Last Week with Elder Adams

Elder Adams is getting transferred which Mikel is pretty sad about, but he's excited that he gets to stay in Amanzimtoti for another few weeks! "So this week is transfer week and we got the call on Saturday telling us that  the news is..............

Elder Adams is going and I am staying, not necessarily what I expected but not necessarily bad news, I love some of the families here in Toti and I am blessed to stay with them for at least another six weeks which will have in store many memories of that I am sure!

So Elder Adams is moving to Umlazi, it is about ten minutes away so I will still see him often and probably on Mondays a lot. Umlazi is a very dangerous area and the missionaries get robbed quite frequent so he is pretty scared being the scrawny guy he is.

It's sad to see Elder Adams leaving because he has been such a great companion to me, it made me take a step back and remember how it felt leaving home and all of my friends which wasn't all in all good but you know, you can't help but think about home every now and then haha. I have really learned a lot from him and maybe one day I can be close to the kind of man he is. I have learned that you can be bold and straight forward as long as you have love, with love you can never be over bearing. I have learned how important it is to rely on the spirit in a lesson, yes you can have good lessons by just teaching what you know to be true, but when the spirit is the one teaching, you then have a great lesson. He is a dedicated and hard working missionary who is always looking for ways to improve himself and do more. I sure am going to miss him and wish him all the best in his new area with his new companion." I would love to meet Elder Adams one day, it really sounds like Mikel likes him a lot. He told me in our email that when he heard that Adams was getting transferred it was like he was leaving me all over again and it was really hard for him. It's hard for me to remember when he left too because my best friend was leaving me so that was really hard. But he's really excited to be getting his new companion! "I will be getting Elder Rakotomalala who is of course from Madagascar! I am stoked, he is only 4 and a half months on mission and this is his second area. His English from what I hear from people isn't that great, but when he teaches, it is profound and powerful. I have met him just a few times when I was in Bloemfontein. He seemed like a very humble guy full of smiles. I am super excited to get to know him and laugh and learn and grow. Its going to be an awesome six weeks with this guy, I just gotta feeling! :)"

"Our ward soccer team!  I usually play defense but these pictures 

are from the second game and I played goalie."

"Elder Adams and I had the opportunity to come up with the new ward mission plan. We focused on unity, and temples as our plan. we believe that if we have the ward unified and a feeling of unity in the ward, when we bring investigators to church they will feel it, see it, and love and want to be apart of it. but its not an easy task and starts from the small and simple things that we all can do to improve our wards. also we made it a goal for everyone to hold a temple recommend even if they are unable to go to the temple because of financial circumstances. there is a lot more we talked about but those were some of the major points that I really loved and think that everyone can and should do :) we have no control on the actions of others, its their agency, their choice, a God given gift to make up our own minds. we can not impose on that, all we can do is change ourselves and be and example and invite others to follow the example set by our Savior."

"Elder Adams being cute"

"So an awesome thing happened last week! Illovu became a branch and got a segment in Mormon news room so I'll attach the link.

http://www.mormonnewsroom.co.za/article/dedicated-saints-in-ilovu-receive-answer-to-prayers

I know Sister Lembede very well and have been able to visit her in the past and got to be around illovu a couple times. It's right next to Toti, and the two missionaries you see in that picture are sitting right next to me right now! It is cool to be apart of this work that is actually making real changes! POWER!

Quiniso came to church! I dont know how much I have talked about Quiniso (pallet click for the Q) but he is a power dude, He has some issues and has had a very rough background and family life. He came to church again for the first time in like three weeks and it was super exciting, we have been meeting with him twice a week for a while and he has progressed a ton and really wants to change and be a good kid. He is 19 years old I believe and just awesome and funny! I hope he will be getting baptized in 3 weeks! I would very much enjoy that. oh yes yes yes :)"

McDonald's delivers in South Africa..

Mikel's mom forwarded me a special little email she got this week and it was awesome! :)

"Hi Sister North, 

My name is Tish Riese. My sister Tanya Human sent me your email address. We love Elder North.   He is a wonderful missionary and has such a great spirit about him. We took some pictures for you tonight. I tried to get him to smile nicely. We had just finished our weekly dinner appointment and lesson with him and his companion. Elder North says to tell you, cuddle cuddle cuddle. 

Take Care and enjoy the photos. 

Tish"

And it came with pictures!

Not a single good smile... typical. Hahaha

"I really am so excited and you would be that third grade teacher that everyone just remembers and loves, and they will all look up to you, I mean fetch you are my biggest example and I want to be like you some day, and I left third grade a long time ago.... well physically.....

crap crap crap, I am just getting fat while you are getting shredded over there, crap I am going to get my but kicked into shape when I get home haha. well atleast I think I can still dont like 5 pull ups so I guess I dont have to start working out utill you can beat that ;)

I have always admired the way you care about people you dont even know, It is something that I have wished I could be  better at and you have always been a great example to me of that. You are sympathetic and caring for seemingly strangers (strangers are friends you just havnt met yet...... or a rapist.... but hey gambling is fun right?) I am really trying to work on just being a patient and loving person, I really want to be a changed person and a better person so that even people that knew me before can tell that I have grown and matured, I hope I have alittle already but I know there is much work to be done. Luckily for me I have a great model to look up to... I mean role model, well no I mean both ;)

You are the brightest source of light and energy and life that I have, just under my Lord and savior. Just as I couldnt get by day to day without Him, I dont think I could manage without you! You are my world, my everything my all and I will love you till the day we are making worlds together in kolob! haha Mission flirt :)

Love with all my heart

Elder Mookie"