Now in the Bay

 Date:  October 10, 2016

Area:  Richards Bay, South Africa

Companion:  Elder Mupumha

I got transferred to Richards Bay as you all know, commonly known as the Bay. 

So where to begin? I left Lesotho for a two hour drive to Bloem, we then boarded a 11 hr bus ride to Durban, immediately after we got on another bus for three hours to go to the Bay.... yikes.

It was fun though on our 11 hour ride we sat next to some girl who we talked to most the way and around 1 o'clock in the morning we taught her the restoration of the gospel. it was cool. Then we all tried to get some rest. For some reason me and Elder Harper had some problem sleeping and kept getting pretty rambunctious.  

The best part was the next bus ride, the three hour ride from Durbs to the Bay. we got on the bus and sat near the back of the top floor. We took our seats and began to get comfortable. About 5 minutes after leaving we heard a women crying a row back and across the isle. We were not sure what was the cause of her crying and I just felt terrible. I hate seeing other people sad. Those of you that know my silly, obnoxious personality know that about me. I act that way because I like to make other people smile and laugh, even if its at me. So I was pretty dishearten at hearing her sobs. I was praying for an opportunity to just talk to her. But how!? I felt awkward to go and just sit next to her. I don't know why because I do stuff like that all the time as a missionary but it was harder this time. So we continued for another 5 minutes as my heart just ached for this pain that she was feeling and I didn't know what the problem was or who she was. Then she asked if I could take a picture of her with her phone. I gladly accepted the invitation and knew that I had a way in. I then asked a few basic questions, about where she is going. If she has family and kids etc. the basic BRT (building relationship trust) She talked a bit but obviously was in no state to have a cheerful conversation. I then asked if I could come sit by her. She accepted and I sat their for a bit in silence and then just put my arm around this women. Probably in her thirties, she started sobbing again and just opened her heart to me. She had been going through a rough time and recently tried to take her life for what appeared to be the tenth time. She was scared laden up and down her arms and she confided in telling me her history, how she was into drugs and alcohol. How she used to be a prostitute, how she had to give her children up for adoption because she could not give them the necessities of life. She grasped my hand, with the other wrapped around her. My heart swelled for this woman at this low in spirit women time in her life.  I have never felt such a love for a complete stranger in my life. As she asked me why, why God has kept her alive, and her confusion it what to do with her life and how to find true happiness in love. I could see her as a divine, pure, and precious daughter of God. I knew of her mistakes and hardships, her shortcomings and let downs. All of it seemed to matter very little. Actually, not at all. I saw her for her. A daughter of God with devine potential and every right to be perfect. We sat together for the next 2 hours as she continued to tell me about her problems and mistakes. We shared tears, smiles, and a warming comfort of the spirit. This bus ride had been the best and most spiritual experience of my entire mission thus far. I can't explain it. I sat for hours listening to the pain this women had gone through and endured and I was just filled with love that I have never felt before.

Now onto some stuff about my new area.

My area is a town area but with some township as well. The town of course is hard and they probably are Afrikaans and the township is Zulu. I don't speak any Zulu anymore.... its terrible..... eish.....

I stay in a 4 man boarding with Elder Reed, and Waeni, and my comp Mupumha. It's pretty nice and the senior couple are religious about cleaning... dang it... (Me guesses that means that they have regular cleaning checks and can't get by with anything.  Yippy, that makes a momma happy)

We live next to the beach so we go running down by the beach front sometimes. the other day we were down their and their were a group of young adults singing and dancing. I of course decided to jump around and share a laugh and as we left some of the girls came and stopped us saying that we needed to come back and play spin the bottle..... I ran...... I ran far far away... it was scary....

My comp is going home in 4 weeks so I am killing him. He wakes up at 5 and begins lifting weights every day... eish..

W

ell tha tha tha thats all folks.

Elder North