I Love to be a Missionary!

 Jambo watu wote! (Hello all people!)

     This was us for a lot of this week. We like to play a game called "What's the air quality in Idaho gonna be today?"

      I think one of the most annoying things about being a missionary is that I am not able to look up where is having massive fires, so I don't know what state to be mad at for all the smoke.

     Other than eating really good African food, I think my favorite thing about being on a mission is being able to help people. I remember I would work in my hospital job, caring for patients and trying to help people in any way I can, and then going back to college after working during the breaks and feeling so self centered "How are MY grades?" "When are MY friends hanging out today?" "Is MY violin bow rosined enough for MY quartet performance tomorrow?" And I hated that feeling, but it is SO GOOD giving 18 months to God so that He can use me to help others.

    We have a favorite hymn in the Swahili ward "I'm Gonna Live so God can Use Me".  (click on the link to hear!)  I invite everyone to listen to it, it's such a bop.

     But anyways, being so un-self-centered is indescribably rewarding, whether it's helping immigrant families with physical necessities like translating for setting up food orders through the church ('cause their food stamps were revoked) or helping with spiritual needs. Especially helping with spiritual needs.
     
     The gospel of Jesus Christ truly brings traumatized families together in unity. I have seen it, I have seen miracles of families who were broken who are now loving each other, eating together, praying together and reading scriptures together. It's so, so beautiful.

     On a less serious note, I saw a squirrel last Wednesday. I swear squirrels and rabbits don't actually exist in Idaho. I don't understand how I've literally seen 4 squirrels and 1 rabbit the ENTIRE TIME I have been out here.

Spiritual thought:
Moroni 10:4-5

     So, Moroni is Mormon's son. Mormon was the prophet-historian guy who compiled the Book of Mormon together (The Book of Mormon is a series of books written by prophets from the ancient Americas that have prophecies of Christ and accounts of Christ coming to the ancient American people.) 

Anyways, Moroni is Mormon's son, and this is what he said in the very last chapter of the book:

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

      I love how in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we have such an emphasis on on-going revelation from God, and personal revelation. That's why we have a living prophet today, that's why as missionaries we are begging people to pray after they read even a few verses of holy scriptures because we KNOW they will get an answer from God. 

     It's so cool to me that I have the ability to know through the power of the Holy Spirit if something is of God - if something is true.

Have a week full of appreciating wildlife and hopefully no coughing because of smoke.

Sister McMullin

Food, Friends and God's Love

 Jambo!

Sorry that I haven't sent anything out for almost a month now,  it's been a weird month. 

A few quick highlights from the last few weeks:

I made ugali for the first time! It's so delicious. Every time we've had a meal with members or friends, they've had ugali or fufu. It's basically boiled water mixed with cornflower. I will be 100% be making it when I'm back at home, too.
You roll it up into a ball, and dip it into whatever sauce or soup you're having.

We also got a picture with our favorite bibi (grandma) friend. She has been a member of our church for twelve years, her testimony of Christ is so inspiring. We love her so much. Also, I always look foward to going  her house because it always smells like African food, which is my new favorite smell.
(We got her permission to post this picture)

We  were able to go to a neighborhood in our area that has street names only music related  There was Capriccio Street and South Woodwind Street, it was hilarious.

We also planned the baptism date of our friend, Nepumuseni! He is so excited, he's wanted to be baptized for so long. Ako poa sana sana sana. He is honestly better at church attendance than many of our actual members, he also reads his Holy Bible and Book of Mormon every single day. He is just so cool.

Also I've started learning Kinyarwanda because Swahili isn't hard enough lol. No, Swahili is very hard, but also we are meeting so many refugees from Rwanda and Uganda who don't speak much Swahili, so I'm learning all the gospel words that people wouldn't know in a second language. Like prophet is "umuhanuzi" or the Holy Spirit is "Umwuka wera." And of course "Yesu ni umukiza wachu!" ("Jesus is our Savior!")

When I was called Swahili speaking to Idaho I did NOT think I would also be learning Kinyarwanda, Kibembe, and some French. Life is insane. Languages are SO cool.

Spiritual thought: 1 Nephi 11:17

I am obsessed with this scripture. It's where the prophet (umuhanuzi) Nephi is talking with an angel in a vision, and the angel asks him if he knows about God's love. This is what Nephi answers:

"And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things."

We don't have to know everything. We don't have to know what happens after this life. We don't have to know what the judgement will look like. We don't have to know anything EXCEPT that God loves his children. And that is all of us. God is not only just and fair, but also so loving and merciful. Nothing else matters but his love for us.

Napenda kabisa. (I absolutely love it.)

I hope all of you have a wonderful week!!