There is just so much diversity here in Cape Town.

Hello family!

Yes, I did get that lovely package! Thank you so much! You guys are the best. I don’t need massive packages like Elder Twitchell to be happy. Man, I wish I could have some kabobs right about now. Yupp I rode a bike back in my first area, East London! It was fun. Shame to hear about petrol (gas) prices. For 1 liter here, it’s like R10 or something like that. I never got a email recently from sister Clark, but I did ask President Wood if he knew her. Sorry I don’t remember that girls name, and no thanks on the Skype. The camera is behaving itself. I guess its just moody sometimes. Of course I remember Rosie and her family. They came to my farewell. I wonder if those elders counted them as an investigators at sacrament meeting! haha. 12 years ago with the Walton’s at park city..dang! Remember daddy Jordan broke his arm at the bottom of that hill. I don’t need anything fancy in my box. Some vitamins would be nice. A tie or 2, never can get enough of those!

We decided to cook for a few people just cuz we love 'em! Yeah some are poorer than others, and we haven’t done it very much. I just feel guilt because certain people always cook for us, and its like just a little way we can say thank you and turn the tables on them. The spaghetti meals have turned out great! Simple and cheap, the perfect combo for missionaries! I wore my sweet apron when I was being the master chef that I am. Haha

Could you do me a favor and get Westviews address for me! I think I know it, but I just wanna be sure. I already wrote coach Delaney. But I might send like a postcard to coach Woodward, McLaughlin and Smith! I miss those guys. Thanks.

This week was pretty good. Bowling last week was fun. Man, I won again! This week we had a nice meal with a new family that moved into the ward. They’re from Ghana! I love people from Ghana, and also the food from Ghana! The language they speak is PTW or something crazy like that! People in Malawi speak Checheywa. There is just so much diversity here in Cape Town. This is the place to be. I learned how to say I love you in French. I say it to like the young men who are from the DRC and they look at me funny, and then laugh.

Remember Craig?! Well he sends his regards. haha he's past 2 Nephi 28 and already read in the gospel principles book to chapter 23. This guy is unreal. He’s never a second late to our appointments. This weekend was stake conference here in Cape Town. I guess we weren’t paying attention when they announced the time, so poor Craig walked and got there at 8:15am, even before us, thinking like us it started at 9am, but it turned out it didn’t start till 10am. oops. He didn’t care at all. I love that guy!

Stake conference was wayy good! the stake only needs like 150 more members to split. on Saturday we drove like 20 minutes to Bellville, where the stake center is, and watched the worldwide leadership training broadcast from the brethren. It was powerful! I took some good notes and recorded some good revelation. Then I wish we could have stayed for the evening session, but we had to get back to our area for an appointment. President Wood spoke at that session we had to miss. Dang. One of the best parts was the drive home! I shounda had my camera. It was just a absolutely stunning view of downtown cape town with Table Mountain, Lions Head and Devils Peak in the background, with the sun setting on a beautiful day in Cape Town! Wow! It was nice.

Sunday’s session was nice. It was broadcast from our chapel from Bellville. The members from the branch in Fish Hoek came and joined us, so our chapel was packed! We had 3 sweet investigators there, so that was good to see a little bit different side of the church. There were some good things said at conference. A lady said "If your husband wants breakfast in bed, don’t tell him to go sleep in the kitchen" haha. That FHE can sometimes be an argument that opens and closes with a prayer haha. It was nice to hear from the stake president as well. Then a family signed up to feed us, but we got there, and I guess they forgot because the wife was sleeping and the poor husband I think didn’t realize his wife signed up to feed us, and thought we were just there to visit! haha it was all good though.

Scheeper family

As you can tell from the picture, we balled it up at the chapel! The awesome Scheeper family had to clean the chapel, and normally they have to do it alone because no one else in their cleaning group ever comes, so we gave them a hand. I ran to the chapel from our boarding and then we shot some hoops for a while. It was fun! and yessie I’m outta shape.

