Forget yourself, and go to work!

Dear Family

How are ya?! I've discovered that all that time I spent on facebook at the wee hours of the morning is finally paying off, cuz I can type fast now! all this practice every monday has made me quite the little typer. I know I know, I still havent sent a package...my bad! I really mean to, and have all the intention to, but I just havent gotten around to it. I apologize. and to answer your question daddy, I have give just a few blessings. One to Elder Frost when he was sick, and occasionally in the area. the thing is, that we try and have members use their priesthood and stuff. heck even yesterday we gave one...I just anointed though. isnt the priesthood great! Hey, when was the last time you got to use it daddy? I'd love another CD...you can even send it in a letter not a big 'ole box.

Mommy, I love your emails! I guess you old people just live boring mundane lives, so there's not much to report on! haha, I just like hearing how your guy's week was and just keeping me updated on life.and I'm feeling 100% better now mommy. you can rest easy, your son is all good and healthy.

Now that that is out of the way, my week was just fine. the trainers training we had went well. yoahh, I saw some of the other greenies that were there..dang! I lucked out, big time! Elder Wolfgramm is 100% cooler than them! Straight up. During the training, President Wood just went over the very basic way of teaching the doctrine of christ and just talked about other missionary related things. it was a nice training. man, president wood is sweet! always happy and excited about the work, and honestly just fun to be around. His wife is sweet as well. but he did say that trainers will be training for 12 weeks....meaning that I'll be here next transfer too! AH! haha. I was honestly kinda bummed with the news, cuz I just see missionaries come and go, and all these other stories from other areas in the mission and like climbing Table Mountain in Cape Town and stuff, but I know the Lord called me here for a reason! I guess I just was meant to serve in the Eastern Cape Mission! haha. I decided to take the advice President Hinckley's dad gave to him when he was on his mission. "Forget yourself, and go to work" and that's just what im gonna do. so what if I'll be in East London for a long time.

I guess this month is womens month here. so im church yesterday all the talks were about mothers in Zion. and there is a lady in our area who kinda struggles with English, and she had to give a talk yesterday and was very scared and nervous. So the bishop asked us to go over and help her. We went over there thinking she had like most of it done and we would just kinda help out here and there, but come to find out she hadn't started at all! so the first night we went over there I wrote the 1st half, and then we had to go over there again and finish it with her! Yeah, I wrote the entire talk! haha Elder Wolfgramm just sat there. haha I was nervous with her as she got up yesterday, but she nailed it! such a pro. The bishop was smiling, and so was I. I could tell she was very relieved when it was done with.

We had a fetchin' nice dinner with Bishop and his family! can you say...TACOS! Bishop is loaded, and went to this one store here in town that sells some American items...like taco seasoning, tortillas, and salsa! so yeah, we had a feast! mommy, it tasted just like you made them! but yours are better. Obvious! We took a picture and I'll send it home next week.

On Saturday we went to teach Khayakazi and Khanyasani but we were a little bit early and the really wanted to finish the rugby game that was on...so we watched it! oops! It was only like 15 minutes, and I had like no clue what was going on. All I know is that those oaks are massive and hit hard! South Africa was playing the wallabies of Australia and it was a close game! We lost. and man, Khanyasani gets into it! dang! Like hitting the couch when the guy dropped the ball or the ref made a bogus call! haha I was laughing at him. Elder Wolfgramm loves rugby, so he was happy! haha. After the game we had a powerful lesson, then the other missionaries came to fetch us. As we were waiting, Khayakazi offered us some mvubo also known as African salad. man, its all that people eat over here! Its pap and sour milk! yum yum. I've had it once before, but Elder Woldframm never had. but they gave us a big bowl, and we had to eat it. I finished my bowl, but it wasn't very good. Elder Wolfgramm struggled! For a big boy like he is, he couldn't finish it! haha

Last night, we got picked up at like 8:30 and we were driving back to town when our car died! In the middle of a township at night! not good. We phoned the zone leaders and they came, but as we were waiting for them, we were on the main street and then this taxi and other car stopped and came over to talk to us stranded missionaries! They were sweet! the 3 guys in the one car were evidently a little bit tipsy and been drinking earlier, but dang they were absolutely hilarious! he was "arguing" about/wanted to know our opinion on how God looks at nudity haha! Like how Adam and Eve were naked and stuff! oh man, This guy was cracking us up! haha. They were harmless, but just stood there in the cold with us for over an hour, just talking and hanging out with us. One of them needed a light for his cigarette, and literally stopped a car on the road to ask for a light haha. They eventually needed to go, but we had a good time together! We eventally got some strong rope and the zone leaders tied it to their car, and they just towed us all the way back to town. TIA. We made it home at round about 11pm and were ready to sleep!

The area is doing well. We had these 2 brothers come to church, so that was exciting. We have a map in our boarding of our area, so I've recently updated it with where all the recent converts, investigators, less-active and active members stay. Its nice cuz we get to know where they stay and makes our time in the area more effective cuz if an appointment falls through or if we have extra time, We can check up on those people.

Elder Wolfgramm is awesome! His teaching skills are improving little by little and we have loads of fun together!

This Saturday is the all Africa Mormon Helping hands! So the entire ward is going to this school and we're gonna do some service...so that should be fun.

Well, the scriptures for the week are
Enos 1:12,27

12 And it came to pass that after I had prayed and labored with all diligence, the Lord said unto me: I will grant unto thee according to thy desires, because of thy faith.

and
D&C 97:15-16.

15 And inasmuch as my people build a house unto me in the name of the Lord, and do not suffer any unclean thing to come into it, that it be not defiled, my glory shall rest upon it;
16 Yea, and my presence shall be there, for I will come into it, and all the pure in heart that shall come into it shall see God.

Thanks again for the sweet emails every week! Its the highlight of my day! I just wish I could stay on longer and tell you everything about Africa and being a missionary! Hope you have an amazing week! Love you all, very very much!

Till next week.
-Elder Haws