A great week in deed!

Date:  January 18, 2016

Area:  Amanzimtoti, South AFrica

Companion:  Elder Adams

Week 30

It was interesting last night as we were reviewing the week and realized that we actually did a lot! (wahoo) The weeks just keep coming and they don't slow down at all. It is true what they say, the days are long, the weeks are fast, and now this transfer is coming close to an end which is sad because I may be leaving Elder Adams when it is over.  That's not for a little while so I wont depress myself quite yet by thinking of such.

Church was pretty great, Cebo, the boy I baptized 6 or so weeks ago gave a talk in sacrament meeting about the light of Christ, He crushed it. You could tell he was so nervous. We helped him prepare a lot and he had it go for like 7 min but when he actually did it during sacrament meeting he lasted just under 3 min haha. Still pretty great for his first time. 

We were promised by our mission president that if we worked hard and had the desire that we would be able to find a new family to teach every week. He wasn't kidding. ever since then (two weeks ago) we have found a fam to teach. Sadly none are really progressing but good things come to those who wait (so I am told)

The area is still great, I still just love the view all around and seeing all the green vegetation and beautiful ocean! It is such a pretty place here and I would love to come visit as a tourist on holiday when I can just relax and soak up all the  beauty. They said that they had 2 million foreigners during the holidays here in Durban! crazy!!! You can see why I say life was tough during that time as a missionary haha.

So the ward I am in is really into soccer, we get to play a lot. Every Friday to be exact. We have that as our weekly practice and now they are starting up the season where we will have games more often. We play against other wards and we are probably the second best soccer team in the stake. (We still arn't that good)  I was just now assigned to be in charge of running practice and doing drills and what not, so I guess it looks like I am the new appointed coach which is a little weird. I have been playing full back and its been pretty okay but our goalie was not up to par so I will now replace him in hopes of not being scored on every shot. Its really fun being able to play soccer frequently. Perks of serving outside of the states I guess. The only problem playing here is the humidity. You are super sweaty by the time you have taken a short jog. It can be rough in the heat. We are playing against another ward on Saturday so I am supposed to come up with a game plan and practice to make us win.... we will see haha...

I love working with Elder Adams, swell guy indeed, really enjoying his company as my companion. We are looking forward to this week to get real down and dirty knocking on gates till our knuckles bleed and we can't hear anymore due to being yelled at by all the angry Afrikaners. Now that is a stereotype which isnt 100 percent true but it mostly is. the Afrikaans people just don't want anything to do with gospel in general compared to the Zulu people. But we have decided that we have to work in the town and get more members there. 

For Pday this week we got to go to Croc World and it was great.

A shirt at croc world

Real comforting sign.

Now I have had croc meet!  It was expensive
but I had to try it.  It was yummy.l

Elder Adams and Kaito

FAM - yeah buddy

Mommy I found your license plate

Tucan

old drill

Old fridge still works

We had to get a new windshield

staring contest...I won of course.

This is an eagle that was at croc world, its not a bald eagle but close enough. the best part was his name is Isis..... He was pretty big and had these huge talons and was pretty freaking awesome

HOPE

I love hope, Hope is a bit different then a lot of people think. It isn't just the want for something good to come your way but it in fact is the assurance that good will come your way! It is quite interesting. according to wikipedia "definitions include: "expect with confidence" " it is something that we optimistically look forward to with confidence in the good will of God sure that He will uplift, support, encourage, and give good things to us. The world now a days has put a connotation of hope being a wishful type of thought and not really believing that it will happen

From a talk that President Uchtdorf gave he said:

"We hope in Jesus the Christ, in the goodness of God, in the manifestations of the Holy Spirit, in the knowledge that prayers are heard and answered. Because God has been faithful and kept His promises in the past, we can hope with confidence that God will keep His promises to us in the present and in the future. In times of distress, we can hold tightly to the hope that things will “work together for [our] good” (D&C 90:24) as we follow the counsel of God’s prophets. This type of hope in God, His goodness, and His power refreshes us with courage during difficult challenges and gives strength to those who feel threatened by enclosing walls of fear, doubt, and despair." (Conference Address, October 2008)

I hope and pray that you all are doing well and as we trust in God and put for our faith (which is action) we will come out of this test with a great big pass.

