78 - The Grand Finale

My last full week as a full time set apart missionary... crazy!

On Monday we basically spent the entire afternoon and evening at Tanya's apartment for Tanya to do Sister Lewis's hair. 

It took five hours total. 

I had her pretend to be Medusa for me. 

lol

Fu Fu and Lamb

But hey! Bruce made fu fu and lamb meat stuff and it was super good! 

This fu fu was like weird potatoes-the consistency is more like dough, you have to cut it or rip it. 

It was super good and not too spicy! 

Everyone makes it different, but this one was awesome!

I basically wrestled with the African kids that were there, haha. And I never realized this, but they call us (and me) Churchy! So cute!

Whip My Hair!

After dinner we drove to meet the Minot Sisters halfway to do exchanges. 

And guess who I was with again!

Yep, Sister Clegg! 

Who I will see again this Thursday because we are both going home! 

It was a really good exchange for her because we could just take a day and express our mutual trunkiness, aka our excitement about going home. 

See it's really nice 'dying' together because you can talk freely about your feelings because the other companion is in the same boat and you don't have to feel bad. 

But Sister Clegg doesn't have that luxury. So it was a really awesome and productive exchange.

This week was all the baptisms. It's crazy, I thought it was absurd those people who you looked at their teaching record and they were only taught like five times before they were baptized... WELL! We only taught Memory three times total. And Mr. Kiwi a little more than that. So my perspective has changed. If they are ready to have the lessons kinda all at once, then they're ready! Sister Lewis taught Mr. Kiwi the rest of the lessons while I was in Minot for exchanges. It went well from what I heard.

One Thursday we taught Memory the rest of the lessons and got the baptismal program and record info and then we went right over and she had her baptisimal interview with our district leader, which I interpreted. So cool to interpret your investigator's baptismal interview! It was really simple. He just asked her the questions, simple as that, with like one more question at the end. Elder Reynolds favorite part though was when he asked about the law of chastity and was about to move on when she added "No Porn!!" hahaha.

And we saw Korwa! We haven't seen her in awhile! And Flinn was there just getting up for work and he helped us set up the DVD player to watch "Finding Faith in Christ" with her. It was super good.

We then had an appointment with Elias and were praying before going in and we opened our eyes and... the jerk! He was driving away! What!?  So we were mad at him. And we were yelling at imaginary him, but then when he got there we tried to be really mad, but you just can't. lol And Mr. Kiwi, he started talking about how he has a fiance in Liberia and he wants to go marry her in February and he wants us there and we yelled at him saying he needs to get married in the temple! And then he called his wife-to-be and had us talk to her and explain! Super weird and awkward. But she was nice I guess.

FRIDAY

We had the most trunky district meeting ever!


Elder Reynolds didn't even bring his notebook. 


All we basically did was 'we' bore our dying testimonies.





It was Elder Mangum's birthday the day before, so we played super frog, like we did when Sister Lewis and I first became companions, cuz Elder Mangum was the one that started that game and he was super frog for the majority of the time. lol 



I'll miss our crazy district.

After that, we went and helped a sister (who is like our Williston grandma) to fill her pill cases. 

She fell and broke her pelvis on Tuesday! 

How sad is that! 

Sad face. 

So she asked us to help her.

Then Mr. Kiwi had his interview and that went well. 

And Charity finally was able to come do her interview! About time. Crazy. 

First it was just a long day, then she locked keys in the car and stuff, so yeah, finally got the information for the program that day from her, the day before their baptism.

Yay! All the interviews and information squared away! Now they just had to be on time for their baptisms.

That night, our ward mission leader and his wife hosted at their house a goodbye dinner for us. Brother Jolley cooked the food. YUM!
 

It was a great turn out. 

We invited a bunch of our investigators and recent converts, but only one came. 

Way to go Mr. Kiwi!

Then, it was Saturday.

I woke up, and it kinda felt like Christmas with that feeling of excitement and anticipation of what awesomeness the day will bring!

We went to the church that afternoon to fill the font, cuz we had nothing else goin' on! 

Baptism day! 

WOOO!

As you can see, we had fun setting up chairs and taking pictures.

And then, 3:00pm hit. 

It was time for the baptism of Memory and her granddaughter, Sister Far's oldest girl.

What an amazing experience for us all.

I interpreted for the baptism.

The other person in the ward who knows sign interpreted my song, "To Be Baptized."

Then it was time for the baptism, which I interpreted as well. 

