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

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