Things Learned in Africa

 

A few things learned or emphasized while serving a full-time mission in the Africa West Area.

It is a super challenge to capsulize one’s 18-month experience serving as an ordained full-time missionary in these latter-days in just a few thoughts and words.  Here are some of the thoughts that stand out.

There's a difference between having a testimony and being converted.  Conversion is the outward expression of an inner testimony.  A testimony must be lived to be of any effect.

Agency is still absolute.

Jesus is the Christ.  We all need him.  We need the atonement to be effective in our life.  That's why keeping covenants is so important.

A chaotic society is that way for a reason: it is earned.  Same with a progressive society; it is earned.  By their fruits ye shall know them.  Some decisions made a long time ago helped bring this about.  The gospel is the surest and most lasting answer to make society better, and eventually what it should be.

The world is messed up big time because people have strayed from the truth about God and are practicing incorrect principles.  Bad choices were made by a few a long time ago and their posterity is suffering.  Poverty, unrest, and conflict don’t have to exist.  The way to fix this is reconnect with God and follow the Savior.  Living the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way to correct the world’s problems. 

I can only do so much to alleviate the suffering of others with my personal resources.  I can always do something, but the best remedy is to steer people to the Church.

The gathering of Israel is real.  Missionary work is the process of gathering Israel.  Not everyone pays attention to the message.   When Heavenly Father is pleased with the progress and enough of Israel has been gathered (whatever that means), the Savior will come back to begin the “millennium”.

What we did in the pre-earth existence affects us here.

We are just as important to Him as the missionary work is.  We are “His work and His glory”.

God loves us more than we can imagine.

God is in control of His work: the gathering of Israel and the operation of the Church.  He can do his own work, but “the plan” involves getting us involved.  We assist Him.  We do what we think and pray is right by using the gospel principles we are aware of and then leave the rest to Him.  He can handle it.  This is His work, and we are privileged to be involved.

The Savior projected "out" and not "in" by observing the real needs and circumstances of others and doing something about it.  Be like Him.

We can be concerned about our work but shouldn’t worry about it.  The Lord is able to fix any mistakes we make.  A hard lesson for many of us to live by.

The restoration of the gospel is ongoing.  There is much more to be revealed.  We can’t handle all that has been revealed.  Then, being human, we look forward to more.

God loves and esteems all His children and favors the obedient and faithful.

One of the purposes of prayer is to develop a relationship with your Eternal Father.  Prayer is not just for asking for things, or thanking Him.  The Supreme Creator of the Universe wants a close relationship with each of His kids.  His love for us is incomprehensible, as large as the universe and eternal.  Let that soak in.

Heavenly Father is speaking to us more often than we know.  We haven’t learned to listen well enough.

God works with His kids in direct relation to their faith in Him.

Israel is another name for the Savior.  This is my opinion.  (I want to live, rule and reign in His house forever and not someone else’s).  The Savior is the ultimate example of one letting God prevail in his life.

Answers to life’s questions, and how one should live one’s life, are in the scriptures, ancient and modern, and as revealed by modern prophets.  Search them out.  We are responsible and accountable.

“The Church is true!” – James Ewusi, the 4^th person baptized into the Church, December 1978.

The full-time missionaries we served with are truly the “salt of the earth” and a “light unto the world”.  We love them.  They all have different personalities, and we still love them.

Brother Atobora Brown, the A2AAs and AAAs are dedicated latter-day saints. We truly enjoyed working with them.  They are a key to strengthening the Church in the AWA.