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