Transfer 4:4 The Sacrifice Is Often Its Own Reward...

You know, the most interesting thing about this work is that the more you do it each day, the more you get used to it and the more natural it becomes. Now I know that that isn't anything too special, because that's true with just about anything we do in life, but it stands out to me especially in the mission field because you are doing something that not many people in the world take time to even ponder, and that is to use every fiber of your being to share what you know about Jesus Christ to just about everyone you see regardless of if they know English or not!

For this week, due to time, I will focus on the highlights. 

1) The mission standards have been raised, so we worked extra hard to meet our new weekly goal of ten new investigators this week and we both saw the Lord's hand truly guide us when we least expected it to find these wonderful people.

2) I have been blessed to have the responsibility of being a trainer and leader at this time. As challenging as it is, I am learning so much about the love and patience of our Savior and how I can do more and more to let that shining example into my work here in Rwanda. I love having Elder Mdletshe as my companion! He is powerful and he has taught me how to be an even better missionary!

3) As a District Leader, one of my privileges is to interview those getting ready for their baptism. I got to do two of these this past week, but there is one that stood out to me that I want to share a little bit about. The name of this man is Seth. He was orphaned by the Genocide and has been helped by the government to make up the difference. I have never before met someone with such a pure spirit as Seth! In his interview, I could almost feel physically the power of his testimony and his desire to be baptized! It just reminds me that the Lord truly prepares people for His gospel, and that He also gives us moments like this to help us build our own Testimonies. 

4) This last one is interesting, and I'll be brief about it. Long story short is that our Branch of the Church has been closed by the government. So, that means that we didn't have Church at Kagugu yesterday. Instead, we went to the Branch in Town, because it had been reopened the day previous. We are hoping and praying that soon our Branch will open again so that we can successfully invite people to it again! But the Lord will provide a way!! 

To close off this weeks email, I just want to say that I truly love what I'm doing. Sure there are times when I feel like it is the most difficult thing that I've ever done and that I might not be the best at it, but then I see the love that these people I meet each day have for the Savior and what I am called to teach. I also begin to remember the blessings that this gospel and Church have brought to my family and to me, whether I saw them before or not. 

To all of you, know that I always love you and that I am grateful for the time you take to read these emails as a part of your life. I hope that they are worthwhile. Each of you are wonderful people, and I know that you are capable of doing all things that come your way. 

-Elder O'Hagan

Transfer 4:3 - 48 Hours worth of Exchange and Faith in the Lord...

Hey everyone! 

It has been just another great week here in Rwanda! I'm constantly learning more about life and how to live it each day and it's the hardest, yet coolest experience!

This past week was crazy busy, so let me tell you about it!

Tuesday and Wednesday I was on exchanges. First in my District with Elder Hunter, who is one of my new favorite human beings. We taught some really powerful people both from his investigators and ours. He is a very welcoming guy and he makes everyone he meets with feel good. The second exchange was with the Zone Leaders and I was with Elder Njezula. It was cool because I had never served in town before, or in a mission vehicle! So it was exciting to not be walking around everywhere! I was able to learn much from my leaders during that exchange and I got to see how true leadership involves balance between the technical stuff and caring for those you work with and for. 

Thursday I was able to be in my area again and Elder Mdletshe and I got back into the swing of things! We met with some powerful people and we checked in on Martin and Vestine, who were baptized last week (photos to follow) they are very strong in their faith and they walk for hours each week to get to church! I love the dedication people have out here once they are converted to the Lord and His gospel!

Friday-Saturday: Most of these days were spent out of our own area because there was an open house for the new chapel in Kimironko! It was a lot of fun finding and inviting everyone we could find to the open house and there was a pretty good turn out! 

Sunday was a great day! Martin and Vestine got confirmed and the attendance for sacrament meeting was 108! This is especially awesome because our Branch will be splitting in the next month or so! It is truly wonderful to be a part of the growth of the church in such a young area. After church we had an elders lunch where I made Alfredo pasta with the elders in my district and we made strawberry "milkshakes" for dessert. 

That's pretty much it for the week! Training Elder Mdletshe has been a blast as well as a lot of work with making sure that I'm doing it right, but that's where faith comes in. 2 Nephi 25:23 has been my motto for the week. As long as we do everything that we can to do the Lord's will and we have faith that He'll make up the difference, our efforts will be accepted and valued! 

I love you all so much and I am always grateful to hear from you! 

Each one of you are amazing people and have played a part in helping me be here on my mission and in being who I am. So keep being awesome!!

Photos: 

1) Last weeks baptism and my son, Elder Mdletshe

2-4) Some Views of Rwanda

5) A Were-Rabbit at an investigators house

6) Our investigator Moses has the coolest shirt ever!

7) My good friend Hertier is back from school and is helping us translate again!

