Merry Christmas Elder North!

Oh my goodness what a week! Before I get into anything I want to talk about Christmas and how wonderful it really is. I'm so thankful for this time of the year and how it brings everything back into focus, on Christ. And I've really, really needed that lately. It hasn't felt like Christmas at all for me this year, and I wasn't really sure why. I haven't really been in the Christmas spirit and I think a lot of it is because I've been struggling with feeling the spirit. I've kind of been in a dark place, desiring to find the light and to feel happy again, but I just feel numb and like I go through the motions each day. But the Sunday before Christmas is always the best because there's music and the spirit is so strong, and so it was exactly what I needed. We were singing Away in a Manger at the end of sacrament meeting and last verse made me bawl haha. "Be near me Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay. Close by me forever, and love me I pray." I think I've been a little bitter about the way the last 2 months have gone because of my injury but I've pushed those feelings down instead of addressing them and it's caused me to feel this way. I've been pushing Christ and his love away from me instead of letting Him heal me and help me. And I think that's why it hasn't felt like Christmas to me, because I'm forgetting Christ, the whole reason we even have this holiday! In Gospel Doctrine we talked about the Christmas story as it's written in the Bible and the teacher asked why we, as spirits in heaven, would be so happy that Christ was coming to earth when we knew what He would have to go through? It's because while it would be difficult, the end would be worth it. Christ came because He knew that it would be hard, but He would be doing it for our benefit individually, and for that it was worth it. That filled the emptiness that has been controlling me for months now. Christ came for me, why would I push Him away? He suffered exactly what I am going through, why wouldn't I let Him in? After that lesson the youth song "Come Unto Christ" was playing over and over in my head. (If you haven't listened to it, do it. The spirit testifies of Christ's love so strongly) "Come unto Christ, come unto Him, and by his grace be made holy again. He's calling your name, he's waiting for you with arms open wide, Come unto Christ." This Christmas season, I'm so thankful for a loving Savior who welcomes me with open arms and loves me unconditionally, even when I've been pushing Him away.

He made a Christmas tree so that it would feel more like Christmas!

He got a new companion, Elder Adams! They have both been out for 6 months and he says that they get along really well. He said he's definitely his favorite companion so far :) He is excited for the next few weeks with him because even though they have been out the same amount of time, he feels that he will learn a lot from him! They were already friends from his previous area so that helped them to click quickly. "so from the day I got him we went to a lesson and in the middle of teaching we stopped and just sat for a couple seconds and then Adams asked a truly inspired question that really opened up the lesson. its changed from us talking person to person, to us talking spirit to spirit."

"A great experience I had this week was when we got bunked and were deciding what to do when I just kept thinking about xolani an investigator who we have been unable to visit in about 4 weeks because he started working but we decided we should try to see if he was home anyways. When we got there you would never believe it.... he wasn't there.... of course haha its what we expected but what we didn't expect was to find his sister, we talked with her a bit to get to know her and ended up teaching her the restoration, at the end of the lesson we talked about how important prayer is and how we can actually receive an answer from our father in heaven. just like any parent they want to hear from us and are there for us. We invited her to pray right there and then, while she was praying she started crying and laughing all at the same time and the spirit was so strong It was incredible, it was amazing to feel the Savior work through us as missionaries and guide us to those who are ready for us!"

 At a wedding

Gross.

"I really do love you and just want the whole world to know it, ya know? do you ever get the feeling when you just want to almost yelll out and just exclaim ah I love this girl so much!!!! well maybe I am weird but it happens all the time whenver I think back on how much fun we had and how much I love you and how I cant wait to see you again.Christmas is the best! I know you have been struggling with the whole knee thing and I wish I could be there and do more, it hurts, like literally hurts knowing that I cant be there physically but I know its for the better and that you will of course come out on top as always, I look up to you in so many ways, the way you have handled everything that has come your way, sure we may not have handled it perfect but I think we did a pretty dang good job haha better than what most would have. all I can say is what I know. I love you, God loves you, and love according to what they say is all you need, so trust in that love, find strength in that love and push on, always push on just one step at a time."

