February 25, 2013 - Inhamizua

 This week in Mozambique,

            So Elder Ostler left Monday and went down to Maputo. He is the new office elder.  Tuesday I walked with Isias from Manga 3 who walked with Elder Ostler all last transfer. Super nice. But we had to come back early to teach because he is their seminary teacher. I translated for these 3 kids from Utah who are living here with their dad who works for Care for Life. 

         Wednesday I was sick - 1st time on the mission - so I went to the doctors and didn't even get to go out. But I am already feeling better - I just had the flu. 

          Thursday I walked with a branch missionary named Dinho from Manga 3. He wanted to practice English, so we spoke English almost all day, but he translated for me a ton. A lot of our contacts only spoke dialect and we contacted a couple who only spoke French.

           A lot of our families didn't have time to sit this week so we did a lot of contacting. We also had to figure a lot of stuff out with our computer because it crashed last week, but one of my zone leaders helped me and we made some progress. This week we are just going to have to find a ton of new families who have time and are willing to act, which is easier said than done.

             My new companion is Elder Andrade from Cape Verde. My whole house besides me speak Portuguese so I will learn Portuguese way better this transfer! Yesterday we had about 80 people at church which is super nice, and I think they are looking for a new chapel for Inhamizua.
      We have a ton of work to do but I am excited. Last night I walked with the zone leaders who are in Manga 1 so we walked in my old area which was super nice. I'm not sure if I will be 2nd counselor or not in Inhamizua but I'll be good either way!

            Thanks for your letters!

                                                Elder Bigelow

February 18, 2013 - Inhamizua

Well this week has been super rough. Our seminary teacher that got interviewed and set apart wasn't really worthy because he is unmarried and living with a girl so we had to teach seminary and nobody showed up this week. My companion has problems with his toe - even when we were back together in Manga 1 - and he has been to the doctor here like 5 times and they can’t fix it so he is flying out to fix it in Maputo today! We don't know if or when he will come back but I will not have a companion until next week at least because transfers are next Monday.

   I am just trying super hard not to get down or discouraged but it's hard. Our branch is going through some tough times and I really don't know what to do. Everything happens for a reason though and will work out. I know I will learn a ton from this experience whatever happens.

     Well I don't have a lot of time to write because my companion flies out in a couple of hours but things will work out and I will tell you all about it next week.
                               Elder Bigelow

February 11, 2013 - Inhamizua

    This week we found a super nice family. We knocked this huge house and they actually were interested. I love knocking big houses because you never know what will happen, although a lot of times they are Muslim or are not interested. But they have this daughter who is 11 years old who is like a super-genius. She has probably asked us some of the smartest questions I have heard here. We were sitting with the whole family but she had tons of good questions. I think I would teach just her (just kiddin). But the whole family is super nice. It's nice to sit with a whole family. But we were at this one part of the plan of salvation and were promising them they could see their baby again that they lost about two weeks ago, and the girl just looks at us and then looks at her parents and was like "but only if you’re good and keep the commandments!" it was pretty funny. 

         Any ideas on how we can get people excited for marriage? We are trying so hard to help our families get married but it's just super frustrating. We have a family that was doing awesome: reading the Book of Mormon, understand everything, coming to church, and we were helping them to get married in March but now they are just fighting like little kids and say they are not ready for marriage yet! It's like you have been together for 20 years what do you mean? One of the first things we try to help our investigators understand the importance of is the law of chastity and the blessings it brings. 

        We might have a couple of marriages in March though! Yeah! Should be way nice!

This week I'm pretty sure we are going to have to teach seminary  until we can find someone worthy to take over for us. We just found out the guy who got called was living with a girl until like last transfer! This week we have a ton to do but it should be good.

       Well, glad all you guys are finally feeling better. I might try to send a letter home next week, I have some stuff to send but I will try to do pictures right now.

                    Love ya guys

                                            Elder Bigelow

February 5, 2013 - Inhamizua

Well Bobo, the guy we found last week, is married on the register! I

can count the number of people I have talked to in Inhamizua married

in the register on 1 hand pretty much, and none of them were interested.

And then we find out that someone is interested and married. Super nice! His

family lives in Maputo right now so we told the missionaries down there

to start teaching them and then they can be baptized on the same date.

But we will see what happens. A lot of the families we are teaching

have absolutely no money for marriage so it's pretty tough. But I know

if they really want it and show the Lord they want it, the Lord will

provide a way for them to be able to be married and baptized.

Manga had a collective marriage and we helped with it all day

Friday. Three couples married and baptized. African weddings are nice!

I blessed a baby in sacrament meeting Sunday - that was crazy. So

this lady comes to the front right before the meeting starts with

this tiny baby and asks President to bless her during sacrament

meeting and give her a name and stuff and I ask him if he knows

how to do it and he and the first counselor just look at me and shake

their heads and ask me to do it and then started the meeting. So I looked

how to do it in the missionary handbook in English while they were

opening and then gave the baby a blessing.

We finally got our energy (electricity) fixed in our chapel so we could have fans

and not die of heat and had drinking water for people. Now we just

need running water so the bathroom works and everything will be good.

We are always just trying to find new ways to do things and get

new investigators.  Super excited for Holden! Give me updates on mission calls.

Hope everything goes well for all you guys this week. Love ya!

Elder Bigelow