Elder Broadhead is coming home

 Friends and Family,
I can't believe I finally can post Landen's final email, he will returning home August 2nd. His homecoming is August 14th at 8:30 am in the Little Valley Stake Center, please come he would LOVE to see you. It has been an incredible two years filled with MANY new and unforgettable experiences for him. Thank you for your love, support and especially your prayers in Landen's behalf. We know that he has been blessed with good health, safety and the opportunity to witness many miracles as the Lord moves the work forward in South Africa. It takes a village to raise a child and we are very grateful for the village that continues to bless Landen's life. 

                                                                    With love, The Broadhead's

7.25.16 #BestForLast

July 25, 2016

Well family,

I can honestly say that there hasn't been a happier time on my mission then this past week. I think that God truly lived faithful to the ageless saying of "save the best for last." Elder Swindle and I experienced miracles every day, great improvements throughout the mission, and even some back flips and Biltong today for our Pday :)

Like I said I haven't been happier! Who would have ever thought that happiness comes through getting rejected 1000 times every day (it is a rough estimate, really rough) and finding those diamonds that are waiting in the rough. I'll share a couple of the people that we met while we were finding throughout the mission

#1 Jean-David. I was on splits with Elder Weidmann from Switzerland (he knows Elder Martin) and we stopped this guy and he shared that he attended seminary classes in Uganda when he was a minor. He lost contact with the church until last Saturday night! He is now in the Elder teaching pool.

#2 Tsholo- Also on splits with Elder Wiedmann and after we met David, I saw a guy walking toward the car park. So we walked with him and found out that his cousin is a member in the Free-state Province and he had been to church many times when he lived with them there. So he also agreed to see the missionaries and have them over.. . . man, I am going to miss finding all these diamonds. 

Besides the diamonds in the rough that I was able to meet, I also got to revisit and reconnect with a different places and different people. The first place was Rabie Ridge (my second area!) I was able to spend the day with Elder Sorge from Temecula, California who has 2 weeks under his belt, and I had about 2 weeks to go :) We had a wonderful day visiting almost every person that was once taught by  Elder SIbanda and I. Some highlights, Hlalani and Jethro Magutshwa will be going through the temple to be endowed and sealed in October of this year :) and we added a few people to their teaching process. Great to be back in Rabie :)

Another headline was on Sunday, I was able to be companions with one of my former companions :)
Elder Sibanda companion Part 2 We attended church with them at the Munsieville Ward. Munsieville is a small township outside of Krugersdorp, which is about 20 minutes from the mission office. They meet in containers, (yes storage containers) and their small branch is growing slowly but surely! We attended Sacrament meeting and found out that they were having a Missionary Fireside later that evening and we were invited to represent the mission. We presented a 15 minutes lesson on member missionary work and then went on splits with them to end the night. Serving  with Elder Sibanda was just like old times. We visited a member family who had the craziest conversion story that I know. I'll try and attach it below, and then taught another lesson to a less-active family that is working on their family to be sealed, but their kids aren't on the church records.

I guess as I conclude my second to last email as a proselyting missionary, the greatest thing I have learned on my mission is that you can do everything that you set your mind to. Whether it be an excellent teacher, or a brilliant soccer-player, or a burger flipper. We do our very best then God steps in and helps direct and refine. Each of us has unlimited potential inside us and often we set limits that we can only do so much, or go so far. Elder Clegg has rubbed off on me so I will quote Travis Rice "We'll never know our full potential, unless we push ourselves to find it."  I have been able to witness this throughout the course of my time here in South Africa and know that it’s true. Ralph Waldo Emerson echoed the same thoughts with his famous quote. 

“That which we persist in doing becomes easier to do, not that the nature of the thing has changed but that our power to do has increased.”

As we continue to grow in a knowledge of Jesus Christ and His restored gospel, our power to become who he intends us to be increases and we see a  little glimpses of the potential that each of us as sons and daughters of a living God have been given. God is real, He lives today,  and his love is  greater than we can comprehend

7.18.16 #goulash

July 18^th, 2016

Whaddup Fam!!!

