Week 73

Unforgettable...

Rwanda Zone with Elder and Sister Stevenson
Picture from Sister Collings...the best Mission Mom Ever!

This week has proved to be a week to remember. Unforgettable as the old song says. With everything from international transfers to visits from an Apostle, It has been testimony building, filled with insanity, and a lot of

Some City

fun. 

First, a little background on Rwanda: Rwanda is a beautiful place with it's capital city of Kigali built up on the ridges of it's many hills. There is a district of three branches splitting up the city. About a year ago there was an unfortunate change in the law that shut down many churches around the country including ours. Two of the branches have found new meetinghouses and are fully functioning, but one is left meeting on a far edge of town. That is the branch I have been transferred to. The active members I have met are amazing, faith filled, and I am excited to be serving here in the Kigali 3 Branch. 

The room at the Marriott hotel where
 we had our district conference

Wednesday was spent driving to Kampala, and filling out immigration papers for Rwanda. My Companion, Elder Falaula, and I arrived Thursday afternoon and the Zone Leaders met us at the airport. After doing some paperwork with our senior couple (the Maughns) we got ourselves settled in. We didn't know our way around, but we set off anyway to figure out what Kigali was all about. We were struggling to find a bank to get money from in the Rwandan currency (Francs), and I needed to find an exchange as all of my money was in Ugandan Shillings. We felt led down to a gas station where we asked the lady in the store where to find a bank to no avail. However, as we made our way out of the shop we heard a voice calling "Missionaries!". It was a member named JP who was there filling his car with gas. He was able to drive us around, help us get settled, and help us feel comfortable in Kigali. What a tender mercy.

The week went on, and come Sunday we all gathered at the Kigali Marriott Hotel to have a special district conference in which we were honored to hear from Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. It was amazing to hear him speak to the crowd of around 300 people as he bore his testimony and left a special blessing upon the people of Rwanda.

Today we had an even cooler experience than the seemingly small meeting with the district. Elder Stevenson, as

Face to Face with an Apostle. 
Again, thank you Sister Collings

a part of his tour of the mission, joined us for a special missionary meeting. I feel so blessed to have been brought to Rwanda for his visit because there are only 22 of us in the whole country. In Uganda they had a meeting with over 100 missionaries, but with the small numbers it was literally just our zone learning from him, Elder Palmer (of the seventy), President Collings, and each of their wives. The Spirit was so indescribably strong in the meeting, and I can hardly express the feelings I experienced as he taught and testified to us. He truly bears a special witness of Jesus Christ. 

I cannot deny that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is led by Jesus Christ himself through living prophets and apostles. I know that we are living in the last days, and that The Lord is preparing us for His coming. I know that this work is divine, that God is in the details of our lives, and that he really does pour his blessings upon us as we follow him in faith. 

I Love you guys and I hope you have a great week.

Love,

Elder Winn

Week 72

Every rose has it's thorn -Poison

With some members after church on Sunday

This week has been bittersweet in many ways. It seems like roses are blooming everywhere I go, yet at the same time the thorns have their way of prickling. We have been teaching

Relief Society Presidency

many wonderful people and as I have previously mentioned a good number have been progressing towards baptism; We had five people scheduled to be ready for their baptism this week, but in the course of a crazy week the events have transpired where only one was ready and able for the service on Sunday. I have made many wonderful friends here in Adyel/Lira, but unfortunately it seems that the time has already come for me to transfer (but we'll talk about that later). The coming transfer brings a lot of excitement but I will dearly miss these people, and I will excitedly await the news that those we worked so hard to prepare for baptism finally had their turn.

Monica's Baptism

The highlight this week was definitely Monica's baptism! Even though there could have been plenty of others baptized this week, Monica's was nothing short of a miracle. She was introduced to us by a recent convert (Violet), and we immediately began teaching her. She quickly felt the spirit testify to her that the church was true, and worked diligently to change her life completely to prepare for baptism. She previously struggled a lot with alcohol, but because she knew the truth she acted without hesitation and quit her job at a bar so that she could live worthily and prepare for baptism. She didn't wait for another job to come up, or , but she acted in faith and reaped the benefit. It was wonderful listening to her share her testimony, She is usually a bit quiet and reserved but she spoke boldly about what she knew was true. 

I know that when we have the faith and courage to do what is right, the Lord blesses us and He provides "something better" for us. Our trials of faith are meant to lead us to perfection, "for without sufferings they could not be made perfect". (Hebrews 11:40, see JST)  I know that as we seek the Lord's will and act accordingly, the Lord gives us the experiences we need to acquire his attributes, that one day we may become like he is. This is part of God's plan for our Salvation, and we can take comfort in that every day of our lives.

Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Winn

With Paul and Daniel

Week 71

Hot, Hot, Hot -Arrow

Our Guard found a snake slithering around our compound.
Hopefully Momma is not anywhere nearby.

This Week has been SO HOT! It's been averaging 80 to 90 degrees here since I arrived, but this week I am confident that it was above 100. Our stop-proselyting temperature is 105, and we think it got hotter than that but we have no way to know. Elder Gilbert predicted that it probably hit 110 this week, but I am not sure.

We are preparing a good group of people to be baptized this week as well so we have had our hands full! Expect pictures next week!

The only real story I have this week is about our dog Simba. Early this week Simba was acting pretty funny. First he got in a fight with a small pack of dogs right outside our gate. Elder Wilhelm was pretty proud to report that Simba "Wrecked their lives". I started feeling a lot safer at home knowing that our scrawny little dog could fight! Not long after that however, Simba went missing. Elder Tshimanga was crushed, he loves the dog so much. We had pretty much lost hope that he would come back. To the delight of my companion, last night Simba came trotting back into our compound with our Guard (Brother Michael)! We are glad to have him back.

Anyway, I don't really have anything else to say. I am grateful for the tender mercies we see each day, I know that God knows us and blesses us each personally! I love you guys and I hope you have a fantastic week!

Love,

Elder Winn