Interesting...

Hello everyone!

Things in the area are a little interesting. They haven’t been teaching a lot of people, really like 2 or 3. One of those is a guy named Matthew who should be getting baptized on the 19th of this month. He is a little interesting, but he has a sincere testimony and have given up a lot of friends for the gospel, so I am confident that he is ready for baptism. He asked Elder Swenson last night to baptize him, which I was nice cause I know that made Elder Swenson really happy.

Fortunately elder Grobler took us around that night before he left to a couple of student resident building where former or potential investigators live, and we have been kinda starting from there. We have found a good number of new investigators and had the opportunity to teach a lot. One problem is its pretty far from the church, so its going to be bit of a challenge to help those people get to church. There aren’t a lot of members on that side either. I did get to know one girl, like the only active YSA going to that particular university, named Sinethemba. She is like a freshman, with a powerful testimony and a great fellowshipper, so I think we will be using her a lot. There was one girl we found and taught named Anita who seems to be pretty promising who lives in the floor below Sinethemba, she was supposed to come to church with Sinethemba yesterday but something came up. Hopefully we can get her to come next week.

Sunday was really good, I got to be in the circle to confirm Tina a member (Bishop confirmed her). I can already see a lot of changes in her (partially because she has like a weave-hair thing now) and she was tearing up when she was being confirmed as well. 

In priesthood, Bishop and the Elders Quroum President shared the stake/ward goal to split, or to make a 4th East London ward by next July. They are also trying to split the East London Stake. It certainly made me feel more urgency in the missionary work after hearing more about what its going to take. Bishop Van Heerden is a  pretty awesome Bishop, I think he is like 28 and has been a bishop for like 4 or 5 years, and he knows how to get things done. We also had a DA with the new Stake Patriarch last night. He is kinda intense, but he is also really powerful.

Transfers were good for the East London Zone. Elder Myende from my transfer and Elder Sheward from the one below mine are now here. Elder Sheward was in Port Elizabeth Zone with me but out in a remote area, but I have talked with him before and is a really nice guy (from New Zealand) and Myende is sweet too, so I think we will have a good time. Elder Khoni is also in the zone, but out in Grahmstown, but I am excited to see him at Zone Conference.

Elder Hama’s greenie is named Elder Madsen, from Pleasant Grove. He came from the Provo MTC cause the Joburg MTC has been closed for renovations or something. So he is kinda jet lagged, but he seems like a sweet kid. I think he is taking  alittle time to get used to some of Elder Hama’s antics. I am glad me and Elder Hama are friends now. Its funny, Elder Hama would always call me “companion”, so sometimes when he is calling his knew companion companion I’ll try to respond and sometimes when he is talking to me he will call me companion. Its kinda funny.

Yeah, the driving is a little interesting. I have driven a little before, so the whole wrong side of the road thing I am pretty used to now, I usually don’t have to think about it. But our area includes like down town East London, so really its just the more urban driving environment that has been interesting—its not like moscow. But prayers for safety will be appreciated.

Well, thats about all I have to report. Hope you all have a great week!

Love,

Elder Martin