8/31/15 Things are warming up.

                                                                                                                          August 31^st, 2015

Hi Family,

With the weather heating up here in Springs, things are literally springing forward here in our area. Great things are happening. Sorry about the last two short emails, it has been incredibly busy so I’ll try to do a little better with a few details.

Tuesday- We had our zone conference with 4 different zones, It is a big meeting, but it was great to see all the familiar faces and check in on what is happening in the former areas. Elder Sibanda-  is doing great! It was great to see my little greenie "Simba" again lol. Also it was great to hear from Pres and Sister Dunn. Hats off to them, they are changing the mission culture here in our mission which is great. We spoke on commitments and becoming more purified people. It was an awesome learning opportunity! We got back a little bit late and had dinner with our bishop and his family (they have 4 boys) and their oldest  son is preparing for a mission. So it was just like being back at home. After that we had a great lesson with our most progressing investigator. She finally prayed out-loud for the first time!!!! Then as we closed her daughter wanted to pray out-loud and it was her first time as well. Prayer is so important!

Zone Conference

Wednesday started off the usual. We volunteer at a Methodist Soup Kitchen in handing out bread and serving soup. It is awesome to help people and especially to build relationships with people of other faiths. We then saw a couple of our "Elderly" members. We thought of sharing the same message as last week to see if they remembered.....hahahha. Then we finished the day at the Sibanda family (no relation to Elder Sibanda) Brother Sibanda is a non-member but loves having missionaries over. He took us through his "gym" which consisted of a vibrating stomach belt and an electrical shocking machine. I don’t always ask a lot of questions because it’s better not to know. . . . . Needless to say he is about as fit as Warren Sapp. 

Thursday- We planned, planned and planned some more. Every Thursday I introduce “ Planning like Manning.”  So we plan everything trying to be like Peyton and not miss a detail.

Fast forwarding to Sunday.  . . .We went to stake conference and it was a sight that I'll remember forever. We got there 1 1/2 hours early and the soft seats were already almost full. Then about 30 minutes before it started literally a flood of people came. I’ve never seen anything like it.  The stake center was max capacity in almost every room! The church in Africa is growing and it’s great to be part of this sacred work!

It’s not where you serve, but how. . . .  so get out there and serve!

Love,

Elder Bhead

8/17/15 Year 1 is in the Books!

August 17^th, 2015

Hey Family,

This week has been one where I have done a lot of reflecting. The year mark will come on Thursday and it’s really amazing at how fast time passes, especially when you immerse yourself in the work. If I'd make a list of things that I have learned so far on my mission, it would be about as long as Rachel Ray's ingredients list. I am so grateful, even for the hard ones!

So I'll share an experience that Elder Henderson and I had this week that has been the reason why I decided to serve a mission. Last week, we received a message from a member in our ward who was at the chapel cleaning. Supposedly, a lady was waiting at the gate and explained to him that she felt like she needed to come to church and learn more. So we were able to see her briefly on Tuesday, but I was on exchanges and so we saw her again on Saturday. The lesson on Saturday was one of those Golden lessons that rarely if ever happens on a mission. We taught here about the Restoration and needless to say and it was as I envisioned as a young boy dreaming about being a missionary, the spirit was there and incredibly strong bearing witness to her of the truthfulness of the things that were being taught. She acknowledged that this was something that she felt she had been searching for. She even read from the introduction to chapter 18 in 1 Nephi since Tuesday. The field is white and I am so grateful to be part of this work.

 I am so thankful to have the opportunity to serve as a missionary. I can't remember the quote exactly by President Hinkley  that says something like, “ You will come to know  what appears today to be a sacrifice will prove instead to be the greatest investment that you will ever make.”  That is how I feel about my mission. It really isn't  a sacrifice at all to bear the name of our Savior and his true church. It is an honor and a blessing.  It is calling for the rest of my life, not just for 2 years. In simple words, "I LOVE MY MISSION! "

In other news, we visited the same less-active guy and his wife who do fire dancing. . . . After a lesson about the Holy Spirit, they invited us outside and put on a mini fire dancing show as . . . Then he out of nowhere he  just starts literally spitting fire. Last week it was fire bombs this week spitting fire. . . . Only in South Africa, what fun experiences!!!  

