First baptism already

This week has gone super duper duper fast! It feels like only yesterday i was writing my last email to you. So much has happened this week. It has been an amazing week so I will try to get straight into it!

So we have been teaching many people this week, a lot of members, now that I have been to church here we've been going round visiting with a lot of them, they are all really cool people and I love them all.

One of the main events of this week was definitely Zone exchanges! So I went to Veerninghang with an Elder Nwokedi! He recognised my surname since he is actually from Denmark! So we had a lot of fun together. Visiting an investigator who is a lovely woman and cares for children that come to here. Before i say anything else, I should mention that Veeranging is the only white township in the mission, so lots of white people which makes a change.

Then we went and visited with a member called Helen. She is a lovely lady who is really interested, the only issue was that she is deaf. She can lip read quite well, and with the help of a piece of paper and a pen we were able to have a discussion together buit it was definitely a new experience and something that i wont forget!

The day before Zone exhanges we had a predicament though! Neither me or Nwokedi could drive! But luckily some of our appointments cancelled, again, so me and Elder Benson drove to Jo'burg to get me cleared for driving, They were happy with my abilities and so I have been cleared to drive! YAY! Driving in Africa is pretty much the same except it was an automatic.

Then on Friday we went to the Jo'burg Temple and distribution centre. I managed to pick up some really cool pictures, a gospel artbook and someother nice stuff. The temple then was an amazing and really spirtual experience, and seeing the other elders there was a really fun time.

Then Saturday and Sunday were really the highlight of the week. Saturday we went shopping because we didn't manage to go on monday and so we almost made it the entire week without shopping for 2 weeks! which I thought was an accomplishment!

Then we went and visited the senior couple in our area, and since Elder Benson can play the violin really really well, we went to one of their neighbours to ask if we could have a little Christmas carol service in her flat (because she play the organ) and she agreed! So on the 23rd we are going over there, to meet some of the neighbours and have a Christmas sing along. 

Then as we were about to leave, we saw some new people moving in, so what did we do? we went right over there and helped them move some of their stuff in. Then they started asking us about what we did! So we got to explain about the missionaries and they said that they'd love to learn more about us and they invited over to dinner sometime. YES! so we will be going over there. So that really showed to me that just a little act of service goes a long way, and that unplanned acts of service are the best, I'd literally read about it that morning in preach my gospel!

Then on Sunday we had a baptism! Lizel who's husband is a member was baptised, the service was amazing! Her husband got up to give his talk but all he could do through his tears was just bear his testimony. I'm so happy for them and we felt really good about it all.

Running out of time now they are all waiting for me so I need to wrap it up, But I can't wait to talk to you all more on Friday for Christmas! Gonna be the highlight.

Those drummers in Alnwick looked amazing and I'm sad that I wasn't there to see.

Still missing everyone, Merry Christmas to everyone if I don't get to say it to everyone personally. Although it is still hard it is getting better as I am starting to adjust to the heat and the work is going really well.

See you all on Friday when we will be on Skype.

My best wishes


Elder Jack Jorgensen

Playing with lion cubs in the first week

So this week has been pretty crazy! and it feels like ages since I've emailed because so much has happened. 

Friday to Monday in the MTC were really awesome. I really enjoyed the MTC and it was amazing, the week felt like it had gone by really quick, I learned so much and before I knew it I was at transfer meeting! 

My companion is Benson, he is from Utah, he is an amazing guy, hard worker, but chill and a great guy, we get on really well! He has just been out 6 weeks himself so we are two greenies :-) But Elder Benson knows the area and he also knows the local members really well which is great.

We have a car. I still need some instruction on driving South Africa style so at the moment he does all the driving until hopefully soon I can do it too. But the weirdest thing is having to get out and check every time we need to back the car (its a mission rule to avoid simple accidents), and I forget quite a bit, so we are just sitting in the car, and he doesn't say anything till I realise, it is quite comical.

So the area we cover is the town of Potchefstroom and the township is Ikageng. And I love it, it is amazing and the people here are all really nice.

I did my first bit of teaching on the first day! And we have been busy with appointments all week. Much of the work with people are slow near Christmas because many people have gone away for Christmas. Haven't done much "tracting" yet.

The members are great and i love teaching lessons. Elder Benson is great to step in if I am stuck of what to say. We already have a baptism coming up, she has been taught for months but decided to get baptised now. We also have other great people to teach.

On Friday I had my first District meeting which was amazing, and then I went on exchanges with Elder Adamson while the DL went to interview Lizel.
Have also already experienced a few things you wouldn't normally see back home. 

The heat is high which is really weird since it is so near Christmas. The weather is crazy here, the temperature is 30c and we have some crazy crazy crazy lightning storms, which are really cool. 

