Zimbazwe

9/18/17

Hello family and friends!!

Things are going well in Zimbabwe, what can I say? :) Enjoying every moment even in this very hot sun. 

Just a few highlights from this week:

1) Violet was baptized and confirmed. Our mission president interviewed her and was touched by her conversion. She is now a powerful member of the Mkoba 3rd branch.

2) We got like 20 fresh oranges right off the tree from one of our sweet investigators. They are delicious.

3) Zone Conference was on Thursday, it was about how to be a successful missionary and how teaching the Plan of Salvation is the most important lesson. Why? Because everyone who was ever born on earth knew of this plan before coming here so it is familiar to them.

I just want to share one of my favorite scriptures about the Plan of Salvation because I am forever grateful for the knowledge of this plan which brings hope and peace to our lives. The Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ makes all possible. We can overcome sin and death knowing one day we will resurrect as He did. 

These verses are coming from Alma chapter 24, when the Anti-Nephi- Lehies choose to suffer death rather than defend themselves. They are grateful for the knowledge they obtained and made use of the Atonement in their daily lives. We can become a saint through the Atonement. (Mosiah 3:19)

14 And the great God has had mercy on us, and made these things known unto us that we might not perish; yea, and he has made these things known unto us beforehand, because he loveth our souls as well as he loveth our children; therefore, in his mercy he doth visit us by his angels, that the plan of salvation might be made known unto us as well as unto future generations.

15 Oh, how merciful is our God! And now behold, since it has been as much as we could do to get our stains taken away from us, and our swords are made bright, let us hide them away that they may be kept bright, as a testimony to our God at the last day, or at the day that we shall be brought to stand before him to be judged, that we have not stained our swords in the blood of our brethren since he imparted his word unto us and has made us clean thereby.

I love you all. Have a wonderful week my friends.

Pictures:

1) Our friend, Melly.

2) African attire because why not?

3 & 4) Baptismal Photos <3

5) Zimbazwe can be very beautiful

6) Hangin' around

-- 

Love,

Sister Beckstead

hakuna matata

9/11/17

hey family and friends,
 

I hope that everyone is doing well! 

Just a couple highlights from this week.

Cliff: Most humble guy ever. We taught him about The Word of Wisdom and when we mentioned coffee and tea he was so shocked! He said,"I stopped taking alcohol a long time ago because it was bad for me and I didn't know coffee and tea were bad as well." When we asked him if he would keep the Word of Wisdom, his response was, "of course, definitely I will." I love his faith and strict obedience to God's commandments. 

Our Family Home Evening this week was so fun. We played "Do you love your neighbor" which they thought was absolutely hilarious and everyone had the biggest smiles and if any of my Pinnacle friends know that clapping game "Big booty" hahah. It was very enjoyable. A sister in our branch brought her three sons. Turns out all of them are members except the oldest son and she told us that because of the FHE, it made him want to come to church the next day and he did come! We are starting to teach him this week and are so excited!

Missionary work here in Zimbabwe is the best, enjoying to the end. Serving God's children always fills my heart with much joy.

-- 

Love,

Sister Beckstead

Another Grand Week in Gweru

9/4/17

Hello family and friends,

The mission always has its ups and downs but the joy overpowers those rough days. I am grateful to be surrounded by the Zimbabwean people who focus on what is most important in life. I have learned lifelong lessons that I hope will stay with me for the rest of my life. Sometimes I want to complain that we haven't had water for five days now, and cash is very difficult to obtain but I just can't do it. I am thankful for all of the continuous blessings I have received in my life that are far greater than anything temporal.

On Friday, the President of Zimbabwe came to our area in Mkoba so we were told to not go to the area. What did my companion and I do? Bake chocolate chip cookies and play hangman. :)

Saturday was also different than our usual days. We went to a city called Shureugwi, an area just about an hour away. The church is not yet in Shureugwi, members and investigators have to travel far away and it can be expensive as well so we went there to contact people that way at least a group or something can be opened up there. It is a beautiful area, as we were driving there I saw colorful fall leaves. Who knew.

Family Home Evening. We did our first one with branch this week. It was powerful, some members gave talks and we watched a church movie. The goal of this is to unite the branch more by helping members recognize the importance of FHE and we hope it will reactivate some less actives and also bring new investigators into the branch.

Matthew 5:16 says, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." A scripture that helps us accomplish the first is, 1 Timothy 4:12, "Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in spirit, in faith, and in purity." Making these six attributes a part of us will help our lights to shine. At times, the difficulties that come before us can become overwhelming, causing our own lights to dim. We can look to the Savior at these times who is the light of the world, and receive support from our loved ones. I love this poem that perfectly describes this:

I met a stranger in the night

Whose lamp had ceased to shine.

I paused and let him light

His lamp from mine.

A tempest sprang up later on

And shook the world about.

And when the wind was gone

My lamp was out!

But back to me the stranger came

His lamp was glowing fine!

He held the precious flame

And lighted mine!

I love you all. Let your lights shine! 

Pictures:

1) Contacting in Shureugwi

2) Being silly at FHE

3) Violet and her wonderful family

4) THANK YOU SPRING MTN STAKE YOUTH FOR THE AWESOME PACKAGE! :) LOVE YOU GUYS. SO SWEET AND KIND.

5) wanna workout?

