Finally - Some new posts(#2)

I have survived another transfer! I can't believe I have been out here for three transfers. I did not get transfered, but my trainer did! So, I have a new companion, Sister Nkohla, from Johannesburg South Africa (yes she is serving a mission in her home mission). But she is great. We work so well together. We will do lots of great work together. I am very excited for this new companionship. She is already a much harder worker than my trainer was! Which is very exciting for me. This week, a lot of amazing things happened. It was a great week. They formed a new ward in Botswana, a singles ward, so we cover two wards now, the family and the singles ward, so we get sacrament meeting twice on Sundays, but it is great. The new bishopric is amazing, and so excited about missionary work, so I am excited to see the singles ward grow, and it will also help to focus on families in the other ward, and also finding families to teach. Yesterday, Sister Nkohla and I got ditched for our last appointment, so we had a little over an hour to find something to do. We were going to check on our investigators who did not make it to church earlier in the day, but then we passed this worship service being held, and we decided to go and check it out. It was just out in this field, in a tent, and some pastor had apparently come from South Africa. It was so interesting to me. There were probably only 30 to 40 people there, but the pastor or "prophet" felt the need to use a microphone, and not only use it but yell into it! Everytime he would start a new thought he would yell, and both sister nkohla and I would jump a little. Not only was he yelling into the mic, but he also had an interpreter following him around, and also yelling into his mic in setswana (the language of botswana). And to add onto the noise, everytime the pastor starting rambling on about something that was supposedly "profound" this other guy would start playing music in the background. It was quite the sight to see. It was very interesting to witness this worship service after attending the service at the true Church of Christ. It was such a difference. This pastor was trying to do all he could to drive the Spirit of God away from his sermon, and he did a very good job, the spirit was no where near the tent! Also, during part of his rambling on about nothing that made any sense, a guy in the front row, starts "speaking in tongues" and raising and lowering his arms. It was so funny. Oh man, so many times I wanted to laugh, but actually most of the time, I just wanted to hand out pass along cards, and invite all of those innocent souls to come and see how the true church worships. They would definitely feel the difference. I was glad I got to experience that. It was a lot of fun to see how others worship, and it made me so grateful to be a member of the only true church on the earth. What a blessing it is not to be confused, and to know where to turn to for peace. I am so grateful for the restored gospel. And seeing these other people worship this way, only made me that much more grateful to be who I am, doing what I am, and I pray each and every person in that sermon will have the opportunity, in this life to experience the Spirit in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Missing Post from Last week

"This week was GREAT! I had such a wonderful birthday present! Our mission president's wife talked President into letting all of the sisters go down to South Africa, to do a session at the temple, and to visit a lion and rhino park! I love her. It was wonderful. So on my birthday, I got to visit a lion and rhino park, and see lots of amazing animals, and got some amazing photos, and I also got to pet baby white tigers! It was a blast. It was a great birthday here in Africa. And then this weekend was general conference, so my birthday week was pretty much the best ever! Wasn't conference great? I realized something though, conference is a totally different experience here on mission. All of you returned missionaries I am sure know what I am talking about. But I'll explain for those who don't know what I am talking about. Normally when I would watch conference I would look for things would benefit me and help me. But this time it was totally different. Don't get me wrong, I learned plenty of things will benefit me, but pretty much the whole time I was thinking about our investigators, just wishing they had been there to hear it, and so grateful for the ones that were there."
"And every talk, for me at least, seemed to apply to my missionary work. I just kept thinking how the talks were given for my different investigators and their needs specifically, and how they were missing it! But not to worry, I will make sure they get a copy of the Ensign. So, this conference experience is one I am sure I will never forget. To me, the underlying message for me was to aim high, to do better, and be better, do all you can to achieve the impossible. For me, that is what I most took away from this conference. It was great. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did, and remeber to heed those promptings you received during conference. Til next time! Love you all and miss you all. Thanks for your prayers in my behalf, they are greatly appreciated.

