Preach!

Anette's baptism

This week was an awesome week. There was so much that happened. It felt like 3 weeks, but at the same time felt like 2 days.

On Tuesday and Wednesday we had different meetings one as a zone and one as a district. They were truly amazing. When people come prepared to a meeting or a council and have a desire to learn and improve and participate, meetings and council become something to look forward to.

I was also able to go on exchanges with Elder Koopmans on Tuesday and ELder Obeng from Ghana on Thursday. Elder Koopmans and I had a good time and he is an awesome guy. Elder OBeng is also an awesome guy. We had a good time and really enjoyed.

Stories from this week............ ON exchanges with Elder Obeng we went to a Ghanaian restaurant and we ordered something. They came out with it and the bill said 31k. We just both looked at each other with huge eyes and laughed. We are going to go broke from Ghanaian food! haha..........Also a couple of investigators that we taught once and we didn't really know how they would progress or take the message we shared, but both of them said they felt after we shared and they prayed that what we teach was true. Really cool. Never loose hope on someone.............. On sunday we were invited to attend and preach at a born again church, so we got permission and went to it. We sat through the singing and praising and yelling part. It was fun. The music was pretty good. Then we had our turn. Me and Elder Anderson go up and started sharing the Message of the restoration. There was a completely different spirit there and many of the people there were interested and touched by the spirit. It was an awesome experience. IT was the first time ever doing something like that. It was another testament that what we share is true. We even got invited back to Preach more another time. haha.

Also we had a baptism this week of Sister Anette. It was really awesome. Everything went well. She was happy and it was a huge success! We have some other investigators that are looking good to progress towards baptism on the 7th of May. The Lord is bringing many prepared people to us. We are looking at having a really good week and really meeting a lot of new people. Today for P-day we went to Kampala and did some shopping. I got a suit ordered. SO we will see how that turns out. But Kampala is crazy. So many people. So many taxi's, so many boda's, so many trucks. It is crazy!

This week.I realized the importance of positivity and smiling! Life is usually only bad because we make it that way ourselves. If we smile and are happy and think about how awesome things really are. Life is so much better and feelings of anger and hate and any bad feeling can go away. Laugh a little bit! Have fun. Think about Joy! That is even what Jesus Christ himself did to be able to endure the cross was Joy! Hebrews 12:2. Choose to have more joy in our lives! Have a great week. Love you.;

Love Elder Beck

Mom questions...
1. What do you do when you feel discouraged?

When I feel discouraged......... I try to get myself to pray, or to have a really good study of the word of God, or sing a hymn. That will get me pumped up again!

2.  I've been trying to re-listen to conference talks... so many good ones... r m Nelson talk stood out to me.  I love that in his nineties, he challenged himself to study from the topical guide all about Christ and that he felt he had changed from it.  Wow.   Do you recall any talks that stood out to u?

As a mission we are taking the challenge of President Nelsen and studying the TG on Christ. It is really cool. I really liked Elder Mark S. Palmer's talk as well. I was able to meet that guy in person when he came up for the Stake splitting. He is an awesome guy and I think he is going to be an Apostle someday.

3.  Any pkg yet?

Ya I got the package this week and I am super grateful. Thank you for your love!



4.  Do you generally do you studying in the am?

Ya we usually always study in the morning!


5.  Did a lot of driving this week.  How goes the driving in Uganda?

Just be glad it is not like driving in Kampala. They are crazy here! haha. It is frustrating and stressful, but it will help when I go home. I will be able to get places quickly. hahaha

TRANSFER WEEK!!!! I'M STAYING

Happy happy happy!!!

nothing says finger lickin' like a little KFC from Colonel Sanders

This week was busy, but it was awesome.

Tuesday was an awesome day. We have some really good people that we are teaching, but we had a lesson and I was getting somehow frustrated with a guy that came into the lesson and after the lesson I realized I didn't have much Charity. So I felt really bad and realized without charity we are nothing. SO charity is very important. NO matter how many skills or talents or anything we have. If we don't have Charity we are nothing. So let us have more charity for each other. 

ON Wednesday we had transfers, so we moved people around for most of the day. We have some really good Elders and Sister's leaving the zone, but also some really good Elder's and Sisters coming into the zone. It will be a great transfer.

Thursday we had a great day. We got some appointments bounced at the end of the day so we visited this member and shared the Restoration in 15 min and asked for a referral and he gave us one and we went to their house on the spot! It was really cool and had a nice lesson with them. Then he helped us for another appointment we had. It was amazing to have a member that has been a member for 20 years now. His testimony is awesome! 

pause for nature

beauty eh?

