Raining Hippopotamuses

I had never truly seen rain untill I got here.  It’s doesn’t rain cats or dogs here, its more like hipos and lions.  One night Elder Largent and I were at the office with the assistants late at night wrapping up a few things when it started raining.  Soon it was all followed by intense flashes of lightning.  The experience reminded me of when we were backpacking in the uintahs.  By the time 9:00 came around and it was time to go home we braved the rain and started going out to our car.   The street had become a river, and the car was on the other side of the “river”   the others didn’t want to cross so I did with the intention to bring the car closer so they could hop in.   By the time I got over there, we decided that the tires of the car were already under the water and there was no way that it would make it all the way to our house on the south side of Maputo.  We decided to just stay at the mission office and hope that the roads were better in the morning.  And they were.    

We woke up early and booked it home to take a shower, eat breakfast and drive back to the Mission office.  That morning at 9:00 we were going to have a training with President Kretly.  The training was incredible.  President Kretly worked for Franklin Covey before the mission, in fact he was the biggy boss in Brazil.  (around here in Mozambique they say biggy boss)  He is very knowledgeable and is a marvelous speaker.  President Kretly gave a training on the first of the seven habits of highly effective “missionaries.”   Be Proactive.   My life since that day is changing a lot.  I always knew what it was to be proactive, but President Kretly really hit it home.  He used scriptures and modern revelation along with the training, making it so much more applicable.  Reactive people are a product of their environment, but proactive people, regardless of their environment will find a way to succeed.   I’m made a goal to be proactive for the rest of my life.  In just four days, I’ve seen an immense difference in my life because of the principles being applied in my life.    Often times in our busy day to day lives we base our actions on things and personal desires instead of gospel principles.  This can negatively affect our reactions to what happens in life.   On the flip side, when we have a solid foundation make principle based decisions then the way we react to life’s problems will be all the better.

-Elder Greenman

P.S.  Thanks to all for the letters,  and I'm REALLY sorry I havent responded and written back yet, but don't worry, i'm on it!  Those letters will be coming.