wait..... Wasn't I just emailing?

Love that smile and those eyes and this nice lady.....love it all

Hello, it feels like a just was emailing yesterday..... like really.......... I think the mission goes by faster and faster as it goes on......................

This week was great though. We have a couple people that are progressing towards baptism coming up this week on Friday. The first is Patricia. She is awesome and has been coming to the church for a long time. She works at a fast food place called Ponnus. They have nice chicken and chips! The other is Sister Debrah. She is a sister to a recent convert. She loves the church and the gospel and was asking us when she was getting baptized! She is from South Sudan and it seems like a lot of South Sudanese are coming to the gospel right now! They should both be baptized this Friday! So we are excited for them. We also had 2 investigators that were going to be baptized this transfer, unexpectedly move and won't come back for some time, but all is well They will be baptized eventually........... 

This week we have been receiving a lot of referrals. Even from our south Sudan friends! They gave us some people to teach that have a lot of potential! We also did some finding this week on Wednesday and we found some success, but as we were heading back to go somewhere else.... A women stopped us and said "where is the Kingdom Hall" We were like ooh we are not Jehovah's witness we are from the Church of Jesus Christ! She was like ohhh. So we gave her our contact and invited her to church. The next day she called us and we met with her and her brother! They are awesome and definitely a tender mercy from the Lord! 

On Sunday we had Stake Conference and it was awesome... I am not sure how many people came, but it seemed to be a lot! The spirit was there for sure and it was good to see some of the Entebbe people. I also got to go to Entebbe after the conference and visit a few people! Which was awesome and I love the people of Entebbe! Some great memories there! Today we just chilled and cooked a chicken. It was nice! 

here chicky chicky....time for din din

Just enjoying every second right now! Mission is great! Going to have another great week! I hope everything is good back home!

This week what I liked was when me and my companion were attending the BoM class at the church during the week. We were studying the book of Mormon and I feel like I know the book of Mormon pretty good, but I learned so much just from that simple class! I was surprised and I realized that knowledge is endless and that we can never stop learning and we should never stop trying to learn and gain more knowledge. I also learned that there is so much joy in learning new things, especially from the scriptures and about the gospel!

“The gospel is a fountain of knowledge that never runs dry. There is always something new to learn and feel.”—Bishop Gérald Caussé. 

Have a great week. Love you.

Love Elder Beck

a bucket of happy right there

Elder Goofing around Beck and friends

MOM QUESTIONS.....

1.  Do they eat sweets in Africa?  If so what is a typical treat? (I think I already asked this but I'm running low on questions)

Ya they have small hard candies and lolipops and carmels and stuff like that. But the candy in America is better. Mostly the kids eat it, but sometimes I buy some. hahaha

1b. Como estas?

Bulungi nyo!  (huh?  a small small in African lingo??)

2.  How is it being in a ward with 140 plus people?

It is great! It is unusual and it is hard to remember people that you meet. hahaha. I feel like I will never know the members here. hahaha.

3.  Do u want to go back to Africa some day?  I would like to go

Ya I can go back some day.

4.  What do the people do for entertainment? Movies, dance, too busy to play?

They love music here. You can always here someone blaring really annoying music or music that you want to dance to, but can't. haha. They also love these translated movies. They translate it into english, but it isn't just a translation of words, but they even explain things that are  going on. so even if it is completely silent you can still here a voice translating what is going on. hahaha. They also like to dance here. If you ever go to a wedding reception here. You will see what I mean. hahaha.

5. Bike ride when you get back....you wanna?

I am excited to go on that bike ride when I get back up into the mountains....

First week in Nsambya!

Elder Beck and new/current companion Elder Khoriyo from Malawi

This week was amazing here in Nsambya and I am really excited for this transfer. It should be an awesome time and we are going to see some great things happen! My companion is awesome. We are getting along really well  and enjoying it a lot! 

Hey all!!


SO this week was amazing with saying goodbye to the people of Entebbe and saying hello to the people of Nsambya!


It started off on Tuesday in Entebbe, We had to pick up some missionaries from the airport coming from Rwanda even E. Phiri's new companion! Got to hear some good stories about Rwanda and made me think if I would ever visit the place again......... Also heard that they are making another branch in Rwanda (k4), so that is exciting! Maybe they will have a stake there in a couple of years! Also had some wonderful lesson's and goodbyes to the people of Entebbe. We even had a wonderful lesson with a referral that our Rc gave us! We were 4 missionaries together so it was a bit hard teaching, but it worked out! It was hard saying goodbye to some people, but I will see them again on Sunday the 27th at Stake conference! Also had some really awesome dinner and food given to me. Which is always a blessing of leaving an area! hahaha. 


