Daily Archives: May 5, 2014

Catching Up #9 – More Members and Missionaries

 

 

This post is about the missionaries in Ikageng District which we are a part of, some missionaries we got to meet when we did housing inspections, and a few more pictures of members. I am getting close to catching up with my picture taking and pretty much what I will write about the last two months.

Missionary - our first district - Perkins, Compton, Rogers, Browning, Harris, Bird Missionary - Elder Perkins and Compton

The first three pictures are the missionaries in the district when we first got here. Elders Bird and Rogers can be seen further down the blog. From left to right – elders Perkins, Compton, Rogers, Browning, Harris and the DL elder Bird. Elder Perkins with a very strange looking elder Compton.

 

Missionary - Elders Browning and Harris Missionary - Kairu, Sipiri

 

Elders Browning with Harris rounded out the district. When we went apartment inspecting we met elders Kairu and Sipiri – one of them is from Papua New Guinea. I need to take better notes in the future.

Missionary - Ware, BengeMissionary - Whitesides, Iairo -

Elders Kolditz and Mwaba with elders Whitesides and Iairo

Missionary - Rogers painting Missionary - Bird painting

Member service for elders Rogers and Bird as they help paint some rooms in the Williams home.

Missionary - Rogers and Kellem 2Missionary - Ikageng District

Transfers came and elder Rogers and the Ikageng area got a new companion – elder Kelem. The district before last transfer – elders Mdletshe, Harris, Kelem, Rogers, Perkins and Compton.

Missionary - Ikageng District - crazyMembers - Sis Thato Kujane

Everyone loves a crazy picture…well almost everyone. Sister Thato Kujane walks 45 minutes to church and then back again. Usually with her pink umbrella that she seems to have left home when this picture was taken.

Apr2014 - Njabulo and MacyApr2014 - Three generations for Tlotlongs

 

Brother Njabulo is a student at the local college and a counselor in the elder’s quoum. Sister Macy is our Primary president. On a recent Sunday three generations of Tlotleng men showed up for conference.

April 2014 - Mary and NomsaApril2014 - Bongani and mother

Mary with our friend Nomsa who cleans our chapel each Saturday – she is not yet a member. My counselor Bongani Buti with his mother.

 



President Anderson’s Letter – May 5

Increase our faith and their faith, to help them make commitments, like coming to Church:

“One miracle that came was Sunday morning as we went to round up our investigator who has been having word of wisdom problems. We stopped at his home around an hour before church, and he and his wife answer the door saying they are both coming to church, so applying our training we said a prayer with them. Well, half hour later, they both show up to church, and they loved the service. The members, though barely able to speak Spanish, showed so much love for the two of them. After church, we showed them the baptismal font and talked about baptism of water and of fire. We brought up how they felt during church and reminded them of how they felt at the temple, and then we invited both of them to be baptized on the 11th of May. She looked at Enrique with a look of hope and said, ‘yes’.” Increase our faith and their faith as the

Lord compensates from our efforts and diligence:

“We did a very thorough round up and prayed like crazy. Well, the people that we planned for didn’t come, but the Lord compensated. One of our beautiful members brought their non-member mother. She cried throughout Sacrament Meeting and when we went to follow up with her that evening, she didn’t understand why she had been crying so much. We quickly told her what that feeling was that she was feeling. Then we explained that the Holy Ghost testifies of truth. We explained to her how when we are baptized we are promised to have the Spirit always, if we keep the commandments. We invited her to be baptized, and she said ‘yes… I’m going to do it’… We invited her to pray. She did and the thing that touched my heart the most was that at the end we looked up, and her daughter was just crying and smiling at us and then back at her mother. She told us that she has been waiting for this for so long.”

Increase our faith and their faith with that “one more door” and “one more contact”:

“After church we needed to go and harvest. We prayed and God directed us to a street. We were so excited to meet new people. We knocked doors we prayed with people and all was great!! That’s when our time for harvesting was over and we looked at each other and said wait… one last door. We knocked on this house and this lady answers with a baby boy in her arms. We introduce ourselves and tell her we are representatives of Jesus Christ. She then stated ‘no way where did you guys come from?’ We told her that god directed us there to her house through his Holy Spirit. She then began to cry. She cried and cried and said, ‘This is going to sound funny but guys I was actually just barely in the back room praying with my baby boy asking God to get me outta the situation I’m in. Tell him that I needed his help!’ She continued telling us how… things just aren’t going well in her life. We were able to testify to her letting her know that God loves her and he will cause things to get better as she does her part. She agreed and we were able to say a prayer with her. She cried and thanked us. She knew god answered her prayer through us. SHE KNEW THAT WITHOUT A DOUBT! We invited her to accept that help from god by following Christ example and by being baptized. She said without even any hesitation, ‘Yes I will!!!!’ God is real. God hears our Prayers.

God knows us! God compensates our efforts!!” Elders and Sisters, now is the time to unleash the greater power that God has blessed us with. The greater power of magnifying our faith that God will help us bring these souls to him. Urgency is our “middle name” and we must magnify our responsibility, faith and purpose by finding, teaching, and inviting all who God places in our path. Let us do what has not been done this week!!! President Packard teaches it best: “Since baptism is essential there must be an urgent concern to carry the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people … We accept the responsibility to preach the gospel to every person on earth. And if the question is asked… You mean you are out to convert the entire world?’ the answer is, ‘Yes. We will try to reach every living soul.’ Some who measure that challenge quickly say, ‘Why that’s impossible! It cannot be done!’ To that we simply say, ‘Perhaps, but we shall do it anyway.’” (Boyd K. Packer Ensign, November 1975, p. 97)