"When words fail, music speaks"

Dumelang!

Yoh yoh yoh... Where to even begin! I think last time I emailed I was in Durban, expecting to finish my mission in Berea. Well, one thing led to another, and I've found myself sitting in the same email cafe in Bloemfontein I started my mission at.

Let's find out how one thing led to another... We'll start with a quote from the Prophet Joseph Smith:

"A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things, never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation."

Sometimes, you have to put that into practice. And sometimes, that means sacrificing your last six weeks in Berea so that another missionary, one who's treated you less than Christ-like, will stay on his mission. It's tough, to say the least. But, as we learn from William W. Phelps, "Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven," so there should be great blessings that result from the change.

So after reviewing the transfer board with the assistants, the Z Man decided the place for me to be this last transfer is Thaba Nchu, a township a little ways outside of Bloemfontein. I'll talk more about the area later, but for now, just know it's a great place to be.

The beginning of the week was strange, to say the least. But, it was sprinkled with some experiences of joy and hope.

While we were at the office on Tuesday, Elder Esplin came to with a small package from Sister Zackrison. In it, I found a nice note and a copy of the Lower Lights' newest CD. What a tender mercy that was. When we got back to the boarding, I threw it in the DVD player and listened to it probably five or six times over the next couple days. Their rendition of a hymn I hadn't heard before, "Each Life that Touches Ours for Good," has become one of my favorites. The words go like this:

Each life that touches ours for good
Reflects thine own great mercy, Lord;
Thou sendest blessings from above
Thru words and deeds of those who love.

What greater gift dost thou bestow,
What greater goodness can we know
Than Christlike friends, whose gentle ways
Strengthen our faith, enrich our days.

When such a friend from us departs,
We hold forever in our hearts
A sweet and hallowed memory,
Bringing us nearer, Lord, to thee.

It gave me some time to reflect on all of the wonderful people that I'm surrounded by. Elders Esplin and Ocitti both recognized the transfer out to Thaba Nchu was gonna be a tough one, and both came and shared some thoughts with me. While I was at a lunch appointment with them on Sunday, one of the members had a shirt on that said, "When words fail, music speaks." Elder Ocitti reminded me of that and encouraged me to stay strong. Elder Esplin... Man. He's been one of the best people I've met here in South Africa. We talked for hours before I got on the bus. We met up at the Salt Lake airport almost two years ago, we've served around each other quite a bit, and we have great plans for back home. Among them include overdosing on all the music we've missed out for two years and growing mustaches. He's going to name his Francois. (Oh, and just a sidenote, Elder Esplin asked me to include this in this email: Just so you all know he's not crazy, when I got off the bus in Bloemfontein, I stayed at the zone leaders' boarding. When I went to use the toilet, I found no toilet paper, but plenty of napkins. It's really a thing!)

The Rowberrys have been great, too. Some missionaries from times past had left behind sweat pants and a jersey (not like a basketball jersey...that's just what we call sweaters in Mzansi), so since they knew I was off to the winter in Free State they sent me with those. Elder Rowberry gave me a blessing also that put me at peace. I think we often times fear the unknown...the things that lie ahead. But with the comfort of the Holy Ghost, you can handle it with peace.

And with that... I was off to Bloem!

Elder Brimhall and Elder Mabetha picked me up at the bus station at 5 in the morning, and we got some rest and caught up a bit at their boarding before I was with Elder Agabu on the way to Thaba Nchu.

Man... This place is great. First off, we're driving a bakkie! Which, for you fetching Americans, is a truck! Yebo! So after 16 transfers, I FINALLY have been able to learn to drive stick shift! I've only killed it like 293847 times, but hey... I'm learning.

Elder Agabu is great. He's from Zimbabwe and just finished training. He loves to laugh. He loves the people here. I'm excited to spend my last transfer with him.

The members are great also. Bishop Sebusi is POWER. We were giving him a lift home last night, and come to find out... He served his mission in Pocatello Idaho! So he knows all about Utah and Idaho Mormon culture. He was telling Elder Agabu all about how one stake could be a square mile, and within that square mile you could find ten wards and four chapels. Whereas here, the Bloemfontein stake covers multiple countries. Yoh... Crazy stuff! And he was telling us the reason that they baptized so much in Idaho was that every time someone new would move in, Mormons, as flipping nice as we are, would bombard them with cookies and jello, and it wouldn't be long before the missionaries were invited over. Crazy crazy... And get this! Super random. Before he served his mission, he was teaching a ballroom dance class in Connecticut. "One, two, cha cha stop..." Hehe. I'll have to have him give me some tips, eh?

What else, what else... Had some really good teaching moments this week amongst some crazy stuff you only find in the township. (That includes a drunk mkhulu (Zulu for grandpa) kissing my hand and another drunk mkhulu standing in front of a giant speaker tapping his foot along to the house music that was blasting in his face.) We're teaching a brother named Piet who stays in a shack, but is super humble and was definitely prepared for the gospel. Elders Payne and Agabu found him one day when he was asking them if they could help him quit smoking. Well, one thing led to another, and he's quit, and it's looking like he'll be baptized pretty soon as well! So that's pretty great. A couple other teaching moments came during Gospel Principles class and our lunch appointment after church. The lesson was on charity (as well as both talks in sacrament meeting... Coincidence?). The discussion was beautiful, and I think everyone -- members, investigators, and missionaries -- walked out of it wanting to be more charitable. Then at our lunch appointment, Brother Modise joined us and we had an AWESOME discussion, and before we realized it, we had been talking for two hours! We talked about hypocrisy, sacrifice, the law of consecration, and the oath and covenant of the priesthood. At the end of it, we decided that compared to our Heavenly Father, we really don't know that much. And so what do we do? We keep on learning. Learn learn learn. There is no satisfactory substitute.

And I think that about sums it up. Great week, with more greatness lying ahead. I talked to Elder Brimhall, and I may even be able to make it out to Kimberley one of these Mondays. Fingers crossed.

Oh! One more thing. I'm out of Zulu land for the first time in 13 transfers, hence the new greeting. "Dumelang" is hello in Sotho and Tswana, which make up the majority of Thaba Nchu. Another new language to learn... But I think deep down, I'm a Zulu at heart. Mina ngomZulu phaqa!

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

Thanda kakhulu,

Ntate Johnson

(That's "Father Johnson," but... Close enough, right?)