn't flush unless you have "wata" in a bucket that you can use to flush. Yikes!! haha! there were some funk bunk smells in the apartment this week I'm sure you can imagine.

Also, since it was transfers... I decided to clean out my suit case of all the cock roaches that have made a cute little home in all my "tings" (they don't pronounce there TH sound so I figured I'm gonna start writing that way haha) and wowsers. I took it outside and started taking my clothes out 1 by one... there were Boku Boku (a lot) roaches scattering everywhere!!! It was like playing dance dance revolution... I was stomping on as many as I could before they escaped! haha! It was pretty wild and funny! I decided it might be a good idea to keep my suitcase zipped up from now on! haha! even after 1 week though, I found some inside.. they probably layed eggs or someting... :( Even last night... I took a shirt out of my closet tingy.. that yes mom... had been hung up perfectly so it wouldn't get wringled (I have been outstanding wit that while on mission... love ya mommy) I found over 40 roaches inside the shirt. good ting I didn't put it on right?!?! they would have probably dug inside my skin and made me look like the guys from the "Mummy". I had a fun time stomping those guys to death too... who knew I would be so destructive to Heavenly Fathers creatures... while on a mission too! haha!
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Enough about the living conditions though. I could go on forever about weird nasty things that would have used to weird me out but now it is just a part of everyday life.

So I had another baptism this week. Brother Ibrahim Kargbo. He is such a stud. I have loved teaching him, he asks good questions and has so much faith in papa god. He is 17 years old and learned about the church from one of Elder Chemhuru's recent converts named Bokari. Bokari is such a great member. He was able to baptize Ibrahim and it was sooo sweet to be a part of it. The joy that a newly baptized person has is different from any other happiness I have ever seen. They can't stop smiling and they honestly glow! (the only time they don't smile is in pictures hahaha! We tell them we are gonna take a snap.. and they instantly get their mean mug face on... must be an African ting haha) I will try and send a picture of Ibrahim and Bokari together.

So since Elder Chemhuru left me... I have been the one leading the area! This past week has definitely been a challenge. I still hadn't even visited more than half of my area so i was a little nervous. BUT.. I put my faith in Heavenly Father and leaned on his help. We ended up having a pretty great week and I don't think I got us lost for too long haha! We weren't able to teach as many lessons as usual because of all the craziness with transfers but I know that this next week will only get better.

My New companion Elder Muthoni is pretty sweet. I know the Lord sends missionaries to new areas exactly when the area needs them. Our first day of teaching together was... out of this world spiritual haha! We had some investigators that just haven't been progressing and they needed something but Elder Chemhuru and I just couldn't seem to figure out what exactly they needed to build their faith. Elder Muthoni is very confident and rely's so much on the spirit when he teaches. I had it in my head that a newly transfered missionary is like a brand-new missionary for the first week... but boy was I wrong. He connected sooo well with the people and was able to show them in just 1 day how much he cared about them... I can definitely learn to love and connect with the people in salone much better. The people are so sweet here but they can definitely put up a guard if they don't trust you. I am getting much better at breaking down their guard so they feel comfortable sharing their true feelings but it is taking a lot of effort on my part. One of the lessons in particular.. we taught a lady named **** ****. Her husband is cheating on her... a lot... and the owner of her house is the pastor who's church she attended. So she has a lot of outside pressures that are turning her into an object rather than an agent. We have been teaching her the importance of prayer and how it only works according to our faith. Elder Muthoni and I taught her about alma 34 and how are faith is like a seed. I know she was feeling the spirit so strongly. there is nothing I love more than to be able to see someone feel God's love. So sweet. Anyway, we were able to explain to her that Papa God will provide a way for her problems to be solved.. but it is up to her faith and whether or not she is acting on that faith. I said a closing prayer and I couldn't help but tear up as I said it because I could almost feel the suffering she was going through. I have felt pain in my life and when you have that pain... there is nothing you want more than to get rid of it.. it is hard to tell someone that they need to suffer longer before things will get better. Patience is so important and it is something that Hawa is definitely learning. I read D&C 58:4 "For after much tribulation come the blessings" God gives us trials. If we didn't have trials, then we would never grow and become better. I thank my Father in Heaven EVERYDAY for what I have been through because it has shaped me into who I am now. I know that I will face many more long and hard trials because... I am not perfect... BUT through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.. I will be. Moroni 10:32-33. God wants us to be like him.. that is the point of this life.. to change.

Another sweet experience...( if you can't tell, sweet is my new favorite word haha) so church here is usually not exceptionally spiritual.. the power goes on and off so sometimes the microphone works... sometimes it doesn't.. sometimes the fans are on... sometimes I sit in a soup of my own sweat! we never know haha! But this fast and testimony meeting was different than weeks in the past. Suba, one of my investigators, got up and bore a deep testimony about how she is coming to know the truth of the church and the book of Mormon.. She gave me a very sweet shout out and said that if it wasn't for the missionaries she wouldn't be as happy as she has been the past month she has been taught. It made me realize... my efforts really are helping. Some days I feel like I just wander around the mountain and teach lessons that aren't really effecting anyone. So it was really nice to see the impact missionary work has even when you don't see immediate affects.

I am loving the scriptures more and more everyday I read. I remember my main man Tan (Tanner bear Crandall) told me once that if he were to be stranded on an island all he would want is his Book of Mormon. I kinda laughed in my head when he told me... I would've wanted like a sword or something survival like... but now... Hands down... I would take my book of mormon. It is the one book that tells us exactly what we need to do in this life and how we can do it. Read your scriptures!!! if you ever need strength... Read your scriptures!!! if you ever feel sad... Read your scriptures!!! if you ever need an answer... Read your scriptures!!! if you ever need anything... Read your Stinkin Scriptures!!! I hope you caught hold of my point haha!

Shout out to all the bugs in my apartment.. I have yet to say a kneeling prayer without being crawled upon. LOVE IT!!

I hope you all have a great week!! Read your Scriptures!!