Anyway  things are going great here in Springs!

Until next time, love you all!

Elder Bhead

8/10/15 Hello Springs!!

August 10^th, 2015

Hey Family,

Annnndddddddd the long wait is over and I finally found out where I was going on Tuesday. I am in the town of Springs, in the Benoni area. It is a little run down Afrikaan town that has a lot of older white members. I would compare it to downtown Mesquite, Nevada. (if there even is a downtown Mesquite).

      My comp is Elder Henderson from England. It’s great,  he reminds me of a mix between Preston Parmenter and Jake Wagner. That tells you we get along great. He has 3 months left, so I will be finishing him off.

The ward reminds me of a 55 or older branch, they are all pretty elderly and they all bring candy to give to the missionaries at church. So no doubt in the area, I'll find my "mission grandparents" that will take care of us and I will put on 10 pounds.

Anyway I'll share some funny stories that happened this week. First one is that we are teaching this less-active member and after we close I asked to see his wife. So we walked into her room and she was sewing "fireballs" that she does for her business. Interestingggggg. Sometimes the less you know the better.

 The other one was during church our pockets were getting full of all these sugar candies from the older people, then this old guy handed me a thing that looked like a Cadbury egg. So I ate it and it turns out that he pranks new missionaries by giving them a chocolte peanut thing that covered  horseradish. So I was coughing for about 5 minutes. My sinuses were cleared out completely. . . So I have learned . . . .Don't trust old guys. 

A sweet experience that we had this week was that Wednesday morning we got up and went and worked at a soup kitchen. Making soup and then handing it out and giving people french fries. There are so many people in this world who need kindness and compassion. It rang in my mind that serving people is not something I want to do for only these two years but to help and serve for the rest of my life.

Have a great week,

Love Elder Broadhead!!

8/3/15 So Long Rabie Ridge!

 August 3, 2015





Ola, Ola Fam. I'd officially like to extend a "Welkom" to our newest family member. Welcome Steve, I've always wanted another brother! Amidst the craziness of a wedding and proselyting, I got a call from President on Friday and I'll be leaving this land of Rabie Ridge. It was expected, because I've been here for a while, but it is still tough to say goodbye to everyone. I've grown so close to the people here and bearing my testimony yesterday was pretty tough. But, goodbyes are part of His plan. I'll share a sweet experience and a funny one from this week.

 Last Monday, we watched the Restoration Movie with our Recent Converts, Sam and his mother Joyce. When we arrived her sister was just about to leave so we invited them to stay. Needless to say we watched the DVD and here heart was touched. After we watched it, we had a mini-testimony meeting on "Why do we believe". These are people that are converted to the gospel! There is nothing greater than seeing someone become truly converted and obedient. 

on the flip side. We saw one of our less-active guys right after his soccer team won in penalty kicks. Needless, to say he had a little too much to drink and started blowing his vuvuzela while we were about to sit down and teach his kids. 

Vuvuzela 1  Word of Wisdom 0

Anyways I hope all is well at home and you are braving the warm weather. I love you all

Elder Broadhead

7/27/15 Kelsee's getting Married!!

