Hey everybody everything is going really good over here. I have got a lot of interesting things this week. First of all I haven’t gotten any package yet but I will get them Wednesday if the are in Africa. I don’t know if you got it last time but I would like a nice leather football. That would be a really cool thing to have. I’m tired of rugby and cricket. Wednesday I went on exchanges with the zone leaders in Polokwane. That was a pretty good day. We taught a lot of lessons. One thing we did was we went to go give this less active ladies child a blessing, so elder Lane did that. After that she asked us to bless her home. So we opened our little handbooks and looked at dedicating a home. So I gave that prayer it was very interesting I had never dedicated a home before. Later that night we were teaching a guy and his mom. As we were teaching about the plan of salvation, He was very confused about a lot of things. He wanted to know the point of life if God knows where we go anyway. So I stared at him and asked, “What did Jesus do for us?” he replied he died for us. “What does that mean?” He didn’t answer for a few minutes and then finally said I don’t know can you tell me. So I taught the atonement. Probably the best I’ve ever taught it before. I spoke mostly about justice and mercy and what we had to do to obtain mercy. When I was finished and I bore my testimony. He sat there for a few more minutes and he told me,” you know I have been going to church for so long and no has ever told me that. I have always wondered why Jesus did that. They always say that he died and nothing else.” That was one of the best lessons that I’ve ever had. I’m probably going to never see that guys again. But that’s how it works sometimes. It is so hot up here you can’t even sleep. What ever you are doing you sweat so badly. All the time constantly the humidity kills you. On Saturday we had planned a branch activity and it rained the night before so it was canceled. We were planning on being there pretty much all day. But since it was canceled our day was blank than we had to find a lot of stuff to do. We also got transfer news this week. Turns out I’m leaving. We usually stay in one area for about 6 months, that is how long I’ve been here, but you never really know with president Poulsen. I’m going to Katlehong, in Roodeport. Back in township yahoooooo! No more stinkin' white people to deal with. My new companion will be someone from Madagascar. I’m really excited. Everything is good, Wednesday Ill be going to my new area with my new companion. I love you all. Thanks for everything.
Benjamin
Monday, November 16, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Some pictures
Pop and beef stew and beans, "I eat this a lot"
4th of July celebration
The Great Baubab Tree
Me and the Great Baubab Tree
My Trainer Elder Redd
Elder Kogo (my last companion)
Eric and Pineo's baptism
MTC Group
November 1, 2009
Well first of all I'm very sorry for last week. The computer decided to stop working. So I didn't have time to send off the last big email that every one reads. But hopefully today I'll get through the whole thing without a hitch.
First of all I'll try to fill you in on last week that you missed. I kind of had my life threatened. Elder Ehrenzeller and I were talking to some guys and then he left to the car to grab some pamphlets, and it was just me and this guy. He then says to me "you know I could just kill you and take your car, man that would be easy." Yeah so we just left after that. He didn't kill me so I'm very happy. We went to visit one of our investigators and he was gone but his mother was home. So we talked to her for a few minutes and as we were leaving she asked if we would stay for lunch. We declined because we didn't want to take her food. She said "No it's fine, In our culture we make enough food for a few people in case someone stops by to say hello." Just like we did. So we ate with her and there was plenty for the 3 of us. It's an interesting culture. Another lesson that day was really good. We were teaching a couple outside and in the middle of the lesson a bunch of monkeys started to run around us. In the trees above us too. It was really cool. For Like 5 minutes we watched monkeys. Where else in the world does that happen? One of our investigators gave us a very important piece of information. "If you have to marry an African marry a Venda lady. You can leave for 10 years and she will still be waiting for you. Don't marry a sotho because by the time you get to the gas station she will have another man." Unfortunately that is pretty true. The law of chastity means nothing out here. I ate chicken feet for the fist time. Not a fan its just like eating chicken skin and fat. Not very good, but some people love them.
