Thanks for all the letters I received from you all this week. It is great to hear from all of you, and yes, for one reason or another this cyber computer was able to play Zach's song!! You did a great job bud!! You already play better than me!! Keep up the good work and keep scoring goals!! Wow, lots is happening back home with you all. Choir, dates, Soccer, skipping rocks, piano, sounds great!!! I am so glad that you are all doing well and of good health. Those families that we met are very hard to see. The work schedule here in Angola is very difficult for one who has and decides to support a familia. Usually both parents work all hours of the day and don't return until 19 or 20 hours. Its crazy! And sometimes frustrating, but we are trying to make it work.
This week we worked. We had lots of success. Just like dad said there is no greater feeling that getting home knowing that you put in a solid days work. But then there are the days that you come home and just want to fall asleep in your chair because you are so tired. Elder Whitaker and I talked about how physically, emotionally, and mentally demanding it is to keep the same level of animation for every single person you see or talk to. I have a firm and unwavering testimony of the aid that The Lord gives to his missionaries. We don't do anything, it is ALL The Lord. It would be impossible without His divine help.
In my studies this whole week I have been reading anything I can get my hands on that has to do with families. We have been focusing a lot more on finding prepared families. I have the Scriptures, Gospel Principles, and the priesthood manuals that are just loaded with information about the family. I have learned so much, and I haven't even studied a fraction of the material. And the Lord has started to bless us with families. On Friday I Elder Banta came to our area and we had a division. During that division most of our lessons fell through. We had a 2 and half hour gap of time to fill because of fallen through commitments. So I picked a spot where I thought we could find families that had already been prepared by the Lord (I had actually been thinking of that place for several days). So off we went to a certain neighborhood. But we were about 25-30 min walking distance from that particular neighborhood. So we decided to talk to people on the way. We set off. Not 5 min later, I was compelled to a door that we were just passing by. I immediately stopped, we knocked and found Bruno and Sandra. A couple that were planning on getting married the end of this year and that had not been to church in several months. (Bruno came to church on Sunday). We continued, stopped by the house of a recent convert to say hi and kept on going. Then as we were walking I glanced down a street perpendicular to us and immediately just turned and started walking down. We met Izabete who had recently married to her husband who speaks fluent English. Her Cousin has a friend who is serving a mission. We marked to pass by this week. She was really excited. Long story short, we didn't really even make it to the neighborhood where I wanted to do contacting. But in turn we met 5 families, 3 of whom are already married legally, and a widow that has several children who stopped us and asked us if we could go by. We ended up pretty far from where I wanted to go. That day was guided by the Lord.
On Saturday we had 2 baptismal services for two different Branches. I was privileged to baptize two former investigators. So at 10 I baptized Regina, whom we started to teach then moved out of our area and the other elders finished teaching. And then an 14 I baptized Marisa, who is the little sister of Marcia, one of our recent converts. It was a great blessing for me, but more so for them. we taught a lesson in between the two baptismal services. So that was fun, changing back into wet clothes... oh well.
Today we received transfers. I will be serving with Elder Nash in Benfica. And Elder Banta will be taking my spot as ZL with Elder Whitaker. I really love the are I'm in right now and it is going to be very hard to leave. Leaving behind lot of recent converts that I love so much. But I trust in the Lord, He knows what Hes doing. I am also excited to try out a new area. It will be lots of fun! And so as always this week was full of miracles. I wish I had time to tell them all to you, but that would take too long.
I love you all and wish you the best of weeks!! Stay safe and follow the Spirit.
Elder Dredge
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