I didn't get through the whole prayer either time- I got to "In the name of the father-" but, hey that's close right? 

But wow, it was the most touching thing. As soon as Memory came out of the water she was laughing and waving her hands in applause because of how happy she was. 

We, as humans, feel the same feelings as she did, but her expressions were unrestrained because of her deafness. The spirit was so incredibly strong.

And it was so cute. The little Far girl, her knees were bent the whole time and she was just floating on her dad. So cute.

And, also super cool, the other person who knows sign language signed the talk on the holy ghost while I voiced for her. 

SO powerful! 

And she did such a good job.

Fidgety Boy, So Cute!

One baptism down, still one to go. 

During the five o'clock baptism, which was a child of record from Watford (they don't have a font), we went and dried the dress that Memory was baptized in for Charity to use at 7pm. 

But then... we realized that the man doing the 5 o'clock baptism used the suit we picked out for Mr. Kiwi! So we rushed over and dried that suit as much as we could and it was only a little damp when we had to leave.

We RUSHED to the church to get everyone their clothes and in the craziness, our keys were misplaced! AH! And Mr. Kiwi locked his keys in his car! AH! AHHH!

But we went on with the baptism. 



Salvation is most important after all.

Charity was baptized first by her father-in-law.

She was so stunning in that water. 



It's a moment that I've long anticipated and it's almost hard to believe that my desires for her to be baptized have actually come true, even as I witnessed it! 

Brother Brown, Elias, Mr. Kiwi, and 2nd councilor

So amazing!

And Mr. Kiwi was then baptized. 

His countenance has changed so much. 

It is truly miraculous to see.

And then, as they were changing back into clothes, the Elders found our keys! 

They were in the men's room! 

How many priesthood holders does it take to find the sister's misplaced keys? 

Like, eight! haha.

Orlando gave the talk on the Holy Ghost and it was awesome and it was totally him. 

And then we bore our testimonies, Sister Lewis and I, it was one of the most special things in the world. 

And Sister Lewis totally called Mr. Kiwi out by saying. "You need to marry in the temple, not just some pretty lady with an African *accusing look*" It was really funny.

And Charity got a nice gift from her mother in law at the end! It was truly a spectacular night.

Saturday NIGHT

We tried to work things out with Mr. Kiwi and his key situation. Some sisters who lingered gave him a locksmiths number and we instructed him to call in the morning.

We went to Walmart real fast- it was an emergency! We needed to print out pictures of all the baptisms before church the next day! And on the way to the printing spot, we saw the "Awesome" boys in the little video game man cave that was set up in the store. We said hi and we explained to them about ours and Mr. Kiwi's key situation.

"How many priesthood holders does it take to find the keys!? lol" we joked.

"How many brothers does it take to pick lock keys out of a car?" "In less than three minutes?"

"...Are you serious right now... Really!? GO! GO DO IT!!! YEAH!!"

THEY DID!! I don't know if that's a good or bad thing, but they got it done under three minutes! We called Mr. Kiwi and he was so grateful, "Oh thank you! Please! I want you to marry my son!" Oh boy. First Elias. Now Mr. Kiwi. lol

SUNDAY

Well, Sister Lewis did it. All the pictures were done before church. They look so nice!

We got to church man, Satan works so hard on people. I have not had one person that was baptized show up 'on time' to get confirmed in sacrament meeting. 

Mr. Kiwi almost didn't come because of a fiasco with his son, 

The Far family was stuck in traffic.

And Orlando and Charity woke up at the same time that sacrament started, the sillies! Church is at 3pm!!!

And Orlando sent us a text that was all like, "we'll have to do it next week. We are so sorry." 

"No! That's not an option! Just get here before sacrament meeting ends!" Text! Sent!

Mr. Kiwi showed up first. And while he was being confirmed, the Far's showed up. 

Then Memory got confirmed. It was SO neat to interpret that blessing for her. There were tears in her eyes as it was expressed how much of a light she is and how proud Heavenly Father is of her.

The other person who knows sign was actually at church to help me interpret, it was really nice and cool. 

Charity and Orlando showed up right at the end of sacrament. But thank goodness, Bishop allowed them to get confirmed during third hour just in his office.

So there it is! One of the most successful weekends ever! 

The Wonders of Photo Editing!  And, yes, that stone says "SONDERSEN"

Perfect way to leave the mission.

Speaking of which, we had lots of fun taking 'dying' pictures.

