Elder Kaden Smith: October 3, 2016

Hello everyone from Mthatha!

The weeks are flying here in Mthatha. We've been doing a lot of contacting referrals lately and tracting but the best part is we have 5 prospective baptisms this coming Sunday and another in two weeks! The work is progressing but it's slow and it really has to be worked for. I'm sad I won't get to watch conference until this coming Saturday and Sunday because we're so far away we have to watch it tape delay -- so don't give anything away haha!

The area is really big and I'm still trying to learn it. It's amazing to see how humble the people are here. One thing that still gets to me is how grateful all of the kids are. Many times when they pray they thank heavenly father for money to catch a taxi to get to church, or the fact that their parents got paid, they have food, or they have a blanket to stay warm. I really think we take a lot for granted in the United States a lot of things but we really need to be thankful for the little things that we have that many of these people don't. We went to an old Mama's house and we offered to help with the dishes because we noticed there was a lot and she said it was ok but I felt the water and it was freezing and we asked her if she wanted us to boil some water but she didn't have enough money for gas for her stove. Yet these people are still happy with a roof over their head, the gospel, and their families.

I'm still struggling with Xhosa but I've picked up a few words,

Tata (for an old man)

Mama (for an old lady)

Bhuti (pronounced booty- means brother)

Sissi (pronounced sissy- means sister)

Tsotsi (pronounced toe-t-zee - means thug or gangster or the people who rob you)

Mholoweni (Means how are you)

Ndi pilile en kosi (I'm good and you)

en kosi gukulu (thank you so much)

umbuso (question)

tandazai (prayer)

These words don't use clicks, which is why i can say them, but man the different clicks for Q, X, C, and K are hard to get used to, especially when people talk really really really fast.

But aside from all of that the work is going well and all is well here. Keep praying for the area that their hearts may be softened so the work can go forward. There are a lot of Born Agains that are "saved" and don't want to hear our message, it'd be nice to teach them because they are very nice people. Hopefully soon (within the next two years) Mthatha Branch will be a ward, we just need more active Priesthood holders and members that regularly come.

But

"The Standard of Truth has been erected [in South Africa]. No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing [here in Mthatha]. Persecutions may rage, mobs [and tsotsis] may combine, armies may assemble and calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent,

'Till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime [of the Cape Town Mission], swept every country [in Africa], and sounded in every ear, 'till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the great Jehovah shall say, the work is done."

- Joseph Smith Jr.

the Wentworth Letter

Until next week, Elder Smith