Sister Kershaw is BINDURA BOUND

Hello my beautiful family and friends! 

I will tell you the most exciting news of the week... I got transferred to Bindura! I have wanted to come to Bindura since I went on my first exchanges here. I am still a STL, and my companion's name is Sister Babeeyo. She is from Uganda, and I am so excited that we get to be companions. Bindura is almost 1 and a half hours away from Harare, and it feels nice to be out of the city. The area I am working in is even more rural than my last one... I am so excited! This Idaho farm girl is right at home ;) An Elder I came with was joking with me that they will just send me to the rural areas for the rest of my mission. I SURE HOPE SO! hahaha 

I was sad to leave Enterprise, and sad to leave Sister Jabanga. The past three transfers were amazing, and a period of time when I grew a lot on mission. It is kinda scary for me to have to get comfortable with a new area, and a new companion, but I know that the Lord puts us in these situations so that we grow. We don't ever grow when we are comfortable, so the Lord know there is more growing for me to do! 

I don't have much to report, I will tell you all about the area and the people we are teaching next week. 

I love you! 

-Sister Kershaw

10 months on MISSION

This week we focused on visiting a lot of the members in our area. We want to include the ward in our missionary work a lot more. There are so awesome members that we just want to get to know better! After visiting one family, they invited us to come back again at the end of the week to come have dinner. I was happy, cause that meant SADZA! These days I crave sadza like nobody's business. hahaha when I first tried sadza, I wasn't a fan. But now, it's my favorite thing to eat in Zim. Meeting with and building trust with the members is so important in missionary work! 

Last week I got an eye infection in both of my eyes, so I went to go see an eye doctor. I am fine, and it doesn't bother me anymore. They used to be SO itchy and red, but that settled down. I am just stuck to wearing glasses, and putting in eye drops four times a day! haha fun times. 

 

                                     Catching combi's

To save some petrol this week, on Wednesday we had to use combi's in the area... WOW I forgot what it was like to ride in a combi and to be car-less! We even walked from one farm to the next, and that was so much fun. The path was through a field where on both sides the grass was taller than us. It was a nature walk through Enterprise! It would've been cooler if it was a safari walk and I saw some lions or something ;) I guess I did see one monkey in a tree on the way there, so that was cool. 

We are now teaching our recent convert's son, Israel. He literally speaks no English... but we get a translator. He loves coming to church, and he loves learning, too! I think he will be baptized on Sunday. When we asked him if he wanted to be baptized, he smiled super big and shook his head yes! We have found a lot of success in Enterprise working with part-member families. That is also why we want to visit members and be able to find more of those families to teach!

We found this super awesome mama named Mai Blessing. We just contacted her when she was sitting in her yard. She actually had seen the Book of Mormon before at her uncle's house, and told us that she read "Another Testament of Jesus Christ" and she knew that it was a book from God. She told us that anytime we want to come and teach her, she will drop what she is doing, and listen to us. She hasn't been able to come to church, yet... but no worries. She will come! 

Tatenda is doing so great, and told us that he knows that this church is the only true church on the earth. His testimony came through the Book of Mormon. He told us that he reads a verse from the Book of Mormon, and then tries to find a verse in the bible to support it. He also told us that EVERY page he turns to in the book talks about Jesus Christ, and he knows that if he reads, he can learn more about his Savior. He brought his cousin to church, too! His name is Munashe and he also is excited to learn more. 

Things in the country just seem to be going crazy, and I don't know how things could even get worse, but they just seem to! The wonderful thing is that it isn't hindering the work of the Lord. I am always safe, and I still always have everything I need. I am grateful for the Lord. He is giving us missionaries strength and hope to just carry on. I have made it these last 10 months, I can make it 8 more. I am going to love every moment here in Zim! 

I love you!

-Sister Kershaw 

another adorable child that I want to bring home in my suitcase

Exchanges, Zone conference, AND a baptism

First off, I will give you an update on the person we are teaching named Robert. We have finished all of the lessons with him. He comes to church every week without fail! The sad thing is that he hasn't finished paying Labolla and his wife doesn't really want to get legally married... haha I don't know why... but ya. Something super exciting though. We asked him if he was reading his Book of Mormon and HE WAS! He read to chapter 4 and explained how Nephi and his brothers exercised faith to go and get the brass plates! It was some of the happiest news. He is truly becoming converted! 