Traditional women's headdress

So yesterday was the best because I GOT TO SKYPE WITH HIM!! :) His family is seriously the best and invited me over to talk to him. I got up at 6:30 am and drove to their house to be there when he called. When he finally did I got the biggest butterflies and almost wanted to cry! It was amazing to see him and hear his voice, he has a little accent going now haha :) When he saw that I was there his reaction was the cutest thing I've ever seen, I wish I could replay that over and over. He was so talkative and had a lot of stories to tell and words in different languages to say. He bore his testimony for us and said a family prayer, and then his parents let just he and I talk together, which was the greatest thing I could have ever asked for. We talked for 30 minutes but it felt like I blinked and it was over. I miss our long talks and talking about anything and everything like we used to. Ah it was so good to talk to him. Before he hung up we talked about him staying focused on what he is there for. The quote "the more you let go, the more you get back" was what I focused on and I reminded him to let go of home and love the people he is serving because everything will still be here when he gets back. He gets one chance, 18 more months, to live his mission, love it and serve with all he has. He showed me a picture he has of me that says "delay what you WANT for what you NEED" which was the only time I was close to crying while I was talking to him haha. I'm so thankful that I got to talk to him, that made me so happy and I'm so thankful for his family for including me! It was such a blessing. It's crazy that it had been 6 whole months since I had talked to him and seen him. But hey, we're 1/4 of the way done! I'm so proud of him and who he is becoming. He is a blessing to me!

Baptism!

He had a baptism this last week! He was really excited about it :) "Onward ever onward!  This Sunday was incredible, I had a baptism!!! oh my goodness, I have missed the water, as a missionary we don't get to swim, and its summer season here in Africa and I live next to the beach and don't get to swim. So its a little extra incentive to baptize people so you can get into the water... (that's a joke, not the reason why we don't swim or why we get baptisms) so this awesome man Cebo is 15 years old but he acts more like he around 18, really a level headed guy who knows what he wants in life and he is so young! He could make such a great missionary and leader on day! so we have been teaching him for a while and he has really grasped the gospel with two hands and has not let go for even a second! I was honored with the opportunity to perform the baptism with him and dunk him in the water twice. His head didn't go all the way under the first time because he slipped so we had to do it again, not fun because the water was really cold..... He bore a powerful testimony afterward about what he knows to be true, it was short sweet and to the point. just the I like it! So mission isnt about how many people you can dunk in the water or anything like that but more about the love you give and the love you feel but a baptism doesn't hurt :) There is a special feeling at baptisms of just new life beginning and old habits dying and new joy soon coming."

"Pictures of them and cebo. The other man in white with the little girl is 

Thula and his sister Bushla, he baptized her the same day."

He said he had a really great week! He started teaching a new investigator named Darril. While they were teaching him he suddenly was just hit with a wall of happiness! He couldn't stop smiling and he hoped Darril was feeling it to. I loved reading that because that's what the gospel is, it is happiness! While there are some hard times and sadness in life, the gospel brings us light and happiness to get us through those dark times. Mikel has always been the happiest person I know and so he has been a great example of what the gospel brings.

His caption was "trying to be like my brother Jered". He was in Guatemala on his mission and was always sending pictures of creepy little bugs. gross! haha

"GUESS WHAT!!! God lives! and so does his son Jesus! and best of all they love you!!!!