On Wednesday it was a transfer day. WE headed to Kampala and I saw a lot of missionaries and also saw some that were going home that I won't see again or will see when I get home so that was awesome! Then I got with my new companion and started transporting missionaries around to their new areas. It was not easy......... Kampala traffic is not easy.. But i was only blasted by one police man and didn't hit anything. hahaha. But I was very tired...


 On Thursday it was my first day in my new area and we had an awesome day! WE had some powerful lesson's and I got to meet a lot of people. Like Jane who was baptized and confirmed this weekend and some other investigators and members. It was a really powerful day! and it is kind of nice to be in a new area. Fresh faces and new places to go........... Then on Friday we had a wonderful MLC. Like it was probably my favorite. The spirit was amazing and the missionaries were great and it set me up perfectly for my last transfer!

MLC training

 On saturday we had a wonderful day. WE had some great lessons and even had a baptism! It went well and there are some great members! Then we did some finding in the evening and it went really well. Me and E. Khoriyo both had different promptings that led to finding a new person to teach that has a lot of potential! 

Then sunday was amazing, other than I was feeling really sick for some reason........... The leaders in Nsambya are awesome and there are a lot of great people. We had like 140 people at church! That is the most I have ever seen on my mission! Also had like 13 investigators at church! The Lord was blessing me for sure this week! I also saw a member that was from Rwanda! (very cool...he was here his first 6 months and loved rwanda and the people!) It was good to see her and then we had some powerful lesson's after church. We have some people preparing for baptism in 2 sunday's and another and more on the 17th and the 24th of september. The member's are really awesome here! But they like to ask question's that don't have any application. Like " How do I pay tithing if I am in Somalia for 5 years and don't have any connection with the church....?" hahahaha They are a bit annoying. haha But Nsambya is a wonderful place and I am excited for what can happen in these last few weeks of my mission!


Today we had sport's day. SO I got to play some basketball! Which was awesome. I am not very good, but it is fun. hahahaha! This week I was pondering a scripture in D&C 64:33. I love it because it may seem like we are doing nothing or nothing is really happening from our service in whatever place it may be, but truly we are doing some really great things even if we don't see it! And we should never tire of doing good! Because in the coming years or in the future sometime we will see what comes from our service! It will be something great! SO never tire of doing good and serving others and serving the Lord. Have a great week!. Love you.

 Love Elder Beck

Elder Beck went from Entebbe to Nsambya which is in Kampala

Here's what Wikipedia says about Nsambya....
Nsambya is a hill in the center of Kampala, the capital and largest city in Uganda. The name also refers to the upscale and middleclass neighborhoods that have been developed on the hill and its slopes. 

Angie-pedia...The lds church seems to be more concentrated here with more members and the mission home is close in Kampala (about 30 min away?)






MOM QUESTIONS.....
1.  What will you be bringing home? You should probably leave whatever you can there. Especially if someone can use it.

I am not planning on taking very many of the things I brought to Uganda. I will be having a few souvenirs and stuff, but ya I am going to try and give these things out!

2. What is something that you learn on your mission that you don't think you would've learned anywhere else?
I don't think I would have learned how to enjoy posho and beans. hahaha. Also how to speak small small in different languages. That is what I can think of right now!


3.  What do you admire about President Collings and his wife?
I admire the love they have for the missionaries and the people. ALso how they never seem like  they are having a bad day and always give their best! Also their sensitivity to the spirit!


4.  Is there something this week that touched your heart that you would like to share?

Something that touched my heart this week was the new missionaries. We are getting a lot these past couple of transfers and will continue to get more, but truly they are amazing and have such great faith and desire to do the work. Also they have come out for the right reason's and just getting to talk to them and know them is amazing. It is inspiring! The mission is in good hands!

GOODBYE ENTEBBE, HELLO NSAMBYA!

Elder Beck and Barrington (holy giant!! ha ha! look at that smile)

Elder Beck and Elder Phiri (comp in Entebbe)

I think he loves all these neat people!

more goofing!

more smiles  :)

friends

sweet!

