Mission Tour!
On Tuesday we had a Mission Tour! It only happens once in a year, so it was a great opportunity to have. Elder Ellis, (One of the quorum of the 70), and his wife Sister Eillis was there! Which made it much cooler! We were able to listen to them speak, as well as our Mission president, President Mkhabela, and his wife. It was a wonderful meeting. We traveled to Gweu and joined with the other zone down there. I realized that I actually barely know any of the missionaries on the mission. Haha I have just seen the missionaries come in go in Bindura. So it was really cool to meet with a bunch of new Elders and Sisters there. But as for the meeting, here are some of my favorite quotes:
Elder Ellis talked a bit about sacrifice and how to make your mission more effective by not offending the spirit. But there was this one quote that was pretty great. It goes, "Sacrifice isn't loss - it's merely preparation for something better." Which I thought was so true. We shouldn't see sacrifice as something bad, but just something that is preparing us, or refining us for something that will ultimately help us in the future, whether it is an actual reward, or a better change in your natural self.
But my favorite part that I thought so deeply about was when I got to go to a training meeting, and we talked about how Christ sees what a leader is. He took the analogy of the Good Shepard leading his sheep, and that we need to know our sheep, sacrifice for them and love them. Then he spat a little fire, telling us what God expects from us. He then spoke about the parable of the talents. And how one was given 5, one 2, and the other 1. And said how as leaders we all have different type of responsibilities. Then he went on, saying the one with 5 talents and the one with 2 doubled their talents. And the one with 1 hid his, and brought it back. But here is the part I never thought about. He asked, What did the servant with one talent do? Well he hid it and brought it back. He brought back the same talent that he was given, even possibly in perfect condition. But when he showed the Lord, he was condemned, and said that he was wicked and slothful, and would be cast into outer darkness. Harsh right? But for what? The servant took the talent, (Or District or zone) and brought it back how it was, not any worse or any better. Just exactly how it was. But the servant was condemned. Then Elder Ellis went on to say, "God Expects a Difference" He expects us to take what we are given and to make something more out of it. His trusts us with what he gives, and also trusts that you will bring back what he gave to something better. It really made me think. It made me think of how I am doing, or if I, as a leader, and making what I was given better. Not even the same, but better.
I really loved when Sister Ellis and Elder Ellis spoke. It gave me a new mind set. They also mentioned that as for our mission, we have the best mission president they have seen. They told us that we were super lucky to have such a great president that we have, who has served in so many callings throughout the church, and has even served as a member of the 70. It made me grateful for everything that i have on this mission, and so glad to be serving with the people in Zimbabwe!
Language Barrier
As for Kadoma, it is a lot better than my last area in Bindura. Many more people know English and can speak it, which makes lessons go a lot smoother... or at least that's what i thought. We have this one investigator, Earnest. Who is about 15 years old and is so dedicated in the gospel and even ended up baptizing him this Saturday! But on Friday, we were teaching him some commandments, and we got to the commandment of tithing. It would of been pretty easy, except he didn't really know English all too well and we didn't have anyone there to translate for us. So we were teaching some other commandments with ease, and then we start teaching tithing and it being 1/10th of our income. And he and his other sibling would not understand. We used our fingers, putting one down, drawing on the dirt with sticks, and asking how much he would pay for tithing if he had so and so amount of money. Haha and they just wouldn't get it. We then went back to the finger example, and Finally yes!! They understood. We took like a whole 20 minutes just trying to explain that one part. haha it was just a funny moment, with a hint of frustration. But in the end it all worked out.
Well I hope that everything has been going well back home! I love you all and hope that you had a great week!
Love,
Elder Parco
Pictures:
1) Baptism of Earnest!
2) Our Street to the house. And we were waiting on the road to get a ride to town.
3) Cool railway that we pass like everyday
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