Thanksgiving??

Hello everyone! So uh happy late Thanksgiving! I kind of forgot about Thanksgiving, both me and my companion did haha but I just wanted to say thank you for all the support and love you give me and my family. God has blessed me with so many wonderful people in my life. Hope you all had a wonderful day and enjoyed lots of American food. ;-)  

So funny kids story of the week. On Thursday, I saw this group of kids up ahead after we were walking away from one of our appointments. I said to sister Godfrey "Dare me to go up and give them stickers?" and she said "I dare you!" We knew it would be a mess but I was kind of excited for it so I went up to them and AHHHHHHHH in like two seconds I was literally surrounded on ALL SIDES WITH CHILDREN FROM OUT OF NO WHERE and I was giving out stickers and fast as I could! One of them called me "Azungu" and I stopped them and said, “Sister Moulton is my name," and the kid said it and then all of them started saying it to get more stickers and ah it went on for a couple minutes and then we ended it haha but PHEW so many good times! 

We are continuing to teach and visit Tryness even after she is baptized and it was been such an amazing experience to see her learn and grow. I told her I was happy to see her at church and she told me "Why are you surprised?! I'm supposed to go every week now!” Oh that girl and her sass crack me up but I am so grateful for her and all that she is teaching me too! This week we were talking to her about what she read in the Book of Mormon and then one of her friends came in and asked what we were doing. She told him we were reading the Book of Mormon and he of course asked what it was and Tryness told him and told him about how she brings it with her to class everyday. And so we read some with him in Mosiah 4 which is one of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon. And Tryness made so many good comments about repentance and keeping the commandments. It was the coolest thing, and then after her friend left we read some more in the beginning of the book and she just wanted to keep reading but we had to tell her we had to go! That right there is the power of the Book of Mormon. It truly is the word of God and by reading it people can find the truth, I know it! I wish more people would accept our invitation to read it because I know it could change their lives just like it has with Tryness and just like it has with mine. 

This week in the Book of Mormon I was reading about the wars and problems that the Nephites faced against the wicked Lamanites in the book of Alma. Captain Moroni, their fearless leader was a genius. He prepared the people even before the enemies came and always planned and executed so well. He fought not for the bloodshed of his enemies but for the liberty of his people and defending their families. He had so much faith in God and knew that if the people were righteous that God would deliver them. And he did! I know that we all face challenges in our lives as well. Maybe not big battles with swords but with temptation and sin. We like Moroni can prepare and plan and with God on our side we can conquer even the toughest challenges. 

Margret and Alice are doing great by the way! they are the sweetest and it just makes me so grateful that I get to meet wonderful people like them while on mission. 

Hope this week is the best ever! 

with lots and lots of love

Sister Moulton 

"I Like to Look for Rainbows Whenever There is Rain..."

This week was quite the adventure! the first big big rain storm hit. The area my companion and I work in is mostly dirt roads and so our first appointment of the day we went out with me in my chacos and Sister Godfrey in her boots. The lesson went well but when we got out to head to the next one, both ways out were flooded... soo we picked the way that seemed the best and decided we would walk through! You have to go kind of fast cause you start to sink so you walk fast hoping that there isn’t anything ya know like gross or random or crazy in the water. But the water we had to walk through was above my knees and WAY above Sister Godfrey’s knees haha. It was pretty funny and the rain just kept coming! When we made it to the next appointment’s house there were some ladies shoveling dirt out of the gutter in front of their house. The gutter is just dirt dug in a little so when it rains to the mud builds up and so you have to shovel it to keep the water flowing and then block it from flowing into the house. So we offered to help and they gave me a shovel and we threw the dirt out! Those women were so strong! The one even had a baby on her back! When we got the water flowing she had to block it from the next house so she just picked up this big cement thing and threw it in the ditch to stop to water! but when she threw it the mud splashed all over me and my companion! HA! it was so funny! and made the experience that much more memorable haha.  

This week we were able to meet with a lady named Margret and her daughter Alice. We met Margret when we were walking down this one street. She works at the school and I guess she had seen us lots of times but this time she decided to come up and talk to us! She invited us to her house. She is the sweetest lady ever. She loves her job because she gets to teach the little kids and make food for them, and she has an even greater love for her family. Her husband passed away recently and she has four kids. When we asked her about if her prayers had ever been answered she said that a long time ago she prayed that she would find someone to marry that didn’t drink too much and that wouldn’t beat her. And God answered her prayers with her husband. She said she now prays that he will answer it again and that she knows he will. Margret’s faith is so strong. She has such a deep love for God and I am so glad we get to teach here even more about how her family can find more happiness through the restored gospel in this life and in the life to come. She and her daughter even came to church on Sunday! They wanted a picture with me and Sister Godfrey after. They both looked so nice and said they loved the messages. I’ll keep you updated on them for next week!!!

