Harper's Adventures in Africa: Being Sincere Here

Hello!

What a week we had. Finally got to spend more time in our area!

On Wednesday we went on exchanges so it was Sister Matangi and I together. We had some powerful lessons that day with some of my fav people that we teach. There was this one young man named Luckson. Super smart guy. We have been teaching him for not very long but he has really become interested and we taught him that day about the Book of Mormon and the Restoration and he told us how he had been praying and he knew that everything we were sharing was true. He was so sure and had received an answer so fast it seemed. But he couldn’t deny he knew it, and he knew that it was really God answering his prayers. However, when Sister Matangi invited him to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized he said he still wanted to go to his church. But he knows it is true with all his heart he told us that. But you see agency is real and so we helped him know why we invited him, and helped him know that being baptized is a way he can act on his faith. But despite that, no. The next time we went back I was with Sister George and again he had read the Book of Mormon and had a solid testimony that it was true but he still was scared to act by even just coming to church. We told him to pray to know if he should come to church that Sunday. As Sunday came we didn’t have that many people come, but towards the end guess who showed up? LUCKSON! After we went and asked him if he had prayed and he said, "That’s why I am here." Never in my mission have I met someone that is so readily able to receive answers to prayers. He knows without a doubt the answers to his prayers and he showed his faith by making the walk to church on Sunday. I don’t know what else will happen to our dear brother Luckson but I do know that my testimony of prayers was strengthened, and truly I learned that if we are SINCERE in our prayers, He will answer. IF WE ARE SINCERE in our desires He will help us find a way.

Okay but another story from exchanges that led to more great things. A LONG time ago we met this wonderful mom and sister named Sophie and Pascalina. Now that was a long time ago and at first Sophie was always too busy to meet with us and didn’t seem like she wanted us to come. Well the time came when we decided to follow up again and this time you could tell she was truly interested. And little by little as we have been teaching her we have learned that we aren’t the first missionaries to teach her and her family but that her husband was a drinking man and wasn’t really interested. That was a long time ago though and the coolest part is that turns out she has three copies of the Book of Mormon from those days long ago. But every time we teach her she really gets it and has her kids come and listen. She has really acted upon what we shared and just this week we were finally able to teach her husband too and you don’t know how happy she was to have her WHOLE FAMILY THERE with her. And he told us how he really felt good as he learned and I know he truly felt the spirit. FAMILIES ARE THE BEST. During our exchange day though we put her on date to be baptized and she was so excited. She marked her calendar and was committed to it. Sophie really taught me that never should I give up on a person and that when the time is right the gospel will make sense. What we share is SO TRUE and I’m so blessed to get to share it everyday. And to even share it with Sophie and her family is a great great blessing because I can truly see how when the gospel is taught in a home it changes everything.

Anyway, I just wanted to share two small experiences and leave it there but Lilongwe is good and the gospel is true no matter where you are!

Hope you all have a good week!