Malawi Miracles

So I didn’t really know it was Thanksgiving last week until I opened up my email today! Soooo happy Thanksgiving! It's not a common holiday here ;-) but this week for sure I had many things to be thankful for. 

1.  An awesome companion. She is such a hard worker. I really admire her. We are different people from different places with different ideas sometimes, but despite that I, am blessed to have a comp like her. LOVE YA SISTER GEORGE!

2. We found three couples this week. Couples ARE MY FAVORITE TO TEACH, because not only is it two people but because I have seen in my own family how the gospel has blessed my life and so I want their family to have those same blessings! One of those couples let me tell ya about them. . . so you know those little boys that have been coming to church? Yeah so on Saturday they came to help clean the church but we said, “No. Wait. Take us to your parents.” They stay literally right behind the church, and so we go and they let us in! And we teach them and my companion even cried the spirit was so strong. We strongly testified how what we share blesses families and brings the truth to the lost. The husband told us he went to bible school and even had his own church at one point but when he shifted back to Lilongwe he doesn’t have a church. BUT every Sunday morning the little boys wake up an beg their parents to take them to church but they say no and then the kids just went and found our church on their own! If only we could all be as little children. They really know how to follow the spirit. When Sunday came the mom and the boys came and the mom loved it so much. The husband sent her to check things out so I hope she reported back well so they will ALL come next week. But sharing with them just made me so grateful for my family who I love so much. This gospel is truly one that brings blessings and I know that families are supposed to be FOREVER and that they can be. 

3. I am also grateful for wonderful members here in Malawi. One is Lianna Brighton. She is 17 and every Saturday and Sunday she works as a missionary with us. She has a powerful testimony and is ALWAYS making us laugh with her jokes especially when she and Sister George are always talking about who is shorter than the other and Sister George makes fun of Malawians for being short haha. And she is just my fav. And also our favorite less active who is becoming more active JOANNA! She ALWAYS gives us food but that’s not why she is my fav but every time we go we sing hymns and read the Book of Mormon and I just feel so much peace there. She is the best alto signer ever. 

Hopefully the video I attached works but that is us sitting with her and her daughter singing. I love this place and I’m grateful its becoming a home for me. 

Anyway not much to say this week but I hope you are all doing well and looking forward to December!!!! 

with lots and lots of love,

Sister Moulton 

"Eye" Need Thee Every Hour

Hello Family and Friends,   

So yes this week was quite an interesting one!

Sooo randomly I got a sore on my eyebrow and then my comps, yes my comps, she popped it for me and then the next day my WHOLE EYE was swollen haha (I wont send pics cause I think it would creep some of you out). I could barely see, and it hurt very badly so I called the mission doctor and they sent me to the hospital. We waited and waited and I was just given ibuprofen and eye drops haha! I was told to cover it sooooo I had to wear a Band-Aid on it. Some days. And the people for sure noticed haha but it made a good conversation starter to have a big eye! But the whole experience just made me appreciate my eyes more and so I’m grateful for the lessons Heavenly Father can teach us even in our tough times. 

   

Okay but despite the weird eye thing WE HAD A BAPTISM THIS WEEK! I don’t think I have ever mentioned him before but his name is Emanuel. Okay so this guy is one of my favorite people. So we met him about two months ago while we were on exchanges and he was willing to learn so we sat down. Now Emanuel is one of the quietest people I have ever met. He just sits and listens. But if you ask him something he is so smart and knows. He just is a lot quieter than most, but that is what made him so great. At first he was SO SCARED OF us but we just offered to share our message and then he opened up and told us how he always wanted to know why bad things happen to good people. We decided to share the Plan of Salvation. As we shared he just took everything in. Little by little as we taught him all the lessons, he remembered and learned so much. When we would come back again and again he would have read the pamphlets and understood everything. When we gave him the Book of Mormon that is one of the first times I saw him smile so big, so happy to have his own copy. He has read a lot now and told us how he has learned a lot about how to be like Nephi. And as for us, we have gotten to know him better. It turns out he is a gospel artist and has siblings out on the web and that he likes to sing a lot! Despite us trying to get to know him though he still was quiet as we taught him, still just said goodbye at the end of the lessons and walked behind the house, but still we knew he was good. When he came to church he would just sit quietly and listen. Then the day of his baptism finally came. He was so ready and excited. There were many people there to witness his baptism. They call him the "Afro guy"! It was a great day and as he stood in the water I could see the joy on his face. I will never forget that. I’m grateful Heavenly Father led us to his house. Emanuel has taught me that all of Heavenly Father’s children are different but ALL OF THEM need the gospel. 

This week we had an FHE with a less-active family, and the young boy in the family invited all his friends to come and meet us haha! He had them perform a song for us of the Malawian national anthem and aye it was so nice. I LOVE MALAWI! 

Also this weekmy comps and I were asked to give talks in sacrament meeting. As I was bearing my testimony at the end and looking into their faces, I realized something. I have come to love about the mission. Sharing my testimony. Before I came I was low key scared and in a way ashamed of just saying and sharing my beliefs and I wasn’t willing to always share them openly and freely. But since being on mission I have learned HOW blessed we are to have the gospel and it has made me more and more motivated to share my testimony with others. So never again will I be ashamed or scared. I am too blessed to hold it in! 