With all changes and emotions and new ideas/assignments, the only word that I can think to describe my thoughts right now is goulash. So, goulash it is! 

First of all, I'll give a back-ground of my assignment for the next 3 weeks. Elder Swindlehurst and I have been assigned as "FIT" men, what it stands for is Finding Investigators Team. Basically, are assignment takes us all over the greater Johannesburg area, visiting missionaries and training them about the keys to finding, trying all kinds of new ideas, and being innovative with the time that we have left. I'll share one innovative Idea that we had this morning. Elder Clegg served as a zone leader in a neighboring area called Krugersdorp and he noticed that every morning between the hours of 6-9 that there would be loads of traffic backed up for kilometerssssssssssssss. So low and behold, the group of 3 courageous (or crazy) FIT men awoke before 6 and took off.   The weather was like the 2012 State Champion game between D-hills and Hurricane minus the snow. It was like we were breathing fire as we were standing on all corners of a robot, trying to find those precious souls that Heavenly Father would place into our path.

As I think about it. What we share has to be the true and we all have a desire to share that light and truth with anyone who will pause for even a second. What in the world would convince 3 young men (20-21) to leave their homes and families to a foreign country to stand out in the bitter cold at 6 in the morning to be rejected and mocked (that gets a little hard) and eventually experience success. I can't formulate words to describe my thoughts other than a quote by James Freeman Clarke "Strong Convictions precede great actions."

Other than that there were a TON of Highlights this week. 

1) On Tuesday we had our departing Temple trip for the missionaries who would be going home. By coincidence, I received a name of the deceased brother to a missionary who is currently serving in our mission. After I got out of the temple, I called him and he verified that it was his brother who had passed away almost 20 years ago! Do you believe in Miracles????

Florence almost two years later!

2)Do you remember when I emailed about Florence almost 2 years ago??? My first area

See the picture below (she is in the relief society presidency now)

3)Do you also remember the email in Vereeniging where I shared about meeting a golden lady named Mpho???? (she is now married to a member and are going to the temple in 1 year from July 16th 2016)

Love you all!

love elder B!

7.11.16 Interviews and Endings

July 11^th 2016

Hey fam, The only way to describe this week is when you are having one of those
bad dreams where it feels like you are being chased and the enemy
continues to get closer and closer....OTHERWISE :) check the Dunns
blog for an activity that we had on Saturday.


 With the end of my time as a full-time missionary getting closer and
closer, I have been able to reflect on some of the great experiences
that I have had and the wonderful blessings that have come from
serving as a missionary. #1 The opportunity to do interviews! I feel
like that is my favorite time as a missionary to hear about these
wonderful experiences of how they met the missionaries and how there
life changed. I was able to do 2 interviews! both were girlfriends of
members who are about to get married.

Also, I'll share a highlight from a talk that I listened to from Henry
B. Eyring.
“ I have another encouragement to those who now wonder if their faith in
Jesus Christ will be sufficient for them to endure well to the end. I
was blessed to have known others of you who are listening now when you
were younger, vibrant, gifted beyond most of those around you, yet you
chose to do what the Savior would have done. Out of your abundance you
found ways to help and care for those you might have ignored or looked
down upon from your place in life.

When hard trials come, the faith to endure them well will be there,
built as you may now notice but may have not at the time that you
acted on the pure love of Christ, serving and forgiving others as the
Savior would have done. You built a foundation of faith from loving as
the Savior loved and serving for Him. Your faith in Him led to acts of
charity that will bring you hope.

It is never too late to strengthen the foundation of faith. There is
always time. With faith in the Savior, you can repent and plead for
forgiveness. There is someone you can forgive. There is someone you
can thank. There is someone you can serve and lift. You can do it
wherever you are and however alone and deserted you may feel.”


Love the Mountains that you are given :)

Love you all
Elder Broadhead
Funny things

We received an online referral for the Book of Mormon from the church
headquarters, so we called it turns out that it was an elderly member
who thought she was downloading the Book of Mormon.....#dinosaurs

Drunk guy #1
He approached me and after everything I said to him he would say "and then"

Drunk guy #2
Approached Elder Ratsi and asked him if he could bring his eggs to church.

