Bible = Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth

Hi family!

What a powerful email! I’ve never met the Smiths (senior couple), and I think I’m good on music cuz I put some from Elder Twitchell onto that USB you sent me, so that works out good. Our LDS helping hands is normally in like August or around there, but ya we'll do it. Not many Dear Elder letters recently. Nope, I never went to the festival of colors. Exciting sports news! Thanks for the small update. Sorry to hear about your car! Shame. No payback for Elder Mamaia. No mommy, the lady was dead, no need for CPR. Sometimes we do a lesson on CPR (Church, Prayer and Reading) haha! My shoes are excellent! No complaints whatsoever.

CRAIG'S BAPTISM!!!

As for my week in the mission field, it was quite a good one if I don’t say so myself! It started off last Monday after emailing when we played sport with like 26 elders! We all played soccer, rugby and American football! Man, there are some athletes out here, and others who are, well, not! haha. It was super fun. Then the next day I went on exchanges with Elder Mamaia and walked in his area the entire day. I love working with that guy, and being in a township all day! I miss being in a township, it’s just soo different from everything!

Yes, as you can see from the pictures, we went to Hout Bay! Man, it was probably one of the funniest nights on my mission. We went with Mike and Rose, who both will be baptized at the end of April! We all rode in his car and listened to hymns the whole time...and they really, really loved it! They want some CD's! The fish and s chips on the rocks was delicious! We ate prawns and calamari. He paid for everything. Then we drove on the other side of the mountain, and yessie it was UNBELIEVABLY BEAUTIFUL!!! Wow, words can’t describe it. It would have only been better if it was a little bit lighter, because we went later in the evening, but the lights were spectacular! He bought us some ice-cream and gave us a little tour of Cape Town! We went up to signal hill and that’s where we took those sweet pics! Then he dropped us home. It was for sure a night to remember.

On Saturday we helped the sisters set up for their breakfast they were having in honor for the 170th anniversary of the relief society. It was nice to briefly mingle with the sisters, and then come back after the activity was over to get some breakfast and help clean up. Now that I look back, we've been fed lunch and dinner for the past 3 days! Believe it! The ward just loves us now I guess! Good food too.

We went to ward counsel and I was asked to recite D&C 4, and they were all impressed. If only they knew how many thousands of times brother Toolson and Brother Sexton pounded that into our brains as priests in Young Men’s! haha.

Some of the brethern

I guess an important detail that I shouldn’t forget to mention is that I got transfer news last night! I wasn’t expecting it, but president phones us, and only talked to me, but it was funny, he asked, "Elder Haws, are you comfortable in the Meadowridge ward?" and of course I told him I was. the he said "Well, it’s my job to afflict the comfortable" haha and he told me that I was now going to be a ZONE LEADER of the Cape Central Zone serving in the Mowbray ward, with Elder Rogers!!!!! Wow! Me, a zone leader?! Mowbray is very, very close to Meadowridge, so I won’t be moving very far. In fact, I’ll still be living in the top of the Meadowridge area. Mowbray chapel was the first chapel built in South Africa and has a lot of history there. President McKay has been there and long ago it’s where the mission president lived. But I’m excited! My area is pretty much downtown Cape Town! The car I’ll be driving is a manual haha. Bring it on. Elder Rogers is a sweet guy. I went on exchanges with him. Basically, he's awesome! The weird thing is, is that he goes home in like 3 weeks cuz that’s when his visa expires. So I’m not really sure how that’s going to work...but I am positive President Wood has a plan, so I’m not worried! Man, but I’m going to be sad to leave this ward and all the cool people here...but I’m not going very far at all, and there’s a very high chance that I’ll see most of them around. Being a zone leader is pretty tough, but I’m up for the challenge! I guess a nice thing about not being a district leader is that I won’t have to prepare district meeting anymore. I can actually study every day in my study time instead of preparing for district meeting.

I’m really going to miss Elder Twitchell and Elder Chikara though! Elder Twitchell is staying, and Elder Chikara is going somewhere else! They are in very good hands! I’m jealous haha but I’m going to be hearing all about what happens.

Scriptures: 

D&C 90:11,18,24
 11 For it shall come to pass in that day, that every man shall hear the fulness of the gospel in his own tongue, and in his own language, through those who are ordaned unto this power, by the administration of the Comforter, shed forth upon them for the revelation of Jesus Christ.
18 Set in order your houses; keep slothfulness anduncleanness far from you.
24 Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another.

