One of the biggest things this week is how hot it has been! It's been crazy hot! I think it's been wandering somewhere around maybe 30 degrees every day this week! And also because we are biking! The problem is that we are biking in the heat, and we are just sweating, and then we get to the appointment and the heat and sweat just stay on my face for the whole time, just when I'm okay, we have to get back on the bikes and continue on!
But biking isn't so bad now! I've gotten used to it and I think that my legs are a little stronger! So it's not so bad. Although I'm only wearing one pair of trousers now! My nice suit trousers are too tight around my thighs, and I don't trust my shiny ones to stand up to the chafing, so I just wear my more material ones, which is fine! I just need to remember to wash them :)
We actually went tracting this week, and it was actually really successful! We found 2 investigators and like 4 potentials, all in about 90 minutes! It was great! So it really works, you just have to do it at the right time!
The work is actually progressing really well! We taught a load of people this week, and actually had quite a few members come with us this week, which was actually really nice!
We had an Elders Quorum activity this Saturday, and it turned out okay....
We were meant to be having a BBQ and some football (on the parking lot) and so we rock up at 9am, when it was meant to start, and it was only the ward clerk who was there! He'd been there since 8. But then 2 more people turn up after about 10 minutes and we start trying to get the fire going, which we do, eventually.
We had about 13 people there.
One of the investigators who came to that activity though, came the next day to church, and brought his family!! It was so amazing, we were so happy! 4 investigators at church! Although they came right in the middle of the sacrament being passed it was fine! The ward were very supportive and very nice to them which was very nice!
We moved into our new building today (it's actually right next door to our old one) but they did the inside nice and it is a LOT bigger! The missionaries now have our own classroom and the chapel is bigger!
Poor Bishop though! It was almost a disaster! We were there at like 9:15 on Saturday night, getting picked up and about to go home, when the bishop rocks up and asks us if the brethren came. We were like no..... turns out that no one had organized anything! So all 4 of us stayed and helped bishop to set out the chairs for the sacrament meeting! Just in time, and we were there till like 10pm, but he was very grateful for our help!
One of the main people who we are excited about this week is Sihle.
Sihle is 16, still in school, and we just knocked on his gate (it was like the 2nd house) and he let us in to talk more about the message. He isn't Christian and hasn't been taught much about God or anything.
He seems very interested and is just a super nice guy! We went 3 times this week (Tue-Thur) and are looking forward to teaching him some more! He asks just the best questions (because it shows he wants an understanding)
Our ward mission leader got released this week! Brother Sipho is moving to Pretoria with his wife for his job so they don't have to travel so far. It's kinda sad because he is a really funny guy, although we haven't seen him a lot through these weeks
My companionship with Elder Stevenson is going really well. We are working together effectively and things are going good!
I'm enjoying it and he is a really funny guy to be around and I really enjoy it! It's nice!
This week we also had our interviews with President Dunn, which was quite nice! It actually went very quickly, we were only there for about an hour, and my interview was pretty basic, no big discussion, just the normal sort of, how are things, good, that's good.
Which I think in a way is how it should be, no long discussion, because there really aren't any problems!
He said that he is very pleased with me and that things are going well! Although he did say that I'm losing my accent so the family might be a little sad :P
As always he always asks me about my family.
One of the funnier things this week is that people are talking about the favourite pop, and they say they like the Iron Brew. but the problem is that the Iron Brew is nothing like the Irn Bru back home, it's just not the same!
We were meant to get fed every week this week! But it turns out that we were only fed like 3 times :( Which is still really good :P I ran out of milk! I drink so much! This week I drank like 5 liters!
I got my hair cut this week too! It was getting too long, and I kinda like it now (everyone else does too) but it was Elder Stevenson who cut it! And he did a good job! It wasn't too bad! So I'm happy :)
Speaking about cake, Sunday showed me one of the best things about being a missionary! For some reason the primary kids got cake, and there was some left over, so they took it into the kitchen, first thing they said: Missionaries first!
I love being a missionary :P
Love
Jack
We've been having some rain! Not a lot, and we haven't (yet) been caught in it, but the rain never comes alone, there is always a thunderstorm. But there is never enough rain! Never thought I'd say it but there isn't! It just doesn't rain enough! I actually am starting to miss it!
