Can't Fight This Feeling Anymore.‏

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am sorry I won't be there, but just know that I will be singing every mission-appropriate Patriotic Song possible through the streets of Chilimoni and apple pie will be made in your honor. Next year America- be prepared to party.

Over this past week I have realized that unknowingly, I have come to be obsessed with Malawi and it's people. I had no idea my heart was this big. I thought it was at capacity in Botswana, then it jus overflowed in South Africa, and I just don't even know what it is at now in Malawi. As I was traveling from South up to Malawi I honestly didn't think I could come to love it as much as I had loved the past year of my life, but through much prayer the Lord has truly blessed me and answered my prayers that I could be able to develop that love. I think that long plane ride home will be even longer. Eish. I am dreading breaking up with Africa.

After just three weeks of being in our area, Sister Griffus and I were blessed with a baptism yesterday! My first baptism in Malawi! Man- The First Branch is so functional. We didn't have to do anything. They took care of everything. Paul Moses Bello is now the newest member of the Church here in Blantyre. The Elders before us found and taught him, and we just reaped the benefits. We had absolutely nothing to do with Paul's conversion to be honest, all we did was just hike up the giant hill of death to his house with pamphlets and give them to him. Whatever we gave him he just enhaled. It rocked. He was just so happy! And he gave a super powerful testimony.

This week I found out that our District President's wife, Sister Chinyumba, was the first missionary from Malawi. Where did she serve? Johannesburg! Where was she trained- GWEST! As we were visiting them she brought out her picture book and we talked all the Bots talk, I even got to use my now rusty Tswana. Man. I love that place. It was fun to see who was there when she was there 10 years ago, and to see the progress it is now!

Some other highlights included teached the 10 Commandments in Hand Actions to three 19 year old boys and watching them try so hard to remember all of them, teaching a member's daughter Book of Mormon Stories while she had on both our nametags, the District Releif Society President walking us around everywhere helping us to build relationships with our Relief Society, getting fed at a rocking DA with a member from SA (yes- I am so SA trunky now it's not even funny), watching a child do cartwheels instead of walking down the entire street we were contacting (it's a long street, with hills. We just didn't understand), and eating at our favorite chip stand- Hunger Kills. Let me tell you- it totally lives up to its name. Rat Sightings: 4. Giant Cockroaches: 2. Dirty handwashing water turned into soaking water: alot. Good thing I'm sticking with my "Coke a day keeps the parasites away" motto.

Man. I love this work. Being a missionary is so unreal. You learn so much in so many different ways. You are stretched like you'd never believe. People's salvations are totally dependent on you being worthy and on the look-out. What a privilege I have been blessed with to be a part of all of this- in Africa! Thanks for all the prayers- you can feel them more than you'd think!

Sister Clifford

Rock On (June 23)

I left my planner at home, which is a shame, because now I can't remember the highlights of the week that I was prepared to share with you! I was racing the security alarm out the door, so it must have fallen out. It's amazing how well day to day life blends in as a missionary, and how recalling them are so hard. I realised that my past emails have once again become only somewhat spiritual, exciting, or uplifting. It's not because I'm not loving my Malawian Missionary life or terribly depressed, but I think it's just that everything is so normal to me that it doesn't seem significant enough to share it, because to me these spiritual tender mercies and experiences have just become as normal to me as eating three meals a day. I will repent, and strive to do better to recognize specific moments and experiences and share them with my dedicated supporters. 

Unfortunately, almost all of our appointments fell through this week. It was alot of creativity of plan B's and C's. However I do have some highlights:

-We have one Recent Convert in our area. His name is Vumbulutso, or Revelations. He was 'babatised' in November and is an incredible natural missionary. He hangs out with us alot, but after a few days we noticed that he only contacts males, and says nothing when we contact females. We asked him why. Ready for his response? "I don't really chat with girls." My companion: "WHAT? Why not?!" Rev: "They scare me." Me: "SERIOUSLY?! Why?" Rev: "They remind me of my grandma. And my grandma scares me." And so began Sister Griffus and my longest attack of laughter of the week. We have now taken it as our companionship goal to get him over this fear. This week we planned to pull out the FSOY on him- dating 101 here we come! 

-On Saturday we got stuck walking to the Chapel for cordination. Why? The President got married. Closest thing to a Royal Wedding. I was dying. 

That's pretty much all I have time for! But Malawi is rocking, and as a wise missionary once told me "You either die lazy, or crazy." And as for me and my house, I have chosen the later. 

Sister Clifford

Chilin' in Chilimoni‏ (June 16)

This week has brought me to realise a few things why I love my family so much. Over the past 15 months they have very dedicatedly sent me updates of obscure things that keep me happy: monthly pictures of Prince George and his growth rate, Haley and Brad Devine's life and baby ...