D&C 95:12

12 If you keep not my commandments, the love of the Father shall not continue with you, therefore you shall walk in darkness.

I’m excited and sad at the same time! But I can say with confidence that I left the Meadowridge ward/area better than when I got here! I’ve made friendships and memories that I’ll always remember! What a great area.

LOVE YOU GUYS!!

-Elder Haws

PS: Bible = Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth

A sweeet family from Ghana

Man, it’s been a great area!

FAMILY!

Yes, you were right! Lots of kisses! And nope, didn’t get your package quite yet, but I’m sure it'll get here. Shame to hear about the rain. Whets up bad San Diego weather! Come to Cape Town! Yes mommy, the week was very lekker! I’m always safe in all the things that I do, you know that. I hope you liked the pictures. Yeah our sweet investigator is going to take us to Hout Bay, but we had to get permission from president to ride in his car and today president said yes, so sometime this week hopefully we'll go! It’s just going to be hard squeezing him in...because so many other members want to have us over for supper, there’s just no time to go to Hout Bay! But we will just have to make time, now wont we! We’ll make a plan. I just think it would be lovely to watch the sunset! I’m excited for that, but also for him to get baptized in April! Even though I most likely won’t be here. So next week is transfer week! Since I’ve been here for 6 months now, I probably will be transferred. Man, it’s been a great area, and will be sad to go. Just like in life, all good things must come to an end sometime....but not eternal marriage!! That’s for sure.

I’ll have to agree with you mommy on the typing skills, mine have improved as well. Cool to see those pictures from Eric! Man, he hasn’t changed a bit, but good heck, his sisters sure have! That’s great that those 2 girls are getting married this summer. Good for them. Wowo is right about the truck daddy! You must get that thing sorted out. Smart to get a second opinion. Hey is it bad to pray for a car?! haha. No I don’t tell anyone about my blog. No I don’t know how to connect the dots of that thing.

Oh man, you shoulda been there the other day when I was on exchanges in Fish Hoek. You know Elder Mamaia, how he is such a jokester and like to play pranks...well, he got me! Elder Park and I had gone on a run and were walking back to their boarding, and they stay on the bottom floor of their apartment, and so without me knowing, Elder Mamaia was on the floor above us and POURED a massive bucket of water on me! Fetcher! Ha-ha it was funny, and I chased after him. We all laughed. Now I just gotta think about a way to get him back ha-ha. Man, Table Mountain last week was a killer, to say the least. I’m still trying to recover! Ha-ha not really, but my legs were a little sore for the entire week, and I guess going on exchanges in a walking area didn’t help. I went to Masiphulelele in Fish Hoek with Elder Mooki. We had lots of fun! It actually felt really good to walk again! I miss it. It was a warm day, and we were pretty busy. They’re on special assignment there to work with the many many less actives. They got lots of work to do. But when we were walking, we saw a dead person! Serious. They were just laying on the side of the road with a blanket over them. Shame. The people standing around said that she was walking to work and just collapsed. I also saw other crazy things that can only be found in a township in South Africa. It just amazes me that people can live like that. I am soo spoiled.

I also went on exchanges with Elder Burton! a greenie! Man, can you believe that he goes home in 2014! Long time from now. He’s from the small town of Tallmadge, Utah. He is such a farm boy! Ha! We stayed up late chatting all about his farm and stuff. He plans to go to USU when he gets back and just farm the rest of his life! As for him as a missionary, he is super. I was impressed with how he taught. Just needs to work on some minor things that will come with time and experience as a missionary.

As you can see from the picture, we went to the all you can eat pizza place! It was way fun. I was smart and didn’t want to show off or get sick, so I just downed a modest like 10 slices, while Elder Mamaia took the championship by eating like 14. It was a good district bonding. All for R50!

When we were walking, this random guy stopped his car in the road, asked who we were, then shouted that we needed to be born again and that we should go to hell! hahahaha can you believe that!? Then he just sped off. We all were just laughing. Let them be haters, it won’t slow the work down, not even a little bit.

