Tuesday, January 29, 2013

A Photo is Worth a Thousand Words



Hello Family,
      We had a busy P-day  (Preparation Day) this week.  I’m sending a lot of photos this time because; ‘a photo is worth a thousand words.’  Just to let you know what we did: myself, Elder Komakech, Elder Roberts and Elder Francom went to uShaka (that’s the correct capitalization) Marine World in Durban. It was lekker! UShaka is a mini Sea World with a large aquarium and other attractions.  It’s right on the beach, so when we got there I stopped breathing for a minute.  It had been almost 1 year since I had seen the ocean.  The smells, the sight, and the feel were amazing.  I ran straight to the sand and stayed there for a bit.  You’ll see in the photos that we had a little fun.  I had to touch the Indian Ocean.   



     

 The aquarium was really great to see.  A lot of what I know about marine life was just flowing back to my mind.  Seeing all the life and remembering all the times I had encountered these things face to face off our beaches back home (not behind glass) brought me a lot of joy.  I was reminded why I want to study marine biology and conservation.

      We also went to a dolphin show, and I’d have to say, “I wasn’t impressed.”  I just didn’t have a good feeling about the trainers and the dolphins.  I don’t know how to describe it, but it was strange.  I believe that having dived so much around dolphins, and seeing them in their natural, wild habitat was why I didn’t like seeing them in a pool.

      Overall, it was really a great day.  But now we are back to the real thing; missionary work.  I love it so much.

I love you guys,
            Elder Gold


Monday, January 21, 2013

Feel Like I'm at Home, Except all the Houses are Fortresses




Hello Everyone,

      I’ve not heard anything about having my mission cut short yet (Editors Note: This was in response to Landon finding out one of his friends in another mission will be coming home one transfer early to make room for the influx of new missionaries.  This will shorten the friend’s two-year mission by approximately six weeks.)  I doubt that will happen here because we NEED a lot more missionaries in this mission.  It is going to help us a lot, especially in opening old and new areas.  Many areas have been closed because of how scattered we are.  Even though we are one of the smallest and concentrated missions in Africa, we still need a lot more missionaries.
      AMEN to everything you said mom, especially that the work is hastening. We are to be getting an additional amount of missionaries in the next few months (I’m not sure the numbers but it could be over 20).  That’s a huge impact.  I’ll say again, “We need a lot more missionaries in the Durban Mission.”  Speaking of which, I know you know that the work is different in my current area than what I am used to.  It’s been tough.  I feel like I’m at home, except all the houses are fortresses.  Yeah, the gates are probably put up by Satan to keep us out (just a bit of sarcasm for you all).  We really have to get creative with our finding.  We are going to start implementing some new ideas in the coming weeks that will hopefully help us find a few more investigators.  Even though it’s hard, I do my best to keep my head up.  I can honestly say that I feel pure joy and happiness even when we have a hard time.  Kind of reminds me of the angel’s words to Alma when he was cast out of Ammoniha:
“Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which thou receivedst thy first message from him. Behold, I am he that delivered it unto you. And behold, I am sent to command thee that thou return to the city of Ammonihah, and preach again unto the people of the city; yea, preach unto them...”               
                                                              Book of Mormon Reference:  Alma 8:15-16 
      So we do, we keep moving.  A funny thing is that I never would have thought to get a single door slammed in Africa.  I was wrong :p  However, the church ward is powerful.  We have incredibly amazing individuals here.  Some have been members of the church for 60+ years.  You are going to love to meet them when we come back.  I want to find a video camera of some sort that I might record many of their conversion stories because they are powerful and precious.  I feel a sense of awareness to retain as much of my own history as I can, but that will all come after the main reason I’m out here.  My soul purpose why I am here is to invite others to come unto Christ; so, my work here is better than anything I have or could be doing.  I love this mission, the gospel, my God, my Savior, and you. 
Elder Gold 

Monday, January 14, 2013

The Valley of a Thousand Hills



Hi My Dear Momma!

      I just read your letter about the inspiration you feel when posting the blog.  It is nice to hear of the process you go through.  Thank you for being in tune with the spirit.  That is what I’m working heavily on right now.  I sought some personal inspiration for myself in this new area I am in.  Without sharing too much, I have a vision in part of what I can, and need to do, to improve Pinetown while I’m here. 

      The temple is at hand.  I can feel it.  My thoughts have been on it for sometime.  The president's assistants are not telling me where the land is, but I have a feeling that it is going to be built close to my current area.  I also feel that in the next few months the exact location will be announced.  I still hold firm that part of me being here is to prepare certain people for the temple.  Possibly that is why I was in the Free State for so long, only to come to Durban as the time gets closer.  Mariah emailed me today and was talking all about her experiences with the temple.  It got me thinking again about how much I love the temple. 