Tried to start cleaning our flat this morning, got about almost half done, will have to get the other half finished before we go back
One the plus side though I managed to secure us dinner appointments every day this week! he he he, and even one with the Relief Society President, so hopefully more will follow, but they took the November sheet (they have a schedule sheet) into RS and when it came back it was like 1/3 full! With all the Sunday's full for lunch! So it will be good
One of our investigators (actually his mother) refused to allow us to continue teaching them because they'd taken the Book of Mormon to their pastor and they'd told them that basically
it was evil! so..... well there you go.
We managed to get back with one of our investigator's who's mother had also been trying to kick us out! We met her as she was getting out of the taxi from school, and she is currently studying for her exams, so I offered to come and help her with her chemistry! And when we went the mother was actually quite nice to us, and changed her opinion (unspokenly) of us! Which was nice.
The other amazing thing was that we were coming out of a dinner appointment with a member, and there was a guy who was just going into the gate of his house opposite, so I decided to go and speak to him.
Anyway the next morning we get a call! Turns out it was the wife of the man I gave the card to and she wanted us to come over and teach her more! We go and she has her friend there too! It was amazing! I was so amazed that finally somebody called the number on the card!
She also came to church on Sunday! The members that live close to her were kind enough to bring her to church with them which was amazing!
It was the primary presentation at church this week as well! (Stake President was there for some reason) It was actually okay, although a lot of kids that were there, and most of them only got up to say 1 line! Bit of a difference to our primary presentation when there only used to be like 6 of us! he he he!
For the mission prep class I decided to do something different (because i'd forgotten to prepare the lesson) so I tried to teach them the history of the book of mormon, mainly from Omni to Mosiah.
Another thing, Elder Adamson is back!! He came back this Tuesday and I saw him at Zone meeting on Friday! It was so good to see him back! He'd been serving for 3 months in the London Mission while he was waiting for his visa to come through!
But it was very good to see him again
Today we went mini golfing and I won :P
It was actually very enjoyable and reminded me a lot of the times when we went mini golfing in Seahouses and also real golfing up at Haggerston Castle, something that I would really like to do when I get home!
We are moving into the new church next week! It's actually right next door to where we currently meet, but it's nicer and it is a lot bigger!!
The other big thing is that we finally put one of our most promising families on date! It was actually Elder Stevenson who was leading the lesson and extended the commitment! He is such a great guy, we get along well and he is a very good missionary! I like working with him a lot!
A miracle we had! We here going to see a less active family, and on the way I got confused and went the wrong way and ended up on the road of a different family, but we figured to just go there instead. We sat down and had a good message. Turns out that the woman had divorced her husband back in February and that yesterday was her anniversary, so it was amazing that we turned up on that day and were able to lift her up!
Tomorrow we are going to the Keizer's to give some service there. They are currently building some stuff and they want to recycle the old bricks. So what we do is we get a hammer and a chisel and break off the cement from the bricks, so they can use them for like landscaping and stuff!
Love Jack!
So my week this week has been okay! Things are going well! It's just getting hot!
It was like 33 degrees one day!
My companion is actually from Utah, I forgot to mention that to you! He's from a place called Highland Utah, he's also only one transfer younger than me on his mission! But his grandmother is from England!
His local congregation covers one street and all residents on the street are 100% active member of the church. So a big contrast!
He's a great guy, we can be awesome together! I really enjoy this companionship and it just seems to flow well!
Right now I'm not feeling so good because all I had for breakfast was a chocolate spread sandwich (those things save my life) Because I was up at like 7 and spent 4 hours giving our bikes a really good clean
And I was up last night ironing my companion's shirts for him (he was asleep and he doesn't know :P)
This week has been okay. My mood for the week I think depends a lot on the mood I'm in when I email
Did have a good wash! And washed all my clothes too! Talking about clothes I managed to get some of my trousers fixed, a member was nice enough to do it for me! And my tie, which I stuck in the washing machine!