Yesterday we got up a little bit early and went to PEC at 7am. it was good to be able to report on our labors and inform the leaders of the people that were baptized last year so that they were up to date. Elder Twitchell had to give a talk, and poor Elder Chikara had to give an impromptu talk! Poor guy. It was only like for 5 minutes, and I guess I was got lucky I only had to bless the sacrament. The guy who normally like changes the hymns and does other things wasn’t there, so the hymns were all wrong yesterday and it wasn’t a smooth sacrament meeting I guess you can say. But then during priesthood meeting, the 2nd counselor let us (really the ward, not us elders) have it! No mercy! Ha-ha I had never seen Brother Futter that upset and disappointed before. He had good reason to be, those guys needed a kick in the pants. but then it was funny...he rebuked everybody, then just before he ended, he mentioned D&C 121 about showing an increase in love after disciplining, and so he said "but I love you brethren. Now lets separate to our quorums" ha-ha

My email wouldn't be complete if I didn’t mention something about Craig! Man, that guy! He like SMS's (text's) us every day and just loved church and the Book of Mormon! Yesterday he was on 3 Nephi 18. He said that he wants to finish the entire Book of Mormon before he gets baptized, and he is well on his way. He passed his interview and so this Sunday he is going to get baptized!! I guess the best part is that he asked ME to do it. What an honor, I’m so excited for him. He is so ready.

The scriptures are D&C 138:55-56 and D&C 124:49

Thanks for all of the continuous love and support and prayers and encouragement and just everything you give to me! I couldn’t do it without you guys cheering me on. You’re the best!

LOVE,
Elder Haws

What is the last thing I did to you before I went out of sight?!

Dearest Family,


The 3 amigos! 

How are you all doing?! that’s crazy to hear Eric is coming home. Wow. Mommy, let’s get it straight, it’s the 3 amigos! haha we're sweet, better than ever. Yeah the ward is starting to love us a lot I guess because I looked at the meal signup sheet, and it’s pretty much packed. Everyone wants to feed us! Nice. Yes President Wood knows Sister Clark.

I’m emailing so late today because this morning we all hiked the one and only Table Mountain! Man, one of the hardest things I’ve done on mission. I hiked it last year and it was tough, but I wasn’t bothered to do it again. but boy, I am exhausted. We hiked at like 10am, bad time to do it! can you say blazing heat, and no shade on the trail. I’ll be honest; there were moments that I thought I wasn’t going to make it. But I just pushed on and got the job done. I knew I could do it. I think the thing that made it so difficult this time was my health. sorry body, I haven’t been treating you very nicely this past week. very very few fruits and veggies, so I paid the price. The funny thing is, is that both Elder Twitchell and Elder Chikara have very similar diet, and they're just fine! haha anyway, I haven’t been eating much recently, because if I do, my tummy just starts to hurt. On Saturday I had a high fever and a narley headache, but I just sucked it up and made it through the day. yes mother I took some medicine and drank water and rested. we taught like 5 lessons that day...the Lord got me through. I’m feeling much better now. but back to this morning, I wasn’t feeling 100% but I couldn’t let my fellow district mates down and not go! Especially since not one of the 6 of them have hiked it before. So my dilemma was, do I eat and risk having stomach pains while hiking, or not eat and expect to hike it with no energy. I chose the latter and pretty much fasted today! haha up to not, I’ve only drank water and some PowerAde, and ate a plumb. But tonight we have a lekker FHE planed. Yeah, the hike up Table Mountain was awesome! The views were beautiful, and my body needed a wakeup call. Sorry I’m too tired and didn’t have much time to be able to transfer the pictures we took today and send them to you. Next week! There, you have something to look forward too.

From the pictures I did send home, you can obviously see that we went to cape point last week! Wow. Again, I’ve already been there, but things like that just seem never to get old. we took and absolutely beautiful scenic route to get there, and to get back as well. I just wish I could paint a picture in words of what I saw. Stunning! Unreal! Gorgeous! Right along the coast. But then we had to drive all the way to Hout Bay, and then to Fish Hoek because we were going on exchanges, so in total we drove like 160K's that day alone! And our limit for the week is 500K's. so we budgeted accordingly, and ended up being like 90K's UNDER our limit this week. That’s how we do it here in the Meadowridge ward!!
 

The district on the way to Cape Point

 The rest of the week was super. Exchanges with Elder Park were fun. He’s a good missionary and teacher. he asked me for advice, and I felt really proud of myself for 2 reasons. 1 that he trusts me as his district leader, and 2 that the things I said to him really helped him, according to what he said. I was just glad that I could help. The next day was zone conference! it was powerful! I had to give like a little talk on some of the past training we had, and then we all bore our testimonies. It was very nice. The focus of the conference was how to work with less actives, the answer to the question of "How can we (as missionaries) help you (as members) do missionary work" so we had a nice discussion as a zone about that, and then lastly we talked about prayer. We all were asked to say their favorite story out of the Book of Mormon about prayer...man, there’s a lot!! Shows how important prayer is. I think my prayers have improved since then, and will continue to improve. Then president called me in and interviewed me to get a feel on how Fish Hoek is doing and how he can help. What a great guy to do that. It’s nothing serious, he just needed the inside scoop from Elder Haws! I’ll admit, at first I thought I was in biggg trouble! haha. I love President Wood with all of my heart! he's the best!