We sprayed for fleas in our boarding, and I haven’t been bit recently, but sometimes I see the little buggers crawling on the wall! haha. As long as they don’t suck my blood, I’m fine with them. Also, I think we might have a little mouse roaming around our boarding, so Elder Twitchell is gonna buy a mouse trap today! Haha

I’ve planned out the transfer for when I’m going on exchanges with everyone in my district. Looks like we're gonna have some fun!

2 scriptures: Moses 1:39
For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

2 Nephi 26:24
He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.

Love you all very much. The days and months are just flying by.
Take care!
LOVE,
Elder Haws

I’m just having the time of my life serving the Lord.

Family!!

ha-ha daddy, those scriptures were just a joke! I’m studying a little bit in Deut, so just thought I’d send 'em your way. haha. Nice pictures this week! That’s what I’m talking about! That bracelet is for Kelly. Glad to hear the mighty Wolverines are doing well! Shame about the Aggies. What’s their problem haha. Yeah we might try the stand again. Sounds like that movie from here in Cape Town was good. Some members here went and saw it. Langa is not far from where I am. My camera is behaving itself. I mostly just copy the pictures that my companion takes. So I’m not missing any moments from my mission! I’m capturing them all. I can still make the clicks with my mouth, and I still know some Xhosa, but I feel like I’ve lost some, just because I don’t speak it as often as I did. Yeah I’m not sure if I’ll go up to Namibia. It would be very nice, but it’s not something that I am just dying to do. Either way, it okay with me. But at the moment, there’s only like 2 elders up there. Darn visa problems!

Elder Leach and us,,,

Alright, time to report on my week! It was a great one..wait, they are all great! You know. as you can tell, Elder Twitchell and I are staying together another transfer! Yes! I’m glad. There was some changes in my district. The other area, Fish Hoek, got 2 more elders! So there’s 6 people in the district! More responsibility for me, yippee! haha. Elder Speed left, and Elder Park got a greenie! His name is Elder Burton, and yes he is defiantly a greenie! He's from a small town in eastern Utah, where his high school graduating class was 46! Serious. A total farm boy. So you can imagine what culture shock he has! haha He’s scared of the township in his area. But he seems like a sweet guy and a good missionary. The other 2 elders got white washed into the township in the Fish Hoek area. Its Elder Mookie from Jo-burg and Elder Mamaia from Samoa! I freakin love both of those guys! Elder Mamaia is in my transfer and I’ve been eager to serve around him! He is one of the coolest missionaries ever! Always happy and energetic and funny! ah, I love that guy so much. I can’t wait to go on exchanges with him. So with this new district, I have bigger district meetings obviously and I have to go on exchanges with every elder in the district for training, so that will be fun. I get to take all of their reports each week, nice.

We got 2 new zone leaders. They were white washed into their area. Elder Ncube and Elder Rogers, they are awesome! I have been very impressed with them so far. It makes a difference when your zone leaders magnify their calling and work hard.

This week we were in the area of where a member of our bishopric stays, and felt like we should just pop in and visit, and come to find out he was very sick and was meaning to phone us so we could give him a blessing, and it just so happened that we showed up on his doorstep. Amazing how the Lord works sometimes. Also, our ward had a talent show the other night! It was fun! Elder Twitchell and I didn’t do anything...we totally should have! Oh well. Lots of people in the ward have lots of talent.

We had a strange experience this week. We've been working with this less active man, and he’s doing sweet, but at the end of our last lesson his wife came and sat down and they expressed how they were having some major marriage problems! We told them how we're just little missionaries and that the bishop would be more qualified to deal with the situation, but they just wanted us to be there and listen. So we did..for 2 long hours! Man. haha. They need some help. We did the best we could as missionaries, but ultimately its up to them to solve their problems. I sure hope and pray that they do. After the lesson Elder Twitchell just looked at each other and said what was that! haha.

