12/15/14 Love being busy!

Whadddup  Fam,                                                   Dec 15^th, 2014

 it's that time of the year again. It is crazy to think how 4 months have already passed. Time flies when you are working hard and having fun. This week was one of the most hectic weeks of my mission. Everyday there was either a meeting of some kind or a party/wedding that we attended. So I got a firsthand look at the African traditional wedding. Anyways I will go through the days.

Pre-decorations

 

Tuesday-We went and had a Christmas party with our friends at Broken Wings, we also did some beating and listened to some Afrikaans Christmas Hymns (Hoo-den-dak Mufrow) I say it nearly everyday ahahahah. Then we saw our investigator named Washington, who is on date for the 4 of January. He continues to progress so I'll keep ya'll updated. 

 

Wednesday- Our mission has put together this calendar of things to do every day to progress the work. So the theme was to contact three former investigators. So we see this guy named Gugu, he is like an ancient African warrior I swear. He is like 6'5 looks like Elder Wagner hahahaah. Anyways he talked to us about why he had stopped meeting the missionaries and wants to come back to church! Awesome to see how the Lord works! 

 

Decorated!!! Merry Christmas Everyone!

Thursday- We were pleased to have our mission tour, where we heard from Pres. and Sis  Dunn and Carl B. Cook of the Seventy. It was sweet to hear from a General Authority. He said something that really stuck to me, "If you want to have progressing investigators, you have to be a progressing missionary." Not only is it true in missionary work. I think of Ray Lewis pumping his guys up saying "If you want something work for it." After Zone Conference, we had exchanges, so Elder Manumau came to A-Town.

 

Friday-District meeting and African weddings and YSA activities. So we didn't teach a lot but we were busy all day. So African weddings are the greatest things on the earth, except no one shows up until like 3 hours after the time they said. it was supposed to start at 5 and we got there and they were still setting up chairs haahah. We did some service and took off to our YSA Christmas party. Where we had a braii (BBQ) in the nice weather and did like a white elephant thing. Elder Wegrowski and I got two huge things filled with African chocolate.

 

Saturday-Ward Christmas party, another braii (BBQ) and chilling in the nice weather here in Africa. 

 

Sunday-Church and then we were busy all the day. Cool story, so we looked for this former investigator and turned out she moved. But, we talked to this sweet kid named Shimmy. Yes his name is Shimmy. He is 18 and is the golden investigator. So it was definitely a bright spot in this brilliant week. 

The Lord is definitely preparing people here in Alberton. It is just a matter of finding them. But, my testimony of obedience and diligence has grown immensely since I have been here in South Africa. Work, work, work. We have been blessed here in A-town and I am glad I have 2 more months here to work!

 

Have a great week!

Elder Broadhead

Jacob 6:12

 

12/8/14 Florence

Hey Fam,           Dec 8th, 2014

 

The computers are reaaallly slow today, if I had to  compare them to something it would probably be Dub in 6th grade  running a 40 yard dash. haha don't be angry dub, but this week has  been one of the most fulfilling weeks of my mission so far. I will  start with  the big news.

 

 You remember Florence? Elder Martin and I  had taught her for 7 weeks and then we turned her over to some other  elders. She was being baptized on sunday in Vooslorus and guess who  she choose to baptize her. Talk about a fulfilling experience, seeing  someone who you had begun to teach progress all the way and ultimately  follow the example of our Savior and be baptized. It was one of those  experiences that you just know that what you are doing is truly the  Lords work. She is amazing and bore a powerful testimony on the  truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith being a true  prophet. I still predict that she will be the relief society president  in a couple of years.

 

So I will get to the rest of our week.
Tuesday-We started off our day giving some service at a special needs  home. I feel like Napolean because I've made like a bagillion of  bracelets. We also met with a powerful family. I told you a little bit  about it last week about how he knocked on our car window. So we show  up and turns out they just haven't had the transport to get to church  and can't get a hold of anyone to come and see them. They read out of  Gospel Principles and the standard works every night. Talk about an  amazing family. It is amazing the joy that comes from seeing a family  rooted in the gospel, especially if they are a part-member family.  Miracles continue to happen, we see them tonight so I will let you  know how it goes.

 Wednesday-The miracles continue to roll in. We have truly been blessed  these last couple of weeks in Alberton. So we met this guy named John  on the street and go back to talk to him at his house. He had all the  golden investigator comments like "I've been looking for a true  church, but the ones that I have gone to just don't feel right." and  so forth. So we taught him and his daughter about the restoration and gave him a Book of Mormon. Another miracle!

