Moving On?..."Your Work Here Is Finished."

Hey guys,
 

      I've got a lot to tell you so let me work backwards.  Saturday night I got an unexpected call.  I’m being transferred out of Margate...and this was completely by surprise.  I was supposed to stay another transfer even though I was done training, but my work here is actually finished.  As I put the phone down, my heart sunk for a moment, but these words came to my mind, “You have done what I wanted you to do.  I am pleased, and your work here is finished.”  They came with a deep sense of understanding that YES, I did all that the Lord wanted me to do.  I did it unto Him, and He now needs me elsewhere.  With that deep spiritual impression, I chose to have a happy heart, rejoicing in these past 4 ½ months, thinking to the mighty miracles and all things which the Lord did do for the people here through us.  I am happy, and am looking forward to moving on, while never forgetting this miraculous time.

      The next day (Sunday night) President Zackrison called and formally called me to be a Zone Leader in Bloemfontein.  Yep, I’m going back to Bloem.  He told me of his experience in placing me there.  He said as he prayed over the areas, the words distinctly came to him “Bloemfontein,

GOLD.”  The spirit confirmed it in his heart.  He explained the tough state of the area at the moment.  It’s primarily a Boer (White Afrikaans) area, and reception has been little.  There are many barriers, and he told me that me and my companion are to break through those barriers to reach the Afrikaans people... Interesting.  I have another impression, or rather a thread running through my heart that started back in Pinetown. Pinetown molded me and prepared me for Margate.  Margate was tough, and so were we.  I learned so much and we saw miracles, as we were obedient, hard working, united, and full of faith.  Now, looking back, I’m sure that I don’t know the full extent (I have not fully realized it yet), but the Lord was preparing me for what is to come.  It’s amazing, and I feel so appreciative for the trust He has put in me, but I think nothing of myself, because it was nothing of our own that these things happened.  Above everything though, I’m going to miss Elder Brimhall the most.

      Anyway, let me stop blabbing.  This last week of me being in Margate, we worked, and things happened.  I don’t know if I told you, but we were on our way to an appointment two weeks back when we passed a lady on the road with a kid, and the thought came to my mind, “Go talk with her.”  We did.  We walked with her and talked for some time (actually missing our appointment), but the Lord was leading us.  We eventually went to her home a few days later, and began meeting with her.  She is from Phuthaditjhaba, and I actually knew her mom when I was there.  She has a younger sister who recently was married in the temple.  Even with family taking strides in the gospel, she never joined the church at that time.  But over these last two weeks we have gone and taught her, had rough lessons (because she has a young and rowdy two-year-old), and left. But as we were absent from her, and as she read and prayed, the spirit worked mightily in her heart and she in becoming converted to the gospel.  She desires to be baptized and is working towards that goal in November.  Very Cool!
      So, this past Friday we tracted (Editor’s insert: Just a reminder that this is when they go out knocking on doors) into a white family.  They are a wonderful young family with a little boy.  The husband works as a tattoo artist and has lots of tattoos and gauges in his ears.  The wife is also obsessed with tattoos but she also loves reading!  She has a MASSIVE library of books.  When I first met them I thought he looked kind of hard-core, but I couldn't have been more wrong.  We sat down with them on Friday, and then again last night, and we had the most AMAZING lesson!  He is the chillest, most down to earth guy I have ever met and she actually read all of Mormon.org in the time frame between Friday and Sunday.  She expressed how much she liked the website, especially the story of Joseph Smith.  She claimed, "Either this is real, or there are 15 million schizophrenic people out there claiming that this is true!"  She had so many other one-liners in the lesson.  She is very spunky and sporadic always jumping up and swearing!  We had lots of good laughs and even with the swearing and the smoking, there was definitely a time where the spirit was there in abundance and she recognized it!  It was so very interesting!
      On Thursday we decided to stop by Cecelia's job to see her and take her some cookies.  Please note how she works at a funeral home and is always very cross.  She didn't like us swinging by one bit and she began screaming to us about how she didn't like us being so forceful!  So, I guess that humility from last week was wiped away as soon as it came!  Our intention for seeing her was a very positive one and we had no intention of offending her.  Alas, she is offended again and I do believe we are just teaching her husband Vaughn again!
      That’s all I’ve got.  I’m getting ready to take a bus tomorrow.  I love you guys.  Keep the faith.  Remember Alma 37:44-46.

Elder Gold