July 31th 2012

  

Hello Everyone!!!

Sorry for the "scare" I put into everyone emailing a WHOLE day late!!!! haha ;P As many of you may know, we are going through our transfer time so I was unable to write. My time in Kajjansi has come to an end.  I guess you are all wondering where in the great country of Uganda Elder Winters is going... I have been sent back to the Eastern parts of Uganda and will be serving in Mbale (EMM-BALL-AY). I'm really looking forward to the opportunity to work harder and serve more people. Every transfer, every area, every companion brings new learning experiences and this transfer is no different. My new companion was actually my second Zone Leader on mission. It his his last transfer so in missionary lingo I'm "Killing" him!!!!  I want him to remember our transfer together and be grateful for working hard to the end. He is from Kenya, Nairobi.

I want to share my testimony with you of something today. I haven't done that very recently and I apologize...;P As I have been reading the Book of Mormon and studying with other missionaries we have found a scripture which contains some great truth. As Jesus Christ was teaching his disciples among the Nephites He taught them His gospel. Prior to his leaving, he called and ordained men to go forth and preach the gospel. In 3 Nephi 28:23 we read of the results of their efforts. "And it came to pass that thus they did go forth among all the people of Nephi, and did preach the gospel of Christ unto all people upon the face of the land; and they were converted unto the Lord, and were united unto the church of Christ, and thus the people of that generation were blessed, according to the word of Jesus." The important thing I want us to pick from this verse is the fact that the people were converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Many people around the world think that simply joining a church that teaches from the Bible or worships God or whatever is good enough...but we learn here that that is not true. We must be converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is: Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End. Faith and Repentance can come on their own in our individual lives, but Baptism and Receiving the Holy Ghost MUST be done by someone holding the authority of God and that is where the Church of Jesus Christ comes in. God has given his power and his authority to one church, his church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. If we want to truly and fully follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ then we too, like the disciples of old MUST unite ourselves with the Church of Christ. I testify to you that there is no other way that we can be saved in the kingdom of heaven. Straight forward truth!!!!

I love you guys!!! Continue to enjoy the Summer as I know you are!!!

Love,
Elder Winters

July 23rd 2012

Several pictures this week...



"We go, we go!!! Uganda Cranes we Go!!!" (Cranes Football fans, ready for a game!!!!) jk




YEP!!! We've got a Wal-Mart in Uganda!!! haha




"I think she's interested...Let's set an appointment!!!"




Quick stop for dinner. That is a literal pile of banana peels on the newspaper. LOVE EM'!!!!!




We caught this HUGE BUG in our apartment. Of course, Elder Winters the Crocodile Hunter had to let it walk up his arm!!! :P




Kajjansi Chapel in the upstairs loft of our building



July 16th 2012

Hello my favorite family and friends in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD!!!

I must admit that I am really missing all of you right now. Not so much that I can't work but I think about all of you. Thanks for all the wonderful people who take the time to email me and write me almost each week. I really love getting the news from home and hearing about all the wonderful ways God is blessing you in your lives.

This week we had our most recent baptism interviewed for the Aaronic Priesthood. I think I may have said this before, but the best part of staying in an area for a while is seeing Recent Converts continue to progress in the church. It is also great to see their testimonies grow and see how their lives change as God blesses them for their faith.

Today for a Zone Activity we went to the Kajjansi Snake Park which is located in my area here. We saw some pretty cool stuff and the tour guide used a stick to provoke the cobras and pythons to do some stuff you don't see at Hogle Zoo. (If you want to know, you'll have to ask me to show you when I get home...;P)

Life has many challenges, but our adversity can and will make us stronger. No matter what may be going on in your lives right now, please remember that God is watching over you!!!

Best wishes from the Uganda Kampala Mission!!!

Love,
Elder Winters


Biggest Fast Offering I have ever given 20,000!!! (Haha, the tithing slips here have the USD sign so it makes things pretty funny!!! :P




Diggin' Time with an Investigator




Uganda Kampala Mission Tan Line (on the neck due to wearing collared shirts all day LONG!!!)




Elder Winters having a staring contest with a chameleon.




Desert Tortoise snowman (what Ugandans do without snow...;P)




King Cobra set for the kill


 

July 9th 2012

Hey guys!!! It has been the most physically exhausting week of my mission, but also one of the most rewarding!!!  This past Sunday (1st July) we had a POWERFUL baptism!!!! I have had some great investigators but this one has been by far my favorite brother to teach.


On Friday morning at 6:30 we arrived at the Second Counselor's (Branch Presidency) garden for digging. He was cultivating the soil to prepare for sweet potatoes. I had done cultivating and mounding before but it was my companions first chance. What is more, the next morning we went to one of our investigator's gardens and dug for 2 hours there. The work (both spiritual and temporal) is EXHAUSTING but definitely worth it!!!


We are going to Nsambya to get Njera (Ethiopian food) today, so I don't have a lot of time to share much. Just know that I'm still alive...;D and still kickin'!!!


One fun thing I would like to mention though...We just recently had a Sister missionary return to our branch (Kajjansi) from the Ghana Accrah mission. Amazingly, she knows several elders from Stansbury Park. Just shows you how small the world really is!!!


All my love from Uganda!!! The land of eternal heat!!!


-Elder Winters

July 2nd 2012

HELLO EVERYONE!!!!

So I was looking over the last blog post I wrote and I totally failed to mention who my new companion is. Well, you have a picture, but I guess a name to go with it would be useful. My companion for my 3rd transfer here in Kajjansi is from Salt Lake City, UT. He is an awesome guy with lots of interests that have been a lot of fun to talk about. One cool thing is that his twin brother is serving his mission in the Cape Town, South Africa Mission. They went to the Johannesburg MTC together and had a great time!!! Now they are both in COMPLETELY different places but I'm sure that each is lovin' it!!!

This week has been a hard working week as usual. One thing I am grateful for is being able to see the results of some of our labors. Yesterday (Sunday) We had a powerful baptism. This brother was a referral from one of our other investigators and progressed like a gem!!! I am so proud of him and the choices he has made in his life. It may interest you that the one thing which really caught his attention at first was The Family, a Proclamation to the World. We gave him a copy on our first visit because he seemed to very much care about his family. He has a great understanding of how the Gospel can and WILL bless him and his wife and small daughter. Another thing that he has really loved is the Book of Mormon. I have gained a very strong testimony of this special book and its power in conversion. We have had great success in using the Book of Mormon Story Reader with people we teach.  We have some investigators and recent converts who LOVE this book. :D It helps them to understand the stories as well as the teachings. We are using all of the wonderful materials produced by the church and people's lives are being changed!!!!

I hope that everyone has a WONDERFUL 4th of July and that everyone will stay safe with the fireworks. I hear that Utah at least will have pretty strict firework laws this year which is probably smart. No telling what some hooligan may do with those arial fireworks.

Thank you for all the support and prayers. I have and will continue to love my mission. All you young men between 12 and 18, NOW is the time for you to make the important decision to serve a mission. NOW is the time to prepare yourself mentally, spiritually and emotionally. I promise you that you WILL NOT regret the sacrifice to serve the Lord. I have seen so many blessings and miraculous life changes in the short time I have been out. I will ever remember the things that God has blessed me to learn through the many challenges and hard times. Adversity is there to make us strong and as my mission president says: "If mission was easy, [my] younger sister would be out here instead of me." haha I really do respect and admire President Jackson, I have learned so much from him. OKAY!!! Enough of my totally random thoughts paragraph...have a great week and I'll talk to you soon!!!!

Love,
Elder Winters