Weekly Update~ "First Time Being Sick on My Mission"

African Delicacy~ Crickets 

Baptism

Baptism

Studying with James 

Dear Friends and Family,

So this week, my luck finally ran out and I got sick for the first

time on mission. It kept me from going out and proselyting on

Friday.  It which was awful because Elder Dowdle and I had a lot of people to

visit.  It ended up working out because we arranged for the

Elder's Quorum president, Andrew, to go on a split with Elder

Dowdle all day.  One of our members, James, was able to stay with me

while I laid on the couch. Let me tell you a bit about James.  He's such an awesome kid. I showed him pics of the family and he thinks maddie is cute…he has started calling me "Muko" which means, Brother-In-Law! He was baptized a few months ago, and this last week, while he was working with us, he expressed to me his desire of wanting to serve a mission.  The next day, I decided to bring him an old Preach my Gospel manual laying around the house.  Elder Dowdle and I shared with him chapter 3 and encouraged him to study that chapter to get familiar with the lessons and how to teach them. When he came over to stay with me while I was sick, he brought his Preach my Gospel so we spent most of the day reading out of it and the Book of Mormon. It was one of the neatest experiences I've had on my mission.  I was so sick and felt awful and this made me feel good to be able to share my testimony with him on missionary work and the impact it's had on me these last few months.  I've expressed to him the great blessings it's brought to me and my life and that it can do the same for him. He has been on fire working with us and it's been neat to see his testimony grow.

This Sunday, we were able to baptize Andrew's brother Isaiah. Isaiah

is one of my best friends here and he makes me so happy whenever I'm

with him. He's seriously one of the funnest kids ever and has such a

powerful testimony. He was more than ready for baptism. The other guys

were also able to have a baptism as well. The work is definitely

progressing in Lugazi and the branch is growing. It's exciting to be

apart of! 

  Today, I was able to have pizza and ice cream from a

resturaunt in Jinja, I know it seems like I say it every week, but it

was probably one of the best meals I've had in Uganda. 

Lastly, my Grandparents have been talking to me about the emphasis

they've put on Family History work.  I definitely agree that its

very important. I'd urge all of you to get to know your ancestors and

get involved in the work by doing your work for those beyond the veil.  There's always something to be done! I promise that as you do

so, and find more time in the temple, you'll receive even more

blessings.

          Love,

         Elder Hazen