I love you all deeply and am thankful for your prayers and support

I got mail this week from ma, Grandma marry, Callie Carter, and Haiy.

I hope I don't slack and writing letters as I have thus far.

Love,

Elder North

So lets see, what happened this week?

Date:  January 11, 2015
Area:  Amanzimtoti, South Africa
Companion:  Elder Adams
Week 29

Just a few things. We had our ZTM (Zone training meeting) and also interviews with our mission president followed by a specialized training for our zone. 

We did learn a lot in these meetings and found out that we have some things that we need to do to become more consecrated and dedicated servants of the Lord. He does have a marvelous work and a wonder for us to bring forth at this moment in time to the people here in Amanzimtoti,  but just like with any marvelous thing in the world, just like with anything that you love dearly and appreciate and reflect on with great passion and love. It began with the nitty gritty hard work. and that's what us as missionaries just gotta do. Its gonna take work. We are here to show these people what a fantastic joy, peace, and hope that can and does come from hearing what we call the good news of the perfect plan of happiness!!!! I do in deed love be a missionary, it's by no means an easy task but its a worth while one. I think I can honestly say I have never put so much effort into any work in my entire life. It takes all you can give and a little bit extra, but when you serve with all your heart the reward is so great. Getting investigators to come to church is a real struggle and usually we don't have any but this past week we had two! Ya that's right! Two new people came to church! I literally jumped in the air did a lil heal click and squeeled. There isn't many greater feelings than when you see that person take their first steps toward eternal joy.

Our mission is the only mission in the world that hasn't been told who our new mission president is... lame

http://www.deseretnews.com/lds/mission-presidents/2016

Our new investigators were Vanilla and James, so Vanilla is going into 8th grade, she is Xhosa from Eastern Cape, her mother dosn't seem to interested which is a bit sad but we met her through her friend Thandeka who we are currently teaching. Unfortunately Thandeka couldn't make it to church. We met Vanilla for the first time on Saturday because she just happened to be there when we taught Thandeka and she decided she would stay. she listened in on the lesson and when we invited her to come to church she said she would be there. Well I dont want to say I didn't believe her.... well I didn't haha. I mean its a 13 year old girl saying she is going to come to church, that dosnt really ever happen. I hope she enjoyed and we are looking forward to teaching her some more! :)

Next was James, he is from Malawi and works here in SA as a cook at a bed and breakfast. He is a really kind guy and his english isnt too good. we knocked on his door and gave him a book of mormon and asked him to come to church, he said yes as they all do and we were on our marry way again hoping he would come but knowing that it pretty much never happens. HE CAME what! This was just crazy so needless to say church was fantastic this Sunday!

Thats a jist of this week, I am confident in miracles to come! There are tender mercies of the Lord all around us every single day, all we have to do is open our eyes and see them.

I got this in a email from Elder Keaton Jones and thought it was pretty cool, its kind of long but if you enjoy a good read then I recommend it.

 Embrace this day with an enthusiastic welcome, no matter how it looks. The covenant with God to which you are true enables you to become enlightened by him, and nothing is impossible for you.

• When you are physically sick, tired, or in despair, steer your thoughts away from yourself and direct them, in gratitude and love, toward God. 

• In your life there have to be challenges. They will either bring you closer to God and therefore make you stronger, or they can destroy you. But you make the decision of which road you take. 

• First and foremost, you are a spirit child of God. If you neglect to feed your spirit, you will reap unhappiness. Don’t permit anything to detract you from this awareness. 

• You cannot communicate with God unless you have first sacrificed your self-oriented natural man and have brought yourself into the lower levels of meekness, to become acceptable for the Light of Christ. 

• Put all frustrations, hurt feelings, and grumblings into the perspective of your eternal hope. Light will flow into your soul. 

• Pause to ponder the suffering Christ felt in the Garden of Gethsemane. In the awareness of the depth of gratitude for him, you appreciate every opportunity to show your love for him by diligently serving in his Church. 

