Masvingo and the Mountains

Headed to the Big City!

So transfers were this week and well... I'll be leaving Masvingo and heading to the big city in Harare!!! Kabuzuma to be exact! And have a new wonderful companion that just got out of his 12 weeks, Elder Mbafu! Who is from Tanzania. Pretty sweet! From what I have seen he is a sweet and fun guy! Excited to see what will happen this next transfer.

Also sweetest moment of the mission. So my entire mission I have been away from the big city, and basically most of the missionaries. Haha so when I arrived at Harare I basically knew no one that was there. But hey I guess this is the transfer to meet a bunch of new missionaries. So anyways Since I have been away from the city for so long. I have not been able to see any of the Elders that I came with from the MTC. 

So after a year since I have last seen their faces. All 4 of us missionaries were reunited at the mission office. Haha it was so awesome! Think that was the most I have ever hugged on my mission! And even better, we will all be able to see each other much more often because we are all serving in Harare now. Elder Whiting is now the AP, Elder Bollinger is now my Zone Leader, and me and Elder Allen are both District leaders. So it's pretty sweet!

The Love of Masvingo!

Although I will be starting a new adventure I will truley miss the place of Masvingo. Served a good 4 1/2 months there! 

So things I will miss most will be the great friends that I have made there. Sister Makuwe is one. A recent convert mother who treats us like her children as well. I loved her so much and she worried and cared for us the entire time we were there. She also help out tons with the missionary work.

Also will miss a recent Convert Junior. He was such a great kid. And is super powerful in the church. Also I was able to beat him in a game of chess. (Because he is soooo sooo amazing at chess! Best I have ever seen) And I hope for the best for him and his future plans to serve a misison.

Lastly I will miss all the lovely members there that were very kind and welcoming at the branch.

It is sad to leave this peopel behind. But what I learned here "We Meet to part and part to Meet" So someday I'll see these wonderful people again.

High on a Mountain Top

One of the top experiences happened on my mission. So it was Friday and our district/house decided to have lunch together on top of the mountain. So we drive up to the top looking down at the whole Masvingo. Well while we were eating our tastey Chicking Inn. A man walks up to us and starts to talk.

He then tells us that he has met missionaries before and was told a bit about the Book of Mormon. Then we sit down and he asks us great questions about the Book of Mormon, Prophets, Baptism, and other deep questions. We answer him and introduce a bit of the message that we have to share. (That answers all of those questions) It was great! And during the conversation he told us something really awesome!

He said that he had gone up here to the mountain to pray to God with his friend. He said that he has been praying to know the truth and find a true church. Then he said that while he was praying we 4 missionaries come up to the top of the mountain. And he said he knew that God sent us to answer his questions. It was the most amazing thing ever. So then we taught then man on top of a mountain looking down across all of Masvingo. Not too often you can say you have done that on your mission. haha God truly works in mysterious ways.

Well I love all of you and hope that you have a great week! I am excited for what this new transfer will bring. Until next time!!

Zone conference, Sacrifices, and the big move!

Wow What a Wonderful Week it Went

So Lot's has happened this week. So much that you could put all the events this week and spread them over a space of 3 weeks and it would still sound like an eventful month... So Here's what Happened.

Zone Conference

Thursday we were able to drive up to Gweru for a wonderful zone conference. It was great. Talked a bit about the plan of Salvation and more on how we need to have the spirit in our lives. The thing that touched me the most however was that We Need the Spirit when we do missionary work. Because if we don't have the spirit in our teachings, then we are not teaching God's way. And if we are not teaching God's way, then nothing will happen in the work. You can baptize someone through your charisma and amazing teaching, but overall the investigator won't be truly converted. They have to feel the spirit in thier lives. Because that spirit is what converts people, not the missionary that is speaking.

This has made me reflect more about the way I teach. I know I have a gift of teaching, but it will do me no good if I don't have the spirit as well. So I have really now been trying hard to teach with the spirit rather than my own intellect. God knows best and the only way to follow his best plan is to follow his spirit.

We Moved!

