What a fantastic and amazing week!

Date:  August 3, 2016
Area:  Mseru, Lesotho
Companion:  Elder Lenard

We are back in Lesotho and it has been amazing since we have come back. Before that, while in Bloem we did some tracting and found an amazing investigator, needless to say I am bummed I wont be able to continue teaching them but the other missionaries will, I got a call from them telling me that they have met with this investigator and that they had an amazing week, it was just a great tender mercy to see that no effort is wasted. Our time in Bloem was not a holiday. 

We have returned to the kingdom of the sky. What amazing blessing have we seen in the short time we have been back. We were worried it was going to be tough, like starting all over but some how everything just fell into place and we are busier than we ever were before. I don't know how it happened but I love it! We now are meeting with so many more people and more less actives which I love! 

It is just good to be home. It is weird to think that I will be in Lesotho  for six months which is a fourth of my mission but it dosn't feel like that, the time has gone and the year is going I mean its just awesome everything is awesome. 

I think I would make a great art critic!

This piece is only a couple thousand rand.
That is only like $150.00

This is a cool piece of art made by
college students. It is made of cardboard.

You are suppose to take a sharpie and write something
good about the city on it.

We met a wonderful Mme name Mme Joyce (Mme is like saying mom or ma its what you call women.) So Mme is awesome, she is currently less active but finding her way back, she has been the relief society president twice and just has a huge ol heart and I love her. she is going to teach me how to cook moroho, which is pretty much spinach boiled but you eat it with pap. its the most traditional sotho meal, I am excited to cook it for all of you soon :)

We had interviews and zone conference this week! Ya, I know awesome. President came to Lesotho on Wednesday and then we had conference on Monday in Bloem, that is why I am not writing until today. Our interview was great I really love our mission president and our zone conference was even better. He mentioned something that I have been struggling with for a while. My favorite scripture is 2 Nephi 31:20 which at one points mentions a perfect brightness of hope.

 20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.
I love it but I have felt inadequacy to it. I try to be hopeful but my dang mind makes me think of the pessimistic side of it all. He told a story about his family and how they would get an ice cream cone and go to an empty field at night and watch fireflies. he said that while he was struggling with this same concern he got the answer as to what it meant to him to have a perfect brightness of hope and how to do it. He said that he had many fireflies in his life, sparks here, and little there. and that when you take these little firefly or spiritual moments if you will. you can put them together and it will create much more than a simple spark but in fact a bright light. Now I hope you are following and this makes sense but anyways this was exactly what I needed. I have been so worried about this or that and not been hopeful despite my efforts. I truly want to have this perfect brightness of hope that the scripture talks about but it seemed so distant and impossible, encouraging yes, but distant. We can all have this hope though. If we look at our days. and see the times that we smiled. those little and fantastic blessings of bliss. and put them all together we can see just how great it all is. Everything starts to come together and we begin to gain a sense of hope from it all. wow.... I love it. Hope it made some sense, I should probably read through it all again to see if it does... I'm lazy...

Ahhh, help me I am falling...Just kidding.

What are missionaries to do when they find a cool
area like this?  Well...play hide and seek of course.

Well what else, I mean there was so much! Okay our theme! Lead kindly light. This is our mission's new theme. and boy gee wiz is it grand! I mean just think about it! Lead, kindly light! Light is an amazing thing! What is light? that's a good question you ask! Well lets rephrase that! who is light! Jesus said I am the light and life of the world! We read in many accounts on how Christ is the light makes sense that his sign of birth was a day a nigh and a day of light and the sign of his death was darkness (the light of the earth was no more here) He really is the light! Gee that's cool, but wait there is more!!!!! We too are the light of the world in Matthew 5, it says something along the lights of, ye are the light of the world, neither does a man put his light under a bush but on a hill for all to see!

 (13  ¶Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.)

We too are the light. Why? Because we have been promised if we receive Christ then we receive all He has and all He is! That is power! Well hopefully I am not being to confusing but I do hope my enthusiasm is oozzing out of your computer!

And more! Yes I aint done yet!

Look ma I found your shop.

Why not SHOUT! This is something that sister Thompson, our mission mom talked about. she talked about treasure and adventure that comes with it! Did you know we have real treasure today! Something metal and shiny that was buried and then dug up! Yes of course I am talking about the Book of Mormon!!!!!! If you don't have one and want to see what it is about you can read it here. Book of Mormon it is a treasure! Is that how we see it? Well we should, let us treasure the Book of Mormon.  Is it not something fantastic and just o wow and ah yes and amazing! It really makes me want to shout just eeeee!!!! It is so cool and it is ours!  Yours and mine!

Well there is just so much more I could go on to say but I think my excitement is clouding my memory. So eish...

I love Jesus Christ, I really really do. He is everything. He is my brother, my friend and my Savior.  He is my example, my truth, my crutch. He is my redeemer, and source of strength. He is the great Jehovah, the great I am and the king of kings. Please, it is my prayer that we turn to him, that we feel his love. Open our hearts and let him in. Allow his spirit to enlighten, invigorate and expound your mind and senses. You will feel a spirit of power and conviction and comfort like never before. Let him in. I love Him and He loves me, and He loves YOU too.

Love
Elder North

Isn't South Africa BEAUTIFUL!

I am standing in Lesotho but the mountains
behind me are in South Africa.

Love eating African Style

Check it out.  I made a real American meal
for my companion and I.  Fried chicken,
corn, and mashed potatoes!

Is it a dog or a horse?

He did not give a description for this.

From Elder Leonard (his companion):

Dear follow brothers and sisters I hope you are all doing well. Greetings to you all from my self Elder Leonard so far mission is doing great I am in Lesotho with Elder North from Riverton Utah.  I been here for 3 months now. The people are so nice here and I am working real hard. How are you and your family what is new in Capetown? and where you are? We just had zone conference yesterday and it was great we were able to hear our new mission president teach us for the first time and the spirit was so strong. We were taught about the Book of Mormon and how to use it in our daily work it was powerful.

I am teaching some great families here. The weather is cold but i keep warm at all cost.  Today our pday due to zone conference on Monday so i get to email you all. Please share with me some things you did this week.  The work here is growing Lesotho, it is a district but very strong here with 10 missionaries serving.  I am in tha Setane area. Brothers ans sisters this work is true, I see it every day. I'm grateful to serve this mission in the Durban at this time.  I'm sure to share with you good stories when I do come home that have blessed my life. Thank you for your prayers.  Keep helping the missionaries in your wards, Heavenly father will bless you. I look forward to hearing from you soon .

I know the Gospel is true. I know it I have seen God bless you dear friends keep up the good work in your families and in the church I love you all

Love and regards,

Elder R Leonard