-- 

Love,

Sister Beckstead

Invite All

08/28/2017

Hello family and friends,

This week was pretty good. Just the same missionary work every week but it is always a delight. I was really humbled by the members in our branch on Sunday. Our branch is a struggling one because only about 30 members attend each week and at times it can be hard to bring investigators to church because we don't always have a good fellowshipper for them. On Sunday, the Mpsia family (a family we are teaching) did not make it to church and some members went to go visit them and see how they were doing. That really touched me and showed me that although the branch may be small in size, it is big in spirit and these members truly do care about their fellow neighbors. What an inspiration they are! We too care apply this example in our lives and reach out to the sick, weary, lonely and less active members of our own wards and branches. Even those that are not with us yet, let us invite them to come! This gospel is for everyone and it unites us.

We also had many fun times this week, we had a fall through so we played soccer with some kids on the street. One of them asked me if I had hair extentions, another asked me if I knew Chuck Norris and another one asked me if I was from New York. Haha. Then a giant group of kids got together and started to dance hilarious, kind of looked like Irish dancing and started chanting "American dance! American dance! American dance!" I have a video of it and I will see if it will allow me to send it.

I am enjoying the last few months I have here and trying to make the most of it every day by sharing the gospel with those elect!

I love you all! Have a wonderful week. 

-- 

Love,

Sister Beckstead

Eternity

8/21/2017

Hello family and friends,

This week was cool, spent most of my week in Harare at a training and then came back to Gweru Thursday and had the normal schedule.

Yesterday after church our investigator Violet fed us lunch. After lunch we thanked her and were preparing to leave then she said, "I should be the one thanking you. You have shown me the way to eternal life and where I go after this life. When you first came I used to just throw the pamphlets and I didn't have much interest in the gospel but you kept pushing me and coming back again and again. You had so much patience with me and now I know the truth." This really touched my heart a lot. This is what missionary work is all about. No effort is ever wasted. 

What-e'er thou art, act well thy part. It does not matter if we are a bishop or a nursery teacher but we are all here to build God's kingdom here on the earth. We should always be thankful for the opportunities we receive to serve and become better people more fully exemplifying the life of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I love D&C 81:5, "Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees." I know that as we serve with all our heart, might, mind and strength we can trust in the promise that Heavenly Father can make more out of us than we ever could ourselves. This is enabled as we align our will to His. 

Pictures: 

donkeys, Sister Perry and I, Violet's son and I, Jekacheka Road, cute kids, & traditional food.

Have courage & be kind!

Love you all!!!

-- 

Love,

Sister Beckstead

Sincere Prayers

8/14/2017

Hello family and friends,

So this week was a bit crazy with a little sickness and working in two very productive areas! It has been very busy but the work is always satisfying. 

I have good news! I will be staying here in Gweru and training a brand new missionary named Sister Perry. I have not met her yet but everyone keeps teasing me saying, "what if she is L. Tom Perry's granddaughter?!" I will meet her tomorrow and I will let you know more about her and where she is from next week.

We taught this young boy named Takudzwa and I love what he said as we were teaching him. We asked, "How do you feel at church?" He said, "I feel protected." We then asked, "How do you feel when you pray?" His response, "Like my Father in heaven is listening." I learned a lot from those responses. When was the last time you prayed and really believed that He was there listening to you? When you had believed that He had nothing better to do than to listen to you? When we pray in faith and sincerity of heart, I can testify that He does hear and answer our prayers, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

Pictures:

1) Beautiful family we are teaching

2) Teaching under banana trees, yes!

3) Monopoly with some members... I won.... ;D

-- 

Love,

Sister Beckstead

I'm Walking in Sunshine. Wooooah

8/7/2017

Hello family and friends,

Just a few sweet highlights from my week:

-I always just love testimony meetings here because the people are so genuine but simple as they bear their testimonies. Its like on Sunday's when those eight year old kids get up and share their heartfelt testimony with big smiles on their faces. 

-The Mpisa's live in a tiny brick home with a tiny little window letting in only small light although it seems to be as bright as the noonday sun when I walk in there because they are truly embracing this gospel with all their hearts.

-Violet was sick on Saturday night. She could not move her hand. We called over the elders to come and bless her, she was so thankful. I told her she did not have to come to church the next day if she was not feeling well enough yet. Violet said, "I will come no matter what."

-We were teaching those SDA worshippers who only believe in their church because they worship on Saturday's and yeah you can sit there and Bible bash but there is no use in that because no one can feel the spirit. So, we shared a scripture in Jacob 4 about looking beyond the mark and forgetting the big picture and asked them to read The Book of Mormon and pray about it.

Just Zimbabwean things:

-Kombis (public transportation) are very hard to find on Sunday's because everyone is attending church. 

-At home you may call being fashionably late, "Mormon Standard Time." Here we call it, "Black Man's Time."

-During church you can always hear other churches rocking out with their praise music.

-Everything is bho zvekuti

-I have enjoyed the slow pace of things except at the grocery store. And everything but missionary work is slow paced! 

-You can't whisper is Ndebele because you can't whisper a click hahaha

1) Princess and I, the sweetest recent convert girl you'll meet.

2)I was so excited to see these baby bunnies!!!!

3) This cute family we are teaching! 

4) Selfying with my girl 

I love you all!!! :) Have a wonderful week.

-- 

Love,

Sister Beckstead