Oh, and P.S. I want to say congratulations to my wonderful cousin! You know who you are! That is wonderful! I am so happy for you and your family! Love you!"

Sorry for Delay

My internet version was recently upgraded and I can no longer copy and paste from my email to the blogger. As soon as I get it figured out I'll have Ashley's post up. . . . hopefully today.

Part I

This week's email was a little long to make up for last week, so it's in 3 parts, Enjoy!

"This week I learned quite a lot from an investigator we are teaching. Her name is Rebecca Mangisi, she is an older retired lady, late 60s i believe, and we have been teaching her for a while now. She is just amazing. She has gained a testimony of the gospel and the things we have been teaching her. The reason we have been teaching her for so long is because she is, or used to be, a seventh day adventist (meaning she strongly believes the Sabbath day is satruday) and we didn't want to force her to change, but we wanted her to gain that testimony for herself, so we when we explained about the ten commandments and the sabbath day she would accept it because she already has a testimony of the gospel. And that is exactly what happened this past week. She gained that strong testimony of the gospel. She opened her heart and allowed the Spirit to testify of the truthfulness of it, and she came to both sessions of stake conference, and loved them, and she actually ended up asking us about the sabbath day, and said she doesn't have a problem with it anymore. AWESOME."

Part II

"Just what we were praying for! Anyway, the reason I share her story is because this week while were teaching her she said some wonderful things that relaly taught me a lot, and I want to share them with you. They really made me think and recommit myself to living the gospel of Jesus Christ. And I was just amazed at how the Spirit really does the teaching, and I don't do anything....at all. I really don't. But anyway, I wrote down some of the things she said, and from her words, I am sure you all will be able to tell how wonderful this little old lady is. First she said that she realizes that 'the gospel has to change her. Accepting Jesus Christ means changing your life.' She continued to say, 'The gospel should be a part of my life. At church, at home, at the shops, everywhere.' Then a couple days later she said in reference to the scriptures 'I don't want to just study, but I want to live it!' I wish everyone understood these things the way she does. She is completely right, the gospel should change us. When we accept the gospel of Jesus Christ we accept all of it, and that includes repentance which is changing, leaving behind all those sins that we enjoy so much, and changing to become a better, more Christ-like disciple."

Part III

"Also, this gosple shouldn't be just a Sunday affair, or just a Christmas/Easter affair, but it should be including in every part of your life, the way you act, the way you dress, the way you talk, the way you think. If we are true disciples of Jesus Christ we do as King Benjamin said, and learn to control our thoughts, words, and actions. We should stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places! And lastly, what I learned from Rebecca this week is about the importance of applying what you read and study from the scriptures into your daily lives. She realizes that study of the gospel is not enough, but then we need to act. We need to apply what we have learned to our lives, and become better people because of what we have studied. That is so true. so there is some food for thought for you this week. I hope you enjoy the word of Rebecca Mangisi as much as I did. If you really ponder them, you will realize how important these things are that she taught me this week. I am grateful to be here on a mission and to have the opportunity to learn so much about this wonderful gospel. There is no university in the world that will teach you what a mission will teach you. Well, thank you for reading my blog. I hope you all are doing well, and I hope you all listen to general conference this weekend with your spiritual ears and not with your physical ears! Enjoy listening to the apostles and prophets this weekend, I know I will."

A smaller Branch

this weekend i had the opportunity with another sister in the district to go visit a branch here in botswana in the village of Molepolole. It was a great experience. The people in this little branch are wonderful. It was the kind of branches I figured would be here in Africa. They meet in the cafeteria of a school, and have sunday school and other meetings outside. While I speaking during sacrament meeting I could hear chickens outside. It was fun, a real African branch experience. The ward I am serving in is really big, with a nice chapel to meet in, so I was so grateful to get to go and visit this village and the saints there. Their spirits are so strong, and they loved seeing sisters. And afterwards there was a baptism and the entire branch stayed. That is how it should be. They really are a family of saints. It was such a neat experience to see; everyone should get to experience that. Well, that was the highlight of the week. until next week.