HAPPY 4th OF JULY!!

Hey Family,

So Elder Grow is already done, but I'll try and type fast! sometimes, I dont know where the time goes when I'm on the computer!  HAPPY 4th OF JULY!! Check out the end of this scripture..Alma 10:6...see the 4th day of the 7th month! haha Today for studies we read 1 Nephi 13! God Bless America.

I have no clue the address of the chapel..but there is one in NU2 and the one we go to is in NU13 by the BP and Sasal garages (gas stations) as for the map, I used to work in NU1 and 3, but now I'm in the area where it says Mdantsane Q and R and now I live in Amalinda, and used to stay in Vincent. I don't need those pics daddy, it'll just depress me! haha I'm too tired and its too cold most mornings to work out, so my muscles are suffering. Just load that CD you're making for me up with cool versions of hymns! Like not just the boring ones, use a variety! Thanks. I haven't met the mission president yet. We get to meet him tonight!

As for the week, it was just okay. On Tuesday we walked, no joke, from 1:30 until 5:30 without sitting down! it was tough. but we do have this sweet new investigator who used to be taught my missionaries, but they dropped him. he is a math and physics teacher and his wife is a less active member. We had 2 fetchin powerful lessons with him! They were niceee. Hopefully he'll progress and start coming to church and stuff.

Went on exchanges with the one and only Elder Staheli! man, we had a blast! The first thing he did when we got into the boarding was grab all those random ingredients and cooked that gross food and we both ate it! yuck! just a bite though. then we just talked and played Phase 10 till like 1am! man, he has some crazy stories from his time in the military, and with girls! That next day like pretty much all of our appointments canceled but we still taught and have fun.

During fast and testimony meeting, a mamma said, quote "this week was hell" hahaha only in Africa. and another funny thing here is that most of the kids only know how to say how are you..and good morning! and it cracks me up when its nighttime and the kids say good morning haha. they always are just out playing on the streets with no shoes and no parents in sight. they shout "mlungu" at us..but sometimes we first call them mlungu's and its funny to see the confused look on their faces, or we call them sissys (girls) haha

But on a serious note, Elder Oyiembo's sister died this past week. True she was only his step sister, and before he left she was sick, but still, he's never gonna see her again. He's a stud, and didn't let it bother him, but it got me thinking what life would be like if my sister passed away, or someone that I loved. It would be extremely hard. Life if a fragile thing!

Now is the time when most boys go to bush. Now let me tell you a little something about bush. Basically, boys go to bush when they're like 16-17 and get circumcised! Like its a major Xhosa tradition! If you don't go, you'll probably never get married and just get teased for the rest of your life. So they make these little huts (like the pic I sent a few weeks ago) and stay in them for like 3-6 weeks and just, well, suffer! They don't drink anything, cuz that'll mean they have to pee! I am for-sure glad I'm not a Xhosa boy, cuz life in the bush sucks! Like not often, but sometimes they die and stuff. but when they come back from the bush, they have a big 'ole celebration! we shortly stopped by one, and all the big mammas were literally shouting!! and singing and stuff. Totally African. It was weird to see like the relief society president singing and stuff hahah. They have a little ceremony and pretty much eat goood Xhosa food! The members don't do this, but everyone else, they drink Mquombotie (wrong spelling) but its homemade African beer! yuck. anyway...

Well, I didn't get any post this week! aw man, no body loves me! haha I'm in what missionaries call the tunnel. the time after 6 months through the time until I have 6 months left when everyone forgets about you hahaha

Its orange season, so we eat those a lot! Elder Grow chucked one at our car as it was driving away, that was funny! haha. also, eggs here are cheap. we can get 24 eggs for like R25...or like 3 bucks! Niceeee

The good scriptures for the week are 1 Peter 2:9-21, 3 Nephi 1:22, &

Jacob 4:6
"Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea."

Life as a missionary is fun! I cannot fathom the fact that I'm clicking 10 months on Saturday! Hittin' the double digits!

Talk to y'all next week!

LOVE,
Elder Haws

This morning we saluted the small flag I put in my planner



Elder Grow and I walking the hills of NU14



It was cold, but look at the cool pictures on my desk



Elder Staheli and I on exchanges