 Thursday-Just the usual of teaching and seeing members. We met with  another of our investigators, Tracy, whose daughter was baptized about  8 months ago. Things are going well with her and she absolutely loves  having us over every Thursday!

 Friday-met some of my favorite investigators, Muoller and his wife  from Zimbabwe. They are the sweetest people I have ever met. We talked  about Joseph Smith with them and they had heard of him back in Zimbabwe  (the church is huge there) so we just talked and they have already  read the first 5 chapters in Nephi. MIRACLES EVERYWHERE

 Saturday- the most exciting thing that happened today was that I made some pap and chakalaka. It is amazing. All of our appointments  canceled. :( still a miracle I didn't burn down the kitchen 

 

 Sunday- Other than baptizing Florence this week, another fulfilling  thing happened. At church we were giving a lesson about service in  investigator class and one of our investigators bore her testimony  about us as missionaries. It was one of the most powerful testimonies'  I have heard in my life. Just another reassurance that this is God's  work. and the gospel truly can change people. Like I said, this week has been one of the best ones so far. I am  looking forward to continuing the work here in Alberton with my son  Elder Wegrowski. btw I cracked the funniest joke on Saturday night. We  were fasting and I heard the faucet go on so I just yelled "I'm
watching you Wegrowski, alwayyyyyys watching". we both had a good
laugh. Mission life is great

 Elder Broadhead
1st Timothy 4:12

12/1/14 Thanksgiving Feast

What up Fam,            Dec 1, 2014

This week definitely has been a whirlwind one. So last Monday, I went to the new trainers meeting and it was great!!. It is crazy to think that 3 months have already flown by and I have the opportunity to serve a greenie for the next three months. 

Tuesday- It was transfers and I found out who I was going to train. Drum roll please...................................  his name is Elder Wegrowski, from .................................... Temecula, California. Before anything else, I have already cracked the Mike Mazoski joke from Monsters Inc over 20 times this week. He is 18 years old and a month younger than myself so it will be great. He is very organized and likes to work hard so we will make these next three months ones for the record books. It has been interesting to look back three months ago and see how much I have learned. 

Wednesday-We had one of our greatest days in Alberton, so it was pretty cool way to introduce "Elder Weg" to the mission life. We were teaching almost for every hour of the day. We met this awesome family that is from Zimbabwe, and because of the poverty there they moved to South Africa. He and his family live in a small tin shack the size of a ping pong table. It was definitely a humbling experience to teach someone so humble. They were very responsive to the gospel and especially liked the Book of Mormon . Fingers crossed, and a lot of prayers are being said. 

Thursday- HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!  The people do not celebrate thanksgiving here of course. Interestingly, the people don't even know what a turkey is. We went into a meat shop to buy one and they just kept saying "Chikun?" So I tried to explain it as a giant chicken that can fly. Obviously it worked because they found one in the back.

So we went over and hung out with the Elders from Germiston and cooked up a sweet turkey, I stuffed it with some bread and sprinkled some curry on it. We also cooked up some turkey liver and heart and ate all of it :) So it was definitely one that I will remember for the rest of my life. All of our appointments canceled but we were still thankful:).

Friday-I witnessed one of the greatest miracles, no coincidence, that I have seen so far in my mission so far. We had just gotten done teaching our 5 o’clock appointment and were on our way to the next one when we get a message telling us that our next appointment couldn't make it. So I pulled over to regroup and go to our back-up plans. So I call our mission leader and then this guy knocks on the passenger window. Elder Wegrowski, being new, thinks this white guy is going to try to carjack us so he doesn't even acknowledge this guy trying to talk to us. So I ended the call and rolled down the window to find out that he is a former investigator that is married to a less-active member and he wants to come back the church. So I got out of the car and gave him a hug and we see him tomorrow. Miracles happen. 

Saturday- We contacted almost the entire day. I got home and couldn't speak my voice was gone because I talked so much. :(

Sunday- One of our investigators had sprained her ankle really bad, to the point that she couldn't walk at all. But, we get to church and see her hobbling to one of the benches to sit down. She definitely put the team on her back. It  is amazing to see people that some are so committed. 

Each week, as we continue to work hard, the blessings continue to POUR in. It truly is amazing to see the Lords hand in every thing we do. It is an honor to take this time out to dedicate it to serve and teach people about  Him. I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Chega A Ve

Elder Broadhead 
D&C 6:33