April 24th 2012

We had a surprise Zone Activity, and the power went off for a little while and I have to get back to Kawotto (30 minute walk) for an appointment. I hope things are going well for you there at home.

Things are going well. We had a wonderful baptism yesterday in the pouring rain!!! ;) She was a referral from her sister (a recent convert) and we are beginning to finish the entire family. We should have 3 baptisms next week of their children. It is one of the goals that we have as a mission this year to finish as many families as we can. By finish, I mean teach them all and get them baptized and converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I love you all!!! Have a safe week.

Love,

Brandon



French Toast Dinner I made last P-day



Hangin' with a part member family we are "finishing up" this transfer

Last week's baptism.  We had a member here perform the baptism:)

Reading letters from family after a tiring zone activity!

April 16th 2012

Just pictures this week...


Washing the dishes after a dinner appointment. Don't see that too much in the states do you?



I wish I could say this is my cooking, but it's not. Sister Jackson spoils us at Zone Conferences!!!

Zone Conference on Wednesday. There are 7 of my MTC group in the Zone!!!



Hangin' with a great family before the kids go back for the holidays.



Yep, the socks are starting to wear thin. I have plenty more though, should last another 6 months!!!!



Gotta go for exchanges? Make sure you lock up your stuff!!! ;D

April 9th 2012

Hello Family and Friends!!!
I am in my NEW area. Kajjansi!!! It is about 15 miles south of Kampala city and is a great place. My new companion is a great guy and I look forward to a great transfer with him!!!!

One of my very favorite Book of Mormon scriptures is found in Helaman 5:12. It talks about building our foundation, or our lives, around Jesus Christ. As you can see "below" a well balanced life is built with Jesus Christ at the center. He is that "Sure foundation...which cannot fall." Look at "figure 2" (below) for a minute and think to yourself what would happen if you substituted any of the outside areas of life for Jesus Christ. Let us imagine that we focus all our life efforts into our job. The reason we live essentially is so we can work at that job. What would happen to your life if you were suddenly fired or got laid off? Your foundation would be kicked out from under you, and you FALL!!! Can you see the dangers of building our lives around anything BUT Jesus Christ?

We have a wonderful example of the two sides of the story in the Bible. Matthew 7:24-27. We have two men, one decides to build himself a home upon a rock, the other constructs his house on a nice sandy beach. We can all see where this is going, a big rain storm beats down on these two dwellings. We all know what happens, "The house on the rock stood still, while the house on the sand washed away." Looking at "figure 1" (below) I have written up a possible acronym for our lives. Are we built upon a "R.O.C.K." or are we built upon the "S.A.N.D." Remember, we cannot build two places at once, we cannot serve two masters!!! Have a great week as you continue to prepare to meet our Maker. All my love from Uganda to you!!!!

-Elder Winters

Figure 1

Figure 2

Teaching Piano Classes in Kajjansi (6 students!!!)

Unplanned service opportunity, helping to dig post holes for a shed foundation

Easter dinner with recent converts. GOOD FOOD!!! I don't know how I'm going to leave!!!

Recent convert family. SO AWESOME!!! I LOVE THEM!!!!

Son of one of the powerful member families.

April 2nd 2012

Just pictures this week...



"Eggccident" in the microwave... ;D




"Last Supper" in Bugembe. (Matooke, goat meat, cabbage, etc...)




Elders Quorum teacher in Bugembe and Family at "last supper"




In the mission van for transfers, tight squeeze huh...;D




Gospel Principles teacher in the Branch




Takin' in the view off our balcony!!! (Lake Victoria in the background)




Me 'N my new companion. Sorry ladies, he's taken!!! haha




YEP!!!! That IS what you think it is. We have a small airfield in Kajjansi and we visited Monday morning. They have a charter Cessna Caravan 208 that was preparing to go on a trip and I got to hop inside for just a minute!!!! BEST P-DAY EVER!!!



March 26th 2012

Hello my dear friends and family!!!

