week #58

 

Hey everybody! Another great week here in Westport! It's been nice and sunny here which has been suuuuper nice! Idk if I'm ready for the gloomy fall and winter days but I'm stoked for that too! 

 

Awesome news! Wesport got 2 new Elders this week! Elder Birtcher (was serving in the Vanuagu Islands) and Elder Hair (was serving in New Zealand)! They're great missionaries and are so excited to be here! This little branch was happy with Elder Nelson and I and will be SO excited to have 4 Elders here!

 

We have been formulating out super fantastical battle plan for how were going to get things poppin here in the area! It's going great we have some great ideas about how to find more people to help bring closer to Christ! In excited to be putting it into action! Also so stoked to say that Elder Bateman and I ate chillen up here in the same zone! He's a great missionary and I'm stoked to be able to work with him up here!

 

Elder Nelson and I choose a spiritual though to do a deep dive into each week! This weeks was diligence! I learned a lot about diligence this week but the most impactful to me was on July 24 studying about the faith and diligence of the pioneers! MY ANCESTORS. I'm do proud to say that they endured those hardships so that I could live the life I've been blessed with! I believe we can all find little ways in which we can be more diligent in all things! Do things with a purpose in mind and you will find yourself feeling happier and more accomplished! And not to mention, the Lord will be happy with you! 

 

That's it for me this week! Keep killin it you guys! I love you all! 

 

Catch ya next week! 

 

Elder Mumford

 

1. Elder Bateman and I! Ahah sorry its blurry

2. Pic I took with and old film camera i got! 

3. ^^^

4. westport:)

5.the beach!

6. Lol I had to take a pic with this members dog! 

week #65

 

Hey y'all sorry it's been so long! To be honest not much has been going on so I dont know what to write about hahah! 

 

I guess something happened last week! I got a new comp! Elder Holman! He's was cool. From provo and went to timpview so we know some of the same people which has been cool. I'm actually training him so it's been really good for me too! 

 

Westport is still big chillen as far as Church goes! Some of the other wards around us are starting to get back to it but the prospects for Westport are slim as the youngest person in the branch is 52 and COVID isn't too kind to the elderly! Sorry gma's and gpa's! 

 

We've been keeping busy with service and member visits. It's nice that when we visit them they really enjoy us because not of them dont get too much company! I love putting smiles on their faces everyday!!

 

The fire has really done some damage down in Vancouver and Portland though! We've been alright up here because were on the coast but down south they've reported some of the worst air quality in the world! Missionaries there have been encourage to stay inside as much as possible. It started to rain tonight which is an answer to prayer. But the first responders need all the help they can get so pray for them and for rain! 

 

I've been learning a lot about Faith, Hope, and Charity these past few weeks and it's been SO awesome! Along with Meekness they really are what we need in order to become like Christ and be who He wants us to be! There is so much to learn about within those few attributes of Christ so I really recommend studying up in them and trying to put what you learn into practice. It will bless your life and make you a better person! 

 

I love you all and love hearing from you! 

 

Elder Mumford

 

1. Pretty skies!

2. Bone apple teeth. Ahah

3.district selfie!

4.been working on my game!

5.shoutout to Lauren for the package! 

6. ABBIE. lolz.

week# 56

Hey guys! How the heck are ya!? Miss and love you all.

Things are going pretty good here in Westport! I think Elder Nelson and I are starting to handle things here pretty well for a couple of African Elders!! Ahah but now we've kinda got a groove and have been enjoying it more as we've had more service to do and lessons to give. 

Happy 4th of July! I'm so grateful to live in a country that has allowed for the gospel of Jesus Christ to be restored! We are truly blessed! 

Well not too much news to share with you guys ahaha. Were not teaching many people but just reading and doing lessons with the members. Were really trying to get better at finding people to teach on Facebook which has been super cool! 

I'd like to share a spiritual thought with you guys. It's about one of my favorite poems. I've attached a picture of it at the bottom. But it's essentially talkes about how the trees that grow to be the biggest and tallest aren't the trees that never faced storms in their live, and so it is with men. The poem really helps me to see how the trials we face in our lives are really there to help us grow and become stronger. It's not always, and I would say never possible or easy, to see the good that will come from the adversity we are facing in the moment. But if we look to the Savior, knowing he has been there before and is with us now, he can help us turn those trails into triumphs! That is something so comforting to me and something that really touched me this week so I wanted to share it with all of you! 

