June 13, 2010

My fingers are freezing so idunno how well i'll type, or even how much. Idunno why but it's super cold outside today. The sun is out, a slight breeze, but it's cold. And i dont have proper clothing with me today...but no worries i'll try my best... The world cup started! For all who dont really care about soccer and didnt realize, it's here! 2010 is here! You feeling it! So yeah, it's a bit crazy, but i dont think it's what it was made out to be. I actually think the country expected so many more people to come and now they're kinda worried. Hotels had been built for this time, and apparently they're just not being booked as expected. Even not all the tickets at games are being sold. It's a shame. Friday, opening night, was a bit hectic tho. Tons of noise and people in the streets. It was pretty cool. But we still found people to teach even during the games, some of which they don't really care about the games...so it's a bonus for us since we cant watch it anyway. Greece and Korea played here in Port Elizabeth on Saturday and honestly, it didnt seem to hectic. Traffic was a bit worse, but that's about it. We still found things to keep ourselves busy even during that time. The week started out with some training meetings for the new District Leaders and Trainers. That was all monday evening. Then we had 7 missionaries sleep over at our flat, (as they were in for Zone conference for tues and had no where else to stay) They're all part of our zone. It wasnt exactly planned but we did it anyway, and luckily we had a bunch of spare mattresses. We got up early on tuesday and headed to the chapel for a pre meeting with pres and sister probst. Then most of the day tuesday we had our Zone Conference. The focus was on the BOM and using it to confirm the message of the Restoration. That specifically was what our 60 min workshop was on. During that time, we did some role plays, discussed, evaluated our teaching, etc, and committed them to practice more using the BOM in studies and role play with eachother. The whole zone conference was great. Talked about great things...Pres and Sis probst are just awesome! That was from about 9 am to 4:30 pm. It always takes that long for everyting to be discussed...but yeah. Things were good. We had some final lessons with J.P. and Deng before they left for home. We'll miss them but they'll be back when school opens up probably the second week in july. On wednesday we had a good day. We took this guy Luthando who comes out with us always to fellowship, well we took him to Spur to thank him. A nice place to eat. He's going to Queenstown for the holiday and will be back when school starts again.But yeah basically up until friday we just kept seeing more of the investigators that would be leaving, making sure they'll be alright during the next month, and committed them to give out BOM's and stuff to family and friends when they go back home. It was good.
Then on friday we had a great district meeting. We focused on the BOM and using it on our door approaches. And how we could improve our skills in that. It was such a good district meeting. Elder Curtis (our DL or the one conducting it) prepared perfectly and we implemented it and used the things we learned in the meeting that very day. And it worked! Elder Wall and i had set about 2 hours of solid finding time, and all we did was knock on doors and use the BOM as our approach, and we found success! Even a white father led family who we're now teaching and even saw again last night. Plus tons of other good potential people! So we were pretty stoked on that. About two weeks ago we were doing some street contacting down in Summerstrand out by the ocean, (very nice place) and talked to a bunch of people, but one was this family from Zim. I might have mentioned them already...the Muyo family. Anyway, we've seen them a few times during the past weeks and what not, and they committed to come to church. Well they cam yesterday! It was awesome. I always felt that street contacting was pretty worthless and never produces anything good, but within 2 weeks from our first contact, and meeting them, they've come to church. It was great to see them and we think they enjoyed it for the most part. Church was really good...except the people are kinda lame at going out of their way to talk to new people, or our investigators that we bring...besides some of the fellowshippers that we've taken to them...so that's a struggle. But yeah, that was pretty cool. We still had other investigators at church too, but it was just cool that the Muyo's came so quickly and kept their promise. So many people promise...but so few actually keep it. Anyway, overall we're doing fine. We got some exchanges this week, and next week will be going down to George and Knysna. So that will be about 3 full days outside of our area...our area will suffer for stats, but it's things we gotta do. But we're just happy zone conference is out of the way til next transfer...Elder Wall and i are getting along great. We have a "Do a good thing jar" where each time we do a good thing we put something in the jar and when it's full, we buy clothes. haha. We like to reward ourselves quite easily. It's funny. But yeah, we're definitely working hard and trying to lead the zone the best we can. We're worried that during the world cup the elders just wont be focused on the work at all and will rather be disobedient and just watch the games with members or whoever...and if they do that they'll truly lose blessings that the Lord has for them. It's just how it works. So yeah, we're trying to be the best we can and work hard. Good things are happening for sure. Despite losing half our teaching pool with school closing, we're being led to families now which is something that we've been praying would happen. Things are just much better than where they have been in this area for the past 3 months. Even Elder Wall says that and he's been here for a while. We're making a difference. That's it tho! Thanks for everything! Elder Devenney