Our Cup Runneth Over: A VISIONARY PEOPLE, Part 2 25 August 2016

A baby smiling while asleep, is conversing with those in Heaven.

A VISIONARY PEOPLE part 2

In an April post, I wrote stories about some African members that have had dreams. I want to share with you more amazing stories of dreams that people have had that have prepared them for the gospel or verified the truthfulness of what they are learning. I stand in awe of the humbleness and their ability to be so close to the spirit that they have visions!

MATOME ELLIOTT KEKANA - Lenyenye, South Africa

During an interview with Brother Kekana (Lenyenye Branch President) he shared with us an amazing dream that he had before he met the missionaries. He was working quite a distance away from his family and only returned home on the last weekend of the month. His wife had told him that two young men with white shirts and ties had been by the home asking for him by name. They have no idea how they got his name, but she told the missionaries that he wouldn't be back in town until the end of the month. So she was warning Bro. Kekana that they might have visitors when he got home. Two nights before he was to return home, he had a dream. There was a beautiful pond with pure water and he was fishing on it. All of a sudden a white hand came out of the pond which frightened him. He started to run away but was held back because something had grabbed his collar. As he turned back to see what was happening, he saw Jesus holding on to him. He looked at Bro. Kekana and said, "Don't run away. I would like to use you." Two days later he was introduced to the missionaries, attended church the very next day and has never looked back. The Lord has definitely used Brother Matome Elliott Kekana in spreading the gospel and leading his sheep in the Lenyenye area of South Africa.

FRANCISCO CHIMIKA - Harare, Zimbabwe and Beira, Mozambique

Brother Francisco Chimika was in Johannesburg attending the temple for the first time. He came into the Church History Center to visit with us and we so enjoyed his story that we set up an appointment the following day for an oral interview. He relayed a dream that he had. His eleven-year-old daughter was the first one to meet the missionaries and they invited Francisco and his wife to join in on the discussions. He refused but the missionaries left a Book of Mormon and encouraged him to read and pray about the truthfulness. So he did. One night he had a dream. He looked into the heavens and the stars had written Jesus Christ. When he awoke he knew that was his answer to his prayers.....that the Book of Mormon was a witness of Him. He called the missionaries and said he was ready for the discussions and three months later was baptized. He is currently serving as the Stake Patriarch in the Beira, Mozambique Stake. I have never been in the presence of someone who loved life as much as Francisco does. It was an honor to interview him.

GERTRUDE ONEN (CAYAMOI) - Jinja, Uganda

Have I told you lately how much I love having the Church History Center by the Temple Patron Housing? I wander into the lobby and discover the most amazing people and after just a few minutes they are revealing fascinating stories. Gertrude was one of these. She is lovingly referred to as "Mama G" because she takes care of all the missionaries serving in her area. She was at the temple to witness the sealing of her daughter to a return missionary from America. Her story was one of trials, heartaches, despair, sorrow and finding the "light" that helped her through it all. When she was in a really low point in her life, she was sitting outside of where she was living holding her severely burned daughter on her lap (another story) when two young men in white shirts passed her. They acknowledged her and told her that they would pray for her. The following day they returned to see how her daughter was doing. They came the next day and the next. They came by all the time where she fed them but she refused to listen to what they had to share. Every visit they would bear testimony of Jesus Christ and every visit they left without presenting a discussion. But a funny thing, she did attend church during this time and everyone thought she was a member. After 1 1/2 years, her heart started to soften. One night she had a dream. Someone in white was standing above her with his arms reaching out towards her saying, "Gertrude, Gertrude". In the dream she was desperately trying to get to him but couldn't. When she awoke, she knew what she was suppose to do......let the missionaries teach her and be baptized.

SOLOMON MATLOU - Tzaneen, South Africa

We had the honor of interviewing Solomon Mathou -a faithful, dedicated servant of our Heavenly Father. The interview was to capture his service but we had no idea that for the two and a half hours we were going to hear an amazing story. Here it is briefly. He had many struggles as a child and his dreams of becoming a lawyer faded when his parents died. At an early age, he found a job but also was the first person to join the ANC Youth League in Tzaneen and during the apartheid was on a list of troublesome youth which they were arresting, so he fled to Atteridgeville which is by Pretoria. He returned to Tazaneen, was married and had five children. But he said that he was not living a good life, doing things he was not proud of. One afternoon he was napping on a bench when he had a dream. In the sky there were words written but he couldn't read them. He said he remembered moving his head and body in all directions trying to decipher the words. It terrified him. He told the dream to a pastor in hope for an interpretation. The pastor told him that God loved him and he should find a church that would change his life. He joined the Dutch Reformed Church, the Anglican Church, Zion Christian Church but could not find one that "gave him the spirit of God". He searched from 1986 - 1992. One day he was in front of his shack when two men dressed in white shirts and ties were coming straight to him. Because of the way they were dressed, he thought they were police. They passed all the homes and came directly to him. They told him they had a church for him. He listened and felt the spirit. But he had two fears: 1) he couldn't sing hymns; 2) he couldn't dress like these two men - he had no jacket, no white shirt and no one had ever seen him dressed up. He said, "I must go and be brave." which he did and learned to love the hymns. When they introduced the Book of Mormon to him, he recognized those as the words he saw in the sky that afternoon on the bench. His search for his dream's interpretation had ended. He claims, "I became a better man and dedicated my life to my Savior." He has served as Lenyenye Branch President, Tzaneen District President and has now been called as Tzaneen Branch President.

I am going to share another story but I am not going to give her name. During this interview the spirit was piercing and she was such a tender lady. The story I am going to share was very special to her and even though she consented that we could use it, I feel I want to keep her anonymous. This lady had a great importance in the bringing of the church to her country. There were many country firsts in her life. She was the first to be baptized. She was married to one of the first missionaries. She was the first couple to be sealed in the Johannesburg Temple. After ten years of marriage and three children later, her husband suddenly passed away. This was a very difficult time for her. Questions arose like how will I cope? How will I take care of my children? Why him? I need him here to help me. During this time of sorrow and ache, she had a dream. She saw her husband in his Sunday best taking people from one side of the place to the other. He was so busy taking care of the people that he couldn't even take time talk to her. He looked happy and busy doing something very important. She said that she never had worries after that. She had a feeling of peace that her husband was continuing his missionary service in heaven that she knew was important to him. She continued that he was called up to leave this life. Heavenly Father needed him. She continued to bear her testimony of how grateful she was that their family would be eternal. Her desire was to keep her covenants so that she would be able to join him. What a faithful lady. What strength and strong belief that "Families are Forever".