Things are heating up!

Hoops with Elders n Prez (pic by Sister Collings)
Elder Beck in whited

Hello! THis week was awesome. I have a lot of funny memories that i hope not to forget and the work is progressing and the branch is strong.

On Tuesday we had exchanges with the ZL's. We were with Elder Nsenguymva for the day. He is from Rwanda and powerful as dump! (what is this expression?) We had a fun day. It was a bit hot, but it was still good. WE also taught a guy with more than 10 wives! What! Maybe he will bring them all to church with him. hahaha. 

On Wednesday we had a good day as well. we taught some good lessons and got to spend the day with Brian. He is an awesome guy.

On Thursday we had a good day... we got fed. We found a new family and had a member that is in school show us this new salty snack he found. We found out that it was play dough. hahaha. He thought it was food....... 

On Friday we had a great day planned, but it seemed like almost everything fell through, except for a great lesson with a progressing investigator and setting a baptism date for him. I asked a member why people lie to us and why things just have to go south. He told me to go pray about it. hahaha. I thought that was really good advice. If we are troubled. If we have a question. we can always just pray about it. Prayer works anytime and anyplace. SO go and pray about it!

On Saturday we had a good day. Benard, the one that was bapized last Sunday, is improving so much on his learning and even his English. It is amazing to think about the first time I met him and too look at him and his wife now. Tender Mercy/.....  Also had a really great lesson with a new investigator. I mean this lady was the smartest person I have met. She is one of those people that is prepared, so we are hoping the best for her and her family. Also got to carry some geri cans. Super sweaty,, but super fun. haha. Also had a drunk guy named Noah dance for us. hahaha. He is awesome. 

ON Sunday we had a great sabbath. Church was great!   Benard and Hanifa were both confirmed. Had 80 at sacrament meeting. Really super nice. and the other guys had a baptism as well. Really good day and week. Today for P-day we killed some chickens, played some football, and ate some chicken. It was a lot of fun. Things that you can only do in Uganda! haha.

SOmething I really liked and learned came form d&C 101:4-5. It talks about be chastened about being tried and that is what makes us sanctified and purified if we endure. I then thought of the refiners fire and how it has to be really hot to make something the right shape and to purify metal. Sometimes things are going to get "hot" in our lives, but if we endure it well that is how we become sanctified and purified. It is not there to punish us, but to help us become who we need to be for the Lord. Thanks have a great week. Love you.

Love Elder Beck

(I love that he is always having a "good" or "great" day!  Love this Elder!  and killing chickens??  He's gaining skills!)



MOM QUESTIONS.....

1.  Why do you suppose the BOM is so important to read? 

The book of mormon is so important to read because it teaches us so much more about the plan of salvation and atonement. My favorite lesson is the plan of salvation and the book of mormon is really good at helping me teach it. There are many other reasons, but plan of salvation and atonement.

2.  How goes the training? Is it easier or harder than you thought it would be?

Training is good. It is harder than I though for sure. But I am still loving it more than I thought too.

3.  How's the weather right now?  Still hot and rainy season coming?

The weather has been hot the past 3 weeks. It was suppose to rain this past week, but it didn't. so who knows. The weather is unpredictable here in Uganda.

4. So happy about the marriage and baptism of Henifa and Benard...they looked so happy and YOU looked so happy....makes MOM happy happy happy ( and Phil Robertson!)

Yes very happy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWp1VOFQxKg

5.  Is there anything you need? shirts, shoes, undies, letters, etc?  Did you get the last package we sent?

I got the last package and I don't think I need anything else for now. I will let you know when I need something.

6.  I saw Elder Bednar came to visit Rwanda...that is awesome!  I'll bet your people there loved it!!

ya he visited and I really wanted to go back to Rwanda for that. 

7.  What are you doing to be the best missionary that you can be?  Do you think there are a few key things that makes for a great missionary experience?

I am really trying to make my personal study the best I can. I think the morning schedule is so important. 

burning sugar cane field

they are serious about soccer in Uganda.
Elder Beck when to find the field but got lost and ended up at Pizza Hut!!
(picture by Sister Collings)

Baptisms! Basketball w the prez! Pizza!

Elder goodrich, Elder Beck Hanifa Bernard, ?, ?

Newlyweds......ready for baptism

Hello! This week was great. WE had another great week of work and interviews with the president and finished it off with Benard and Hanifa's baptism. It was a great week. Can't ask for a better one.