We did some tracting this week! I hadn’t done it in a while because we focused our finding on street contacting, but there’s just something, I don’t know if fun is the word, about tracting. You just never know what is on the other side of that door. For some strange reason, Elder Twitchell just absolutely loves doing it! haha. It helps when your companion is like that. We didn’t have much success as in return appointments, but we met some way nice people and maybe just planted a seed. It was funny, we came to like 1 or 2 houses and on the door it said "This is a catholic home" haha. I told Elder Twitchell that we should put on the outside of our door "This is a MORMON or LDS home" ha! One guy answered the door with his shirt off and tattoos on his body, and I think we caught him at a bad time because he had shaving cream all over his face! haha. I guess we knocked too hard on this one door, and the person answered the door and said "Are you trying to knock down my door!" haha oops. Wasn’t me.

This week we were asked to pass the sacrament! It was awesome. Brought back some good memories. It was funny, one of the teachers leaned over to me and asked "do you know how to do this?" haha I reassured him that I did.

Remember that guy I told you about who walked to church? His name is Craig. this guy is amazing! Totally prepared by the Lord for the restored gospel. Yeah he walked again and got there at 8:30 before most of the members. He wants to go with us to teach, he is in 2 Nephi 15, he wants our 45 minute lessons to go for 1 1/2 hours, and he wants to move his baptismal date closer! I love teaching him...he just soaks everything up like a sponge! I love that guy.

This week should be pretty good. today we might go mini golfing! Only R12. Also this week we plan to cook spaghetti and meat sauce for 2 families in the ward, and then watch a church movie! So that should be fun.

Drum roll please..the scriptures for the week!
Deuteronomy 32:2
My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:

D&C 24:12
And at all times, and in all places, he shall open his mouth and declare my gospel as with the voice of a trump, both day and night. And I will give unto him strength such as is not known among men.

D&C 35:13-14
13 Wherefore, I call upon the weak things of the world, those who are unlearned and despised, to thresh the nations by the power of my Spirit;
14 And their arm shall be my arm, and I will be their shield and their buckler; and I will gird up their loins, and they shall fight manfully for me; and their enemies shall be under their feet; and I will let fall the sword in their behalf, and by the fire of mine indignation will I preserve them.

Well, that’s all for today. Mission and Cape Town are the best! I’m just having the time of my life serving the Lord.
This is Elder Haws, signing off.
Till next week!

Watching the Emma Smith movie

Elder Leach and I

I got myself a testimony now!

Dear Family,

I didnt get your package yet. Don't worry, I cant wait to get it but I can just rot my teeth with all the valentines day stuff Elder Twitchell has haha. As for my camera, it turned on last night! Yeah I just use Elder Twitchell's sim card to send the few pictures home to y'all. I haven't heard a country song in a longgg time. Elder Twitchell loves country. Of course I'm cooking okay here! No complaints.

Thats very nice of sister Sutherland! What a great family.

My area = beautiful!

This week was pretty awesome. The last week of the transfer! I'll be honest, that was fast! There has been some rumors about transfers..but we'll see what happens. I'll go wherever the Lord needs me, and serve with all my heart, might, mind and strength...like I always do! We actually have a missionary down from Namibia with us at the moment. He is training a new missionary, so is just staying with us for a few days and gets training from president along with the other elders that are training. His name is Elder Leach. He is sweet!! We all stayed up late last night chatting. I saw the one and only Zambian boss, Elder Thole last night! I'm pretty sure he's going AP. Man, I miss that guy soo much! It was way nice to see him.

Can you believe that this past week I clicked 17 months on mission! Unreal. I kinda didn't even realize it until part way through the day. Next month, I'll be 75% done with mission! noooo.

Last Monday we went to the doctor for Elder Twitchell, and there just happened to be a big screen TV there, and it just happened to be on a sports channel! Serious! That was the day after the Super Bowl, so I saw some highlights!! Man, you shoulda seen us. I bet the people there thought we were weird! I miss sports! It was freakin nice to see it. Looked like an epic game. Next year I'll watch it.