• God knows that you are not perfect. As you suffer about your imperfections, he will give you comfort and suggestions of where to improve. 

• God knows better than you what you need. He always attempts to speak to you. Listen, and follow the uncomfortable suggestions that he makes to us—everything will fall into its place. 

• Avoid any fear like your worst enemy, but magnify your fear about the consequences of sin. 

• When you cannot love someone, look into that person’s eyes long enough to find the hidden rudiments of the child of God in him. 

• Never judge anyone. When you accept this, you will be freed. In the case of your own children or subordinates, where you have the responsibility to judge, help them to become their own judges.  

• If someone hurts you so much that your feelings seem to choke you, forgive and you will be free again. 

• Avoid at all cost any pessimistic, negative, or criticizing thoughts. If you cannot cut them out, they will do you harm. On the road toward salvation, let questions arise but never doubts. If something is wrong, God will give you clarity but never doubts. 

• Avoid rush and haste and uncontrolled words. Divine light develops in places of peace and quiet. Be aware of that as you enter places of worship. 

• Be not so much concerned about what you do, but do what you do with all your heart, might, and strength. In thoroughness is satisfaction. 

• You want to be good and to do good. That is commendable. But the greatest achievement that can be reached in our lives is to be under the complete influence of the Holy Ghost. Then he will teach us what is really good and necessary to do.

• The pain of sacrifice lasts only one moment. It is the fear of the pain of sacrifice that makes you hesitate to do it. 

• Be grateful for every opportunity to serve. It helps you more than those you serve. 

• And finally, when you are compelled to give up something or when things that are dear to you are withdrawn from you, know that this is your lesson to be learned right now. But know also that, as you are learning this lesson, God wants to give you something better

My love goes to you all, in your ups and downs, I pray for you

Elder North

Happy New Year

January 4, 2016
Area:  Amanzimtoti, South Africa
Companion:  Elder Adams
Week 28

Well this week was an interesting one with the holidays still going and new years. some thing I heard about the new year that I liked was this. During the new year we hear a lot of people saying things like new year, new me. well we have something better. we have this gospel and through the gospel we learn about the atonement which enables us to repent and change and become better, we do this partly by taking the sacrament ,which resembles Christ, every week. At this time, the beginning of the week after taking the sacrament we get to say, New week, new me! 

I was talking to an old lady about religion the other day when we got on the topic of relating religion to something you pick up. some people pick theirs up and put it down sometimes, some find it again and carry it once more while others never come back to it. To end our conversation she said something much more profound than my silly analogies. Her words were true, Christians don't carry their religion, their religion carries them. This made me think and again this took me back to the atonement and how it lifts and carries us through the  grace of Christ. Religion shouldn't be something we pick up and put down, it should be the thing that picks us up when we are down! 

Some huskie puppies

Something else that has repetitively come into my mind was the sentence, be an example of the believers. I'll just let you take or leave it and think about what it means to you.

I got a message from a friend today who said this. I will also share a quote from Henry B Eyring "If you are on the right path, it will always be uphill. The Lord is anxious to lead us to the safety of higher ground." I know all things that happen to us are for our eternal benefit, because the Lord loves all His children infinitely, and asks us to endure with patience, hope and faith in Jesus Christ, where with Him we can endure anything. I know the atonement stretches past any transgression or sin, His love is unchanging and unfailing, and though we may not always feel we are moving uphill in our mortal journey we can trust that if we are obedient, that He has prepared a  perfect way.

Wonderful reunion for our Christmas Party

They went all out for our Christmas party

So my reply was that's an awesome quote thank you so much! It just makes me think of the fault in our starts when it says I am on a roller coaster that only goes up haha. Its true though, we may feel as if our ride is going down hill but (romans8) everything will work for good to them who love God. If we just keep pushing forward we will find that the hill we thought we were rolling down actually was a mountain we climbed. I dont know if that makes sense at all but just that we think things are all going to hell and then when we look back we see the growth and strength that we gained through those experiences and realize that God never left us but pushed us further, strengthen us more so we can accomplish great things to come.

