"My knee hurts" -Up "Stick with me kid, I know this [area] like the back of my hand. Hey that's new." -Robots

Well fun fact being on my feet all day long in very bipolar weather really makes the old knee injury hurt.   Not very fun being in pain.   I mean it is bearable, it just makes me walk like a hop along, in the words of my Dad.   Nothing to do about it but "tough it out."   It will be great.   I hope.  Our weather is starting to warm up a little in the days.   We are actually in the middle of winter.   So if it is this warm in winter in one of the coldest areas of the mission, summers will be interesting.   

I have taken over the area.   Which is to say I am the missionary that has been in the area the longest and so SHOULD know my way around.   Well I can get us to the area and I can get us back.   Once we are inside the area, that is where the difficulty occurs.   I have gotten us a little lost a few times.   We always find our way and we have fun when it happens, but still, it is not a very good thing.   Getting lost.   But I am getting better and I know the area much better then I thought.   

Hey mom, questions I should have asked in my other email.   Just so I know, what is my blood type, other then red.   And could you send in a letter some stickers for me to put on the back of my tag?   You know Spider-man, Captain America, starwars, transformers and such like that?   And maybe some bit bigger picture of similar stuff I can put on my PMG?   I have come to enjoy customizing my things.   I love you!

We have a Baptism on Saturday.   Our investigator Tatenda is being Baptized by Elder Mwashusha.   We have been putting together a list of people to visit, from less actives, to former investigators (we have 46 former investigators?   Can I hear you say Jack Pot?)   It will be great.   Also since the computers are often down we are putting together our own ward list.   Downed computers make it hard to print one.   It will be nice to have that sort of stuff in the area book.   We are doing a lot of great stuff in our area, and hopefully we will be able to reap the fruit of our work.   

My new companion as I said last week is Elder Mwashusha.   He is from a little outside of Harare, he speaks Shona, which can help, and also get irritating depending on what we are doing.   I am struggling to pick up much of the language, and even though we don't really teach in it, it causes a language barrier that is hard for me to get past.   I am sure it will come with time but you know how I do with being patietnt.  He has a weird sense of humor.   But he says the same thing about me so it is great.   We are really working well together, and he is learning the area really well.   It will be a great transfer.   Looking forward to it. 

"Our words, like our deeds should be filled with faith, hope and charity, the three great Christian imperatives so desperately needed in the world today.   With such words, spoken under the influence of the Spirit, tears can be dried, hearts can be healed, lives can be elevated, hope can return, confidence can prevail."

-Jeffrey R Holland

"We talk a lot about the weather, but we don't do anything about it."

-Mark Twain

I think that we all have someone in our lives who could use a kind word, a showing of love and care.   Too often we think about reaching out in love and never do it.   Let us follow the example of the Good Samaritan in the parable taught by Jesus Christ.   We can lift and help those around us and be the ministering angels that people need.   I know that as we share the love of God in a kind word, an act of service, or even a smile we can change lives.   I know God loves all of us, and wants us to love each other too.   Let us make the effort to lift and love those who need it, where ever we see them.   

I love you all.

"Oh sorry Ling... You know how it is when you get those manly urges and you just got to kill something."

"Take a look at me what am I?   Uhhh.... Really tall?"

"Well I think my bunny slippers just ran for cover."

"There are those who think little of him."   

For Momma:  a hippo in a pond.