I love that I look like a devil and Sister Lewis looks like an angel lolol. 

I think it's awesome.

As my mission is at it's close, I would like to list a few things that my mission has done for me. 

My mission has helped me learn how to:

Rely on the Spirit

Invite others to come unto Christ

Prepare to be a wife and a mother

In other words, my mission has helped me learn how to "rest in peace!"

I am excited to go home and see my family and friends. A song comes to my mind. It's hymn 292 O My Father, though I've changed some of the lyrics.

...
When I lay this mission by,

Father, Mother, may I meet you

And we'll share a joyful cry.

Then, at length, when I've completed

All you sent me forth to do,

With your mutual approbation

Let me come and dwell with you.

(At least for a little while.)

I've loved the mission. It's now time for the next chapter of my life.


(Okay, just couldn't help putting in this "random cuteness"!)


And here is a "heartfelt" tribute to the companionships that I have been a part of during my mission.

77 - About to Expire and Raining Baptisms!

That moment when the expiration date on milk is significantly before the day you fly home from your mission... CRAZY!

Really though, we should go home more often. 

You know why? 

Everyone wants to be baptized before we leave! 

We have three convert baptisms happening on Saturday! 

WOW! 

But now to tell you about this week.

Monday:

We went over and saw Sister Awesome with her newly adopted girl that she's been working for two years to bring home from Ukraine! 


And she's here now and has been adjusting well! 


She has down syndrome and institutional autism, and she yesterday was her first day at church! 


She did very very well!

And we saw Jaffar! He's alive! We'd been so worried about him! My goodness.

Tuesday:

Look how cute, Sister Near taking the little Azonto boy to preschool.

Sister Lewis's ear was hurting, so she bought these ear candles, so Orlando's parents helped us use them!

We were birthday cakes! lol

It's gross, all the stuff that comes out of your ears. But yet so cool.

Finally, here's a picture of Charity and Orlando, who are doing very well. 


Sister Lewis drew them a picture to go along with the lesson we taught them that night.

Wednesday:

We met with a few new people that we hadn't ever taught before. One of them was native- the first native I've really met here in Williston!

And we had dinner at a member's with Elias and he was trying to set us up with this Nephew in Africa, so that was awkwardly funny.

And then we were supposed to meet with Jaffar, but that didn't work out, and the Lord just knows and takes care of people because we visited the Azotohs instead and they got a letter that afternoon that they didn't really understand. We were able to explain it to them. It was a letter saying that they violated their lease agreement so they need to either reapply for paying full rent instead of part or they need to move out...

Thursday:

We still needed information for the baptism from Jaffar, so we tried to see him on his lunch break. We found him (he works construction) but he didn't 'actually' get a lunch break. But we went and bought him lunch for later and went to our next appointment.

We went with our relief society president to see Tanya Azonto to help her out with the situation. I seems like they might have to move out in the next 30 days... So that was depressing.

But then we went to Grenora, the last time Sister Lewis and I will go there, and saw Michelle, the one with the two kids and that was fun, and we went and saw the Far family for the second time, and after teaching the plan of salvation to Memory, the old deaf lady, I asked about baptism, and she's ready to be baptized!! THIS SATURDAY! As well as Sister Far's daughter, who will be a child of record since she's still eight!

We went back to Williston and were able to meet with Jaffar at that time.

Friday:

We drove to and from Minot this day for our last zone meeting. So that happened.

That night, we finished teaching Jaffar the lessons and he had his baptismal interview.

Saturday:

This is Elias and Mr. Kiwi. Mr. Kiwi has been Elias's roommate from when Elias moved here in July. They used to live in an apartment with a few other people and everyone poked fun at Elias for meeting with us and converting. Mr. Kiwi always joked about him being baptized and played it off like he wasn't serious. But now that the other people are out of the picture and it's just Elias and Mr. Kiwi living under the same house roof, he totally really wants to be baptized, and for US to get him there! His heart has been softened! It's so cool!

We had a sweet lesson on the plan of salvation with Mr. Kiwi. He LOVED the doctrine of the kingdom of the sun and also of eternal marriage.

And then!

Jaffar was baptized! 

But the silly! 

He was all going to be super late for his baptism. 

But we told him that couldn't happen. So he was only a little late. 

Silly silly man. Oh well. 

It was a great baptism.

Sunday:

Everyone who is getting baptized on Saturday proved themselves- they all were at church! 