If you give a monkey a dum dum he will eat it.

I love you all so much, sorry I dont have many fun and interesting stories, I need to be better at that. maybe it can be a new years resolution or something haha. 

Love

Elder North

Every transfer we get a new planner and I make covers for them.

Christmas candy that turns our tongue colors.

A leaf bug in our boarding.

Yummy end to Christmas

A lot of people use machetes to cut their lawns.
We did it for a while and took some pictures.

My friends

Opening gifts at 1am

Just reviewing the material we are going
 to teach before going inside.

street soccer

when you run out of tp

Christmas

Date:  December 28, 2015
Area:  Amanzimtoti, South Africa
Companion:  Elder Adams
Week 27

So Christmas happened, and yes it was amazing!!!!! so because of the festivities all around this week not much happened in the sense of being able to teach people or get into homes. something the was great but also not great was when we went to check up on an old gogo named angel who is a new investigator. last time we met with her which was a couple of days or a week previous we were told that her husband who was in hospital died. So the day we went to visit which was Wednesday we came up to a huge funeral tent across the yard, so we put two and two together and realized that the funeral was today, we decided to leave our bags in the car and go and try an help all we could, we spent 10:00 to 2:00 there just helping set up, cook and anything they needed sharing short gospel thoughts along the way. It was a great experience to be able to just serve and bring gospel into that service, we hope that some of the people we contacted will call us and visit more with us to hear the rest of the lessons and our messages but it was a great day and we were so tired at the end of the day I almost slept in my white shirt and tie.

Christmas day was power, we spent the day at a members house where we played board games and other games like such. we got to spend time with a family which made being away from our own family not so bad. I got to skype my family as well and while doing so had a special surprise! It was so good to talk to my family face to face for a short while, we spent and hour that felt like 5 min, I wish we could have had longer but, I guess I have to wait till next year! :) It was good to see everyone doing so well and happy and such a beautiful morning to celebrate and commemorate the birth of the savior!

I got some gifts from ma, the ward and primary, and also from grandma/pa North

I love you all and wish you all a happy coming new year!

Elder North

Christmas!!!!!

traditional headress

Date:  December 21, 2015
Area:  Amanzimtoti, South Africa
Companion:  Elder Saibeko
Week 26

It's beginning to look a lot like summer, everywhere I go.... its funny how back home you never think about how in other places of the world its not cold this season. so I was feeling like our boarding was Christmas lacking so I made a tree, isn't it cute! definitely helped me feel like it was Christmas.

So this month is kind of hard for work because a lot of holiday makers (vacationers) so a lot of people dont even live here, or its summer and they are just partying and not thinking about Christ at all, but no need to be sad because its Christmas and we have so much to celebrate. 

On to this week, well I picked up my new companion Elder Adams, and yes he is the best! we came out on mission at the same time so we are both only six months out and we were already friends from our previous area. so from the day I got him we went to a lesson and in the middle of teaching we stopped and just sat for a couple seconds and then Adams asked a truly inspired question that really opened up the lesson. its changed from us talking person to person, to us talking spirit to spirit. We may be the same time out but I have so much to learn from this guy! I am stoked for the next couple weeks we have together. 

A great experience I had this week was when we got bunked and were deciding what to do when I just kept thinking about xolani an investigator who we have been unable to visit in about 4 weeks because he started working but we decided we should try to see if he was home anyways. When we got there you would never believe it.... he wasn't there.... of course haha its what we expected but what we didn't expect was to find his sister, we

At a wedding

talked with her a bit to get to know her and ended up teaching her the restoration, at the end of the lesson we talked about how important prayer is and how we can actually receive an answer from our father in heaven. just like any parent they want to hear from us and are there for us. We invited her to pray right there and then, while she was praying she started crying and laughing all at the same time and the spirit was so strong It was incredible, it was amazing to feel the Savior work through us a missionaries and guide us to those who are ready for us!

Well I wish to talk more but I am out of time, marry Christmas! I know that Christ was born for us he lived for You and loves you! I have felt his arms lift me up and and strengthen me in times of weakness. I love this gospel and I love the Savior.

