Christmas in Lubango!!

Missionaries with President Merrill

It’s almost Christmas and I cannot believe it!! Only 2 more days! Here in Lubango there are lights everywhere, and it actually gets cold here so it feels like Christmas!  Anyways Mom this computer is not letting me send pictures, such a bummer;  I will try and get them to you later.  The package with all of the presents is here,  so Elder Money and I pretty much guessed all of them, or at least I think, it was really cool with the scriptures!

On the way to Lubango

Sleeping on the way to Lubango- 18 hr. drive

On Our way to Lubango

So there are 4 Elders here in Lubango.  The other Elders are leaving soon from the mission.  The Hustle and bustle of Christmas do not exist here for Christmas, it’s pretty much the same, there are lights but life goes on pretty normal here. We bought a little Christmas tree and some lights so it feels like Christmas, super awesome, also the Elders from Huambo are taking a bus to come down here tomorrow for Christmas!  That will be so much fun! There will be 8 of us. So we won’t be going to the Mission home we are too far away 18 hrs. But it should be fun.  Christmas in Lubango.

Whole mission with Elder Hamilton

So sorry about Tomas from your mission Mom, it’s crazy how the connections of a mission last for eternity, its way cool, Gandia Spain is so beautiful,  one day I will take my kids back here to Angola to see the beauty here.

Lunch with our Mission President

So this week was absolutely wonderful we had a lot of success.  Elder Money and are finding a lot and trying to visit as many recent converts and members as we can.  The work is moving this is my first time, white-washing an area and it is definitely a challenge.  We don’t know the area well and we are working through members and references.  We met a man named Elias, he probably understood the Restoration better than anyone that I have taught on my Mission.  He is 20 years old, the same age as me, he has accepted the invite to be baptized.  Elder Money and I have been setting aside time in the day just to find and contact and the Lord has been putting people in our path daily.  It’s been a real eye opener to see the Lord’s hand.  So the other night we had basically finished the night it was at 8 at night and we decided to sit on a bench and wait for someone to walk by.  So after about 20 seconds this guys comes up and he asks us if we speak Portuguese, and we tell him yes and then he starts speaking English and then asked us if we could speak English.  Anyway he invited us into his home and he offered us a desert and a drink, He was super nice, and he told us how much he admired the work that we did and then he began to tell us his life story, he grew up in Portugal and then moved to Holland and he didn’t speak the language, it was difficult at first and he related this to us on our mission and how we have to learn a language on a foreign mission. He proceeded to tell us how his friends were not a good influence and they tried to take 150 kilos of heroine across the border.  They were caught and he was sentenced to 8 years. The judge gave him additional 8 for being black.  He took his case to the Government in Holland and his sentence was reduced to 3 years probation.  He worked in Canada at a Construction company.  Amazing story. I was blown away.  He offered to take all the Elders in Lubango to dinner.  This guy is amazing. 

On Sunday we had a huge turn-out at church.  The chapel is very small and I bore my testimony to the branch and it was a great day.  Wonderful things are happening here in lubango.  The Lord is putting people in our path as we are obedient to his council. I wish you all the most wonderful Christmas this year and hope that you feel loved wherever you are in the world! Elder Dunkley

Undefeated in Tennis!

Thanks to Sister Merrill for the additional pictures of the trip to Lubango!!