August 13, 2018

This week has been a lot of wrapping up. 

Monday we went on a self tour of the Albany Museum and ran a few errands. 

Tuesday was a normal day, but wednesday I went to PE for exchanges with Elder Warren. Wow we had a good time. Worked hard and had fun. Found some good people to teach too. It's good to have him in the zone. Thursday we had interviews with President Lebethoa and then I went on splits with Elder Shaw in Cleary. We were able to do some nice tracting that side to try and find some people. That night we all went and got really nice ribs.

Friday was the highlight, it was my last zone conference........ crazy. The training was really nice. I also got to meet another Elder from St. George who just came in. He was good friends with Marshall. I had to bear my testimony........ that was sad.... I remember my first zone conference seeing people do that and I thought it was so far away. 

Saturday we had a nice dinner appointment with Brother Alan and his friend Matthew. Sunday was my last in South Africa, it's crazy. 

Well mission has been the best and the hardest two years. I've learned a lot but i think more than converting those we teach we end up converting ourselves as missionaries. The reward is worth it. Can't wait to see you all soon! South Africa, ndiyakuthanda kakhulu. 

Elder Smith out....... 

August 6, 2018

Elder Mofokeng and I have been trying to work hard this past week in spite that we both may be leaving Grahamstown..... it is yet to be told.....

This past week we almost finished the ward list (updating and checking records and people's information) It's taken a while but it's good to have it almost done, we'll be able to give that to the branch to have.  

This week started out with our last tour with Brother Alan and then a second to finial DA during the week. He came and bore his testimony on Sunday which was great.

This week I got a haircut too, shorter than normal but I kind of like it. Feels good. 

Mission has had a lot of ups and downs but I'm looking forward to this coming week... zone conference, interviews, and exchanges. A lot of good stuff in store. Can't wait to see you all soon!

until the Next...... and last 

Elder Smith 

July 30, 2018

Well for the weekly

This week was alright..... although i've had some great days and some not so great...

Monday of course we were on a tour with bro alan. We had a good FHE with the Kewuti's too. 

Tuesday.... kind of the slums of the week..... got bit by a dog on the ankle....... that didn't feel too good....

We still have our car which has made it nice still... we'll see what happens this week. Wednesday through Saturday we were working on the ward list to try and get it all up to date...... It's a little bit behind. 

We're still trying to find solid people..... they are hard to come by; the biggest challenge most face is getting to church. It's good to have most of the Rhodes students back though. Hopefully in these last two real work weeks we will be able to have some good appointments with them. 

Saturday evening, Sister Audrey and her husband Chris had us over for a nice Braai. We had everything from warthog steaks to bacon wrapped cherries....... wow....... they are an amazing couple. I'll miss them a lot. 

Sunday was nice. Church was good.... pretty decent amount of people there too. The third hour combined 5th Sunday lesson turned into a 4th hour block discussing how the church does funerals... it's kind of a challenge and misunderstanding here sometimes. 

Today we went on our last (probably) tour with brother Alan, we visited the College of the Transfiguration (the only Anglican Priest Training College in SA), the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (the only in SA) and the South African Library for the Blind (again, the only in SA)

We were taken on nice tours of the three facilities. Pretty cool stuff...... 

Well until the next week #17

Elder Smith

July 23, 2018

Well for the weekly

Hello everyone, another week down,.... crazy

Time is going so fast. 23 months tomorrow....... 24 more days

This past week was a lot of work and staying busy, the transport fund hasn't come in so we're still using the car a bit. We've been having a lot of success with some of our less actives. We were able to get several of them to church. We've also found a pretty good investigator named luthando. 

I also got over my Stomach flu and strep throat which was nice.

We were in KMG on Friday again for district meeting and I was able to see some more people from when i was there. A lot changes in just 1 year since I was there....... crazy. 

We went on a tour again this morning with brother Alan, he took us on a tour of the 3 major Anglican boarding schools, it's the second best school in SA too. 

Sorry for the short email..... time is of the essence.... so is mission.......