Love

Elder M.North

It's beginning to look a lot like....summer?

Beautiful Amanzimtoti

Date:  December 14, 2015
Area:  Amanzimtoti, South Africa
Companion:  Elder Saibeko
Week 25

Well looks like I am in for my first Christmas without snow.... weird......

What a great week! so first off I had an awesome lesson with this new investigator named Darril. He is a pretty cool guy and while were teaching him all the sudden I was hit by a wall of smiley goodness! It was an awesome feeling just out of no where I started to smile, wanted to cry and I just felt happy! I was just wondering if he was feeling happy as well, I couldn't tell but I hope so! That happiness is so great, it was a sort of feeling that assures you that God is pleased with what you are doing! As I left that house I left with a sort of spring in my step that I think has been long since missing! Mission is good! :)

trying to be like my brother Jered.....(He went to
Guatemala on his mission and was always sending
home pictures of bugs and critters)

My mom informed me of an awesome opportunity you all could have! So if you are trying to decide if a mission is right for you and you arn't really sure.  Maybe your worried about being home or how hard mission life is.  Well I have good news for you! You can go on a mini mission for 6-12 weeks, living and working with the full time missionaries and get to have and experience the joys and rigorous of mission life, you will get to feel the same kind of giddy happiness that I felt as I have taught the "good news" to people in my mission. Then after those 12 weeks you can know for sure if you could handle it and how it is.  So don't delay, call your bishop/Stake Pres. now to start your own mini mission to help you decide if mission is right for you!!......

Onward ever onward!  This Sunday was incredible, I had a baptism!!! oh my goodness, I have missed the water, as a missionary we don't get to swim, and its summer season here in Africa and I live next to the beach and don't get to swim. So its a little extra incentive to baptize people so you can get into the water... (that's a joke, not the reason why we don't swim or why we get baptisms) so this awesome man Cebo is 15 years old but he acts more like he around 18, really a level headed guy who knows what he wants in life and he is so young! He could make such a great missionary and leader on day! so we have been teaching him for a while and he has really grasped the gospel with two hands and has not let go for even a second! I was honored with the opportunity to perform the baptism with him and dunk him in the water twice. His head didn't go all the way under the first time because he slipped so we had to do it again, not fun because the water was really cold..... He bore a powerful testimony afterward about what he knows to be true, it was short sweet and to the point. just the I like it! So mission isnt about how many people you can dunk in the water or anything like that but more about the love you give and the love you feel but a baptism doesn't hurt :) There is a special feeling at baptisms of just new life beginning and old habits dying and new joy soon coming. 

Pictures of us and cebo. The other man in white with the little girl is
Thula and his sister Bushla, he baptized her the same day.

GUESS WHAT!!! God lives! and so does his son Jesus! and best of all they love you!!!!

so today was the end of transfers, Elder Sibeko is leaving me and I am getting Elder Adams. Elder Sibeko is a great guy and a fantastic missionary, he is going to go die in his last area only having 3 months left on mission. sometimes when people get close to the end of their mission they get trunky and want to go home and not work, but not this guy, he is to power. We worked really hard in this area and I can look back and say we did all we were supposed to do and all we could do #NoRegrets He was always quick to complement me which is something that I think helped me a lot, to feel like I was actually a good missionary and can do this. I am thankful I got to know him. so now I have had a companion from Zimbabwe, and two from South Africa. Now I get my American buddy/German  So Elder Adams is from the USA but has lived in Germany for the past 5 years. He is in my MTC group meaning we are the same age on mission, he was serving in Bloemfontein which I was able to visit about 2 or 3 times a month while I was in Kimberley so I got to know him pretty well and I love this guy so when I heard the news, I literally flipped, I cant wait to see my brother again! Usually you don't get two young missionaries put together like us. young on mission I mean. we both are only six months out and are serving together! so needless to say I am looking forward to the next couple months :)

Consecration is the only surrender which is also a victory.

I love this scripture in 2 Nephi 33:10

 hearken unto these words and believein Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good.

