Weekly Update~ "End of An Era"

Dear Family and Friends,

First of all, thank you so much to all those who have reached out and expressed their condolences to my family in regard to Grandma Melendez. We miss her dearly and the love is appreciated. With all the perspective I've gained on my mission about this gospel, I am completely at peace with everything. Yes, I'm extremely sad I wasn't able to see her again, but I know where she is and I will see her again! I have complete trust and confidence in that gospel truth!

Today marks the end of an era. We received transfer news today and I am finally heading back to Uganda to finish the remainder of my mission. It has been the best 9 1/2 months of my life with greatest companions, districts, members, and memories. I could literally spend all night talking about how wonderful this stretch has been.

In the dedicatory prayer of Rwanda for missionary work, there is a particular part that sticks out to me. In the middle of the prayer, Elder Holland says, "We pray for the missionaries that will yet come, that they will be inspired in their rendezvous with destiny. Truly that destiny and the future is bright."  I know without a doubt that it was determined in the pre-earth life that I would be called to serve in the particular country of Rwanda at this particular time; a time filled with so much excitement, innovation, development, and hope of the future. I have seen so many wonderful miracles and individuals come exponentially closer to our Savior Jesus Christ as they've taken their first steps on their covenant path back to our Father in Heaven. I have done nothing to bring these things to pass, glory be to the Father that I have been able to participate in the conversion process as a tool in his hands. I know that Rwanda truly will be a beacon, an example to the rest of the continent of Africa as prophesied by Elder Holland. 

(Saying His Goodbyes to His Friends in Rwanda)

I am excited to serve in Kampala again, in a stake that will be organized this coming Sunday. I know the Lord has great things in store for me and I am looking to give him my all these remaining months. 

In the mean time before I update you all next week, enjoy these pictures taken at Akagera National Park at our zone last hurrah today. We finally found our elephant. 

I love you all,

Elder Hazen

Weekly Update~ "High on a Mountain Top"

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was very busy, but nothing too out of the ordinary happened. Just continuing to push on and work as hard as possible! We are beginning to see some of the fruits of our hours spent contacting and tracting last week, as we spent a lot of our time reaching out and meeting with our potential investigators. We've met a lot of wonderful new potential families and look forward to meeting with them again next week.

A lot of our efforts this week were focused on helping the Branch launch their home-teaching and organizing their less-active activation plans, so we were in a lot of meetings. On Saturday morning, we were present at a leadership training for all the branches in Kigali. The purpose was to introduce a program the area authorities are beginning in the Africa Southeast Area. We are trying to locate all our members' homes on a Google Earth Map and the goal is to have 90% of members located by November. Elder Mumba and I were also with Elder Gillett when he gave a training on using our Priesthood Authority.   So, Elder Mumba gave a demonstration on consecrating oil. It was fun to be apart of and I'm very excited to see the commitment of the leaders of the branches here because there was a very good turnout.

On Friday evening, we had a combined branch activity at the K1 building. The first missionaries to serve in Rwanda, came back to visit over the weekend.  They requested that an event be put together so they can visit with all the members-both old and new- and get to spend time with them. All the missionaries were there and there was a wonderful turnout by old members and recent converts alike. There was food prepared, and the Andrus' spent about an hour and a half answering questions about how they can continue to build the church here in Rwanda. It made me so happy to see this pioneering generation of members all together in one place enjoying an evening together and celebrating the rapid growth of the church in Rwanda.

New and Old Members 

The 8 Missionaries in Rwanda

Today, we went on a picnic as a zone with the Gillettes to the hill that Elder Holland dedicated the country of Rwanda for missionary work. We were lucky enough to have access to the actual dedicatory prayer so Elder Gillett read it to us today after we finished singing "High on a Mountaintop". It strengthened my testimony that this church is led by inspired men called of God. I know Elder Holland hadn't spent extensive periods of time in Rwanda but, the prayer addressed everything about the country and it was so neat to be able to have a small taste of what happens when the work of the Lord is born in a particular country. I am so extremely blessed to be serving here at this time. I know it's not just coincidence that I am here. I have been called here to do a very specific work necessary to help the work move forward in this wonderful country. One thing that stuck out in the prayer to me is that this country, due to the rapid growth of the church that will take place here, it will be an example that the rest of this continent will look too. The banner has been unfurled in the country of thousands of hills, high on a mountain top.

Elder Gillett Reading the Dedicatory Prayer

This Sunday Bosco and Joanna are being baptized together, I am so excited for them and we had a wonderful conversation with Bosco about setting his sights on the temple. I mentioned to my family when I called them on Mother's Day that seeing at least one family I taught make it to the Temple will make my whole two years of service worth it. 

I love you all,

Elder Hazen