QwaQwa

Hi MOM!!  Hi Everyone! 

I made it to Durban. The coastal area is way cool. Rainy. Stayed at the mission office for only 3 hours before I had to jump in a car and zip off to my area. My mission president is fantastic as is his wife. She is my temporary mother out here. Very kind. I had to drive for 5 1/2 hours to get to my first area in the farthest half of the mission. My mission area is a little “township” (township is a suburban area). The name of this region is QwaQwa, which used to be an independent self-governing region from 1974 until 1994. In 1994 it was reunited with South Africa and QwaQwa is now part of the “Free State” province. I live in a city called Phuthaditjhaba. My companion is from Zimbabwe. We are the only missionaries in the whole mission who live in a township. There are 4 elders here – me and my companion Elder Ncube (pronounced N-Click your tongue like your calling a dog – oo – bay). He’s a very good trainer - obedient and enthusiastic about the work. There’s also Elder Long from Alabama, and Elder Goodwin from Adelaide, Australia.

I’m in a walking area, and it is absolutely beautiful!! 

I’ve been working hard, and it feels great. On Sunday we had to travel to zone conference, which is 4 hours to the other side of the mission in Bloemfontein. Zone conference was amazing!

We don’t have much food.  Our area is really poor.

I need to learn a new language to be effective here. Everyone speaks Sotho and it is hard. But I’m getting some of the basics. I’m really glad to have a native companion because even though he speaks Zulu (how cool is that!) he knows some Sotho, enough to get by.

We have a real tiny branch, about 50 or 60 people, and we meet at a school.  You can tell Bishop Hess that it’s almost my turn to teach Relief Society.

The people are responsive here, but hard to commit.  At this time we are building Africa’s foundation with the gospel. It’s really cool to have an understanding that this is such a critical time in this continent’s future, and in the Lord’s Plan for these people. This foundation needs to be built on obedience, faith and hard work.  How true that is. I cannot emphasize that enough. I wake up every morning and give thanks to be a part of this critical moment in this eternal plan. I already love the people, and all their endearing colloquialisms.  (Actually I’m the “quirky” one to them.)

Elder Ncube and I get along really well. He wants to work hard, I want to work hard, and it’s perfect. As my trainer, he gave me a great compliment the other day. He said he isn’t training me, I’m already seasoned and he loves working alongside me. That was a very nice thing to say, yet “seasoned” is not the word I would have used.  

I have come to a realization, and here it is:
Elder Baxter told me that he and most all of the other general authorities know they don’t have what it takes to be where they are, but with the Lord’s help they are able to fulfill and magnify their calling. Another missionary told me of when they were getting a new stake president in his home ward. The regional authority who was making the decision of whom to put in that calling would discard the names of people who would say they were ready and can do it.  This work cannot be done alone! No missionary has what it takes to work by his own power.

Here’s an analogy regarding comfort:  When you are working your butt off on a mountain climb, you are not comfortable. You are only comfortable when you rest, but when you rest, you aren’t making progress. Same goes for the Lord’s work, and all other capacities - if we are comfortable, we are not working the right way. We need to feel the effort, we need to feel the discomfort, and like it’s hard to do. When we have those feelings, we should petition to the Lord for help and guidance, and in our humility He will bless us with the spirit, with power, with the blessings He has promised. We will see that the harvest of our work becomes greater than we could have ever done on our own. If you look at that harvest and take the credit, you lose the ability. You then can do nothing. It is so important that we remember Who is in charge.

I think of it like this: 

You are a sickle, and your job is to make sure your blade is sharp and pointed, your handle is well oiled, and that you are well prepared to be used. You can sit in that field of wheat and do nothing. As hard as you try, you will not harvest on your own. When the Harvester comes and picks you up, and uses you, you will then see the fruits of yours and the Lords labors. Having that mentality has helped me in my studies, in finding, in teaching, in companion relationships, in everything out here on my mission. I’m here to work, not be comfortable.

Time is short.  I am not able to respond to everyone, but this letter is to everyone.  I love you all.  Till next week, God be with you.

 Love,

Elder Gold