Let me start out by
saying, I miss you a ton. But I loved reading your letter. This week was
a little bit crazy. We usually have about two hours to email. We are
supposed to take an hour and a half.
But it works out with the way that we pay that we have two hours on the
computers. Anyway. I usually get somewhere between 12 and like 16
emails a week. And it takes me the full two hours to read and respond to
everyone. However, when I got on today, I had 27 emails! Holy cow! I
guess it shows me that I am loved. But I still only had the two hours. I
usually read and respond to your letters last, but I didn't have time
today with those two hours. But we are at this Casino for P-Day. It is
called Emerald. But they have a computer place as well. So I get extra
time today! Don't know if we are supposed to do that, but we are.
Anyway. It was nice to read your email and not feel rushed. And feel
like I have plenty of time to respond and say what I need to. Anyway,
that was nice.
Alright. The questions. Let me see.
Money. We get a little over one hundred a month. But the Dollar is more
powerful than the Rand. It is about eleven Rand to one Dollar.
Supposedly. But things even out because something at home that would be
like four dollars is like 40 rand. So it is rough sometimes with money.
The hardest part is eating out! We go to KFC a TON! I think I have eaten
more KFC here than I have in my entire life! But we have decided that
we are going to be better at not eating out! It is just hard, because
our area is too far away from our flat to go back to eat. So if we get
hungry, we just go get KFC or McDonalds! But we are going to be better
at that.
People
that feed us in our area. We really don't get fed that often.
Basically, Bro. John's family, the ward mission leader, will feed us
when ever we are there during meal time. But we try not to be there too
often because we don't want to take advantage of them. And then we also
get fed by Rahlda and Dmitri. They feel like the always need to feed us.
Which they don't. They always have Coke for us. Which is another thing.
I have had more cold drink (pop) here than I probably have in my
lifetime! It's not good! I mean, it is good taste wise, but not good
health wise! Anyway. So we don't actually get fed often.
Roaches.
Ugh. So Thursday we decided to deep clean our apartment. Like deep deep
clean. The roaches were everywhere. They were all through the fridge,
freezer (those ones were dead, but still there), cupboards, bedroom,
bathroom. Anyway. So we scrubbed everything. To perfection. We also
bought cockroach powder and put it everywhere. I think it will work. But
as of now, they are still everywhere. My theory is that they are all
coming out of hiding and trying to escape. Because we see them in places
that they usually aren't. So I think it will eventually help. But yeah.
There was one in my bed once. So I am paranoid now and shake out all of
my bedding every night before I go to sleep. So. The clean flat helps.
And it is always nice to have a clean place to live anyway, cockroaches
or no cockroaches. Oh and we realized that there were cockroach eggs
almost everywhere! That was gross!
Black Mold. when we cleaned we scrubbed
the bathroom. Just not the ceiling. Which is where most of it is. But
we aren't responsible for that. According to the senior couple that is
in charge of the housing situation. So..yeah. Not much we can do about
that. But at least the shower is clean now! I scrubbed all of the mold
out of it on Thursday when we cleaned!
The
door. Still broken. One of the senior couples was supposed to come fix
it on Wednesday, but they didn't. He has a bad back, so he didn't think
he could do the hour drive to our flat complex. So they keep telling us
it will get fixed, but it hasn't yet. We are in a relatively safe area.
Well it is safe. When they look for flats for the missionaries, that is
what they look for. Safe places. So we don't really worry about getting
stuff stolen. But there always is a chance that it will. I mean, you
can't completely out rule it. Our first day in the field, they talked to
us about getting robbed. Most of the times people get robbed it is
because they are being stupid. Like the missionaries. They are doing
stupid things, like being out at night in the dark.
Alright.
This week. On Tuesday we had new missionary orientation. So we had to
drive to Roodeport. Which is where the MTC is. Where the MTC is there is
a chapel, a CES building and a big field where we played sports in the
MTC. Anyway, they are all surrounded by one big gate. But the New
Missionary Orientation was in the CES Building. It was good. We were
taught by the AP's, President Omer, and Sister Omer. A lot about not
being stupid and staying out of trouble. They also explained how things
work here a little bit and they went over any questions anyone had. I
got to see everyone from the MTC. It was good. I mean, I didn't really
make super good friends with anybody in the MTC. But it was good to see
them still. After that, they fed us KFC, and then we were on our way
back to the area
to make it in time for our appointments.
