The Mayor, General Conference, and the Restaurant

Well in the beginning(actually the whole week) we were tracting and we came
across this house and they let us in and we had a lesson and it went well.
Then she tells us that she has a business. She sells sadza and relish and
meat. We look and she has a huge braai stand and she is cooking a lot of
food on it. We also see a lot of chairs and tables all over the yard. So we
tell her we will come back and so of course we did. We get our food and it
is quite busy there. There are quite a few people and cars. The food was
great! Wow, it was tasty, probably among the best I have had on mission. The
meat and the sauce were so rich and succulent. It was great. They even had
take-away. It was all on nice plates, and they were very courteous people
there. I enjoyed the food, the service, and the overall ambience. I give it
four stars!

We visited our Branch President this last week and while we were there the
family gave us two referrals. One was a friend who asked how he could get
baptized. We are seeing him tomorrow. Then the other also happens to be the
Mayor of the town. He has supposedly met with missionaries before and is
very accepting. we will see him at his office this week when we go to pay
the missionaries house bills. Did I mention he is white? Yea, I have never
taught a white person before, EVER! It will be kind of strange and I hope it
goes well. Because if the ayor gets baptized then not only will he receive
salvation but there will be a lot of press for the church. Which will help
to reduce the rumors and get it out of obscurity.

We tracted into the house of a hindu family and they very politely but
firmly told us no. They said, "Actually we are Hindu. We believe in
God and we believe there is only one. Whether it be Jesus, or allah or
whatever so thank you very much." I thought I recovered well, I asked
her about Hinduism and such to learn more about it and asked if there
was a time when we could come so I could learn more. But she told me
that Divali(Hindu Christmas) was soon and they were were very busy and
that maybe we could come back in December.... so if anything happens I
will let you know.

Tracting Moments!!!!!

*A guy told us he had grown up in the Gospel and that it was all
becoming rather monotonous and that the missionaries from Seventh day
Adventist were already coming so he didn't want to waste our time.

*A house was guarded by gnome sentinels! I was creeped out. They were
on either side of the gate on brick pillars. They were very creepy,
like they were ready to jump off and eat your soul...

*A dog almost broke through a small-ish hole in the gate and tried to
eat me. My companion was already halfway to the road by the time I had
to look around.

*We found a member!

*We got rejected. Multiple times, in a row, consistently and often!

Well I will try to remember all of the funny moments that occur.

We were able to watch three sessions of General Conference this last
Sat and Sun and it was great! It was kind of strange watching it
delayed but it was still great. I like President Uchtdorf's talk on
pride. It was humorous, eloquent, relevant, poignant, and thought
provoking!

Because I am now in the suburbs I have less of an opportunity to use
my Shona. Most are better educated and speak in English so I am trying
to still add to this foreign vocabulary but I have found that the
progress is retarding. But I will maintain my efforts and will fight
through this and will use it to my advantage. So please don't worry
too much about it, I will come off conqueror.

It is crazy that it is November! Where does the time go? But really,
where? I am striving to remember all that happened(I forgot my
journal...). We found a family that lives kind of far from town but it
is still our area so... Anyway we went there and they are great. They
have a real desire to learn more about the gospel and even why there
are so many churches. We are hoping they will progress because that
will be great.

A white man invited us over for tea. But he told us he is too old to
change churches but he is very curious about what we believe. But I
know the Spirit has that amazing ability to soften hearts and we hope
that as we share he will feel the Spirit and he will come to know and
have the desire to know more and even to be baptized. But he kept
saying 'cheerio' which was fun. he was shocked that I was an Elder. He
thought I was much too young.

I was given DVD's about the end of the world and about the new world
order by this guy after I gave him a pamphlet! It was kind of fun to
be given something for once. But it turns out that it is just some guy
talking and spouting false doctrines. Sad, isn't it? I thought so too.

I am doing well and I hope that you are too. If you want to know
anything specific that I am neglecting please feel free to send your
concerns to 65 enterprise Road, Highlands, Harare Zimbabwe. All
concerns and suggestions will be duly noted and will be sorted as soon
as possible(please account for mail travel time, and be assured that
all concerns will be addressed in time).

Love,

Elder Gay