[On 4 December, Elder Kaleb Martin sent the following about where he'll serve the last 6 weeks in the mission field]
Hey, I am headed to Table View! Its an area in the Milnerton ward, here in Cape Town. I am pretty excited, that's where I was hoping I would go. I’ll be with Elder Oveson, a stud convert from Utah who will help me die [finish] strong and I will be District Leader, with Elder Barney and Elder Hixson there in my district.
[And now for today’s letter]
Well, just a few more days now and I will be a normal missionary. I am looking forward to that, but it will also be an interesting adjustment. I am especially going to miss the ability to use my phone to call and SMS any Elder I want whenever I want. That’s been fun. This morning we picked up Elder Dale from the airport, he will be replacing me. I think that he will do a great job. He is very organized and served for 6 months as an AAP [office Elder], so he really knows whats up in the office and in Cape Town, which will be important since his companion knows very little.
In general I am really excited to be just a normal missionary in a dead area with a greenie ablaze with greenie fire, who’s day will be made if we just tract for 6 hours. I have always heard great things about the Milnerton ward and I think it will be a good place to spend Christmas.
Most of the week was spent preparing for the transfers. This transfer is going to be kinda crazy, as we have some unusual things happening. An Elder got a visa to Namibia and is leaving our mission. He leaves on Tuesday. Later that day, everyone being transferred from East London to Cape Town is flying in because all the flights on Wednesday had already been booked because of the Christmas holiday. About an hour later half the new Elders arrive Then a departing senior couple is having dinner with the Woods tomorrow night, which impacts the normal orientation schedule. Then Wednesday morning, the other half of the new Elders arrive in CT from the Provo MTC. Its a little crazy.
I had the privilege of confirming Brother Zizi a member of the Church yesterday. He already has the gospel library app on his new tablet. He is going to do awesome. His wife said some really nice things on Saturday and even bought me a departing gift that surprised me a little... a pair of Bluetooth connective speakers. I guess I can use that at home.
I was on exchanges with Elder Myende the day the news broke of Mandela’s death. It’s sad, but he has been I think basically a vegetable for a long time. So far nothing that crazy has happened, although it would be pretty interesting to be in Mthatha this weekend when Presidents Obama, Zuma, Will Smith and probably every other famous black person flies in for the funeral. All the public TV stations have been airing like non-stop coverage of him and his life, it want to read his autobiography when I get home.
One thing that has kinda hit me is that there are a lot of missionaries I won’t see again. I really hope Elder Nkosi is someplace we can visit him when Mom and Dad pick me up. I think that is going to be pretty sad, saying goodbye to all my South African friends. Elder Nkosi had me send him via email all my contact info, so maybe he is having a little anxiety about it as well.
Anyway, well love you all, have a great week!
-Elder Martin
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