Dear
Mom,
It has
been a pretty good week. I have done some pretty fun stuff this week . It
sounds like the week went pretty well that side. I can't believe I am now
starting my fourth week here in Randburg. It still seems like I just arrived
here.
Last Monday for p-day, was really fun just touring around Sandton city. Elder Peterson and I just
walked around and took pictures and it was cool. It is such a nice city, it felt
like I was in Vegas or something like that. We saw Mandela square, and walked
out on the street and saw all the cool buildings and nice hotels. It is weird
to think that is my area.
Tuesday
was a pretty normal day of teaching. We taught a few recent converts, and a
less active. We have found this new lady named Willamina, and her daughter
Ester. They are great investigators. They are black. Willamina has been really
confused by her past church, and she just wants to not be confused. It is great
that we can bring the truth and help her with the confusion.
Wednesday
was another normal day, except Elder Peterson and I went out to eat in Sandton
that night for his birthday that was on Friday. We went to a really nice Indian
place in the Sandton City mall. It was really fun!
Thursday
was just another normal day I guess of teaching. We taught Willamina again. She
lives in a little room behind a huge house. She is the maid or help that works
at this home for a white family.
Friday
was Elder Petersons birthday. We had zone meeting, then headed to our area. We
first went to sister Masters and hung out, and she gave him a little gift. She
is a sweet old lady. We then taught a few people. Then that night we went to
Jackies, our investigator, and she had a little party. We ate chips and dip,
played games, and she gave us a little meal. We had a good time there. It is
fun to play with Nathan. He is 12, and he is like a little brother. He is a
member, and has been for a while. He started to go to primary when he was very
young.
Saturday
we had a temple trip! This was great. I got some good pictures at the temple. We
then tried to teach some people around downtown Johannesburg, because that is
our area as well. We didn't manage to see any of them.
It's
been a pretty eventful week I guess.
Yeah it
is nice that President Dunn is changing out the leadership. It gives other
missionaries the opportunity. Also a lot of the old zone leaders had really
aspired to those positions, so President Dunn is now putting in just normal
average Joe missionaries.
Elder
Johnson, past companion actually goes home in just a few weeks. He is in Elder Stephens group
that was the AP.
You asked about us traveling to some of the animal reserves. We can't go to
Kruger unless we are serving by it. It is like all the way up in Limpopo. That
is something we would have to do if we came back here. I just asked Elder
Neilson if he knew Elder Haynes. He said he does. He is serving right by me,
and being trained by Elder Barton that was with me in Secunda.
It
sounds like MLK day was pretty nice! That is cool you used a condo up at Brian
Head. Was the snow any good??
That is
cool that region is this next week. Where are they hosting it? I hope that Calvin
will tapper a bit this week, and be able to drop some time at region. I am
excited for the team. Just tell
him to put some Vaseline on his shoulders and chest haha!! I hope that your
little motivational video goes well Thursday ;) I am sure that they will
appreciate it. Just ask Calvin what music to put on it.
You asked if I felt safe. I actually feel
very safe here. It is a very nice area. Like you said we don't talk to many
people on the streets, the fences are too big at people’s houses. Most of the
people we teach come through way of referral. So we really have to work with
the members here, and it is going well.
Even though the area I am in is mostly white, that is
really weird for me - There are still a lot of black's we
are teaching. Actually most of the people we are teaching are black. I think
our only white investigator right now is Jackie. I guess most of our ward is
white though. So I am associating with whites a lot more than I have before. It
is like I have had to relearn my table manors to eat at white members homes
haha!! In township it is all eating with your hands basically! There is still a
lot of racism here. but really it goes both ways. I don't think the whites hate
the blacks, they just are scared of them because they are normally the cause of
all the crime and bad things.
The members are awesome. They really spoil us here. It is known
in our mission to be the ward that feeds the missionaries the most and just
spoils them. Like our feeding list this week is full for everyday!! It is so
nice because I have never had this before!! I am normally only getting fed once
a week before if I was lucky. In
the poor townships where I have been serving, the people do not have much. Like I said I hope it doesn't make me
fat!! haha.. I guess my favorite member is Sister Masters. She is the old English
widow that we went to Lion and Rhino park with. She is such a funny sarcastic
lady that we just laugh with. We visit her a couple times a week just to give
here company. I think later this week we are going to a fountain that plays
music to have a picnic with her.
Our
investigators are doing all right for now. The two that were progressing very
well are doing alright. I guess our best right now is Jackie. She is great. I
guess the problem is we don't see her too often. She has begun her battle with
smoking. We made her a little chart that she has to follow to quite. She has to
eliminate one cigarette every two days. She is at about 15 cigarettes a day
right now. We will keep working with her until she has completely quite. She has
been so involved with the church already she just knows how everything runs. We
also met some cool new people this last week. I told you a bit about Willamina
and Ester. They even came to church yesterday!! We also met with Willamina's
friend named Fransine, and we answered every single question she had!! It was
really cool. So it is exciting to keep getting new people to teach!
Grandma
sent me an email. She told me about her little adventure!! That sounds like it
will be a really fun trip. I hope she enjoys herself and doesn't get
hurt. Fun dad got a smoker, and I hope that meat was nice!! I also hope
that Randall and Katrina are doing well. Excited to hear she has a new job. What
is Katrina doing in school??
You'll
have to let me know who asked Calvin to sweathearts. I am sure he is excited
for his first dance!! He seems like he is growing up so much! It is weird to
think that Calvin and Carson have grown up so much since I left.
I also
hope some of the swimmers shine! I looked at the Utah swim coach website at the
rankings. I really hope that the team can do well also. I guess that is a bit
sad that Park Cities relays are so much faster. Hopefully it will still be
close!! You will have to let me know about region.
Well I
am so glad that I am here. It is so great to continue to bring people to the
truth. Just like Jackson said we do have the good news. It is so nice to see
the truth of the gospel enter into someone’s heart and to see them feel the
spirit. I have such a great testimony of the gospel, and I know without a doubt
that this is the true church. I just pray that I can keep bringing this
knowledge to the people here. I am also very grateful for the temple. I am so
grateful that I could go there this last week! There is just such an amazing feeling
of peace in the temple. I hope that you and dad are still getting the chance to
regularly go to the temple. I have just learned how important it is to live the
gospel in our lives! Well I love you and I hope you have a good week.
Love
Your son
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