Hi Fam, 
I still can't believe that kelsee is getting married, after years of searching and unsuccessful tries on Ldssingles.com it looks like she has found the one! And I am grateful that the family will add on another brother. (looks like family bball will just get better).
 It has been an amazing week here in Rabie Ridge and it goes straight in line with what is going on back home. How important familes are in the Plan of Salvation. As we were teaching a part-member family about it, I was overcome with love and joy for my family. I couldn't be more grateful and express more thanks to my Heavenly Father for the family that I have been blessed with. From Grandparents to nieces, I am absolutely spoiled with how blessed I am to have you all. 
As we were teaching, I bore simple testimony about how important they are and felt prompted to give them a picture of the temple. She took the picture looked at it, then looked at her new born baby and said, I think it is about time. Wow, what an amazing experience especially with the wedding tornado going on back home. Needless to say, I am so thankful for my family. Even though Dub and I acted like Laman and Lemuel :) 

Love Elder Broadhead

7/13/15 Patiences

July 13, 2015
Hey Family, This week was a great one for different reasons, mainly for the one that is listed above. This week I definitely learned a lesson about patience and it comes from an experience we had on Friday. We had our Zone Meeting in Kempton Park and got back to our area around 3 P.M. We hit our first appointment and jumped over to spend the rest of the day, seeing less-active people in a area called Mayibuye. Needless to say, it was peak traffic and there is only 1 entrance into the township. So it took us about 2 hours to move about 10 meters. There were some random people who were directing the traffic and it was all around craziness. I was going to take a picture of it, but our member told us that it wouldn't be a smart idea when there is no get-away. Anyways I was ready to just plow over people in our Chevy Aveo and Elder Sibanda just said, Life is Great isn't it? I was kinda taken back when he said that because we were already late and there was no way we would be able to see those people. But instantly my outlook changed and we spend the rest of the 1 and a half hours comparing the traffic to gospel, life , and worldly things. Elder Sibanda won it all when he compared the directors of the traffic to priesthood holders. anyways I learned a great lesson on how the Lord puts us through the refiners fire and shaves off our imperfections. I love this story from general conference. 

Elder David B. Haight told a story about the sculptor Michelangelo to illustrate the importance of seeing everything in proper perspective: “As the sculptor was chiseling a block of marble, a boy came every day and watched shyly. When the figure of David emerged and appeared from that stone, complete for all the world to admire, the boy asked Michelangelo, ‘How did you know he was in there?’”

Have a great week!

Elder broadhead

7/7/15 Spits sunflower seeds and the 4th of July

                                                                            July 7, 2015

                                                                                      Hey Fam,

Another week as flown by and I didn't even realize that it was July 4th. So we celebrated it Friday at District Meeting. Elder Smith from Utah, got a package that had some Spits in it so after our meeting we enjoyed Sunflower seeds and singing the Star Spangled Banner. Pretty low-key celebration, but just enough to remember the Holiday. Elder Sibanda had another busy week, since the other Elders in the area have closed down, our days are packed and it is great to get to know all the members in the ward. Leafet and his kids were confirmed, and our bishopric changed. I'll get right to and  share 4 different experiences this week.

1-After Leafet and his children were confirmed, we dropped by and saw them and shared a lesson about Family Home Evening and family responsibilities. I can't tell you how amazing their family is and how much love Leafet has for his children. He is working like a mad-man and doesn't lose focus on his responsibilities as a father. Unlike much of the world these days. His wife is coming along, much like Shawn Marions free-throw. But she will get there.

2- We have been visiting a lot of less-active members who end up moving in with their girlfriends/boyfriends.   I've just gained a greater appreciation of the counsel given in The Family- A proclamation to the World. Marriage between a man and a women is ordained of God. Plain and simple. 

3- While we were driving in the area on Wednesday, there was this old grandmother that was  swaying in the middle of the road and about to fall over. So we stopped and she slapped our car and ran off. Turns out she was drunk, and as we drove by a little bit later she had a beer bottle in her hands and was throwing rocks at teenage boys. #dontdodrugs

4-During Fast and Testimony meeting yesterday, someone shared there testimony about how people who don't believe in God are like Rats under a table eating bread. I don't really know what he wad trying to say, but Sibanda and I were cracking up.

I love y'all and enjoy your hot summer!

Elder broadhead