The other days of the week were hectic! busy busy busy! Teaching from like 2pm till 9pm. not tracting, or driving around, but literally from one teaching appointment to another. Crazy! it wears a missionary out, I tell you! I just passed out after we planned for the next day. The Lord is blessing us! Heck, yesterday at church, we had 6 investigators at church! Yeah! And we had 2 meals with members. yum yum.

This upcoming week is just as busy. I’m going on 2 exchanges, so that should be a blast. Also, one of our investigators (he's white, well off, and had a baptismal date) offered to take us to Hout Bay (a very beautiful place) and said he would buy us fish and chips on the rocks! Wow! Heck yes.

Yesterday we met with the bishop to talk about how we could help the ward, and wow, he is sweet! he gave us some people to see, and I think it really strengthen our relationship with him and the ward. I’m just wondering why we didn’t do it sooner haha. but that lucky little punk is flying to the promised land (USA) and going to Disney world and attending general conference! nice! he deserves it.

Also, yesterday there was a massive bike race! Called the Cape Argnus. It’s like famous. Like 35,000 cyclists came and cycled through parts of Cape Town I guess. Sadly, we didn’t get to see any of it. The Fish Hoek branch had to have church at 5pm because all the roads were closed around the chapel in the morning. Haha I heard that the chap who won did it in like just under 2 hours, and I think it covered 109K's. Impressive! I also heard that there was a big wreck at the finish line. Cool.

Oh yeah, I clicked 18 months today! yahoo! I didn’t really celebrate at all. Just went to work like any other day. It is pretty insane to think that I’m 75% done with being a full time missionary. It just blows my mind sometimes.

Here’s something for you. Answer this! It just came to me:
Mom and Dad, what is the last thing I did to you before I went out of sight?! Was it...
A. a wave goodbye
B. no look, just kept walking
C. blew you a kiss
D. a firm salute goodbye

What’s your answer! Let’s see if you remember haha

But some nice scriptures, with the theme of our zone conference are James 5:16, D&C 84:110 and Mosiah 27:14

LOVE YOU ALL VERY MUCH
Have a good one!
-Elder Haws

PS check out this scripture! Proverbs 25:25 :)

Elder Mamaia asked this randon chinese lady to take a pic with him



Last night at our DA with the Kipela family



the moon over our Township

Family, I love you like a fat kid loves cake!



Simeons Town with the zone of elders, with penguins!

 …Sup family!

I’m glad you got the letter mommy..can’t wait for a response! How did you like that song I sent?? Sorry daddy, you know I love you lots! I just needed to tell mommy some things. I’m going to get to say how I feel about you TO YOUR FACE in a few months! How’s that sound? We need some QT asap! golfing, shooting, gyming, surfing, temple (ing), fishing/camping, running, etc. Let’s have some fun when I get home! I’ll teach mommy some of my sharp cooking skillz from South Africa. There are not too many special dishes, but I’ll get some recipes or something, and more souvenirs for you guys. But that’s not till September.

Thanks for the address of Westview, I knew it! Man, I miss looking at my house! It’s stunning!! Jeromy would be SO fun to be able to serve with. but sometimes you don’t click with your companion...luckily I have with all of mine, but I’ve seen and heard and witnessed many many companions not getting along, and sometimes the Lord will keep them together until they work it out or until they begin to love one another. It’s not fun when you don’t get along with your companion. That’s crazy that both Alex and Eric come home soon! Dang.

Yeah the mice don’t bother us, that was like a onetime thing. I haven’t been bit at all by the fleas, but Eder Twitchell has quite a bit and Elder Chikara is black, and fleas don’t bother black people! Yes, the CD's were great! Elder Twitchell has some nice music. I couldn’t tell you last week because you had just told me and I had just barley asked him in my letter, and he responded today and said that it sounded familiar and I cut and pasted what she said in her nice letter, to him, so I’m sure now he'll remember her. Sister Wood was her seminary teacher and said sister Clark would always bring her 3 month old baby to class haha! Man, it sounds like church ball is intense! I’m jealous Kelly went to the Jazz game. You know what my dream is to seeing my family after my mission...in the San Diego airport! Nope, no last requests. I’ll love anything I get from my family! I don’t need much. Everything is #1.

