1/26/15 Summertime Sizzle

Whats up Fam,    1/26/15

 

 

Well, the title describes it. This week has been HOT. Who knew I would be sweating bullets in January. But, other than being hot, Elder Weg and I had another hoppin' week here in Alberton. Things continue to grow and people continue to progress. We will be having 3 baptisms on the 15th of Feb. The week before I get transferred Great way to leave the area. So here's the week.

 Tuesday- We picked up a part-member family that we will start seeing every Tuesday night. They have a son who is 8 and wants the missionaries to teach him everything. Turns out this kid is the next Tony Hawk. He won the 8 year old Dirt bike championship in South Africa. Sweet little kid. We also saw Eleanor, who continues to progress and is one of the 3 that will be baptized on the 15th. Lots of stuff is going on in her life but she continues to press forward.

Wednesday-Picked up another Part-Member family that has a 9 year old son who wants to be baptized. So miracles and referrals continue to happen. Elder Weg and I did a lot of finding and have some pretty cool people to see this week. People here are so easy to talk about the gospel, you have to seperate the wheat from the tares though.

Thursday-weekly planning another part-member family hahahahah the key to success. This is a couple from Malawi and he is a member but she isn't. They are awesome and Elder Weg and I continue to become fluent in Chichewa or however you spell it.  (Malawi's offical language). "Mole ohle"

Friday- Zone meeting and I went to Germiston and got my first missionary experience on bikes. I wish our area was on bikes. I was lucky not to get hit by the crazy taxi drivers here who think driving on the wrong side of the rode with their hazards on is justified.

 

Saturday- One of the miracle stories so far is a less active lady that we have been working with  has been to church the last 6 weeks. She is awesome! Her son is almost 8 and loves Elder Weg and I so that's cool!

Sunday- Our investigator class room was packed. Literally, we will be having to expand our chapel pretty soon because it doesn't fit everyone. Anyways I love the miracles happening here in Alberton.

Love,

Elder bhead

1/19/15 Reap What You Sow!

Hey Fam,                      1/19/15

The mission life continues to be glorious and the work in Alberton is accelerating! Our investigators on date are coming to the end of the lessons and commandments so these next couple of weeks we will be able to reap a little bit of the blessing of teaching them. Elder Weg and I have worked hard this past week and we continue to see the blessings that come from hard work and obedience. 

 

Monday-Elder Weg and I went to the same bike trail that Elder Martin and I went on. It is kind of like a companion  tradition. I guess Weg mountain biked back home so he left me in the dust. We biked next to Zebra and other Buck. Nothing like Africa :)

 

Tuesday-We took the Car into get serviced and so we sat in downtown outside and did our studies. Elder Weg was a little bit hesitant, but people came up and asked us what we were doing. Great way to introduce the gospel! We also saw our investigator who had her baby on Friday. So we talked about the Plan and read out of the Book of Mormon and she is ready to come back to church. Then we finished at Washington’s house, he didn't come to church this week but he should be baptized on the eighth.

Wed-Another busy busy day. We are helping this less-active old lady do here family history, but it is like trying to teach Mom how to use a Iphone. Lots of patience is needed but we found her grandpa and grandma's marriage record so that is awesome! We finished up at Eleanor’s home, she continues to try and quit smoking and is doing really well with that. Keep praying for her!

 

Thursday-Weekly Planning, busy as bee. Peter, the member from Malawi, and his wife are doing very well! She is progressing and loves coming to church. So we taught her about how the gospel blesses families and the spirit was so strong .AWESOME.

 

Friday-Exchanges with one of the AP's. Got to learn a couple of new things about missionary work from the best. So Elder Weg and I will be implementing some new ideas into the area to help it progress!

Sat-teaching and finding :) 

 

Sunday- Church! We had 5 investigators there and they all said they enjoyed it. So things continue to get better and it is amazing to see the Atown Turnaround. I know I only have a couple weeks left in this area, but I hope it continues to grow. 

I'll finish off with a funny story that happened this morning. Elder Weg and I got up and had to take the car in to get appraised for repairs. Traffic was backed up foreverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. We saw that the robot (stoplight) was out and when we finally got to the stop street, there was a homeless guy directing the traffic. Everyone listened to this guy hahahaha. He was living the dream. Anyways I hope you all have a great week. Until next time.

Elder Bhead

Moroni 7:47

 

1/12/15 Great things happening.

Hey Fam,                                   Jan 12, 2015

This week was definitely one of the most exciting/crazy weeks of my mission thus far. Every day we had a meeting of some kind, but we were still able to get a lot of work done in the area as well. So I'll get to the week:)

Another beautiful sunset!