7.4.16 #blessed

July 4, 2016 #blessed

Hey Fam, 
I think this is the first time that I have been happy to hear that STG is HOT... It will be nice to get out of the ice-box here in Jozi.Besides the cold-spell here, things in Kagiso are absolutely wonderful. And In honor of our national holiday, I would like to share some experiences that help us realize our blessing.  Given, was baptized last week and was confirmed. He went to his cousins house the entire week, so we weren't able to see him until Saturday night. So we went by and he shared about his experience with his cousins and his attempts to share the gospel....The reason why this email is titled blessed is based on something that Given shared
with us in the short 20 minutes we had that really caused me to reflect and think. He said, " I am so blessed with the knowledge I know have."

For those that are members of the church, we are blessed by many things such as guidance from living prophets, additional scripture, temples....  (Relief society jello socials :) even potlucks lol  with each of those wonderful blessings requires our efforts to take advantage of these wonderful gifts from our Heavenly Father. I think of the Prophets latest address where he said these words:   "May we choose to build up within ourselves a great and powerful faith which will be our most effective defense against the designs of the adversary—a real faith, the kind of faith which will sustain us and will bolster our desire to choose the right. Without such faith,
we go nowhere. With it, we can accomplish our goals." #makethatchoice


How Blessed are we!
Elder Broadhead

6.27.16 #seek and hide

June 27^th, 2016

Whaddup Fam,
Another week in the books here in the goldmines of Johannesburg South Africa and as I thought about the week. I'd just like to share about an experience that highlighted the week for Elder Ratsi and I. It just happens to be about Given, who we are convinced that might be more "golden" then the chains of Puff Daddy. As we met with him on Saturday evening, just a handful of hours before he was baptized, we met to have a lesson with him. As we showed up and knocked on the back door, he opened and I don't think I have ever seen a bigger smile on some ones face. He invited us in and we began chatting, and Given shared with us his life story. (Seriously this guy is golden) He was born in Venda, South Africa. Somewhere in a village far-far
away from the hustle and bustle of the Johannesburg Area. He was raised by his grandma, who like Lehi, taught him in the ways of righteousness. When he entered into high school, one of his close friends gave him a book titled "Teachings of the Presidents: Joseph Smith" I have no idea, how or why that book ended up in the remote village of Venda, but somehow it got there. Given read it, pondered about it, but quickly got engrossed back into his studies. He later graduated, and felt like he needed to move in with his cousins here in
Kagiso. He did that and met missionaries and really that is all she wrote!

As I conclude this email, my thoughts this week have been drawn to the parable taught by the Savior commonly known as the "Pearl of Great Price" I'll throw in the verses and then add my thoughts.


45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking
goodly pearls:

 46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all
that he had, and bought it.


There are people prepared, our brothers and sisters, who are searching for this "Pearl". They are kept from the truth, only because they know not where to find it. #seekandfind

love you all!
Elder B

6.15.16 Its COLD Outside

Hey Fam,

Currently emailing and seeing my breath at the same time...I guess I
took growing up in the heat of Southern Utah for granted, but needless to say this week has been COLD! The work continues to go forward,
regardless of the weather. This week we were blessed with a baptism,

I'll tell you more of her story. Her name is Mamello Pinerose Sediti, she is the sweetest 14 year-old you'll ever meet. Both of her parents
are deceased, so she moved in permanently with her Aunty and Uncle who are both members of the church. We have been working on trying to help them get to the temple to be sealed, then Mamello came into the picture so it was a great opportunity to go through all the lessons with the family and her baptism was amazing! Despite the cold weather, the chapel has a geyser so the water was warm. I was tempted to float around in it after the baptism was over just to stay warm.

