south africa elephants

south africa elephants

Monday, June 23, 2014

Week 40 (9 months) - June 23, 2014


Dear Mom
My week has been good! I had a cold at the first of the week, so that made things hard. I just wanted to sleep instead of work. I just slept most mornings during study, but I recovered quickly! I dosed up on Vitamin C and I am healthy now.  We had a bit of a slow week with teaching. Also yesterday we didn't confirm Frans because he had to go to Jo-Burg. His confirmation will happen next week. 

Mission really is all about change. Whether it is change around you, or change in yourself. We have quit a big chance coming up with a new mission president coming in. I am excited, yet nervous for the change that will come. There are a lot if ups and down every single day. I also notice a lot of ups and downs in my attitude as well. Some days I am loving being here and the work, and other days everything just sucks. It is hard some days to battle with my own attitude. 
I am very excited to have the Dunn's come. I hope that there won't be too many changes. I will meet them on July 1st. We will drive to the mission home and have time to talk with the President and Sister Dunn and meet them. We are split up into groups and times because there are a lot of missionaries. There are about 200 missionaries in the mission right now. 


Glad you get to go to houseboat and that mom planned a trip out of delivering the couch. That sounds like mom. I am grateful she always wanted to have fun, because it was very fun for me.
I also emailed Ashley today. She seems like she is doing great. That is really cool she is doing a 5K!  It is crazy to think another birthday has gone by since I have been gone. I am sure you will be able to celebrate and have fun this next week. Ashley said she had some fun this weekend with birthday activities like climbing with some friends.

Time is very odd. I can look at it both ways! It is crazy to think I have been gone 9 months and the time has flown by, but in the other hand it is going very slow. I have noticed the longer I have been on mission it had gone faster, and I guess it will just do this the rest of my life. I was thinking of you mom the other day during the winter solstice, and how you were having the longest day of the year! I am sure this made you happy. I am glad the days here will start getting longer because the sun had been setting around about 5. 



I am glad that Randall and Katrina are doing well. So it sounds like Randall's truck wasn't totaled. That is good that he now has it back. 
That us fun that Calvin is driving now. He doesn't seem like he should be at that point yet. Hopefully he isn't too crazy! 

I am glad you enjoyed the pictures. I am going to try and make a goal of taking 2 pictures a day. That will give me quit a few to send home each week. 

I hope things will move quickly with the group starting in Emba, but if it happens after I leave I am still excited for it to happen.  By forming a new group(small branch) the investigators will have a place to attend church and I think conversions and baptisms will explode. 

The Mnisi's are a recent convert family. They are the one that gave me the coat.  I will try and get a picture with them. 3 of the kids were baptized right before I came here, the parents have not yet been baptized. I have mentioned Fourune a few times, he is one of the Mnisi's. They are a great family, and right now we are trying to teach the parents. 

I have been grateful for the coat, but the weather hasn't been too bad. I haven't been as cold as a few weeks ago, but it is still pretty cold. At around about 4to 5a.m.  every night it starts to cool off quick, so I have to put on a sweater or jacket. It is normally still warm during the day like 50-60 degrees. 

You asked about me being homesick.  Some days are very hard. I have to try and put thoughts away. It had gotten much easier as time has passed though. I hope that it will keep getting easier for you. I am sorry that you are missing me. . Know I still love you, and am grateful for you. 

That is great to hear Evan and Carol came through. I am also glad that Carol is doing well enough to travel. I am sure Josh appreciated them traveling up also. Hopefully there home continues to move quick. I bet it was fun for them to see progress on their home. Hopefully Calvin and Carson had a fun time at youth conference.  I don't think I have ever been to Veyo. I miss youth activities though. 

It sounds like you are making a sweet camp site by your "cabin" haha!! I will have to check out the pictures. I guess you are getting too old for that!! Haha. Hope your back ok mom. Levi hasn't told me much about his companion I guess if his first companion isn’t the best, it can only get better from there.

You asked about the picture where I was eating something black.  It is a caterpillar.  I really did eat the caterpillar. I took a video also, so I will send that! 

You had asked me about bikes.  We used to use bikes some in evander instead of walking, but now our car doesn't have a bike rack to transport the bikes, so I don't ride them anymore. They  other missionaries just keep them in their flat, and sometimes use them in Secunda. 

We are still teaching a good amount of people, but not seeing many progress. We don't have any on date for baptism right now, which is no fun. We have been finding a lot of new people though. It is fun to find new people and see there reaction to the restoration! I have seen a few testimonies start to form, and it is a wonderful experience. 


Well I love you, and I miss you a bunch. I hope that you have a good week, and are able to enjoy the lake! Just know I am doing great, and you don't have to worry much about me. 
Love
Mitchell

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