Only 1 in 5 houses have house numbers on them!

Hey Family -

What an eventful week! cool. sounds like you guys are obsessed with shark week, right on. Yeah mommy, Queesntown is only like 2 1/2 hour drive away.

You gotta tell Aunt Julie that she forgot to put my name on one of the wonderful loving letters she write me, so the people in the mission office had to open it and see who it was too! haha. I thought it was kinda funny. You're the best Aunt Julie! There is a missionary who just got here who went to Logan High School! Elder Twitchell! he's sweet. We talk aggies and USU! grandma, go talk to his family! haha jk.

Guess what I ate this week, chicken liver. niiiccceeeee. It wasnt that bad, until you're chewing the food in your mouth and the thought comes to you that it's the liver of a freakin chicken. We did get 3 DA's on saturday, that was sweet. It was good timing cuz we were running out of food in our boarding.

We taught the Law of Chastity 3 times this week....crying people to repentance! haha. The weather has been pretty nice recently. just working in a short sleave shirt, no need for a jersey...although sometimes at night it get kinda chilly.

Guess who we paid a visit to this week..the one and only Sister Peggy!! Man, I love that sweet old lady. She taliored like 10+ shirts for Elder Staheli and Elder Oiyembo. We spent over an hour with her. She's still going strong and just being awesome.

Elder Staheli clicked 1 year on Saturday...he's only 1 transfer, or 6 weeks ahead of me! He set a cone on fire with petrol, then peed on it to put the fire out! haha. also we had a nicee DA with bishop, it was delicious.

Alright, so since this week wasnt very eventful, a while ago I made a list of things that you only see/are unique to Townships in South Africa. Okay, as you can see from the pictures, ALL of the houses are exactly the same! 2 bedroms, a living room, and a kitchen...all very small, and made of brick. There are quite a few houses that have added on and renovated their houses to make them bigger and stuff, but for the most part, they're all the same. but the lame thing is, only like 1 in 5 houses have house numbers on them! ah! It can be hard to find houses sometimes. I feel sorry for the post man! haha. and the number system is jacked up. Like one side of the street will be like #732 and the other side will be like #16...its confusing! If you think Townships have street names...think again! NO street names. Their yards are not kept at all and they cut their weeds with weed whackers and not lawn mowers. The dogs, yoah, dont even get me started with township dogs! they roam here like wild animals! Most all of the are not neutered so like the utters hang down (gross) and they all have lots of diseases and stuff. ew.

Some of the main roads have pavement, but most of the roads are just dirt...with lots of rocks and plenty of potholes. and yessie they like their speed bumps! oh man, this one stretch of road has 19 (yeah, I counted) I'm just glad to walk most of the day and dont have to endure them all day. On the weekends, cars just weave through the drunk people on the streets, especially near the taverns. In a township, you will no doubt find kids always playing on the street! they dont have toys, or adult supervision (thats for sure) but they just have the time of their life playing in the dirt or playing soccer in the street. all the kids wear uniforms too!

Very few people have cars here, and so people get places by either walking or taking taxis. Theres 2 kinds of taxis, nice ones that hold like 12 people, and the small ones that only hold 4 people, and are in pretty bad shape. people call them cockroaches! I'm glad we're not allowed to ride in them. plus, they drive crazy! I've told you before, people most of the time just burn their trash and listen to House music super loud all the time.

Training Elder Wolfgramm is still going well. he was kinda a rebel back in the day, and turned his life around, and here he is on a mission. but he doesnt have a super big amount of knowledge about the gospel, so im just teaching him everything I know. Most of the times I have to teach the principle, and he just adds his testimony to mine. we role play (practice teaching) in the morning so he can get more comfortable in lessons when he has to teach. we need to find more people to teach, so i think im gonna take him on a little adventure and take his tracting in Mdanstane! Now thats an experience! haha. Most nights after we get back to the boarding and plan for the next day and fill out the area book, he just crashes on his bed cuz he's super tired. Normally in the morning, he would get up and shower first, but the last few days he's been polite and let me do the honors, so that he could steal the extra 10 minutes under the covers! haha and he still snores big time, but usually its just like right after he lays down, then during the night he sometimes doesnt snore. I've mastered the technique to fall asleep while someone is snoring...or maybe I just pass out just I'm just so gosh darn tired. haha. thats one thing I've learned/notices/picked up on while serving a mission... lots of qualities and characteristics and other things that I need to find (or not find) in my eternal companion :) buttt that'll have to be in another email...or just for only me to know! haha

A Xhosa word I'm starting to use to the many many less-active members here is Nqabile (Q use a click) which means scarce. haha. Everyone always laughs when they see us mlungu's speak Xhosa! Espeically the bigg mammas and little kids.

Scriptures = 2 Nephi 9:18, 41

18 But, behold, the righteous the saints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have believed in the Holy One of Israel, they who have endured the crosses of the world, and despised the shame of it, they shall inherit the kingdom of God, which was prepared for them from the foundation of the world, and their joy shall be full forever.
41 O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name.

Hebrews 13 :8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Are you guys doing the Mormon Helping Hands thingy on 20 August? We are!

Man, long email! I only do it cuz I love you guys!
Cant believe its already August!

Stay well
-Elder Haws