Other than that Given, who I mentioned in the last email, is doing wonderfully and even announced his baptism to the elders quorum on Sunday :) This week I have been studying about remembrance, which seems like it is stressed in every page of the Book Of Mormon.  I thought that I would remember some of the great people that I have been able to teach and help accept the gospel. I only way I
could convey my feelings of being an instrument in the hands of the
Lord is from the Hymn "How Great Thou Art" and the line reads....Then I shall bow, in humble adoration, And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!""

Even though it is cold, the warmth of the gospel makes it all worth it!
Elder Broadhead
Alma 28:14

6.6.16 Time. Goes. By. To. Fast.

Hey Fam!!!  

Sounds like things are heating up in STG and you'll have to send my love the Wagner way as they pick up Jake this week.
Time.Goes.By.To.Fast!!!  This week has just flown past, we had transfers and learned more about the pure basics of the gospel and how to teach it. As for transfers, our zone didn't see many changes. Only 2 out of
the 8 companionship switched and the best news is that...Elder Ratsi and I are together for another transfer :) The rest of the week went as such, I was able to study Alma 12-20 and was just reminded about how simple the gospel is and how simple we need to teach it! A great example is that of Ammon and King Lamoni. All through out chapter 19 Ammon is teaching simple the gospel and bearing his personal testimony of the truthfulness of the things he is teaching. Coupled with that, we listed to a talk given by President Uctdorf in which he said

"Let’s be honest; it’s rather easy to be busy. We all can think up a list of tasks that will overwhelm our schedules. Some might even think that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They
flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia—even during times of stress and fatigue. Because they unnecessarily complicate their lives, they often feel increased frustration, diminished joy, and too little sense of meaning in their lives. Leonardo da Vinci is quoted as saying that “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication". When we look at the foundation principles of the plan of happiness, the plan of salvation, we can recognize and appreciate in its plainness and simplicity the elegance and beauty of our Heavenly Father’s wisdom. Then, turning our ways to His ways is the beginning of our wisdom."

My advice this week. Take it simple, Look at what matter most and do it!  The work here in Kagiso continues to grow and get greater and greater! A couple highlights. Mamello passed her interview so she will be
baptized this week! Both her mom and her dad passed away, so she moved in with her uncle and that is where it has began. Given, the 21 year-old from Venda, received his answer that the Book of Mormon is
true and will be swimming in the waters of salvation on the 26th. He wore a white shirt and a tie this week and looks like a member :)
Love you all!
#keepitsimple
elder b

5.30.16 Elder Foreman's Legacy

Good Morning Fam,                 May 30^th, 2016

Back on the grind for another email. Another Week, another exhausting but yet extremely fulfilling week here in the land of Kagiso. This week was packed with District Finding Activities and  exchanges and wait for it......................the return of the #FormanLegacy. letsget down to the nitty-gritty.
quickly let us in and got his cousin and we sat down and the first question was "Why did you stop coming, I read the pamphlet and prayed about the thing inside, and you never came back?" Elder Ratsi and I just kind of looked at each other and started from there. Needless to say in our lesson this week, Given, bore his testimony about the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and the positive change he has seen in His life. P.S. he quit smoking and drinking before being taught the word of wisdom because "it harmed my spirit." Again, I am amazed to be here in the sweet land of South Africa were the "Harvest is great and
the Laborers are few."

We began our week with a jaw-dropping lesson. At the beginning of the transfer, we were going through the area book and decided to follow-up on a member referral that the missionaries before had dropped. He

The next day we had a finding activity with the missionaries who are serving in the Florida Area (it resembles nothing close to Florida minus a pond) We contacted for about an hour and got back and they had
the hubcaps stolen off their car. #nothingissafe

After that we had another finding activity with missionaries from the MTC. It is becoming something that I look forward to. Every 3 weeks, we get to take the GREEN missionaries out for their first taste in the
mission field, needless to say South Africa. I need to buy a GoPro and video it. I think it would be a hit in Provo.

