Week 34

Hello everyone!

This week was one for the books. Highlight of the week was probably when our lead STL came to Mutare from Harare for exchanges and I got to see her for the first time since I came to Mutare!! Sister Malu is a powerful missionary and I was SO happy to be able to see her again. Everyone pray that pres will make us comps before she leaves. Only two more transfers left ahhhh lol.

We had a rough time in the area this week. Everyone was bouncing us but my comp and I still had fun regardless. In one of the lessons we did have, it was with a new friend named Tinashe. We were trying to teach him the word of wisdom but then he started talking about the commandments. He said "me, I do my best to keep the commandments. I keep 7 of them. The other 3 I don't. That's pretty good." Then he proceeded to tell us the commandments he doesn't keep ahh. Then 20 minutes later he was talking to my companion and pointed at me and said "this one, I've seen her before. We met in court. She punched someone. " Needless to say, I do my best to compose myself during lessons, but sometimes people are nonsense and I just start laughing... if you see me home in the next few days don't be surprised. Apparently I punch people.

After a mission wide devotional my comp and I got asked to stay behind on the call. You are now looking at your new REFERRAL MISSIONARIES. Now I have absolutely no idea what that means, nor has anyone given us any instruction whatsoever, but that's kinda fun.

We've been doing lots of less active work which has been going really well. And a good thing too, because yesterday we found out that when the Judds come here for district conference this weekend, they're coming to Chikanga with my comp and I and our Branch President. They want us to take them to visit 3 less active families. Wish us luck ahhhh! Imagine your mission president going to the area with you. We're so nervous but it's going to be fun.

This week as I was reading the Book of Mormon, I was reading in Alma chapter 8 and it related so much to what my companion and I were going through this past week. In this chapter Alma has been commanded to go and preach to the people of Ammonihah. He does his best but the people are so wicked that they reject him and cast him out. As Alma was "weighed down with sorrow" an angel appeared to him and said "blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice; for thou has great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which thou recivedst thy first message from him."

This truly shows us that no effort is wasted. The Lord loves effort, and we will be so blessed for doing our best even if the outcome is not what we had hoped. The next part though is what I feel is most important. It goes on to say "Now it came to pass that after Alma had received his message from the angel of the Lord he returned speedily to the land of Ammonihah." The Lord expects us as missionaries to labor diligently no matter the circumstances. To return SPEEDILY to our field of labor when we have setbacks. Because just as Moroni teaches us, if we cease to labor then WE are the ones that will be brought under condemnation. Not those that reject our message.

I want to testify that hard work and exact obedience pay off. As Elder Holland has said, "obedience brings blessings. Exact obedience brings miracles." So even when we are facing hard times, exact obedience whether it be to mission rules or the commandments of God, bring blessings. And through Christ we can do all things!

I love you all. Have a great week and don't forget to study the Book of Mormon!

Sister Baker

Pics

-comp goals

-simba

-pick n pay adventures

-mutare sistersssss + malu and kitchen