Sad Situations

July 20^, 2015

Hey Family and Friends,

What to say, what to say for this week! It has been a blessed one for sure.  I am so grateful to be a missionary. My area is an emotional one. I feel like I was either unaware of these sad situations in Lilongwe or Lilongwe was just good but Blantyre and Zambia are just filled with sorrow. And I don’t want to be negative haha but its true.

So we have this sweet, sweet investigator who is progressing. He takes notes like all day long. And He comes to church and takes notes. He told us that he had stopped drinking… But we forgot to call him the night before to tell him that we were coming and we just showed up and he was totally wasted and I was dying that whole lesson. I was breaking down. Haha. Well actually we didn’t have a lesson because his wife wasn’t there and we have to have a woman present to teach a male but he started talking about his wife like she was some puppy that he could command around. He was all mad, talking about divorce because she isn’t listening to him. It was so hurtful. Sometimes the real world is scary. A person’s reality or perception of reality is so hard to understand and it is sad that people understand life the way that they do.

So we have another investigator…well he isn’t really an investigator because we just had a first lesson. It was yesterday and I feel like I keep getting reminded how hard life can be. He told us that he doesn’t know why he should stop drinking and we were telling him because it’s bad for you. And the spirit was telling me to bring up his family. So I asked a simple question: Would you want your kids to be drinking? Immediately he said no. And then we taught him about his role as a father and he said that he would try his best to change. And then he started telling us to go and teach people in the pubs or in the bars where there are prostitutes and he started telling us these sad stories of prostitutes and how they just sell themselves away. He even asked four of them why they were prostitutes and they said that it is because they have no money and they need to eat somehow. Then he asked them if he gave them money to start a business would they do it and quit being a prostitute? And two said they would.  The other two said no. I just don’t understand why people live like they do. Life is hard enough. Why make it harder. I feel like they must just numb out reality. I have this tendency in lessons -- to numb out reality so I can hold it together when I hear sorrowful stories. I have this tendency to block out the feelings of sorrow that I have for people because it’s difficult. I switch off my emotions as I am meeting people or seeing people’s lives being destroyed by drinking or other types of sins. Sometimes I feel like my heart is weighed down with sorrow from time to time because of the people I come in contact with. These people’s lives! Sometimes reality hits me and it hits me hard. And it’s so sad. I will never be a social worker haha I will be a mess always haha.

Well on a positive note… Haha J (Sorry those two stories were kind of sad.) I really would love to express how much I love my trainer. Sister Ntuli. I miss that woman. She truly changed my life. I miss her “put me
in any area and I’ll baptize.” I miss that attitude that I think rubbed off on me a little. J And I miss laughing as we called our district leader because our success was so bad at the beginning. I miss her excitement and enthusiasm. I miss her asking me “What makes you happy Sister Falco?” I miss singing “you are gonna miss this your gonna want this back” as we knocked on gates all day long. I miss leaving Pday early because we begged, we pleaded for success and we didn’t know how else to improve. I miss our quote “go hard or go home”. I miss the beautiful heaven sent Lunguzi family that came after so many one-time investigators at church. I miss her Pentecostal music. “GOD IS ABLE.” I miss her always saying, “If you talk or think bad about others, the problem is you not them.” Ha I miss the first week when I said I need a taxi, And then she chastised me, “There is NO “I” IN A COMPANIONSHIP!” Haha That was a simple day and a simple thing but everytime I think to blame or get upset or take the credit I remember “There is No I or YOU in a companionship it’s a WE”! I miss walking home past curfew and the day when we almost got killed? Haha I miss when we weren’t focused, we’d chastise each other with “mind on my mission, mission on my mind. “ J I literally had the best trainer in the world; I don’t care what anyone else says. J

I am so grateful to be a missionary I really need to be better. I really want to be better and I really want to do my best. I feel so inadequate--like always, but I am grateful for the atonement and for the ability it has to carry me through my mission.

Mission’s the best! I love you all so very much!! You are the best!


Sister Falco

Sister Falco & Sister Quaye

Carly has her tights on--must be cold!

Reflections

July 13, 2015

Dear Family and Friends,

Well it has been a great week!!! I don’t really know what to say, I am so grateful to be a missionary!!! It’s the best ever!! I feel very blessed! We went on a district activity last Monday! We went and saw lions and it was so much fun!! I basically have the best district ever!! I love them all so very much!!

Missionary work this week has been sweet. My area is still taking some time to get used to. And the power is still bad but I am definitely used to it now and I don’t really expect to have power haha. So it’s good still.

