The Spirit of Elijah

 


When the missionaries met Brian he was “golden” from the start!! He eagerly read every pamphlet but when they gave him a Book of Mormon that was when his learning truly began!! Including English! He has not missed coming to church for the past three months. He is eager to learn! The native languages are Nyanja and Bemba, even though English is consider the primary language in Zambia. When an individual seriously begins reading the Book of Mormon the mastery of English jumps exponentially! I have heard this from so many missionaries and Brian is no exception!

One of the pamphlets the missionaries, Elder Taylor and Elder Fronk, gave Brian was “My Family.” Within one week Brian had completely filled it out including stories! This is quite incredible because records are not kept well in Africa, as a whole. So most family history has to be passed from one generation to another by word of mouth.

This week the missionaries invited Elder Phelps and I to attend a discussion with them and Brian, for the purpose of setting up a FamilySearch account and begin filling in Brian’s pedigree chart. During this lesson they also reviewed the questions Brian would be asked prior to his baptism, set to take place Saturday, 8 August 2022.

He is such a humble man with a strong testimony of Our Savior and of the Restoration!
After Brian is baptized, the missionaries will focus on his wife Anna. Her English is not quite good enough to understand a lot but they will use Brian and other ward members to help with translating and continue teaching her.
As we were leaving their very humble home, Brian said in reference to family history, “I love it!!” 😀

                                                

After church the next day Elder Taylor sat down with Brian and continued filling in his pedigree chart. I was there only to assist. Anna is supportive and tries hard to understand...it will come.

                                                

This was the sum total of the furniture in their home. The room was only 10' to 12' square. The table is a piece of Styrofoam. Three of us sat on small wooden stools (maybe 8" tall) and the Elders sat on a woven grass mat on the floor. It was very clean. 

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