September 29, 14

Dear Mom and Dad,

Well it has been a pretty good week for me. I am still really enjoying things. I am glad that you are getting some rain and it is cooling things off there. It is weird to think that the seasons are different there. It just seems like you should have the same seasons and weather as here. Well it is starting to warm up here quite a bit. This last week we were probably in the 80's most days. I am surviving though because it hasn't got hot really fast, but has eased into it. I carry a huge thing of water with me, so that keeps me nice and cool. It was nice as I got here last year because the weather was about the same, and that is how it will be when I get home. It is weird to think I wont have another summer for 20 months after. It is not too bad without air conditioning, it is just something I am used to now. It would be super weird to have air conditioning in someone’s house here in South Africa.   

You asked about the township of Vosloorus I am now living in.   I guess it is just a normal average township. So most townships don't really have many shacks, but they are mostly homes. In South Africa, under Apartheid , the term Township came to mean a residential development that confined non-whites living near or working in white-only communities. The streets are all paved, the only dirt roads we take are like shortcuts between roads. Everywhere has plumping and electricity.  They all have like water heaters and that stuff. The only places you see shacks are like in people's backyards, and it is like other family just living in there backyard, but the shacks are still pretty nice. It is township, so it is pretty dirty. Like everyone litters, so there is trash everywhere. I guess it is like the street aren't super clean because there is like dirt that blows on them, and they don't have street sweepers that come through township. Where I am we don't see any fields really even though I am away from Johannesburg.   It is just all like houses or communities. 

I am still getting along with Elder Zebe great. We just keep becoming better friends, and having so much fun. We work great together. I am sure it will be sad when he leaves. 

 I am sure we get to watch general conference, I am just not sure when. Normally because we are ahead on time we watch it recorded the next week. At least that is what I did in Secunda. In Hospital View we watched it live for 2 sessions, and the other 2 just delayed. It is weird to think this will be my third General Conference on mission!! I only have one more after this. I guess I will let you know what I find out at church. I didn't hear announcements as church this week because one of our investigators was lost trying to get to church, so we were standing on the street.

I miss just going to movies and relaxing. I miss just normal life. I hate how strict everything is. I guess it is for a reason, but it s just hard sometimes. The movie “The Giver” sounds good.  I don't remember reading that book. I am sure it was a good movie. 

I have not received my package yet. The mail is still on strike. I don't know if they burned my package, or if it is just sitting at the post office. All the post offices are just closed, and they won't open until the strike ends. It has been about a month. I will keep you updated if I receive it or not, and the letters. I hope the strike will end soon because it is getting pretty annoying. I can't send any letter either. 

That would be great to have you send me some stuff. But I will let you know when the strike ends, and then you can send the package. I don't think it will last much longer, but who knows. The best thing for you to do is lie on the customs form. You can just write missionary supplies, and then lie on the value of stuff. Because if you write really what is in there and the price they will open the box and steal stuff.  My shoes are good as well. I am pretty sure I will still be here in Vosloorus, for Christmas but either way I will get the package. 

Good to hear Evan and Carol are finally getting some things moved in. I am sure they are excited, and ready to be settled in. You are good sports to help them carry things in. 

It is good to hear everyone is doing well. I hope that it continues that way. 

Well I am doing great here. I feel very comfortable with what I am doing. It is just normal life now. It is weird to think about life back home. It doesn't even seem real. It seems like this has always been my life, and I am very comfortable. I am not anxious or homesick. I hope that you are feeling more comfort as well as time goes on. 

This week has gone great. We didn't teach as many lessons, but we still taught a lot. It was still a pretty productive week. On Wednesday it was Heritage Day here, so people were dressed up in Traditional Clothes. We went to a really cool members house and had a Braai(barbecue). Her name is Sister(Mama) Decobe. She is really cool, and we are helping her put together a preschool in her garage. 

We have some great investigators right now. We have like 7 people on date to be baptized in the next 2 months. I hope that they will all stay on date and continues to progress. WE are having pretty good success finding new people to teach. We talk to people on the streets as we walk around a lot. Everyone is pretty interested in what we are doing in township as white people, so  that makes it super easy to talk to people. I am still really enjoying the work. 

Sorry I didn't get any pictures again this week. I am getting in a bad habit of not taking pictures, so I will try to fix that. Well I love you and I am glad to hear all about what you are doing. It is fun to just see how everyone is doing, and to hear what is going on. Have a good week, and continue to be cheerful and happy!! :)

I hope that the Lord will continue to watch over and protect you. I am so grateful for your example to me. I always think of our family as I am teaching lessons, and just the way you were examples of the gospel to me always. I love you and miss you. 

Love

Elder Brown