Answers, natural man, Ugandan missionary, healing, lies, testimony meeting, perceptions, being like Mom

Some answers to your questions...
An area leader is the companion who is in control of the area for the week. They carry the phone and the keys to the house. They choose who's going to say the opening and closing prayers during our studies and planning sessions. And they do most of the planning for the day. It used to be the role of the "senior companion." But President Christensen did away with those. So in a general sense, an area leader is a senior companion, but it alternates each week within the companionship. "Shared responsibilities." So being an area leader in Elder Krueger's second week is just a joke he likes to say. He's just trying to build himself up. But I go along with it, because it is kind of funny.

Warm pills are the pills we take every six months to kill any parasites that we might have living in us. It's a series of six pills: two the first day, four the next morning. It actually leaves a funny taste in your month all day no matter how fast you take them. They'll probably send us home with some more worm pills. It's a very exciting moment to all to be gathered together to take our first dosage at zone conference. :-))

I had about the same line of thought as you said about college.... But it seems to me that I really shouldn't worry about "worldly" things like that right now. But is it worldly? I think it would just be nice if I could not think about the future at all and just put all thought into missionary work NOW. I just feel that it's part of the natural man to be worrying about the future. But I think I will take your advice and talk to my mission president about it. Can't go wrong there.

I don't think I ever mentioned it, but there is a girl going to serve her mission on temple square from Entebbe branch. She's from the Balyjusa family. That's the family that always fed me. That's where I was when I spoke to you on mother's day. So you'll have to try and find her the next time you go to temple square. I'm assuming she'd go by the name Sister Balyjusa. She leaves this month. She became best friends with that girl I baptized, Penny. So hopefully Penny will also follow in her footsteps and serve a mission. I think something like that can really make me feel good. To have baptized someone who serves a mission.

Yesterday a guy from Liahona High School bore his testimony of how the Lord saved his life from Typhoid. He had been very sick and was diagnosed with typhoid. But through all his fear, he was comforted and healed by the Lord. I didn't think much of it. Actually, I just thought, "Wow, the miracle of medicine..." But later that night my companion said, "Wasn't that the guy that asked us for a priesthood blessing the week before because he wasn't feeling well?" I said, "Yea, it was..." Then he said, "How does it feel to have cured someone from Typhoid?" We both talked about how fast we are to just over look the hand of God in our lives and justify it through the "wisdom of man."

I also was able to see the answer to my fast even before I finished fasting yesterday. Calmel, the mother to the family I'm teaching, progressed so much. She came with her family before the services started, and even stayed and watched the baptism after church. She opened up a little and told us of some of the things that she had heard about the church from other people. Things like, "They pray naked. They worship devils. They're all homosexuals." I asked her why she thought that people say those things about the church. She said it's because they're so many churches and that it's a competition to get people, so people lie about other churches so that they will come to their churches. That's about right. I also tried to explain to her about the adversary and how she will receive great trials as she makes the decision to join the church. But I have great hope for them. The great things about families, is that they're basically a support group themselves. Well, that's they way they should be.

Testimony meetings here are always very powerful. With the exception of Seeta, people are usually always trying to fight to get up and bear their testimony. And the fact that everyone is a convert just makes it that much better. But yesterday was Elder Ray's last Sunday. It's tradition that when an Elder here is leaving the branch they have to bear their testimony. So yesterday morning Elder Ray asked me if he should try giving his testimony in Luganda. I told him to go for it. When he got up, he said some things in English and then finished it in Luganda. Everyone busted out in applause and surprised, excited laughter. I think Elder Ray was a little embarrassed because that wasn't exactly the reaction he wanted, but it was definitely a memorable one. I think I'll have to start brushing up on my Luganda so I can try the same thing one day.

Earlier this week we were going through Njeru and we passed a group of kids that we always see. They always start chanting some phrase in Luganda that I was never very sure what it meant. Something "Mzungu nwansigila." They would say it over and over while kind of dancing. No big deal, it happens a lot. Except that other part of the phrase..."nwansigila." Fortunately this week we were walking with a member, so I was able to ask him the meaning of the phrase. He said he means, "White person smoking a cigarette." Well, I'm not quite sure what to say about that. Apparently these children have the perception that all white people smoke cigarettes. Goes to show how one person can put such a strong image in someone else's mind about the people he "represents." Put that in a missionary perspective, and we have to always be setting a good example - everywhere, always.

We've been seeing this old man named Aggrey. He's kind of mentally disturbed, but he's very kind and well spoken. He reminds me of that movie "A Beautiful Mind." But he always greets us by saying that we look very fit and well fed. And then he says that we must be taking three things... Milk, honey, and the word of God. And before we go, he always says, "A million thanks!" Or if we give him a small book to read he says, "This is one of seventy-five reasons that you'll live to be 101" But he seems like the type of guy that you would like as well, mom. I remember you used to always go and visit those old people like Sister Richards. Aggrey reminded me of one of those people, so when I visit him I just think that my Mom would be proud of me. Thanks for being the coolest MOM.

Thanks for everything once again. Have a great week!

Elder Wright