Miss you all and love you all, 

Also I love hearing from ya and if you ever need anything just give me a holler! 

💙Elder Mumford 

week# 54

HALFTIME is over!

WOW...I am a missionary once again! That's insane! I'm so blessed to be here right now to serve! 

Westport, Washington! This little tiny beach town on the west coast of Washington. It's so beautiful! My comp is Elder Nelson from Syracuse Utah. He was serving in the Benin, Cotonou mission! (Africa)lol. We went out at the same time and came home at the same time. But he's super rad and we get along great. 

 Westports like the smallest little town and everyone is 60+ not joking. Haha so we definitely have our work cut out for us. Elder Nelson and I are so pumped to get things rolling here. 

I'm excited because there's going to be lots of opportunity to serve. Suprisingly in South Africa we didn't have LOTS of opportunities to serve. But the branch president told us we'd be serving a lot. 

We decided that we'd start called some of the people that have been taught befor COVID hit. We called this guy who got baptized right before everything shut down. His name is Vaughn and he's super cool! A bit out there but super cool. He lives right on the beach and surfs! He took us to a lady who he was helping to paint her house. Carmine, she's this older Hispanic lady who was drunk and smoking when we got there ahah. Walking through her house was on of the weirdest experiences I've had. Then she prayed for us and it was suppppper interesting! But I'm glad we can help her finish painting. Then he took us to the pier and said he'll give us a tour of Westport sometime this week so I'm stoked for that. 

A spiritual experience I had this week was when we first got to the mission office we had a little discussion type thing. They asked up to fill a whole piece of paper with "The Book of Mormon and What it's Done For Me". The Book of Mormon has done so much for me! I just thought about how much I've learned from it the amazing stories and examples that are in it! 

Love you all! 

-Elder Mumford

week# 37

Sanibonani gonke, 

Holy such a powerful week here in Mbabane! We are so busy here, theres lots of work to be done and Im trynna not let it overwhelm me!

Sister Shabalala was confirmed and recieved the gift of the Holy Ghost! She was thrilled! Im so happy for the Shabalala family. 

We were able to put another on date this week! His name is Sfiso, he's a members grandson and he's super cool. We taught him about the gospel of Jesus Christ and he accepted a date in that first lesson. He'll be baptised on April 5! 

We are teaching a lot of people who have serious potential to progress, Satan has been strong in haulting peoples progression here. Please pray we can continue to have success! 

I love the people who I am in the service of. Its been such a humbling and eye opening experience to be where I am today. I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for sending me exactly where I need to be and exactly the right time for me! 

Sorry not much time to write today but I love you all, have a great week.

Elder Mumford

week# 36

Whats up fam!? 

This week was super nice! Lots of good teach opportunity and I feel like we found some super great potential people!

Weve been bringing Thando and Menzi to teach with us and its been really cool! They should be recieving the priesthood soon and theyll start passing the sacrament. Theyre stoked about that! 

This week we were able to teach a girl named Zethu. She was taught by missionaries in the passed and ine night unknowingly we knocked on her gate. She told us she felt like it was a sign. We helped her put together a plan and shes now doing great. Sent us a message the other day saying, "Hi elders, since you guys left Ive read 8 chapters of the book of mormon!" I was soo happy to get that message. Please pray for her to continue to progress.

I worked in Sidwashini with Elder Pereira on Wednesday which was super fun! We tought some really good people. 

Also good news... Sethu, Thando and Menzis friend cane to church. Which means he now can be baptized on March 15 if he keeps comming to church! So thats super exviting! 

The rest of the week was just full of trying to visit people and teach as much as we can. Its so crazy to think that my comp has 3 week left on mission! 

I finished the Book of Mormon this week, and Ill finish the New Testament in a few days! Im super excoted to start studying the Old Testament and D&C along with the Book of Mormon! 

Also I got to call my mom on Saturday for her Birthday! It was great. Happy Birthday mom, I love you. Thanks for getting me to where I am today! 

So yeah, great week here in Swaziland! 