Thank you all for your support. So many of you emailed me this week and I’m grateful for your words of encouragement. I am blessed to have people like you in my life. Keep up the good times and the hard work on that side!

With lots and lots of love,

Sister Moulton 

So Many Weird and Wonderful Things

So this week was just full of random moments of just greatness. 

One was this man who had come to church his name is Timothy. He was super interested so we were supposed to meet him during the week and then he didn’t pick his phone but like two seconds later he showed up just before we were gonna give up and go. So we end up getting to teach him, and wow this guy. He is prepared . He told us about how as soon as he walked into church he felt something. How he had learned about the Book of Mormon in his secondary school in his village (don’t know how that is possible) and how he already knew everything was true. Anyways while we were teaching him the sprit was so strong he knew everything and we asked what he needed to do to follow the truth and he says, "Be baptized." So we invited him and he said, "Yes praise God." He was so excited. The second time we met with him and he had read the pamphlet and everything and told us Joseph Smith was a true prophet and why and it was powerful. I don’t know how the spirit works with that one but he just knows. 

And let me tell you a little bit about my fav corner in the entire of Lilongwe. So the road the church is on has a corner that leads to more houses. At the corner we have become super good friends with the people there because we are always parking our car and walking to the appointment. So now my best friend there is Natasha. She is a mother and she messes with me by only speaking Chichewa to me but really she knows English. I love talking to her and we have tried sharing our message with her and even though she stays right across from the church and even though her neighbor is a member she isn’t interested but still she takes good care of us and always makes our day. On the other side of the corer is a girl named Ekale who has a business making these fried chips (French fires) and selling them. So we are always talking to her too. Every Time I go to that corner it just makes me happy to see who will be there that day. And of course the kids always come running for the stickers. Its my favorite just because it feels like home. Those people know us and I have come to love them so much. One day if you ever come to Lilongwe with me, I’ll bring you to my corner haha. 

This week we had another thing happen called a flat tire. I saw it coming but me I’m here for missionary work sooo… I just shrugged it off but when it happened I called the Elders.  I told them I could do it HHAHAHA! Boy was I wrong. A long time ago I think I learned but I forgot this is a really big truck so they had to come and fix it for us haha. We have the best missionaries here. THANKS ELDERS! 

Also another fun and wonderful thing, so we invited these little boys to church and gave them stickers and a couple weeks they came and they have come like every week since then. This week they even came and helped clean the church. They always make me smile. And they love Primary too. They will grow to love the church so much and I hope those ones NEVER Stop coming! 

But how could I of course NOT MENTION BENS BAPTISM?! I have never seen a person more excited than this one. SO PUMPED! And it was a beautiful service too. SO MANY PEOPLE CAME! He has started on the right path and I cannot wait to see how much he can contribute to the church here in Lilongwe. In his testimony after his baptism he talked about how he went to many churches but when he came to the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he knew it was true. 

I’m grateful for the weeks like these that are so weird and wonderful. Time is flying and sometimes I can really feel Satan working hard to get me down and make me weaker as my time goes but the spirit is always there to help. It comforts me when I get low and it makes me remember why I’m really here. I know that there is still lots to do! 

Hope you all have a good week!

with lots and lots of love ,

Sister Moulton 

JUST DO IT

 Hello Everyone!  

Hope you had a nice Halloween? Don’t celebrate it this side but still I hope you all enjoyed haha. 

This week I was without a comp for a few days but it was still a good time cause I got to be with the other sisters. Sister Tukafu (my old comps from Woodlands) and Sister Matangi both from Tonga Island! They make everything fun haha. When we went to their area I finally got to ride a gabaza! That is what they call bikes here. It is the main form of transportation. So you pay a driver and you sit on the back on this little seat and you ride! Hey it was so fun. I would be totally cool if they took the car away and we had to ride those ;-) 

But this week we had some powerful experiences that once again taught me that when we have faith and when we work hard miracles happen. So one day we went finding in my area with the two sisters. I wanted to knock on this gate and one of the sisters I was with (who had visited my area before I came) said not to knock it cause she thinks those people are against our church cause that is what she heard. Okay well me I was willing to get a gate slammed in my face (honestly I thought it would be kinda fun) so I knock and guess what? The people let us in and they wanted to learn more and they let us come back another time too|! One of the guys we taught that stays there is studying Theology at a local Christian school. He had heard of the Book of Mormon but had so many questions and of course we have the answers. I know it was inspired to knock on that gate and it taught me that I need to JUST DO IT. Follow the spirit and have the faith you need to find and the people will be there! 

Another tender mercy happened on Sunday. So at first when church started there were no people, but as time went on more and more came and the place was almost filled. I have never in my time here seen it like that. It was full of investigators, less active members, active members and it was a beautiful sight. Couldn’t really take a picture but I will NEVER forget. We ended up having 13 people at church that day and some of them we couldn’t even see us during the meeting but after they came and found us. The work is moving forward and it may be slow but I’m grateful for those times that give me inspiration to keep going and keep doing. 

And yes my new companion finally came! Her name is Sister George and she is from Nigeria! She is one of my fav people in this mission. She is hilarious and always has something interesting to talk about. We are having a good time together and loving it here. 

 Ben is getting baptized this week and he can not wait. . . seriously! He asked me on Friday if he could just get baptized tomorrow haha this kid. He is doing good. 

Anyways I hope you all have a good week!  

with lots and lots of love, 

Sister Moulton