12.28.16 Keep Pressing On

Hey family,                                                                 12.28.16

It was so great to see you all! I will apologize for the last couple of weeks like I said it has been incredibly busy which is a good thing! Christmas truly is a busy, busy time but I'll give you an update of some things that we have experienced in during this December season. Elder Kuyangepi and I have been working hard to try this Christmas season and on Sunday night we had an absolutely great experience. It is one of those days when things just didn’t seem to work out. Our appointments had fallen through and we just said a prayer in the car and decided to knock some doors. Then we got yelled at by an old african lady and shunned at the next few houses but we knew our prayer was heard and just had to wait for it to be answered.  I saw some little kids kicking a soccer ball in the street with this younger guy coaching them.  I started to kick the ball around them and Elder Kuyangepi decided to talk to the younger man coaching. Turns out that he was very interested in what we had to share and he let us in and we shared a message with him. He is about 30 years old and works high up in management at a local mining company, so he is pretty well off. He introduced us to his wife and we just started talking and he opened up and told us although he has succeeded in the business side and is happily married he just feels like there more. I looked at Elder Kuyangepi and it looked like he had seen a ghost, his eyes were huge! So my message today is keep pressing on even when you feel discouraged, don’t question, just keep going and blessing will come! And when you are blessed with gifts from the Lord , open your eyes really really wide (like elder Kuyandepi) to see all that he has given you. 

That’s the experience this week!

I love you all and enjoy your week together!

Love, Elder Bhead

12.21.15 No Letters but More Pictures.

It took so long to download all the pictures Landen didn't have time to email except sykpe information I think the fact that we get to talk to him in 4 days may have also had a little to do with it,
so all is well!

12/14/15 Drum roll. . . . . .

Hey Family,          12/14/15

It’s been a big week so can I have a drum roll please......................  after much consideration I have decided to take my talents to Costa Rica  . . . . . . 

Alright it might not be Costa Rica, and it may not have been my idea but thanks to the inspiration of President Dunn

I have been transferred to one of the 

most beautiful places on the earth.

 I am out in a area called Nelspruit in the Mpumulanga Province and the size of the areas continue to grow bigger and bigger. So our area boundary runs from the top of Botswana, covering all of the Kruger National Park (so if you know some elephants that need a visit from the missionaries go ahead and fill out the card;) Down to the border of Swaziland and all the way out to Mozambique. So that being said we have some pretty unique circumstances when it comes to missionary work. With 20+ recent converts in the past 6 months this place is ON FIIIYAHHH. So I'll share the story a group of our amazing saints in the Nelspruit Branch.

 #1 The Mshadza Crew

This began with a family of three. A faith-filled mother, her Aaronic priesthood aged son and younger delightful daughter. They stay in a village about 45 minutes from the chapel. When I first received my call to Africa, this is the placed that I imagined. Mango and avocado trees dot the mountain with homes situated in the weirdest places. This family found the missionaries in Johannesburg and proceeded to live the gospel and stay faithful when they moved to Mshadza. Since they have been here, they talk to everyone they stay with and share with them the message that has blessed them. And most of them are young, single adults with a burning desire to live a better life. So it started with one, then another, and then another and yesterday we confirmed the 6th recent convert in the past 4 months from Mshadza! Despite the long drive and lack of transport they and their friends continue to find a way to come and worship! I am continually taken back by the humility, dedication and genuine desire to be obedient that I learn from those I have been called to serve. I often feel  I learn so much more from them than I could ever possibly teach them.

I am alive and well and feeling very blessed to be serving the amazing people of South  Africa!

Love you all,

Elder Broadhead

12/7/15 I'll go where you want me to go. . . . .

Hi Fam            Dec 7, 2015

I know I promised a longer email this week  but the big surprise for the week is. . . . . . . .after a short stay in Vereeniging I will be leaving ;( Pretty quick 6 weeks in this area, but the Lord has need of me in another place. So I will be leaving tomorrow which means there is a lot to do today. I got a call from President on Friday and I'll find out exactly where I will be going on Tuesday. But, amidst the turbulence of that call we were able to be instructed from President Hamilton of the Seventy. He mentioned some pretty poignant ideas that I wrote down and wish I had time to share. I also wish he could stay and  just teach us for a week and I feel like it would help me out as well as all of our missionaries. He spoke plainly of the doctrine of the temple and eternal companions and it just made me think how important it is to bring families into the gospel. That is one of the best things about missionary work! I’m so sorry for another short email. My time is completely up. I promise to do my best next week for a fully detailed email!

