Zone conference - that special time when we all get together to learn from each other and from President Walton. Elders Kearney and Sande are serving together in Viana. Elders Hobbs, Wilson, Walker, Wilhelm and Tolman listen to the training. Zone leader, Elder Richter, talks with the other Elders about how to begin teaching.
Zone conference is always a time to learn, be together, be fed physically and spiritually and to just get that shot in the arm that we sometimes need. Elder Walker is doing a good job with his new missionary, Elder Wilhelm. Lunch - always a highlight for Elders Perry, Bene, Guente, Chandler and Wilson. Our special musical number was provided by the Viana district which includes Elders Hansen, Wilson, Tolman, Kearney, and Sande. Elders Wilson and Hansen took part in one of the role plays on how to be better teachers of the Gospel.
Birthday time singing and sharing included Elders Kelsey, Chandler, Tilley, Rainbolt, Richter and Bene who all (or their companions) had their aniversarios sometime over the past few months or in the month to come.
Hopefully during zone conference there is a lot to learn and listen to. Elders Richter and Kearney seem to be paying attention. Elder Guente practices teaching with President Walton. Our new missionaries were still in the MTC during April General Conference and they all got to sing in the Conference Center for the Saturday afternoon session. We decided to watch a replay and see if we could spot Elders Tilley, Hansen, and Wilhelm. Happily we saw them all.
Our Public Affairs director in Luanda, Lassalete, has been busy. This past week we visited the Quicama School located in the remote city of Muxima. This city located at the edge of the Kwanza River, was where the slaves were baptized and then loaded onto the ships to sail away from their homeland. We presented the students at the small, one room school room with writing tablets for their school work. They sang us a song and gave us high-fives. With a television crew with us, it was definitely a way to get the name of the church out among the people. The same night we met with some government officials and talked with them about the Family Home Evening program. South Africa came up with a FHE book for nonmembers to help teach their family members about good principles within their own home. It was well received and another great way to get the name of the church out to the public.
Elder Wilhelm found out how hard the ceilings can be here when he tried to hang his mosquito net. The missionaries are hard at work trying to find themselves some new apartments to live in so they can free up some space at the chapels. It's a difficult task when no one advertises what is available so we have to ask around. On the way to an apartment, Elder Hobbs described where to go while someone on the street contacted Elder Perry. This place Elders Perry and Hobbs found was unique. The kitchen was so big that they planned on hanging a basketball hoop for some pick up games, but it also meant it was open to mosquitoes and other creepy crawlies. Keep on looking Elders!
Baptisms make our weekends here in the mission. Guilherme is the first in his family to be baptized. Stay tuned for more members of his family to follow his example!