Sincerely with love,

Elder O'Hagan

Transfer 4:2 A Whole Lotta Hiking And Sunshine!

Helloooooo Everyone!

It has been another great week here in Rwanda! Elder Mdletshe and I have been seeing a lot of miracles and blessings that come from his energy and our combined efforts to be diligently working all day every day! It has been a huge blessing being able to train him. I learn so many new things from him each day and he helps me to see new ways to do the work and sets higher expectations for me as well!

Tuesday: We had a pretty typical day, but the thing that made it really nice was being able to visit one of our strongest investigators! His name is Ephraim and he has been learning how to speak English properly through reading and praying about the Book of Mormon. When we visited with him, he told us that now his friends want to come to the Church because he spends his time reading the Book of Mormon and praying with his family instead of going to bars with them or anything else like that! It is so awesome to see how the smallest and simplest things can change your life and what you value. 

Wednesday: The main note for today is that it was my first time running a district meeting as the District Leader. They told me that it went well, so I'll take that as a sign that I'm doing okay! Another cool thing that happened is that Elder Mdletshe extended his first official baptism invitation and they said that they are ready to prepare for that at the end of this month! It was really powerful and Elder Mdletshe has been on fire this week!

Thursday/Friday: The highlight of these couple of days was visiting a couple that lives outside of our area boundaries for the country. They walk about an hour or so across some really steep hills to come to church each week. So, they are very dedicated! We finished teaching them and they were both baptized this weekend! Now they want us to teach all seven of their children so that the rest of their family can have the same blessings and they can come to church together! Pretty tall order, but I know it can happen!

Saturday: Today we had one of the most powerful lessons of my mission so far! The guys name is David, and he has lived a very hard life. He normally talks about a lot of different things and the lesson gets off topic, but this time it was waaaay different! As we taught him about the Plan of Salvation, we did it by explaining that even Jesus Christ went through this same plan as well, and that it was even more important for Him because He would open the door for us to overcome death and sin to live again in the next life. As we did this, I could see David's countenance change as he began to understand how he can live a better life as he follows the Savior's example and lives it in his life. Truly, Jesus Christ did so much for us. He is the only person that we can follow in lifestyle that will lead to us having a better life that is filled with peace.

Sunday: The really cool thing from today aside from Martin and Vestine's baptisms was our lesson with a new investigator named Emmy. Emmy is one of the coolest and nicest guys that I ever met! He came to Church for the first time before we even had a lesson with him simply because I told him that the Church was in Kagugu on Sunday on the bus a few days prior. As we talked with him, he told us that church was a great experience for him because he was able to actually learn and discuss the gospel in our Sacrament Meeting and Gospel Principles class. He has a lot of potential, and I'm way excited to teach him!! Another funny note from today is that on the bus ride home from that appointment I had a bus driver tell me that I need to marry a Rwandan woman when I'm done being a missionary. It was only made better by the fact that this was done in kinyarwanda and I knew only 75% of what he actually said :)

One scripture that I read this week that really helped me out was 2 Corinthians 9:6-8. When we do things cheerfully, whether we want to or not, it truly makes the difference! I know that having a positive attitude at all times and in all places has truly made the hardest burdens light and easy to bear. 

I am so grateful for your support and your prayers and I want you to know that I love you all sooooo much! Keep doing awesome things! (I know that you all are already) 

Sorry for the lack of photos! Technical difficulties are back at it again!
Just know that we hiked a lot of steep hills with gorgeous views. And when I say steep, I mean Jacob's Ladder steep! [That's STEEP!]  

-Elder O'Hagan

Transfer 4:1 - District Leader and Trainer!

Amakuru everyone!!

I hope that you are all just doing dandy this week!

This past week has been a great experience with my new duties as District Leader and a Trainer! Elder Mdletshe is a stellar missionary and he is full of energy and drive to do the work. It is awesome! I have to do everything I can to just keep up with his energy each day! 

As for this past week, we have had a lot of changes with moving apartments and getting new missionaries in the area. ALSO, Elder Driggs and I are in the same district again! So that has been fun and exciting to work with him again. 

This week I don't have much to say about each day, but I would love to share my testimony with you about how the Lord can help us as we do all that we can to seek His help! I know that when we feel stretched beyond our own abilities and feel that we cannot go one step further, that we can get that enabling strength from Him as we read the scriptures and pray often. When we put the Kingdom of God first and we look for His acceptance before the acceptance of those in the world, we can see the hard things become easy and the easy things become habit in our lives. 

I love you all and I hope that this next week can be one full of blessings for you all!

Here are some photos of the land and of some shirts that sparked memories this past week. Also, Elder Driggs and I were invited to a community event that was the coolest thing ever! So there's a group photo of that too!

Love,

Elder O'Hagan