Love you all,

elder bhead

11/30/15 Possibly the BEST Thanksgiving ever!

Hey Fam,

A year later and it was great to celebrate another Thanksgiving in South Africa. The highlight again this year was definitely when went we on a wild goose/turkey chase in Pick N' Pay to try a find a turkey or as they phrase it  "a large big chicken" hahaha good memories. We got up early and started preparing the turkey and all the foods, again it was funny to see who actually knew what a turkey was. . . What a different  week this has been,  we had each missionary in our district prepare a food from their home country, so it was sweet as we celebrated Thanksgiving as missionaries with food and  experiences from Malawi, Australia, Denmark, US and South Africa!

Enjoying our Thanksgiving feast

This one may go down as one of my all time favorite                        Thanksgivings.  

Before

After

Even better than that, has been our time proselyting, Elder Nwokedi and I have made it a goal to try and talk to everyone that we can, and we are being blessed abundantly. Yesterday, while we were walking to our appointment and we happened to speak to a lady and her husband (his car was broken down so he was pretty angry)  as we talk we found out  that she is actually a member of the Church that hasn't been for about 4 years :) The Lords timing is unexpected, but I love it when I get the opportunity to be an instrument the Lord uses to help others along their way.

I'll send a more lengthy email next week my time is short today , but just know that I am grateful to be a missionary and represent the Savior for what is becoming a very short 2 years. 

He Is The Way!

Love you all,

Elder Broadhead

11/23/15 SAJM SUMMIT

Good Morning Fam, 


Another week has passed here in Jozi and I am grateful to email you all this week. I think it would be a fitting topic to email about with Thanksgiving coming up, but I had an awesome experience this week!

So after the "SAJM SUMMIT" President Dunn challenged us all to try and set some goals and find out what we can do to reach our own personal summits. So I was just pondering this past week about what I can do to become a better person and it was interesting because as I was praying in the morning a thought came to my mind, "Say thanks". So that has been my goal this past week (and hopefully forever) to always have an attitude of gratitude. 

Even better on Friday, the topic for discussion was being grateful. 

So I wanted to make my Top five list of things I am grateful for!

#1 The Gospel

#2 My family..........shout out to dub :)

#3 My friends

#4 President and Sister Dunn for constant guidance

#5 Opportunity to serve a mission and the people of South Africa.

Love you all. Have a GREAT week

elder bhead

11/16/15 #beinspired #climbanything

Hey Fam,                                                  11/16/15

Another power-packed week here in V-town! Things continue to come together, just like those 1000 piece puzzle at Grandma's, one piece here and another there but the area and ward continues to grow. We received official news that the split in the Stake will be happening this Sunday, so we will cover 2 branches for a couple of weeks and hopefully another set of missionaries will move in and take over the new area! Other than that news, we had a lot of great things happen.

On Wednesday, we attended the first ever SAJM (South Africa Johannesburg Mission) Summit. The entire mission came together to try and make a final push to achieve the goals that we set. We had a woman who had climbed Mt. Everest come and speak to us. Let’s just say I was so pumped after hearing her speak that we came back and set some goals as a companionship and for the zone as well. (I also put hiking Angels Landing back on my bucket list lol) She wasn't a member, but she quoted Russell M Nelson in saying that we have to begin with the end in mind. So true, why start something without visualizing yourself at the top or succeeding in whatever you try! #beinspired #climbanything

Update on our investigators.... the Lotz bunked church this week :( but are still on date to be baptized in 4 weeks. Another lady that I don't think I have told you about her name is Helen. She is from Rhodesia (aka Zimbabwe), and is completely deaf, and has communication problems. So teaching her is a little difficult, we have to write out the lessons and mouth out the lessons so she reads our lips when we teach her. My jaws feel like they have been through 8 rounds with Muhammed Ali after the lessons, but it is amazing that even regardless of those disabilities and communication barriers, she still feels the spirit testify to her of the truthfulness of the gospel. Wow it’s so powerful.. 

Thats a wrap of my week !

Have a great week!

Love,

Elder bhead

11/9/15 Lots going on!

Whats up Fam,                               11/9/15

I’m short on time but here’s a quick recap of the week!

Tuesday- We checked in on a less-active and she wasn't there so we just wanted to knock a couple of houses and the first one we knock is a guy who had a BOM and lost it and wanted to know more about it. So we basically went over the Restoration and what we do as a missionary, and he wanted to pay us for the sacrifice we are making of 2 years. hahahahahahah We just told him to keep the money and take his mom out for lunch one day, so we will see how that went this week. 

