Things Are Going Swell Over On These Sides

February 26, 2018

The food miracle, 

God takes care of his children, ya know? He takes care of us in miraculous ways...  Ya know how in the african movie "Lion KinG 1 1/2" there is that song that goes, "Whaaaaat's on the menu, bla bla bla..." Well, here in Africa, we have been asking the same question, and we are being blessed with exactly what we are craving... Let me explain. Last week, me and Elder Ngele finished planning and we were just sitting in our flat chilling, when I said "We should make ugali and eggs tomorrow." He was like "Yeah. That sounds good". Low and behold, the next day we are at an investigator's home and what do they bring out? Ugali and eggs. Later on in the week, same scenario, Elder Ngele says "We should make ugali and mala tomorrow" I was like "Yeah, that sounds good". LOW AND BEHOLD, that next evening, at an investigator's house, what do they bring out??? Ugali and mala! Then comes Sunday, and we are walking with a member after some appointments telling him how amazed we were at this thing (being two for two) when jokingly I said "How would you feel about lasagna and chicken tomorrow?!" and my comp says "Yeah, that sounds good, pfff, if only" I tell him "Companion, The Lord will provide." AND LOW AND BEHOLD, the next day we get invited to have dinner at the couple's apartment AND WHAT DO THEY BRING OUT??? LASAGNA AND CHICKEN!!! WHAT IN THE WORLD?!?! It was a miracle, and it did not stop there... Just the other day, just before we went on exchanges we were talking about what we were wanting to eat, Elder Ngele says that he was wanting some chapo and potato stew, but I had a sweet tooth... I wanted some Sour Patch Kids, so much so that I even thought about asking if anyone loved me enough back home to send me two big bags of them. But the next day I switched with another missionary. While I'm away, Elder Ngele is fed potato stew and chapati, and I find that the missionary I exchanged with (this being his first transfer in the field) had brought a big bag of Sour Patch Kids from home and put it in his closet. So I took some. ;) ;)..... But don't worry, I didn't take a lot... And maybe don't post this one on the blog, cause I don't want him to have any way of knowing that I took some... It's supposed to be a secret... But anyways! How is that possible?! How is that possible... Well I'll tell ya. Obedience brings blessings and exact obedience brings miracles. Me and Elder Ngele have been working our tails off over here trying to be obedient and help people progress and it has been a crazy experience. The only tough part, is that all at once I have a greater desire to listen to Fleet Foxes... All at once I feel like secular music would be real nice right about now... And you know that I had brought that MP3 thing with me when i left! Haha, I don't want to go back to that stuff, so pray for me! Anywho! I love you guys! The beach looks really nice!

-aidan

P.S. We had a baptism last Sunday for a guy named John. He's a super cool guy.

Weekly Letter to President Msane

February 19, 2018

Here's a letter to my mission president this week:

Dear President Msane,

We are seeing miracles here in Eldoret. Let me share a few. The other day we got to meet with an investigator named Judy for the first time. She has been facing a lot of trials with her husband's alcoholism and we were prompted to share with her Joshua 1:9. After she was done reading the scripture, she looked up at us and said "Is that really your favorite scripture? That is the scripture that I received when I was first married... It has always brought me peace." It was amazing.

On this past Saturday night, I received a call from the branch president alerting me that I would be speaking in sacrament meeting the next day speaking on family history and temple work. I gladly accepted. After my talk was over, there were many people that came up and shook my hand to tell me I did a nice job and that I have inspired them, though that is kind of happen stance when you give a talk. One of our investigators walked up and said, "I want you to baptize my mom." We said we would happily meet with her if she told us where she lives and she replied "She passed away a few years back. I want you to get her baptized in your temple." We talked her through the process and she very quickly accepted to be baptized herself so she can prepare to do the work for her ancestors. 

And you remember the family that we have been teaching? As icing on the cake, Brother Raphael told us about how he had once had the Book of Mormon about 6 years ago, but never knew what it was so he never read it. God has been trying to bring this great man to the gospel for years now! I am only grateful that I get to have part in the process. 

I promise that I could go on with experiences, for they have been plenty over here on these sides. I feel as if we are bringing to pass much good in our area!

elder fraga

Hello Family.

February 19, 2018

Hi! Happy birthday Mom! I hope everyone is doing good over on those sides. I heard you're sick Conner, that stinks sorry bro. And I heard you got married  Aanika! Congrats! Mom, Dad, you gotta tell me all about that cruise you're going on, because I'm pretty scared of big boats like that haha... But if I still wanna do that whole fishing vessel thing to pay for school I probably oughta get over that...I bet you are all going to P.F.Changs tonight, so make sure you eat a lot of eggplant for me! I haven't had eggplant since I was in Chyulu! That's over a year ago now! 

