April 29, 2019 - Mission Week 95: ON THE ROAD AGAIN

So yeah, more driving, they keep having us be errand elders, which is fine and good as long as they tell us before hand. 

SO this week was nice. We thought our Recent Covert Tenny had litteraly died, since she told us she was in the ER sick, and they her phone started not to exist. but it turns out it just broke, and she came to church and told us about how not dead she was. 

We also got a decent amount of new people. A bunch of people from the DRC. one guy was was cool named Perfect, he is a believer in the End Time Message (look it up) and sings gospel music for a living. He played us a few songs after we taught him the restoration, and he is really really good. 

Other than that, it was an average week of visiting lots of members and basically begging for referrals. Had a good time all around.

Today, I am driving up to Bots with all the other Zone Leaders for MLC, since for some reason they decided to do it in Bots this time around, so that kills our Monday and Tuesday.  But hey, I get to see Bots one last time, and this time, I'm not the driver, so I can get tons of pictures. so be excited for that. 

This morning we went Mountain biking with a guy named Brother Schmit. it was was fun, but I am so out of shape I can't believe. i got thoroughly wrecked. but we did 13ks. and it was fun, but its a good thing this a driving area since this probably would not be nice walking with how sore I am probably going to be

But yeah thats about it. Elections are coming up here in SA so thats ecxiting. 

7 more of these. 

kthanksbye

April 22, 2019 - Mission week 94: I DROVE A LOT

Hello everyone! how are you?

I have like NOTHING to talk about, 

we had an improptu drive to Bots and back to take some missionaries up there, as well as transfers the day before, and then the holiday weekend.

But I do have lots of pictures to send to make up for my short email

and i will talk a bit about how you all need to go read D&C 19:16-20, and think about easter

thats what I did

The savior did that for us

He went though ALL THAT, so we wouldn't have too. 

all he asks is "repent" 

so do it

kthanksbye

April 15, 2019 - Mission Week 93: Staying around for once

SO this week, I didn't get transfered, and my comp is actualy staying with me, so that hasn't happened in a while

We started teaching this guy from the Congo named Freddy who is pretty cool, and our super golden family of Mina and Franse finally came back to town, 

Other than that, the only things of note were my 45 minute interviews with the mission pres where he told me like everything ever. it was nice

A nice quote from fast sunday was "I know I will sin, but i will sin in the church, I'm not going anywhere" and i thought that was pretty profound

Things are starting to cool off. winter is fianlly coming. never gonna have to deal with the deadly lazer that is the african sun.

Just want to talk a bit about the unique docotrine of I am a child of God. 

Most people think that is a label that is earned and as such, not feeling good enough, they don't think of themselves like that. So share it with others. That is one thing everyone should know, regardless of there status in the church or life, We are all children of God

sorry its short, just don't have a lot to say

kthanksbye

April 8, 2019 - Mission week 92: The Band of Brothers

So before i even start to talk about conference, i gotta say other things or I'll forget. I get typing and then... pffftt

SO I got roped into the ward choir for the same reasons I always do. And we as missionaries have been asked to watch some new safety videos called THE SAFETY ZONE which are really really funny. 

And I finished Isaiah, and let me say that the last like 20 chapters really are probably what they mean when they say that one gets a better understanding of the Atonement of Christ when you read Isaiah, since thats the 'good stuff' so to say. Really recommend you go read that. 

OK CONFERENCE. 

honestly, as you could guess, Every missionary here was going nutzo about potential conference changes to the missionary program, but since getting my flight plans I had been in the party of "its not happening" and lo and behold. It didn't. but regardless, this was probably what I would say is the best conference I've participated in. It was soooo good, I didn't take a ton of notes, since I like to watch, but I cannot wait for the Liahona so I can get INTO these talks, they were all (havn't seen Sunday afternoon yet) so good.  A few things I got from it really

• Give people the Front Row seat of your life
• Where is my Heart?
• Priesthood playbook
• the second coming is near
• REPENT YE REPENT YE
• Don't get distracted by good
• Go for it. 

But that's all i really wrote, but I loved President Nelsons talk, Repentance has been something I have really been striving to do more of, and this was just answers to prayers honestly, not just his talk, the whole thing. 

I don't really know what else to say, I want to say more, I just don't know what

Things are still good here in Montana, still slow, but we making headway a bit. 

Transfer Ends on the 16, and then its my last Full transfer since i'm leaving 2 weeks early because of the mission president change. So things be crazy

I love Africa.

I love the Church

Yes, that was my mission president annouced as an area seventy, yes he will finish his time as mission president.

Yes i know the band of brothers, i've met 3 or 4 of them, I've been to, but not served in Mochudi, and all that happened like 10 years ago, so I wasn't here for it. But because of the band of brothers they were able to create Botswanas first stake, which led to the creation of this misison 7 years ago. So thanks to those great men. 

Thank you

kthanksbye

April 1, 2019 - Mission week 91: Amsterdam

So I got my travel Itinerary thing. Gonna be home at like 7 on June 26th, but odly, I'm flying through Amsterdam to get to Salt lake, so to LONG flights. wohoo. But having my Itinerary is tripping me out hard. I really don't have much time left here. 

