Companion- Elder Martin
Letter #72
Kgaugelo's Baptism!
Wow! A family got baptized! That's awesome! It seems like the missionary work is powerful at home! That's cool that dad got to go on splits with the missionaries the other day. There are tons of people here in Vosloorus that are just like that guy that you went to teach, dad. It's a challenge to help them feel the spirit and be humble enough to accept it and make changes. Sometimes we go to a lesson and they want to do is teach us or hear what we think about some certain doctrine. For example, yesterday we went to this guy and sat down and I asked him how his day was and he said it fine and that he's just having a nice relaxing spiritual recoup for the next week and then all of the sudden he went off telling us some weird stuff about the spirit and what it is and told us about some codes in the Bible that we need to understand and that all the steeples on our temples represent the pyramid with the all seeing eye on the american dollar . It was weird so we left. But then you get other people like a guy that we saw later in the day who really does want to learn. People who are teachable are the ones who recognize that they don't know everything. We can help them realize that in a gentle way by teaching them about the restoration plain and simple and especially making sure that the spirit is present. When that happens they will be interestd and want learn more and be willing to "experiment upon the word." This guy, Opah, is exactly like that. We taught him some simple things and he didn't understand them very clearly and so we were bale to answer the sincere questions that he had and now he can't wait for us to come back.
Here in Vosloorus the members love the missionaries but they're is not too much of their involvement in the actual missionary work. We are trying to change that. The Bishopric just surprised us with a new ward mission plan yesterday. They said that they want to have 9 families and 7 other individuals baptized by the end of the year. So far there are 3 individuals and 1 half family I think. We got some work to do! But that also means the members do as well! What do the missionaries do in La Costa to organize the splits and members being in the teaching process? It's always difficult to organize that here so i want to know if they have some sort of system.
We had a baptism yesterday for Kgaugelo! He has been taught for the past couple months along with 4 of his friends. He was he first one that was ready out of them all and the rest should be baptized in April! Kgaugelo is only 2 days older than me haha. He is planning on going on a mission and he cannot wait to come teaching with us once he gets confirmed this Sunday! I am excited for this group of friends. They are all so happy and seem like members already. They even invited 2 of their other friends to come to church with them and see Kgaugelo get baptized yesterday.
I got to go on exchanges this week with Elder Jenkinson this week cause he is now my Zone Leader! That was pretty cool! His area also borders my area is joburg and one of the neighborhoods that we worked in there was split between Joburg 1 and Bedfordview(his area) so we went there and had a lesson. It was nice to be back and to be with him!
We are teaching many families here. We had lessons with seven different father led families this week but it seems like the only people who are progressing are the ones who are not father led families. It seems that the fathers are always so darn busy that we cannot meet with them often enough to help them progress. In Joburg it was hard to find a father led family in the first place and now it's so easy but the problem is actually meeting with them. Ha. I think all we need to do is have better planning and try to focus more on them.
I am enjoying being here in the township though. Yes like you said least week. it is super clean compared to most townships. It is more spread out and there are not many students like in other townships. We did go to a part of our area this week that reminded me of Botswana except super cramped and tight. It was dirt roads and shacks and not many trees all super close together. It's crazy how different a place can be when it's only a 5 minute walk away.
I hope that my emails are descriptive enough and that you really get a feel for what it's like to be here! If not, let me know and I will do better!
Have a great week! I love you all!
-Elder Dirkmaat :D
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