I went on exchanges with a new sister named Sister Goff. She is from Utah, and we talked nonstop all of those 24 hours! It was so nice to be with a sister that I could relate to in every way possible. She is so sweet, too. We had a really fun day together, and I didn't want it to end. 

We had Zone conference this week, and as usual, it was uplifting and just all around amazing! President Makasi talked a lot about what he did in our MLC. We need to work with members more. It is the better and easier way of missionary work! Elder and Sister Graves (The senior couple) talked about US coming to Christ. We are inviting lots of people around us every day to come unto Christ, but are we ourselves coming unto him? They also shared a quote that I LOVED! 

" You can be smart and happy, or stupid and miserable. It's your choice." 

- Gordon B. Hinckley 

We are smart and happy when we follow the gospel and come unto Christ! 

Baba Prudence was baptized on Sunday. It was hands down the best baptism I have had here in Zimbabwe. I told you in a couple emails back that all of his family members are members of the church. Turns out that his married daughter just happened to come and visit the week he was getting baptized. All of his children were there to support him! His son even baptized him, and they were both just so excited. His son bore his testimony afterward, and said that he has waited so long for his whole family to be members of the church. He wanted it SO bad, and that happened today. I was so teary eyed, and just felt so humbled and full of joy! 

This gospel blesses families. Families are being saved BECAUSE of the gospel. The atonement of Jesus Christ is real, and Baba Prudence is a physical example of how Christ can change lives. 

ALSO- The Lord will truly use us as an instrument in his hands if we let him. (Whether you are a missionary or not!) We could have given up on Baba Prudence, but we didn't. We prayed and fasted for him, and miracles happened! I love being a missionary, it is really the best thing in the world. 

I love you all so much!!! 

Sister Kershaw 

I am reporting that this week was a TON better. We didn't have to wait in any petrol lines, and we got to go to our area every day. MIRACLES, my friends! Shout out to the elders who are in charge of our cars. They did some deals and got us fuel. 

On Monday night we had a MLC dinner again. Before we went out to eat, the senior couple spoke to us, and Elder Graves said something that gave me a lot of hope and courage. He said that Satan is very aware of what is going on in Zimbabwe. He knows that Harare is preparing to get a temple built within the next couple of years. He knows that the church is just expanding and being strengthened so much here in Zim. He doesn't like that. He will do everything in his power to discourage the members and the missionaries. Despite what is going on around us, we can't let him win. We must push forward and go with faith to continue building the church. That is so true. AMAZING things are happening in Zimbabwe, and with the Lord's help, they will continue. We aren't going to let Satan win! 

On Tuesday, we had that meeting with all of the zone leaders and sister training leaders. President Makasi talked a lot about how we need to work with the members in our missionary work. Us missionaries are only in areas for a time, but the members are there forever. They are the ones who help fellowship the recent converts, and strengthen them in the church. I am so grateful for Enterprise ward, and their willingness to help us with the work. A lot of the youth are preparing for missions, and so we go out with them often, and they help us find people, and they get experience teaching. It's a win, win! ;) A goal that Sister Jabanga and I set after MLC was to work with all ages, and get every one involved in the work. 

Challenge for the week: get in contact with the missionaries in your ward, and see how you can help them. Missionary work doesn't go forward without you amazing members! :) Those who are preparing for a mission, go and work with the missionaries for a bit. It will help you and them tremendously! 

Our friend Tatenda CAME TO CHURCH yesterday! That was so exciting. His testimony is growing, and we extended a baptismal date to him. He said," Yes, after I pray about it." He explained that it was something he liked about our church. You can just ask God for the answers yourself. I thought that was super cool that he already is gaining that testimony of asking God. 

Last night we taught Monica about the Plan of Salvation. Wow, that mama is a deep thinker! haha she asked some questions that even I didn't know the answers to. She did say something that was super cool, and I will never forget. (Ethan, you are going to like this analogy) She said that when she read about the kingdoms of glory, she pictured it like a soccer match. Those who made it to the celestial kingdom, got to play. They were enjoying themselves! The terrestrial and telestial kingdom was the people sitting on the stands. They only got to watch the game. No matter how much they wanted, they couldn't join! They weren't satisfied with watching and NEVER being able to play. How true is that?! That put in perspective of just how much I want to go to the celestial kingdom someday! It is possible for all of God's children, and it is the greatest gift he could give.  I want to be there with my family someday.