SO Sister Godfrey and I learned a cool new thing this week. Its called "embesellla" so basically its like one of those "free gifts" that comes when you buy a lot at Macys or when you shop at someplace a lot and get rewards haha. But here in Zambia it basically means that if the person sees you a lot, or you buy tomatoes or onions or potatoes or dondos from them a lot than one day they will say to you "embesella" and give you another one of the above for free! So Sister Godfrey and I were buying tomatoes from this man right? and we see this man everyday because his table is in the market and we teach the women behind his table. So when we bought tomatoes he said "embesella" AND GAVE US AN EXTRA TOMATO!!!!!! And then even the same day we walked down to the end of the market and it was the end of the day and it was getting dark. But there is this lady and her daughter that come at night and sell twisty "dondos" or basically fried dough. They are even better when they are at night I guess but they only cost 50 engue so we always buy one at the end of the day. (Okay not always cause then we would get fat but some of the time haha) This day she said, "embesella" AND GAVE US TWO DONDOS!!!!! IT WAS A GOOD DAY. 

Zambia is a great place I have to say. This week I made a list of all the reasons I love it here and I’m just gonna keep adding to it. There is lots of work to do and I’m so glad that I get to be a part of it. God knows the people here and he loves them so much and my love grows for them every day too. 

Much love for all of you! 

with lots and lots of love

Sister Moulton

Missionary Work is the Best Work

Well this week was great!  

First off I had my first African food this week and it was pretty good! So Tryness our investigator made us Schima and fish and a relish gravy this that was tomatoes, tomato sauce and onions. Very interesting...you knead some of the schima in your hands and then dip it in the gravy and eat it! And then add some fish on the side! I was very impressed by her cooking! But....on Thursday we went to a member’s home and this time the food was a little more uh edible haha... so this time it was shima, with gravy again (not sure what was in it but it was good!), fish (talapia fish??? and I’ve never liked fish but this one was super good!), and then last but not least.... pumpkin leaves....yep! boiled and mashed pumpkin leaves! They are seasoned of course haha. So you take the schima which is basically like uh mashed potatoes and play dough mixed, it doesn’t taste like anything then you knead it for a bit and then dip in everything and pop the little piece in your mouth! Its hard to explain and it was definitely hard the first couple times but luckily my companion is a pro so she helped me figure it out haha. But it was really good in general! Wouldn’t want to eat it everyday, but I don’t have to haha, and now I can say I’ve eaten African food!!!

The kid story for this week is about these kids on "Freddy’s street." We had stopped by to see Freddy at his shop and all these kids were outside. I had seen them before and the last couple times they had been very rude and had demanded stickers and I had told them that I would only give them another one if they said please first.  So this time when I saw them they came up and said, "Please can we have a sticker?" So I gave them one! Then they went and got their friends told them the "secret word" and then they would say it and I would give them a sticker! They thought it was pretty funny and hey they know how to say please! Lol! We also taught them how to play rock paper scissors and that kept them occupied for a good thirty min and they would even go around and have little tournaments. The kids I meet honestly make my days.