Things are really good over here. I cannot even tell you how much I like Eldoret. I think I could finish my mission here, and I think I would be happy to do so.  I don't have a whole bunch to say today, but maybe I'll tell you about the work. We have a baptism coming up this Sunday for a man named John. He is super cool, learns really fast and teaches Swahili at a primary school.  We have also been working with a sister named Sarah who in an independent business woman, haha. She is super sarcastic. It's funny. We have been working really hard in this area and it's really great to see what is happening. I have seen MANY, MANY miracles in this place and that's why I'm only keeping it short on the report, cause I'm gonna have a whole lot to tell you when I'm home! But I love you all very much, and I hope everything is good.

elder fraga

BTW, I have had the song "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys stuck in my head today and it really reminds me of Ethan's Beach Boys faze.

Lolly Poopdeck

February 12, 2018

Hey fam, what's up? I hope you are all doing great, and from what I hear in the emails, it sounds like you are. Eric Vance was telling me something pretty neat about his grandpa's brother or something?... (missionary who found Elder Fraga's parents) Crazy! Sorry I didn't email last week, it has been fast and furious... 

Monday-Wednesday: MLC in Nairobi

Thursday: exchanges with the assistants

Friday:zone conference

Saturday-Sunday: district conference

It has been exhausting... But along with that, we were really trying to use every single second we possibly had in our area, and we felt pretty darn good about our numbers this week. In fact most of them were above the rest of the zone -_-.... I think we have some work to do... But Eldoret is nice and cold! I actually really, really shiver when I'm trying to go to bed and when I am waking up in the morning! Oh gosh... I just looked up the temperature and it's in the 80's.... That's not good.... I hope I still have a couple of dozen coats for when I get home, because October is going to make me into an icicle. I actually can't wait till I'm home... To listen to music, to chill with the family, to drive the canyon again. I have actually had a lot of nostalgic smells come into my nose this week... One of the art class at Corner Canyon, another of the climbing gym, another of the dentist office (most specifically the one that Sara's dad worked at or something from when we were little), and another of our trash can when it is filled with Diesel's stuff on a hot summer's day! So yeah! Pretty crazy! I really miss you guys, and I can't wait to see you again...

Before I go I wanted to show ya something cool. Another missionary sent this to me, but I'm not sure where or who it's from so,

"In my scripture study I was reading Alma 36, which is one of my favorite chapters so I was pretty excited about that. In seminary and at BYU in my Book of Mormon class I learned that Alma 36 is a Chiasm which is an old form of poetry. To explain it simply, it starts and ends with the same topic and then the second verse/subject is also the same as the second to last verse/topic and it does that all through the chapter until you get to the middle section which is the most important. In Alma 36, the middle section/verses are all about Jesus Christ and how He can change our pains into joys. Because I am kind of a nerd, I wanted to know what the exact center word would be. So I figured it out using the computer and there is an odd number of words in the chapter so the center is actually two words. And they are perfect! The center is "I REMEMBERED." When I figured that out I ran around the whole VC telling all the other Sisters. I just couldn't believe how perfect that was. The main reason being, when we partake of the sacrament we promise to ALWAYS REMEMBER HIM. That is how we are able to apply the Atonement in our lives. We remember what He has done for us and we remember that because of Him we are not alone. The Book of Mormon also counsels us numerous times to remember the miracles and tender mercies that God has performed for His children in the past. I know for me, one of the ways I can get through the hard times is by remembering all my blessings and remembering the answers to prayers I have been given in the past. So my missionary challenge for you this week is to REMEMBER, when things are hard please remember what God has already done for us, remember the miracles you have seen in your life, and please remember that God is aware of each and every one of us. Remembering is powerful."

Pretty cool, but anyways

-AIDAN

Oh Man...

January 29, 2018

It was so bitter sweet to leave Kisumu.... Yes, it was a tough area, and yes, those luos really tested my patience, but I left a piece of my heart behind with those people. Change is so hard, and it gets harder and harder as we go! I can't imagine what it will be like leaving Kenya... But, as one of my favorite songs says, "life is change, and change is good" and it's true, so long as we are on the Lord's side. I have witnessed that myself. When I came out on the mission I felt very confident about who I was. But during my time here there were some MAJOR  changes in my life... and at times, I thought those changes were too much to handle. But looking back from where I am now, I can see how much I've grown. I can see how much I've learned, and I can say that I feel closer to the potential that God sees in me more than ever before.