We were over in Fish Hoek (find it on the map, center left) with the other elders, so there were 4 of us, and this random lady had the nerve to straight up tell us that we didn't need anything more than the bible and that basically that we were wasting out time. wow. We just stood there in shock that she would say something like that to us. She just walked away and we just started laughing. haha. This other random lady asked us where the nearest place was to buy beer.... haha!

I saw a cool thing in the township in our area. We were sitting in the car waiting for someone, and this guy was standing outside the boot (trunk) of his car and had like 3, 20 gallon buckets there. A person came up to the car, he opened the buckets, and pulled out intestines! Literally! Thats what people eat over here. I was shocked when someone gave him some Rand, he put the intestines and probably other stuff in just a grocery bag, and that was it! No thanks. haha I wish we took a picture.

This past week I did 2 baptismal interviews for the Fish Hoek elders! It was fun. I made sure they were prepared and ready to be baptized, and they were! They passed with flying colors. I just wish I could be there for when they get baptized. We had a nice taco dinner with the one and only Scheeper family last night. it was delicious.

Yesterday we had a guy walk over an hour to get to church. The crazy thing was, that he walked the same way the day before so that he would know where the church was! He was sweating when he got there, and thank goodness we organized a lift for him to get home. Now that is faith. We met another guy, who was a member though, and he walked a rediciolus distance to get to church, and to pay his tithing. I'll always remember people like that. It makes the little things I'm asked to do seem like nothing.

Did you know that Cape Town was the first stake here in South Africa, and that it still hasnt spit yet. Thats not good. I can tell why...some of the members just arent very commited and are lazy. Shame man.

Well, I found 2 scriptures for you daddy. Deut 6:13 and Deut 21:18-12

The normal weekly scriptures are:

D&C 6:13
If thou wilt do good, yea, and hold out faithful to the end, thou shalt be saved in the kingdom of God, which is the greatest of all the gifts of God; for there is no gift greater than the gift of salvation.

Isaiah 55:8-9
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Have you ever thought or realized that the sun never sets on missionary work. I love the thought that all of my friends are sharing and going through the same things that I'm going through. I bet all of them just wish they were serving here in Cape Town! What an amazing place to be a missionary. I see something new and beautiful each and every day. Its been nice, I got myself a testimony now! I've developed it over time from serving here, but I think back before mission, I was just going through the motions and relying on other peoples testimonies. Not anymore! The church is true!

LOVE YOU GUYS!!
-Elder Haws


Where we do our washing...matching Aggie shirts!



Doin' work

 

I finished the Book of Mormon for the 8th time....

Hello family!

Zone Training

Thanks for the email! That picture you attached was funny. To answer your questions, the hike last week was on a trail compared to Mt Logan just walking straight up the mountain. Both just good hikes. Yeah we dont have to wear our badges 24/7. Only if we think we should or if we're doing service for an investigator. 

The Real Zone

On the 1st and the 15th of the month, we get R658 to spend. It's enough for me each week. Just gotta budget my money and spend it wisely.

Daddy, what in the world are you going to do with a shotgun?? Haha and cool, I'm glad the Patriots lost! Shame Elder Twitchell likes the darn Dallas Cowboys. SD all the way! No I dont think I've picked up too much of an accent, but I have defiently picked up some sayings and words that are unique to South Africa.

Mommy, the report was on Thomas, not Stephen Peterson! haha You make me laugh, you always do that! haha. What about Carmel Mountain Pre School and Mount Carmel high shcool! haha Yes, I have walked down there by what is called the Waterfront. Its a pretty cool place, with beautiful Table Mountain in the background! Its not part of our area though. We work in the area behind table mountain.

Just for the record, every single day since we hiked Devils Peak in the clouds, there has NOT been a single cloud over the mountain since! Gosh dang it haha.

This week was great! Went by quick quick. Elder Twitchell got a monster package from his family. Man, its gotta be a world record or something! That thing was loaded! Oh my goodness. The best thing is, he shares it all with me! haha. Good news, we got some people who accepted to be baptized on a specific date...we hadn't had many of those recently, and now we have 4. They all love when we come and visit and teach them. The funny thing is, that we found each of them by talking to them on the street. ha.