Ha-ha oh yeah, so last week we went and had fun playing mini golf, even though there was a water slide right next to it, and it was a fetchin hot day. It was fun! After that, we drove the unbelievable drive to Simeons Town, it goes right along the coast! We got to see some penguins and just enjoyed God's beautiful creations. Elder Twitchell and I were driving home and the phone rang and Elder Twitchell said it was President Wood. At first I didn’t believe him, cuz why in the world would he be calling on a P-day. Anyway, Elder Twitchell answered and said that president wanted to talk to me. So I pulled the car over and said "This is Elder Haws" (like I always do when I answer the phone) and president and I just chatted for a minute, and then said "Elder Haws, are you sitting down?" and when a mission president says that, it’s not generally a good sign, Ya know?! I was thinking something happened to my family, or there was going to be an emergency transfer or something. It was none of those. He said that a new elder would be joining us! phewf! Ha-ha. He explained that this elder was supposed to come to SACTM in October, but he had some visa problems and that he just had been serving in Jo-burg for a little bit, then up in Zimbabwe for the past month, but now he was good to go to come to Cape Town! He specifically said that the Lord wants him to be with us. So when he first told me, it sounded like it was just a temporary thing, like for 2 days or something, so I asked president when we were to bring him back to the mission home so he could go somewhere else, president laughed and said that he would be with us for the rest of the transfer! Ah! So we're a 3 some now! His name is Elder Chikara from Zimbabwe but lived in Jo-burg for the past 6 years. He is epic! I love that guy! Oh my goodness. What a Christ-like missionary! Sooo humble and loving, and powerful! This guy knows his stuff, and he's only been out 5 months! he's made us breakfast and is just awesome. I’m so glad that he's with us here in Meadowridge. the boarding is a little small, but we make it work. I sleep on the floor with the old mattress, but it’s not that bad actually. president informed me that I now am in charge of the biggest district in the mission! 7 members. Last transfer there was only 4. Nice!

This week I went on exchanges with the zone leaders. Elder Rogers and I had fun in our area. and recently, we've had some powerful and busy days, which is great! We’re working hard and the Lord is blessing us! even with nice DA's! haha we had a lekker braai with this awesome family the other night. we also took out brother Scheepers twice. he is a member of the high counsel and always begs to come with us, so we took him and he was powerful! Man, that guy knows how to fellowship and teach the gospel.


Us with the zone leaders in our boarding.

My district meeting on Friday was, was big. I think it turned out okay and I had every one participate. The focus of the transfer is to learn how to work with ward and stake leaders, so last Friday we discussed about the ward mission leader. but then afterwards, I have to take reports. I don’t take my companions report, because I just do it during the week without them even knowing it. I had to take the report of the 4 elders working in Fish Hoek, and it took me 1 1/2 hours! They’re struggling a little bit, so they told me all about it and I tried to help them the best that I could. Things are looking up though! They’ll all be fine. It was just hard work.

The legendary CRAIG!!

Craig is in Alma and is just amazing! There’s another guy named Mike who is awesome! He’s white as well! I haven’t taught many white people on my mission, and both of these chaps have come 3 times to church and are anxious to learn! I’m excited for them. This week we're busy busy. Lots of people in the ward signed up to feed us...yahoo the Lord loves His servants on His errand.

Today we're going to Cape Point! I’ve already been there, but the other elders haven’t, and I’m down to go again! It’s super pretty and like once (or twice) in a lifetime thing. I’m so lucky.

D&C 63:23,64

23 But unto him that keepeth my commandments I will give the mysteries of my kingdom, and the same shall be in him a well of living water, springing up unto everlasting life.
...64 Remember that that which cometh from above is sacred, and must be spoken with care, and by constraint of the Spirit; and in this there is no condemnation, and ye receive the Spirit through prayer; wherefore, without this there remaineth condemnation

D&C 67:10
And again, verily I say unto you that it is your privilege, and a promise I give unto you that have been ordained unto this ministry, that inasmuch as you strip yourselves from jealousies and fears, and humble yourselves before me, for ye are not sufficiently humble, the veil shall be rent and you shall see me and know that I am—not with the carnal neither natural mind, but with the spiritual.

Family, I love you like a fat kid loves cake! Miss you all very very much, but this final 6 months is going to go by quick quick!

Talk to you guys next week, for sure!

LOVE,

Elder Haws

...just being kids again!

TIA cleaning dishes in a bathroom haha