      Just to let you know what the weather is like right now, I’ll start by saying that it’s about 90 degrees outside (if not more), and with super high humidity.  I am currently in a place just off from an alley with a roof and about 10 computers tightly crammed in. Outside is a street market with people selling all sorts of fruits and veggies and other trinkets, many which are Chinese made.  It’s crowded!  There is a Muslim Mosque just across the street and a handful of Muslims around here.  There are Africans from everywhere who have come to Durban; like from almost all southern and eastern African countries.  The landscape is jungle vegetation everywhere with huge trees, vines, grasses, and bushes… all super lush.  There are a lot of monkeys as well.  I’m in an area, or region, called "The Valley of a Thousand Hills.”  It’s just steep big rolling hills everywhere.  Today we will be going to a place called Chatsworth, an all-Indian community, to play soccer with the local Indian boys.  It should be fun. 

      I pray all is well on that side.  All is well (with an eternal perspective) on this side.

I love you,  

Elder Gold

Monday, January 7, 2013

They Were Questions of the Soul...


Hi Mom,
      I’m doing well.  The work is quite different in Pinetown, and you were right, it is definitely more modern.  I'll try to get some of the pictures you asked for.  However, some I may not be able to get because, if I carry my camera into certain areas, like markets, it'll be taken right out of my hands. :p

      I sent you a photo of our most recent baptism.  The missionaries have been teaching Themba for some time and I was blessed enough to be here for his baptism (the first week I arrived).  I also was given the blessing of ordaining him to the Aaronic Priesthood yesterday.  That was a sweet experience.  He is so sweet and humble.  He is from Zimbabwe and lives here with his wife and two children.  We are just beginning to teach his wife.  She is showing promise. 

            Well, I’ve spent much time today writing up Themba's priesthood line of authority, so this email is a little short.

 
Editor’s Note:

      Every investigator of the gospel has a story.  We do not know the work and process Themba went through before making it to the waters of baptism, however, I can assure you those steps were walked kicking pride aside and humbly letting the spirit in to teach the truth.  Last week Landon wrote about an experience he had with an individual.  His story shows just how the spirit works in changing the heart of a man if only he allows it to.

      I’m so happy to be here on mission.  I’m probably the happiest I’ve ever been. This week we had a cool but common experience with the Book of Mormon that I’ll share with you.  There is this man named Nhlahla who the previous missionaries had contacted.  We went to contact him again at his home.  So, we knocked at the big metal gate until he came out of the house.  He stood at the gate with us, talking and telling us that he doesn’t think we will be able to meet with him.  After he had been contacted he asked his pastor about the "Mormons".  As you could guess the response from his pastor was not the greatest, nor the most correct.  NHLAHLA had his skepticism and doubts.  I'll note as well that he is a Born-again Christian.  Nothing wrong with that, in fact I admire them for their zeal and commitment, but they can be hard to teach as well.

      So, after some drawn out persuasion and persistence, Elder Komakech and I were invited, FOR FIVE MINUTES, to sit on the porch and talk with him.

      We taught about the restoration of the gospel, but I’m more satisfied to say that the spirit taught.  He agreed with the doctrine about prophets, Christ’s church and gospel dispensations.  But, when we came to the topic of the apostasy he looked like he had eaten a lemon.  He raised objections and we responded, allowing us to continue teaching through Joseph Smith.  At this point he was laughing, trying not to be rude by mocking us.  He didn’t understand.  Then came the best part...

      "Oh what’s that?  The book of Mormon??  Yes... go on... hhmmm...ohh............... What is that I feel?  The spirit?  So your telling me this is true?  Wow..."

      So you guessed it, we introduced the Book of Mormon to him.  I AM thoroughly convinced and have a burning testimony that the Book of Mormon is SATURATED with the Holy Spirit.  Our dear friend, "doubting Nhlahla," was stopped in his tracks as we paged through verses of the Book of Mormon, showing him, or rather helping him to feel, that the book is of God, and Is true, and testifies of Christ, and shows man what they must do in this life in order to gain peace, happiness and salvation in the life to come.

      He hit us with more questions, but this time they were different. They were thoughtful.  They were sincere.  They were questions of the soul that only would be thought of as one comes to understand the truth and sees where he really is.  Our five minutes was now two hours.  He accepted the book, and promised to read and pray.  He also told us we could come back.

      OUTSTANDING!!!!  We don’t get moments like that every day, but the feeling of preaching the true gospel is still the same.  This work is true!  Everything you have taught me from as early as I can remember is true!  I don’t know any other way to thank you for giving me the opportunity to have this gospel other than to give it to the people we are laboring for right now.  I love you mom.

      I’m well.  I’m happy.  I’m still laboring to do my best (and I fall short).  I love you,

Your son,

Elder Gold