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| Could there be any more delicious treat from home! Thanks to Taylor:) |
So great to hear from you.
Good to hear the news of the family. Since a lot of it I don't hear from
the siblings! But it is fine. This way I don't stress about writing
everyone back. But Rachel has sent me some pretty funny emails lately.
Haha! She told me that she is stills ending me Snap Chats so I will have a
ton to look through when I get home! She is so funny!
At the mall I bought protein powder and
laundry detergent. I figured it would be good for me to get some
protein powder. I don't think I am getting all of the nutrients I need.
The protein has helped.
Okay.
Let's see. This week. Let's start with Tuesday. So a new stat, or goal,
that President Omer has given us is to have 5 "Gospel Conversations"
every day. So basically the areas that have to do tracting, it actually
shows that they are working. But anyway. It has been frustrating to try
and find the right time to do it, and motivate ourselves to, especially
since our investigator pool is pretty full. Anyway. On Tuesday we set
out to meet the quota of five for the day. We were driving into the
area, and drove past a guy sweeping his porch. Elder Rako kept driving,
but then turned around. Told me that he wanted to talk to the guy. So we
went and talked to him and his wife. Which was great that they were
married, because most people aren't here. Especially because they have
this thing called Lebola where they have to pay the wife's family a ton
of money. So people just move in together and don't actually get legally
married. Anyway. We taught. It was a good lesson. When we left, we
discussed how we both had a very distinct impression that we needed to
go back and talk to him. Great experience.
Interesting
experience number two. So during our "Gospel Conversations" time. We
found this older couple. Anyway. We didn't really plan on going back to
visit them. I mean, they weren't first on the list. But then the wife
called us and asked when we were coming back to "pray for them". (people
here think that's what we do) Anyway. We went back and only the husband
was home. We started teaching and all of the sudden he stood up and
took his pants off! He had boxers on, but still! Anyway, something was
bugging his leg and he was trying to figure out what it was. So we were
just sitting there awkwardly, not knowing what to do with this old
wrinkly man standing in front of us with out his pants on! Bahah! So
funny. Finally we were just like, "uhh..we need to go". Haha!
We
also had some frustrations this week. So we had the four prepared to be
baptized this last Sunday. We go to visit Alex and Mandela (the two
nineteen year old friends). Anyway. Alex tells us that his mom won't let
him get baptized. She said that he was baptized by a "white man" in
Mozambique when he was a baby, and that you can't get baptized twice!
They trouble was that he was legally old enough to sign his own baptism
papers, but he hasn't graduated high school yet. (still grade 11. People
here just stay in school until they pass) Anyway. She said that since
he was still living with her, he couldn't get baptized, but that he was
welcome to when he moved out after finishing high school. So Alex,
sadly, didn't get baptized.
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| This is what a portable font looks like! |
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| Mandela was baptized by Elder Hunt |
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| Turner and Rako with Mandela |
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| Father and son, George and Pascal |
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| Baptismal Group |
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| The Branch |
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| Richards and Rako |
However,
we had three wonderful baptisms. Mandela was baptized by Elder Hunt.
And then I was asked to baptize George and Pascal. Such a cool
experience. It was odd at the same time though. We have a "portable
font". Basically..well I don't know how to explain. I will send a
picture! Anyway, it was just outside of the school. Everyone sat outside
for the service. It was great though. After the baptisms, the new
members get the chance to bear their testimonies. It was great! The
three of them bore powerful testimonies of how they knew it was the true
church and how it had changed their life. George was very thankful. He
used to be a heavy alcoholic I guess. But with help from the
missionaries he has stopped. His wife even told us how thankful she was,
because George has changed so much! Too bad she has "her own church"
and won't listen to us.
Anyway.
Here was good news. Mandela's family came. We have been teaching his
sister. Like just started. Like one lesson. So she isn't on date or
anything. But she told us that she wanted to be baptized! Her name is
Nomagogo (Cynthia). Anyway. Mandela's mom was there. She has her own
church as well. But she is very supportive of her children. She was SO
excited for Mandela to get baptized. Hopefully after Cynthia does as
well she will open her heart a little and listen to the missionaries!
She also told Elder Rako that she as going to talk to Alex's mom and
tell her that she is being stupid about the whole baptism thing. So
hopefully we will be able to get him baptized on the 29th.
We
have also been teaching a kid. Thobekani. He knows a lot about the
Bible. Anyway. Smart kid. I really like him. We haven't even talked
about baptism with him yet. But he told us that he wanted to be baptized
soon! So cool!
So
on the 29th we should have more baptisms. Two girls named Nunu and
Hlengiwe. And a kid named Elvis and then hopefully Alex. Nunu and
Hlengiwe are very quiet. But their guardian is a member, and has really
pushed them to be baptized. Hopefully they will be ready. Nunu will, but
Hlengiwe is sometimes a little too preoccupied with the boys. Elvis has
shown a lot of growth. His Gogo (grandma) is a recent convert. Anyway.
Super excited for him!
Exciting
news about next week. We have Zone Conference. So we have to drive down
to Joburg on Wednesday, so we will make it for the meeting on Thursday!
So Wednesday night we stay at the mission home. We are planning to
leave early on Wednesday so we can explore Joburg a little bit! I am
excited for that! Anyway. It will be fun to be in a little bit of a
bigger place. Somewhere not so far out of the way!
Also.
Transfer news comes this Saturday night! There has been a lot of talk
about what will happen. (the transfer ends June 10th) Anyway. So we
think one of the four of us will be getting transferred. So we will
drive down to the mission home again on Monday, stay the night and then
be there for Tuesday's transfers. We will see though. I feel like Elder
Rako and I will stay together for another transfer. And then he will
leave. But we will see. He is worried he will be leaving this transfer.
But we will see! Anyway.
Not much else to report on. At least I don't think!
Oh. Here is another interesting tidbit! Nothing important. But thought I
would share! So there are a TON of orange...farms? orchards? Anyway.
There are a ton of them here! So this past week I finally took advantage
of that! I bought some oranges! They are SO good! Like usually when you
buy oranges there are a couple in the pack that aren't that great. But
they are all delicious here! I think I might turn orange from how many I
have been eating! Haha! Mmm. Oranges with cheese. So good. Anyway. That
is all. Love you!
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