This week we worked hard and me and Elder Goodrich continue to improve together as a companionship. He is learning quickly and the food isn't getting to him as much as I thought it would....... hahahaha. It is also hard because here in Uganda a lot of people they lie to us. they say yes yes we would love to meet you and come to church, but then they disappear. Number busy our phone and say don't come. not easy, but hey if they weren't here it wouldn't be called missionary WORK. haha. WE also had some great interviews with president. President Collings is a great man and so intune with the spirit. Some really good things I learned from him. For example, if we are being obedient and doing what we are suppose to do and we get a feeling or a prompting we need to do it. Act on those promptings from the spirit. Don't hesitate just do it! Also had some really good lessons with Elder Goodrich. We were teaching a lesson and I felt like we needed to talk about and teach about the sacrament. So i started teaching about that and after the lesson. Elder Goodrich said he had the same prompting. It was a strong testament to me of the spirit and that we need to always follow it. Crazy how we can teach and agree on something that we never said anything to each other about or had to do with the lesson we planned.

Also on Sunday we finished with the baptism of Benard and Hanifa. It feels like they are already members. Their baptism took a little bit longer than we thought, but it happened and it was awesome to see and be a part of their baptism. Families can be blessed by the Gospel and they can be together forever. They were so happy and the branch was excited as well. Also had a lot of other investigators at church as well and had a good sacrament attendence as well. It is going well here in Lugazi. It was a little hot this week, but no problem. Also helped carry some geri cans for a member and man those things are heavy. I can't believe they women carry them on their heads with no hands! Crazy. Still don't know how they do it. hahaha. Also got to go to Kampala today for P-day. Played some bball with President COllings. I got matched up on him. He is pretty good for an old guy. hahaha. It was fun. Also got to eat some pizza hut today. Weird. Some places in Kampala are crazy nice. 

Hello Pizza Hut!

Goodbye Pizza!  Yum!

this week I have been reading in the book of mormon. Finishing up about the war chapters. the stripling warriors amaze me every time. they give everything to the lord. Their faith is insane. Not one of them had the smallest amount of doubt. That is something I want. To be able to completely and totally rely on the lord. Also I learned about faith. In the bible dictionary it tells us " Faith is kindled when hearing the testimony of someone having faith" That is awesome. Go and share your testimony strenghten someone else. Give them that desire to increase their faith. Thanks for the lvoe and support. I love you. Have a great week.

Love Elder Beck

Sunset Uganda

MOM and other questions.....

1 (Stacy George)  Do you experience voodoo there like in Brazil?.

Ya there is definitely voodo here. There was more of it in Gulu, but I haven't seen to much of it personally.

2. (Kelly Barnes) what  do the little kids think about the missionaries.?

The little kids when they see a white missionary they just saw bye mzungu (white person) over and over like a thousand times a day. lets just say it gets kind of annoying, but it is also fun to mess with the kids as well. haha. Some of the little ones start crying. hahaha. (teasing the little children Elder?)

3. (Sue Ann Hodge)  How big are the bugs? Is there any bug or snake you've  been warned about?

The bugs are pretty big. I guess. There are some big cockroaches here and a lot of ants and stuff. Ants in the pants is something that actually happens here, but the bugs overall are not to bad. Nothing they told us to run away from. ha

4. Whatcha eating?  Do you eat the same things most of the time? Give us the low down on your grocery shopping and what you eat and cook.

I usually eat eggs or oatmeal for breakfast pancakes. For lunch maybe noodles, maybe a rolex, maybe some kikomondo( what is that? isn't that a karate move? ), maybe some beans and rice. Whatever I am feeling like. For dinner something small. The members and investigators feed us sometimes during the week. SO that is extra. hahaha.

found this on internet....Kikomando – Seen as a poor man’s food, kikomando is a chopped up chapati with stewed beans dripped over the top. Not the tastiest thing in the world but it is very filling. If you can only eat one cheap meal a day I can see why this would be it.

5. If you could have prepared more as a teenager for a mission, what would you have done or what do you recommend for those preparing to go?

ust read your scriptures more and pray more. SImple things. Maybe work with the missionaries as well.

Great week of work! and WEDDING!

What do you get when you have a newlywed, a kid and a missionary.....yup, this here picture!
I think Elder Beck looks pretty darn happy :)

WEDDING!!
Newlyweds...Hanifa and Benard..and their cute son...woot!

Hello! THis week was awesome. WE did a lot of great things and saw some great things happen.

On Tuesday we had a good day. We really decided to work with members and use members more in our work this week and it really worked out for us. We had some great help from a member and when we did some finding we taught a lesson that went really well and they want us to meet the rest of their family. Tender Mercies. 

On Wednesday we had another good day. We worked with members again and had some really powerful lesson. It is just frustrating when you can see the investigator is fighting the spirit. He starts questioning and going off topic when you know he has felt of the spirit. It is tough to see, but we never give up.

On Thursday we had a really good day. Worked with some members again and also went back to the people we taught on Tuesday and there was another family there that we taught and seem really interested in the gospel. It is a gold mine that place. hahaha. Also met a Less Active that I haven't seen in a long time and it was a blessing that we met up with her. WE stopped by her home and she wasn't there, so I decided to head to this school that I wanted to know where it was with a member. We got there and started talking to someone and then the Less Active member showed up and we went to her home and were able to share with her. It was a tender mercy. 

