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

3.7.16 Trials and Blessings

What up Fam!                 3/7/16

It has been a wonderful day and a week of harvesting in the land of South Africa. Another week of  many blessings and  some days that were not as  stellar as others, but it all ended well.

We didn't have the opportunity to go to transfers this Tuesday because our our entire district stayed together and no one was moved which is great because things are going so well. Yesterday there was quite the show out at church! It was amazing  for us to see 15 investigators come out to church.  It was even more surprising because it was this week it seemed as if all of our lessons either dropped or we got stood up for lessons. It was a very long week that ended with many blessings. All in all it was a faith-testing, hot-humid, testimony-building week and is I read and the last verse of Alma 32 it's words rang true to my mind. 

"Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you."

It has been a process as I have felt my faith grow stronger and stronger. As we go through our various tests in our different circumstances, if we are diligent, patient, and full of faith, the trials and difficulties will eventually pass and we will be better for it in the end. Whether our trials are losing a loved one, or trying to help a family understand the importance of the restoration. We have a loving Heavenly Father who cares for us and who watches over us.  There was one of my favorite quote that  was shared this week. It said,  "If we have the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives nothing can go permanently wrong". 

What a wonderful statement that it is. The gospel is true. I'm grateful for inspired leaders who see and understand the challenges of our day. Prophets are used as mouth pieces today, as they were in ancient days, and our Heavenly Father loves us enough help us grow through trials. 

Love y'all Elder bhead

2.29.16 The Best of the Best!

Feb 29^th

Whaddup Fam,

Another week out here in Nelspruit has come and gone and it has been a busy week with tons and tons of training and teaching opportunities, but nevertheless I am grateful for this week! It started with a broadcast on Tuesday morning, so we arose early in the morning and drove to the mission home. 4+ hours later we arrived and enjoyed some pizza and headed in to listen to the Missionary General Broadcast. What a wonderful broadcast, I'll cover some of my favorite teachings. Neil Andersons opening talk set the tone for the whole session and following up was David A. Bednar. He taught about helping investigators UNDERSTAND the role of the Holy Ghost in conversation. He stated "you can carry the message unto the hearts of your investigators, but they are the ones that take it into". So it was a much needed training and just provided an extra breath into our work.

 Best experiences this week.

  

Elton and Shane, a father and a son that we are teaching, have been investigating for the past 4 months and it really felt like we have hit a block with them. (I mentioned them last week)They struggled with the commitment to come to church and started to mention to us about cults and other untruths about the gospel. During the whole our discussions,  we kept  helping them read and understand and pray about the Book of Mormon. It has been a testimony builder for me to see how the Book of Mormon helps us discern truth. Not that the actual book does it for us, but it invites the Holy Ghost to do it. So we kept true to the promise in Moroni 10:3-5 and helped them understand the scriptures meaning of  "real intent." Needless to say on splits last Friday, Elder Lambert and Morrill came back ecstatic to tell  me that Elton had received his answer. The whole family came to church and they are on date for the 27th of March! Keep them in your prayers Satan loves to work on families and this family is amazing.

Best surprise of the week

I got to visit with President and Sister Ashton  it was  wonderful. Sis Aston and I had a good visit about everything in St George while President Ashton was showing his basketball moves to the elders in the MTC.We visited for about 25 minutes. They will be great for the MTC and in coming elders!

**The Ashton’s are the new MTC presidents. Their son Abe was Landen’s young men’s president before Landen l.eft

Best quote of the week

 A lady in her talk yesterday spoke about how God reveals his truth. She shared an experience in how she prayed asking about how she could feel the Holy Ghost more in her life and her answer was "stop wearing tight trousers" I might be childish, but instantly Nacho Libre popped into my mind. So it made for  a great discussion and good laugh  on the way home from church.

love you all and remember no tight trousers!

Elder bhead

2.22.16 Another day in Paradise

Feb 22^nd, 2016

Another week in paradise.         

The time comes and the time goes another week has flown by the tropical blend of Nelspruit.  It has been  an action-packed week it's many surprises and many blessings intertwined together :-) we have had some challenges for the other Elders in our district, the area where they serve and has had some strikes due too  A government local government election is about to take place in March. So they came and worked with us for a couple of days and teaching in finding. You have been very blessed this week to see many answers to prayers and to see people  progress. One of these instances happened on Friday, we went on splits with the other elders and  The other elders went and saw an investigator and his son we have been teaching for the last four months. They have been reading and praying about the book of Mormon but not yet willing to act on the answer will receive. And in this lesson,  the missionaries described what they were reading as  they read through but they are stuggleing Please pray for them!

 Another miracle with the different investigator. It's amazing of the many different problems that people go through to become converted to the gospel. This lady is married and her husband is a polygamist, and she has desperately wanted to become a member of the church for the past four months . So it has been difficult for us to help her understand the importance of families in the Gospel, and last Sunday she came and witness the baptism of a ten-year-old in the ward and told us that she wants to have that happiness  for herself. So needless to say a lot of great things are happening here in our area and we are being very blessed. The senior couple is absolutely amazing and they continue to help us in our work as missionaries. I wonder what the world would be like if the  missionary force had equal amounts of  senior couples? They would definitely make a difference that is one thing is for sure. 