Monday- after emailing, we went to a snake park that is owned by a bishop in a neighboring ward. It was so sweet, Dub would have been so jealous. I got to hold a Boomslang, Snotted Cobra and a bunch of other things :)

Tuesday- It was transfers, so I had to say goodbye to Elder Allen who I have grown close to this last 4 and a half. He is going to Sunnyside, which is home to a lot of universities so the work continues. My new district leader is Elder Wood from the UK. Maybe I'll pick up an accent? We came back to the area and got back to work.Our boy Washington continues to progress and will be baptized January 25th. So that is pretty sweet! First baptism in Alberton in almost a year.

Wednesday- The only day in the week that we didn't have any meetings or anything scheduled, so we took advantage and continued the work. The coolest thing is there is this less-active family that we have
been working with that has came to church the last 3 weeks after not attending for 7 years. They just needed some love via Elders Weg and Bhead. We also were able to teach one of our investigators who received his answer to the Book of Mormon. So you will be able to hear more about that pretty soon.

Thursday- We got to go to new missionary orientation. It was kind of  weird to think that exactly 3 months ago. I was sitting in that exact same spot, learning those exact same things and ready to take on the
world. Oh how I have learned haahahahha.

Friday-exchanges with the zone leaders :) I love exchanges!

Saturday- One of the greatest days on my mission thus far. Jonothan Smith, our ward missionary, who was baptized a year ago and has his mission call to Durban went through the temple. I was humbled to be
his escort. What an amazing experience, I have had a lot of time to reflect on what I have learned these last months and I wouldn't trade it for anything. The temple was an awesome place to go, especially to
be an escort. It was definitely one of those things that I will remember forever.

Sunday- We continue to be blessed with our investigators attending church. The sundays continue to get better and better. I'll cut the email short because time is running short,  but I promise to write more next week.
Love Elder Bhead

 

1/5/15 A New Year

Jan 5th, 2015

 

Another great week has passed here in Africa and I find myself back on the same rubbish computer for another email. It was tough hearing about Grandma Broadhead, but I knew that when we skyped that she was going to pass on soon. You never really develop a love for the Plan of Salvation until you experience it. I can only imagine the reunion with Grandpa, I wish I could have seen it. This week definitely has taught me a ton, from losing a loved one to seeing the mighty change in heart, it has been a rollercoaster. So I'll get to the week.

Tuesday-Elder Weg and I have been trying to see a lot of the less-active people in our ward and it has turned out great. They are just those who have become lost in the midst of temptations as Lehi explained. Other than that we met with Washington and he is on date for the 25th, so the next couple weeks here will be exciting ones!

Wednesday-On New Year’s Eve, we worked until 6. Everyone was sooooo drunk, it was funny but at the same time it is really tough to teach someone about the first vision when they are incoherent. So at 6 we went and picked up Germiston elders and came back and played Uno till 10 30 and ate tres leches. Best New Years Eve ever. We awoke to people screaming, I thought I was in Black Hawk Down (No worries. . . I only saw the edited version J). Then we went back to bed.

Thursday- One of the coolest days on my mission so far. So we woke up and there is a nature reserve right next to our flat, so we decided to go exploring and ended up in the bush running with zebras and wildebeest. I'll send the pics next week. No greater way to begin the New Year than by running with zebra right? We then played rugby and soccer and went to eat all you can eat pizza after so a great day together. I’ll fast forward to Sunday

 

Sunday-easily the most fulfilling day on my mission so far. So we woke up and went to church. 4 of our investigators showed up. Washington walked 45 minutes to church; talk about commitment. Then 3 less-active families came as well. It is nice to see that you are making a difference in #hasteningthework .

Hope you all have a great week!

Elder Bhead
Ether 12:4

12/29/14 A Great Way to Spend Christmas

Dec 29, 2014

Ho Ho Ho hows everybody? This week has been one for the memories that is for sure. Christmastime in Africa is verrrrrrrrrrrrrry different than it is back home. Most people just make it seem like it is another day. So Elder Weg and I took it upon ourselves to spread some Christmas cheer down in the land of Alberton.

Tuesday- Elder Allen from Germiston came to A-town for the day. It was one of the busiest days in Alberton we have had. Appointments every hour and did a lot of teaching so it was a great way to start off the week!

