Yessie its been hot over here! Bring it on being a ward misisonary! That will be a breeze! I hope I'm one. Just bear testimony and say a prayer haha. Presidents trend is to keep companions together for 2 transfers, and that means being in an area for 6 months. So who knows what will happen. We're only like halfway through this transfer, so I cant be bothered! Yes we get the Liahona every month. Sure hope that I get to go through the temple one more time in Jo-burg before I come home. With your old old old age daddy (haha) just take it easy and stretch. Dont do anything stipud, cuz surgery would be not so good. heck, go to a doctor or something. Yeah the pic of Logan was nice. I'd seen it before. Sometimes I'd rather no see beautiful Logan so that I can keep my mind focused. How my aggies doing?! Probably not so hot. I'm glad sister Toolson got my postcard. I got a very very nice email from sister Hall today. She's great! Wait a second, a rug for the room with the tv?! what the. hahah just send me a picture when you decide on something. Tell Pam and Randy I say hello and that I miss them.
...and sorry I'm really struggling with getting stuff for the package :)
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| chillin' in the car! |
We are trying to talk to everyone, because that is like the theme of the transfer, finding, through members, through our own efforts, etc. Elder Twitchell is down to talk to people, so we do! We had a cool experience...we normally part in this certain place when we visit this one guy, but this time there was a car there, so we had to drive around the corner and park a little bit further away. So we did. We were getting out of the car, we say a guy and his young kids pushing their car all by themselves! Nice! Of course we went over and gave him a hand. We chatted a bit and he was more than willing to have us come visit him. even though he wasnt there when we went for the appointment, we still can follow up with him. His car wasnt there, so maybe he was having it worked on haha.
This week was interviews with President Wood! It was amazing! I freaking love that man, with all my heart, and I sustain him 100%. We had such a pleasant chat about lots of stuff. I first was just talking to him and wanted to see if he went running that morning haha. we talked about lots of stuff. But what I was most impressed about was what he remembered from the letter I sent to him. Yeah every week each missionary sends him a letter to update him on the area and the work. I always send them. President Probst never mentioned anything from them to me, but President Wood does pretty much every week! Maybe because there is a new system set up now that makes it easy for President Wood to respond, but dang! He has a good memory. Cuz think of it, the guy reads like 120 letters a week, and to remember a little something I mentioned in my letter was pretty neat. He gave me some good advice and I could just feel that he loved and cared about me. I just wish we coulda chatted longer!
Also that day, we had like a little zone training. we had a special guest from Jo-burg there. Elder Taylor Hartman. He's originally from Utah, and he's been assigned as the mental health specialist from some of the missions in Africa! He has a book out - The Color Code. Which I plan to read when I get back! He's a psychologist or something like that. Man, he is amazing! He talked about how everyone is alike, but no one is the same. He showed a clip of 2 people on an escalator in a mall, with no one else around. They're going up, but just then, it stops! They just stand there and start shouting for help!! hahahaha. They look around, and start going crazy because no one is there to help them. They dont simply walk up the escalator. Do you get it?! I thought it was funny. You should look it up. Dont play the victim. Be a hero and take some responsibility.
Anyway, the coolest thing he taught us was the color code. He classified everyone's personality into 4 color categories. Red, Blue, White and Yellow.
RED represents power. these people have the just get it done attitude about things. they work hard and live in the future. They dont believe that winning is everything, its the only thing. They rather be respected than loved.
BLUE represents intamicy. These people wanna connect with people, wanna talk to people. They are caring, and emotional. they would rather coach than play.
WHITE represents peace. These people are independent, timid, cant always express themselves, very observant, dont cause problems, and can be indecisive. They doubt themselves, but overall they are pretty solid.
YELLOW represents fun. These people just wake up happy every day. They are disorganized, uncommitted, hate criticism and are self centered. They pretty much love people, and being around others.
You can look up more of the details, but everyone has a core personality, but you can add gifts to yours. I was trying to figure out which one I am, and I think I'm mostly white. President said I have lots of red traits, and I see myself with a few blue ones, but not much yellow. Which one are you guys?!
Elder Hartman also said how we should be proactive and not reactive, and act, not react. It was a really cool training. Sometimes that kind of stuff makes my head hurt haha
I still prepare and have district meetings every friday morning. they last 1 1/2 hours, and can be a lot of work sometimes. I normally take half of my study on Thursday morning, and all of my study time on Friday morning to prayfully prepare district meeting for the Meadowfish district! (Meadowridge + Fish Hoek)
This week we're planning on setting up a stand near like a mall or something and just talk to everyone! Some other missionaries tried it out, and they had a lot of success! They are going to join us when we do it, and also we;re going to try and get like 2-3 people from the ward to join us! So I'm hoping this goes well and turns out good cuz we could use some more people to teach. I've realized that as missionaries that we need to help our investigators feel the spirit, and that we don't have to just convince them that what we're sharing is true. The Holy Ghost is that converts people, not us. We are just the tools and instruments that the Lord used to, in a sense, bring His children home.
But bad news, my camera doesn't seem to be working very well....
The 2 scriptures are 1 John 4:9-11
9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might alive through him.
10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he aloved us, and bsent his Son to be the cpropitiation for our sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
Moroni 9:6
And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God.
Guess what, you guys are awesome!! I know I tell you every week how much I love you, but I really do mean it. Love requires action. its kinda hard for me to always show it when im 10,000 miles away, but I know, without a doubt, that you can feel my love for you, and also the rich and abundant love from our Heavenly Father. he's always there for us. what a great blessing! I feel like I've grown a lot closer to Him, and also to His only begotten son in this 16 months I've been at this whole missionary thing. The work I'm doing truly is inspired, and I've seen His hand so much, you wouldn't even believe it! Life is good!
Talk to y'all next week!
LOVE,
Dusty
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| Looking towards Hout Bay |
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| Overlooking Muizenburg beach. You can kinda see the curve of False Bay |
Great letter! Hey, I know that book from many years ago! It's awesome! In Relief Society everyone took the test that helps identify what personality color you have. It was eye opening! And then Mark took the test and we discussed how we could compliment each other based on our different personality traits. It's so cool Dusty got to hear that training!
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