I love you all and enjoy your week. 

Elder Bhead

2.8.16 The Arrival of the Black's

Hey Fam,
Another week another day here in the beautiful land of Nelspruit.  It has been another very busy week with the arrival of the new senior couple the Black's in the departure of the "old" senior couple the Scott's. We have been showing the ropes to the new senior couple , and trying to help them understand the ways of South Africa :-). Let's just say that there is quite an adjustment   Elder and Sister Black are from the same place and are actually neighbors to the Dunns.   Elder Black was a pediatric surgeon for the last 35 years in northern Utah and Sister Black is an amazing woman who is PTA presidents, professional piano player, and a real go-getter. I'm so privileged to help them and be their "trainer"and I love them already.
      This week we had a lot of success in helping people with the commitment of baptism. I'll share an awesome experience that we had this Tuesday with a part member family that we are teaching. The mother has been a faithful, devout member for 5 years and is an incredible example of a Christlike woman. Her husband has been struggling with work and even with a belief in Christ, so on Tuesday we were able to teach the beginning part of the restoration and it was just one of those experiences that you have on your mission where the spirit is so strong and you know that it has touched the hearts of all who are there. So after the lesson we asked him what would be holding him back from joining his family in the gospel and he said nothing but himself and accepted the date foe the 27th of March so pray for Brother Mtuinze!!

       Some other cool experiences. We received a referral from the office and called this lady named precious. She had a really different accent, then when we met her she told us that while she was attending Washington University that she met missionaries and was being taught, then she moved to another side of the campus and lost contact with the missionaries. She eventually found some sisters online and they sent us the referral. Crazy that in the villages of Africa we find people with incredible stories!

#iheartafrica

Love elder b

2.1.16 February and Funerals

Good morning Fam!    2/1/16

 It has been another b-u-s-y week here in Nelspruit, but nevertheless it has been a great one! it began on Monday and ended on Sunday and everything in between was nothing but a blur. (kind of like Kaden felt after the concussion on Friday lol) 

Monday- Moved one of our members from Lydenburg to Nelspruit. He packed up and moved from his shack in about 30 minutes. A big testimony of being prepared for me. Then we went  out and began our night! Our first appointment was with a 12 year old girl who has been coming to church for the month. She is a distant (very distant) cousin of another Beehive, but really enjoys coming to church and the friends she has there. So we went over and finally met the parents and her dad is cool. He is minus one arm, but the guy still knows how to hang lol, but her mom is a devout Methodist......We will get there though!

Tuesday- We woke up and received a phone call from our beloved senior couple, The Scott's (who go home on the 10th) telling us that one of our members had passed away. They live about 1 hour away from the chapel on an obscure mine in the middle of nowhere, so we drove out and visited them. What a blessing it is to have the knowledge of the plan of salvation and we even got to share a message with them about it. The daughter, who isn't a member, told us that it is her time to get baptized and get to the temple so they can be sealed. What a blessing!!!

Wednesday- passed a lady that was carrying an entire mattress on her head. #Olympics

Thursday- Drove the branch President and some other members out to visit the family who had the passing. There were a lot of people there that could not understand any English, so while thee president and the other members were discussing funerals plans, we took pleasure in feeding the children there oatmeal.  Then we drove back and enjoyed the rest of the night teaching!

Friday- Saw our main man Treasure, he was baptized on Sunday so we finished up the lessons before his baptism. He looks like RG3, and is about as smooth as him as well (read the Sunday account about his baptism)

Saturday- The funeral began bright and early at 6AM, so we got up at 3:30 and drove to help set up. We had to take the other Elders truck to get to where the funeral was, and man oh man was it remote. We climbed this mountain and parked our car to find a bunch of traditional Swazi people passed out from drinking that night. So we helped get everything set up and it was An amazing funeral. I didn't really understand much because it was almost entirely in Swati, but it sounded great :)

Sunday- Treasure got baptized!!!! It was pretty funny to see him after he was baptized in the bathroom trying to recite his testimony/ fixing his hair. So he walks out of the bathroom midsong and goes to the mic to bear his testimony and the 1st counselor tells him to wait. So he swagged to his seat, until it was his turn to bear his testimony with his Nike backpack and his comb in his hair

What a great week!

But before I end I would like to share something that I learned in Study this week. One of my goals that I set this year is to finish the Standard Works before the dreadful day comes where the mission comes to an end. I have been gliding through the New Testament and amazed at the teachings and the truth that lies in its pages. One thing that I loved is how Peter denies Christ in the ending chapters of John and the amazing turn of his testimony that leads him before the Chiefs High priest and testify of Christ.  Even though Peter had seen Christ walk on water (then walk on it himself), Heal the blind and Cause the dead to rise again,  he still didn't have the faith to stand firm in his belief. But, something marvelous must have happened through thise days and weeks after Christ Death that changed his testimony and Life. I know he lives!