I got to spend time with an elder from England and Botswana and had some fun teaching people in
Soweto with them. Fast Forwarding to Friday, we got up at the crack of dawn and drove out to Nelspruit! They are still in our zone, so we got to go out there and do a training and exchange with them. Elder
Lambert and Nelspruit are doing wonderful! and last, but not least. Like mentioned in the subject, we had the
return of the #FormanLegacy. Turns out Elder Forman served here in Kagiso, and we met two of the people that he baptized. One is preparing for a mission and the other got involved in some gangs so we
are working with him. Long live Elder Forman’s legacy.

love you all!
Elder B

5.23.16 Moving the work forward!

5/23/16

Morning Fam!

Back at it again in the land of Mzansi. There is plenty to update you on and some exciting things happening! So this week, I'll give you a day to day run-down of life in the Jo-Burg mission!

Tuesday- we began our week on an exchange! So I went to an area in Soweto called Protea-Glen and Elder Ratsi held down the fort in Kagiso. Our first lesson pretty much set the tone for the day. We met a man named Moses. He is about 33, skinny as a rail, and struggling to overcome some addictions. His life has been h.e.c.t.i.c. He is an ex- drug abuser who has taken steps to change and he faithfully comes to church every week. He shared about how he smoked a cigarette this week and then he opened the Book of Mormon and instantly he threw and stomped out the rest of the bud. #alldatpower

Wednesday- back in the area with Elder Ratsi! It was another Power-packed day. It started  a little iffy we tried to have a member  come with us for the first couple of lessons. We weren’t very successful however, we ironed it out and ended up taking a prospective elder out. After the first couple of lessons he said, "Elders is it alright if I stay out a little longer" a little longer turned into the entire day and even though he is deathly afraid of dogs. We pushed through and had a great day!

Thursday- We awoke and got the news that a less-active member we had given a blessing to about a week earlier had passed away..... The family was already grieving over a lost granddaughter about a month before, and then they lost their grandmother. The other side of it, is we can see the  sparks of their testimony were being kindled. They knew the plan of Salvation, but for years they had neglected the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Trials indeed do make you stronger! They have accepted an appointment to meet with us again!

Friday- TEMPLE TRIP 

Because we have a temple in our area. President Dunn allows our entire zone to have a temple trip every other transfer. Oh how I love being in the temple and I know why in Primary we sing "I Love to See the Temple." After our session,  we had a district meeting outside of the cafeteria and even got to see some of the visiting  Elders Kevin Hamilton, Carl B. Cook, and Fandrianoma Ratsimbazafy. 

Saturday- another exchanges in Pimville. Had a service opportunity where we helped a recent-convert whose house was destroyed by the government, then excavate and dump a "load" of bricks and sand. At the end of the service I shouted "MOVE THAT BUS".............. everyone looked around and asked me where is that bus. . . . . I guess Extreme Home Makeover never made it to South Africa :)

Sunday- We had a baptism! A 13 year old boy who lives with his Grandma, his  named is Junior and he was baptized! It has been pretty interesting to teach him, because at 13 he was addicted to coffee. The problem was solved with a universal treaty that Hot Chocolate could be used and........he was able to be baptized! 

Love you and hope you enjoy your week!

Elder Bhead

5.16.16 Blessings of the Temple

5.16.16

Whaddup Fam!
First things first, sorry about the no-show last week. We organized a tour of the historic sites of Soweto and a kind member offered to take us around. I'll send some pictures next week. It was aneye-opening experience to tour and learn more of the history of the place that we serve. P.S. we were able to see the homes of  two  Nobel Prize winners. Double P.S. They live/d on the same street.

