Our "After Christmas" group has come and gone! They had sooooo much energy! All that Christmas sugar I guess. :)

This group only had two weeks with us, but I think they left feeling pretty prepared and ready to go teach. (Double click for a closer view of them).

I have always thought about how interesting it would be to have been a convert to the Church and be able to see the amazing difference that converts always talk about, but some of the African missionaries this intake talked about how they wish they had been raised in the Church like all the Americans. I don't think I had ever considered that perspective.

One of the African Elder's parents had gotten divorced when he was quite young and his mother couldn't provide for him or his brother so she sent them to live with their father. He raised them in the Catholic Church and this Elder became an Alter Boy. He said one evening he was out walking and passed by two missionaries. Something told him to go back and talk to them so he heeded that prompting and went back. He was expecting that they would probably be Jehovah's Witnesses. They visited with him, gave him a phamphlet to read, and invited him to Church the next day. He said he read the phamphlet and thought about it all night. Against many obstacles, he found his way to the Church the next day. He loved the Spirit he felt there and decided he wanted the missionaries to teach him the gospel. He came to know it was true and wanted to get baptized. His Dad disowned him and kicked him out. He was out on the street with no place to go and finally a sweet member took him in and let him live with her family. His brother said he had made a very foolish choice, but he knew he had found the truth and he was firm in his conversion. He bore a strong testimony and said that the Atonement is the best blessing in his life.

Two different American Elders talked about how they had had dreams that they would serve in Africa. One had watched the movie "Invictus" the night before his dream and the other had seen a small clip of the World Cup on TV. :)

These missionaries all have a story to tell. They have amazing faith and strength of testimony in spite of very difficult trials and persecution from family and friends.