On Friday we had a good day. Met a new family that is super nice and humble, but the only problem is that he is in the military so he is always moving different places. 

On Saturday, we had a good day. we had some good lessons and also went to the reception of Benard and Hanifa. They had their wedding in the morning and we stopped by at the reception to congratulate. It was funny. Everyone was dancing and having a good time. It was awesome!! WE had to move their baptism till next week because their was no time for their interview before Sunday. But they are excited and ready for it. 

ON Sunday we had a great day. we had 80 at sacrament meeting, I gave a talk, and we also had 8 investigators at church. It was great. The branch is doing well. Both areas are working hard and we are seeing good things happen. The church is true!

This week I have been studying in the war chapters in the BoM and I never realized there were so many great examples for each of us to learn from in them. Moroni is a great example for fathers and husbands and men. The stripling warriors are great examples for Young men. and The mothers of the stripling warriors are great examples for mothers. It went right a long with a talk I read this week by Elder D. Todd Christofferson about Fathers. It was awesome. WE have some many great examples in our life that we can learn from. WE should try to learn something from everyone. I know Heavenly Father loves us so much and wants to help us if we just go to him in prayer. Have a great week. Love you.

Love Elder Beck

MOM QUESTIONS:......

1. What is one of the favorite things you like about your new companion Elder Goodrich?

 I just saw a glimpse of the 100m finals in the olympics and Usain Bolt won it again. That was cool. This week was good hear. We were busy and did a lot of good things. Benard and Hanifa didn't get baptized this Sunday, but they did get married. So they are looking good for this upcoming SUnday. The work is good. The companion is good. Just working as hard as we can here.

What I really like is he likes to talk sports. Most sports except baseball, but I can talk other sports as well. It is nice talking about sports...(he loves his sports!!)

2. Tell us about a member or nonmember in your branch or area that you either admire or makes you laugh

We have this nonmember guy. He is usually drunk and he is always crazy. We always see him around as we are proselyting. He says we are his best friends and he usually is always there on Sunday. He likes to give us free stuff as well. Like pineapples, pumpkins, ties. hahaha. He makes me laugh when I see him. He always says. "God is good all the time. The demons, they are under our feet." hahaha.

3.  Are you taking your daily malaria pill? Daily exercise? Practicing your piano skills?

Ya I am doing those things...

4. When you struggle to study and read the scriptures, what helps you stay motivated?

It doesn't take much to stay motivated. I love the scriptures too much and there is so much to read. If I get maybe a little unmotivated to read one book. I just switch to another. And I like it. I always love the scriptures though. (this makes a mom heart happy happy happy !)

5.  When you are dismissed or rejected, what do you tell yourself? (oh well, there is someone else right around the corner. who is ready.....or what do you think?)

I try to tell myself there is someone else, but I usually just think man it won't be easy for you in the next life and then I just try to move on.....

6. Are birthdays a big deal in Uganda?  what are the big days of celebration?

Birthdays are not very big here, but weddings are huge here. They always have to make the wedding too big. More than it needs to be. They spend way to much money on weddings. Even Benard and Hanifa...... They went too big. The church is encouraging members and people to just have simple weddings.

7.  If you could encourage us to make one change in our lives to become better people and closer to God, what would that change be?

Prayer. Pray more and with more intent and love and heart. Relying on your Heavenly Father through prayer. It is so simple, but so easy.

Week one... being a TRAINER

Elder Beck and Elder Goodrich!!!

Hello! THis week flew by with Transfers, going to Kampala, and getting a brand new missionary. Crazy! It has been a lot of fun too.

ON Tuesday my last day with Elder Tembo we visited a ton of members and it was really awesome. I really tried to get to know them a lot better and build my relationship with them and I learned a lot about the members here in Lugazi and how strong they are. It was a good day a bit hot though. On Wednesday it was transfer day and even I was going to be headed to Kampala. So we headed to Kampala, stuffed in the back of the truck. I got to see some missionaries, but then I had to head to the mission home to get the training for the trainers. It was really good and I got to meet my new comp. Elder Goodrich. He is an awesome guy. He is from washington. He is tall. He loves to go do the work. It was fun getting to know him and even get fed by Sister Collings... hmmmmmm.  Then we headed back to the apartment flat and I got to talk to some missionaries that I hadn't seen for a very long time. It was awesome. Then we headed back to Lugazi in the back of the crampped truck. Then we got right to work. Did some street contacting and got right into it with Elder Goodrich.