 Wednesday- So on this special Christmas eve we woke up and went to work. We had a couple of appointments and went and grabbed a couple of bags full of children’s toys and took them to the township to give to the kids there. It was definitely something special, being able to spread the Christmas cheer and give them a present that they wouldn't have ever gotten. We took the rest of the toys to Florence, who runs a creshe (preschool) there. She was so excited that her kids would actually have toys to play with. Then we went and celebrated the Christmas with O'Friels. It was just like being at home. We sang carols and just had a good time. We left some mangos and old milk out for Santa to come by and drop off some presents.

Thursday- Christmas!!!!!!!!! We woke up and nothing had happened to the mangos...strange. We went up and picked up Elder Allen and Manuma and went to the Christmas party at the mission office. It was great.
We got to see all of the old friends that had been transferred and the Dunns put on the greatest Christmas celebration ever. We finished it with watching Meet the Mormons (first people in Africa to watch it:)
and then played soccer and basketball. We came back the the flat and Elder Weg made some Tres Leches and then we went to our Ward missionary who was opening his mission call. He is going to Durban!!!!
Elder Weg and I were so excited hahaah. Then we skyped. Man, it was good to see the fam. You all look good, minus Dub, he looked like death. Great way to end the day!

Friday- Back 2 Work. We had district meeting continued to work. We saw Washington, who continues to progress, he will be baptized in the upcoming month. He shared a powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon.
He has a job that makes him work every other Sunday so that will be tough.

Saturday- Miracle Alert, we met with Plethani, who had seen missionaries in Durban while he was going to college there. He shared with us why he loves the LDS church so much and talked to us about
being baptized. The Lord really does put you in the right place at the right time. We finished with Eleanor, who continues to progress toward baptism! The work is going great!

Sunday- Church started at 9 and 15 people were there. I was asked to give a talk and people started to roll in. We topped out at about 50 people there. Wayyyyy different than missionary farewells in Utah.
Where the front 2 rows = 50 people. So it was a great week!

It definitely was a Christmas that I will remember forever, not receiving anything but truly giving everything I have to try and help out the people here in Alberton. There definitely was a different feeling than those back home. But, I'm glad to get back to work until New Years.   

 Happy New Years and have safe holidays!
Elder Broadhead

12/22/14 Christmas Miracles- Singing. . . Yes!

 

The Elders Singing

Umjanii,

 I can't believe Christmas is already here. It doesn't even feel like it because its 30 degrees and sunshine everyday. However, the christmas spirit is still here and gets stronger each and every day. So I'll go through the week!

Tuesday-  Things canceled in the morning so we contacted for 2 hours and t hen we went to see Shimmy. He is exactly as his name sounds. We get there and he pulls out 2 pages of a Bible study he did cross referancing the BOM and Bible. His is silky smooth in gospel terms as well. You aren't supposed to have favorites as a missionary but this guy is up there.

Wednesday-We started off the day going to Bedfordview and singing at a disabled peoples home. Let's just say we have done a lot of singing. Elder Wegrowski compared me to a flex hybrid of David Archuletta and R. Kelly.So I'll take that as a compliment.After singing,  we went to another elderly home in our area and saw a lady named Ethel. She has 2 broken hips, a broken cocyx, and a puntured liver but is still hanging in there. She is a legend! We also got to see Moses, who had seen missionaries in Durban and then moved to Joburg and lost contact. So he is very promising!!!

Thursday- We woke up and went for a nice run. The weather here is amazing, it is like STG in the spring everyday here so talk about sweet. We had a really packed day with appointments but I'll just tell you about one of them. I told you about Mahlatse, we went and saw her and taught her about the Gospel. So she just started breaking down, and we just taught about repentance and baptism and it was one of those times on your mission when you first-hand realize that you are changing peoples lives. Humbling experience.

Friday-Interviews and Zone conf. Check the mish blog for sweet pics. Then we got back and taught washington. He struggles with emglish so the lessons are painfully slow but we had a great lesson on the P.O.S and as we are about to close this guy comes out and starts talking with us and it turns out he used to be a ward mission leader in durban. things happened and he left the church and he wants to come back. talk about miracles!

Saturday-The party continued and we had a Brie put on by the Stake Mission Leader. So we showed up played some soccer and then ate a ton of food. 2 Zones make up our stake so it was a great time to get together and show off my soccer skillz.

Sunday- The week of singing continued and breaking news. Elder Weg and I did a musical number for sacrament meeting hahahahah. The windows were cracking when I went for the high C note but I pulled it of. Who knew I would be singing hymns in front of everybody here in Africa in Dec? not me:) We also had 5 investigators at church so that made the day even sweeter. Shimmy was there as well hahaha

I can't believe it is already christmas time and I look forward to skyping you all on Thursday.See you then!

Elder Bhead

Mosiah 2:41