Still Going Strong

Area - Johannesburg, South Africa
Companion- Elder Wilkinson
Letter #63

Hey there!

Glad you liked the plans for the fort! Can't wait to hear how it goes and to see some pictures of it when it is finished! That's super cool, Dad, that you have been listening to so many talks. When I was in Botswana we used to listen to them a lot cause one of the missionaries a ton on CD's and I have listened to that one by Pres. Eyring, I love it! I gotta be honest, it is super hard to do what that missionary did but I try my very best!

Francis was baptized yesterday!! WOOOOO!!!! He was so happy and I am so glad that he was ready. He has been investigating the church for 4 years and now he finally knows that everything he has been learning is true. The Missionary that interviewed him for baptism said that right when they got into the room together he just got a nice feeling that he was ready and if he wanted to he could have just walked out and said "alright, it's good." I know for sure that Francis was ready for it. He was having a hard time gaining a testimony of the Book of Mormon but when he did everything made sense to him about why we were having him wait longer and because of it he is a happy man! When he bore his testimony he even quoted some scriptures from the Book of Mormon! I am so glad that we waited until we really knew that he was ready.

We had a successful week all in all. We are had more than 20 lessons last week and we kept it up this week also! It feels so good when you get to teach many people in the week and not have days where you are struggling to find something to do. I love to just teach all day every day! Wilson came to church this sunday even though his family didn't come and he enjoyed it very much. He has a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith and now I think for him it is going to take some getting used to going to church and abiding standards that he will have to get used to before he will be baptized. Also we want his whole family to be baptized together so hopefully his wife and daughter will also be able to make it next week.

It seems that this week went really well and then when it gets to sunday there is always something to make you sad. This week it was church attendance once again. It is sad and little bit frustrating when people promise you that they are going to come to church and they even have testimonies of the things that we are teaching them, and then they don't come. It is the only thing that they will flake for. They don't know what they are missing out on no matter how much you can bear your testimony or tell them what happens there. They have to come or they won't progress anymore. I was still super happy that Wilson came and also 2 new people did come but there were about 20 people that promised to come. :(

Also, recently, we have talked to 2 people now who are losing their faith in God cause he is not giving them the things that they want. They are not having financial success and they say they are losing faith b/c they are not getting money right away to do what they want witht heir lives. I understand that it is hard to not have enough money to even buy food but the problem is that I have never experienced it and so it is difficult to give them the answer that they need to continue to trust in God and follow the gospel adn the blessings will come in his own time. Cause that is the answer that they don't want to hear. I told one guy that he was experiencing a trial of his faith and he basically scoffed. I want to help people see the light and find a solution to their problems but it seems that this week I didn't have the answers for those particular circumstances and levels of faith lose. Make sense? Guess I know what I will be studying about for the next little while! :D It'll be lotsa fun!

I only have 6 more weeks with Elder Wilkinson already! Why is time going so fast??? We are having such a great time together and he is progressing super well each day. Definitley glad to have him as my companion and hapy that I am "lucking out" so much with my companions!
Have a super week everybody! I love ya!
-Elder Dirkmaat :D