Life in South Africa

Saying goodbye to my mission president.

Date:  June 21, 2016
Area:  Mseru, Lesotho
Companion:  Elder Lenard
Week 52  
(He left June 23, 2015 so a couple more days and it is HUMP day, which is halfway mark)


This week was an interesting one. 

We had our final interview with our mission president, he goes home in under two weeks now. It was quite weird to say the least. Said our good byes and he talked a bit about the changes he has seen in me since the beginning of my mission, that was probably the highlight of my week.

Mission Coin!!!

The work was okay this week. We also went to the mountains for a service project to help dig holes for sister lineo. She needs us to dig 3000 holes to plant trees..... its rough.... but its also good service and a good back work out. So we headed the 45 min drive to find that she bunked us! she said she was worried about snow and didnt want to do it that day. well we just drove almost an hour and we werent about to waste that time. so we drove a little bit further down the road to get to some

mountains with snow! yes snow in Africa!!! We parked on the side of the road and started our journey up the frosty slope. of course this is the day I forgot my camera so I didnt get a ton of great pictures..... eish..... but onward.... We were about 30 minutes behind the first group of elders. The mountain we decided to climb didnt have a path or trail by any means so luckily since we were behind the first group we were able to follow their foot prints in the snow. None of us were quite expecting to take an expedition through the snow but hey, adventure is out there! there were parts along the mountain where the snow got fairly deep. When we got to the top we took some cool pictures and then built a snow man. some of the Elders were to cold and left early but we toughed it out and froze our fingers to do something that none of you will ever get the chance to do in your life. and that is build an amazing snowman in the mountains of Africa.... worth it! After the snowman needless to say we were all frozen and ready to go home..... but unfortunately we had a snowy slope to get down and home seemed far far away. we decided the best approach would be to run! I still don't know how no one broke any bones as we were sliding down the mountain as fast as we could, slipping and falling along the way. Elder Adlard did get a nice gash in the leg and filled a nice circle of blood in his jeans. we then found it to be to dangerous to run down so I then sat down on my butt and scooted down creating a nice slide for the others to freely follow. now we were cold and soaking wet head to toe from sliding, rolling and falling in the snow. but finally we made it to the bottom. it twas quite the adventure.

Well it was a pretty weird week with a lot of spare time and other things happening so I guess that's it.

Love you all!

Elder North

Helping a member fix their toilet.

Our investigator studying the scriptures like a boss!

glass coke bottles again

AHHH I got my suit and I lauve it!

Another day another dolla!

Date:  June 13, 2016
Area:  Maseru, Lesotho
Companion: Elder Lenard
Week 51

We did a lot of tracting this week, knocked a lot of doors. We even spent a total of like 3 hours on the phone. We went through the area book and called every single previous investigator that had a number or gps coordinates ( their are no addressees in Lesotho.) but we got a few that seem like they could have potential and I am excited to start teaching them. Others were bogus, but hey out of calling around 30 people, ten answered and 5 let us come back and maybe 1 will get baptized. I think that's pretty grand!

I am seeing the Lords careful hand here in Lesotho. success is in the works. We should have a baptism this week of Bolelang who Elder Woodland and I started teaching so I hope she makes the deadline! we still got some stuff to cover though. 

Obedience really does bring blessings! that is for sure! We have made it appoint to make sure we are doing the small stuff and wowzers its working good! I even find that I am just more awake during the day, have more energy and excitement to go knock on doors for 3 hours! its grand!

We got new pamphlets, the church now has made lesson 5 pamphlets and they are amazing and it was like Christmas getting to open them!!!!

I have started to start the New Testament and wow I am loving it. I am still in Matthew but it is amazing. There really is so much great knowledge in their. I am excited to be able to know the bible well. after the new testament comes the old!

It is getting cold! Today is super rainy. but not the good play in the rain kind because its windy and cold and everyone is walking around in their sweater, coats, scarf, ski mask, and blankets! They don't like the cold but it is pretty cold.

Sorry my emails have been kinda short lately. eish....

I got mail from Amy, Caleb North, and grandma! 

Much Love from Africa!

Elder North

Great Week

Date:  June 6, 2016

Area:  Maseru, Lesotho

Companion:  Elder Lenard

Week:  50

This was a great week. well because of transfers I didn't get my companion until Thursday, so I spent all week with Elder Masinga. He is an awesome Elder and we had a great time together and taught some great lessons.

That is quite the knock you took Taylynne, gonna leave a good scar.  His sister got hit with a baseball at close range and it popped open a spot on her chin that required 8 stitches. Thankfully there was no fracture of her face and only a couple of chipped teeth.  It has been really sore but each day is better and she can move her jaw a bit more.

My deepest sympathy's to the Tycksen's about Tyler, my thoughts and prayers are with them at this difficult time.  Tyler is someone from our ward that past away this week.

Check out my new planner covers!!!

