My one year mark!!

Yanama!

Holy cow, this week is my one year mark! shoot! Its hard to believe Im so old now! Missionaries who were in my position now when i first came are preparing to return home or have long since returned. One of which, Elder Pentreath, is engaged after being home only a few weeks! ZOO EE MAMA! Time sure is flying by!

This week I had a few interesting experiences. Saturday evening just before we headed home, we stopped at the church to help clean for the next days service so I was out front doing what I do best, that is cutting grass. We call it brushing because we use a cutlass/ machete.  Anyways, in the midst of my yearning for my big boy echo trimmer, four 60+ year old Muslim men with white beards 2 feet long and turbans and white robes approached me. They are Muslim church leaders from Pakistan visiting all of their Muslim brothers down here in Liberia. I was a bit intimidated to be honest, because they weren't Liberian. In fact, they were almost white! which is kind of an unusual sight in Africa. I kinda go into panic mode whenever I meet another white person (only happened a handful of times). Its kinda like meeting someone from another planet. I think id be good meeting aliens if they ever come to earth cause Ive had some sort of practice. ANYWAYS, these guys came and we warmly exchanged greetings and introduced ourselves. I was lucky that these guys were impressed with us missionaries and our sacrifice to come out here. Unfortunately, they didnt want to give a chance for me to share why or what Im here for and what I believe, rather they wanted to come convert me. It was kinda nice being on the other side of the proselyting, that is being contacted by an evangelist. I learned a thing or two from them.

But that evening, I marveled that the Lord would choose me, a young guy, to go out and reprove the world. To call all to repentance. To confound the wise and reprove the wicked. Obviously, these old muslim teachers who had sacrificed their entire lives for their religion, who has studied religion intensely all their lives and who had so much more experience would be more effective... I felt humbled that evening that the Lord has chosen me to fulfill his purposes!

I also was so impressed at the devotion and sacrifice that these humble, wonderful men had made for their God! They obviously love and serve him with their entire heart! I felt their wonderful cheerful spirit when they spoke with me and to be honest, was impressed with all that they do. The phrase, "they know not where to find it" ran through my head.  I was immensely grateful to the Lord for allowing me to know the Truth, to be a member of HIS church. No where else on the earth can we receive the blessings and knowledge that we are blessed with in this church! It truly is the Lords kingdom on the earth. I felt a renewed desire to share this with all of those wonderful men and women who are serving God with all the knowledge they possess, but would be blessed eternally with the message this gospel offers.

It was a good week. My companion and I are pretty worn out, but we're thinking we might take a trip out to the river side this afternoon and try our hand at fishing to relax us a bit. Im excited!

Thanks for the prayers and support, I couldn't be here without them!

Love, Elder Fairwell