Elder Chipman's Adventures in Africa: Week 15 - Chamanculo A

Happy Pioneers Day Yall!!

Last night with the stake we watched the Pioneer Day concert with Alex Boye. It wasn't translated into Portuguese but everyone loved it especially the song they did from Lion King and the organ solo haha they were going nuts when everyone saw that the you have to play the organ with your feet as well. But I hope everyone had an amazing holiday and continues on having a great summer! If anyone is looking for a new summer jam... look up they song that I put in the subject it is super-mega-dope-swag.

Twas a blessed week for the HoodElders of Chamanculo. We pulled a 2015 Drake and went back-2-back with divisions on Tuesday and Wednesday. First with Assistants so I walked with Elder Smith and then with the Mahotas Elders and I walked with Elder Fernando. We are teaching and working with some pretty amazing people right now. Last week Nelio and Suzy brought one of their friends, Pedro. So, Pedro, also came to the family night we had on Monday, English Class on Tuesday and Thursday, integration night on Friday, the missionary activity on Saturday and then Church again on Sunday. You could say he is progressing really well for us only visiting him twice lolz. Benjamin is still doing great. He asked if we could move his baptismal date to August cause that is his favorite month so he will be getting baptized here in a couple weeks. And we are working with a lot of teenage hoodlems right now that have been embracing the message of the Restoration and the activities at the church as well. Chamanculo is being blessed a lot right now and so many people have been and are being prepared to receive the Gospel. Updates on the recent converts as well.. Nelio blessed the sacrament for the first time on Sunday and Junior was ordained a priest and will be speaking in sacrament meeting next Sunday.

For a spiritual thought, it comes from experience that happened to Wezi this past week and what he did and how touched I was by it. Last week when Wezi was on his way to church he came across 100 MT in the road. During our visit with him this past week, he asked us what he should do with that money. Elder Souza wisely asked what he thought he should do and pausing for a second he responded, "Pay tithing!"

I was taking back. A 13-year-old boy, freshly baptized who still needed to be confirmed, made a choice that I don’t think I would have ever made in his position. On Sunday, Wezi was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and received the Holy Ghost. After returning back to his seat, he turned to me and said, "Now, I need to pay my tithing." So, after all the meetings were over, we filled out his first tithing slip and he put one 10 MT coin into the envelope and went straight to the Bishops office. I think Bishop Manica was blown away too, when this young man who he had just confirmed came in with a tithing slip. Wezi showed me what Jesus meant when He taught His disciples in Mathew 18.

"1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

Wezi showed me what is means to humble ourselves like a little child. He showed me that as we show faith and act, even when we don't understand fully or when we are having hard times, and we are obedient and full of love, then we will be converted.

I love you all, have a great week and don’t forget to weeze the juice!

Love,

Elder Chipman

A new investigator family, Nunes
and Esperanca. In our first visit with we found out that they hadn't
named their new baby boy. Jokingly I suggested that they name him Braxton....
When we came back for our second visit, we found out they that their new boy's
name is Braxton Nunes Muchanga....

I got to say goodbye to this little Darrell one last time.
Elder Feliciana was reassigned to Johannesburg Mission with all the
other Elders in Swazi. He is going to kill it there!