I'm off to Misvingo!

I Got Transferred!

Another week of Transfers came, and I will be leaving the city of Kadoma! It was a bittersweet moment saying bye to all the people I have met in that area. But now I'm off to a new adventure in my mission. So where did I get transfered to? Well I am now in the area of Misvingo. As Sister Mkhabela says, (mission president's wife), "The island of the mission". It was about a 5 hour drive from the city of Kadoma, but about 7 hour drive away from the city of Harare. So it's pretty far out. But so far what I can tell it's really nice. And it has a nice chapel here. Seems like my areas keep upgrading. haha But I am now companions to Elder Chimtengo who is from Malawi. He a really cool guy! And he has already been in this area for 2 transfers or 3 months. 

So as for my last area, Well me and Elder Richardson both left Kadoma, and noone is coming in to replace us, probably because the decrease of missionaries. But our beloved housemates Elder Condie and Cazier will be taking over both areas, like how we started in the Trio in the beginning of the transfer.

But I am now excited for this new change! We'll just have to see what happens next!

Highlights of Kadoma

Well since I left Kadoma, here are some highlights of it:

The kids would know my name and say, "Elder Parco, how are you?" or "HOw are you Murugu?" then want to hold my hand. 

When we would walk in our area at night, the smoke and dust would stay just above the ground so you would breathe in a bunch of smoky and dusty air the whole night, with your eyes burning. haha not the best. But it was cool

Also the Tech shops  6x6 feet that would sell basic food supplies. They were just cool.

My awesome recent convert rapper friend who can rap like nobodies business.

My other awesome friend who was a great motivational speaker.

Oh and can't forget about the lovely potholes that were there. So bad that cars would actually drive off the road than drive on it beacuse there would be 20 potholes in the space of 10 feet.

And the wonderful members who would love to have us over for dinner every week.

And lastly the amazing Young men/branch missionaries who are preparing for missions that would ask us if they could help with missionary work. THey will be super powerful misisonaries when they go out.

I will truly miss this place, but it was a great adventure!

Until next time,

Elder Parco

English Speaking Mission?

Zimbabwe English Speaking Mission?

The mission language here is English. We teach in English, talk in English, and do all that we can do, in English. However sometimes communication can be a little rough since most of Zimbabwe speaks Shona, and the rest speaks Ndelbele. So here is a real example of a communication mishap that sometimes happens:

It was nighttime, getting dark, and time to go home. So me and my companion just entered into a taxi/car that was going to take us back to town. We sit down and try to start a friendly conversation with the driver:

Richardson: "This car is Big!" 

Driver seeming not to understand us: "What you say?"

Me trying to help: "There's lots of space in this car!" 

Driver exclaiming all panicked: "You left your bag?"

haha it was quite funny but after that it was just silence in the car until we got to the destination, and said "Mai Tabasa!" (Thank you) And left.

But apparently I'm still not the best at English either, because Wednesday I went on exchanges with Elder Condie and we went out to contact some people, and we stop at this one store to talk to the lady there. So we start talking small talk, and then apparently I ran out of ideas on what to talk about because I started to ask a question not really knowing what I wanted to say and said, "So do you have.... Pets? Haha it was the awkwardest pause ever! But the lady laughed a bit and I pulled it off so it wasn't horribly awkward. But yeah So far being out 10 months on mission, I'm still learning the language.

Miracles of the Exchange!

Like I mentioned before, this week I went on exchanges with Elder Condie. And we saw so many miracles happen that day. But there is this one experience that was absolutely perfect:

After teaching some lessons throughout the day, we had about an hour gap or so until our next appointment, so we decided to some companionship study during that time. We looked around where we could sit and Elder Condie picked a spot on a pile of rocks we could sit on infront a gate to a house. We sit down and see this kid go into the gate of this house. Then 2 minutes laterthe kid named Rodrick comes out and asks if we have any books that he can read. So we told him that we can just teach about the books we have. It was great! Just after we taught about the Restoration and ended with a closing prayer, his parents come up to the house and invite us in! The gave us some butered bread and sodas. But then they told us something about Rodrick and us missionaries. The other day Elder Condie and Cazier were walking down the street returning a cricket ball they lost the other day and Rodrick saw them. So he ran to his house and told the parents that he saw the missionaries friends and wants his parents to see them as well. But the time that Rodrick came back, Elder Condie and Cazier were already gone. So me and Elder Condie just happened to sit right outside that very house that Rodrick lived in. It was an abosulte miracle. We ended up teaching the family as well about the Restoration and invited them to church. And this Sunday, the family came. The mom, Rodrick, and some friends. It was amazing!

Then later on that night we were walking back to the house which would of been a 40 minute walk, but Elder Condie and I really didn't feel that well, so we prayed to get a ride back home from someone passing by, and after the 3 car. Someone picked us up and brought us to our street, free of rent!

I now have stronger conviction that ever that in God's work there is no such thing as coincidences and that it is all on the Lord's timing. I know that as long that we are doing the right thing and we follow the spirit, that God will lead us to those that are prepared to recieve the gospel.

