Transfer 3:6 - I'm Going To Be A Father?! Quick, I Must Tell Everyone!

Helloooooooooo Everyone!

I hope that you are are doing just dandy! This past week has been a great one for our area and companionship! However, I won't be able to give you the full deets day-by-day because I forgot my journal before coming to town this week. But, I've still got some good stories! Don't worry!

I suppose I should first explain the subject line. So, in our mission, a Trainer is a father, and the trainee the son. Sooooooo, I'm now training a new missionary as of this upcoming Thursday when he arrives! His name is Elder Mdleshe and he is from South Africa. His father is also an Area Seventy that will be coming to Rwanda soon for a District Conference. So that's exciting. 

But wait! There's more! I am also as of today, the new District Leader for the K3 Branch in Rwanda! So there are a lot of changes happening for sure! Anywho! Let's talk about the week, shall we? 

We had a lot to accomplish to meet our goals for the week and for the month. So Elder Young and I pushed it to do all that we could to find new people to teach and progress! As we made a diligent effort, I learned some important lessons! Even though we make plans each day, most of them don't actually happen as planned (or they just don't happen). However, I remembered a scripture this week that added faith to those unplanned moments. That would be 1 Nephi 4:6. Sometimes you just don't know what will happen, but you'll get a prompting, a gut feeling, or an idea that you just know you've got to act on. And sometimes, it will lead to some awesome experiences! 

For instance, we had an appointment that got cancelled on Wednesday and we were alone in a neighborhood that we figured no one would listen to us in because they lived in very nice houses with a lot of cars. However, Elder Young and I decided to try out a new finding idea by asking survey-like questions to people that we met. The very first gate that we knocked opened up and the guy only spoke Kinyarwanda. Prudence helped us and we were able to enter to talk to him about what we shared. With time we found out that the home was actually and Architectural Firm and that the man we were talking to was one of the workers there. After sharing the Book of Mormon with him, he brought in two of his coworkers that were curious about who we were. They were both Architects and they spoke perfect English! Which caught me off guard (and also reminded me about how different the english I speak here is). We had a great discussion with them, and they are now interested in learning more about the Church!! Woot!

I know that this is just one experience from the whole week, but to me it was by far the coolest!
As usual, I love you all so much! I apologize if I haven't answered you personally in a while if you have sent me an email. The days have been busy lately. However! I am going to make a better effort from here on out. With that, I'd love to hear from each of you! Your support and love help me each week, and I hope that you know that I'm here for you as well!
All things are possible through the Lord (it might be clique, but give it a try!)

Love,
Elder O'Hagan

Week 17: Never give up! Never Surrender!

Hello everyone!

I hope that you are all doing well! This past week has been interesting for sure. We have seen some trials, but we have also seen a lot of miracles through them as well!

Tuesday: Today was a pretty normal day. It was great to see the message from the new First Presidency! Wang and his translator even came to watch it and we found the Church in China for him when he returns.

Wednesday: Today was okay. The highlight was going to the wedding for one of the members of the Branch Presidency! It was very cool to be a part of.

Thursday: Today we had exchanges and I was with Elder Mukaro again! It was a good day and we accomplished some good things with our lessons. I really felt the Spirit during each one. It was nice!

Friday- Saturday: Well, we spent most of the days getting bounced, but we also found some people who were really prepared and we had many opportunities to pray and seek guidance. I now have a better knowledge of how the Spirit is so important in doing this work and how God truly does answer prayers. Never give up on reaching out to Him!

Sunday: I taught Gospel Principles again! It went very well this time according to the people in the class. After that our day was again a little rough around the edges with people leaving or loosing interest in the lessons, but the end of the day made up for all of it. We went to visit Wang, and it was a normal lesson until he received a phone call telling him that his mother might have passed away back in China. He said that we wouldn't be able to continue and he apologized deeply. Before we left, we offered him a blessing of comfort. I was honoured to be chosen to give him this blessing, and even though there was a language barrier, I truly feel like he understood the words that were said.

Well, I apologize for the email being brief and the lack of things inside of it, but the work is still going strong and I have faith that it will really pick up this week!

Also, just to clarify, the reason why Wang decided to stop was because he is going to China to be with Family at this time. He still really wants to learn!! Hopefully he will find the church and missionaries there!

Know that I love you all and that it is great to hear from you!

Never give up! Never Surrender!

-Elder O'Hagan

Week 16: Prayers Answered and Lessons Learned!!

Week 16: Prayers Answered and Lessons Learned!!

Helloooooo Everyone!

This week has been an interesting one for sure. That being said, it has also been the "bees knees". I have continued to learn more and more about the reality of how our Heavenly Father loves each of us by giving us guidance through the Holy Ghost and through Prophets and Apostles with His priesthood! We truly live in a wonderful time! It may be one of the most difficult for the world, but it is also one of miracles and love.

