July 20, 15

Dear Mom,

Thank You for all the updates, and telling me about your week. It is always fun to read, and don't worry about it being too long. I will try to answer all you questions, but I might not comment on other stuff because of time. 

First off Elder Bua and I are about the same. I guess I now have a better understanding for him. I have heard from a lot of his past companions he is just quiet and he doesn't ever talk to his companions. In the area we are doing better, like we kind of laugh at the things each other say. I guess there is a bit of tension in our teaching, and I have felt the spirit hindered a few times. I think for the most part though our teaching goes well. Just the hardest part is we don't plan at all. I try almost every night to ask him what we are teaching people, and it is so hard for him to respond.  We are doing better though, and Elder Loveless and Segil that live next door are good to help me survive. 

My district leader responsibilities are going well. I enjoy teaching district meetings. I taught a good lesson on attitude this week, and it was great. I am just trying to teach by example. I went on an exchange with elder Loveless this week to his area of Selcourt. It was a good exchange, and it was a good break from Elder Bua. I am planned to go on an exchange to Secunda this week, so that will be fun to see a few people that I knew. 

I’m in a pretty nice apartment. The first week we had a problem with our water heater, so there was no hot water, so I would go next door to shower. I keep forgetting to take a picture of my rigged up shower curtain. I have been carrying my bedding around with me my whole mission.  We are supposed to find someone that would benefit from our bedding in the area, and give it to them. Just like all the other flats I have stayed in there is a washer, but no dryer. I look forward to having a dryer again! 

 The week went well. We are teaching a lot of investigators, and mostly members and recent converts. Paballo is doing great, and he is scheduled to be baptized the 2nd of August. So everyday I normally make chicken and sweet potato’s before we go to the area. I then just bring snacks to eat in the area like oranges, bananas, and nuts. We get fed every night in this area as well, but the food isn't as nice as Randburg. It is township food, so pap and chicken pretty much every night. We are sharing a car with the Selcourt Elders(Segil and Loveless). We walk on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. On those days we get dropped off in the area, and we walk all day back and forth to our appointments. We then wait for a ride at our last appointment. Everyday was exactly the same. We walked around and taught lessons to the same people. Like I said most of the lessons we teach are to members and Recent converts. Anyone that has been baptized in the last year is considered a recent convert.

The best part of the week was my final temple trip. I sent a few pictures of that. It was super nice, but a bit sad to think that was my last time at the Johannesburg Temple. They do show the same new videos here, but the endowment rooms are tiny. You start in the endowment room, and then go through the veil into the celestial room, so you only go through two rooms during the session. It will be fun to come back to this temple with you someday.

Jackie is getting baptized next week, and I am excited to go back. I will have to get some pictures with her, and it will be fun to go around and visit some members while I am there.

I had interviews a few weeks ago with President Dunn.  I did share my concerns, and he told me that I was doing a great job with Elder Bua, and I just needed to hang in there and make it through. We basically just talked about home haha!! My final interview is on the 31st of this month. 

The only African dish I can think of is pap. I don't know if you can buy maize meal to make it with?? Everything else I eat here is just normal, except nasty stuff that I will never eat again like chicken intestines, livers, feet, and that stuff. 

It sounds like you have some fun things planned for when I get home. I look forward to having fun with the family and just resting. It will be nice to just have that second week to do some stuff on my own. Well I hope you have a great week, and I hope all is going well. Know I love you and I am praying for you. I look forward to seeing you in two weeks.

Love

Your Son

Elder Brown