Sanbonani!
Ah... Transfer time again. And if all goes according to plan, this should be my last. Last time growing to love people for a few months, only to have to say goodbye once you really start to love the people. Mission's weird like that... So many people coming into your life, and so many exiting just as quickly. You get used to it after a while... But it still never gets easy. Especially when you've spent six months in one place. Ah, Umlazi has been lekker as they get. Met some of the best people in South Africa. Learned so much about love, leadership, brotherhood... And now, I get to spend my last three months as a normal missionary in Berea. Central Durban. The ward that started it all.
But before I get too much to the new, it's time to reflect a bit on this last week. Lots of ups, downs, diagonals... It's been crazy, but great nonetheless.
Tuesday was kind of a weird day. We had to take our car to get serviced, and ended up being at the dealership all day. There's this thing in South Africa called load shedding. The country's producing a lot of electricity, but they're selling a lot of it to neighbouring nations. Which is great for the economy, but kind of doesn't leave enough for Mzansi. So for a couple hours at a time the electricity will be out in one place, then the next couple hours it will be somewhere else. So we caught the butt of it at the dealership and didn't make it back to the area until 5. And then, just as we prayed and got out of the car for our first appointment, the lights went out in Umlazi as well, and there went the rest of our evening. Not really safe to be around Umlazi with no lights... But it ended up being ok. We met up with the W elders and shared missionary experiences while we waited for the load shedding to finish.
I think the Lord gave us a good number of tender mercies this week. We were blessed to teach a brother named Timothy. Elder Aman'galia met him on an exchange the week before with Elder Faganello. My idea of the qualities that someone must have to be considered a "golden contact" or "prepared investigator" has changed constantly over the course of mission. I don't think I can narrow it down to anything specifically, but Timothy is prepared. He once went to a church, but it's been a long time, and he feels that he needs God to be more a part of his life. I think he's pretty lonely. He has an injury that leaves him limping on one side, and he isn't able to leave home too often. If anything, I think he enjoys our company, but has been asking us really great questions as well. Seems like a really good guy, and Bishop is gonna come meet him with Elder Aman'galia and Elder Kelsey this week. (Oh yeah, that's who's replacing me! Is Umlazi going to be in good hands? You better believe it is!)
Universally among the missionaries, weekly planning is never really looked forward to much. It's kind of a drag sometimes. I was talking to Elder Faganello earlier in the week and he was telling me that in one of his previous areas, to spice things up a bit, they hiked a mountain one day and did weekly planning up there. We don't have any mountains on the coast, but we do have a beach... So that mighta been where our two districts did weekly planning this week. And from this point forward, weekly planning is no longer dreaded. Hee yeah!
Some days go as you plan, other days definitely do not... Saturday morning we got a call from Elder Doane in Margate who had ordered scriptures for a member that was moving to the United States the next day, so we had to make an emergency trip there... And also take him a letter that had just arrived at the office from a nice sister. But we ended up attending their district meeting as well. Not planned, but it was good. Elder Gwebu's a good district leader. Instead of giving the lesson every week, he gives the other elders in his district a chance to do it. Pretty cool of him.
We met a family called the Shabalala family a couple weeks back... I think I mentioned them last week. We had a chance to sit down with baba this past week, and I think we did some good. We didn't teach anything, but we just talked. It almost reminded me of sitting with a Navajo chief or something making peace and passing around the peace pipe. Perhaps that's because he was smoking, or perhaps it's because we exchanged great amounts of wisdom. Whatever the case, it was a good meeting. We even asked him at the end of it he'd ever had the desire to quit smoking. His answer was the same as everyone I asked in Stanger. Of course he did, but it's tough. We offered to help him, and he welcomed it gladly. Afterwards, Elder Aman'galia and I decided conversion on his part was going to be tough, but it wouldn't be impossible. As Christ counseled his disciples, we must be "wise as serpents, yet harmless as doves."
Brother Bunny's I think someone I'm gonna miss more than most people. We found out this week that he loves to sew. He doesn't have much to do during the days, so I think he appreciates the business we're bringing him. I had a few shirts to slim down, Elder Aman'galia had some pants to make longer, and he welcomed the job gladly. Ah, it's a shame though... He tries not to show it, but his house burning I think has hit him hard. I would guess the lost photos and memories are the hardest part. But he's strong. He's hangin' in there. The Chatsworth elders are keepin' him company.
New things this week... I'm excited for Berea. I'm dying in the same ward as Elder Esplin. We're super excited. Under no circumstances are we going to let each other die finished. Not no way, not no how! If we can die as strong as Elder Childs, life will be good. Speaking of... We've been with him most of the morning. His family's here picking him up. Seeing people fresh from the valley... Ay, it's weird. Crazy to think that's gonna be me in three months... Oh well, shouldn't dwell too much on that. There is work to do! Watch out Berea, here we come!
Elder Atkinson and I had both received the revelation that we were going to be together in Phoenix this transfer, but I guess it's the companionship that just wasn't meant to be. But whatever happens, happens for a reason.
Sala kahle my friends. Stay positive. Love your lives.
Thanda kakhulu,
Igosa Johnson
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