What a week as always!

Mom, can I please bring one home with me!?!!??!

We are still getting things settled for transfers and it's been hectic but soo good.

I have spent the week with the Elders in Ha Thestsane, my old area to show them and rain them on the area.  It has been an amazing few days.  We had 5 investigators come to church which is more than I have ever had before.  We are working harder than ever as our mission president is pushing us to our best.

While in Bloemfontien I got to wrestle a lion.  No like legit wrestle a real lion that has claws and teeth.  I only got a few scratches and yes I did punch that lion right in the face for nipping my leg.  That is right, I am a man because I punched a lion in the face and I wasn't overly scared....but really we did get to wrestle a lion named Napo.  He is awesome and playful and if he nips you smack his nose.  Sometimes his claws come out so you can get cut pretty bad, it was incredible though...worth every dime.

South Africa mission life!

AHHH help

Being sat on by a lion.

Just playing with a lion.

I want one!

Carefully rubbing the lion to calm him so he doesn't devour me.

cuddle cuddle cuddle
These paws are very heavy

He doesn't want me to leave and stop playing with him.

He found an old sleeping bag to tear up.

He got me

He is actually ridiculously strong and his arm is
crushing my throat.  hahaha

The moment when you are walking down the street
and a lion pounces on you...
#africaprobs

Hey babe wanna go out tonight?

I just really want a pet lion, don't you.

I think we are cute together.

Life of SA missionaries.  #weloveit

Lion biting my leg...no big deal.
#AfricaProbs

Nice to meet you

Now, it may look like I am hugging Napo.  However, I am actually
trying to wrestle the beast to the ground and pronounce my dominance.
To show my manliness.

Napo 1  Mookie 0

Napo 2  Mookie 0

Proving my manliness and dominance is
not going so well.  When a lion decides to lay on
you.  It feels like your ribs are snapping under
his immense density and strength.

How a lion goes about eating its prey.

Sister Kwaramba and I

President wants Lesotho to become the highest baptizing area in the mission and wants a substantial amount each month.  He has been guiding us, giving encouragement, and letting us know we need to up our game and do more.  I have not worked this hard, or should I say effectively for a long time, if ever.  I am seeing the immediate blessing from it.  People are coming out of no where for us to teach and we have been blessed with some incredible experiences this week.  We are working hard to make Lesotho become what it can be and to baptize.

White washing (pulling in two new Elders to an area, instead of leaving one and transferring one) can be good in some instances, sometimes it just happens.  Then other times it is because of bad things.  No it wasn't a bad one this time.  Elder Leonard got transferred so he could be closer to the doctor.  President felt strongly that I should come to this new area.  We talked a lot about it as well.  Now since I am still here in Lesotho I have been working with the new missionaries in my old area to show them everything so it is almost like they are not white washing at all.

Took a selfie with my mission mom as we were
taking her to her hotel after district conference.

Our water is freezing cold so it can be really hard on some kids when they get baptized and some of them cry.  It is bad but good.

We went to visit a member who called us asking for a blessing this week.  As we got there we found him laying on the floor in the bedroom.  He told us how he was beaten near death as people robbed him the other week.  He was still in pretty bad shape.  We sang some hymns and prayed and gave a blessing but my favorite part was when we opened up the Book of Mormon to Mosiah chapter 24. This chapter hit him right where it counts and touched his heart.  I think that is what is doing the real healing.  He comes closer to Jesus, he will find his healing love surround him.  It was a great lesson and experience to me that the Book of Mormon really does solve and answer our prayers and problems.

Some things about my area.  There are really nice houses and next door can be a not so nice house. Some people live in shacks and because they are so poor it makes it difficult for them to get to church.  A lot of houses have outdoor toilets.  They pump water from the outside and bring it in buckets.  They don't really have a kitchen just a two burner stove that plugs in.  They also use parafine heaters to cook and warm their houses at the same time.

Elder Mcopela

Off to teach

We are in a a branch with a nice chapel, other areas go to shipping containers for church.

The digging was when a member needed to plant three thousand trees in the mountains so we helped her.

This new area is almost the exact same as the old one.  I even will teach people I have taught before.  For example Bolelang moved into this area while I was in my last area.  Now she is in my area again.  The members, branch, streets are all the same.  I have driven them all 100's of times already so it is not really that new but kinda is too.  HAHAHA

Me stealing Bolelangs hat.

The past few days have also been some of the most busy.  So busy that I haven't even gone shopping since I came to this area.  I have been skipping breakfast because I do not have food. Ya that is how busy we are.  If you know how much I love food then you know this is a big deal!

Tomorrow we have our MLC (mission leader council) meeting so my companion and I will be leaving Lesotho around 4 or 5am to get there.  I am looking forward to hear from our mission president on how we can improve and hasten the work.

It was a fantastic first week of the transfer.  I have only worked in my area for one day.  Leribe has been down for conference and working with my companion as I go out with Maseru 3.  Great things are already starting to happen in the area and we had more investigators from Maseru 3 come to church than ever before.l  Elder King and Parson are doing a wonderful job.  I had the opportunity to sit with Elder Parson and conduct a little interview to see how he was feeling and what he expects from mission.  He is doing very well and is well on the track to becoming a fantastic missionary, as he already is.  I was impressed in a lesson when he shared a scripture with an investigator at just the right time.  The investigator then looked up at us, we were worried she didn't understand what she read because of the complicated English used in the passage, but as she looked up at us she said...This is me.  It was about Joseph Smith looking for the true church.  It was such a great lesson and I know he was prompted to open when he did and read what he did.  I am thankful for the wonderful missionaries we have in the zone.

#Bazooka #ManlyMissionary

#DriveTanks  #beAman

#GangSigns  #SwagMeOut

#ManlySelfie

#USA  #PRIDE  #MERICA  #HOME  #LOVE  #FREEDOM

Blurry because the boy taking the picture was scared
of the man by the tank...#BEaMan

I drive tanks because I am a man

I look into the face of death.  I don't care because I am a man.

Well because I am a man and also maybe a bit
because nobody is shooting at me.  HEHHEE

Big engine

missle anyone

Sir YES Sir

Tanks, TANKS TANKS TANKS TANKS
OH MY LOOK ITS A TANK
AH I LOVE TANKS  AH THEY SHOOT
LIKE BOOOM AHHH I LOVE TANKS
YES YES YES YES

Communications

 I have felt a great spirit of teaching the past few days, more than I think I have ever had.  I find myself talking to more people in any situation.  Every passing person we try to stop and share the gospel with.  It reminds me of many times on my mission as we have been out tracting and someone was outside and we passed them by heading to the next door to knock.  The person would then stop us and say, "don't you have something to say to me".  We of course exclaim YES and begin to teach.  The lesson I have learned and am still learning is that we need to have the name of Christ constantly on our lips.  People expect us to speak, our job is not to disappoint them.  Open our mouths and proclaim the restored gospel.  We don't need to ask for permission to speak.  We have had hands laid upon our heads and been given authority to talk to everyone everywhere.  We don't need to ask, we just need to do.

It is so beautiful here. #LoveAfrica

I love you all!!!  Thanks for your support and love.  I love to hear from you so don't be shy write a letter today.

 Love,
Elder North