Wow! I can say that I have seen so many miracles in just this one week spent in Kadoma! It has been insane! And I truly thank Heavenly Father for all that has been provided for us this week! This week has honestly been the the most miracles I have seen on my mission, and the great thing about this is that I get to share it! It has really strengthened my testimony that God really looks out for us while we are serving with all of our heart. And I know that with faith miracles can happen. Elder Clark, one of the elderly mission couples spoke about sacrifice in sacrament meeting this Sunday and said, "Sacrifice is what makes miracles." And that is 100% true. We can't expect miracles without any effort. It comes through our desires and actions that create miracles.
Happenstancial Investigators
Bro. Stephanie
Basically with this investigator, we had nothing to do with it. So Elder Barrus has this name that he wrote down before I even came here. And so we called this young man and asked to set an appointment, which was on Thursday. We set up to meet with him at the chruch and when we got there, wow he was super prepared. He basically told us that he has been taught by missionaries before, has come to church a couple times and that he wanted to be baptized. We were like, "Wow! That's awesome!" He told us that he had a family situation with his brothers and how they were not fans of the church. So he wasn't able to join until he turned 18. And so that is exactly what he did! He turned 18 and then came to us. We reviewed all of the lessons, and he knew all of them! Super super well. So we set for his baptism this weekend. It was quite an amazing miracle!
Bro. Silas
On a Wednesday afternoon. Some of our plans fell through, so we were just walking through the streets, contacting. We found some interest here and there, and then Elder Barrus talked to this one fine gentleman that was on the street. We talked a bit about the gospel, and said that he would be interested. We then asked him if he had time to be taught, and he agreed. We went into his house with his family and basically talked about what the church was all about. He said that he has been looking for a church that he could find peace at, and one where he could just learn about real doctrine, rather than just knowing Jesus is good for you, and prosperity and praising and all of that. It was so amazing! Elder Barrus and I were literally thinking, "Wow, that is exactly what our church is all about!" And we left him with a message to read, and invited his whole family to come to church. And they agreed! With 100% certainty! It was amazing! And to think, while we were walking on the street, we almost didn't even bother to talk to him. Just one little thought of, "I'm too tired to talk to this man," could of wasted a wonderful miracle that happened.
Bro. Ashly
Ashly is a friend of a member, Prince. And before, he was just a friend of Prince's and that was it. So right before I came here, Ashly started to pick up interest in the gospel. So we decided to teach him about the Restoration of the Gospel and about the Book of Mormon. The lesson went so well! We told him to read and pray about the book and know if it is true. The next day, we also set an appointment to come and vist him. When we got to Prince's house, (Where we usually meet) Ashly was outside the house with two of his friends. So we then taught him and his two brand new friends about the Plan of Salvation. But before, we asked Ashly if he read and prayed about the Book of Mormon. He looked at us and said, "Yes, I read it and I prayed, and I know that this is the true gospel." It was so amazing! And the coolest part about it, is when we were teaching, Ashly kept talking to his firends and saying, "This is the church I'm going to join, isn't it so cool!" It was quite a miracle, and we also invited both of his friends to come to church that Sunday.
Miracle Sunday
Church starts at 10:30. But we decided to go and pick up some investigators before the church started. Except the only problem was, that the zone leader, (Who had the car) already left, and we were left to go to church using public transportation since our house is so far away from the church. And in order to get there, we would have needed to take two combies (transportation, people packed, vans). We left at 9am, and walked to the street to wait for a combie. We waited, and nothing. And then a combie passed. We waved it down, but shouted at us saying, "Too Full! Too Full!" Then right after, another combie came. But... with the same response. We waited a little longer, and flagged down this other car. He said, "Are you guys going to church?" And we were like Yes!! He stopped and gave us a ride all the way to where our investigators lived. Which saved us a second ride of transportation. And, he didn't charge us at all! It was a miracle! So we go to our investigators, and sadly, Lucy couldn't make it. So we go to Bro. Silas house, and they were getting ready. But he said that they would come with their family and their sister! We trusted their word and said that we needed to leave for church so that we could be on time, and we would meet them there. We started walking super fast, since we knew that we would probably be late. But then, miracle! Another guy shouted at us in a car and said, "Are you guys going to church?" And he gave us a free lift to the front of the church building! IT WAS Such a miracle!
But then for church! So we got there, and right when we came in, it started downpouring, And I was a bit worried on if the Silas family would come or not! But then, most of all of our investigators came! I said a little prayer that the Silas family would make it and then a couple minutes later, Silas and his family and their sister came to church! Then Ashly came with one of his friends, Stephanie came, Lymon came, and a boy named Earnest came with friends as well! And then a father and his son came! It was one of the most miraculous things ever!! In total we had 11 investigators at church! With most of them being new investigators from just that week! I was so awesome! And I honestly think that the Lord blessed us too much! haha
After church we had the baptisms of Lymon and Stephanie, and it went great! Silas and his whole family stayed to watch the baptism! It was so spiritual and amazing! Even now I still can't get over how miraculous our week was. Truly one of the greatest blessing in my life! And it made me so happy!
I Feel Dark Again
Monday is the day that I am writing this, but the coolest thing happened today! So apparently my companion, from Farmington, Utah is famous or something in Zimbabwe, because the other day he got this random call saying that one of his friends from his hometown is going to be in Kadoma today (Monday!) Oh and also did I mention, there is a gym by us,(nicer than Bindura) So I am continuing to get swole. But anyways, at the gym there was this lady working out there, and then randomly after she was done with her workout, she was like "Is there an Alex here?" And my companion was like yeah, that's me. So apparently my companion had a connection with her with her brother in law being related to Elder Barrus or something. But it was cool! And later that day we were going to see his friend/acquaintance, from his home. So when we got there, there was so many white people! haha I was almost blinded by the sight. But they were going around Kadoma doing a bunch of Charity things and handing out toys and wheelchairs and stuff! It was really cool. So we got to help them today help give Zimbabweans the things that they brought. But it was so cool! And haven't really seen that many white people since I have been home! haha I felt super dark. But it was just a little random act of service, that was super fun to do, and got to meet people from Kadoma, the States, and South Africa. It was really fun! And Also got some American candy and a BYU shirt from them! It was awesome!
But yeah, that was my amazing and miraculous week! Oh and during the week our car got stuck in a river randomly formed in the middle of the street. We had like 10 people help us lift the car and get the wheel out of the little river that it went it. (Yeah the roads are that bad here and there has been a huge amount of rain!) But everything is great here in Kadoma, and am enjoying the work!
I love you all and hope that you have a great week!
Love,
Elder Parco
Pictures:
Baptism, Car in Mud, And Past Pictures from leaving Bindura. Oh and one of them is from the service that we did today. Guess which one?
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