That's a lot of oranges... TIA -- THIS IS AFRICA

Hey bestest family!

Thanks for the long email. Sounds like things are going well back home in beautiful San Diego. The sticker is fine. I do my laundry in my boarding with my washing machine, but have to hang up the clothes on a line, cuz dryers don't really exist over here. Thank goodness I have a washing machine at this boarding, cuz some don't...so that means washing by hand! hooray! haha. No news on sharks down here, but there were people that thought it was judgement day or whatever, and it seemed like a pretty normal day to me. The milk quote is just a random thing that Elder Thole says sometimes, but yeah the milk goes bad within like 3 days here, and sometimes the day it says it expires is like 2 days after you buy it! haha. and I'm coming up on 9 months, not 10. I think I will be transferred, cuz I've been living in East London my entire mission so far, but you never know. If I stay, I wont be bothered and just work hard wherever the Lord calls me to serve. elder McD is actually still in Cape Town, cuz there's been troubles in getting him his visa for Namibia, so he's just in a 3-some in Cape Town. and I'll look out for that Logan elder!

So this investigator asked me how I can help her get a job back in the US!! hahahaha I was like ummmmm, I have no clue. haha

I went on exchanges with Elder Thole this week! We had some fun together. He is powerful. I love Elder Barlow, but sometimes its just nice to hang out and serve with someone else.

We had a nice visit with president and his wife. he talked to us about the importance of keeping our area book up to date. the area book is the teaching records of all the people we teach, and have taught. we fill it out each and every day. president showed us 3 Nephi 23 where the Lord asks Nephi about the records, and he kinda looks down and kicks the dirt, and says that he didn't keep any. We keep our area book very up to date and current, so no worries there. also, president talked about the temple, how we obviously don't get to go to the temple for 2 years cuz its outside of our mission, but he explained how the Lord thinks and knows how important the work we're doing here is, so he lets us labor here and then we can just go home and go to the temple a lot. I know I am, and I got a lot of catch up work to do...I miss the temple! president said sometimes, pull out your temple recommend and ask the spirit to bring to your remembrance the experience of going to the temple. cool, huh? I got to sit with sister Probst while Elder Barlow was with president, and I asked her what her favorite scripture was, and she had a hard time, but she likes Enos 1:27 and 1 Nephi 4:6 and I asked president and he struggled as well and said it changes from day to day, but loves D&C 15 and 16. Talking about how the most greatest work is to declare the gospel. and he loves 2 Nephi 31...a powerful chapter that we use a lot when we teach the doctrine!

My interview with president was amazing! I love that man. We talked about a lot of things, and he told me some cool things.

We had a powerful with a new investigator who is a referral from one of our recent converts. I'm telling you, referrals from members are the BEST type of investigators. (in other words, tell the missionaries of who you know that needs the gospel) so anyway, we taught him the doctrine of Christ, and he accepted to be baptized. he is really ready to make some changes in his life, and after the lesson, he was sad that we weren't going to visit him the next day! haha. we taught him about the Book of Mormon and restoration and he loved it. It's going to be super fun to keep teaching him and watch him learn and grow.

One morning, the Zone Leaders phoned us unexpectedly, and said to open the door for them, cuz they were going to join us for comp studies! that was fun.

we met that crazy less active..notice he's pulling up his zipper in the picture! haha I promise you, people over here just pee wherever they feel like! haha. sometimes our fellow-shippers even do it, and I'm like, come on! haha

Yesterday when Elder Barlow was confirming Heike, he forgot to say "of latter day saints" I hope that wasn't a bad thing! I just think he was a little bit nervous. Hey good news! Both Chris and mamma Pam passed their baptismal interviews yesterday! We reviewed with them a lot, and they were so ready! Chris is a powerful guy, and has totally been prepared for the gospel, and even asked if I could baptize him! so I'm looking forward to that on Sunday! but on Saturday when we visited mamma Pam, she was sick! this poor lady is amazing. she even called us and asked for money cuz she is struggling right now. She looks after 3 of her grand-kids and gets by with very little. We gave her some flour and rice, and she was very grateful. but Saturday she wasn't sure if she was going to make it to church, and if she didn't, she wouldn't be able to get baptized this Sunday. We prayed mighty that she would get better, and sure enough, this incredible and faithful woman, who is over 60 years old, made the 20 minute walk and came into church along with her 3 grand-kids. I was SO happy to see her.

We got a BIG service project coming up this Saturday. we're like making a shack...should be fun.

This morning, we went on a run and found like a jungle gym, so I was able to do 4 pull-ups and 6 dips...wow. can you say out of shape!? haha.

Sometimes when Elder Barlow and I see something crazy or weird, we just simply say, TIA THIS IS AFRICA!! haha.

I was wondering, could you guys sometime make a copy of that sweet family history tree thing with all the pictures of the old people on it and sent it to me...that would be cool! just a thought.

I'm not too sure what that Xhosa word is, but the word for sacrament is umthendeleko

Cool scripture = Alma 26:27

"Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success."

Here's a cool way to remember the dispensations. check this out:

Adam - Adam

Eats - Enoch

Nuts - Noah

And - Abraham

Many - Moses

Christmas - Christ

Sweets - Smith

I sometimes feel like Nephi when he says, "I'm not mighty in writing" with these emails! Alright, time's up! We got a busy busy week upcoming! Cant wait!

Cheers!
Elder Haws