Last week in Entebbe!!! Where will I go now for last transfer?

i guess he found his tree!?!

hello! 

SO transfer news came and I am leaving Entebbe and going to Kampala! to serve in Nsambya! With E. Khoriyo from Malawi. Should be good. It will be a short visit in Nsambya it being my last transfer, but will continue to do the Lord's work where he calls me! going to miss Entebbe too much though! I love the place and the people here.............. It will be my first time serving in Kampala..... A very busy and hectic place..........

tuesday was a good day..... In the morning we had to do some Zone leader stuff and send Baptism Records and stuff........... But in the afternoon we had a nice day. I gave a white shirt and a tie to George... the one who was baptized last Sunday and guess what??  he showed up early wearing it!!! It just touched my heart seeing George in priesthood attire for his Confrimation!!!! tender MErcy there........... (awwwwwww)

On Wednesday we had a wonderful DDM and something we did was we just said something good about one another  and a christ-like attribute we see in them or something they do well and that can bring the spirit of Unity like Nothing else! hahaha. We need to show more love to one another and gratitude!

On thursday. We had a busy day a had a wonderful lesson with a RC, where we shared the Restoration and asked for a referral. the spirit was so great and it is amazing what happens when you have the spirit as you council together on how to do missionary work and help members share with their friends.  Revelation flows! It feels good! 

On Friday it was E. Phiri's Birthday........ the district came through with lunch and a cake for him! It was powerful!

cake!!!

On Saturday, we got transfer news and had a nice day. But we had to go to Kampala for a meeting with the Stake President and Mission President.  Also our recent convert said about reading the book of mormon ' I feel like I am eating my favorite meal' - martin..... gotta love it! the book of mormon is powerful! 

thensunday was just a wonderful day. We had a good sacrament attendence and a lot of investigators showed up which was sweet! Even one of them came with a local instrument that he plays. I have pictures that I will send.It is pretty sweet! 

local instrument

then we had a wonderful baptism of Bro Patrick and this time I got in the water........It was great. he had a great experience and said that because it rained that day it wsa the lord blessing him and showing his approval for his baptism! pOwerful! then after church we had some weird stuff to do with other misisonaries in the zone that took up most of our evening and even resulted in a trip to Kampala and back..... driving............... too much........ tried to say goodbye to some people, but just find I am too busy to even do that......... For P-day we had a chill day and I got a haircut.....that was an adventure...... hahaha     Also this week will be crazy a lot of missionaries moving and stuff and more driving them around........... But it will go by fast and hopefully no one dies... ha

Baptism of Patrick

Elder beck and Patrick? 

this week I like from the Book of Mormon about Moroni. I like to talk about him everytime I read that part in Alma. I just like who Moroni is! he is such a powerful man! But I realized that the reason why he is so powerful and why he is such a great leader is because he always does everything with God! I like when he is going to raise the title of Liberty and rally the people. before he does it.... he prays to heavenly Father! Wow. He acknowledges Heavenly Father's hand in everything and every success they have! It is something that I have learned! 

have a great week. Love you.

Love Elder Beck



Mom questions....

1.  How are your shoes holding up?  Got any pics of your holes or wear and tear ?

Shoes are holding up pretty good. they have some nice scars and such, but I don't have any pictures right now.Let me try next week!

2.  What food do you want to eat or have us cook when you get home that you might have missed?

Steak and Potatoes. Casseroles?. Nice deserts. Pie, cookies, etc......... Lasagna......... then I can prepare some rolex and kikomando for you guys. hahaha. Anything is good. Can't think of a specific meal...

3.  Have you missed music?

ya I miss music, but I am coming to love David Arculeta EFy music. hahaha. ALso Motab is great!

4.  How are the haircuts these days? Are you finding anyone else had to cut your hair?

Speaking of haircuts...... I got one today...... It is not easy............. they don't know how to cut hair here. hahaha. then they try and charge you way to much. good thing I have been around the block and I know the prices................ It is a struggle........

5.  Has the money been an issue? 

No money is good.

6.  What is one scripture that seems to have touched some of the people that you taught.?

One scripture that seems to touch people are the simple and straight forward ones. But Alma 7:11-15? I am not sure on the exact verses, but those ones have been really good!

Another great week! Baptism!

Hello! Another great week!