Wednesday- LOTS and lots of teaching. On the real, we taught the Lots, the ones that I told you about this week. They are really progressing and are on date for the 22nd of Dec. They are golden! Reading and praying and attending church, so keep them in your prayers. 

Thursday- We met with President Dunn for a Mission council and he told us that they stake we are serving will be splitting into a stake and a district. Big news considering this is the second stake to split this year in our mission! The work is going forth here in Africa

Friday-We got up early and took off to drive and do some baptism interviews and turn in some paperwork to the missionaries in Potchefstroom. Then we drove back and stopped at this trailer on the side of the road and bought some Vetkoek. I'll take a picture of it next time it we get one, but it is pretty great. Then we taught one of our progressing investigators named Mamoketsi. She isn't married yet, but we are working really hard on trying to get them married so she can be baptized. Anyways at the end of the lesson, her boyfriend surprised us and said that he should be done paying lebola by the end of the year so she could be baptized! 

Thats the good word for the week! 

Hope everything is going good!

Love,

Elder bhead

11/2/15 Vereeniging here I come. . . . .

Hey Fam,                                                                                          11/2/15

After a whirlwind couple of days, things are finally settling down here in the area of Vereeniging (pronounced Fair-in-knee-hang). It is an interesting area with its own set of unique circumstances, we cover two universities and have members spread across a radius of about 70 kilometers. It is a diverse ward with people who have very diverse interests and lives. I will make sure to send some pics next week of an area but it is kind of like a wetland area because there are rivers in the area. Anyways, I talk you through my week. I'll go through give you a shot of Elder Bhead week in South Africa!

Monday-said goodbye to a couple of families got fed so much that I threw up on the way to our last appointment. Elder Clegg took a video of my sufferings, but the people here are too generous and I don't know how to say "no thank you."  Not a bad problem to have, just a little inconvenient.

Tuesday- TRANSFER DAY! It was a day of mixed emotions for sure, I had to say goodbye to a couple of great friends and companions that headed home. Shout out to Elder Henderson (who already has a beard) and many others inspiring missionaries who will be missed. But life goes on. . . .  so after saying goodbye we headed to Vereeniging I figured this is where I will be spending the next couple of months so let’s go to work!  We got back and met a couple of people for the first time. It was a great start.

Wednesday- I took a missionary back again to the office for a dentist appointment and some doctor issues. Nothing to great other that my voice was completely gone. You know how I like to yell :)

Thursday- We had some interviews about an hour away from us for some other missionaries, so we did weekly planning and took off. We went on splits and it was pretty amazing. We had a miracle happen, there is a investigator who was taught here that was on date to be baptized and then he moved up to Klerksdorp. They haven't been able to contact him for the past couple of weeks anyways, while we were up there guess who called!!!!!! THAPELO!!!!! So he will be baptized up there in the upcoming weeks. Miracles all around.

Fast forward to sunday :) First week in Vereeninging. It reminded me of being back in Alberton, just the same kind of diversity. We had an amazing lesson with a family called the Lotz. As we discussed it turns out that his boss is an active member of the church and he could tell by the way his boss held himself that this church had to be true. I again was reminded that you never know who is watching and our example can be the most powerful missionary tool. 

Lots and lotz of amazing things are happening here and I’m grateful to be n a new area working up a storm. Enjoy your week and remember you never know who’s watching!

Love you all!

Elder Bhead

10.26.15 New Adventures

Well Family,

As a missionary when the day comes you get a message from President that you are getting transferred, it usually comes with feelings such as sadness, anticipation, and maybe a little happiness if you don't get a long with your companion. This Friday, the message came through and I was pretty stunned. Elder Clegg and I have just been together for one transfer and  there are some exciting baptisms and families that we have found and begun teaching. There are so many great things happening here so it was definitely bittersweet to say goodbye to the families this week.  I have only known them for a little amount of time but they are amazing people that I will miss. But whatever lies ahead will be what God wants and is his plan for me! I’ll find out Tuesday where my new adventure will take me.

I'll share 3 sweet and interesting experiences that happened this week.

#1  We started teaching a family . . . . Interestingly,   the Dad found the Book of Mormon in an alley and he started reading it, later we met him while we were doing service at the Methodist soup kitchen. Coincidence? I don’t think so. We had a great first lesson with them. They are pretty glued to their church, but as we testified of the Book of Mormon, as we did there was special spirit filled the air, bearing testimony is so powerful. They are going to continue to read and pray about it!!