Well I have done some reflecting this morning and what I have learned so far as a missionary. First thing: SUCK THE MARROW out of life like Steven Covey says. Take every moment and LOVE IT!!!! I am so grateful for my life. Even when it is hard I am just so grateful!! It’s the best life ever!! I feel like I am filled with so much gratitude for all the blessings that I have. Once we realize we aren’t really entitled to anything (haha Uncle David) and everything that we have is a blessing from our Father in Heaven, our life is a lot better.

Number two thing I reflected on… Idleness is the thief of LIFE! I’ve realized this because in “The Great”, curfew is at 6 pm and we come in and sometimes it’s easy to relax, but I always regret those days. I feel like there is so much in this beautiful world to discover, people to know. Idleness is the thief of joy! Hahahah.

Number three thing I have reflected on is KNOWLEDGE!! Knowledge is the best thing. There is something amazing about learning something new and growing and developing and I love it. Knowledge is the best adrenaline rush we can have. Read books. I LOVE reading; its my new passion.

Appreciate everyone and everything. Appreciate even the things that you don’t really like, like plays and all that kind of stuff. See the beauty in each person. Everyone has a beautiful mind and it is full of so much beauty if we just take the time to get to know the person. There is nothing more thrilling than being happy for no reason. Haha Mission. It’s the best. Keep an eternal perspective.

I like this story--there were three workers and they were building the most beautiful cathedral and one person responds, “I am building stone and the next person says I am dusting off this wall and the last person says I am helping BUILD the most beautiful cathedral.” I think its says a lot about life. We can find joy if we keep this eternal perspective. Sometimes we think, I am just living life; I am just being kind to someone. But if we remember that we are all children of God and we are actually helping someone else receive eternal life, our life will be filled with JOY!!!!

I am grateful to be a missionary!!! It is the best!!!!!

LOVE YOU ALL!!
Sister Falco

Adventures in "The Great"

July 6, 2015

Wow, What a week, that’s all I can say! This week has been full of adventure for sure. SO you know how I said Zambia is like stepping back into America. Hahahahahahah that was a joke. So the power is literally out every other day, and when the power is out it means no water, because our water is pumped from electricity. Which means I only shower once every other day. Hahahahha and even when the power is on the hot water literally lasts five minutes. And then it’s freezing cold. I don't mean to sound negative. Hahaha its all a part of THE GREAT!! Haha (“The Great” is what we call the Zambia Lusaka Mission.) haha Heavenly Father knew mission would be difficult for me to leave so he put me in Lusaka. Haha and also the power problem is supposed to last until December. Hahahahaha this life!! Only in the GREAT!!

And then that’s not all for the adventure this week, so there was one day I actually broke down crying in the area. I could barely hold it together. We have been teaching this girl and she is so cute. She is 17 and she was raped and now has a baby. We have been teaching her in her aunt’s place who is a member and where she lives. So we walk in one day and she is all shaken up and you can tell she is choking back the tears, and I was trying to act like I couldn't tell and then the aunt came in and kept saying stuff like, “She is in a mood because she is having a bad day; don't worry about her. And she is leaving for the weekend to visit her cousins.” My companion and I could tell something was wrong, so we asked her if we can escort her to the mini bus. We wanted to speak with her when the aunt wasn’t there. And then as we were walking she said, " I am not coming back." And we were like why? And she said, “Someone tried to rape me again yesterday. But this time I screamed, and the neighbor came.” Her hand was all bruised because of the guy holding her tight. And as she was telling us she said something like "Why is this happening to my life, and all I could do was hug her as she cried." I held it together and didn't cry. And when we put her on the mini bus and she drove away, I just lost it. I couldn't hold it together. And then my companion was the strong one as she hugged me. This life is so difficult for people. I don't know why. I won't lie—Sometimes it’s hard on me to see people suffer so much. I really need to study Jacob 5 more and really believe and trust in Heavenly Father more. This is why I can't study social work. I think I will struggle. I think my testimony will be tested everyday. So…that’s why I want to study business or accounting. J

Okay and to add to the adventures. We have an awesome investigator!!! I won't mention his name. But he is so sweet!!! He is like prime! He came to church at 10:30, (30 minutes early)!!! We taught him the first lesson and then planned to see his wife on Friday. We meet with his wife and I go to shake her hand and greet her and she looks at me and turns away and grabs her child as if she is talking to Satan (us). Hahah and then the husband kept apologizing and I said don't worry!! And he said, "You know the rumors, she's heard them." And then the husband was trying to be all nice and asking if there is any where else we can meet, and he leaves for like 5 seconds and the wife comes in and says, "You can meet my husband but not under this house where my kids are." And so then the husband comes back, and he apologized again and I said okay should we step outside and figure out a members house we can go and teach you at. And so we did. BUT IT WAS CRAZY!!! I have had opposition, but not like this haha. And the husband is still progressing and growing well in the church.