Friday, we had an awesome MLC and food. Got pumped to do missionary work. and excited for this transfer!!

Saturday we had a Easter activity in Kajansi. It was nice. Then on Sunday we had a powerful day. We only had Sacrament meeting for some reason so we had a lot of extra time during the day that we were not planning on. SO we visited some people to see if they were around and guess what?

 they were around. 

One person we taught once before and disappeared was in the village and just came back. He just got married to his wife and so we taught both of them and their neighbor. That was a true blessing of Easter. Then we got fed nicely and enjoyed.

Today we played some b-ball. Life is good. THis week is going to be good. Have a lot of things going on and probably a baptism as well. Should be good.

This week was awesome. We had a mission fast and at MLC we each shared the blessings and things we saw from it. I didn't think at first much happened because of the fast, but after looking back and hearing others share their experiences, I realized that it did work. The lord did bless us. I just wasn't looking hard enough. Then we sang a song this week. I know that my Redeemer lives Hymn #136. I love it. It is so powerful and so true. Our Redeemer Lives! He lives for us! Have a great week.

Love Elder Beck

MLC food, elders, sisters and a FOUNTAIN!!  fancy.

eating under the chandelier helps digestion

MOM Questions..
1.   Why do you love the scriptures?

I love the scriptures because they are totally related to you and you can learn something new every time you read them.

2.  What is your favorite attribute of Christ?   How can we develop that attribute?

My favorite attribute is charity because we are really focusing on that as a mission right now. SO Charity..... First you pray for help to receive it from Heavenly Father, then you serve and live for others and not yourself.

3.  Do u have an Easter message you'd like to share?

Jesus Christ Lives and I love the different names that he has. I have been going through some of them in the Topical Guide. I really like the one that he is our ADVOCATE! He is rooting us on, pleading for us, and with us every step of the way. Always have hope in him because he is always there. He is our advocate. How cool is that.......

4. What are the jazz chances of winning A NBA title?

78%!!   They have a lot of potential. The road isn't easy to get it, but there is always faith and hope...... :)




VIEWS IN KAMPALA....

General Conference - - Weekend Birthday!

Birthday presents!!

This week was truly amazing and we saw a ton of miracles and blessings this week. The Lord loves me and was giving me some great birthday presents!

TUesday was an interesting day, we had some awesome lessons! But we taught a family about temples and it was going to be powerful and we sang families can be together forever! But then they just had a lot of questions and doubt. We tried to answer there questions, but in the end we just invited them to pray and ask God about it. I was a little frustrated at the end of the lesson, but as we were leaving I felt a impression that I need to understand what they are going through. They are a strong christian family that is being told to change many of the things they knew and to embrace these new things on the first try, so we need to be patient and understanding with them. Guess what?....... We had another lesson later in the week and it was awesome and they all came as a family to church this week. That was the first time they have done that.......... Wednesday was a bit of a struggle, but a bright spot was teaching a new investigator named Chris. He is humble and willing to learn and also has a lot of questions about baptism. He has a lot of potential and seems to be prepared vessel!

Thursday was an awesome day. We had service in the morning and we made a pig pen for a member which was fun! Then we met a new family and they seem really cool. We met them from a simple contact as we were leaving another appointment last week. Just talking to one more person or putting in that little bit of effort can make a huge difference! Friday was an awesome day as well. WE prepared Derrick for his interview and had a nice lesson with a soldier that is going to leave his family and go to Somalia for a year. We taught him about the stripling warriors from the BOok of MOrmon. THis guy is really awesome too bad he is leaving soon, but he will join the church someday!

Saturday we had conference in the morning and afternoon. It was really awesome. Conference is amazing! Also had some baptism interviews that went really well. Then we went to Protea Hotel and ate a buffet for my birthday. Really nice food! Then as we were leaving the buffet a guy calls us and says he wants to meet with us after talking to his friend who is a member! Sweet! We taught him that same evening and he came to church the next day! Tender MErcy! Good birthday present! Sunday we had General Conference and again it was really good. It answered a lot of questions that i have had! Then we had the baptism of Derrick and also Chris who is the other guys investigator. It went really well and everything was awesome! Also had 9 investigators at church. Truly an answer to fasting and prayer! It was an awesome week and it was a great birthday.

During Conference I really liked a lot of things. ONe of my favorites though was President Russell M. Nelsen on drawing upon the power of Christ. He told exactly what we can do to draw on that infinite and great power in our lives. First gain knowledge of the savior. Then we need to CHOOSE to have faith and follow him. And Last we need to Reach up to him in Faith. We need to stretch ourselves and go outside our comfort zone. If we are ever comfortable where we are we need to push ourselves and do more than we have ever done before! Then we will receive his power and grace in our lives. Jesus Christ is our savior and he did perform the Atonement so we could access His power! Have a great week. Love you

Love Elder Beck


Mom questions......
1. Get your bday pkg?