ME and Sibeko with Alrfed a member

We had a ward Christmas party which was off the hook crazy, well as crazy as a Mormon party gets that is!  That means there were skits, food, and laughs, and some time to mingle after haha. I really enjoyed it and even us missionaries got to participate. We did the 12 days of Christmas song, I saw some people recording it so I will have to get it from them to send you guys, I think you would get a kick out of it.

In Margate for a meeting then went for some grub at the beach,
from left to right. Kaitoo, Dean, Knight, Hamilton, Me, Sibeko 

I got mail this week!!!! two from grandma marry and then I got some packages from mom, haiy, and grandpa/ma North, haven't opened them because I have to wait for Christmas.

Write me!

Love,

Elder Mookie North

December....Wait what!

Date:  December 7, 2015
Area:  Amanzimtoti, South Africa
Companion:  Elder SAibeko
Week 24

wo wo wo what happend to November? I am super confused right now.... wasn't it just... where did Novem.... how come its..... hmmmm.....

Well according to everyone around me it seems like we decided just to skip November and go to December, I mean they keep telling me that its december 7th and I was just trying to explain to them that yesterday was November 6th so it has to still be November, but the people are quite persistent, I mean they even changed all the dates on the phones to say its december, I guess people just cant wait for this Christmas season.  Who can blame them! Christmas! I think of Spanish word mas which means more so I read Christ-mas as more Christ!!!! thats how I think it should be as we approach the day we commemorate the birth of our savior. We should focus more on Christ and less on us, More on service and less on self indulgence. Its quite a different feeling here on the other side of the world because December is summer and so people start to party like crazy during this month. The thoughts of most are far from Christ. During this month we should discover more about why #ASaviorIsBorn and learn how we can come closer to Him, and be more like Him. There still none the less is a special feeling in the air, partly due to the summer buzz but also that Christmas spirit that has just been emitted out of the festive hearts of those we meet. We have focused on teaching about the Savior this season and how he is the true and greatest gift given. A special spirit comes while you testify of the birth and reality of Jesus Christ and what He has done for us, His greatest gift. 

I know with all my heart that the son of God, Jesus Christ, the way of truth and light, came to earth, just as you and I have. Unlike you and I He did something extraordinary. He gave us this incredible gift I have hinted to. He suffered, bleed and died for us. through Him we may return to Heaven with Him. I know it to be true! Guess what, SO CAN YOU!!! I encourage you during this time of Christ-mas to find out who He is to you.

This is Jude the crab we caught. We like catching crabs... he is so cute :) I tried to feed him my cheerios. Elder Sibeko thought that the crab looked quite tasty.

Mission life has been pretty great here in Amanzimtoti. Love is the key, they are the door. If you want them to open up to you, Love them. You need to key to open the door. When you love the people you meet on mission your mission becomes something else entirely. When you gain a love for the people you serve your whole attitude changes, you begin to have a new found source of strength and energy to get you out knocking doors, talking to people. You love them and want the best for them. We know that the gospel truly is the best thing for everyone and that's what pushes us to go from door to door, gate to gate, after rejection again and again. If you dont love the people you will not love your mission I can promise you that. I am thankful that the people her in Toti have made it so easy for me to fall in love with them. Loving them makes every day a good day!

Went to a less active members house
and found it empty and abandoned but a cool
little mermaid painting was on the wall

Lessons have been good, days have been packed, and progress has been made. We are scheduled to have a baptism next week of a boy named Cebo (the C is a click from your front teeth) He is 15 turning 16 next month. I have had the amazing opportunity to teach him and see his understanding grow. I am so excited to see him take this step and put his trust in Christ by following His example to enter to the water of baptism. its the first step of a long journey and no it dosnt mean it will be easy but we know its worth it!

My little sis sent me this picture and rainbow and told
me to smile every day. so far so good. Thank you!
(The photo of Taylynne so goofy is her school picture.
She wanted to keep alive Mikel's tradition of a silly
yearbook photo.)

Always follow true north, couldn't have said it better myself.

Love you all, miss you all, and pray for you all! 

Elder M.North