Tessa in Zimbabwe: 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!