The first time

This post might not make of much sense if you are not LDS, but please try to muddle through it anyway.

Here in our little branch of Quelimane we initiated a major program of the church yesterday. It occurred to me, as I led this effort, what an extraordinary experience I was having--one that literally millions of LDS church leaders worldwide will never have, because they serve in places where the church has long been established--and doing something "for the first time" is simply not possible. And they therefore, must live with or benefit from the preceding years of good or bad experience.

One of the wonderful (and compensating) aspects of our assignment here is the fact that we are essentially starting from scratch. Our members have no previous experience, no bad habits (other than those they gave up to join the church), no preconceptions or expectations of their religious experience in the LDS faith other than finding truth and peace. They are largely a blank slate. When Elder Cook of the Seventy visited us recently, he commented with some surprise (and maybe just a smidgen of envy of the experience) something like this: "Elder and Sister Osborn, it is like you have your own private little garden of clean soil here--you can plant and nurture and then see just how your efforts have produced".

Yesterday we introduced the program of Home Teaching to the men of the church in Quelimane. They had never heard of it before but for a few references in their gospel study. Worldwide, and particularly in Mozambique, the success and efficacy of the program in the church is a mixed bag (I am a great believer and adherent). We were able to teach it simply, focusing on its fit with basic gospel principles--and I think, instill a bit of enthusiasm to be engaged in something meaningful. We made initial assignments and all were excited to get to work.  Time will tell if this clean slate is the benefit that I hope it is.

I believe that I will be a simpler and less jaded man upon my return.

We have a lot of lizards here. Many of them are in the house. They eat bugs so we generally don't mind (using the term "we" perhaps too generously). One of the main house lizards we have is pictured below. They are not chameleons but seem to display a little bit of color and pattern changing ability (we see them going at least from light to dark and back, depending on their location).

We had these two frolicking over our bed last night--they were not particularly small so Debbie really was less than comfortable.  After a while it became clear that their antics were more of a courtship ritual than a hunting expedition so we finally turned out the lights to give them some privacy.

Real chameleons are quite cute--but we don't see many of them around.

Location:Quelimane, Zambézia, Moçambique