A year ago today I had my first baptism! I think back on that day and remember feeling totally stressed, exhilarated, and total joy. Now here I am one year and ten baptisms later and I still feel the same. Being a missionary really does take you into emotions you don't even know you had. The Lord really does stretch you, and I am so grateful for that!

First week in the First branch! IT ROCKS! They actually speak English. It was the first time in my entire mission that I have taken the sacrament in a real chapel. I was sitting on a pew. WHAT?! I love them so much! The members are incredible, and are so dedicated to the gospel. They are PUMPED to have Sister Missionaries for the first time!

Mafikeng culture shock was pretty bad, and the difference wasn't really even that bad. But this week was even worse. I went from a mountain village with no electricity and cooking on the stove to an area where every house has cars. Seriously - I am in love with my new area. I feel like it has such great potential. It looks like Italy or Spain- rolling hills, mountains, cute pastel houses, it's great. I always wanted to serve in Europe! But we also have a compound area as well. The Zone leaders showed us around on Thursday, but it was completely foggy, so we couldn't see anything. It's been an adventure. The only bad thing is that there aren't any good food places. I may or may not have eaten in a shack with rats one day.

My new companion is Sister Griffus, from Minnesota. She's been out six months and has been in Lusaka the whole time. Yes. Her accent is still totally strong. I may or may not be speaking in some Malawian-southern-twisted accent by the time I get home. The best part? She is dying on all the hills. It's hilarious. It makes me feel better about myself that I have been whipped into shape in the 2 1/2 months that I've been in Blantyre!

The church is true, I love this work, and I can't wait to see what is in store for me in Chilimoni/Fargo! Even if I was freezing all week long in 60 degree weather. Africa. What has it done to me?!

Sister Clifford

Fourteen Months Down!

Well. This week has been one of hot and cold.  Both in the weather and in the work.  We went from extreme heat to winter literally overnight.  The worst thing about that is that I have lost my main conversation starter. Now I have to think of something new to contact people with in the mini-bus. Shame. 

But I decided that this week I will tell my week via pictures...

 

A great guy we met. He was really excited about the new President.

They went around the Circle three times. Yay for elections!

What Sister Komiha and I eat for lunch almost everyday. Half rice-half Nsima, masamba, and chicken with soup. 400 Kwatcha. It was the best day when we found that restaurant. 

The difference of change recieved on the mini-bus verses in Shoprite.

SISTER MBELE'S 21ST BIRTHDAY. 

We woke her up with polka-dotted pancakes in the shape of 21, then proceeded to party all day.

Yes. She didn't notice all day. Her companion said it was hilarious.

The door we decorated for her. 

We even got to ride in the same mini-bus to our areas, and got the whole bus to sing with us.

Cody Simpson cups in a members house. WHAT?!

Africa's #1 Car Insurance.

We love when men stick their behinds in between us on the mini-bus.

Our Birthday feast.

Ending the Birthday Celebrations with a SA scarf (miracle that we found it!) and watching a movie on our flat screen. Yes. We have a flat screen in our flat.

On Thursday while hiking Soche we contacted this crazy man. I started talking to him because he had blue hair, so obviously he was someone cool. As we continued talking, we found out that he was indeed crazy and has very 'spiritual' dreams- that he proceeded to explain to us for the next 28 minutes of our lives. As he dramatically re-counted to us every detail of his dreams, all these children began to gather around us. By the time we were done, there was over 30. We started walking away, and they followed. We would laugh, they would laugh. It was like the ultimate game of Simon Says. It was hilarious! Don't worry- I videoed it. We didn't know how to get rid of them- so we ended up teaching them 'I am a Child of God.' And after a bit, we heard them sing it all the way up the mountain as they finally headed home. I love Africa.

We were blessed with many service opportunities !  Dishes, laundry, gardening, and my favorite...

PAINTING!!! 

We walked into a LA's home (when I mean home -  it's a two-room brick and mud shack) and they were painting the walls. So without asking I grabbed the brush and started painting. It's been my dream to help someone paint their house my whole mission- and no one has ever let me.

Uno night with the sisters!

On Saturday and Sunday we had District Conference (Malawi and Zambia have no Stakes)! It was AWESOME! We had President and Sister Erickson up from Lusaka, and gave a great training session to the auxiliary leaders. We have one family that we have been teaching, and we have been trying so hard to get them to church, and they have been promising us that they would come this Sunday. The Conference was held in the Blantyre Chapel- which is a huge sacrifice to get to from our area. After much prayer and fasting (really though)- THEY CAME! They came late, but they loved it! And in the end it was a blessing that they came late, because everyone saw them and recognized they were new. So the entire District greeted them. It was awesome! Really though- it's such a miracle they were able to make it! We are so blessed to have them in our teaching pool! 