I love you all so much, and I miss you even more. Have an amazing week! 

Love, Sister Kershaw

I have been saying that these weeks have been all really good, but sadly, this week wasn't really like that. It was crazy, and one I really don't want to do over! hahaha The country just made a law that you are no longer aloud to use U.S. currency. Well, and actually I think the law is just all foreign currencies. Because of that, we now can no longer use our international cards to swipe for groceries.... or petrol. There is already a shortage of petrol in the country, and there were already super long lines to get fuel. Now all of the people who could use international currency are joining those long lines. On Friday, we waited in a petrol line for 5 hours and never got ANY petrol!  I never thought I would cry over getting petrol, but I did this week. We finally got some on Saturday, which was a HUGE answer to our prayers, and Heavenly Father blessed us.  

We barely got to go to our area this week, but I can't say that it was a total waste. We found two new families to teach when we did go to our area, and that is a miracle. They were both referrals from Owen! haha He wanted us to go see his friend, and then the family joined us. The other is Owen's immediate family, and he went with us to go see them. He is so powerful! He has seen the gospel bless his life and he wants the same for his family and friends. 

I am not sure if I have told you about this man we are teaching, but his name is Baba Prudence. His whole family are members of the church, but his wife is divorced. He has read the Book of Mormon two times already, and has just been waiting to be baptized. He wasn't coming to church at first, because he was embarassed that the ex-wife would be there, and the ward would judge him. After many prayers and even fasting for him, he finally came to church, and hasn't missed a Sunday since then. He is struggling a bit with a Word of Wisdom issue, but he is really trying his best to overcome his addictions. He is so prepared, and is working forward to his baptism date. We are hoping it will be in a couple weeks. He is so awesome! 

On Sunday after church, we had an opportunity to go on splits with an HEFY group that is doing a service project here in Harare. It was fun to be with youth from America, and to not feel like I was the minority alone! We taught Tatenda about the Book of Mormon, and I was so proud of these youth! We read the introduction, paragraph by paragraph, and they explained what they read super well. They are future missionaries, for sure! My favorite part was when some of them shared how they came to know that the Book of Mormon was true. The simplicity of their testimonies were powerful, and brought the spirit to the lesson. Thank you HEFY for joining me in my area!

I told you about a lady, Monica that we were teaching. She is doing well, and is loving the lessons.  Monica's uncle was visiting her for about a week. He joined in on the lessons, but sadly, he doesn't stay in our area. But he does stay in the elder's town area. Those elders are in our district, as well. Their area isn't the easiest to find people to teach, and they often really struggle. We gave them Her uncle's number and told them to go and teach him. When they followed up they said," Sisters. We are so grateful you gave us this man to teach. He told us that we came at the right time, and he has been looking and praying for this in his life." I am amazed at how the Lord helps people come to the gospel. If we hadn't gone to see Monica at that time, her uncle would have never heard of the gospel. It was also an answer to those elder's prayers. Moral of the story: HEAVENLY FATHER ANSWERS OUR PRAYERS.

Despite these difficult times in Zimbabwe, I know that the Lord will continue to bless us missionaries as we are obedient and diligent. That is something I have really been working on, DILIGENCE. It is one thing to just go through the motions of being a missionary, but it is better when we are consecrated and give ALL that we have to the Lord. He will give us miracles when we do so. I pray that I can continue to keep a positive attitude and continue to just try my best. I think that is all that the Lord wants us to do in this life, anyway. He knows that challenges come, and setbacks happen. What really counts is how we deal with it. Are we going to choose to be positive and happy even when things don't go our way? Or are we going to choose to be miserable, and let ourselves be miserable? I love this quote from Marjorie Hinkley that I often have to tell myself: " The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh. Crying gives me a headache."

Please, Please, PLEASE enjoy the 4th of July JUST for me, eat really good BBQ, and go swimming. Stay up late and watch all the fireworks you can. It's really my favorite holiday, tied with Christmas, so party extra hard for me. ;) 

Please keep Zimbabwe in your prayers. Don't worry too much, I am fine and I am safe. I will always be, because Heavenly Father watches over his missionaries! I love you all.

Sister Kershaw 

My companion wrapped in a blanket because we are currently in winter 

(Our house is FREEZING)