Keep on Keepin On

Well, my week was incredible. But I will not lie, I am at a loss for words right now as I have learned about the passing of one of the worlds best, Grandma Claire. It all now comes down to me and to us to continue in faith doing what she and our Heavenly Father would have us do. I am so grateful for the testimony that I have of The Plan of Salvation, I KNOW with a certainty that our Heavenly Father has a plan for us, and that the goal of that plan is to help us be happy. What a life she lived. She was the perfect example of what it means to keep covenants and receive the promised blessing, happiness. She was happy. Always. I am at such peace knowing that she now feels no pain, and that she is with those that were waiting for her on the other side. That we can all stay strong, and remember the incredible life that she lived!

Last Monday I was nervous. After leaving email I was nervous about the news I received of grandma´s condition. I asked for a blessing from my companion that I would be able to focus on the work, and as I slept that night I went to bed feeling that all was well. When I woke up it was just like another day, and this week was one of the better weeks of my mission as I saw the Lord change the lives of many. On Saturday 3 of our investigators were baptized, it was an incredible service. Cristiano was giddy as he waited for his turn. He has strengthened my testimony so much as I have seen the Atonement change his life. Manucha and Mendes were also baptized and all of their siblings were there to watch, it was great. These kids are amazing. There are now 6 of them baptized in their family, and there are many that are following their footsteps.

This week we have been working hard on contacting to grow our teaching pool and it has been so cool to see the Lord at work. On Friday I was on a division in another area and while I was on that division the Elders in my area found an elect. His name is Swing. He is much like Cristiano in the sense that he is thirsty for the Gospel. Here is a brief background of Swing. He has lived in S. Africa for the last 14 years and came to Angola about a year ago to work. His wife is still in S. Africa and is actually a member of the church. They were married in an LDS Chapel in 2005. She is not active and he really doesn´t know much about the church. But as he has come here has been looking for "the true church", a church that would make him happy and build his faith. But he´s been coming up short. He´s been praying to God asking that he would show to him what he needs to do. He has been jobless for about 6 months now and has been looking hard for work. On Friday he went and handed in some resumés and for some odd reason, he said, he decided to come home at a time that he usually didn´t. That was when he ran into the Elders. They sat with him and he was so joyful knowing that God had answered his prayers. Saturday he got a job and he attributes that to his new encounter with the truth. Yesterday he bore his testimony in sacrament meeting expressing how he knows that this is where he needs to be. We sat with him yesterday and taught him the restoration and he ate it right up. We left him with the commitment to read the Book of Mormon, he said that he would so that he can confirm the testimony that he already has of the church.  I don´t think I have ever met someone so excited in my life. We set a baptismal date with him and he should be baptized in a few short weeks. He is so excited to call and tell his wife. Little does he know, but his family will soon become eternal!

I am so grateful for this mission and the opportunity that I have to share this knowledge that we have with the Angolan people. I have been so blessed to know of this my whole life. I truly don´t know what I would do with this mission and the experiences I am having here and the lessons I am learning here. This church is so true and the Gospel truly is our only way to happiness. Of the few things I know, that is one of them. Stay strong and keep on keepin on! I love you!

Elder Hyde