Family! I love you so much, it was so nice to talk to you and see all your faces and hear your voices. I hope that everyone had a great week this week!

I love you all!

Love,

Elder Parco

Pictures:

1) Exchanges with Elder Condie

2) We went golfing today! Got so much better!

House fixing

How many Missionaries can you fit into one house

This week must be the fixer upper week because 1) There is now a guy working at our house to make the yard all nice, and 2) The Zone leaders house is being renovated. Which means the Zone leaders are now living at our house until things are all nice and tidy back at the other house. So if you add everything up, that's about 6 missionaries that are living in one house. They came in Wednesday night and I think they will be heading back to there house on Wednesday this week. So it's been quite a party at the house. haha With 6 people, things get messy real fast. But it's good. The Zone leaders are just lodging in the room where Elder Richardson and I study with their mattresses. But it's been cool have a temporary 6 man house.

Just a casual Week

The missionary wok is continuing to go well in the town of Rimuka. We have been preparing this mother and her daughter for baptism. And the mother is so sweet and kind. She is a blind lady who loves to hear about the gospel and tries to go to church every week. And her son Tatenda who was recently baptized weeks ago is so excited to be able to serve a mission when he gets older. I just love this family so much and am excited for this weekend for their baptisms.Also this week I was able to go on exchanges with the Zone leaders. It was a great experience. We met this new investigator in their area that when we taught, was so excited about the gospel and all that it had for them. It was so amazing. He loved it and his wife who didn't know English tried so hard to listen in. It was a great lesson to teach.

Besides missionary work we also did some service. We got to help someone plow/hoe their small field. It was fun but ended up in a couple of blisters on the hand. But I can now say I've farmed on Zimbabwean soil!

Besides the casual things, we had some unusual things happen:

So while me and Elder Richardson were teaching a lesson to a group of three guys about the Word of Wisdom, one of the guys asked a smarty question like "What if you get addicted to a drug you are supposed to take for health?" And asked if that happens if you should stop taking the drug or keep taking it. And then this drunk discombobulated guy with a beanie and dreads listening to the conversation comes up and says with a slurred voice"I got something to say on this" Haha and we were all a little nervous but we let him talk. And he shouted. "If you are taking something that you are addicted to STOP IT!" "Addicted to Alcohol STOP IT Addicted to tobacco STOP IT! Addicted to marijuana STOP IT! Stop Being addicted! Thank you!" Haha it was one of the most funniest moments I have ever had while teaching that lesson. And he totally backed us up on all of the things on the Word of Wisdom. Me and my companion were cracking up while he was totally testifying of the truth. It was awesome.

But this week was great! And it went by so fast! I love you all and hope that everyone had a great week!

Love,

Elder Parco

Pictures:

Welp just have a picture of a homemade burger that we made over an open fire!

A memory found

A Memory Found

We found a powerful new investigator this week! Her name? Memory! We were walking down the street and this lady called us over and said that her friend really wanted to know more about the gospel. So excitedly we set a return appointment with her. When we met her, we taught about the Restoration and asked if she had any questions. Then she said the golden questions every missionary is looking for: She asked, "What is my Purpose in life, and where will we go after this life" Then she continued on saying, "I've done a lot in my past life and just really want to know how to change from my mistakes and become free of sin?" When she said that, our jaws just dropped and was like, "Well, everything you just asked is exactly why we are here!" Haha

 Then this Saturday she came to an activity that us missionaries planned. We shared messages about why families are important, and emphasized on the importance of spending time together. Then with permission we got to watch the movie Home! It was awesome and successful! Although super stressful at first. But it all worked out.

A Powerful Sacrament Meeting

First A fun culture thing: So here in Zimbabwe, everyone speaks Shona. So when sacrament meeting and church comes around, people speak Shenglish. They combine Shona and English together, and I still don't know Shona. But I get the gist of what they are saying. But Anyways...

This Sacrament meeting was a powerful one!  The speakers were so good and you could really feel the spirit. But my favorite part was when we were in the investigators class, and one of our investigators for the first time coming to church said,"That meeting really touched me. I really felt something different inside of me, and I didn't expect that when I came. It touched me so deeply."

After she said that all of the missionaries in the room were smiling thinking, "That my friend is called the spirit."

I know that the spirit testifies of truth and that through the Holy Ghost, we all can know the truth of all things. 

Zone Conference

This week we had Zone Conference which was really nice. Sister Mkhabela talked about continuing our flames that we all once had at the MTC and not letting it die. And the counsel on Leadership was great! Besides that afterwards we got to take a generation picture with my trainer and trainee. Was pretty cool.

Well I had a great week this week! I hope everyone had a great week as well!

Love you all!

Elder Parco

Pictures:

1) Elder Condie and Caizer made this awesome pizze pasta

2-3) Generation pictures Left to Right: Elder Luvuno's son, Elder Luvuno (Father), Me, Elder Young Yen (Son), Elder Condie (grandson)

4) Missionaries heading home this transfer from this conference

5) Just helping separeating maize from the cob