so today was the end of transfers, Elder Sibeko is leaving me and I am getting Elder Adams. Elder Sibeko is a great guy and a fantastic missionary, he is going to go die in his last area only having 3 months left on mission. sometimes when people get close to the end of their mission they get trunky and want to go home and not work, but not this guy, he is to power. We worked really hard in this area and I can look back and say we did all we were supposed to do and all we could do #NoRegrets He was always quick to complement me which is something that I think helped me a lot, to feel like I was actually a good missionary and can do this. I am thankful I got to know him. so now I have had a companion from Zimbabwe, and two from South Africa. Now I get my American buddy/German  So Elder Adams is from the USA but has lived in Germany for the past 5 years. He is in my MTC group meaning we are the same age on mission, he was serving in Bloemfontein which I was able to visit about 2 or 3 times a month while I was in Kimberley so I got to know him pretty well and I love this guy so when I heard the news, I literally flipped, I cant wait to see my brother again! Usually you don't get two young missionaries put together like us. young on mission I mean. we both are only six months out and are serving together! so needless to say I am looking forward to the next couple months :)

Consecration is the only surrender which is also a victory.

I love this scripture in 2 Nephi 33:10

 hearken unto these words and believein Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good."

Him and Sibeko with Alfred, one of the members.

"We had a ward Christmas party which was off the hook crazy, well as crazy as a Mormon party gets that is!  That means there were skits, food, and laughs, and some time to mingle after haha. I really enjoyed it and even us missionaries got to participate. We did the 12 days of Christmas song, I saw some people recording it so I will have to get it from them to send you guys, I think you would get a kick out of it." I would really like to see this video! Haha. 

He got my package!!! I'm so happy because I didn't think he would get it before Christmas. But he said he's waiting until Christmas to open it so that's good :) I'm excited for him to open it! He gets to talk to his family this week and I am so excited for him! It's crazy that it's Christmas on Friday. It sure doesn't feel like it.

In his mass email he mentioned that his mom informed him of an option for those of you who are deciding whether or not to serve a mission, so I thought I would share that here. "My mom informed me of an awesome opportunity you all could have! So if you are trying to decide if a mission is right for you and you arn't really sure.  Maybe your worried about being home or how hard mission life is.  Well I have good news for you! You can go on a mini mission for 6-12 weeks, living and working with the full time missionaries and get to have and experience the joys and rigorous of mission life, you will get to feel the same kind of giddy happiness that I felt as I have taught the "good news" to people in my mission. Then after those 12 weeks you can know for sure if you could handle it and how it is.  So don't delay, call your bishop/Stake Pres. now to start your own mini mission to help you decide if mission is right for you!!......"

His emails to me were so good this week. It's such a blessing to be able to email with him every week, even if it's just for a few minutes. :)

"I am not surprised that you are progressing faster than anyone because you are the most drivin person I know, when you put your mind to anything I know that you can and will do it so I knew that you would progress well and that is why I also know that this isnt going to set you back but push you further as now you have seen life without soccer and what its like not to play and to watch and it will make you work harder and play harder to do better to be stronger! 

Thats actually insane, I dont thing you have ever gone that long in your life, I dont know how youve kept your feet from moving! You are going to feel so much better just by juggling and be more like yourself again! :)

I actually like this companion of mine he has been really good to me and I am going to miss him, I get a new companion tuesday. members sometimes dont like him because they feel he isnt genuine 

thats power, so good to be done with finals I am sure! stressful time!

Of course they would pick you! :) I would ;) haha thats awesome that hopefully you were able to be a light to her, ah I miss utah and just the temple and all of the snow and haha everything. Im sure there reception was super cute, ah my heart achs it misses you when I read about how happy they are it makes me just long to be with you and to smile like I did then, to feel like I did when I was with you, yes I am happy and feel good but there is a definte hole the is missing something and its you! one day!"

Amanzimtoti is a beautiful place!

"In Margate for a meeting then went for some grub at the beach, 

from left to right. Kaitoo, Dean, Knight, Hamilton, Me, Sibeko"

There are so many people we know who are getting married lately... which is kind of scary and weird but at the same time I can't help but think about getting married myself! Obviously it's a little while away but I've been thinking about it, and honestly the only person I can see myself with is him. And I wouldn't want it any other way.