This week I want to share something with you about the Sabbath day. The most famous scriptural words on this hallowed day is found in Exodus 20:8. "Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy." This as you have probably realized is one of the Ten Commandments given to the Prophet Moses on Mount Sinai. The question of the day is: "Why is this so important and how can we truly 'Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.'" Today we will look at some scriptures from Old Testament texts as well as the New Testament and even to the words of our living prophets. Let's start with the "How's" and we'll wrap things up with the "Why's."

The first "How" of keeping the Sabbath day holy is found in Exodus 20:9-10. "Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day...thou shalt not do any work." PERIOD!!! This is about as clear as God gets as He speaks to us. In modern day English for you and me God is saying: "Don't do any work on Sunday." Sadly, this is one concept that mankind just hasn't been able to get ever since the Savior came. The law of Moses contained certain "clauses" which you might say "discouraged" many people from breaking the Sabbath day. Exodus 31:15 is one of those. "Whosoever doeth any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death." WOW!!! Very straight forward isn't it...? I can just envision the local comic saying at the execution: "Well, he won't be breaking that commandment again now will he...?" :D Since the coming of the Savior, and the fulfilling of the law of Moses, God's children have begun to desecrate, without any regrets, the day which originally was such a sacred thing. I know of a phrase that was probably used in General Conference or something, I can't quite remember, but it goes something like this. "Our Grandfathers called it the Holy Sabbath, our Fathers called it Sunday, and we merely call it 'the weekend.'" This is a serious problem in today's world, and we need to look at our own lives and ask ourselves how we are keeping this Holy Day. Some people may say, "But I have to work on Sunday or I will lose my job..." To this I would give the words of our living prophets. "There may be times when we are required to work on the Sabbath, [we will discuss those special times in a moment] we should avoid this whenever possible, but when it is absolutely necessary, we should still maintain the Spirit of Sabbath worship in our hearts as much as possible." (Gospel Principles, 142) We have it very clear from our prophets and apostles that we should avoid working on the Sabbath day whenever possible. Now, there are some occupational positions which must perform their duties on the Sabbath. Doctors, Firemen and Policemen are some such examples. I would like

My friends, I am here to tell you today that we as a society do not NEED a Big Mac or McFlurry on a hot Sunday afternoon. We don't NEED to go rent a movie or deposit a check. The very reason so many of us are "required" to work on Sunday is because the rest of us are demanding those services on this holy day. There is a story in Nehemiah (Old Testament) of a group of people who covenanted to keep the Law of Moses (including Sabbath day observance). Nehemiah 10:3 tells us what they said: "If the people of the land [world] bring wares or any victuals on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the Sabbath." These people committed to keep the Sabbath day holy and to the best of my understanding they did so. I want each and every one of us to commit ourselves this day that we will observe the Sabbath day and not go shopping on that holy day, just as this wonderful people committed. Doing this will serve two purposes. 1. We ourselves will be keeping the Sabbath Day holy by not spending money or dwelling on worldly things. 2. We will be making it easier for others to keep the Sabbath by not forcing them to work to support our "needs." If we as members of God's church can start a revolution of Sabbath Day observance we can change the whole economical system around us. "Our prophets have told us that we should not shop, hunt, fish, attend sports events, or participate in similar activities on that day." (Gospel Principles, 141) Can you even imagine what the world would be like if 15 million Saints would actually keep the Sabbath day holy this week? I don't know what would happen, but I'm sure that the results would be miraculous. In Matthew 5:16 we have the commandment from Christ: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." Please, I beg of you to commit yourselves today. Keep the Sabbath day holy, if you aren't now, START. If you have been, CONTINUE!!! If we will do this very simple thing, we "...will be [kept] more fully unspotted from the world."

I know that God gives us commandments to bless our lives. Please keep His commandments and you will see wonderful blessings come into your lives.

Love,
Elder Winters

P.S. I am being transferred again. I will be leaving Jinja and heading back to Kampala to an area called Kajjansi (KUH-JONN-SEE). I also have a new companion.

We didn't receive any labels this week...