So many times this week it hit me that I am so glad I get to be a missionary right now. I am just so grateful for the experiences I am having and for how much my testimony is growing. One of the biggest moments that made me realize that its a great to be a missionary is that TRYNESS GOT BAPTIZED THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!! We have been teaching her for about a month. I have seen her testimony grow so much and she is always eager to know when we are coming to teach her again. And every time we will just start talking and she is always the one to remind us to start with a prayer. She is great haha. She was very excited for Sunday and we just couldn’t stop telling her how happy we were for her. Sunday came and so after church we helped her get dressed in her jumpsuit that she would be baptized in and we went outside to take lots of pictures for her request. Me and Sister Godfrey and Sister Gwebo and Macaravey (the sisters in our flat) all had matching dresses made for this Sunday because all of us had investigators that were getting baptized!!!! The fabric is from a little shop in the market. Its called chatage the fabric, and a lady in our ward made the dresses for us in less than a week! We were pretty excited to wear them and everyone thought they were "so nice!" I didn’t see Tryness stop smiling the whole time we were taking pictures and that just made me so happy. We went into the baptism and after listening to the talks it was time for Tryness to be baptized. She was so nervous! but we hugged tight and when she went down into the water, Sister Godfrey and I were smiling so much! Here is this girl that we met a month ago. She was just going to school. She even told us in the first lesson she had felt lost and wanted to learn more. And now here she was, standing in the waters of baptism about to make a covenant with Heavenly Father and be cleansed of all her sins. God is so good. I know he led us to her for a reason. The gospel of Jesus Christ can help people feel like they belong. It gives us hope for the future and can help us overcome anything. When Tryness got out I wrapped her in a towel (the water was freezing by the way haha but she is tough haha). After she got all dressed we went back into the room and all of the people that had been baptized were able to bear their testimonies. Tryness bore hers about how she felt a huge burden lifted off her shoulders and she was happy that from now on she could take Christ’s name upon her and serve him. My heart was so full. I cant even describe it. But I do know that it was amazing. I pray she will keep learning and growing and I thank God every day that I was able to see one of his children come closer to Jesus Christ. Missionary work is the best. 

I love you all and hope all is well in your life. Thanks for reading these emails and supporting me. 

with lots and lots of love,

 Sister Moulton

Bananas are the Best

So me and Sister Godfrey’s new favorite treat on the side of the road is bananas. They are usually only one Kwacha and always perfectly ripe. We have a lady we buy them from now on one street and then a kid named Joshua on the other street haha!  

An update on our investigator Tryness. we figured out why she didn’t come to church! She didn’t have a dress. We found her one to wear and she came this week. She is excited to be baptized on Sunday and we are so excited for her too! We gave her a challenge to read the Book of Mormon one page a day and she is understanding it so well. She knows the whole 1 Nephi story now! I love seeing how exciting the Book of Mormon can be. She asked for a pen too so she could mark it up. Next week I’ll hopefully have pictures at her baptism!!!

This week a lot of our appointments fell through. It was hard. Sometimes we only got to teach two lessons a day. But the lessons we did get to teach were powerful. I know God is aware of me and my companion. He knows we are trying our hardest and the people that are prepared are the ones that he will lead us too. 

I am getting to know the members a lot better in the ward. They come with us on some of the lessons. Their conversion stories amaze me. This one man named Brother Timba  told us his story. When he started meeting with the elders he wanted to be baptized but his brother who he was living with told him he had to choose between them and his family. He deiced to be baptized and was kicked out of his house. He lived at the church for awhile until the bishop got him a job and a house and now he still has that same job, same house, and even though his family won’t talk to him he is still strong in the church. He gave a talk last week and bore his testimony and it was powerful. I am so grateful for his courage to stand for what he believes in and trust that God will provide a way for him to live. Even now through the perpetual education fund that the church runs, he is going to school and wants to become a lawyer! He has read all these books and was explaining to me and my companion about the Kennedy assassination and the lawyers that were involved. The church does so much for people and can truly change lives. I am so grateful to meet these wonderful people and learn from their sacrifice and faith. 

Okay now for the funny kid story. While we were waiting for one of our appointments, me and Sister Godfrey were sitting on the side of the road calling the investigator and these kids came up to us. They said "hello how are you?" and then I responded and then they copied what I said and then they kept doing it and so we went back and forth copying words and I would say some in English and then to mess with them I would say some in niaja like "zicomo" (thank you) or "bwino'(good0 and they would say it back with my accent and then eventually they were all just giggling!  So i started to copying their giggles and then they were like rolling on the floor laughin, it was the cutest thing! Then an African man came out and told them to be quiet haha but it was fun while it lasted and now every time we go down that street the kids come up and talk to us. Oh man I just love it. 

I wanted to share a scripture I found during my reading this week in Jacob 7:11. In the chapter Jacob is talking to a man who is going around telling people there is no Christ. Jacob asks if he believes the scriptures and the man answers that he does. Then Jacob responds and says "Then you do not understand them; for they truly testify of Christ. Behold, I say unto you that none of the prophets have written nor prophesized save they have spoken concerning this Christ.” Jacob is so right! the scriptures that we have they testify of Christ. they talk of Christ, rejoice in Christ and when I read them I learn more about Christ. I am so grateful we have the scriptures to learn more about Christ and to strengthen our testimonies of him. 

Thanks for all the prayers! Have a great week!

with lots and lots of love

Sister Moulton