Hello everyone! I did get some email time today, the fact that the temple is closed has positively affected the number of times I have been able to email. In an hour, my district is getting to go out on splits with elders in the Joburg mission, and I heard we are going to Soweto, the big township, but that could just be a rumor. I am very excited. Classes have been going well, and our lessons with our progressing "investigators" (who look very much like our teachers) have been going well.
Some of the companionships are starting to get a little strained, and I think a big part of that is that the whites don't listen to the black companions as much as they should because they are quieter, and then the Africans get mad. But the Africans, I would say, are the better missionaries, as they know the scriptures better and have more experience with missionaries. Me and Elder Govindasamy (he is the Indian one in the pictures) have had some tense moments as well, mostly brought on by his desire to Bible-bash our investigators into submission. I think he comes from an area with a lot of Evangelical Christian types were Bible-bashing is probably really easy to do, and he always says we need to provide the investigator with a biblical foundation so when they go to their pastors they know what we say is in the Bible, but I think it is often unnecessary, and bores the investigator. I hope most of south africa is not like that, but I guess we will find out. Regardless, we are making it work, despite our differences.
I also had my first experience with South African racism this week. I have been running every morning with Elder Mholo and sometimes Elder Khoni (my favorite) and that has been super nice. But yesterday we were running, and Elder Khoni was having some shin split problems, so we stopped on the curb for him to stretch. I kinda walked ahead for a second. We weren't there for more then like two minutes when some big white guy (they call them Boers) comes up to the fence, which we were like 25 feet away from, with his two huge guard dogs, a leash in both hands, and just let them bark at us till we started moving again. What a tool! I was pretty put off, but Elder Khoni and Elder Mholo were just like thats how it is here sometimes, TIA. It is funny to hear them impersonate racist Afrikaners though.
Thank you for the prayers, I certainly need them. I am feeling my teaching ability improve, and I think my scriptural knowledge is improving as well, though I fear it will be a while till I can really teach out of the scriptures with ease. The days go fast here, but it also seems like I have been here forever. Elder Terrry, one of the Americans, was commenting at lunch the other day that he feels like this is where he has always been, here in the MTC, and that we are the only people he knows. Its kinda true, its weird to think I have only been here like a week.
We had what was called TRC yesterday when "investigators" come and we teach them. They were all clearly members, which made it feel silly, cause they did not try hard to disguise their identities, and there were some cute girls who came in, which of course put the MTC into an uproar. It was kinda funny. Simple things are exciting here in Spirit Prison.
And to answer your questions about what we do, our day consists of classes on how to teach and what to teach, practicing teaching, study times, and some free time. There is a game called fingerboard that is a lot of fun that we play after meals.
Anyway, I'll email Sky now. Love you all!
-Elder Martin
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