Week 86: Turning 20 in Tanzania

Well it is nice we already have transfer news as we received it Saturday night. I am still here in Kinondoni! Haha I reallly thought I would be leaving but I am excited for another transfer with Elder Lopeyok. There is still lots of work for me to do here and I am really looking forward to what the Lord has in store for our companionship. At the end of these 6 weeks I will have been here for 6 transfers in one area. Then I will have just 2 transfers remaining and I might just ask President if he can verify with the Lord if I can finish my mission here as that would mean a year in the same area.

We had a great week this past week. We started with exchanges with the Mbezi Elders and I was with Elder Ojjogolo on Tuesday in Kinondoni. We had a great day and I was able to learn a lot from him.

Zone Training Meeting on Wednesday was powerful as we focused on the Full Purpose Missionary handout we received at Mission Leadership Council. Towards the end Elder Wilson made an insightful comment. I wrote it down but it is at our flat at the moment-- it was something along the lines of we need to be like a full service shop in the States where you go to and you can buy anything you need and they also have a post office to and they will sell you a box then ship it and you can buy flowers and cake and a notebook, etc., all at one place, and it is convenient, while being full service. We need to focus on teaching faith, baptism and on more than just things in this life and more than just the 5 principles in the Gospel of Jesus Christ but also family history and about the temple and saving ordinances and what what it means individually for the person. It might sound a bit different here but I tried to get the idea across.

Our baptisms went well on Sunday. Only 2 of them were able to make it to their interviews and the other 3 were busy or didn't pick up their phones this last week but it was definitely challenging with the adversary working so hard to make sure they missed the day. We will re-plan with them and reset the baptism date for later this transfer.

For the 2 who were baptized, Masogo and Helter, it went really well. Helter brought his brother and sister to church and they stayed for the whole of it and the baptism after and seemed to enjoy it. Hopefully we will start teaching them this week.

Masogo had to be baptized 3 times, as the water was too low in the font and so he knelt down (he is taller than me) and the first 2 times his clothes came up and it was a miracle he was able to be immersed in the water that we had, while on his knees. The third time was perfect. And after, both their testimonies were so powerful and we are so grateful for them.

A weird thing was on Sunday the Church attendance was only 45 people including kids and babies which was super unusual as it is usually in the 70s, and there was no holiday or anything. There was 7 members in the whole building at 9:00am. Imagine that.

Ohh and Saturday the 2 decades passed me by as it was my birthday and we were at the church for a while for one of the baptismal interviews and some lessons then we went contacting people at the beach and finished it off with a powerful dinner appointment.

Pictures- My birthday
Me, Masogo, Helter, his sister, his twin, and Elder Lopeyok.

I know I left out a lot of things but that's somewhat of a recap of the last crazy and tiring few days.

Have a great week everyone

Elder Brandon Eveson

Much love from the KNM

Elder Lopeyok and Me on my 20th Birthday

Birthday Guy, Masogo, Helter, Helter's Sister, Helter's twin, and Elder Lopeyok