11/24/14 Better than a touchdown!!!

What’s up Fam,                        Nov 24^th2014

Well this week has been as crazy as ever. Transfers are on Tuesday and I received news that I will be training. Not Elder Mochaki,  he should be leaving soon to Angola, but a new missionary from the MTC.   It will be awesome though. So I'll go through the days of this great week. 

Tuesday- Easily the busiest day of my mission so far. We had appointments scheduled every hour from 12-7 and guess what? They all held. The coolest thing that happened was that we met these two ladies on the street and they told us to come back. So we showed up at their house and they invited 2 families to come and listen to us. So there was like 20 people crammed into this very small living room listening to Elder Mochaki and I teach about the Restoration. And we were invited back again this week so we are being very very blessed here in Alberton right now. 

Wednesday-We went and taught this lady that just showed up to church with her sister and daughter. Rarely happens! She continues to progress and wants to become a member of the church. So that is exciting :)

Thursday- everything canceled –it happens:)

Friday-canceled again so we went and started contacting in the park. We met these kids that wanted to move to Cali to live a life full of the things of the world. So I gave them a pamphlet and they didn't know how to read. So I read to them about the Plan of Salvation. We'll see how it goes with them. 

Saturday-We had Stake Conference! I was really interested to see how stake conferences go on the other side of the world. But, it was exactly the same. Except they talk every time about labola. Which is similar to a fee you have to pay to the family for your wife. Exactly like Johnny Lingo!!!!! Then we went and ate some pizza with other missionaries. 

Sunday-We had the Sunday session of Stake Conference. It was a broadcast from President Uctdorf and David A Bednar to the saints in Africa. Talk about a powerful conference!!!!  I feel so privileged and humbled to be able to serve the people and help the work progress her in S.Africa. 

This week was really one for me to look back and reflect on the past. It was crazy to think that a year ago, we were playing for a championship and a year later I am sitting in stake conference in Africa learning about how I can help the people here in Africa. Talk about a major change.  It's hard work. . . . but the joy you feel when you see peoples’ lives change is more powerful that scoring the game winning touchdown. . . no one puts you on their shoulders, no one wants to take your picture or interview you but there is an indescribable joy of bring souls unto Christ that simply cannot be experienced any other way:)  There is nothing more fulfilling than bringing those "lost sheep" back to the fold.
I love you all and have a great week!

Elder Bhead

11/17/14 Livin out of a suit case. . .

Hey Fam,                                                                            Nov 17, 2014

The title describes this week. But, before I begin... remember those salespeople that I told you about a couple of weeks back that saw us in our white shirts. . . . .. Now there is about 25-30 everyday in white shirts and ties that hand out advertisement things. And they took our spot again!!!! They are the sons of perdition I swear, so every time we try to hand out pass along cards, the people think that they are ads for vacuums and stuff like that. Looks like will have to convert them first.

So other than that this week has been hectic; I said goodbye to Elder Martin on Tuesday and some tears were shed. Just kidding, but he was a great companion and I learned A TON from him. So I moved all my stuff to the Germiston flat to stay there for 2 weeks but that was not the case. . . .  The next day, Wednesday, we had been proselyting for about 2 hours and I get a call from the AP's. There was a brand new missionary from the Brazil MTC whose Visa to Angola hadn't arrived and he needed a companion. So just like that I had a new companion and we formed the youngest companionship in the mission. His name is Elder Mochaki, he is from  South Africa and he should have his visa to Angola sometime this week or so.  I will be moving back to the Germiston when his visa arrives until Transfers which next Tuesday. Then I will return to Alberton get another new companion. So with that I will spend the week in between Germiston/Alberton.

Tuesday-Said goodbyes to Elder Martin :( I hope he has adjusted to home and his mission weirdness has rubbed off. His girlfriend leaves on a mission to Leeds, England on Wednesday. 

Wednesday- Got the new comp!!! and I had to move all my stuff back to the Alberton Flat. 

Thursday- We continued the missionary work here in Alberton by visiting our investigator named Washington who is from Malawi. He is the funniest little guy, but he hates to make eye contact. We also had a new lady who just showed up to church and she wants to learn more! Her best friend is a member in a neighboring ward and she has went to church with her so she looks really promising. 

Friday- Elder Mochaki taught me some Portuguese and we actually saw some people from Mozambique, who only spoke Portuguese and Elder Mochaki was able to talk to them and we have an appointment with them tomorrow. 

Saturday- We spent the entire day in "the hood"; an area where just walked around and talked to people the entire day. There definitely are some people that are prepared to receive the Gospel here in Alberton, it is just a matter of finding them. We also went to teach one of our investigators who lives in the commune people with like 30 people from Zimbabwe. So we just walk up and teach new faces every time we go there. I call it the Gold mine of investigators.