The rest of the time has been awesome, the local branch meet in a school just like we once used to back home which was nostalgic with the setting up and everything! And for the Christmas party we watched a devotional that was broadcasted that someone had downloaded on the computer, and then had a BBQ.... for Christmas... which was really weird but very delicious

The members are amazing, and we love them, i've been able to give some pass along cards out, i am loving my personal study time and i can't get enough of it! i wish i could study all day but we need to also put things intro practise :-) And as soon as 10pm rolls by, and we've finished planning, i jump straight into bed because the heat does make you very tired in the evenings. I do manage to steal a nap or two in the car as well. 

The branch is about 30 members, 1 young man, but they are all really nice people. We have a senior couple in our area, the Charchankos from Arizona who are the greatest people we could have ever hoped for. They are so nice and grandparent like and so very very spiritual, they come with us if we need to visit a female.

The work is progressing and all is well, I'm feeling really good. 

Went to a lion park today with my district and saw some lion cubs and held one! It was awesome and the lions were awesome! really cool


Elder Jack Jorgensen

My first area is Ikageng in the Potchefstroom Mission Branch

A quick blog on what has happened.

We can't believe it is time to leave the MTC already. We have learnt so much about how to teach.

This morning we were up at 5:30am to get ready, pack our bags, eat breakfast, and then we meet together for our send off devotional.  

We then gathered at the front foyer where the Joburg Mission and the Botswana/Namibia Mission President came to greet us.

We went to the Mission Office and had an orientation that began with a panel discussion moderated by missionaries who are just completing their missions. It was very good to hear from their experience and their love for South Africa and mission life.

We then had breakfast followed by an overview of all mission-related issues we needed to know including instructions on flats, mission rules, hygiene, mission vehicles, allotment cards, health and safety. Because of the overwhelming amount of information, all of it was also included in a manual so we can look at it later as it is impossible to remember it all. 

We had also had an interview by the mission president so he had a chance to get to know us.

Our "transfer day" (when you go to a new area) then concluded with a “transfer meeting” where we found out which area we would be going to and who our new companion would be for the next 6 weeks until the next transfer day.

My trainer will be Elder Benson and our area is Ikageng near Potchefstroom. This is 75 miles south-west of Johannesburg. It is a small mission branch here so there will be plenty for us to do.

Our P-day (day off) in the future will be Monday so that will be when I email to update you in the future.

We are excited to be working with the small branch here to serve the members here, helping and assisting them.

Next week I should have plenty to tell you about my first area. 

Let the real work begin :-)

Elder Jorgensen

After a week at the South Africa MTC

I have now been at the MTC for a week.

There are 22 of us in our group and we are from Uganda, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Utah, Colorado, Washington, Idaho, New Zealand (Elder Wikiara who is amazing), Reunion Island, The Netherlands and England!!! (Elder Carr from Leeds who is Luke Carr's cousin) and that's about it!

I am enjoying the MTC, I love it a lot, the Elders here are all really nice and we all get along well. This is despite any cultural differences with us being from so many different countries.
The Africans are very quietly spoken but they are all amazing people and I love them. My companion is an Elder Kagimba who is from Uganda, he is 21 and has been a member for 5 years. He's an amazing guy. I taught him to tie a tie so we are learning a lot from each other. He is funny even without meaning to be. 

The MTC experience is hectic so there is a lot to learn and we are busy all the time. The things I've been doing are really good! There is so much to do and I have been so very very busy! The food here at the MTC is so good although still not like home. Just visited the shop earlier this day to restock on chocolates and everything, something that really really surprised me was how cheap everything is here! It's like insanely cheap. 

I found Kieran on one of the pictures in the files of the previous MTC groups, and I will send a picture of it as soon as I get into the field. I have a lot of pictures still to upload.

We got to watch "The District" and "Meet the Mormons", and it was amazing, plus the SA MTC is on Meet the Mormons! Go watch it here! 

The lessons have been going well and

we've been teaching our own investigators, which was a little scary at first but I've got into it now and I am feeling more confident. 

Today was the first time it has rained, it lasted all of about 10 minutes but it was kinda heavy, but not like crazy, apparently they are having a drought here. All the Americans were like woooaaahhhhh rain this is crazy!

Yesterday when we were watching the Provo MTC devotional there was a massive thunderstorm going on outside, no rain but lots of lighting which was super cool, and then at the end we had a 10 second power cut. We have had 5 power cuts in the last week so it is just part of life, they're interesting.

Also ask Joe Kinghorn if he knew a Brother Moshani while he was in Ghana because he's one of my teachers!

