Elder Lukonga - The Champion

Hey Everybody!

     Another week has come and gone and this one brought tons of very very welcomed changes. My old companion Elder Rakotoarison and Elder Seidl's old companion Elder Yamapia left for their new sectors. I'm now working with Elder Lukonga! He is a real champion. Elder Seidl is working with Elder Darou.

      These past couple of days have been more than enjoyable. Elder Lukonga is pretty much a miniature version of Elder Bulunga. He came into the mission ready to put his shoulder to the wheel. He is the kind of missionary that missionaries dream of training. He knows the scriptures, testifies with the spirit, and willing to listen to advice. The only thing that needs a little bit of work is experience, which will come in just a short amount of time.

      Words cannot describe the amounts of pure joy that I have been experiencing the very short five days that we've already been together. We've been able to find three new progressing investigators, and a family who are prepared to receive the restored gospel. We're being led by and teaching with the spirit and it's awesome!

      Story time!

      Once upon a time there was somebody, we still don't know who, in our building that didn't pay their water bill. Instead of shutting off whoever didn't pay their bill.... the landlord decided to just shut the water off for the whole building Tuesday night. Wednesday morning when Elder Yamapia and Elder Rakotoarison got taken away, Elder Seidl and I did a DEEP cleaning of our apartment and threw away everything that wasn't ours. The apartment was spick and spam spotless.... the only problem was we had no water to take showers. USUALLY we keep huge jugs of water for these very occasions... but our two very lovely companions that were leaving used them to do their laundry before they left.

      Everybody knows that first impressions are very important, right? Well put your imagination caps on and just picture walking into to your new missionary apartment to find two white guys soaked in their own sweat, the water is shut off, and the power is out. Gross, huh?

      Anyway. We prayed super super hard Tuesday night to get receive water from the heavens. God answered our prayers! Literally. When we woke up Wednesday morning to having our water still shut off it didn't take us experienced and still sweaty missionaries long t have anything that even remotely looked like it could work like a bowl lined up outside to catch the pouring rainwater. God has a cruel sense of humor... However, the rain water was enough for us to take very rationed bucket showers, wash our dishes, and cook food for the next couple of days. Thursday night rolled around and without water, power, or rain to replenish our depleting supply. Friday morning we used the rest of the rain water and we conjured up a desperate plan.

      With our heads held low and our pride beyond broken. Elder Gray and Elder Lukonga returned to the apartment just before nightfall, and dragged the empty water jugs all the way to the nearest neighboring parcel. I wish you all could have seen the looks on the faces when two very nicely dressed missionaries walked into their parcel to ask for permission to take water from their well. Priceless. We awkwardly filled our water jugs and then made the what seemed to be twice as far and twice as high trek back to our apartment.

      You guys ready for the punch line?

      The minute we walked through the front door the power AND the water kicked back into full gear. We put the jugs down, looked at each other, and just started laughing. There really wasn't much else that we could do.

      Normally not having water or electricity for nearly four days straight would be a very miserable and horrifying experience, but to be honest, because of how hard we've worked as missionaries and the success that we've been having made the silly matter of water/power obsolete. It really helped Elder Lukong and I come together as a companionship.

      I love you all so so so very very much! And I hope y'all have the best of weeks!

-Elder Gray