Oct 19, 2009

Good morning!
It's a very nice looking monday here, as throughout the week we've been on and off rain and now it's a cool sunny day...I hope everybody's week went great and are all doing well!
On my side things are about the same as usual. I cant say too many great things happened over the past week...but i'll tell you anyway.
Monday we were on a search for a frisbee and we went everywhere looking for one. Apparently frisbees dont exist in this place...so unfortunately we were unable to find one that day. But we were able to obtain one during the course of the week so that's what we'll be doing today.
We were having a bit of trouble with our car, the ABS kept acting up, and we took it in, they couldnt fix it right then, and they're going to have to order a new part. But in the mean time we're still able to drive the car...which is a blessing. Having to have the other elders drive us to and from our area, and having to walk all around ilinge is not a fun thing to do.
We had some great lessons this past week. We organized for a couple of Recent Convert lessons to be taught by not us, but by their home teachers and other members. Specifically we had one to a RC young woman who had her two home teachers teach, as well as 2 friends in the YW all teach about the Plan of Salvation. It was like a massive army in that house. It went great. We were there just for support. It gave the members more opportunities to teach, and of course the RC gets someone else to hear from other than just us. So we felt like it went really well. We also did it with another Recent Convert Afika who was baptized only about a month ago. It went great.
Silindokhule is doing great. He'll be getting baptized this coming Sunday. He's stoked for it.
We went on exchanges on friday, i went with Elder Lyman...came to ilinge and we worked my area. He's from...Highland or something like that. Anyway, it went fine. Nothing to really report on there...
We've continued to introduce the Family Mission plan to 3 more families this week. All of which were quite excited about it and really feel that it'll help in the goals that the branch has set. We took it to the branch president Mjiba and his wife/family, as well as to the Elders Quorum Pres Mabobole and also to his first counselor Bro Erik and his family. We got great responses with it. So it's slowly making its way through the branch to each family. That's our main goal as you know..to get it to every family that we possibly can. As long as their willing to use the plan.
On saturday we had the Book of Mormon class that we taught and it went really well. We're looking at the comparison between the Bible and the Book of Mormon and what each one says about another. Had group discussions, presentations, went really well i thought.
We're teaching a family, well it's a part member family, the Nunu's. I might have said something about them already but this week we were able to really start teaching them. We taught the first lesson and about the book of mormon on another visit. The husband is the only member,but is LA anyway. The mother has known missionaries, but never allowed them to teach her or the family. We're now teaching her and 3 of their kids. She says she doesnt know what changed her mind this time of why she's allowing us to teach her, but she says she likes us for some reason. She always jokes that because she only has one son that she wants the two of us to be her other sons and just stay at her house. It's pretty funny. We taught some great lessons and we're again going there on wednesday. She and the kids are part of the Assemblies of God church, but likes us and likes what her husband has turned into since he's joined the church. It might take a while, but i see some good things happening with the family...if they dont disappoint us...
There's not too much else going on lately...church was great yesterday. The whole sacrament room was basically full. Most people i've seen...that's stll only about 75 people or so tho...which is apparently not as many as they used to have in the past...but things are going great. We also kinda put in a word at our correlation meeting that the missionaries are not getting fed much here in Ilinge...hopefully some things will start to change. At least on sunday...So i think because we kidna guilted Pres. Ndlelo into announcing that for us...and how we complained...him and his wife fed us yesterday. They're awesome. They tried to surprise us with it but we kinda already figured he'd feed us. Then we just talked last night forever about their missions and a bunch of other stuff. They were both missionaries to the Kampala Uganda mission a little over 3 years ago. That's how they met eachother...but yeah their super awesome.
That about does it for now...Thanks!
Mdala Devenney

Oct 12, 2009

Well we were kicked out of our last internet shop, as they wouldnt allow us more time, and i thought that i wouldnt get to send a big email out but fortunately we just decided to come to another shop...
The week was a pretty decent one...It has been rainy and good thunder and lightning storms quite often. Which is nice for a change. I actually enjoy it when it rains, then i get to bust out that ol rain jacket...
There hasnt been anything too spectacular that has happened this past week...but monday we played some soccer in the rain and got way muddy and it was awesome...although we almost had to run home from the field becuase we were too nasty to get into any cars...but we worked things out...We had zone workshops on Tuesday about how to make our planning better...basically. It was good...i guess. Sometimes i wish they could just keep things the same as they are already going well...but i guess new ideas and new things to try out dont hurt us...so we've been trying to implement some of the things that we learned at workshops into our weekly and daily planning sessions. It's been going alright so far...no real dramatic improvements.
I'm really enjoying my time here in Ilinge now that i've been here for a few weeks...it always takes time to learn where people stay and get comfortable with all the members and investigators and so on...but things are going really good lately. We've been working with some of the Auxilaries, like the Elders Quorem Pres in helping him in his home teaching. He took us to two families that we didnt even know, and one was a Part member family in whom we are now going to start teaching. It's really been a blessing. Even through the Family Mission Plan that we're still working on, it'll help us establish the kingdom, and then the baptisms will be coming. Silindokhule is still on for the 25th of October and is super stoked about it. That kid comes to everything and loves the church.
On saturday we had our first Book of Mormon class that we taught. It went alright. Nothing too exciting. We were unable to access the tv to watch something, but things worked out anyway. For the first class we had like 10 or 11 people come, which was fine as we hardly even announced it. Then after the class we had some fun and played some games. It was good to see everybody laughing and enjoying themselves.
Church was a rainy one, and i think that's what made less people come on sunday. Although we still had a pretty good turn out...I tried to pay attention but sometimes it's hard when i just dont understand...but my xhosa is improving i suppose, and i can pick out certain things to sorta know what they're talking about...
Yeah basically there's not too much to tell...I only have a couple more minutes so i'll just end it there. Hope everybody is doing great!
Elder Devenney