Soccer Match!
Nelson Mandela sign
His email to me this week was full of reminiscing on our adventures and memories, and one of my favorite things he said was "memories are the molecules of eternity." That was a really cool thought to me, I'm not sure why. I'm grateful for the memories I have with him because I love looking back at how much we've grown in the last year and a half together, and I'm excited to see how much more we'll grow the next 2.
"I was really missing you"
Some strange shrubbery there...
In his letter home he talked about how a mission is like a rollercoaster, there are so many ups and downs. He taught a few members in shanties (small huts) where the whole house was smaller than his room at home, and he said that was such a humbling experience. We are so blessed with what we have! He said they are some of the nicest, most caring and giving people you will ever meet. It would be cool to go back with him someday to meet those people. The sacrifices that the members make there are amazing. Some of them have to walk miles to get to church, have 6 families to home teach and callings on top of that but are always giving and loving with open arms. Those people are the kind of person I hope to be like.
He is learning how to greet in Tswana and Zulu, and greeting in Afrikaans is just like English. He said that the most common languages in Kimberly are Tswana and Afrikaans, but he likes Zulu the best. (Before he left, he was so excited that he might get to learn Zulu because it has clicks in it, so that might be why:)
A flamingo lake!
A youth named Bux that likes to work with the Elders.
He had me read an article by Richard G Scott called "Honor the Priesthood and Use It Well!" and then I loved what he said in his letter home about the priesthood: "I’ve learned a lot about honoring the priesthood which I hold. I had the opportunity to give three blessings this week, two of comfort for an audition and one for healing. It’s cool being a missionary because people come to you with their problems and seek comfort from you. I have always like being someone people can go to for help and now they do and I love being able to help in whatever way possible." I'm so grateful that he is a worthy priesthood holder who truly uses it well.
He also had me read Doctrine and Covenants 6, and that was a direct answer to my prayers. One of my favorite parts was verses 22-23: "22: Verily, verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know the truth of these things. 23: Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?" I was really struggling and missing him last night and the part where it says "cast your mind upon the night you cried unto me in your heart" was like it just read my mind, because I spend every night just pouring my heart out to Heavenly Father about him and I have received a witness and peace in my mind that he is doing the right thing! So much good is going to come out of this.
I found so much comfort this week in his email to me. I talked to him about what I'm wanting to major in and if I should do a double major or not, how scared I really am to move out and other things going on in my life. And it gave me so much peace to know that he's still my best friend and I really can talk to him about anything and everything still, even when he's thousands of miles away and might take a week or so to respond. :) I'm also grateful for the comfort that I find in the prayers I have had answered through him each week. I love the gospel and I love him and I'm so excited for what the future has in store.
"It amazes me that most the things I wanted to say to you, you said. Like going to the temple is one of the things I miss most becasue there was something about you there that I just cant explain, You talked about preparing to be married for eternity and that was a huge thing on my mind the past couple days. I wrote you a letter that ill send today that talks about this but I was reading my patriarchal blessing and it helped comfort me so much in knowing why im here and what im doing, and who im becoming. I know that I am here to become the Loving Husband you need, the caring father our future children will need and the strong priesthood leader the Lord needs me to be. You talked about all those things and its just so great to hear that we are both thinking of the same thing haha. I know that this time will be short in the aspect of eternity with you!!!
Ive had some good and bad days, I honestly can say leaving you has been the hardest thing i have ever done in my life! but being out on mission is such an experience and man do you learn a lot! Im so excited to one day when we get old together to go serve a couples mission and have these memories together! I just think about how great mission will be with my best friend and love of my life with me!
With all my hear might mind and strength, I love you always
Elder Mookie"
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