I should be getting my package this week hopefully when I go to Kampala for Transfers.

2. How was conference?  Wasn't it awesome?

Conference was awesome. It flew by faster than I ever remember, but it was really awesome. I loved the talks and I can't wait to go back and read through them. I missed part of the morning saturday session, but got the rest of it!

3.  Tell me more about using a key word or phrase in your teaching....  you gave the example of "light"

We just say before we do contacting that we are going to use a certain word in every situation we talk to someone. It makes it fun.

Wow... another week!

Lake Victoria, UGANDA.... sunset

Elder Beck on the banks of Lake Victoria

Hello. I can't believe it has already been another week. It was a great week.

It started off with exchanges with my former companion, Elder Brogan on Tuesday. (HE is going home in May..... Crazy!) It was really good. We had an awesome day and taught some really awesome people. Also taught a new family that I found last week,,,,,... Blessings of Wilford woodruff week. (www).  It was a huge family and they were all eating bread and blueband together! haha. (blueband?? butter?? )   it was a really fun day full of the spirt. On 

Wednesday we had exchanges and I was with my exchange companion Elder Osei-tutu. I have been on exchanges with him like 5 times throughout mission. It was a fun day. They have some really cool people they are teaching. Also in Uganda the english is really messed up so they add weird filler words that are really funny to say.......

Elder Beck trike ride

Elder Osei-tutu rides on!

On Thursday we had a nice District meeting and a really nice day. Friday was Zone conference. It was super spiritual and I learned a lot and was excited for the work after it!  Learned about Unity and forgetting about yourself. Really awesome!


Saturday was april fools! We had some good pranks on the other elder's. Made one elder think he was being emergency transferred so he packed all his stuff up. haha  Also gave a referral to Elder Myers and Elder Brogan. It was a goat. hahaha. Then had a good day after that.  (April fools shenanigans...this cracks me up!!)

On Sunday we had a really awesome testimony meeting. Everyone was bearing really nice and short testimonies so it allowed a lot of people to go and bear testimony. I even got a chance to go up! Again we had some investigators show up, but a lot that we thought were going to come that didn't show up!........ But we keep on trying and pushing. We had a really awesome Family Home evening with family in the ward. It made me miss my family and we also found out about the Temple in Pocatello and IN Kenya that was announced. I am super pumped about that. Then we had like 20 minutes at night and so we decided to do some street contacting as a district and it was really awesome and we found some really cool people using the key word light! in every contact. haha.

(note...I believe the members travel to Johannesburg to go to temple which is the equivalent of traveling from Los Angeles to New York.  Now they will be a mere - - still a distance - - 12 hours away! )

Today we did some shopping and exploring. Went to the edge of the lake and realized again how beautiful Uganda is and how great God is and his creations! It was an awesome week.

Lake Victoria

On the banks of Lake Victoria

Fishermen on Lake victoria?

Fisher of men on lake Victoria?

I learned this week about captain Moroni and I realized what makes him such an amazing guy. He glories and doesn't shy away from letting people know he loves God and being obedient to him. Also he is always concerned about others never about himself. That is the key to living a great life. Having Glory in God and serving and always thinking and doing things for others and not for ourselves. That is how we can live noble lives, great lives. Also there was a poem that President Collings shared called the Psalm of Life. It is a good one to ponder about. Have a great week. Love you.

Love Elder Beck




Mom questions...
1. When will u get to listen to conference?

I will get to watch conference sooner than usual this time. WE will be watching it this weekend so only one week delay. The blessings of Kampala Stake!

2.  Do you drive on the wrong side of the road in Uganda like Rwanda?

In Uganda you drive on the left side of the road. IN Rwanda it is the right side, the same as the USA! (he noted in a picture of natalie driving last week that the steering wheel was on the wrong side.. ha ha)

3.  Birthday pkg arrive???  Happy early birthing day!  It was a great day when you were born. Easiest delivery.

Not yet arrived to my knowledge, but hopefully soon. Thanks we are planning on going to a buffet after we watch conference on Saturday to celebrate. .....

4.  How is it having sister missionaries to work with?

Sisters are good....... but can cause stress.................... But they are good.  (ha ha....good save son!  get used to it.... girls cause stress but they are worth it!!)

SO MANY GOOD PICTURES OF SUNSET ON LAKE VICTORIA....well..... just enjoy...  :)