The Week long Reunion


Oi todo mundo!
Elder Madsen chatting with his little brother Blake

Hopefully none of you have the corona virus yet, I've never been so glad to be in Africa instead of the United States. On our way to a church meeting one night, the Sister missionaries called us to say that all our meetings are cancelled. I obviously thought they were joking, but when we got there our ward mission leader Paulo showed us all that's happening around the world because of corona. 

Elder Gordon modeling his new watch

So other than the world coming to an end, it was a pretty amazing week. I spent the week with my old MTC companion Elder Gordon, we got to reminisce on the good times at the MTC and how crazy but awesome the mission is. It was definitely an interesting week, but a super fun and spiritual one that I don't think I'll ever forget. 

Because we're both Americans, the first thing we did was buy a bunch of ice cream and chow down. My stomach didn't exactly love me this week, but now that all the ice cream is gone we're back to normal. Elder Gordon has learned how to cook a lot of good stuff, maybe because in his area he has to cook a lot more than me. He showed me how to make banana bread and these really good pancakes, so I'll be testing out my chef abilities more from now on. We found a really good pizza place (does not happen hardly ever here) so we got some today, planning on getting more after I leave here. 

A whole lot of funny stuff happened this week. All the kids here tell us our parents have corona virus, so that's always fun. People make fun of us for being Chinese a lot(Actual Chinese people live here so I don't know how they still think I'm Chinese, but oh well), but it's water off the back at this point. Some lady stopped us and asked me to marry her. Well... she didn't exactly ask, she said she was going to give me a marriage, and then that she'd marry me. I'm not exactly sure what that means but I'm not too eager to find out. When she said that, Elder Gordon jokingly asked why she didn't choose him, but it sounded like she'd made up her mind, I'll gladly let Elder Gordon take that one any day. 

My backup watch that I gave to
Elder Gordon because his watch broke
One lesson we went to ended up very interesting. When we got there, other missionaries from a different church were there, so that kind of shocked us. Francisco (our friend we were teaching) didn't want us to leave, so we sat in a big circle to talk for a bit. Once Francisco brought out his Book of Mormon the other missionaries wanted to leave, but Francisco asked them to at least say a prayer before they left. While the one other missionary prayed, the others shouted thank you, amen and hallelujah. After they left, we were able to teach Francisco a bit more, the Book of Mormon has made him so much happier, and he says that the feelings he has when he reads it and when we come over are answers that it is true. I know that those feelings of peace and love can come to all of us as we read the Book of Mormon: Another testament of Jesus Christ.

Since big church meetings won't happen for a while, Elder Gordon and I and some other missionaries had sacrament meeting with permission at the apartment of the missionaries in another area. All 6 of us that were there speak English and Portuguese (3 Americans, 1 Ghanaian, 1 Mozambican, and 1 Zimbabwean) so it was really cool, I think Portingles is a pretty awesome language. Elder Ndovu (Zimbabwe) spoke some of his clicking language with us after, I think that might be the coolest language ever, so I'll ask him to teach me a phrase or two. What struck out to me was how strong the spirit was, even in our little church meeting, focusing on Christ and remembering his sacrifice helps us renew our focus on the most important things. 



Fletcher's Mom side note here:
While Fletcher was at the internet cafe today some other missionaries came in.  He told me one of the Elders there was from Zimbabwe, Elder Ndovu.  I asked Fletcher to ask him if he knows the Graves, senior couple missionaries from my hometown in Denver CO serving in Zimbabwe.  She had told me there was an Elder in her mission that was Visa waiting to go to Angola and this is the Elder who made it to Angola.  The world is so small!  It was great that all of our family got to talk with Fletcher since school is out right now!  Love seeing the Lords hand in our lives!!
#blessings 

So much has happened here this week, we found some awesome new friends to teach, and we taught some other really cool people. During a lesson, Eurico asked us a lot about the truth, what is true and how to know it. Being able to invite people to pray about these things for themselves is always a great blessing. I'm so grateful for the confirming power of the Holy Ghost, teaching us in our mind and heart the truth of God's plan and love for us. I'd like to echo Moroni's promise in the Book of Mormon to all of you: "ask God in the name of Christ, if these things are not true, having faith, and real intention, ... and by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things" I know that the Book of Mormon has the power to help in these troubling times, to bring us the peace we need. 

A few other scriptures I read this week that gave me hope this week.

Psalms 34: 19
19 Many are the aafflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.

1 Peter 4: 12-13
12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery atrial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But arejoice, inasmuch as ye are bpartakers of Christ’s csufferings; that, when his glory shall be drevealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.


Eu amo Voces!

Elder Madsen


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