On thursday we had a good day. We taught a member refferal, but right in the middle of the lesson it started raining like crazy, so we were stuck for a little bit. Then we had another powerful lesson with a new investigator. and then we did some really nice finding. It was different with a brand new missionary and I probably didn't teach him enough, but I know he is learning and his desire to do the work is great as well. On Friday we had a ton of bounces all day it seemed like it, but it was still really good.

Saturday we had ZDM in Mukono and then we came back and everyone says they can meet on Saturday, but really it is the worst day for meeting people it seems like. haha. It was still good though. We visited some LA and really spiritual lessons with them. and One of them came to church on Sunday and bore a really powerful testimony. It was awesome! On Sunday we had a great day. WE had a powerful testimony meeting. Many people there. Probably the most people at church since I have been here. Then we were confirming the marriage and the baptism for next weekend. Everything is looking good for that. Super Pumped! Then we had a Dinner APpointment and it was fun watching my companion eat the food. He did really well actually. hahaha, but maybe he was just hiding it. hahaha.  It was a good week.

This week was hard, but really awesome too. I am learning a lot of new things being a trainer and learning a lot from my companion. He knows so much from back home. I feel like I don't know anything. hahaha. This week a scripture I really liked was from Alma 37:34 Never be weary of good works. I love that because sometimes we feel like we just need a break, but really we need the opposite we need to do more good works. Then we will receive peace to our souls. True peace in our lives comes form serving others and always doing good. Have a great week. Love you.

Love Elder Beck

Mom questions. ..
1. What do you think was written on the liahona that caused Lehi and his family to fear and tremble when the were murmuring?

I am not sure about the Liahona. It is something to ponder about, but I am sure that it was something crazy. haha.

2.  Do you eat much Chocolate  there?

No not really, only when I buy a small candy bar at the store. I had a snickers this last week though. that was my first chocolate in a long time. ha

3. Any package yet?

No Package yet.

4.  Tell us about your new companion and hows training going?

My new companion is great. He is tall. He is from Moses Lake, Washington. He is a super nice guy. Has a great desire to go do the work. He likes going on Hikes. He likes hot weather. He is fun. He is also green. haha. Training is going ok. I am not sure how I am doing, but I hope to improve this week for myself and have a really fantastic week.

5. I love that you are cooking and trying to play the piano. . Any other skills you are developing?

I am developing some soccer skills, teaching skills, eating strange food skills, and many other skills . hahaha.

6. Do many people have cell phones?

Most people have cell phones here. It is rare for many people not to have a cell phone.

Thanks mother. I love you. You are the best.

Love Elder Beck

Hello Africa!

Our Elder is here...in this beauty...kinda blows my mind still!

TRANSFERS.... Elder Tembo to Kampala, Elder Goodrich with Elder Beck in Lugazi

Elder Beck and ElderTembo

Hello! This week was good. Transfer was good too. I am going to be staying in Lugazi. Elder Tembo is going to Kampala and I am getting a fresh new missionary to train. haha. I am excited, but also nervous. His name is Elder Goodrich. Also Getting a new DL here in the apartment in Elder Chifamba who is with Elder Roylance.

This week was good, but it seemed like not a lot happened that was too interesting. Got bounced sometimes. had some good lesson. Even one of our lessons with a new investigator we were teaching him and the spirit was strong, but after we finished sharing about the restoration we were talking and he said he felt something when we showed him the picture of the first vision and talked about it that it felt like the environment around us changed. It was really powerful. It reminded me of how important the spirit is and how grateful I am for the spirit. 

Also had a really nice dinner on Friday. WE made Country Fried Steaks and rolls and mashed potatoes. Super nice food. Really enjoyed that one. 

home cooking!

Also Church was good on Sunday. We had a LA come  back to church this week.  Benard and Hanifa are looking good for their marriage on the 13th of August and their baptism soon after on the 14th. SUper stoked! Also something I thought was really cool was we didn't have anything in the late evening before we went home so we did some street contacting and about halfway through I was tired and it seemed like everyone we were talking to stayed outside of Lugazi and didn't seem interested, but then I had this feeling even a boost of energy that I needed to go find somebody and talk to them. After that I met four new people/ potential families that I am really excited to meet this week and I knew that that strength came from prayers from others and back home.  It was something I thought was really cool. I also learned again or was brought to my remembrance that when things get hard it is probably Satan trying to stop you from doing something great. So never give up. It even reminds me of a scripture in Moroni 9:6. Thank you for your prayers and the strength you give me everyday!

I also really liked the talk from President Monson in the last conference about choices. I love his advice he gives us. Choose Christ and it will always be the correct choice. I love that advice. It makes making choices a lot easier. Also really liked the scripture from Alma 26:22 this week. Go read it. Love you. have a great week.

Love Elder Beck.

MOM QUESTIONS.....

(sad to say there are no mom questions this week.....stay tuned for next week...)

(THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ALL YOU MISSIONARY PRAYERS -- THEY HELP!)