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