Makadii Week 33!

Hello everyone! Ndeipi? (What's up?)

Things are mushe-mushe here in Zimbabwe, and I have enjoyed my first week as a trainer. My trainee is Elder Peter Makalio, a native of West Valley, Utah. He is one of 8 boys in his family, and has been a member his whole life. He is a super sweet, funny, and humble guy, and I am excited to be his "father." He plays some rugby and football, and his ancestors come from Tonga and New Zealand.

It has been the craziest week for me. Elder Makalio, who is now known as Mhofu yeMukono (Buffalo), came in with about 20 others, almost all of which were from America. Some were from Austria, New Zealand, and Australia as well. The Elder from Austria, Elder Till, is being trained in Marimba/Mufakose, where I was trained. I felt so weird being around them, I haven't seen that many Americans is a long time! It made me feel pretty old as a missionary, haha :) Makalio attended the Provo MTC with some others, while some came from the Joburg MTC. It was the biggest incoming group since I have been here. They all loved hearing my stories and advice, and I hope that my experience and testimony can help all of the new elders and sisters. Things are changing like crazy, but it is awesome. It will be a nice change of pace to have some Americans around. Some of them even said that I don't act like an American anymore, and that I have a bunch of African in me now! :) I don't even remember what home was like at the moment, so it was weird to see all of them arrive. Things will be new, but good. The future of ZHM is very bright! :)

Things in Chegutu are going so so well, and the training has gone well so far. It sure does help that he is a humble and teachable guy! We have two marriages happening this week or next, for the Mapuranga family and the Chataya family, with baptisms to follow. The work is still moving along nicely. It is a wonderful thing to be a part of! As part of training, we are working on finding new people, and we are finding success there as well. It is pretty funny that I am now the one teaching my companion how to taura (speak) Shona. It makes me sekerera (laugh). :) 

The whole of my zone is training, save for the ZL's. There is a lot of that going on in other zones of the mission. I ran into Milikafu and Sekerere while I was in Harare. It was so good to see my old companions again! Man, time really is flying.

Seeing all of these new missionaries coming has really made me reflect on how far I have come since I arrived. All of the frustrations, lessons learned, and success that I have had have made me change so much. I can't believe all that my mission has taught me, and it has only been 8 months! It truly is incredible. I am still growing with every step, and now I get to help others on their own missionary journey. As I look back at how much I have grown as both a missionary and a person since I came, I am in complete awe of what my Savior has done for me.

I love you all so so much! I hope all continues to go well wherever you may be!

Here is some Shona for the week. If anyone is giving you a hard time just say, "Ndinoda kukurova." It means, I want to beat you up! Haha :)

Ka one! (It's ok!) :)