There is also an Elder Darley here from Idaho and he is amazing, I will miss him when we go to separate missions but hopefully might get the chance to see him after.

Also, one of the teachers here at the MTC has a younger sister that is going to the Leeds mission (covering the North East as well)! Such a small world, so look out for a Sister Van Zyl. 

We also got the opportunity to go to the temple in Johannesburg which was amazing! I loved going and it was awesome! My testimony of the atonement has grown, it is real.

I am looking forward to going out into the mission field, and excited to get started. I love it here and it has been going amazing.

Thanks so much for the letters I had with me, it was really really lovely to read and It filled me with happiness, and I can't wait to get started, I have really felt the spirit here, and I love it so much.

All the love from South Africa

Elder Jorgensen!

Arriving in Johannesburg, South Africa

So I have made it alive and well, don't worry!!

I now have a few spare minutes to write to let you know that I am indeed alive and well and that you would want to hear from me. so here I am.

I left Newcastle Airport Wednesday afternoon and went to London Heathrow's Terminal 5 where I had 3 hours before my next flight.

I only had a slight panic when I found out that I was meant to be in the C building, when actually I was still in A, this was in plenty of time for the flight though so I was fine and just got the train "thing" to it.

The flights were perfectly fine. I found everywhere in good time and everything went smoothly. I had a nice seat in the middle of the plane in a corner. The other two seats next to me were free so I had a nice bed for the 10 hour overnight flight to Jo-burg. I slept reasonably well in between reading the letters I had received from people.

Since I was the only missionary on the flight to Johannesburg the  first time I saw anyone was when I came out of Johannesburg Airport and saw the people from the MTC greeting me together with other African missionaries who had also arrived.

I feel "ready to go" and so far I "love it all".

Johannesburg looks really nice, especially from the air. All the missionaries, American and African alike that I have talked too are all really nice people. I just have to learn to get used to the fact some of them talk very quietly.

So I'm the only English missionary at the minute, but apparently there is another one coming. Some of the guys here will be serving in Botswana and some are serving in Jo'burg. 

Literally all I've done so far since arriving is filled out forms, had lunch and now I'm emailing you. 

I love the MTC already and my companion is an African from Uganda, Elder Kagimba. I need to get used to pronouncing all of these African names, Kieran your help would be appreciated :-)

I suppose this wraps it up and don't worry I'm not homesick, getting off the plane I was like "this isn't being away from home, this is just one big best adventure of my life" and with that I leave you some of the words of Nephi:

"And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness" (2 Nephi 5:27)

Many hugs kisses and well wishes, I love all of you.

Elder Jorgensen

The Days before the Storm

So this is the first of hopefully many blog posts, documenting my adventures in the land of South Africa while I serve my mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

So the past couple of days have been pretty crazy, yet I still have no idea what to write, so I hope I can come up with something interesting enough for you lovely people to read.

Right now, as I'm sitting less than 48 hours away from my flight, my suitcase is on the floor, open and still empty, something wrong there, but I can’t figure out what. A whole load of last minute checks, gatherings and shopping trips to the point at which I'm just ready to go now.

My feelings at the minute are pretty mixed, I am of course very excited to go serve a mission, and I've been looking forward to it for like the past 4 months, and it’s only 2 days away! There has been too many well wishes for me to count, and countless people telling me that I will enjoy it and it will be fantastic, even so I still feel a bit nervous, and my stake president put it perfectly; it’s like standing on the edge of a cliff, ready to jump off.  I seen so many missionaries over the years come and go and they are having a great time, best two years etc, and so many others share with me how much their mission means to them so I know it and yet still have no idea what awaits me, although I'm told that it will be very good.

All in all I feel like whatever I feel like now, it will be different to what I feel like when I actually get there. I am looking forward to experience South Africa, its culture and its wonderful people. It is really exciting to be going to experience all this. Although hands down the weirdest thing that I think I will experience will be Christmas in the summer. I've never been able to understand how it works (I know why it happens don't worry) but it will be an experience. Especially having only been in the field about 2 weeks when it comes.
Definitely the hardest thing about preparing to leave is having to give up my phone, I won't lie to you, it was hard for me :') but I am glad I am doing all of this, despite all my nerves and the unknowns I know that this is the right thing to do, and a the best thing for me to do, and as John Bytheway said it is my "shortcut to maturity"

So as this is the last thing I shall write in England on my own computer I shall say to you all farewell and good luck with the next 2 years, in case I forget, Merry Christmas to you all, it's only 4 weeks away!! And finally, please please come back and read about my adventures, and write to me!!!! I'm sure my excellent father will provide it for you somewhere over there >>> on the right hand side

Until next week

Elder Jorgensen