Tuesday: We didn't have a translator all day and we got bounced by everyone who can speak English. So, we spent the whole day street contacting and making phone calls! The best part of the day was when we finally taught a lesson in the evening to a man named Festus. The last time we taught him he said that there was no way that Joseph Smith could be a prophet. We had told him to read and pray about the Introduction and Testimonies at the beginning of the Book of Mormon, and when we followed up with him about it, he said that he believed it, but hadn't gotten his answer from God. We then explained how the Holy Ghost answers our prayers through what we think and feel in our hearts. Afterward, there was silence. He then looked up at us and said, "I got my answer! I didn't know, but I know now." This caught me off guard, but it was the coolest experienced. 

Wednesday: It was a pretty typical day. I did get to enjoy the February issue of the Liahona though. I encourage you to read it! It has a lot of great articles!

Thursday: I've realized that being away from the internet and other concerns of the world has allowed me to really see the beauty of the world and how wonderful life truly is. That, and it gets even better with positivity!

Friday: Today was way cool! The highlight has to be cooking for Wang after our lesson with him! Despite not knowing anything about God until we met with him last week, he has been praying at the beginning and end of the day, as well as at every meal! He knows that prayer has power, because he is no longer sick since he started praying! It's also fun teaching him because I'm slowly remembering the Chinese I "learned" in High School! 

Saturday: Today was a good day! Our lessons went well, and we were feeling pretty good! 

Sunday: We had another baptism! Her name is Umahoro Rebecca. She is very powerful, and I know that she will continue to do great things as she grows up in the Church!

Whelp! That's a week in another nutshell. I hope that you all continue to have joy in your lives as you do all that you can to come closer to Christ, or even to just make it day by day. Know that I love you very much, and that you can do all things if you have true faith and confidence in yourself!!

Photos:

1) Cooking for Wang and his translator Pacific

2) Umahoro Rebecca, Elder Young, and some other guy

3) My inner photographer got the better of me 

Sincerely,

-Elder O'Hagan

Week 15: Happy (Belated) New Year...

Week 15: Happy (Belated) New Year

Hello everyone! 

It feels like it has been a very long time since I last emailed you all. Hopefully I can catch y'all up as best as I can!

We have seen many blessings here in the K3 area lately! We've been blessed with many people who are intent on learning more about the gospel and Jesus Christ! I've also had many great opportunities to grow my own faith and to learn more from the scriptures!

Monday: We spent the New Year with President and Sister Collings as a Zone at Akegera Game Park! Pictures will be attached or in a separate email. It was a great experience and it was great to see the beautiful earth and creatures that God has created here for us to experience!

Tuesday: We had Zone Conference today and I learned a lot as usual! The main thing that I took away was that the Holy Ghost can truly work in our lives if we have the desire and faith to ask for His help. It is truly amazing the power that comes through the Spirit, as well as the ability we can have to experience it first hand in our lives.

Wednesday: Today was a very solemn day. Elder Young and I were preparing for our day's lessons when we received the news that our Prophet Thomas S. Monson had passed away. He will be missed. His teachings have truly become an anchor for me in doing this work, and I know that as he continues in his life that he will do wondrous things for those in the Spirit World. 

Thursday: Today was a very interesting and awesome day! Most of our appointments fell through, but this lead to the coolest one by far. A week ago, we met a man named Wang, from China. Today we got to teach him and his translator a bit about our Church and about who Jesus Christ is since he doesn't have a Christian background. It was super cool, but also kind of weird when we found out that when he was filming us, that we were on a live vlog with 100,000 Chinese people watching us introduce the Book of Mormon! Crazy stuff! 

Friday: Apparently I'm 19 now? So that's pretty neat. I'm excited to focus my efforts this year on the Lord and doing His will for the people of east Africa.

Saturday: Wooooooo! We had two baptisms! Claudine and Furaha are their names, and I know that they will both be powerful members of the Church for the rest of their lives. Sadly, I don't have pictures for that one, but hopefully they'll come soon from the other missionaries. It was also my first time being the person to Baptize someone! It is a truly wonderful experience, and I am truly blessed to be a part of these lives that are beginning to come closer to their Father in Heaven!

Sunday: We also had a baptism today for John D'Dieu, who was taught with Claudine and Furaha. He is a truly powerful man! He pretty much taught  himself and the others each lesson. All we did was guide the discussions and ask questions. There is no doubt that he'll do great things! 

So, that's this past week for you all. I wish that I could share more with you, but there is just so much and very little time! I hope that you are all doing well in your lives. I love you all and I hope that you have peace and joy in your lives as you do your best to be the best each day! 

-Elder O'Hagan