While President was there he decided to tell us transfers in person- which is always nice. And here are the results: Sister Komiha will be training in Zingwangwa! Just wait- the new sister is Sister Rasband. As in the Presidency of the 70's granddaughter. HA! She is dying. But because of that I will be moved to open a new area for Sisters with Sister Griffus from Lusaka. We will be the first set of Sister's in Blantyre 1st! I am pretty pumped- except that I have to pack again- for the last time. This is the first transfer I've had that hasn't involved countries and visas. 

Here are some of the goodbyes:

Love you all!

Sister Clifford

​

I Survived!

Malawi. It's a special place. I watch monkeys from my bedroom window every morning. Members pick fresh vegetables out of their hill-side gardens that they live off of and give them to us. Hyena's roam wild just over the hill. Avocados are as big as my head. And most importantly- they finally decided who the heck the President should be. I SURVIVED ELECTIONS 2014. I didn't think it would happen- but I did. And now today we are celebrating with the rest of the city for the inauguration- I have some sweet pictures of flat-bed semi's packed full of hundreds people wearing nothing but blue, and some crazy costumes. But, I lack a card reader still. So those will just have to wait.

Another great thing about Malawi is that I am usually the only white person I see all day. In chichewa, 'white person' is 'azungu'. As I walk around my area I usually have swarms of children running about me shouting "AZUNGU!" I swear it's the first word they teach their children, because I've even had babies say it at me. They usually follow with their one phrase of english- "Azungu! I'm fine and how are  you?" So of course I respond with "I am good and how are you?" And they say back "I am fine and how are you?" And it continues on to an endless cycle of 'how are you's. This week I decided to teach a particular group of children a new phrase. So now when I walk past, instead of having azungu screamed at me, I get "SWEET DUDE!" yelled at me. It cracks me up every time.

This week we had a Zone Meeting. As part of this Zone Meeting we were instructed by Elder Merrill (yes- he is making my emails three weeks in a row. I'm just too obsessed with him and Sister Merrill. 80  years old and on their 7th mission.. in Africa.) about health here in Africa. He definitely called all of us to repentence. Here are just a few things I found out: mosquitos are attracted to smelly socks and feet- if you don't want malaria, wash your socks; ants are scared of chalk; bacteria doubles every 45 minutes in Malawi; and if you want to be hip like the Merrills- bleach everything, all the time. They also encouraged us to get ourselves on a planned diet. I decided to take them up on it- I figured it couldn't hurt to try. WRONG. I don't think I've ever been more irritable in my entire life! It wasn't even that big of a difference, but my flat mates are demanding I go off of it. Who knew?!

For the past while we have been teaching a young family we tracted into. They live in the area where the people have toilets- so that's a big deal. The wife is from Tanzania and was Muslim, but changed to Christianity with marriage. We LOVE them! It's been a process teaching them, but they are so willing to learn and are very diligent in keeping their commitments. The father is applying the teachings into his life, and is able to recognize the changes in his life. And he is loving the BOM! We have been asking around for a Swahili Book of Mormon for the wife, but EVERYWHERE is out. We've had the President's wife looking from the temple to all the distribution centers, and there was nothing. When we heard this, my companion and I decided to pray. Later that night we recieved news that the office couple by some miracle found two Swahili Triple Combinations in the back of the Lusaka Distribution Center! We told this to the family, but told them that the only thing was that they had to come pick it up personally from Sister Erickson at District Conference this Sunday. They haven't been able to come to church because they are staying with his younger brother, who is a pastor, so they feel obligated to go to his church because they are living off of him. However- they realized that 'it's everyman for it's own' and that they will be coming on Sunday! We have so many investigators with so much potential, but we are facing a huge challenge of getting them to church. Amazingly, most of them have committed to come to the conference on Sunday- with much prayer we have faith they will all come!

Sister Gehring emailed me this week that someone we tracted into while I was in Lusaka has the whole ward wrapped around his finger. He is a security guard to a government house, and an 'undercover christian' (not the first one Sister Gehring and I have ran into). They've been teaching him and has totally been converted. Although I only met him for a few minutes- it feels so cool to be a part of someones conversion process. He even bore his testimony- and I guess it was powerful. That's what I love about this work- it is always surprising you! From what we thought was a semi-productive morning and an un-interested contact came a changed heart. The Lord- isn't he great?!

Everyone stay classy-

Sister Clifford