Surprise!!!

Oh my goodness how things have changed! Little did we know! Yes, we are back in Lilongwe (if we ever really left???). When we got back from Zambia, we had 3 new missionaries coming from the MTC. Two elders (Elder Majafe and Elder Monyo) came from the MTC in South Africa and arrived in Lilongwe on Tues. Oct 2nd. They had been assigned to serve in Blantyre so as soon as they got their things off the plane we hustled them and most of our stuff down there. We spent Tuesday evening at DDM with the Blantyre zone then all day Wednesday putting stuff away and figuring things out in "our new place", (so we thought). Then Thursday, bright and early we had to head back to Lilongwe to pick up Sister Adams, not so fresh from the MTC in Provo. She also left on Tuesday but it takes that long to get here. She is assigned to Lilongwe.

Sister Adams on the left with her little "mother", Sis Ngqondela and Sis Mbwana, the branch missionary who held her spot till she arrived. The missionaries here call their trainers mother and father and new missionaries are called baby sharks. They have a whole family tree out here complete with grands. We were in such a hurry to get on the road to Blantyre that I forgot to take a picture of Elder Monyo and Elder Majafe. I'll have to try later.

We were still anxiously waiting for Elder and Sister Shields to arrive so things could kind of settle down a bit but when they came on Monday evening (Oct 8th) the wheels really started to fall off the wagon. Some of you have heard about the string of robberies and attempted robberies we have had against the missionaries in Lilongwe but that week the poor Shields' got here was not a good welcome for them. We have had to totally rethink security.
It has been so interesting to see the tender mercies that have come to us all through this stressful time. The missionaries we have in Lilongwe are such a great and united group. They are working so hard support each other, to share the gospel and lift and strengthen the members. They are trying their best to be obedient, humble and faithful and they are being blessed for their goodness. We know that Satan is not very happy with the many good things that have been happening in Lilongwe and he is definitely raging against us.
Anyway, we had been asked to find a better apartment for the sisters (the landlord had promised to do several security upgrades before they even moved in and the only things that have happened have been things we have done ourselves) but it is really hard to find things without an inside track. On Thursday morning we were busy getting some things wrapped up before we went to the airport to pick up President and Sister Padovich and out of the blue Elder Prete asked me, "Did you ever get Watson (our landlord) paid for the generator diesel? I had been trying to get him to give us a bill for it for two months off and on. I told him that I had not so he called and Watson said he would come right over. In the course of the conversation Elder Prete mentioned the security issues we had been having and that we needed to find a new flat for the sisters. He said that he actually had one that had just come open so we asked if we could go right then and see it. On the way, Watson told us that it was a four-plex and that it had all been rented to a government agency for a group of doctors to live in but the rent had not been paid for several months so he had just sent them packing on Monday. Elder Prete and I looked at each other with the same thought in our minds - if we could take the whole thing, we could put all of us in one place and only have to worry about security in one location. So... that's what we are doing. We are all moving. The landlord is busy painting, repairing and adding security components and it should be ready for us in a couple or three weeks. So, where did that thought to call Watson at that moment come from? Elder Prete had never even asked me about the diesel before. It was something I had been working on. What are the chances of a suitable building just dropping in our laps right when we needed it?
In the meantime, all the young missionaries are in Blantyre till the apartments are ready. The missionaries and members are excited to have them all for a while but the Lilongwe members are feeling deserted. Elder Prete and I will be going back up about Wednesday after zone conference to push things along and to hopefully keep everything on track.
It's a good thing we don't have much stuff because it has been packed, unpacked, repacked until I'm not really sure what we have or where it is exactly. Half is in Lilongwe and half is in Blantyre. As long as we have a change of underwear and a clean shirt to put on in the morning in whatever city we happen to be in, it's a good day!
We are so grateful for the Shields'. They are amazing! From day one they have been faced with all kinds of opposition here but they have just dug right in and figured things out. They have been overseeing Seminary and Institute in Zambia for 14 months so having a new assignment in a new city and country is a big change. Must be the good Canadian blood, right (eh)? They are now going to take over in Blantyre where Bullocks were.
Things are a little crazy right now but we love the members, we love our missionaries and we love our Savior, Jesus Christ and would not want to be anywhere else (except home with our family! |That's always our favorite place to be). Couples make such a difference and we can really see that now. It's not like we know anything much except that we have been called to be here. We need more couples!!!!!