#2 Our most progressing investigator William, toughed out 6 hours of conference this weekend (Yes we got to watch conference! It was so awesome!!), I only caught him sleeping through 1 talk lol. He will be baptized in about 2 weeks and things are just going so well for him. He sees a lot of positive changes in his life and wants to bring his family (who lives 4 hours away) to church as well. I'm jealous of Elder Clegg, his baptism will be a hard one to miss!!!

Taxi Ride. . . No need to explain.

#3

This week I also had the chance to go on exchanges with the missionaries in Etwa-twa. They are trying out taking taxi's to get around, which I would compare to the bus on Harry Potter that goes a billion miles an hour and screeches to a stop. Anyway it was awesome and an adventure to experience Africa in a tight Toyota Quantum that smelled like Pap (An African food that definitely should not be used as an air freshener).. 

Another area down and another adventure to go! 

Love you all,

Elder Broadhead

10/5/15 The blessing of a long sunday walk!

October 5, 2015

                                                                             Dear Family,

You can see why we are always happy to see Sis Dunn

Another week in the spring time paradise of Springs, things are really heating up here and it has been another amazing and humbling week. This week, we had a lot of traveling to the mission office and back, but we were able to take some time out and see some of our devout members and investigators in the remote parts of our area. I'll share the stories of 3 of these people.

Nelson is in the sun glasses.

#1  Nelson  This guy is about 100 pounds, about 5 foot flat and 100% Malawian. He lives about 25 kms from the church and works at a farm earning a very little amount of money each day. He was baptized in Malawi about 2 years ago and moved to this sided to support his family. He is an awesome guy, so we went out and drove through the middle of nowhere and finally managed to find him. He invited all of his friends to join and we taught them the first lesson and handed out a ton of Books of Mormon. Who knows maybe this little place will one day be a stake !? Jk

#2 Notokozo (don't know her last name yet). Even Crazier, Notokozo lives about 45 kms from the chapel out in a place called Devon. There aren’t any units out there so the closest ward is Springs so she hops in a taxi and it takes about 45 minutes to get the chapel. She is the girlfriend of a member who stays in Soweto and has been taught by at least 8 sets of missionaries and every time she is about to be baptized she moves. So the challenge now for  Elder Clegg and I to see it through. She is super prepared, just needs to stay in the same place long enough to be baptized and make good friends.

#3 Geraldine . Possibly the coolest story so far of my mission. She is a pioneer of the church here in Springs. She is an incredible lady who is in her mid-fifties and joined the church agessssssssss ago. She lives on a plot (farm)that is far from the chapel. She doesn't drive so she gets up at 6 every Sunday and begins walking on the main road back to town with her thumb to the sky looking to hitch hike it to church. We are starting to teach her brother who hitchhikes with her now,  at least she has company which I feel better about! but I am humbled by her faith in  our Savior and dedication to do all that she can to help the church.

When I came to Africa, I was thinking that I would be see such acts of faith in walking long distances to hear the gospel. I feel so blessed to witness them, and there is no way that I am going to complain about having to drive 5 minutes to church or 10 minutes to the temple #countyourblessings. #longsundaywalks

Love you all!

Elder bhead

9/29/15 #Kony2015

Sept 29,2015

Hey fam,

This week has been an interesting one, with the Rugby World Cup and mixed in with a South African holiday of "Heritage Day" it has been a pretty hectic week with appointments dropping, people leaving, and straight up crazy stories. Hence the title of the email this week because of a lot of FINDING. Elder Clegg and I have made it a goal to at least place 6 copies of the BOM every day, and it has been going really well. We are blessed to be in a place that hasn't yet BOM'd :), so we are doing are best to accomplish that.

We had the opportunity to do some service, we painted this less-active guys house, I got paint all over his patio on accident :0.   I never claimed to be a good painter . . . . but he was still happy that we were there to help him paint his house. After that we had a powerful lesson with our investigators Naledi and Deon. Naledi's dad is the Elders Quorum Pres in Germiston, but she lives with her mom and goes to her mom’s church. We watched the Restoration DVD and it was awesome to sit back and let the spirit work with her. She said really needs to pray about it. So that is awesome!

We stopped at one of our last appointments on Sunday after a long week of lots of finding. Both Elder Clegg and I were pretty tired and we get this awesome SMS on our phone saying. Elders, this is Notokozo. I was wondering if you could help prepare me for baptism in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  We both looked at each other like we had seen Canyon View win a football game hahaha just kidding but we both were surprised. Crazy thing is she lives 50 kilometers from the chapel, but she said she will be coming to church!

