Ngonidzashe Leon Joseph Marange of Harare, Zimbabwe, knows that preparing for a mission takes a lot of work and trust in the Lord. Baptized as a young boy in the Marimba Park Ward, he now resides in Mabelreign Ward, which falls under the Harare Stake. A stake is made up of several contigous congregations.
Ngonidzashe is the fourth son of Margaret Marange, a single mom who is a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Margaret raised four sons: Lesley, Livison, Simba, and Ngonie and encouraged each of them to learn about and love the Lord. Simba chose to serve a mission and was called to Nairobi, Kenya.
Ngonidzashe had a great desire to serve a mission as well, but struggled in finding a way to do it. All along, his mother, Margaret, has compared her family to Lehi's family, saying that Simba and Ngonie were like Nephi and Sam, referring to the scripture 1 Nephi 8:3 in The Book of Mormon, which reads: "And behold, because of the thing which I have seen, I have reason to rejoice in the Lord because of Nephi and also of Sam; for I have reason to suppose that they, and also many of their seed, will be saved."
Ngonidzashe did find a way to prepare for his mission, and has been called to serve in Cape Town, South Africa. He will report to the Missionary Training Center in Johannesburg on 7 September.
Below is his story in his own words of how he prepared to serve the Lord as a missionary:
PREPARING FOR MY MISSION
By Ngonidzashe Leon Joseph Marange
Trust in him
"The Lord calls whom he qualifies.” This statement is real and true. God never loses sight of our eternal potential, even when we do. One of the greatest life lessons I've learnt is that when you do your part the Lord adds his power to your effort. He knows us better than we know ourselves.
Personally, during the first days I started getting prepared for my mission things were hard. I didn't know if I would be able to go on a mission; my hope was getting shattered. But I made a big decision to believe and exercise faith unto my savior, Jesus Christ, and this opened my spiritual eyes to splendors I could scarcely imagine.
I started off by working at a t-shirt printing shop, which did not really work out. I left that shop not impressed, very disappointed, and stressed about how I was going to earn the mission commitment fund and the other necessary stuff to get me going.
l made out my prayers, trusted in the Lord, and waited for an answer. This one afternoon as I was relaxing at the stake offices, a lady whom I've never met before walked in the office. That was my first time to meet and see her and when I explained everything about me going on a mission, just like that she employed me without delay (to work for her NGO as a photographer and laborer) and everything started progressing.
From that day on, I obtained a testimony that the Lord has a great plan for each and every one of us here on the earth. He waits for us to use our initiative and not get acted upon as if we are objects. He treats us as agents.
Gaining an eternal perspective
One of the things that kept me standing and holding on was the eternal perspective I gained. What usually limits our vision is that we focus our everything on the here and now things, but if we could find time to be alone and think of our eternal potential and perspective, we would endure every trial, challenge, and tribulation knowing that these things are there for a season, but one day will come to an end. They are for our own good and they help us to learn and grow away from the adversary.
I bear witness that if we develop an eternal perspective-- not the current ones that limit our visions-- we will be able to go forward with faith and hope.
My mission motive 100%
Alma 35:35-37 is one of my greatest scriptures verses, especially 37 which talks about counselling with the lord in all thy doings. I've learned to put God first, regardless of the trials I do face, to love him with all my heart, might, mind and strength, to have faith in Christ and entrust myself to him in all things.
For a long time, I thought my life would be changed only on my mission, not knowing i was misinterpreting it. l learned a life lesson which changed the motive I had of going on mission.
The greatest lesson l learned
Going on mission for two or one and a half years doesn't mean it starts and ends there as you immediately get released. Personally, I’ve taken it as two years of going to be trained by the Lord on how to become a life-time missionary.
Ever since I got this counsel, it has been an eternal friend to me. I’m grateful for this opportunity to go and labor in the South Africa Cape town mission. I can hardly wait!
I’ll be starting on the 7th of September 2017. I’m willing to do what the Lord would have me do, go where he wants me to go, say what he wants me to say and become the person he wants me to become.
And now my main goal "is to see others gaining the same kind of vision . . . to be enlightened and go forward with faith and hope" "The future is as bright as your faith,” taught President Thomas S. Monson, our prophet.
I bear witness that missionary work is real and true, and if you are on the Lord’s errand, you are entitled to his blessings. I testify Heavenly Father lives, he loves me, and I am his child. Jesus Christ is his son as well my savior and redeemer, He died for my sins. I know this is his church and as long as we keep the commandments, our lives will be more fulfilling and less complicated
I bear witness that the book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and if we study it every day, we will be transformed into eternal beings we can’t fully comprehend. I also know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of the restoration. I bear witness that the greatest school on the earth we can ever enjoy is the temple. As we visit it often, we can feel our Father’s love for us
I humbly share all this in the sacred and holy name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen