Dumelang!

So "habashoe" is a Sotho word. It's pronounced "hah-bosh-way," and I believe it translates literally to "let them die!" But the way people use it is similar to YOLO. Pretty dope. So, there's your Sotho lesson for today. Habashoe!

Yoh, this week has been fantastic. I haven't felt this good spiritually in a long time. Elder Agabu is the man. Studies have been on par. I've been on a home cooked diet of omelettes, chicken, and veggies. The members are power. We've found people by the Spirit. We've frozen our Biblical-word-for-donkeys off. Life is good.

There were so many times this week where what we did I truly believe was inspired and by the Spirit. Earlier on we were riding our bikes and met a man named Barant. He stopped us and told us he'd been taught by missionaries before and instantly made an appointment with us. It was a little strange. Almost reminded me of that part in the Saratov Approach where Nikolai stops the elders and asks them to teach him. But, we felt good about it and saw him later in the week. After our first lesson, we were pretty sure something wasn't right in Barant's head. But, he was sincere. He asked lots of questions and we answered as best we could. He opened up to us and told us his mother passed away last year, and from the sounds of it, she was everything to him. We talked a bit about the Plan of Salvation, and he lit up. I don't think it was coincidence that we were led to him.

So that was visit number one.

Visit number two was just as powerful, but a bit more upbeat. Barant's friend Lesley joined us as we were teaching the Plan of Salvation in greater detail, and he was mostly quiet at first. Then, we got to the Fall. He perked up and asked us, "So what was the fruit that Adam and Eve were commanded not to eat?" We told him that the scriptures aren't really specific on that, and he went on to explain that for his entire life he had never eaten fruit because he was worried he might accidentally eat the one God had commanded not to eat. Elder Agabu and I just looked at each other confused, trying to hold in a laugh, but then Barant started laughing too. He then went to the kitchen and started eating an orange in front of Lesley and really enjoying it. We all had a good laugh, and if anything, I think we at least taught a man that it's ok to eat fruit. He was really intrigued with the Plan of Salvation and said that he had more questions for us, so he invited us over to his home later this week. Great people. Both of them. It's people like them that I love to teach. People who have questions and want answers. I've never been a fan of forcing our message on people. But, if you follow the Spirit long enough, you'll find those that will accept you.

In contrast, we had dinner with Sister Makgoje on Wednesday night. I believe her father was the first member in Thaba 'Nchu. Super awesome member. One of her friends came and joined us partway through our meal, and as it turns out, this friend was baptized back in 2008, but had only been with the Church for a year or so. We had a friendly conversation, and I asked her if she still read from the Book of Mormon at all. And from their, she started airing all her grievances about the Church. She had concerns that were very legitimate, but she wouldn't give us the time of day to discuss them with her. She started bashing, bashing, bashing, and luckily both Elder Agabu and I were of the same mindset: arguing will get us nowhere. So, we let her talk for a while longer, closed with a prayer, and were on our way. Ay... That was brutal.

But that was just one downer experience amongst a whole array of positives!

The Z Man's big thing these last couple transfers has been member missionary work. So, that's where the majority of our efforts have been leading. We had a chance to visit both the Gailele and Mphuru families this week, both whom when we've asked if there's anyone they've interacted with this week that the Spirit may be driving them to talk to answered in the affirmative. It was incredible. Big Z's idea he wants us to drive into the members' heads is that most of the time, the people they invite to the gospel aren't going to be their close friends and family, but the people that are just here and there in their lives. Sister Mphuru shared a nice experience. Someone had once asked her the time, and somehow they started talking. One thing led to another, and Sister Mphuru invited her to come witness a baptism that was happening at the chapel. She came, and later herself was baptized. Ah... Experiences like that are what give me hope!

I got an email last week from Elder (well, I guess Brother now) Armstrong who had served a transfer in Thaba 'Nchu. He was asking about a member named Brother Mathobisa. We were able to drop by for a visit Saturday morning, and I think that may have been my favorite visit in Thaba 'Nchu so far. It felt like a Christmas morning... It was cold outside and we walked in and found him asleep on the couch with his kids watching a Christmas movie. There was just a good feel. He ended up talking to us for about an hour before we shared a thought and were on our way. But he kept telling us how glad he was we came by unannounced. He had had other plans that morning, but decided to stay home, and then along came the missionaries. Right place at the right time I guess.

We drove to Bloem this morning for p-day and zone training meeting tomorrow, and Bishop Sebusi needed a lift. Man... It's so cool talking to him. He's probably one of the wisest men I've met in South Africa. He served his mission in Pocatello, Idaho, and he was telling us this morning that one day he went on an exchange with President Uchtdorf. Just him Dieter. His companion was with another GA that was visiting their stake. Man... Nerve wracking much? We visited him earlier this week also and he was telling us how tough it is to be a bishop. He was telling us that if nobody likes you, you're probably doing something wrong, but that the same applies if EVERYONE likes you. If you're doing what the Lord needs you to do as a bishop (or in any calling the Lord calls you to), you'll have people that love you and people that don't. After all, the Saviour himself was rejected.

So all in all, I think I'm as happy as I've been in a long time. Thaba 'Nchu is great. Cold, but great. (Just to give you an idea, I've resorted to sleeping with sweats, two huge blankets, and an electric blanket. All because it's in the 50s at night. South Africa has turned me into a sissy.) One of the cool things about the area is that there are very few lights, so at night, the sky is beautiful. I've always seen in pictures times where you can actually see the Milky Way galaxy, but I've never actually witnessed it until here. It's beautiful. Looking up at the night sky really makes you think... Just how tiny we are in a universe so grand. God is good, my friends.

Welp, until next time! More adventures lie ahead this week. ZTM, exchanges with the zone lords, and maybe even 42,231 baptisms. That might be an exaggeration, but hey... Shoot for the stars, yeah?

Sala kahle, stay positive, and love your lives my friends.

Habashoe,

Ntate Johnson

Oh, PS... I included sent some pictures to the blog of a game reserve sorta thing. The story with that... We wanted to do weekly planning on Friday somewhere other than the boarding. So after Mama told me last week about a Maria Maroka game reserve, we set out to find it and do planning there. Well, after somewhat of a goose chase, we finally found the entrance and it was super expensive, and there wasn't even a place to sit down and plan. But, for some reason I'm not exactly sure why, the ntate at the gate let us drive around a little bit. Saw some ostrich, springbok, the works. So an hour or so and 50 kilometres later, we ended up planning at the boarding. Worth it? You bet.