Jambo!

Jambo wote! In case you hadn't noticed, that's kiswahili! Yep, that's right, me and my roommate Daniel have begun a quest to learn kiswahili! Let me give you a little background on why in the world we would want to learn this language. The fact is, both Daniel and I are slightly obsessed with the idea of going to Africa. For the past week or more, Africa has probably constituted the vast majority of our conversations. Prior to that I'm sure it's dominated our mission thoughts for a few years. With mission calls coming up so quickly it has merely brought those thoughts to the forefront of our minds. After all, we have both dreamed of going to an African country and serving the people there for quite awhile. In all honesty we have no idea why we want to go there. If we were to really think it through you'd think we'd change our minds. Africa is a dangerous, poverty ridden, often genocidal continent. It is a continent of wars, corruption, crime, death, and despair. However, for some reason it contains a definite allure. The culture there is rich, the people often friendly and full of good will. There are stories of success, faith, and hope, that ring forth from the destitute depths of nations. It is not all bad, and while most definitely dangerous, the people there are still children of God. Who else could need the Gospel of Christ more than those that seem to suffer most? Now don't get me wrong, I will not be disappointed if I do not go to Africa. I am fully aware that throughout the world there are many of God's children that need the Gospel as badly as those in Africa. After all, don't we all need to hear that joyous message! And so, wherever I am called to serve the Lord, I know that there will be those who will receive His message and enter into His rest. That is definitely what ultimately matters, and I know that where I am called will be the place where I can best serve, and probably where I can learn the most about myself and what I need to do and become in my life. Plus, how could I be disappointed in a call that was given to me in the premortal realm! A call I have been foreordained to perform! There is power in the concept of foreordination, and I relish in the thought that I perhaps promised one of my brothers that I would find him and bring him the joy I would be privileged enough to have in my life from its beginning! There is honestly nothing else I would rather do at this point in my life, and wherever I am called to serve, there is nowhere else I would rather go, even if it's not Africa. I cannot wait to serve the Lord, to bring His message to people throughout the world, to show them the joy that I have found in the message of The Book of Mormon and in Christ's Atonement! There are few things that can bring greater joy than bringing joy to the life of another, and that is why I am willing to serve. I want people to know what I know, to feel what I feel, to have the spirit in their lives, and to know that they are Children of God with the divine potential to become like God! To know that Christ loves them, that he suffered for them, and that He lives! There is no greater message, and I feel privileged to know that I will be called to bring it to God's children throughout the world. So for now, Kwaheri, Adios, Zai jian, Tschus, and goodybe. We'll see what language I'll serve in, but in reality, it doesn't matter, because I will have been called to serve!