Elder Kaden Smith

On the way to visit an investigator. I think it'd be cool if Roland painted this.

Crazy fog in mid-day. Notice the power pole about 10 m behind us.

Just a guy eating in a tree.

Hey everyone! It's crazy how time flies. It's now been a month in the mission Aug 25-Sept 25. Time flies when you're having fun and on the lord's errand. Elder Zongoro and I confirmed Pamela and Iwe as members yesterday and that was a great experience. We also committed another four to baptism next of this Sunday. (2 sundays from now) That'll be great to continue growing the branch. 

Elder Zongoro is a great trainer and it's fun being in his district. Elder Hernandez is probably one of my best buddies. Because he's from Mexico we can relate with a lot of stuff and it's fun because we like studying similar topics from the gospel so we study before bed a lot. Elder Faingata'a is still the funny guy in the boarding. He's got such a unique personality and is a fun guy to be around. 

Much of my personal studies have been focused on the temple and pondering the ordinances therein. I've learned so much from the scriptures and I encourage you if you can go to the temple regularly, do it. There is so much learning and power and goodness that will come to your life. Then study all you can about it because there is so much to learn from the scriptures. 

Driving is going well, no accidents yet. Although I'm nervous because I need to try to have my area (about 3 hrs driving across in all directions) learned for exchanges next week. I'm having trouble remembering where everyone lives. I also have a weakness with tracting door to door. It's definitely one of my weak areas and like this past week, where we didn't have fellowshippers with us, we tracted for about 8 hrs. Please keep me and my companion in your prayers that we can find more people to grow the branch. We want to make it a ward but the retention of recent converts is hard. 

The meals in Mthatha Manor are very predictable now, if we had pasta for lunch and chicken for dinner, the following day will be chicken for lunch and pasta for dinner haha. With a small assortment of rice or potatoes. It's been fun cooking but there's only so many ways to cook rice, potatoes, chicken and pasta, so if you have any fun recipes send them my way. Note though that Cheese and other dairy products are expensive and hard to find. 

I hope all is well in the states. Keep me and my companion and especially the people of Mthatha in your prayers. The area needs it. 

Well one month by and a lot more to go!!

Love and Care from Mthatha, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Elder Smith

Our district - the best district