Plentiful Bounty

Hello Momma,

      That is very cool about the fresh produce food bank you worked at on Thursday.  I’m curious who grows the produce?  Here in the south coast, and I might say all over Africa, they are very big on agriculture.  For people it is just normal to use their land to grow and cultivate a plethora of fruits and vegetables, many of which we don’t have in the states.  In most of the stores you can find a good deal of fresh produce, which I like a lot.  I spend a good deal of my money on produce and try to eat well.

      So here is the thing, today I’m in Durban emailing at a cafe that is filthy with computer bugs.  I durst not put any of my memory devices in here.  I wrote in my journal what I want to share with you, but I’m going to send it via the Margate Branch computer later today, or the mission office computer tomorrow.  But I will inform you of the news.

      It’s transfers again (I almost can't believe it).  My beloved companion is leaving, and that I am sad about.  He has been so great, so happy and cheerful. He has such a warm heart, which has helped with bringing us together and has helped the work.  Now last night President Zackrison called.  He told me that the Lord wants me to train a new missionary again.  He said that he feels very good and very at peace about it.  I must remind you he has been in Africa one month, and I have seen president Von Stetten's mantle of authority pass over to him and he is definitely directed by the spirit in all his decisions.  This was good for me to hear because two weeks prior I had an impression that I should train in Margate, but I wasn’t going to tell my mission president that.  It was a confirmation that the Lord works in his own ways in his own time.  It’s beautiful.

      I got a letter from Mariah the other week.  We have been talking about the nature of our areas.  In her letter she said that on a couple occasions people have mistaken her and her companion for missionaries of another church.  I thought it funny because that is almost a daily occurrence for us.  I think this last week possibly 6 times have people taken us for missionaries of another church.  We are now trying to be very up front in letting people know who we are by telling them we are the "Mormons" (of course after we tell them we are from the ‘Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’).

      Anyways, I am really looking forward to training again.  My companion is Elder Brimhill from Mississippi.  These next two transfers are going to be powerful.  Things are changing in Margate and will continue to change.

I love you,

     Elder Gold

Editor’s Note:

      This week's continuation from last week's journal entry transcribed below in the previous post dated Monday, July 16^th, 2013:

      “….So, we are also four days into our forty-day-fast.  It is kind of hard for me to feel like I’m making a big change.  I’m not.  I am actually making small changes, sometimes imperceptible to me, though I feel like no progress is being made.  I know I need to remember that a very large ship is directed by a very small helm.  I pray my companion is also getting the spirit of our fast.”

      Landon included a photo of his journal entry that was written last night, and in it he proceeded to talk of different individuals who have been inactive for years and the progress they are making to come back to the gospel.  He mentions that he truly sees the difference their efforts are making in Margate.  He continues on by saying that,

      “Today at church we had six less active members in attendance.  It is nice to see all of them using their agency to make right choices.  For weeks prior we have been used as instruments in the Lord's hands in helping these individuals to realize their follies, and start on the process of repentance. 

      This evening we were visiting one of the less active members I’ve referenced.  I’ll call him Thaddeus, however it isn’t his real name.  I have a great hope in this man, who had knowingly turned from the gospel to live a hedonistic life-style.  I have seen in the last three weeks some very small progress as he is giving deeper thought to what we have been teaching.  Tonight, we had a very tender moment.  As we were bearing our testimonies he said to us, “You are going to think I’m crazy, but I can see God….  I can see God inside a person.  I can’t really describe what it is like, but it’s unlike anything else.  The last time I saw God in someone was when I was getting my patriarchal blessing.  I saw God in the patriarch, and now, I see God in the both of you.  Normally things don’t get inside my heart, but you, I mean God within you, has penetrated my heart.”

      Landon continues with his thoughts about this statement as he explains, “My feelings were tender as he spoke to us.  I know that what he saw was the light of the gospel influenced by the Holy Ghost, like the image of Christ in our countenance.  Oh my joy!  Oh my love and gratitude and thanks towards my God.  How grateful I am to be a part of this work.””