Love you all, see you in a few

July 16, 2018

so........ this week started off by finishing painting at sister anelisa's house and then going to Bro. Alan's to wash his windows..... by climbing like a 20 ft ladder haha. Fun stuff. After our email was interrupted by no wifi at the chapel which was disappointing so we had to spend big bucks at a internet cafe

Tuesday-Friday were normal days although sicknesses have had the best of me this week

Wednesday after breakfast my stomach kind of felt upset. Later I developed rounds of high fever, chills and then headache. 

Thursday morning I woke up, puked, and then had the worst stomach ache and cramps of my life, thank heavens those are over. 

Friday things were on the downhill which was exciting but you've got to love sicknesses..........

Saturday I woke up with Strep. Yup. Fun......

Anyway, Saturday we went to the funeral for Sis Anelisa's boyfriend..... at the Ethiopian Orthodox church haha. The preaching was pretty funny but the singing and dancing was nice... overall nice funeral though. A lot of us members were helping out in the kitchen, it was fun though. 

Sunday was average, sacrament meeting attendance was 25..... still on the increase but hopefully it'll improve.... maybe.

Today we went on another brother alan tour, this time of the Cathedral of St. George and St. Michael (anglican) and the Methodist church. They were both beautiful buildings. Cool stuff, I just wish i had got to play the organs lol.

Well

Until the next week, 

Elder Smith

Monday July 9, 2018

Another busy week, things will be changing soon as soon as we stop using the car, the area will be relocating them sometime in the future so we'll see how it goes.

We've been having some struggles with the work as far as appointments falling through and getting solid investigators but hopefully that'll change sometime.

Friday was one of the best days ever, we were in KwaMagxaki for our district meeting and I was in charge of getting the keys from bishop philip. When I was there I was able to see 2 of my recent (well no longer recent) converts from when I was there with Elder Milne and Reedy. Zuko is doing well and so is Kanyiso. Kanyiso surprised me by telling me he only has his immunizations before he can turn in his mission papers! His sister is even getting baptised that we started teaching this coming Sunday...... cool stuff.

The chapel (as always) was having internet issues so we are at another shop that is quite expensive so until the next week!

Elder Smith

July 2, 2018

This week has been a lot of travels

Monday was good, we went down to Port Alfred to get an update on how the work is going that side. We had a nice DA there with one of the ward missionaries. 

Tuesday was a normal day but with a lot of drops, still trying to get more investigators..... 

Wednesday we drove down halfway to PE to meet the zone leaders for an exchange. I picked up Elder Collett, he's a great elder. We had a really fun time together and got along well... I only got lost once in the area........ luckily. I even got a Dr. Pepper............... :) Elder Cole found them in PE and I ordered one haha

Thursday we got up early to drive to PE for interviews....... needless to say, it turned into a sightseeing tour. We saw giraffes, several types of deer/bok/kudu etc., wildebeest, zebra, and best of all- rhinos, WITH their horns, 5 of them. That was way cool. Anyway, got to PE, had lunch with the zone leaders, 

Following that we had interviews with President Lebethoa. Much needed. And following that we went proselyting/splits with the Motherwell elders. I was with Elder Dicarolo from Italy, he's a way cool guy. In the evening we played guitars together. 

Friday was Zone Conference and was really nice. President Lebethoa could be a good stand up comedian but you'd have to be a missionary to get the jokes. We might be losing the car,......... the area is relocating and decreasing the number of vehicles....... so we'll see what that brings. Following zone conference I renewed my temple recommend. In the evening we drove back to Grahamstown.

Saturday and Sunday were normal.

Today was nice although the city was without power for a chunk of the day.... we went on a 5 hour walking tour with Bro. Alan and he showed us everything from his old age home to getting to meet the senior magistrate at the court haha......... Bro. Alan really has some odd hook ups. Afterwards he made us some microwave dinners in the short span of electricity we had......... nice stuff. Reminded me of Grandma Reeder's house.

Well, another week........ Time is going

Elder Smith