Sanbonani!
Oh man, nothing made me laugh more yesterday then when that one lion impersonation during our Skype call turned into the entire family doing chicken impersonations. And without words, we all knew exactly what was going on... Are we great, or what?!
Yoh, so this week! Family, you might be getting some repeats from yesterday, but it's ok... Just smile and nod and enjoy them anyway.
This one for sure isn't a repeat though... So we're teaching a brother named Ntokozo right now, and he's getting baptized this coming Sunday! Super awesome dude. He was invited to church by his friend Bafana and has been coming like every week. Elder Kakar and Elder Welling were teaching him before I got here, and I guess back then Elder Kakar had told him I'm married and have two kids, which he believed. I only found out about this because we were teaching Ntokozo a lesson about the temple. When I said, "I'd love to get married in the Laie Hawaii or the Newport California Temple," his response was, "...aren't you already married?" We had a good laugh over it. I guess I'm getting to the age where I look like I can be married with kids. So that's kinda weird.
The Durban stake had stake conference this weekend, and a lot of the messages had musical overtones to them, which I really appreciated. Sister Nthombela from Umlazi BB organized perhaps the best choir I've heard in Africa. They sang b-e-a-utifully. Of one of their songs, President Ray Holder of the sake presidency got up to the stand and said, "The only two words I can say that I won't get in trouble for are, 'Hot dog!' These guys are good." I got a video of them singing Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, which I really hope uploads... We'll see how this internet shop can handle it! But that reminds me... I meant to tell this next story last week but it slipped my mind for some reason.
We had a family home evening with the Zuma family, and for the closing hymn we sang Joseph Smith's First Prayer, but Sister Zuma requested we sing it to the tune of Come Thou Fount. Yoh... It was beautiful. If you have a some spare time, organize a choir, give that a try, and try not to feel the Spirit. (Hint: that last part will be impossible!)
I got my hair cut this week. The first time in almost a year I haven't cut my own hair. Elder Esplin found this nice Indian barber that does a really good job. For R70, you get the nicest haircut of your life, and it takes no more than five minutes! The funny part was he was giving me a little bit of friendly fire for cutting my own hair. "Not even I cut my own hair," he told me. I guess I messed up in the front and he told me before he can fix it I have to let it grow out for a little while. Woops. Got called to repentance by my new barber.
I think my favorite lesson we taught this week was to a brother named Thulani. He's been to church a few times, and this was the first time Elder Kakar and I were able to sit down and teach him. But we had a really really really good lesson about the Book of Mormon. He's a smart guy, really humble, very empathetic, and seeking after truth. We spent the whole lesson answering his questions. He asked how we can put the Book of Mormon on the same level as the Bible when we're the only church that uses it. It led to a conversation about the origin of scripture, what they are, and how we can learn and gain from them. One of my favorite verses from the Book of Mormon comes from Moroni chapter 7: "But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God." I shared my testimony that the Book of Mormon has the power to do that, and he seemed satisfied. Very good discussion, and I'm looking forward to another one this week.
Elder Esplin and I have started running at the park by our boarding every other morning, and we've had the chance to talk a lot too. I was telling him that this transfer I had felt more unfocused than I had in a long time, and earlier in the week I had taken a night and resolved to work hard and die strong. He told me that the same night, he had done the exact same thing. And come to find out, after an exchange with Elder Petrie (who's also in our MTC group), he learned that Elder Petrie had also done the exact same thing. So what is there to learn from this? When you get near to the end, it's tough to stay focused. But, at the same time, it's comforting to know that your buddies are pushing through the same challenge together in the spirit of ubuntu.
So that's been the week. Two more in the transfer and then I can say it's my last transfer on mission. That's kinda wierd...Yoh.
Sala kahle, stay positive, and love your lives my friends!
Thanda kakhulu,
iGosa Johnson
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