So My companion is Elder Leonard, he is from cape town SA, he is 27 years old and 15 months on mission. He loves the gospel, the people, and studying. He just loves! My new companion is great. He talks.... a lot. but its good, I have been praying to be a better listener. To talk less and hear more. I am working to listen well. he is a great guy.  We have had a great time together so far and have already started to see blessing pour out as we both increase ourselves to being completely obedient. We have tracting a lot in our short time together and have found some good success. found a women by the name of Ntau which means lion, but she is a girl so it means lioness which I thought was like the coolest name ever ( future middle name of child...maybe!) we also found a newly married couple so we are hopeful to teach them this week.

So I have been teaching at the EMT college once a week for quite a while now. one of the teachers family runs a church and the pastor recently died and they were leaderless. so they asked us if we could come and teach at their church.... we said YES! so its not in my area and the other missionaries get to take this one over. they now have a new pastor but want us to come teach every week. there are a lot of kids of all different ages and even some adults that come. the teacher asked if I could come this past week and help teach. Sister Chandler gave me the lead on the lesson about friends. choosing good ones. and being good ones. the class went very well! I met with the chandlers a couple days later and she told me that the Reverend of the church wanted to learn more but said he would only speak to Elder North. So even though it is not in my area I get to go teach this pastor and another one that is interested. I see them on Sunday and I am stoked. Sister Chandler said I must have maid some kind of connection while baring my testimony. 

It is one of the best things about being a missionary, being able to bare our testimony of the Saviour, our Lord, Jesus Christ every single day. and  do it with power and authority.

Funny note. I got the Sister and Elder Chandler (the senior couple) to start saying niceness haha

I am short for time today, we are going to go and hike a waterfall so I guess nature is calling! gotta run!

Love you all! God Bless!!!!

Elder M.North

Two for one!

Sorry about the two weeks in one this missionary mom has been slacking.  :(

Date:  May 23, 2016
Area:  Maseru, Lesotho
Companion:  Elder Woodland
Week:  48

Zone conference and Baptisms!!!!!

We had zone conference this week, awesome for so many reasons, one of which is the two-night stay in a hotel!!! and re-entering south Africa again and getting to eat a McDonalds again since we are deprived of such here in Lesotho.

Zone conference was all about revelation. I took some real introspection and realized I have a lot of work to do on receiving better and more frequent personal revelation. In our leadership meeting we talked about the importance of councils, we will be in many councils throughout our life, most importantly marriage. We are in a council with our companion, district, zone, and mission. We get together at points and discuss together how to improve, and what to improve. I always love zone conference because we get to hear from our mission president, and hear insights from other missionaries as well. It leaves you on a spiritual high that you fight to maintain as long as possible. 

But the real exciting thing that happened this week were the baptisms that took place!

so Tsepiso was the young girl that was supposed to be baptized last month but due to water issues was pushed back a month, well finally the time came and she was able to be baptized, her testimony was amazing! She is young but knows something that many of us lack.

Next is Liako, now this girl is awesome. so we met her at the EMT class the we teach at once a week. we teach basic moral principles on a higher level that can be found in the for strength of youth. she was interested and started her journey of discipleship with meeting with the missionaries. she was taught about a month and was ready for baptism, she had made some major changes in her life and really does seem like a new person. I was blessed to be able to be the one to perform her baptism, I have really grown a love for this young women as I have seen the changes she has been making in her life and it is quite amazing and I ham just glad that I get to be a part of it.

Mom I just sent a package today. :)

Love you all 

Elder North

Date:  May 30, 2016

Area:  Maseru, Lesotho

Companion:  Elder Woodland

Week:  49

Transfer #9 begins

Well here we go. Transfer news has come and Elder Woodland will be leaving me, He will be going to New Castle with Elder Kaitoo.... needless to say I am jealous of that, I love Elder Kaitoo, he is such a fun guy to be around and great to talk to. I sure am going to miss him seeing how he goes home in 4 weeks. (Elder k2 goes home not Woodland)

We had a lot of fun in the area and was able to see a lot of growth here. I am sad to see Elder Woodland leave because we had so much fun working and learning together but we part to meet again as they say.

The sign at the church in Sesotho and English.

I will be receiving Elder Lenard, he has fetal alcohol syndrome and has a smile all the time. I am stoked to get him as a companion. I have met him a couple of times but never got to really know him. I know there will be a lot of things to learn from him and I hope his joyful spirit rubs off on me while we are together for the next bit of our journey through mission.

We went up to the mountains to help a member
dig 3,000 holes to plant trees.  It was
exhausting to say the least but a good experience.

minnionary

It is winter here

Liako the awesome girl that I baptized got
me this gift.  It's me!!!  So much niceness!!!!

Super Missionary

The mountains are beautiful, all of Lesotho is beautiful!

working hard or hardly working?

This week has been quite uneventful but still good, thus how it goes during the transfer times.

sorry for keeping it short but is guess its fine, my dad always told me K.I.S.S.

Keep it simple stupid, or, keep it stupid simple.

Love you all

Elder North