Let's see. What else happened. This
week we have done a lot of finding. Our new way is to hand our pass
along cards. We write our number on them, which takes forever. not
always the most fun. I mean, my hand cramps a lot, because we do about
three packs each every time we hand them out! Anyway. We go to the busy
parts of town and stand on the corner by the robots (stoplights). And
then we hand them out. If people ask what it is, we tell them it's about
the Church, and Jesus Christ and that we will come and discuss things
with them whenever they want, they just have to call the number on the
back. Anyway, we have had a couple of appointment come about from that
already. We hope that more will come, but at the very least, it is
planting a seed. The people may not even look at them for a couple
years, but eventually they will end up in the right hand. The hand of
someone ready to hear the gospel. We have also gone tracting.
I hate tracting. Haha. I guess it is just my introvert-ness coming
through! The houses here are all gated, and they have dogs. So we don't
knock doors, we knock gates! And then when the people come out we have
that long awkward stare. Waiting in silence for the people to come to
the gate. And we just stare at each other. Yeah. Awkward! Haha! But I
will get over my dislike for tracting. I need to, it needs to be done.
We
got to help someone move again this last Saturday. Her name is Sister
Andrews. Single lady, very nice. It was organized by the Elders Quorum
President. Anyway. We took John (the ward mission leader) with us. We
were the first ones there. We call it African time. When someone says
eight, people don't come until like eight thirty. or nine! But this
moving was a lot easier. We just loaded some boxes and off we went!
Things were a lot more organized and actually clean! Haha! It is nice to
get the opportunity to do service though. Good to fill our time doing
something a little bit different than the usual!
The
one thing that did stem from the moving project was the fact that our
ward is not unified AT ALL! It stinks. I mean, like I said, it was
organized by the Elders Quorum President, but he wasn't even there!
There is also the fact that there is no other help from the other people
in the ward! Nobody does their home teaching or visiting teaching! It
is so frustrating! The less active people don't like seeing us, but they
would totally be reactivated if they were visited by members! So
annoying! People are just too into worrying only about themselves! Even
the bishop sometimes has weird outlooks on things. But what can you do.
He holds the keys to the ward, not us. It is just frustrating when he
acts like to have a calling you have to be perfect! He literally won't
give a calling to someone unless they are 100% active and strictly
following all of the rules. I see the importance of those things, but
callings, even if they
are simple and small will help those people do the things they are
supposed to! It will give them a sense of belonging and a reason to be
at church, and a reason to improve their personal lives! Ugh! Oh well.
Like I said, we don't hold the keys to the ward.
The
blog looks great! Are you going to just post my letters there or what?
It is fine with me if you want to. Because I know that there are people
that would like to read my emails. Also, elder Wilkinson says that he
thinks that there should be a picture of him there! Haha! You did get
that picture of us from my first day right? I haven't even seen those,
chances are I looked dead though!
Oh,
here is some exciting news. Not really, but it is new. I got a haircut.
Definitely not my favourite haircut I have ever gotten in my life.
Let's just say that people in Utah are a lot better at cutting hair than
the people here are! Haha! I think everyone is just used to cutting
black people's hair! It isn't bad, I am just afraid to know what the
back of it looks like! The lady just wasn't too great at blending the
different lengths! Let's hope that it doesn't look bad though!
And
Dad, way to go! It is awesome to hear that you are having success with
Slim to Win! I will probably be the fattest one in the family when I get
home. Whenever we get food from a member it is like 20 pounds of rice! I
used to like rice..now..not so much! But guess I will have to get used
to it! I still have like two more years of eating it! I also drink WAY
too much cold drink (soda, mostly coke). And I eat out too much.
McDonalds and KFC are really popular here. And they are nice to eat at
because they are food that is close to home! It tastes a little
different, but still similar! Haha, so far I haven't gained too much!
But let's hope I don't gain any!
Anyway,
it was good to hear from everyone. I love you all so much! I look
forward to Mondays and the chance I get to hear about everyone and what
is going on your lives! It is also nice to let you know what I am doing!
Haha! Anyway, like I said I love and miss you a ton!
Love,
Turner
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