It's hot! I'm sweaty! but the work is good...

My companion Elder Koopmans.He is a funny guy. He can make a lot of different voices, he likes to sing, he's big, he plays sports, he is a good missionary. 

Hello! It was a great week this week. We found so many great people and families this week. It was great to see the finding and all the hard work start to pay off. This area has a lot of potential and a lot of great families that are ready for this gospel.

On Tuesday we called a ton of people, but everyone fell through. So we went out and started contacting and even a member gave us a referral to teach which was awesome and we met this family that was a referral from a member in K2. They are a great family and I am excited for them. Today also was hot. It was not easy. 

On wednesday, we had a great District/Zone Meeting. Also went on Exchanges with K2. I was with Elder Mumba in my area. It was good. He is a brand new missionary, but he doesn't seem like it. He knows a lot more than I did when I first came out. We had some really good lessons and it seems like everyone's questions are about the fall of Adam and Eve. It is tough to explain, but the spirit is always there to help which is great. ha.

On Thursday we had a good day, but a tough day. We had an appointment in the morning and the guy was taking us to his house and he kept saying oh it is coming soon soon. Then 10 minutes later we would ask, oh it is coming soon. Then 10 minutes later again. We finally get to his house and we don't have much time for a lesson so we try to teach a quick lesson, but he kept asking us the same question like 5 times. It was frustrating and super far away. Also we had a nice crock pot lunch stew. It was nice. Then we had a good rest of the day with many lessons. It was also a super hot day. Sweated so much. My shirts are already getting nasty. It is not good. 

On Friday.we had a good day. We taught a recent convert and read from the BoM in Moroni ch.7 it is my favorite chapter in the BoM. It was a great lesson. Go and read Moroni ch. 7 it is a great chapter so much to learn. We also tried to have one of our investigators baptized this week, but her mother wouldn't let her. It is tough, but I learned we have to be patient in life sometimes.

On Saturday we had a great day. We found a new family that I had not wanted to visit, but I called them anyways and they turned out to be a great family. We also had a nice lunch. We made burgers and chips(fries). Super NIce. I was feeling real comfy afterwards, but then I had to walk so it wasn't to good. ha.Then we taught some more lessons. Had Samosa's (what's that? question for next week...oh wait, I checked with google...see below) with boiled eggs inside for Coordination meeting. Super Nice. and we taught another awesome family. That speaks really good english. It was nice teaching someone that didn't need any help to translate and I could talk pretty much normally with her. It was great. On Sunday we had a great day. We had a great church service. 75 at sacrament.13 New Investigators. Which is awesome. The room was almost full. It was awesome. It was a great Sabbath day. The singing was tough though. haha. Today we had an easy P-day. Just did laundry and hung out around the apartment. TOday was a holiday for voting or something. 

This week has been awesome. We saw many great miracles and blessing this week. I am excited for this area and excited for March. I have also learned a lot this week. I am reading the BoM all the way through right now. I have been reading in Mosiah and the first of Alma. Awesome stories. I have seen a pattern while reading. How when ever things get hard or something goes wrong, or a question or a concern come up, they always go and inquire of the Lord. They don't try to do it on there own, but they go to the Lord for help. Heavenly Father wants to help us. We don't have to go through life alone. We just need to excercise our faith and ask and inquire of him and he will always help us. He will always answer us. He will always listen. Something else I really likes was when I came across the scripture in D&C 108:7. No matter where we are, no matter what we are doing, we should always try to make everyone around us better and stronger. It is something that I am trying to do on my mission, to make everyone around me a better person. I don't have to completely change them or see a miracle to do that, but just to try and make everyone around me a little better than they were before. This gospel is true. The Book of Mormon is true. Read it. Thank you.I Love you. Have a great week.

Love Elder Beck

Mom's Questions:

1.  Of the 8 missionaries in Rwanda, who has been in Rwanda the longest?

Elder Ercanbrack has been here the longest about 8 months. Then me and Elder Myers for 5 months.

2.  If a non English speaking person wants to know more, what do you do? Get an interpreter?

Yes we get an interpretator usually, but we don't usually teach non-english people. There is no Book of MOrmon in Kinyarwanda. Only English, French, and Swahili.

3.  Thinking about birthday package.  Do you need anything? Let us know when you get the package dad sent in January. (I  don't think he got our package from early January yet)..maybe another microfiber towel.

4.  are you allowed to read any church books? Do they just want you to focus on the scriptures and a few other books?We can read other stuff, but we focus on the missionary library. There is already a ton to read right now.

5. What is your favorite phrase or word in kinyurwanda?

My favorite word is Ashquida. It means NO. And it is old Kinyarwanda, so when I say it or a white person says it they laugh or think we speak fluent Kinyarwanda. It is funny.

THIS IS MY FAVORITE PART OF HIS EMAIL...

Thank You mom. For everything you do for me. The love and support. I hope that your talk went well in church and that I gave you enough things to talk about. You are the best mom ever. I love you.

Love Elder Beck

boda bodas (motorized bicycles) are every where....pic from Elder Koopmans

A place nicknamed California. Super nice place.

Super nice place in town. I feel like I am in America when I am inside.

Samosa.....a fried or baked pastry with a savoury filling, such as spiced potatoes, onions, peas, lentils, macaroni, noodles, and/or minced meat (lamb, beef or chicken).^[1] Pine nuts can also be added. The samosa is claimed to have originated in Tanzania