This week we had some missionaries from PE visit us because they were getting some training from president, so they stayed with us for a night. sleeping on the floor was nice. In the morning when we drove them to the mission home, there was so much traffic! man, Cape Town! I felt like I was back home in San Diego for a minute! Oops, We dropped them off a few minutes late, but it was okay. This week we wanted to teach this guy, but we couldnt do it in his house, so we had a nice lesson in the library! Another thing that has helped some of our investigators is showing them a picture of where the chapel is and drawing a map of where it is, so now they have NO excuses to not come to church haha.

We were working last night and met this guy who was driving in his car and hollered to us "Hey thats my church." you dont hear that every day. We chatted to him and found out he has been looking for the church here in Cape Town for 8 years. He was a youngs men president back in the DRC, and his wife is not a member! He stays very near the elders quorum president, a member of the bishopric, and 2 other families! And he has a car. So we are excited to work with him. Part member families are the best to work with.

One of our less actives that we're working with came to church yesterday and really fellowshipped on of our investigators that came to church for the first time. He almost was talking to him too much! haha It was cool to see.

Guess what, this morning I finished the Book of Mormon for the 8th time in my life! Wow, what a powerful and inspired book. This is the 2nd time I've read it on mission, and got SO much out of it. I am amazed at the great example of missionaries in the BOM and how easy I have it here. I loved the doctrine of the gathering of Israel found in the BOM and am go thankful that I have a chance, first hand each and every day to be a part of it, and I also picked up on how many heavenly manifestations of angels appear in the BOM. I know with all my heart and soul, and every fiber in my being, that the BOM is true. I love being able to read it each and every day and to testify about it often. its the best! now, I think it might be on to the Doctrine and Covenants!

This week it looks like I might have a baptism interview to do for the elders in Gish Hoek! That should be fun.

2 scriptures:
Moroni 10:32-33

32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.

Numbers 13:33
And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Well, I love you all! Have a great week! Talk to you in 7 days, as usual.
ELDER HAWS

People selling snok (fish) on the street

 

Looks yummy

I didnt know he was taking a picture of me during comp studies

After district meeting

Our Chapel, Cape Town!

Yummy!

...we got 82 this week!

Im back! We're not normally allowed to do this, but today its okay. It feels kind of weird going on the computer on a Tuesday! As for the camera, you looking online wont do much. I would get one here, but then the battery charger would never work back home because the plugs are different. Yeah I need a camera to take pictures! I dont know whats wrong with Kelly's old one. It just turns on for like 3 seonds, then shuts off. dang it haha

Thats cool that Derek got his mission call there! Lots of church history in that part of the states. Yessie I bet its hot! Did they ever get my postcard I sent them?! and the Sextons?!

Yeah the I think the linger longers were just getting started before I left. I wish we had them here! Good luck with fixing "my" truck hahaha.

Sounds like you guys are quite the sharp shooters! haha I have the shotgun merit badge.
Time is just flying by! when people ask me how long I've been on mission and when I go home, it is starting to feel really weird when I say "I go home in September" ahhh. I feel like its going to be bitter sweet, but it is still a long way away and I got lots of hard work left to do over here in South Africa.

The week was good, and pretty hot. we went bowling last Monday! I'll be honest, I wasnt really wanting to go, but once we got there and started, we all had a blast!! There was no one else in the entire place, and the music they played was good. What!? haha it made me feel "normal" just for like 30 minutes, and by the way, I won! Elder Twitchell is pretty good. He went to Logan lanes often! haha.

Last week I went on exchanges with Elder Speed. We had lots of fun together. He is a powerful elder who knows his stuff. When we were teaching a lesson and this less active guy thought there were more people on the earth during the time of Adam and Eve because in the bible it says how Cain went into another land with his wife, or something like that. Elder Speed wipped out the book of Moses and explained it to him, and hushed all of his doubt and fears and answered his question. haha it was sweet. The guy didn't come to church on Sunday.

