This has been a very crazy week. With transfers and all. My companion had to go to Cape Town for trainers training. So I went with Elder Slabbert and Elder Lawson as a trio. This was a pretty cool experience for me. Kind of getting a different side of it all. A different way to do everything. I don't know how it was for you dad, but each companion you get is a little different and has their own special way in which they go about the work. To be able to work as a trio was kind of cool. I love working with Elder Ramat and learning from his experiences too. I look forward to the day in which I can look back on my mission and think about the wonderfully different personalities I worked with.
Dad, you brought up another good point, testimony. Right now I feel like that is the best I am able to do. I can stumble through a lesson, stumble to cover all of the points that need to get covered. But to be able to end off strong, I love bearing my testimony. And I love saying a prayer. I can't always say the families name, YET. So I will say "our new friends" or "this wonderful family" or something similar, nevertheless I pray for them with all sincerity of heart. I love this people. They are a wonderful and kind people. Some are just not ready to listen to the Gospel yet, but the Lord continues to prepare them. We have some who are ready to be taught. This last week we have had people come up to us...wanting us to teach them. There is so much potential here. There is a marvelous work and a wonder to be done here.
Our biggest problem is how far the area is from the church. Most everyone in the area does not have a car, so it takes sacrifice and commitment, which many people are not yet willing to make. And this makes me sad. But we have some who do make that sacrifice. For example the Amos family. They were less active for a while but last year they had a family member die, and after some help from a loving ward they made their way to activity. But every Sunday they have to hire transport to church. And they keep that commitment. Yesterday that transport fell through and they could not come. And it killed them inside. When we stopped by they mentioned how sad they were they could not go to church. Their commitment is strong! Since their reactivation they have had one baptism in the family and we are working on another, so within the family there is a recent convert, investigator, and less actives (not all of them have returned).
Thank you guys for your prayers and your words of support. I love looking forward to Pday to talk with you guys. There are moments when only the idea of an email home gets me through. I love you guys so much. So when I was with Elders Slabbert and Lawson, we meet with a couple of families that reminded me a little bit of home. This one couple has two sons that remind me of the Probst boys. Then this less active that they are working with has a little 5 year old girl. Very cute. Very funny. She is yet another one of those girls you can't help but smile around. While we were over there she insisted on painting our finger nails. I will have to get you that picture...some time. I was able to talk her down to one finger. She is a sweet little girl. She so reminds me of Heidi. And I am happy that her father is returning, because she will one day be a strong member. Her father has a testimony of home teaching. Since trying to return he has been working on his home teaching. And he loves it. It is like missionary work, he told us. HT is something that encourages him to study his scriptures more and be more receptive to the spirit. Oh the importance of Home Teaching!
So this week has been pretty good. We have had some power outages but nothing too serious. It is only a little weird to have a lesson in the dark.
I hope the kids all have a great spring break. Funny how that came up so fast. Time sure does fly. There will only be one more Spring Break until I come home :) I love this whole "you only have two days on a mission, make sure you make each one count" thing. It makes every moment so much more meaningful. I am so happy to hear that all is going great back home. I do miss Blackberry cobbler. Enjoy it for me! I told Heidi this, but every now and then I just have to get a root beer or bag of M&Ms. Because "Happiness is a bag of M&Ms on your mission far from home."
Thank you Mom for the things you have taught me. I am not that unprepared, I think my only problem is either I am not as confident as I would like or I am just too tired to make anything. I am grateful, very grateful for what you have taught me. The stores down here are a little like Fry's or something a little smaller. But we do have just about everything. So simple and inexpensive recipes are just wonderful. Thank you.
I hope you all have a great week. This week I get to be a part of a baptism, I am so happy for her. She has been a great investigator. And hopefully within the next 5 weeks we will have a couple more with a baptismal date. Sunday we had a great sacrament meeting on missionary work. The work of Salvation is for sure going to catch fire around here. The field indeed is white.
Day by day it is hard, but I am slowly having more confidence. I love the chance to be here in South Africa. I can't wait to get to go up to Botswana, but the Lord has need of me here. I watched the Work of Salvation DVD this week and during the "I will go where you want me to go" video...I got a little teary eyed. Boy has this been a very emotional week for me.
I hope you all have a great week. I look forward to next week.
Love Elder Pennington
You are a good mom!
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