Mom, that's great that you finally get to move back to Parowan. I'm sure that will help you in your new calling. Speaking of new callings, I just got a new one. I am now the Branch President of the Lilongwe Branch. Or at least I might as well be. I have been there for one Sunday and I already ran PEC and made decisions on what we were going to do in the upcoming week. The Branch President here doesn't do anything and it's not because he doesn't know what he's doing (which I guess he really doesn't) but he has been in that calling for almost two years now. In PEC he basically sat and read the New Testament manuel as we discussed things in the Branch which technically we aren't supposed to be present for. We are only to be present to make reports at the beginning and then be excused. But besides that things here in Malawi are going good. I like Elder Shabangu, he is funny. But I do have to make sure that he doesn't die prematurely, but so far things have gone well. We had to take away a few BoM's this week because we found out that the people were jokers and only wanted to BS (bible study). They had no intention of actually praying to find out if it is true. We will probably have to do it a few more times this week as well. We don't have an unlimited supply of books so we have to utilize the BoM Loan program. If they read and come to church or in other words they progress, they can keep it but if not then we take it back because they are too valuable to have sitting on a shelf and collect dust. The truck is pretty nice especially for this area. It rains like crazy, it is very "mountainous" or in other words, hilly, and we go far every other day. We only have it every other day though because we share it with the other Elders. One day they have it, so they drop us off and pick us up. Then the next day we have it. I am the one driving because Elder Shabangu only has an expired learner's permit. The hardest thing to get used to was shifting with my left hand because I am already used to the left side of the road. Also the roads in Lilongwe are generally pretty nice. But the roads in the areas that we teach are not so powerful. They are just dirt "roads" meaning we sometimes are kind of off-roading. The other Elders that we live with are pretty cool. We all get along quite well. The house is pretty nice and the best part is, we always have power. We have a shower but we haven't had hot water for the whole week since I've been here. But they said that they usually have it though. The people seem to be even more poo than in Zim. Most of them live in these mud brick homes with generally a tin roof. But occasionally you will see a grass roof. The houses are actually impossible to find if you don't have someone who knows where they are going, they don't have house numbers at all, anywhere. Unless you are in town, then you can find things. Malawi is beautiful though. With all of the hills and the rain it is very green. We took a plane to come to Malawi. So it didn't take too long, but they did lose our bags though. So for half of the week I had to prosylite in my suit pants and the same shirt. They speak Chichewa here. It is a lot more difficult for me than Shona was. I still am having a hard time greeting people. Also most of the women don't speak English so we basically can't teach them at all.
I had two funny things happen this week though. The first was only funny because the guy didn't get hurt. Otherwise it wouldn't have been powerful. 1. I was contacting these two guys and while I was talking to them I saw this guy run up to some other random guy, jump up and kick the guy in the chest. He then ran away. The guy who got kicked was drunk and he went flying into a big puddle of mud. I quickly finished my contact and went to help the guy but he didn't seem to notice that I was there. He just looked around with a confused look on his face. My companion saw me standing over this guy and quickly came over to make sure that I hadn't done anything. As I was explaining what happened, he got up and walked away. Looking back at it, it was really funny to watch. 2. Yesterday we saw this old man dancing in the middle of this road in our area. He proceeded to take off his jacket and throw it away. You can imagine what went through my mind at this point. Most people were just kind of walking by like this was a regular occurrance but we stood and watched him do this ridiculous dance that lasted about two minutes. It was hilarious. Luckily nothing else came off though.
That's good to hear that Karl got his call. Tell him congratulations for me if you ever see him. I'm glad that Jaxon is still excited to go on mission even though it will be to somewhere else. As I read about Karl, the Platts, Dillon, and the Seagulls my jaw progressively dropped lower and lower with each one that I read. Everything at home that seemed to be going fairly normal has now been hit by a tornado. That is a lot of change to hear about all at once. The package you sent to me is at the mission office right now as well as another one that I am not sure who sent it. Elder Law called and told me so I will get them in a few weeks either at Zone Conference at the end of the month or President might come to Malawi before that. But he wasn't sure which time. But they are safe so don't worry.
That's good to hear that you are close to being ready for inspection in Milford. That means that you are getting closer to opening. That is too bad about Butler playing xing in the final. But oh well, you can't have everything in life. I am glad to hear that the Braves have started well. I always have the urge to make a comment about the yankees when I see someone wearing their hat but then I remember that they have no idea who the yankees really are, so I resist. Well I guess I will talk to you next week.
One love,
Elder Cecil
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