But I ripped my old suit's trousers when I was getting on my bike yesterday! So embarrassing, but luckily I only had to get through one appointment before I managed to change at the flat (our appointments just worked out that way!) And no one noticed! So that was fun! First time I ever did that!
One of them actually, Onika, who is a member referral was quite interesting. We go to see her for an appointment (a little late) with the member who gave us the referral, Tshegofatso. They're both 17.
We go in for the lesson and the mother starts talking to the member in Spedi, and it appears that they are having an argument. Eventually they invite us in, we sit down and they start talking in English
Turns out the mother thought we were just there to share the word of God, and she doesn't want us to take away her daughter from her current church and "she is happy enough where she is"
So we talk to her for a little bit and amazingly I'm not frustrated (unlike the member who is close to tears) and we just explain simply to her what we are doing
Then the father walks in and sits down (who actually had been politely avoiding us) and is at first a No to us, but as we talk to him he softens, and eventually says to us: yeah it's okay you can teach her. And even agrees to sit down with us some day and listen to what we have to share (the mother is silently mad he he he)
So that was actually good.
Then last week after we had emailed, we got a text and so had to go give someone a blessing. Turns out it was the husband of a less active member who we are teaching.
Turns out he had TB and we had to wear gloves and face masks to go into his room! It was a little weird
But we gave him the blessing
Yesterday we were passing by the house so decided to go in (plus I saw the daughter playing outside)
Turns out he came home that day, completely healed and he was very grateful for the blessing that we'd given him
He was really open and nice to us, more open that he has ever been before! So hopefully we'll be able to get through to them a bit more! And they are on the verge of coming to church
Sister Mooto also came to church this week.
A less active member who we've been battling to help. But we can't take all the credit because some of the Relief Society members (woman's organization) have been doing a great job of trying to fellowship her!
While on this street where a member lives we knocked on 1 door (and actually we'd given a Book of Mormon and a Restoration pamphlet previously to them, and although they accepted it the mother said they already have a church) we knock on the door, the same kid is there and he invites us in! He'd read some of the Book of Mormon and he said that he loved it! So we taught him!
Been teaching the mission prep class for the last couple of weeks. We have 2 classes, one on Sunday during Sunday school, and one on Tuesdays, right before PEC. We normally have about 10 on Sundays, we had 3 on Tuesday, which is better from the week before when we had 1!
But I enjoy teaching it! It's quite fun, and it's also teaching me a lot of things that I need to know and apply into my life
I'm just so thankful to have been brought up in such a good home where things are done right because coming on my mission you get to see A LOT of different ways.
I love you lots and hope your week goes well
Jack
So transfers were pretty good! Nice to see all the missionaries there and see everybody moving around!
We are back to BIKES as the car is needed for the Elders in Tembisaas.
Got my new companion, Elder Stevenson!
Elder Stevenson is great! He's such an awesome guy!! We are already really good friends! He's really easy to get along with and he's such a fun guy! We get along well and it's really easy to work with him!
He likes to work hard and do good! Which is awesome. So things are going really well! I'm super happy to have him and i'm really enjoying my mission
Biking isn't so bad actually! I'm not as bad as I thought I would be and it's actually going okay! It's tiring at times and my legs ache at the end of the day, but we are powering through, and thankfully at the end of the day, the Kempton Park Elders come and pick us up at night so we don't have to bike home!
One of the funny things that we saw when coming back from transfers was a church steeple that had been converted into a telephone mast! It was so cool! Didn't get a picture :/
Things are going well! The work is going okay!
We had to walk for two days because the bikes weren't here, and then mine got a flat at the start of one of the days so we just walked! It was a long way!
Also about biking! This one time we were just biking along a road and all of a sudden these 2 vicious dog just start sprinting towards our bikes! Teeth ready to EAT us!
We screamed like little girls and biked as hard as we could, it was honestly like something out of a movie! It was so funny!
One of the other things was on Sunday night we were biking hard to get to the chapel to get picked up by the other guys (the dinner appointment ran over and they'd been waiting for an hour)
So we are bombing it over to the chapel, going super fast and all of a sudden we start going through some sewege water from a burst pipe! We get splattered with poo water because we can't slow down in time!!
