For some reason, the pictures won't upload today. sorry! not my fault. Next week. but to answer your question, there are round about 120 elders currently in the SACTM mission, with only 3 new greenies coming within the next 6 months. It is hard to find people's houses in the area with no street names and few house numbers, but in our boarding we have a map of the entire area and the houses that are there, so we normally look/study that so we know where we're going. but like I said, the number system isn't very organized and the numbers are all over the place, and the map we have doesn't show the terrain, so that can make it tough sometimes! We don't visit/teach many people that live in shacks, but the shacks aren't on our map that we have in our boarding. and we'll have 3 baptisms on 27 August!
Hope you guys have fun with Sue, Jeff and Nancy! man, what a party.
As for my week, it was pretty nice. no complaints.... but the highlight might have to be getting a package from my family!! Oh yeah baby! I thought it was gonna be just like a "thinking about you" package that cost like 15 bucks to send, but man was I surprised when the zone leaders handed me that massive box addressed to me! you guys rock! I liked the 2 ties you sent. I wore one yesterday, and right now I'm currently wearing the other one! I loved all the snacks and goodies, as well as that epic CD! It is awesome. Its nice to listen to different songs than the same few that I have. Nicely done daddy! but mommy, I got a bone to pick with you. okay, you've been my mother for 20 years now, and since when have I ever worn high socks?! haha jk. mom! haha they are wayy comfy, I'll just roll them down. and dang, another complaint, umm there were no good pictures! haha but seriously, thank you soo much for that nice package! It totally made my day! It was much needed, cuz I got it at lunch time, and decided not to open it till I got back to the boarding that night...and that day we got drenched, so it was nice taking a warm shower that night, then opening a wonderful package from my family
As for the week in the mission field here in Mdantsane, it wasn't a bad one. one of the days we stole elder Staheli's and elder Oyiembo's fellow-shipper and we got some nice stats and it was just nice to have someone to talk to as we were walking and to bear their testimony in lessons. Elder Wolfgramm is still sweet! he's been participating a little bit more in lessons, but you can still tell he's scared and nervous most of the time. but he's trying. yesterday, fast Sunday, after church we got dropped off and worked till 4pm, and during that time of walking in the hot sun and having nothing in our stomach's we were an astounding 0 for 11 on people we wanted to teach! man, it was hard. i was drained of all my energy, and my tank was at E. but we still did what we could with the time we were in the area.
That day I wasn't feeling 100% but I still stuck it out and fasted, but then last night, it was rough. my tummy was hurting mommy! not like throw-up. just aching and kinda miserable. Not fun! and what made it worse was that Elder Wolfgramm couldn't be bothered, and just went to sleep, while I was laying there in pain wanting some love from my mommy! I survived though. I looked back at what food I had eaten in the past days, and not many healthy/nutritious things! so, I guess I'm the only one to blame! that's what I get! its been incredible how healthy I've been so far on mission. I'm still not my normal self at the moment, but I'm not gonna take for granted being/feeling healthy.
Yesterday Elder Wolfgramm decided to help out the bishop's wife and carry her baby with her to her car, so being the gentleman that he is, he did. he even strapped the little sissy and her car-seat in the car, and just happened to place his scriptures in the car so that both hands would be free. then, she thanked us, and we waved goodbye. a few minutes later after we had finished talking to the members, Elder Wolfgramm then realized he's left his scriptures in the car! ahhh, fetchin' greenie! he's forgotten his planner, wallet, and other things. I just smile and laugh. haha and he didn't make any plans to go fetch his scriptures from her, so he still doesn't have them. hey, I'm his trainer, not his mother. hahaha
I phoned president Wood during the week to talk about 2 investigators, brother and sister, who wanted to be baptized, but who are under the age of 18 and don't have an active member of the church living in their home. with people like that, we have to ask the mission president for permission or baptize them..just because we don't want them to end up going less active. The bishop is good with it, they have come to church now for almost the past 4 months, both attend seminary, and both have lots of friends in the ward...so they wont go less active! I love those 2 kids! I cant wait to see them baptized.
We went to check up on this less active family that we'd never met before, and we met this cool guy in his mid-twenties who said he wasn't a member and that the members that used to stay there moved. but this guy knew the bishops name, and also President Hinckley, but denied being a member. we set a return appointment for the next week, and just thought nothing of it. then, Sunday in sacrament meeting, he came and Elder Wolfgramm and I were soo surprised! I don't even remember inviting him to church. he smiled at us when he came in, and elder Wolfgramm said "he sings too well not to be a member!" haha then after sacrament meeting he went up and was talking to some of the other people in the ward and then it was evident that he was a member and was just jackin' with us! haha we were all excited like we had a new investigator, but nonetheless, it was good to have him at church.
Dude, Elder Staheli has been taking his time when he picks us up at the end of the day! we normally have an appointment at 7pm and expect to be picked up by 8pm. but, the last couple of days he hasn't come till like 8:30pm! come on bru! haha he doesn't do it on purpose...its just he has to drop off his fellow shipper and then has to travel a long distance to fetch us...but trust me, he drives fast!
This week President Wood will be in town for some training. one day we'll have the entire zone together for training, and another day there's a meeting for the few elders who are training (me) and who are being trained. so that should be fun!
We are assigned 2 families to go home teaching, so I was looking over the home teaching message from President Monson, and it's very nice!
I liked these 2 scriptures this week...
3 Nephi 9:13-14
13 O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?
14 Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.
and Psalms 145:9
There are 2 kinds of people in this world..those who are Mormon, and those who ought to be!
Talk to you next week! I click 11 months tomorrow!
Lots of love from here in South Africa!
Elder Haws
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