Weekly Update~ "Lugazi Bound!"

Halloween

Bill for Wedding

Last Sunday in the Ward

Friends from the Ward

Elder Hazen with his second Companion Elder Mair

Hey Everyone!

I guess I'll start by saying how thankful I am that I've had the opportunity to serve with Elder Mair and learn the things I've been able to learn from him. I'm happy because I was able to take a picture with all my friends outside the church yesterday because it was Mair's last Sunday. I also gave a talk yesterday by the way. It got sprung on us right before the meeting, but I guess that's a hidden missionary blessing because I was able to speak with Elder Mair with no preparation. This transfer will probably go down as one of my favorites of my mission. I'm thankful for the memories and also for a new friend. I'm also thankful for the time I was able to spend serving the people of Kololo. They'll always hold a special place in my heart being my first area. I'm so blessed to have been able to start here and to have been welcomed to Uganda the way I was by them. I found out I'm getting transferred to a small town called Lugazi and will be serving with Elder Dowdle. He just got here last transfer so, I'm finishing his training! I'm excited, but also nervous because I'm still new and I've never been in a new area, and I'm the senior companion. Though I'm sad to leave Kololo, I'm excited to get out of Kampala and see more of Uganda.
This week, nothing too exciting happened. I'll share a few experiences I had during the week and also something I learned during personal study.
 
Elder Schweitzer and I have taken rolex eating to a whole new level. Once he found out about my conquest with the 7x7, he took it upon himself to one-up me and eat an 8x8. I found out about this and wasn't very happy so I decided to send him a message, skip a 9x9, and go for a 10x10. After 1 hour and 32 grueling minutes, thanks to the support from my companion and members of my district, I conquered the beast and will probably never eat another rolex of that size again because that wasn't what God created us for. As I was suffering, Elder Ndlovu ever so lovingly told me that "You are not as Job yet. Job didn't have any friends but we are still here for you".
 
Elder Mair and I got to receive a package from my family for Halloween as well. Included were some nice decorations and food, but the thing we found most intriguing were the masks. There was one for each of us, so us being the kids we are, we took them to our area and decided to have some fun. It probably isn't the greatest thing for a Ugandan kid to be chased by two white guys with masks on, but we enjoyed it.
 
Earlier this transfer, we received a referral from Mama Mafabi for a guy she knew in a neighboring district. He held a significant position in the local government. He was a nice guy and listened to us, but we never sent a return appointment. Anyway, I guess he got the impression that we were loaded or something so he went to Mama Mafabi's home this week with a bill for his 50 million shilling plus wedding he's having this next month in hopes that we'd pay for it. When Mama Mafabi told us about this, we laughed but felt the need to contribute so we looked at the bill, saw that he needed plastic cups, and scrapped together 300 shillings for .6 of a bag of plastic cups. I'm sure he'll appreciate our donation. 

This week I was studying in the Book of Ether and was able to study about the Brother of Jared. The Book of Ether is kinda like a guideline on how to rely on the Lord for things. We remember that in this story, the Brother of Jared goes to the Lord three different times asking that the language of the family and friends be spared and also, if they are to be driven out of the land, where they should go. After the Brother of Jared's third request, the Lord tells him that he will meet him in a valley and will lead them to a land of promise. The Lord then leads them to an ocean where they stay for 4 years. The Brother of Jared is then visited by the Lord and is chastened for 3 hours because he call upon his name. We then remember that he is directed on how to build the barges but when it comes to lighting the boats, the Lord basically tells him, "I gave you your agency, go figure this one out on your own." From this story we learn that if we rely on the Lord, all things are possible, but he isn't going to spoon-feed us. We need to do all we can to make ourselves worthy of the blessings we desire and to take action in search of the things we are after. Though sometimes we have to figure things out for ourselves in life, if we rely on the Savior and his Atonement, he will guide our paths.

I love you all have a wonderful week!
Love,
Elder Hazen