Probably the highlight of the week was when we made our stand! It was on Thursday afternoon, in the blazing Cape Town sun. The zone leaders joined us, and we had like a table all set up and everything. We did it on main road, so lots and lots of people saw us. I'll be honest, it was scary! I dont really like street contacting all that much. I'm just a shy guy who never really raised his hand in class to ask or answer a question, and now the Lord expects me to walk up to a random person on the street who probably wants nothing to do with me or what I have to say and expects me to talk to him! Some elders just make it look easy. On Thursday, this one guy I met just kept talking to me for a long time. While I was doing that, the other 3 elders that were there were contacting people left and right! They all got like 15+ contacts, when I only got in the single digits. For some reason afterwards I felt bad, like I kind of let the Lord down by not talking to as many people as I could. I didn't do my very best. It was a learning experience and I know I can do it, I just need to be bold and confident and trust in the spirit. Overall, we gave like our name and number and a pamphlet to over 50 people, and not one of them has contacted us, or came to church. We are going to follow up with them this week, so hopefully some of them will progress. It was fun to watch sometimes how Elder Staheli, who was there, would just start walking with people haha. Most of the white people were not wanting anything to do with us! haha. Depending on how things go in the future, we might do it again. Because nothing happens in missionary work until you find someone to teach! With that stand, we were able to accomplish our goal of contacting 70 people. As a matter of fact, we got 82 this week!

We helped a new couple from another ward in the area, move into our area! yes! those other elders said they love having the elders over for supper! Niceee. I had to hold their 6 month old son for a few minutes! It was awesome. You shoulda seen his big eyes look up at me, and probably wondered who is this weird looking white guy holding me, I want my mommy! haha.

On Sunday we had 2 nice DA's. yum yum. and even last night at FHE this lady from Durban cooked this amazing curry! I guess in Durban there are lots of Indians.

We taught this one guy who we met on the street about the gospel and he wasnt having anything to do with it! heck, he wouldnt even read out of the book of mormon. I mean, come on. Dont judge a book by its cover bru! oh well, his loss. He doesnt know what he's missing. There were so many things we coulda fryed him with out of the Book of Mormon, but being the missionaries and representatives of Jesus Christ that we are, we held back. All we can do is invite others to come unto Christ. If they dont wanna hear it, well, then by golly we'll just go find someone who will!

We also taught this sweet family from Zimbabwe. the tata (dad) is normally very busy, but we caught him at home and had a powerful lesson! we watched the restoration dvd, and the siprit was there! They just need to get themselves to church. Tonight we're going to teach them about the plan of salvation, so hopefully that will go well.

Elder Twitchell is the king at getting packages and his family sent him chocolate Swiss Rolls! Ya know, the ones we always would buy and eat after dinner! Yeah, he shared with me, and it was a nice taste from home.

One thing that I've noticed is that everyone says that us Americans have an accent! Yeah I guess we do. I sometimes tell people the first time that I meet them that I'm like from Russia or somewhere crazy, and they believe me 9 times out of 10 haha.

Yesterday was hectic! I'm still bummed about the clouds, because even today theres not a cloud in the sky! Oh well. I might wanna get some revenge on that mountain and climb it again sometime...because the view, I know, will be unreal! We'll see.

I'm glad you got the package. I thought long and hard about what I should get you guys. Let me know anything else you want from Africa and I'll for sure get it and bring it home in September! I wanna know where/how you're gonna use the stuff I sent ya.

The 2 scriptures are 2 Nephi 31:3

For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding.

and D&C 98:11-12

11 And I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall forsake all evil and cleave unto all good, that ye shall live by every word which proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God.

12 For he will give unto the faithful line upon line, precept upon precept; and I will try you and prove you herewith.

Well, thats all for today. Now its time to go out into Babylon and do some missionary work,
Have a great week!! Love you all very much, you know!
-Elder Haws