Elder 'Dusty' Haws - Mission: LOOK WHAT WAS DONE IN 2 - 0 - 1

Mfethu! (Dude in Xhosa)

Short but sweet email…thanks! No we didn’t watch conference…probably on the 17th or 24th. Didn’t get the package yet..this Friday hopefully! And yeah, the weather has chilled down a little bit..especially in the morning when we go running…but during the day the weather is nice!

I have very few winter clothes…and don’t have any plans in the near future to buy any! Haha. I'm just scared that im gonna be over weight when I have to fly when I eventually get transferred..ya know?

This week was fantastic. the highlight had to have been Zone Conference! here are some facts about our mission...123 elders currently serving, 20 wards and 6 branches, 94 baptisms as of March 17th...and the theme is "LOOK WHAT WAS DONE IN 2 - 0 - 1 - 1" haha

A picture from out baptism yesterday. Axoile is the guy with his arms folded in the middle. the OLD dude walks a longg way to church every sunday, and doesnt speak much english, he's from the zone leaders area. some random people just decided to get in the picture haha

I love zone conference. president said some powerful things. he explained how we were JR apostles. Think about it, the only other people who are addressed as elders are the apostles! he also explained how we literally are the people who decide who gets into His church, and how divine our calling is. When we are representing Him, we have to do it His way. soo that made me want to be even more obedient, even though I already am. president also said how the Lord doesnt make mistakes, and how he hand selected me to serve in this part of the world at this time. and he used a cool scripture found in Acts 17:26 about how God pretty much knows how everything will happen in our lives. He said the purpose of church, and more importantly zone conference/ general conference, heck any conference in the church is to receive revelation!

We watched a kinda "dorky" short cartoon movie clip called "You Are Special" about like this wooden guy who never thought he was good enough, but it didn't matter what anyone else thinks..its what heavenly father thinks, plus other good messages and stuff. it was good and meaningful.

One thing we had to do for conference was to prepare a 3 spontaneous talks! like president would just call on 3 of us to come up and talk about certain missionary teaching skills and stuff. so the night before, like late at night, elder McD and I were like cramming for the test! haha I just wrote down a few thougths and things, but it felt like school all over again! haha

So during lunch of zone conference, the 16 elders working in MD who were there for the conference sang to me and 2 other elders "Happy Birthday" it was nice. We have a little bit of a different version that we sing! haha. We have a baptism next Sunday..on my birthday..and she asked if I would baptize her! So that'll be sweet! its unreal to think that im gonna be 20! AH!

This week during one of our lessons this crazy/naughty kid was making such a noise! he was really distracting from the spirit, and this was an important lesson, so i had to "make a plan" and take matters into my own hands. I said "izapha" meaning "come here" I sat him down in the chair next to me and had him draw on my planner...and amazingly it shut him up! haha he kept saying stuff to me in Xhosa, but I coulnt understand much, so I could only really say the few same words that I know over and over again. haha I still participated in the lesson, but just glad i could calm that kid down haha.

We visited this sweet super old mamma, shes a member...but has no teeth! haha. I went on exchanges with Elder Farley! We walked pretty much all day, so it brought back good memories from my last area. he's been out only 4 months, so in all the lessons we taught, I was like the senior companion and had to do most of the talking and stuff. it was kinda fun, but more of a responsibility. It was good practice for when I become a senior companion soon. and yessie during one lesson this girl was asking some deep questions..and Elder Farley just looked at me and I smiled and tried to answer them the best that I could! haha.

We fasted starting on Saturday afternoon, but Sunday after church we had 2 DA's! haha one at 3, and then one at 5! we were sufficiently "wounded" as our fellow-shippers say when they get fed a lot of food! haha. and yessie it was AMAZING Xhosa food! yum yum

Last night on "P-Day Eve" we laid out under the stars for a little bit as a district. It was kinda homo, but fun! there's lots of stars here in Africa. I even saw a shooting star!!

For our 2 FHE (family home evening) groups, we watched "Joseph Smith: The Prophet of the Restoration" I love that movie! At the very end, it shows the picture of the Nauvoo temple, and a part of the verse in D&C 128:22 comes up...it says "Shall we not go on in so great a cause?" that inspired me. its so true! im engaged in this great work!

I've recently thinking how great my family is. I sure have been blessed to be part of a loving family and to have such good friends and relatives supporting me through my entire life. what a blessing.

Mom, Dad, and Kelly, I love you because you are easy to love.

Miss you bunches!

Love...ELDER HAWS