Well okay…last story. The elders had a baptismal service so we go and the Branch Mission Leader forgot to fill up the baptismal font.  So while the baptismal service is going on, my companion and I are filling up buckets trying to fill up the baptismal font. hahaha And it works!  They had to baptize on their knees, haha THIS IS THE GREAT!! And also while the people are changing from their baptismal clothes to their normal clothes, they usually have the missionaries talk about enduring to the end. So we are up there speaking and we ask,  “So what are some ways we can help these newly baptized members endure to the end?" And this lady in the ward yells out, "We don't have time for this." Then all the ward members start arguing with her. We had no idea what to do. So we closed up the talk and said these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen. hahahahahahahah THIS IS truly the Great!

Well I have found my favorite Prophet, at least one of them. Brigham Young! MAN he is so cool!!!!!!!!! I love his boldness and his attitude. I love him!!!! I seriously Love Brigham Young!! He is the best!! We have the Distribution Center in my area so I was able to buy The Teachings of Brigham Young. I read it every night since I got it and I am basically finished, and I bought it last Monday. He is the best!!

I'll just share some of my favorite quotes from it:

"Is there any necessity of being persecuted? Yes, if they are disobedient. But suppose they are perfectly obedient is there any reason of chastisement. I do not understand the principle of it. Have I been able to see the necessity of chastisement from the Lord on a people who are perfectly obedient? No. Have this people a need to be chastened? Yes they have. We all know the saints must be made pure to enter into the celestial kingdom.
My thoughts:
Trials are the biggest blessing from our Father in Heaven. If
we only fully understood.

"After suitable rest and relaxation there is not a day, hour, or minute that we should spend in idleness but every minute of everyday of our lives we should strive to improve our minds and to increase our faith of the Holy Gospel, in charity, patience, and good works that we may grow in knowledge"
My thoughts:
Cell phones are the best tool Satan uses for idleness. My goal when I go home is to be an adult haha :) but seriously--I don't want to be using my cell phone for Instagram and Facebook when I go home. I will only use it on my laptop. A cell phone makes it SO easy to idle away your time. I don't know. I want to be better! I feel like there really is no point to them, but at the same time I know hahahah I know I have to set realistic goals, and I doubt I will be able to give it up 100%.

"Before you condemn, we should wait until heaven clearly indicates a fault. And if heaven declares a fault wait until Father in Heaven reveals the person is wrong. And when you are capable of correction a person, then it is time enough for you to judge."
My thoughts: The quote is good enough it says it all.
 

"Suppose we were called to leave what we have now shall we call it a sacrifice? Shame on that man who would call it so; for it is the very means of adding in him knowledge, understanding and glory."
My thoughts
I LOVE THIS QUOTE SO MUCH!!! ! ITS SO True!!!! SO SO SO TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!! The most true quote I have ever read!

"We are not going to wait for angels. We are to build Zion ourselves"
My thoughts: D and C 58... That’s all I can say :) The best!! I love
this quote, and the responsibility that each of us have.

"We do not want any whiners about this temple. If you cannot commence cheerfully and go through the labor of the whole building cheerfully, start for California and the quicker the better."
My thoughts:
Haha this quote is so bold, but I LOVE IT!! Its so true, haha we should never complain lest we become like Laman and Lemuel hahahaha!!

Well anyways, I love this church, and for all the churches that broke away from the church at the beginning days, they should definitely read Brigham Young haha HE Is the BEST!!! He is definitely a prophet.
haha

Well I love this church, my future home is going to be like the mission home. I already have it all planned out. I am going to be a crazy women about the church. Haha I have an obsessive personality. I know I do, but I don’t even care. This is a good thing to be obsessed about right! haha For all those who remember me when I  little--my obsession with puppies, my obsession with going to Lake Powell, my obsession with a boat, my obsession with so many things." And I think I found my new obsession that will last forever!

Haha I love you all, don't forget it!! I am one blessed person to be serving a mission!! It’s the best thing I have ever done!!

Sister Falco!