1/25/16 A Familiar Stranger

Hey Fam,

This week began with a shock, I was told that I would be training new missionary by the name of Elder Lambert from Arizona. When it came time to meet the new missionaries, here walks in a familiar face. We played freshman basketball together and we shared a lot of the same friends. So we instantly bonded, same interest, same desire to do the work and same height (I wish). We drove back and have had one of the most productive weeks since I have been here.

One experience that we had this week happened, as we were going through some former investigators we came across a lady and her 24 year old son who have family that are members in Namibia. It seems like they were written off by other missionaries because of some issues that they were having so we had met with them and had a great lesson with both her and her son. They are struggling to make ends meet and she is very sick at the moment, but we taught them about commandment keeping and obedience. We promised him that if he started to live the gospel that his life would turn around for the better. Sunday came and he came to church and after while visiting with him told us that he hasn't felt as happy in his entire life! Sometimes we all just need a little reminder that it is the simple things like obedience that bring us the most joy. Please keep praying for him. I'll take a picture with him this week, he has some sweetest dreads I’ve seen here!

I love you all and am sorry for a short email this week; we have to move someone today so our time is short :)

Have an awesome week!

Love Elder Broadhead

1.11.16 Tests and Trials

Good Morning Fam!   1/11/16

At the request of my beloved mother, I'll begin by answering questions about the area and last week!

What are some of the working professions for people there?

Basically  many of the working professions  that are in the states are here in Africa. You have your Doctors, Lawyers, Government Professions and everything else. But here is a list of some of the funny jobs that they have here in SA. The roadside repair people employ about 20 people to do a job to repair a pothole. So about 2 people work and the other 18 wave flags and surround the hole, you have banana sellers on the side of the road that will sell you everything from Banana's to the software from Microsoft 2001 :) 

How are they learning about the Church?

Most of the members have come into the gospel through.........................their friends. No surprise there! Like in most places, the members that help build the kingdom usually join through friends and familes! 

 How is the retention after they are baptized? 

In other places besides Nelspruit, I would say out of every 10 that join the church in a year, 7 remain active for the entire year. Here in Nelspruit it is 10/10, because with the help of a senior couple and a dedicated branch, these converts continue to grow after their baptism!

What’s it like to visit and learn from an area Seventy?

Last week visiting with Elder Hamilton was pretty amazing. He has a lot of information about what is happening over the entire South East area, some pretty exciting things are happening in Africa!! Stakes are growing and splitting in the course of 5 short years and his gospel knowledge is profound, time went so quickly with him. I would compare it to sitting down and visiting with Christian Ekins for an hour :)

Other than those questions are there any other ones that I can answer for you?

This week has been a week a Trials and Tests. It has seemed like everyone we have taught and contacted just isn't ready at this point in their life to make and keep commitments. This upcoming week will be better though. On Saturday, President and Sister Dunn are coming to do his Bears and Prayers presentation. Google it and you can read up about it. So it is something that we are both looking forward to!

Wednesday- Headed up and out to Mshadza to visit those people that I told you about last time. We meet at the Primary Presidents home and all of the recent converts come and bring their friends. So we are at her house with the Elder Scott, the senior missionary, for about 3-6 hours teaching person after person after person! It is amazing and I don't think that there is any place or experience quite like it. After we get done teaching, our mouths and throats are killing from talking so much.

Sunday- Well, Nelspruit struggled this week in the musical side of things............I was called on to play the piano :))))) You can tell Lisa Powell right now that I apologize for never ever practicing. So the hymns went alright, very choppy but got through them. Then I gave a talk about the Worth of a Soul, so pretty busy sunday. and then appts cancelled and we ended up just talking to people outside of their homes. Anyways little down the line, we ran into a girl, her dad is actually a member and she was baptized however she had a disagreement with her dad, but is still willing to have us over! "When amid the conflict you are tempest tossed, when you are discouraged thinking all is lost, count your many blessings name them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done" Name “dem” one by one!

I love Africa and I love you all!

Elder Broadhead

1.4.16 Ringing in the New Year

Whatzzzz  up fam,                1/4/16

2016 began with a literal bang! It has been a great week out in the blazing hot country of Nelspruit. (This week we topped out at 100 degrees with 60% humidity). This week has had its ups and downs.Over the last 16 months  I have been able to gain a great appreciation of the power of prayer but especially lately because of some unique circumstances.  In Nelspruit we face some unusual challenges when it comes to missionary work. With members literally coming from all over the area ( many walking great distances) and a new addition of a beautiful chapel offered both an exciting and daunting task to help carry out the work here and fill the chapel. Elder Kuyangepi and I have been discussing and praying together to find out what ways that we can best help contribute to the building of the kingdom here. We have studied, talked to the members and even enlisted the help of the senior couple here to help us in our ambitious goals. I have really come to understand the scripture in D&C 8:2-3 about how the Lord will tell us in our mind and in our heart. So we prepared for Sunday and our prayers together for the past 5 weeks were answered. We were privileged to have area Seventy, Elder Kevin Hamilton attend our branch. When sacrament started there were about 8 of us, including the Hamilton’s, but by the end of the 3 hour block there were about 50 members/investigators in attendance. Maybe too much food during the holidays had them moving lethargically towards the church, but we were able to discuss our problem with Elder Hamilton and he shared some great guidance with us! Prayers are answered!

Another great experience this week is that we had an exchange with the Kanyamazane Elders. They work in a village about 30 minutes away and I got to spend the day with Elder Smalley from South Carolina (his southern drawl is almost completely gone, but his love for deep-fried catfish is still alive and well) It was an amazing day, and made me think of what David A Bednar said concerning Africa, "There is an eagerness and light in the eyes of the African Latter-day Saints. This is a place where many people live challenging, difficult lives. They don’t have many of the temporal comforts and blessings that people in the Western world have. Many of these Saints are grateful to have one substantial meal a day. Yet because of the gospel of Jesus Christ, they have great light and hope. I learn a great deal from the people every time I visit the African continent.” 

We were privileged to meet a lady who the missionaries had met at a tazi rank the week before, she just expressed the feelings that she has had and the bad decisions that she has made and her desire to change. I love the people of South Africa, I learn from them every day and I love being a missionary!

Until next week. . .
Love Elder Broadhead