As to our missionary efforts this week, we continue to see growth and miracles everywhere we go. I'll share an experience that I had on Saturday. Melusi Nyoka, a young man from Nelspruit, went through the temple on Saturday to receive his endowments so we were able to go and support him.  While we were sitting down preparing to begin our session, a guy with one crutch walks through the door and it is.................Zach! I’m pretty sure  I told you about Zach, but he is a member in the Kanyamazane Branch who I was able to visit a couple of times while I was on exchanges. His brother ran over his leg about 6 months ago and he has had a rough
time getting back into the swing of things. We didn’t have time to visit before the session started but I was so happy to see Zach there. Anyways as I sat and waited I was humbled to be an escort in the temple. I don't think I have ever seen someone so happy to be in the temple. It made me really appreciate how close I am to the temple!
So after the session, I had the opportunity to help Zach change back into his regular clothes and he said Elder Broadhead watch this....... then without a crutch he was able to stands straight up. My thoughts were......cool man,  but can I help you tie your tie. Then he grabbed my shoulder and said. "That is the first time I have stood up, without a crutch, for 6 months." Then it hit me. Just as Christ healed those with different infirmities in the temple, he continues to do so today. I’m so grateful that the Lord has patience with us. It took me a minute but I was able to see the miracles that are in our lives every day. "He lives, and while he lives I'll sing. I know that my Redeemer Lives"
love you all!
elder broadhead

5.2.16 The Prodigal Son

May 2nd, 2016

My thoughts stems from a great lesson that I learned from our Soweto Stake President last Sunday in Ward Conference.It is focused on missionary work and the goodness of the restored gospel. My thought stems from 2 places. #1 Luke 15:3-31 In this chapter the Savior teaches us 3 profound parables.Many of us have read and pondered each of these in depth. The Parable of the Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, and the Prodigal Son. Each of these parables can be related to missionary work.
In the parable of the lost sheep, sometimes those we know fall less-active not because they willfully have gone astray, but in search of greener pastures they separate themselves from the flock and it is our responsibility to rescue them.
In the lost coin dilemma. I would open with this question? Was it the coins fault for being misplaced? Often, those who are new or returning members "fall through the cracks" because of lack of diligence by those in whose care they have been intrusted. It is our responsibility to sweep and clean the house until we find the coin. Then call our friends together and rejoice that we found it!
Finally, in my favorite parable of all time. The Prodigal Son willfully rebels against his father and goes away into the far land and wastes away his inheritance. Many we know have chosen to go astray and leave the security of Gods Commands. How then should we treat them? Just as the the Savior explains, Run and kiss them on the neck. We should be patient and when the time comes that they return we should rejoice in their return. not saying, "I told you so."
Second, To the Rescue:We can do it by Elder M Arnold. I am running out of time and typing as fast as I can but  this talk especially touched me, I won't write to much. Instead, let us go to the rescue of those that we know!

love you guys 

love elder Bhead

 

4.25.16 Soweto

April 25th, 2016

Welcome from the depths of Soweto. 

We had transfers on Tuesday this week and it was pretty bittersweet. It was amazing to serve in a small branch like Nelspruit, because you come so close to the members and
they are just like your extended family. So it is pretty rough to leave them, but I am excited to be back in the heart of Johannesburg and serve the in the famous streets of Soweto. I'll tell you a little about our area. It is called Kagiso, it is the township right next to Krugersdorp. It is about 15 minutes from the mission office, so I get to see all the new greenies when they come into the MTC. It is a very large ward, that just split into two. So there are two companionships covering the streets of Kagiso. My new companion is Elder Ratsimbazafy from ..........................Madagascar. The first thing that I asked him is "Is there anyone famous from Madagascar?" He replied, "King Julian". lolol he speaks French, Malagasy and an improvised English. 

About this week, there was a lot of running around and doing errands for other missionaries and it seemed like everyday we had something unexpected come up and put a damper on our plans:) I'll just share a thought that I had as I was studying this week. It comes from D&C 19:14-18 We had a training about 1 month ago about teaching repentance. So I wanted to make sure that I understood it clearly myself. In those scriptures, I think I caught a small glimpse of why the gospel is so important and why the gospel writer Luke penned the famous verse found in chapter one and verse 37 "For with God, nothing shall be impossible". Wherever we are in our lives. Whether it be the streets of Soweto or the Parkways of Provo, the gospel in its entirety will provide peace, love and joy for those who seek it. I love you all and hope that we each remember the simplicity of the gospel :)
Love Elder Broadhead

4.18.16 Sizle's Baptism

April 18, 2016

All good things come to an end. How true is that statement. 1996-98 Jazz, Kobe Bryant Career, Chad Johnsons last names, and Lebrons Hairline. lol, but my last week here in Nelspruit has been a great send off. From watching investigators make life changing decisions, to sunrises in the Kruger National Park, it has been a place that has changed my mission and in course changed my life. There have been many notable things happen this week. Starting with last Monday the senior couples (as senior couples do) decided to make a pickleball court and challenge the junior missionaries. Age does not mean grace :) 

Tuesday we had an exchange with the Kanyamazane Elders and I had the opportunity to interview 2 of the people they are teaching. I'll share there stories. 