Sunday- We had our primary program which was so awesome. It is always good to hear kids scream "I KNOW HEAVENLY FATHER LOVES ME" in the mic. :) But, all of our investigators loved how the church is centered around families. Then we went and saw Ndida, who is starting a gold trading business,  he is an impressive guy.

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The work here in Alberton continues to grow and every week we see more people and teach them. It is also great to have a "greenie" that wants to work as hard as he possibly can. 

Elder Bhead

Helamen 10:5

11/10/14 Goodbye Elder Martin

Good morning family,                                     Nov 10^th, 2014

 

We are at the email shop a little earlier than usual because we have a lot of stuff to get done before I drop Elder Martin off at the mission home tomorrow. He is ready to go home, his girlfriend leaves on her mission 7 days after he gets home. So he truly is ready to go back home.

 

But we had a great week this week. I really think that it was our best week as a companionship. I will miss him a lot. As for me, I will be joining Elder Manuma and Allen as a threesome for the next 2 weeks until the real transfer happens. So we will cover both areas with a car, but we are ready for the challenge!

 

This week in a quick recap

Tuesday- we went and volunteered at this place called Broken Wings. It is for disabled and special needs kids that their parents drop off for a day. We beaded and sang weird Afrikaans songs and had a pretty awesome time. After that we went and saw an investigator who is actually a pastor in his own church. So we continue teach him about the restoration of the truth and the only thing he has a problem with is "The baptism in the name of Jesus" in his high African accent.

 

Wednesday- We went to go teach one of our investigators at his home, which he lives with about 50 other people in one really huge run down house. So we walked up and he wasn't there so we just started teaching the people that were there. Needless to say we have some new investigators that we see again this week! They are all from Zimbabwe and most of them have potential.

Thursday- appointments dropped :(

 

Friday- We got to go the Temple!!! The temple is such an amazing experience and especially  when you are on your mission. I feel so grateful that I have the opportunity to go while I am here. You'll see some pictures but it is always a great time. Then all our appointments dropped again :(

 

Saturday- Saturday was the busiest days I have had while I have been here in South Africa. All of the people that dropped us the past two days rescheduled so every hour we had somewhere to be and someone to see. It is so amazing to be the instrument in His hands. Brandon, one of our investigators, has completely stopped smoking after 10 years of constant use. He has no desire to smoke anymore and will be baptized as soon as he moves into our area. The change in peoples’ hearts that you see while you are teaching them are so amazing.

 

Sunday- Elder Martins farewell speech and we were running around saying good bye to all the members and getting fed everywhere we went. The members here are picking up there missionary efforts.  Alberton continues to grow and prosper!

 

Sawabona

Elder Bhead

Mosiah 3:19

 

 

11/3/14 Romans 5:3

Another week for the books,                         Nov 3^rd, 2014

Tuesday- we met with an investigator who asked all the right questions such as "I've been looking for truth my whole life and I have never found the right church for me" I was getting so pumped sitting on the couch. so we talked about the restoration and about the BOM and left her a chapter to read in the BOM. So we left thinking wow, that lady was prepared. 8 hours later she called to say the BOM is against her beliefs as a Christian. So they come and go I guess. Then we taught our investigator from Malawi, he is such a cool guy except he can't speak English very well so some of our lessons are painfully slow. He's coming along though and I'm excited to see his progress the next couple weeks

Wednesday-we contacted downtown and tracted for a while and nothing really came from it except we stood on the side of the road and cleaned out our trunk and a lady stops her car in the middle of the road and tells us she’s a member from Cape Town and wants to come back to church. We are now going to stand on the side of the road more often :)

Thursday-We went to teach one of our favorite members Joshua, who got baptized 6 months ago. He is the funniest little guy and has these two huge turtles that he loves so much. We taught him the stripling warriors’ story and how he needs to love his mom. Other than that we met with the lady who stopped in the middle of the road and see her again today so that's a miracle!

Friday- I usually would have thought that Halloween would have been interesting in Africa but that was false. They hardly even celebrate it, so I took it upon myself to try and scare Elder Martin as many times as I could but it backfired. He decided to hide behind this wall and I walked past and I almost threw him through the wall. So Halloween in Africa isn't a big deal which is fine. They are already setting up Christmas stuff in the stores so that must be there holiday. We also handed one of our investigators who is about to be baptized over to some other elders because she lives out of our boundaries. :( That is so hard!)

Saturday- Romans 5:3

Sunday-Church is great, I love the members here!! However see the scripture above.

The weeks here in Alberton are flying by. Elder Martin leaves in 8 days so I will be getting a new companion here pretty soon. With Elder Martin leaving that also means I am done training! Time goes soooo fast!

I hope you all have a great week!

Elder Bhead