Then on Saturday it was raining too, and we covered our shirts in water from the rain!
I have to change shirts every day now because of all the sweat and dirt from riding!
We had Sibusiso come to church! Sibusiso is a great guy who we tracted into! And it is a miracle in his life that we came because he really needs the gospel to help him and support him! We had an amazing lesson with him and are really getting through to him! Which is amazing to see
We've been working with this less active for a while trying to get her to church. And we'd normally just go to her house and chill with her family, talk and laugh and stuff, gain a good relationship.
But finally last night I got a bit firm with her and gave it to her straight. I have a good relationship so it's okay, but it's time to be a bit more straight forward!
That's been our biggest problem to the work this week
People believe the Book of Mormon is true, but they don't see why they can't keep going to their own church! Which is a problem! So we are going to work on that!
That's about it for this week
I think this transfer is going to be awesome!
Love you Lots
Jack :)
This week we had a conference for everyone to watch. We have a satellite dish (much like a TV dish) at the chapel which receives the BYU channel which is quite nice, so we yes I enjoy did! And I loved it!
Conference was kinda stressful for me this time around! Sunday was stressful because we had 2 investigators come to church, and gratefully bishop gave them a lift here, but one of the threw up in the middle of the first session outside (I think it was because they'd bought drinks from the garage on Sunday) so they missed quite a bit of it. So that was unfortunate.
Then for the rest, we were the ones who opened the chapel, everyone else either wasn't there or didn't have any keys!
And then bishop wanted me to sort out the cooling, because it was getting quite hot, and they'd moved the air con into the new chapel next door. So using some crafty physics and some clever placement, I managed to get the air flowing. But the young men moved my fans! And by the time I got it perfect, it was night time.... so that was interesting. But it worked! That's the main thing.
One of the kids also tried to jump over the cable and practically broke it. The kid then ran into his car and hid there. Thankfully it still worked so all was good!
Too much stress. But conference was good!
Had exchanges with Elder Souza this week! Went to Kempton Park, and it was pretty good!
We also went contacting twice during the week, once in their area on Friday, and then on Saturday in our area.
On Friday we went to a pizza place for lunch (I was fasting) and I wanted to talk to someone about the gospel but was a little scared, so I prayed, then amazingly someone came and sat down in front of me and I was able to talk to him!!! It was so good!
I met some really great people during the week, when contacting which was really nice.
I tried to contact this one guy who was sitting in his car, and rejected me, so I immediately changed the topic to the weather. Turns out he was a self-made atheist, but was very nice and listening to me, and when I showed him a Book of Mormon pass along card he was very interested!
My week fast went well, and although it was really hard at times I made it through! 6 days fasting every day!
Had a run-in with someone who was in our car. We'd got some nice food at the end of the Saturday conference, courtesy of the young women, and the desert was in some polystyrene cups. I was waiting with mine because I was driving but this guy was eating. Then when he'd finished he decided to roll down the window and I knew that he was going to throw them out, so I said not to and just take it home, but he ignored me and threw them onto the road as we were driving (slow). I didn't say anything, but because the appointment canceled, as we were driving back, I stopped the car, got out, picked them up, and got back in and put them in the bin at home. I didn't say anything to him, and neither him to me but I think I dealt with it in the right way.
Then another miracle! A guy who we'd contacted a while ago I called to see if he was still interested (we had nothing to do) and he wanted a bible immediately! So we rushed over to another area to get one off them (we had none) and delivered it to him. Now while we were there he wasn't too interested, but I felt a prompting to give him a Book of Mormon, and as I did he suddenly got really interested and was super focused for the rest of the time we were there! So he seems really promising! The people the Lord has prepared are starting to come out of the cracks!
I really liked the talks about finding Joy, and how joy isn't found in our circumstances but in our attitude. And the Plan of Salvation!
Well that was my week.
Love you lots!!
Jack
We moved into our new building today (it's actually right next door to our old one) but they did the inside nice and it is a LOT bigger! The missionaries now have our own classroom and the chapel is bigger!
I'm enjoying it and he is a really funny guy to be around and I really enjoy it! It's nice!