SO it started on Tuesday! We had just an amazing lesson with Bro Wiclef. We decided to read with him Alma 7 and as we read with him. The spirit was there and he accepted a baptism date! He is scheduled for this sunday on the 13th of August! The book of Mormon is true and the spirit is the best!  (Mom note--I think this is Patrick - - so thanks for the prayers everyone!)

We also went and taught the RC named Ian. He is 10 years old. We gave him the scripture in 1 Nephi 3:7 to read. We came and asked him about it and he started quoting the scripture from memory! Wow. This kid is amazing! 

Then on Wednesday. WE had zone conference. It was so nice and my training was 50-50. NOt bad, but not good. But I learned a lot and enjoyed the other missionaries there! Also we had to take the sister's to the airport afterwards and drive them around Kampala........ Not easy...... Driving is not my favorite thing to do. I was so tired. Traffic in Kampala is insane.................. Rolex tastes good though.

Downloaded pic of kampala, uganda traffic - - yikes!

ON Thursday we had another powerful day. We worked with the member named Nuwagaba Andrew! He is an awesome member. We also taught this new family that we met at church last Sunday! They are awesome and the lesson would have been perfect except a guy joined the lesson and at the end just started asking all these questions and questioning what we taught, so it disrupted the spirit a bit, but still an awesome family! Families are the best!

ON Friday. We taught this RC that is going less active and it just got me really sad and a bit discouraged....... But our next appointment was doing family home evening with a family. It just cheered me back up and helped me realize that no matter if life seems unfair or disappointments come. There is always good in your life that can out weight the disappointments..........

On Saturday it was a disorganized day. We had to do some baptism interviews so we were up and down. Our appointments bounced us, but on the bright side everyone passed their baptism interviews! Also got to watch some monkey's wrestling at the church.......... I never knew it could be so fun to watch monkey's wrestle. hahahaha. 

On Sunday, it was a glorious day. First it started with Testimonies. Some people went up and bore some amazing testimonies. And it was some people that I am around on a consistent basis. IT is so awesome to see people's testimonies in Christ being strengthened! And knowing that your efforts are not wasted! I love testimonies! Then we had a wonderful baptism of Brother George. He is a great friend to me and It was amazing to see him enter into the water's of baptism. This work is the most satisfying work there is!

Brother George's baptism

Happy day!

This just makes me happy...because they are happy!  :)
happy, happy, happy

Monday...Today we went to the zoo and let us just say. Chimpanzee's are really entertaining and I can totally believe in the Planet of the Apes movie now. It is possible! hahahaha.

monkeys at the zoo??

pday fun 

This week I learned a lot about testimonies. Some people said in their testimonies that when they read the book of mormon they feel like they want to fly or that their hair feels like it is coming out! hahaha. We need to strive to strengthen our testimony of Jesus Christ and his gospel everyday! It is like a fire and needs constant care to grow bigger and stronger. If we neglect it , it will go away! I know that Jesus is the Christ! Have a great week! Love you.

Love Elder Beck

Mom questions...
1.  There aren't many woman mentioned in the Book of Mormon.   Which one is your favorite & why?

I like Sariah. She is awesome. And I love how we can see her gain her testimony of the prophet and of God! Behind every great man is a great women! ha  (*so true!!)

2. Do you always carry a cell phone?  How reliable are the phones?

Ya we always carry a phone...... The phones on our side our reliable most of the time, but let us just say you get used to bad connections and numbers not being available. ALL the time.......... It is a frustrating thing for sure sometimes.

3. Have you purchased any clothes in Africa?  If so, what & how was the quality?

Ya I purchased some clothes.  football jersey some trousers, a shirt,. The quality is somehow. (so so??) It is usually not first hand or original, but there is some good things.

4.  Tell us about your companion.... what is his favorite food?  What is his best quality?  Does he know any party tricks?

My companion's favorite food is............ He likes Ethiopian food and also CHicken and Chips! His best quality is his humility. He is very humble and he is always working and improving. He can whistle nicely and make the sound of birds really well. HE has more, but they have yet been revealed to me.......

5. Need anything special when you get home that you have been missing?

No I don't need anything special when I get home. Just the family will do. Ya gifts are ok... Even Christ accepted gifts. hahaha


PS....the break in was the church, not their apartment from last weeks pictures. and thank you all for continuing to pray for our son and the people he is around.  It is working.  please continue....please. Not much longer.  I will miss the missionary mom thing but looking forward to seeing my son.