The first is a man named Isaac Dladla. He is about 48 years old and lives by himself in a small little garage thingy (sorry for the description) He had a work related accident that left him with impaired movement in his left leg and his left arm. So daily things like putting on a shirt and moving around his home take a lot of effort. Needless to say, he met the elders while walking with his crutch and they scheduled a time to see him and invited him to church. He accepted the gospel and that is all she wrote. #faithlikepotatoes He continues to walk, slowly but surely to church every Sunday. 

The other is a young man named Basil. He is 18, and his mom and dad are both members and he just moved this side from Zimbabwe. Another prepared soul, who hopes to serve a mission in a years time!

Moving on to things that happened this week! We were blessed to have a baptism! Her name is Sizile  and she again has a wonderful story. We met about 2 months ago, when Sizile noticed the chapel near her home and decided to come and see what it was all about. We began to teach her at her brothers home (who is a chaplain at the prison and a pastor at his own church) Well fellow shipped and after dreaming about the Tree of Life in 1st Nephi 8 :0 she took the leap of faith and was baptized!  Soweto better be ready!

The gospel is true and is restored in its fullness!

Elder Landen Broadhead

4/4/16 Zone Conference

Hey Fam!

 All is well in the paradise of Nelspruit. It has been one interesting week, with lessons learned and with a lot of time spent in the car (still not used to it).

I'll start off with the brief recap of our week. 

On Monday we invited a recent convert and his wife over to the Black's for a family home evening lesson in for a little birthday celebration. Not to pick favorites, but they are one of my favorite members here in Nelspruit. Thulane and Lorraine have been married for about 5 years and Thulane actually despised the church Lorraine was attending.The wonderful senior couples here persisted and met him at a restaurant ( where most senior couples spend their time wink, wink) Anyways they could see the difference between apples and oranges and they started to teach him and he was baptized and hasn't looked back since. They stay about an hour from the chapel and magnify their callings and are going to the temple in August!  

Other than that we left on Tuesday to head to Joburg for Zone Conference and or able to do a session in the temple, oh how I am grateful for the temple and the knowledge that I gain as I attend. I was even happier to hear that the new temple was announced in Zimbabwe, the first thing I did was call Elder Sibanda. and let him know about the news. I don't think I've ever heard of a happier person to hear a temple announced in his country. It was pretty sweet!  

On Wednesday we have a zone conference went by President Dunn and the Assistants. it was perfect! They mainly addressed working with members and becoming more effective tools in the hand of the Lord. It was what I needed to hear!

We drove back and had a couple of days to proselyte in the area. I'll share our little miracles of the week. Sizile, who is on date for the 17th, had to go to Johannesburg because her daughter, while pregnant, fell, broke her jaw and went into labor prematurely. We called the assistantsto let them know the situation. Handy- Man Elder Pickup and Superman Elder Clegg were able to make it through a public hospital in downtown Joburg (nearly impossible in itself) and give the Sizile’s daughter a blessing. The baby and daughter are both doing great! I am so grateful for the priesthood and the miracles I get to see because of it's power.

We also made it back to Kruger, this time I found a snake and a rhino!

Time is short so I gotta take off. 

Life is what you make it! So make it count!

Love, Elder Bhead

3.28.16 Real Faith

Good Morning! 