Yes it is true. We have moved out of our small quaint kinda filthy and rundown home, to a much, nicer, new, giant house! It's awesome! We moved Friday afternoon and went pretty smoothly. So now we have 3 toilets, 2 showers, and big empty room and lots of other small rooms. It's pretty sweet! Although Transfers are next week and I'll probably be leaving.. I'll be enjoying this new house as much as I can!

Sacrifice Brings Blessings

So i just want to end with this amazing family that showed up to church this SUdnay. On Sunday we walked into the chapel and see this family with a mother, father, and their 3 kids tucked away in the back corner. And none of us Elders recognized them. Well we found out that they were investigators interested in joining and learning about he church. But the most amazing part is thier story.

So this family once came in contact with the church in Gweru. And it left such an impact that they needed to come again. Although they lived in the Kumusha (Like suburbs/farm area with no electricity and running water), and were directed to come to the closest church building from thier house in Masvingo...which... was 85 kilometers away. So when we saw them this morning. I asked when they arrived. And they said we left a little before 6am, and hitch hiked thier way from the kumusha until they got to the church. They had to take three different transportations in order to get there, and miraculously they were able to arrive at the chapel in a little over an hour! Which itself is a miracle. So they arrived at around 7am... and then waited infront of the church until 9:30am when church started! And that's not all but the total cost for his family to come to church because of transportation was around 10$!!! Which is a lot for a family especially living in the kumusha. 

That family is already truely converted. They know the worth of what the gospel offers and are willing to give anything to get it. 

In Matt 13:45-46 is similar to this: 

45: "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:"

46: "Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, wen t and sold all that he had, and bought it."

I know that this gospel is worth more than anything in the world and we should be able to have that sacrafice in order to obtain it!

I hope that everyone had a great week!!! I love you all!! Until Next Time!

Love,

Elder Parco

Pictures:

-Zone COnference Pictures!!

-My piles of juice I have had! I love juice!

-Moving!!

-Best Birthday Breakfast in the World!! Blue Eggs, Bacon and chocolate chip pancakes!!

Charles the new man

Baptisms and soccer games

Elder Parco's Minni Updates for the Week:

Baptisms:

We were able to have two baptisms this week! It was so amazing! Ngonizvashe and Tinahse were baptized this Saturday. Tinahse is a young man about the age of 14 who absolutely can't miss a day of church. And he has a strong testimony about the Restoration and how this church is true. And has even influenced his dad into comming to church. 

ANd Ngonizvashe. He is super powerful young adult who from the very beginning of teach has been open to the teachings and has keeped all the commitments that we set for him. Even that very day we talked about the word of wisdom and how he should follow these things, he stopped his addiction of drinking. It was amazing.

I am so excited for these guys to continue to progress in the gospel. I know for a fact that it is true.

Investigators:

So first Tinashe's dad. Baba Tinashe as we call him. He is amazing! He came to church this week as well and got to see his son confirmed and become a member of the church. Although he has not committed to baptism yet, I can already see the many changes that are starting to happen in his life.

Also Munyaratzi is preparing himself for baptism this week. He is an amazing guy! And he was a referral from our good member friend Taka. Hew's super nice and is so ready to be baptized. Apparently he has been coming to church for the last 3 years but no missionaries have ever taught him about the gospel.

And lastly Baba Talent. He came to church again! And he now has the strong desire to be baptized. We are working on it. Just have to take care of some marriage problems and all will be well. Also He had a problem with smoking and we told him that the gospel can help. ANd ever since then he has gone from 10 cigarettes a day to only 2 a day. It's awesome! 

I absolutely love this gospel and know that it changes lives.

Soreness:

So just a little update. Seems like our house goes through pain together. But this Saturday we put together a little game of soccer with members and thier friends. And random people from the street also showed up to the churhc to play with us also. It was great! haha But the consequesnces of it. All our legs are basically dead. haha Sunday was a struggle of walking. Jealous of Elder Anderson and Koch who actually have the car for thier area. But yeah, no pain no gain.

Fact About Elder Whittier:

So he talks in his sleep. haha last night I woke up in the middle of the night and he just starting talking. haha I don't remember exactly what he said but he sure was happy to see someone in his dream. 

Well I hope that everyone has a great week this week! I love you all!! Until Next time!!

Love,

Elder Parco

Pictures!!!

Baptism!

And we went to the game park again!!! Nice