I love Elder Holland!

Hello?!

Well we had the great opportunity of focusing our studies this last week on the Book of Mormon and what a week it was. We experienced some strange set backs and interesting turn of events and some tender mercies.

Well this last week in the city of Bulawayo in Zimbabwe they re-opened a park and the City Council invited the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to participate on the program. The opening prayer was given by Elder Allen to open the proceedings. Oh yea the Mayor was also in attendance. Then a quintet of missionaries namely, Elder Skwati, Elder Allen, Elder Chikota, Elder Finn and myself, sang Silent Night. I guess they were impressed because they invited us to a celebration for the city to be held at the city council building and to have us sing again. So that was really exciting and we are getting the name of the church out there! We are bringing the church out of obscurity! Woot!

We also had a Christmas Devotion at church which was well attended and people walked away very full! But at church like we said there weren't many who came at all. But after church we brought to light that the Magudu family was struggling to put food on the table. So immediately Bishop gave us food stuffs and sent us to their home(our bags were pretty heavy....). When we got there they started telling us about this program they had seen on TV about the Church, I guess they had Elder Holland and he talked about the Church and where it came from and its history in Africa and the welfare programs and the pioneers and the missionary program and Temples. Actually I think they talked about everything.

This family was so excited and they said they loved the program and they said they really understand now. They even told us thye had seen an anti mormon movie that spoke very poorly about the church and they were very scared and that is why their progress has been slow. But they said they now see the church as it really is and they were very touched. Brother Magudu was very touched by how beautiful the Salt Lake Temple is and how the pioneers walked 2000 kms across the plains and Sister Magudu said she cried as she saw and heard about the welfare programs of the church. They actually missed church because of this program but all things considered the Lord knew where they needed to be. Then we gave them the food stuffs and they almost cried again, saying, "I was just thinking about what we would eat today. The Lord really is mindful of us." Thank you Elder Holland, you answered our prayers and the prayers of this wonderful family!

Something they said that I echo and bear testimony of is, "How great it feels to be a part of such a great organization!" And truly it is. Hold On. Stand Fast. The clouds will pass and the blessings will shine through. "....the King of heaven shall very soon shine forth among all the children of men."(Alma 5:50)

ELDER GAY