But in other news, things happened this week.

I realized that just because I desire something, doesn't mean i'm going against god. 

We can use our car again, 

we went to chameleon village again, but i got like 5 minutes to write this whole email. 

Watch your step

Zone conference president chadambuka talked for 2 hours about his life story 

Things are awesome

I love life

Africa is great

Kthanksbye

March 25, 2019 - Mission week 90: Elder Donald Trump

So this week was SLOW. 

Tuesday, we only really saw Tenny, but we had an absolutely fantastic Correlation meeting with the brand new Ward mission council. This ward is so insanely... functional, for lack of a better word. They do their callings so well. Things are gonna blow up here with the plans we have in place. 

Wednesday, we got a call about our car. Basically the Area office had told us that the 'out of area kilometers' would not count toward our monthly total of a strict 2000. which is no problem. 

but then they called us and said never mind, so we have like 300 ks for the rest of the month, and 250 of those will be used by zone conference on the 29th, so we have been walking since that call, and that makes things much harder in this area, but it's all good, we have been figuring things out. 

Thursday, was Human Rights Day, so everyone except Tenny was either Drunk or Gone. 

so that day was kidna a bust. 

Friday, was District meeting and I went on exchanges with the Atterideville, walking, which was pretty fun, they live in a 4 man flat, and so life is a party. taught a bunch of people and whatnot. 

"The word of wisdom means to eat carrots, and all thing pre-requisite thereto"

Saturday,........................... was nothing. i hate saturdays. 

Sunday was the best though. My first Baptism I've actually gotten to be there for since MOTHERS DAY 2018. It was so insanly smooth the ward took care of everything, I didn't really know what to do with myself since I'm used to being in a panicked rush. But Tenny is now baptized and I am a happy boyboy. 

In other news, the pre scheduled black out, called Load Shedding have been getting BAD. like 7 hours out of the day bad, but this week they say they should be minimal. 

I have come to realize something I've always had an issue with. 

I have always thought that because I want to do something Really bad, its the natural man and i shouldn't do it. But I've really come to realize the truth of Moroni 7's good and evil discourse. If that thing is good, which they are, its a Godly Desire and not the Natural man.

SO i'm gonna be flavorblasting through like 30 things i've always wanted to do in the next few years. 

Get hyped

here is some pictures of me, since i never send pictures of me. 

kthanksbye

March 18, 2019 - Mission Week 89: Birds

There are like 30 bird parks here in Pretoria North. I want a bird

but in more missionary related news: We wern't even in our area for real 4 of the 7 days last week. 

Monday, was pretty boring, and then our FHE canceled. 

Tuesday, was a whole lot of trying to find people. 

Wednesday, we had to get our bakkie serviced, and it took till 5 and we were just stuck there at the ford dealership. so we walked around that part of town a ton, 

Thursday was MLC and that took all day. 

Friday, we had to move the Saulsville missionaries into a new flat, with only our Ranger and no trailer, which made it take like 7 trips and thus the whole day. 

Saturday, we had a great lesson with our only progressing person who didn't leave town for the holidays, Tenny. She is from Nigeria, and is honestly one of the most truly repentant people I've ever  met. Anytime you give her anything to read, she actually reads it, and then comes back and tells you all about how she has changed her life to follow it. We gonna fast track through a few things by seeing her every day the coming week so she will be good for baptism next week. Which we be the first time I've been at the baptism of someone I taught since MOTHERS DAY. its been far to long since I haven't been transferred the week before the baptism. So that's nice

Saturday, we had a few appointments, but nothing to noteworthy, just the usual. 

Basically, this areas biggest vice is simply having a decent teaching pool, its way hard to get new people, even will the ward being super useful, and in the end that is what makes things so slow. But i'll see what we can do in the next 3 months. 

Things are good, I'm good. 

Loving the area

Kthanksbye

Our Dutch Reforemed church chapel that is now a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Chapel

Eisben, (pork ankle) people feed GOOOD here 

my new bead ties 

March 11, 2018 - Mission week 88: Isaiah

o I have finished the Book of Mormon once again. Its still true, don't worry, and now I will be studying the Book of Mormon again, for the last time before I return, I also will be reading the Doctrine and Covenants again, but this time around I will be reading Isaiah. *gasp, not Isaiah* yes. Isaiah. As i have read through the Book of Mormon I have felt the need to read Isaiah, after many of the prophets and Christ Himself have said that the Words of Isaiah are important. 

so pray for me I guess. 

But as for the things of the week 

I stuck a butter packet in my pocket (don't ask why i needed butter) and then forgot about it. 

this area has a ton of white people and its super different culturally from litterally every other area in the mission 

Our chapel is an Old Dutch Reformed Church chapel, so it has a crazy old cool pipe organ.

University strikes make our life harder

and we met the most golden family I have ever taught.  Franse and Mmina, have been coming to church for like 2 weeks and we finally got to go see them. They are so Prepared, self-relient, and fun. they are going out of town a bit, and might move to Polokwane, but its all good, they love the church, want to join and  they are the best 

But yeah, thats about it for the week. We have set some big goals as a zone and we are going to be working hard the next few months. 

So i'm a happy Bafana

kthanksbye