Okay now to this week. For our P day we decided to do some service. We went to a members house and decided to kill some cockroaches. OH MY GOSH!!!!!! Never again. It was the most disgusting thing I have ever done in my life. The smell, every step you hear the bugs crunching. It was terrible. But we did help the members. That day has been haunting both Elder Ehrenzeller and myself. In our dreams there are cockroaches every where. Every time we see some movement we think its a cockroach. It is driving us crazy. I really hope I never have to do that again. Well we are going to have to. Because it took all day to do their kitchen and we still have another room to tackle. (sigh). Anyway The next day we were in Motupa and one of the members there has a dog named Danger. He is very random. He has bitten me before. He will come up to you like he wants you to pet him, then when you start he bites you, and sometimes he doesn't. But we heard the miraculous story of Dangers life. A few years ago he was hit by a car. And every one thought that he was dead. But there son who was 10 at the time cleaned him up and fed him for 2 months. Put food in his mouth and one day he just woke up. I have never heard of a dog coming out of a coma. It was very interesting. We were talking to a lady named Jossie Reed. I don't know if i have talked about her before. But the other day at her house she called the temple and what goes on in there Bullsh*t. Oh man I was really mad. Any way no one has ever said anything like that before. She is a Seventh Day Adventist, and she believes everything that she reads. Oh well, i think she is justified because she is crazy. We had our zone conference last weekend. Those are always good. I always learn a lot of stuff.
Well I love you all. Thanks for everything. I'll email or at least try next week as usual.
Benjamin
First of all I'll try to fill you in on last week that you missed. I kind of had my life threatened. Elder Ehrenzeller and I were talking to some guys and then he left to the car to grab some pamphlets, and it was just me and this guy. He then says to me "you know I could just kill you and take your car, man that would be easy." Yeah so we just left after that. He didn't kill me so I'm very happy. We went to visit one of our investigators and he was gone but his mother was home. So we talked to her for a few minutes and as we were leaving she asked if we would stay for lunch. We declined because we didn't want to take her food. She said "No it's fine, In our culture we make enough food for a few people in case someone stops by to say hello." Just like we did. So we ate with her and there was plenty for the 3 of us. It's an interesting culture. Another lesson that day was really good. We were teaching a couple outside and in the middle of the lesson a bunch of monkeys started to run around us. In the trees above us too. It was really cool. For Like 5 minutes we watched monkeys. Where else in the world does that happen? One of our investigators gave us a very important piece of information. "If you have to marry an African marry a Venda lady. You can leave for 10 years and she will still be waiting for you. Don't marry a sotho because by the time you get to the gas station she will have another man." Unfortunately that is pretty true. The law of chastity means nothing out here. I ate chicken feet for the fist time. Not a fan its just like eating chicken skin and fat. Not very good, but some people love them.
Okay now to this week. For our P day we decided to do some service. We went to a members house and decided to kill some cockroaches. OH MY GOSH!!!!!! Never again. It was the most disgusting thing I have ever done in my life. The smell, every step you hear the bugs crunching. It was terrible. But we did help the members. That day has been haunting both Elder Ehrenzeller and myself. In our dreams there are cockroaches every where. Every time we see some movement we think its a cockroach. It is driving us crazy. I really hope I never have to do that again. Well we are going to have to. Because it took all day to do their kitchen and we still have another room to tackle. (sigh). Anyway The next day we were in Motupa and one of the members there has a dog named Danger. He is very random. He has bitten me before. He will come up to you like he wants you to pet him, then when you start he bites you, and sometimes he doesn't. But we heard the miraculous story of Dangers life. A few years ago he was hit by a car. And every one thought that he was dead. But there son who was 10 at the time cleaned him up and fed him for 2 months. Put food in his mouth and one day he just woke up. I have never heard of a dog coming out of a coma. It was very interesting. We were talking to a lady named Jossie Reed. I don't know if i have talked about her before. But the other day at her house she called the temple and what goes on in there Bullsh*t. Oh man I was really mad. Any way no one has ever said anything like that before. She is a Seventh Day Adventist, and she believes everything that she reads. Oh well, i think she is justified because she is crazy. We had our zone conference last weekend. Those are always good. I always learn a lot of stuff.
Well I love you all. Thanks for everything. I'll email or at least try next week as usual.
Benjamin
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