Dear People:
This was a week of miracles. I will relate three. Miracle number 1: Let’s start with a follow-up on Christine the wife of Kalisto. Her progress is awesome! Christine and Kalisto are now praying together every night and studying the scriptures together. She continues to come to church and is getting more and more excited for her baptismal day. This is so rewarding because then whole family will have the opportunity for eternal life. The best thing to report about them is that they are already talking about going to the temple. YEAH!
Miracle Number 2: We were hiking around looking for a guy’s house that we had contacted named Olila. As we were looking for his home, we asked around and someone directed us to this massive gate. Assuming that it was Olila’s home, we barged right through the gate acting as if we were meant to be there. As we approached the very large home inside of this compound, we spotted a man sitting outside. I assumed that it was him. I said, “Olila how are you!”
He looked at me and said, “I’m not Olila. I’m Michael.”
I kind of chuckled and said, “Oh! Sorry for just barging through your gate. We must have the wrong house. We are looking for a friend of ours named Olila.”
He said, “It’s okay.” We chatted with him for a short time and found out that he is one of the head employees for a distribution company for 65 countries in the world. The company deals in distributing all sorts of perishable goods. After our chat we made an appointment for another time to teach him. We also gave him a Plan of Salvation pamphlet.
A few days later, we went back. He was waiting anxiously for us. He had not only read the pamphlet but he had great questions about the material!! He was so excited. The short of it is that he asked us to come back and committed to come to church next week with his entire family of eight!! Our next appointment with him is this Saturday. We will teach him about the restoration and the Book of Mormon.
He has lived in the same house for fourteen years. He is in a very tracted area for missionaries. He has never had anyone knock on his door. He is excited about the gospel. I know that it was only the first lesson but the Spirit was powerful as we shared with him. It felt different than any other teaching opportunity that I have had. I have great hopes for him and the rest of his family. I pray that all may work out so that maybe just maybe he could lighten the load for President Patrick (The Branch President).
After teaching Michael, Elder Whitworth was infused with excitement for the work. He is motivated more than ever. He is going strong! He is improving every time. He is a great missionary. He is bold and uses the Book of Mormon in every lesson. I am so grateful.
Miracle Number 3: We found another investigator, Tony that was previously taught by missionaries a while ago. He loves the missionaries. He is successful and has a large family. He is in the transportation business. He supplies a driver, car and plans the routes for your vacation in Uganda. His goal is to make it an easy and enjoyable experience while vacationing in his country. He is very easy-going, easy to teach and he really understands the principles that we are teaching. He wants to know what is right and how to succeed at doing the right thing.
Crazy story: Another snake! Elder Ngesi and I went over to Adyel (a division of Lira) to work with the missionaries there and help them out a little bit. After working, we went to their house to close the day. After doing our routine, we all went out into the main room to chat. Elder Chapendura wanted to shine his shoes. As soon as he picked them up, he screamed and threw his shoe in the air!
I looked at him and said, “What are you screaming about?!”
He replied, "There is something in my shoe! I don't know what it is!”
I assumed it was a rat because they are so plentiful here in Uganda. I slipped on my shoes preparing to stomp on the rat. I grabbed the shoe that he had just thrown and began shaking it hoping to get the animal out. After about three or four good shakes, out slid half of a huge snake!! (Mom’s comment: Thankfully not the head!)
Yes, I screamed, “Snake!” throwing the shoe down and jumping onto a couch near me! LOL! The size of its body was probably close to the same circumference of a quarter maybe a little bit bigger. After staring at the shoe for some time we all went out and grabbed sticks, shovels and hoes! We used one of the sticks to pick up the shoe and began to shake it. After some serious shaking, the snake popped its head out biting the long stick! We were okay because we were so far from it.
The snake did not want to come out of the shoe so we continued to harass it by shaking and hitting the outside of the shoe. Finally it slithered out of the shoe making a break for one of the missionaries. "The Babe Ruth" in all of us came out and we just started swinging sticks and shovels as fast as we could. I am sure that we looked hilarious but it is a little freaky having a huge snake come after you!
Well after a lot of yelling and hitting we once again triumphed over the large snake!! Woot, woot, go team! I would send you a photo but I only have a very long video of this whole event and of course the computer will not accept that much digital information. You will have to wait to see the conquering of the snake.
I sure love you all and hope that all is well back home. Have a good one!
Happy Halloween Everyone!
Sincerely,
Elder Bitter
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