And consequently, I interpreted all of sacrament meeting and gospel principles, AND relief society! 

Because the other person who can sign is super pregnant and was probably sick.

So yes, I interpreted all of church for Memory. It was an incredible experience. I'm making my ASL interpreter of a mom proud! 

So it's been a great week, and we will go out with a splash! The sound of multiple baptisms!!!

76 - Hero Standing on a Hill

(This is the story of Zazu.)

It was dark, his skin, just like the strike of midnight, his eyes bright as two moons. He was leading the hunt, a common practice of the people of Zambia. He used to be a slave owner, but he was called noble for the release of his slaves. Now they hunted as equal men, him leading them as a like man.

They walked with their prized meat, heading toward the village. They scattered as a leopard suddenly pounced from the trees, falling upon the leader of their pack. They fought, the leopard gouging the man's legs with its claws, but the man being full of adrenaline caught the beast in a choke hold. The leopard struggled, but the man did not let go. It began to wheeze as it writhed. It's back heaved and heaved. It was getting weaker. This unrelenting man did not loosen his hold until he heard the last of the leopard's breath. It was dead. He was alone, wounded, and the village was still more than half an hours distance.

The hunting group arrived back, thinking their former master was now surely a former friend. There was no way he had survived. He was not the largest man, and leopards were fierce creatures. They consulted about what to do concerning the body, whether to return and see if there were any remains and when to do it.

As they counseled they heard a shout. They looked an saw a figure, a man carrying a beast. It was him who they called dead. He was the hero standing on a hill. 

That was his name ever since.

I woke from this dream. ...That is the translation of my name... That dream was an actual event of my grandfather's life!

I called my mother. As I told the story my mother began to thank me profusely through her tears, thanking me and God. Why was she acting this way?

"Thank you Lord! Yes Zazu, that is your grandfather's story! I was told never to speak of it to you, but that you would call one day having received a vision of it. Thank you God!"

So it was. I had received a vision. And that was not the only one.

Where this all started, was my grandfather. He married someone unique. Why did he do this, I do not know, but he married the witch doctor's daughter. It's a bad magic, and it is bread in their children and unlocked when the time is appropriate, and he knew this. These are my ancestors. I have been dealing with these issues since that time.

I am blessed with many siblings. two older brothers, two older sisters, and five younger sisters. from the time I was very young, I have had this spirit in me. It was only now revealed in my mind in a vision that this happened and confirmed by my mother. 

My sister was sick with a fungus on her toe. It was not getting better. I was only five, maybe younger. I took herbs, and rubbed them on her feet. That is all it took. She was better. I didn't even know what the herbs were. I just grabbed them and did the good dead. 

I was a bad kid in school, I always got a whoopen from my mother! It was good for me. She liked to use a long branch. Wpsh! Wpsh! I would be picked on and I would get angry. Before I knew it the kid would be on the ground with two black eyes. I wouldn't have a scratch on me. My mother would take care of that. Wpsh! Wpsh! This would always happen. This because I was schooled in the martial arts. I did work up to the black belt level. They wanted to exspell me from the school because this was always happen. But they were the ones who would always instigate me.

In tenth grade I had a friend. He was a bad kid. He wanted to work out one day during our lunch break of school. We were walking, him, and me, and another, the three of us. "This isn't the way to the gym," I said. "Yes it is, I have the weights in my bag."

We sat on this field. He pulled out of his bag this drug. I didn't know it was a drug. It was a type of weed. He rolled it up. It was long. We all took turns smoking it until it was gone. Everything was fine until we stood up. Everything was spinning. Nothing was right.

I went home, and my dad knew. He didn't say anything, but as he turned the paper it was like it was smacking me with the words, "you're high!" No... I'm not high.. "You're high!" He had some words for me that day.

When I went back to school, the one who had the weed in his back was not there. It was said by everyone that three went out to smoke, and the facts were clear that one of them ended up dead. My 'friend.' That could have been me... It scared me bad. From that point on I determined I would have nothing to do with drugs.

The other who was still with us ratted me out. We were exspelled. I was sent to a private bording school elsewhere in Africa where it was build in you to survive. My father sent me here to teach me how to be a man.

There was drama between the head boy and his girlfriend. They framed me and long story short sixteen boys came against me. All I knew is that when I thought something, it happened. If I thought about kicking two people at once, it happened. I was granted with the same strength as Samson. Every jaw was broken. I messed them all up. 