"dont like them, love them! you are the bestest girlfriend ever, I mean you make it so easy to want to marry you haha. all this talk about jered and his girl and the girl on your team has just made me in a marry mood haha (marry as in happy and as in like make you stuck with me forever)

read 1st john 4:18 first two sentences. (There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear) I love you and that is why even though I dont know what he future holds and I know there will be struggles and life is tough and all I dont fear, and its because I love you I am not afraid to say I want to marry you and be with you. :)

but its so true because I was thinking so much about the logistics behind it and how am I going to make things work but as soon as i just thought no I love her and thats the truth then the fears settled as I knew we would climb them together, Yes it will still be hectic and hard and scary but at the same time I am not afraid with you by my side, with you I know I am stronger and can get through anything"

Roller Coaster

It's finals week, so this post has definitely been pushed to the back burner. BUT this week was probably the best ever because I actually got to email back and forth with him!! It's probably been at least a month and a half since we've done that, and it was so good and refreshing to be able to do that.

He started his mass email with asking where November went... and I was thinking the same thing because wow that flew by! My first semester of college is officially over! Crazy crazy. But with December comes Christmas!! I liked in his email how he said that in Spanish mas means more so when we read Christmas it means more Christ! How perfect that is for this time of the year. Christ is truly the reason for the season. He shared a short testimony about this: "I know with all my heart that the son of God, Jesus Christ, the way of truth and light, came to earth, just as you and I have. Unlike you and I He did something extraordinary. He gave us this incredible gift I have hinted to. He suffered, bleed and died for us. through Him we may return to Heaven with Him. I know it to be true! Guess what, SO CAN YOU!!! I encourage you during this time of Christ-mas to find out who He is to you."

This is Jude the crab we caught. We like catching crabs... he is so cute :) I tried to feed him my cheerios. 

Elder Sibeko thought that the crab looked quite tasty.

"Mission life has been pretty great here in Amanzimtoti. Love is the key, they are the door. If you want them to open up to you, Love them. You need to key to open the door. When you love the people you meet on mission your mission becomes something else entirely. When you gain a love for the people you serve your whole attitude changes, you begin to have a new found source of strength and energy to get you out knocking doors, talking to people. You love them and want the best for them. We know that the gospel truly is the best thing for everyone and that's what pushes us to go from door to door, gate to gate, after rejection again and again. If you dont love the people you will not love your mission I can promise you that. I am thankful that the people her in Toti have made it so easy for me to fall in love with them. Loving them makes every day a good day!"

drawing and picture from his sister Taylynne. He always made weird faces in his yearbook pictures so she wanted to keep the tradition going :)

His lessons have been going well, they have a baptism scheduled for next week! It is for a 16 year old boy named Cebo (the c is a click sound). He has loved seeing his understanding and testimony grow as they have taught him the gospel.

He doesn't really like his companion all that much but he has learned to deal with it and to be happy regardless. It's sad because even the members of their ward don't like his companion :( But he sounds like he's doing well otherwise and is happy!

Went to a less-active members house that was actually abandoned and found this cool little mermaid painting.

I wish I could say that things have gotten better for me, but they haven't really so I was venting to him about it in my email last week about feeling lonely and sad. he was so sweet and I loved what he said in response: 

"being lonely is the worst thing ever. That is why I got into that whole shenanigans with bre, I missed being in a relationship I missed the feeling of thinking I wasn't alone, the feeling of someone telling me they were there constantly and just enjoying doing stuff, but the feeling of loneliness led me into a huge mistake where me and Bre really didn't have real feelings for eachother, I cant really say it was a mistake because its what led us to be best friends. but anyways it sucked being lonely, but sometimes we need to endure. sometimes life sucks and is tough, we just need to be tougher. and I know you are. I think back of the fault in our stars, I am on a roller coaster that only goes up. I think we past that part of the roller coaster and we are on that down hill. but you need that down hill to enjoy the rest of the ride. does that make any sense? on a roller coaster we go up up up for a long time then everything seemingly all at once just goes down hill and seems like its going to crash but just at the last second and the brink of it all we are raised up and then begin to enjoy the rest of the ride. Life i think is similar, we had our up and maybe this is the down so that we can get trough the rest of the ride together. If a roller coaster never had its down you would never gain the speed (strength) to make it through the rest of the ride. Its essential but sucks. as I always say Life is tough but its meant to be and when we step back and thank God we realize what we have to be happy about. I love you babe and we will get through this together, no matter how alone you feel, You are not! I am here, always and always."