This week is probably my favorite week in South Africa because everyone prepares and goes to church!  Regardless if they don't even attend any other time during the year, almost every person from Friday-Sunday honors this wonderful day. So it has been an awesome week! We have been privileged to serve in such a wonderful Christian country. Given that, there is a drawback. Countless times we have knocked on gates and heard " I've been saved, but my neighbor........ So on so on" so this week has been a week for me to ponder what it really means to follow Jesus Christ and to apply the wonderful gift of the atonement into our lives. 

Alma 7:11-14  fountains plain and precious truths pertaining to the Atonement. 

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

14 Now I say unto you that ye must repent, and be born again; for the Spirit saith if ye are not born again ye cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins, that ye may have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteousness.

15 Yea, I say unto you come and fear not, and lay aside every sin, which easily doth beset you, which doth bind you down to destruction, yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with him to keep his commandments, and witness it unto him this day by going into the waters of baptism.

16 And whosoever doeth this, and keepeth the commandments of God from thenceforth, the same will remember that I say unto him, yea, he will remember that I have said unto him, he shall have eternal life, according to the testimony of the Holy Spirit, which testifieth in me.

There is more to Christianity than just accepting the sacrifice of Gods only son. Instead it involves action, it involves an organization that provides ordinances performed by the Authority of God. It involves commandments and thus a life of following the Savior, Jesus Christ. 

That being said, it has been a great week to be a missionary. I'll share a couple of miracles that have occurred this week. The first is what happened yesterday. We arrived, unlocked our beautiful chapel and did the mic check when a younger woman walks in with 3 kids. No one else had arrived so we took the opportunity to talk to her. Her story was that I envisioned when I first opened my call to serve in South Africa.  She stays in a village called Mkuhlu. Google it if you want, but it is about 2+ hours away from our building and directly next to the Kruger National Park. She arose at 4 in the morning to get her kids bathed and in their Sunday best and took the 6 AM bus to make it on time. What a humble experience to see real faith...... tried and tested. 

#2 Elder Lambert and I have been specifically praying to find a way to find "those that will receive us" and as we knelt down on Sunday evening to close our week, our phone started to vibrate and lo and behold we received 12 media referrals. Even though most of them are over an hour away from the chapel and out of our area, it was an answer to our prayer!

God lives, he loves us. 

Elder bhead

3.14.16 The Beautiful People of Nelspruit!

Good morning family,

It has been another wonderful week in the beautiful paradise of  Nelspruit! I can't say it enough how blessed it is to serve in this wonderful branch. It has been an immense blessing to serve hand in hand with these wonderful people and I would go out on a limb to say that there isn't a more faith-filled, guile-free people. Just as the prophet Alma mentioned " they have no more a disposition to do evil, but to do good continually". And that has how it has been in my couple of months serving here.

There is nothing more wonderful for a missionary to get transferred into a branch and have the entire branch working with you to achieve and accomplish our cause- to bring others to a knowledge of their Redeemer. Why I am feeling the love for the branch this week especially? It’is because we planned and carried out another successful youth activity! I'm now sure if you remember when in Rabie Ridge, Elder Sibanda and I planned a Mini- MTC experience for the youth to come and to 1^st  be taught by returned missionaries in the branch and 2nd to have an experience! They headed out in the field to contact, tract, and to teach. What a success it was!!!! We had over 20 youth come and participate. I misplaced my camera but the Elder and Sis Blacks made sure to take ample photos, so I'll try to send through some of them! We split into 4 groups and each had our own "area and objectives" for the activity. My group went to the CBD, or the downtown area, and set up a banner and started to talk and teach the people as they watched by. One of my group members is a young boy named Comfort. He stays in Mshadza and has been learning about the church since December 2015, but due to area policies he has to attend for 6 months until he is able to be baptized. So even investigators joined in the cause to hand out cards and to bear  testimony. 

Other than that we had a couple of wonderful miracles. One of our progressing investigators named Sizile,has been praying and studying. She received her witness that the things we are teaching are true. She had a dream that she was on " a narrow path with a long metal bar next to her" so we opened into the book of Nephi and read with her. It was a beautiful spirit-filled lesson and when she came to church she asked how to pay her tithing. Miracles!!! 

Love you guys 

Elder bhead 

Hebrews 13:1