Thinking about ch-ch-ch-changes this week has made me look at the way I have been both working as a missionary, and living life. I can say to a big sense of satisfaction that I have lived in crescendo, and I have worked as a missionary in crescendo. Really, that is what this gospel is all about. When we were all living together in the pre-earth life we accepted the plan, because it was a chance to progress, a chance to grow, and an opportunity to one day be like our Heavenly Father! The ability to improve ourselves and to live in crescendo comes from what? OUR COVENANTS! Wow! We make more and more covenants with God as we become more mature and as we honor them there is an amazing power that comes from it!

Whenever we may be tempted or tried to sway with the world and go against what we have felt and know to be true, we must remember our covenants. We must remember what they give us, because they give us ETERNAL POTENTIAL. So let's all strive to be better, and find ways to go faster and further! (haha 8th grade x-country...) 

I don't really have much else to say this week besides the fact that the church is true and I love it, and I love you, and God loves you too.

Elder Fraga

BTW I'm in Eldoret now as a zone leader, so I guess we'll see how this goes... And my new companion is Elder Ngele from South Africa (Durban South Africa). He's super cool. I knew him in Kisumu. 

ENERG-ETIC ENERGY EMPIRE

THIS WEEK WAS GOOOOD!!!

January 22, 2018

Wow! This week was good. I'm so excited to tell y'all stories about the mission! I love it out here! Everyday is a miracle!

M. Russell Ballard said:

“I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don’t set goals in our life and learn how to master the techniques of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential. When one learns to master the principles of setting a goal, he will then be able to make a great difference in the results he attains in this life.”

As of late, we have been working our tails off to see our area improve. We have been doing this by using all the principles of Preach my Gospel that we possibly can handle into our work- especially proper goal setting! And it is amazing what has happened. We have seen success, I feel like a better and harder working missionary, I feel really good about my efforts in proclaiming this awesome message, and I have had greater peace of mind with a stronger testimony of God playin a part in every single itty bitty fiber of our lives. And of course, He does. And it has come not necessarily by working harder, but working smarter! Which actually kinda brings me to another point. We had a mission tour a few months back with Elder Palmer, and his wife talked about S.M.A.R.T. goals which was all very very nice and much appreciated on behalf of the missionary. It is important to set good goals for ourselves. Although.... If I remember correctly way back to when I was in Yosemite *shout out to Roberto(my dad), Greg, and Grant* we listened to a big long podcast kinda rippin on "smart" goals haha.... I don't remember exactly what was said, but the main message I got from it was, DON'T PUT LIMITS ON YOURSELF! a"Raise... the bar... shoot for the moon!" And remember that we don't just give an accounting in this life, but in eternity! (see D&C 72:3) So I think that ends my schpeel on goals and stuff, but this past week we got to go on exchanges! I went with a missionary named Elder Foulk! It was nice and we had a really powerful lesson with a sister named posh (pronounced like Porsche [but the average joe way, with a silent e pops] and we testified to her about her identity as a daughter of God and long story short she cried, we thought about crying, and she was baptized the following Sunday. But when she was baptized it really changed my view on baptism. It is not so much of a "Welcome to Gods church" but a "You have found who you really are, and where you really belong! Welcome back sister!" A little deeper than that, but yeah... Made me think of some scriptures in Alma 7 though:

14 NowI say unto you that ye must repent, and be born again; for the spirit saith if ye are not born again ye cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins, that ye may have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteousness.

15 Yea I say unto you come and fear not, and lay aside every sin, which easily doth beset you, which doth bind you down to destruction, yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with him to keep his commandments, and witness it unto him this day by going into the waters of baptism.

16 And whosoever doeth this, and keepeth the commandments of God from thenceforth, the same will remember that I say unto him, yea, he will remember that I have said unto him, he shall have eternal life, according to the testimony of the Holy Spirit, which testifieth in me.

and,for after they've been baptized/repented/started over:

19 For I perceive that ye are in the path of righteousness; I perceive that ye are in the path which leads to the kingdom of God; yea, I perceive that ye are making his path straight.

I wish that I had more time to email about all this stuff, but Posh is such an amazing example to me about not having fear to leave behind any behavior in our pasts that isn't in line with God's commandments and laying hold to the blessings which are rightfully ours as children of our Heavenly Father! For real, I wanna go on and on and on, but I know it'll lead to more and more scriptures to share, so I'll just call it good here. But I hope I was clear! If you are scared of leaving behind sins that bind you down and lead to your destruction, don't be!  GOD IS WITH US!(I love verse 15) But along with that, have I ever told you my favorite Book of Mormon verse? It's Ether 12:4 it's crazy awesome. But again, I hope you can put together all the crazy puzzle pieces my mind just spat out... 

Love you guys! 

elder fraga

footnotes:

a- eminem song