It really has been a rollercoaster since I got hurt. So many ups and downs, not just recovery wise but socially and in school as well. But if we don't have the hard times we can never truly enjoy the good ones :)

 "We are having a nice Braai my killer pork chops are to die for"

Elder Kaitoo

I decided that I wanted to start asking him questions every week that both of us would answer so that our emails would be more interesting and we would still be learning things about each other :) So this weeks question was: What are your short term goals, in the coming weeks and months? What are your long term goals, 1 year, 5 years, 10 years? 

"Eish babe haha well goals have never been my thing, I am starting to try and be a more goal oriented person because I have seen the effects there of and it is something I really admire and love about you is how goal driven you are. so short term goals, right now I am trying to be more patient and not get upset and argue over little things, You know how I am and if I have an opinion on something I say it, I am not very patient when it comes to that kind of stuff so I will be working on that. 1 yr, well I hope to be able look back and see a change in myself, right now yes I have learned a lot and changed a little but not much, I am still the same guy with the same faults and I hope to be able to feel like I have grown not just in intellect and understanding but in who I am. I also have a goal to find my reason for being in each area I serve, who I am there to find or what it may be. I also have a goal to Love everyone I meet, which is difficult, I am not a nice guy so hopefully that can change a bit. I do love the people here, but I want to love every single one of them. I want to in a years time have read D&C, pearl of great price, JSH, and have a better understanding of the new testament. I would like to become a better teacher by asking more questions in my lessons. haha I dont really know what else my goals are for the next year. 

the next 5 years would be to come home from mish and to get married haha go to school, be financially independent, have a job, know for surety my career pathway. and I may want a child by then. ah man this is hard I am not sure. maybe Ill know more next week. be in my last year of schooling or something like that. Revisit my mission with you my wife. 

10 years, Have a family, have a solid career, have a cute little home, to continue with soccer in some aspect, I dont really know besides that, I know I want to be able to provide for a family and I want a family and those are the two most important things to me, anything else is just sugar on top."

Welcome Home Elder North!

Mikel's little brother Zane :)

His older brother, Jered, came home from his mission in Guatemala last week. So naturally, they made a sign of Mikel's face and I got to keep it hahah.

"sometimes I wish dreams were reality. not seeing you is so hard. I miss you so much, just last night I was talking a bout you telling my companion about some of the dates we have gone on and just how much fun we had and how we went to the temple together and how we grew together and just how I would love to be with you forever and how weird it is to think that and I am so young but how true it is and just how much I love you and never want to let you go again and how much I cant wait to see you and how hard it was at first and still is and we just talked and talked, well, I just talked and talked haha also about you being just so amazing at soccer and the work you had to put in to get to where you are at today and how incredible that is and how much of an insperation that is to me and well everyone and ah I just love you okay! haha reading emails from amber makes me miss you because she is just falling in love with this boy and it reminds me of us and how we used to be and how giddly we used to get over everything and I just miss cuddling and holding your hand but most of all just being able to hear you and look into your eyes and see you and feel the pain you are going trough and be able to atleast be physically there for support and now I am so far and it sucks and is hard and I dont know what to do to make things better ever and I wish I was better and emails and letters and being interesting but anyways wow that was a lot and I havnt reread any of it to make sure it makes sense haha so oh well. anyways ya sounds like a great dream, I love you!!!!!! haha.

Love,

Elder North"