Ngiyakuthanda Kakhulu, 

Elder Mumford

1. Exhanges with Elder Pereira ft. Phila & Posqual

2.^^^

3. Crazy moth we found!!

4. W/ ma new whip! 

5. Exchanging cars!

6. Wahoo missionary work with the recent converts:))))

Whats up fam!? 

This week was super nice! Lots of good teach opportunity and I feel like we found some super great potential people!

Weve been bringing Thando and Menzi to teach with us and its been really cool! They should be recieving the priesthood soon and theyll start passing the sacrament. Theyre stoked about that! 

This week we were able to teach a girl named Zethu. She was taught by missionaries in the passed and ine night unknowingly we knocked on her gate. She told us she felt like it was a sign. We helped her put together a plan and shes now doing great. Sent us a message the other day saying, "Hi elders, since you guys left Ive read 8 chapters of the book of mormon!" I was soo happy to get that message. Please pray for her to continue to progress.

I worked in Sidwashini with Elder Pereira on Wednesday which was super fun! We tought some really good people. 

Also good news... Sethu, Thando and Menzis friend cane to church. Which means he now can be baptized on March 15 if he keeps comming to church! So thats super exviting! 

The rest of the week was just full of trying to visit people and teach as much as we can. Its so crazy to think that my comp has 3 week left on mission! 

I finished the Book of Mormon this week, and Ill finish the New Testament in a few days! Im super excoted to start studying the Old Testament and D&C along with the Book of Mormon! 

Also I got to call my mom on Saturday for her Birthday! It was great. Happy Birthday mom, I love you. Thanks for getting me to where I am today! 

So yeah, great week here in Swaziland! 

Ngiyakuthanda Kakhulu, 

Elder Mumford

1. Crazy moth we found!!

2.Exchanging cars!

3. W/ ma new whip!

4. Wahoo missionary work with the recent converts:))))

5. . Exhanges with Elder Pereira ft. Phila & Posqual

6. Wahoo missionary work with the recent converts:))))

week# 35

Sho this week just flew by! I know thats every week and this is how every missionary starts their letter but....its true! 

Highlights from the week are Thando and Menzis confirmations and Sister Shabalala and Vuyiswas baptisms! Im so beyond stoked for all of these people who Ive come to love! I keep on telling them how this is just the start and their beginning a great journey that will bring so much peace and joy! 

Weve been bringing Thando and Menzi with us to work! They love it ahaha. They're super shy but I can see improvement each tine we go out! They're going to be great missionaries. 

Were still doing lots of finding here! We've learned that in Swaziland, the best way to increase the number of serious people to teach we have to increase our finding efforts. Since I've been in Swazi my comp and I have found and taught over 100 people! And only maybe 8 are progressing. Planting seeds baby! Lol 

So now were trying to focus on finding people who really want to change and who will come to church! So hopefully we can work on that! 

I'm almost finished with the BOM again! I have really gained a testimony of it! I know I say it a lot but I love it! Its my favorite book ever. 

Well im loving life here! The work is moving so quickly! Im so blessed to be a part of it. 

Thanks for the love and support! 

I love hearing from yall!

Love, Elder Mumford

week# 34

Sanibonani erybody! 

Holy this week just flewww by! And it was SO good! 

Firstly, we met with Sister Shabalala and her grandson Vuyiswa who are both on date. And they passed their interviews! They'll be baptised this comming Sunday! And were super excited for them! 

We have a few other people were teaching who are so close to following the path! Were trying our best to help them along! And we LOVE Mbabane! 

Also my birthday was on Wednesday! It was great! Lots of missionary work! What could be better!? 

We had zone conference and interviews with president. It's always a good time being with them and the rest of the zone! 

Alsooo district conference was yesterday! We had some interesting talks....ahaha about Labola(paying for wifes, its a culteral thing in southern africa to pay for your wife using cows and as you can imagine it cause some issues in the church), ministering, and other minor changes the church has made. It was good! 

That was my week! Thank you all for the birthday wishes I love you all! Feels good to be 19 fasho! 

Love,  Elder Mumford

1. Birthday Burgers

2. Birthday Breakfast

3. Companheiro 

4. I love rain

5. Companheiro