"I often ponder which gifts God has blessed me with and which I have yet to develop. I know that these gifts are blessings from our Heavenly Father who loves us in order so that we may become perfect 'Even as I am perfect'."
Monday, November 14th, 2016
Making memories in Mozambique!
Hello Everyone!
So this week was pretty great! It was pretty strange as well.
Something happened to me this week that Tyler Cook told me happens to every missionary. "And if it doesn't happen you aren't a missionary". I know he wasn't 100% serious but it happens to a good amount. I'll let you all ask Ty for the response.
I found out that Donald Trump is the President-Elect. Lots of natives thought we knew the results but we didn't. They asked us what we thought and we had no opinions to give. And from what I have heard it is better off that we are somewhat oblivious to it all.
We had a zone training through Skype and had some really good lessons this week.
On Friday Night we had a Family Night, cake provided by yours truly. Besides the cake being a tiny bit hard everyone liked it. It wasn't bad, I surprised myself. We played some great games and had fun learning about the 10 Commandments!
It was a really great week! And to top it all off a young man named Paulo was baptized. So many struggles to help him get there but he finally did it!
There was a portion of the ocean that was cutting into the land and it wasn't deep enough to baptize so we ended up having to walk out there in our church clothes to be witnesses for his Baptism.
Really fun memory!
After that we had some little fiascos going to and from Inhambane to visit with Balbina. But besides that no other problems.
And that was my week! Also we an encounter with a couple of people who are with the Peace Corps. Super weird speaking English with them. But it was a really nice chat.
This week I want to talk about the gifts of the Spirit.
In sacred works including, The New Testament, The Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants, we are taught of these spirtual gifts.
Among all the passages I especially enjoy the passage in 1 Corinthians 13,
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as a sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
While the Apostle Paul focuses heavily on the gift of charity he accounts several other spiritual gifts.
In verse 13 he says "The greatest of these is charity". Is it not our right to seek out these gifts? We are taught in Moroni 10 that we should seek out the very best of all the gifts of the spirit.
I often ponder which gifts God has blessed me with and which I have yet to develop. I know that these gifts are blessings from our Heavenly Father who loves us in order so that we may become perfect "Even as I am perfect". I know these are given to us because of Him who suffered for us.
I hope we can all pray to God and diligently seek these gifts so that we might come closer to Him and His presence.
Have a great week!
Elder Nimmo
P.S. Photo overload - get ready!
Baptism!!!! Paulo on the right closest to me was baptized.
The first in his family to join the church.
Can I get a witness! The water on the beach was super far out so in order to be a witness of the baptism, we had to go through a patch of water.
And yeah, this happened! What started off as a good idea...
...ended with some good laughs!
Rain (I'm soaked, look at my hair)
or Shine - we never gave up on Paulo!
I made a cake -
to take for our Family Night -
Can you tell I'm proud of my cake!
A tiny bit hard -
but they liked it!
I'm trying to play piano in the church. I wish I'd practiced more.
National Geographic photographer, capturing the wildlife near an investigator's home.
Flamingos.
Jelly fish.
Crab.
Feisty crab.
Photogenic crab.
Kids on the beach near our investigator's home.
I'm doing some magic tricks for them, thanks Dad!
Calling to confirm our appointment.
Eudencia was the only member in her family but now her brother Anizio is a member.
Doing service at a new investigator's house. Yes, they rake their dirt.
Another family we are teaching, here are their kids.
We had a scavenger hunt -
the prize they were searching for was just a little Mickey Mouse notebook.
This sharp guy found it, it's so easy to make these kids happy.
Dinner at KFC, it's so easy to make this big kid happy.
A new day,
a new African adventure,
and a quick interesting story that I'll have to share later.
Just another fire to put out as the Branch President. hahaha!
Actually, it's just someone burning trash behind their house near the church building.
The roads
and farmlands
as we traveled to and from Inhambane.
I don't get to ride in cars very much.
A different kind of beautiful -
but still beautiful.