“Joy” of the week

 Early Saturday morning we were driving on the road and we saw a broken down car. So we pulled over and pushed it to the top of the hill. As we pushed it down we hopped on the back for a little joy ride. . . THEN we asked the girl inside if she knew the where the ebrake was. She kept saying ebrake???  ebrake???  with her Zulu accent. Panic briefly struck Elder Clegg and myself but luckily  Elder Clegg hopped off and got in the passenger side  and stopped the car before we took it off some sweet jumps. We will be seeing them next Saturday (hopefully not on the side of the road)

All is well here in Springs!!!

Love Elder Broadhead

9/21/15 Hello Elder Clegg

Hey Family,                           9/21/15

This week has been another exciting week, from changing companions to some absolute miracles. And it all begins with love. This week started off with some unexpected obstacles, on our way back from the mission office, our car's engine just gave up so we had to push it back about a kilometer back to the flat for the dealership to pick up. Then on Tuesday, I said goodbye to Elder Henderson who is entering into his final transfer and welcomed Elder Clegg as my new comp her in Springs. To give you an idea of Elder Clegg, picture your typical Cali surfer bro and shave his head a little and give him a nametag and there you go. He is one of the hardest working missionaries that I have worked with so Springs better to be ready. As for my week, I will share two sweet experiences that we had this week.

#1 On Saturday, we received permission to go to the temple with our ward. Our recent converts were going for the first time to do baptisms and we also took a few nonmembers to walk around the temple and go to the family history center. While we were there, Elder Clegg met one of the young men who he baptized while he was serving in Tzaneen. It is about 5 hours away from the Temple so it was a miracle that they ended up at the temple together at the same time! Nothing is better for missionaries than to see people they have taught still progressing in the gospel. It was just a wonderful place, we had a less-active member that we showed around and shared a lesson on eternal families. After our lesson he told us that we really need to share the message with his son so his son can be baptized. The temple is amazing!

#2  We had our most successful Sunday ever here in Springs. I don't know why, well I think I might. . . but everyone just seemed to show up. So many prayers are being answered. Interestingly, there was a random lady who walked in, stayed for the full three hour block, then decided to stay for the other wards three hour block, and then wanted to go to a stake fireside for another 2 hours in the evening........... How often does that happen usually they can’t make it three hours :) We just feel so blessed here.

As we learn to love the work we do, life seems to get a lot better. I love being a missionary here in sweet Mzansi.

John 14:15- As jullie My liefhet, bewaar my gebooie.(I’m working on my  Afrikaans)

Love Elder Broadhead

Love Elder Broadhead 

9/14/15 Good Bye Elder Henderson

Sept 14, 2015

Good morning everybody! Another Pday has come and gone and the work here in Springs continues to press forward. We received news on Friday night that Elder Henderson will be leaving Springs. It was a total surprise to both of us because he has 6 weeks left and we expected that he would finish here in springs. BUT, its the Lord needs him other places and it was a quick 6 weeks with him, but it is awesome that you learn something new from every comp that you have. So I will find out on Tuesday who the new companion is.

 Also in other amazing news, Rabie Ridge will be had 6 baptism on Sunday.Thats incredible!  It is so great to see the work is moving forward.  I'll make sure to have Elder Sibanda send pictures.

 This week has been solid. On Saturday we were tracting in some of the high-rises in downtown Springs and we walked up to the door of this building and introduced ourselves. He said, "my wife is a member, I want to know about your church." I don't think there are more magic words you want to hear as a missionary. There a miracles all around us.  So we talked to them and it turns out that she is a member and moved here and lost track of the church, and he wants to learn more about the church. Prayers are being answered.

 We are teaching this family of 4 that is coming along pretty well. Even in the 6 weeks that I have been here I have been able to see their progress in keeping commitments and they came to church for the first time yesterday! They have been to many churches but none of them have seemed right and have just reached the point of staying home and reading the bible. You learn how to really love the families that you see on a regular basis and the Minsi family has become one of my favorite families for sure. So keep praying for the Mnisi Family!

In sports news, Elder Henderson and I play basketball every morning for our exercise time. I took the series this week 5-0 and today I won by default. He sprained his ankle, but after applying some frozen vegetables to his ankle he is all good for our final game tomorrow. 

"Work, Work, Work, there is no satisfactory Substitute."

Love Elder Bhead

Mosiah 4:26