They put me in prison for awhile. But the charges were dropped when it was concluded as self defense. I was out. My father asked me where I wanted to go. I told him america. And that's how I came to the United States as a young adult.

Since then, I have been hearing this voice, speaking in the language of the king James Bible, more and more. "I am the light and the way. Heal this man." Say what? "Tell that man to buy flowers for his wife." Hey, buy flowers for your wife. God told me to tell you. So he goes. He obeys. He contacts me and says I have saved their marriage. No no! God saved your marriage! I have just been his tool.

There was one instance where I got connected with someone over the internet, someone in England. She was stricken with HIV. I felt for her. So grieved. Then I heard. "Heal her." I asked if she had faith she could be healed. "She loves money. She must repent to be healed." I warned her of what God said. She said ok. "Go to these three doctors. Take all three tests. You will be healed." She did. They all came back negative. She and I rejoiced.

But it was short in the living. She sued those doctors for false diagnoses. She wanted the money. She then contracted another incurable disease. I asked her why she did it, she was warned. She just loved money too much.

These voices and promptings began to be too much. I felt it was a demon that I could not escape. I went to different church leaders, wanting them to cast this demon OUT in the name of Jesus! But they all told me that I was blessed, that the Lord had given me a gift, not a demon, and sent me away. So many times this happened.

Demons I have found, do not possess me. But they work through the people I am close to. I have four children, all daughters, with three different women. My little Nala I have kept close to me. The others are with their mothers. Nala's mother, when Nala was just 18 months pointed a gun at my face. I knew it wasn't loaded, but she didn't. She pulled the trigger. 'click.' We seperated that night. I took Nala with me. 

When Nala was three she kidnapped her. I hired a lawyer. They could not do anything until her mother came back into the state. I fasted every day from sunrise to sunset so that she would return. I have never gained back my weight. I was working in the oil field at the time, on a fracing crew. I lost it, went blank. I could have killed someone. They knew what was going on with me. I know the only option was to have them let me go. I picked up a truck driving job. Five months after the kidnapping the voice spoke. "You will receive a call. Don't get angry." I received the call. I was fuming. But I was obedient. I did not show my anger. She came back for Nala's medical papers. I won Nala back, haven't seen the mother since.

This is my story. I long for a women who can be a mother to Nala. She is almost eight. She needs a mother in her life. I am looking for truth and right. I have made many mistakes and repentance is so unattainable it seems. Please sisters, send some prayers to God for me.

What a story Zazu has!

As far as this week goes, this is an update on what went on in the form of president's letter:

The Near Kids

Dear President,

With sickness always comes a lack of motivation and a struggling to get back on your feet. But we have been able to hobble this past week to teach seven lessons and we are now standing stronger again! So that is always good.

We have been very concerned about the people we have on date- Charity (24th) and Jaffar (17th). We weren't able to have a single lesson with either of them this week, and neither of them watched general conference even though they both had solid plans to! :( We didn't contact them Monday or Tuesday, but we had tried every day since Wednesday, and we reached Jaffar once and we were able to stop by Orlando and Charity's on Saturday before they had to leave somewhere so we at least got to check up in person. Charity's been staying strong with not smoking!!

Neither Jaffar nor Charity came to church because of work and sickness respectively, but Orlando came without Charity! Which is huge! He has done a great thing in proving his devotion to the Lord! Good thing though is we have appointments with both Orlando and Charity AND Jaffar lined up for this evening, both member presents. We pray that they follow through. Especially since Jaffar's date is in less than a week. It's still possible, we just need to meet with him nearly every day this week! But it will all work out the way it's supposed to.

But lots of people came to church this week, including three people who haven't attended before! One of them was a referral from the elders (he lives in our area) and we have an appointment with him on Wednesday. :)

Things are plugging along. We will do our best with Jaffar's baptism this week!

Also... Sister Lewis and I got our flight plans in the mail... ah! 

We take off from the Bismarck airport and about 11, then we have a layover in Minneapolis, then I fly into the Sky Harbor airport and land at 3:13pm! 

So that's crazy. 

Poor Sister Lewis has an additional layover in Huston, TX before she flies home to Louisiana. 


She's not getting home till after 6:00pm. 

I told her I'll be playing video games before she gets home. haha.

This is a fitting tribute to Sister Lewis! :-)










And I just can't get 
enough of those kittens!

"Why do I put up with this?
"Oh yeah, that's why...prrrr."