Merry Christmas!!!! and a Happy New Year.

This is it, this is my last email ever......of 2010.

Then you get 52 emails for 2011 and then 32 for 2012.
Are you willing to endure my writings each week my friends?

I'll tell you one thing, it doesn't feel like Christmas down here...it was more of trying to celebrate Christmas in July.  Where's the cold? The snow?  Not here!  Didn't ever think about going to the beach for Christmas (though I didn't)....I've decided I'm more of a need-the-cold kind of guy....I like my four seasons. (and I'm talking about the hotel as well.)  

So...how was everyone's Christmas?  Hope it went well, for mine was pretty great.  What a better way to spend the holiday season spreading the word of Christ though not many people wanted to see us. :(  <---that's one sad face!     We did get invited to a family christmas party and I did eat a nice Christmas dinner that filled me.  The relief society gave us Elders a bunch of stuff from chocolate to bar soap....talk about a fun filled Christmas!!!!

It was nice talking to those I did talk to!  Sounds like you are all doing really well!!!  Made me more determined to serve with all my might so that when I come home, I'll have plenty of stories to tell all of you!  I want to thank everyone that sent me a present, I highly enjoyed getting and opening and other action verbs (ex. Using).

Well there isn't much more to say....but I hope that you all have a wonderful New Year, I hope that you are looking forward to it as much as I am.  2011 will be a great year.  I know it!  Know that you are all in my prayers and that I think of everyone back home oft and I miss you all!!! 

Stay well....and stay staying!!!!!

Love you!!!!

The Elder Naylor

Merry Christmas!!!

My Family and Friends.

Thank you for all that you do for me and all the support that you give me!  I am eternally thankful for all of your help over the years, I'll repay someday, somehow.  I promise....pinky swear!!!  

Well, I did it...I finished my third transfer, only 14 left.  It is surprising how fast time has gone by...I can't believe that next week is 2011!  I'm ready for it though, it will be a good year, full of many great and wonderful things.  

So I'm sure you are all wondering how transfers went.  Did I get transfered? Did I get a new companion?  Am I the assitant to the President? (definitley no, I need more time for that responsibility!)  Well I guess that I can tell you all.  I didn't get transfered, I am still working in Somerset West (strand side).  But as for Elder Davenport, well he has gone to a better place (well not better, but just another place.)  I'll miss that guy, we had a lot of fun times and we served well with one another!  But I must move on, keep my life going.  So, I'm sure at this point you have reallized that I have a new companion.  Well if you haven't figured out, I have a new companion.  His name is Elder Simposn from Arizona...pretty cool guy, I think that we will get along just fine.  No pictures of us yet, but for sure next week ok?  He's mostly a tidy guy so he has organized our whole flat and made it feel very clean.  I can't complain :)  

Now because this past transfer was only 5 weeks, it makes this coming transfer a whole seven weeks....so the next transfer date will be on February 3, 2011.  I'll be just over six months on mission...cool eh?!?!?!

Yesterday, Corneille was confermed a member of the Church and received the gift of the holy ghost.  It was quite the cool experiance, that man is just so strong!  I was able to participate in the confermation and afterwards when he stood up, just like his baptism, there was tears in his eyes...mad me feel so amazing.  I feel good with the work that I have done!

Well, this week is Christmas...my first warm Christmas (it's very hot here now...thank goodness for A/C in the car!)  I get to spend the wonderful holiday season doing what I was sent here to do, spread the word!  So on Christmas eve and Christmas day, I will be out seeing people and teaching.  What a great way to spend Christmas!  What a marvolous way to celebrate our Savior's Birth! 

I hope that you all have a wonderful Holiday season and that you stay safe.  Remember the true meaning of Christmas and keep that close to your heart.  I love you all and once again thank you for the support.  Build a snowman for me, sing a carol, and most of all, Remember Christ our Savior born this Christmas day.

May God bless you all,

Elder Naylor


I forgot to mention this in my family email....Elder Simpson and I are the same age on mission.  We are serving as what they call it a "co-companionship"  Pretty cool eh? that means next transfer I will go senior! 

Blessings!!

Dear Family and all,

 

Another week already?  Goes by just too quick!  This week has been one of many adventures and memories, all safely kept in my journal. (don't miss a day with writing, already in my second journal.) 

 

This past sunday (yesterday), I am pleased to say that i witnessed another soul come unto Christ by entering the waters of baptism.  As I have mentioned him before, his name is Corneille and he is 44 years of age.  Has been investigating the Church since about 17.  Though he has no family in SA, the service was still very nice.  Some ward members stayed to witness this wonderful thing.  I won't go into too much detail, just know that it went well.  After the baptism, we were about to close with a hyhm when another Elder asked him if he would like to bear his testimony.  Let me just say this, it was one of the most heart-filled, simple testimony I have ever heard.  He bore a solem witness about the Book of Mormon and the strength he has drawn from it over the years.  After the closing prayer, everyone there went and shook his hand, leaving Elder Davenport and I last.  When he got to Elder Davenport, he just went right in for a hug....parting, he looked at me and then embraced me.  When he pulled away from me, I saw tears in his eyes.  It was the most emotional, spiritual moment so far of my mission.  He will make a wonderful member of the Church and Generations not only to come, but generations behind him will be truly blessed for what he has done. 

 

Another story is what happened on Saturday.  I was on exchanges with Elder Musangu, working in his area.  A person that we decided to see was a man by the name of Grahm.  Grahm has been investigating the Church for seven years.  Many missionaries have tried and failed but for some reason, keep going back.  When we got into his house, he asked me how old I was because he said I look like I'm 14.  Haha, 14 really?  As we started the lesson, he asked me to give an opening prayer.  When I said amen, he thanked me for it, said it was strange because I said everything I needed to say...almost like I had talked to Elder Musangu beforehand about Grahm and wrote out a prayer.  There's a little lestimony of how the Spirit directs you on what to say!  We had a very good talk, he's still far from being converted, but closer than he thinks.  I have some hope for him and would love to be there when he is baptized.  As we left, he invited me to come to lunch at his house on the 26th of December along with my companion...we'll see if I'm still here to follow up with that invitation!

 

One more thing, transfers are this week, a week earlier because President Probst didn't want them to fall upon Christmas...so this time next week I could be somewhere else or with someone new!  As I begin this next transfer, it is also the same transfer of my 6 month mark!  1/4 of the way, crazy eh?  well, I must get going...I love you all and can feel your prayers for me, I hope you feel mine.

 

Have an amazing week!  Stay strong!

 

Elder Naylor

If I could walk 500 miles, I wouldn't walk anymore!

Dear Family and Friends!

Hello, another week has come and gone!  This week has been a quick one....a lot of things happened.  

We had to take the car in on Thursday morning to get the air conditioning fixed and they gave us a ride back to our boarding so we could do weekly planning...after all that, the other elders came and picked us up so we could go back to the dealership to get the car. Since we were going to be in that area, I went and picked up my shirts from the tailor...I had four shirts tailored.  We did so and then walked to the dealership, but once we were almost there, they called us and said that the car needs to stay until Friday and that we can pick it up the next day.  GREAT, now what do we do? the other elders went to appointments and we are stranded without a car.  So what do we do? We make a smart decision and decide to walk back to our boarding.....a whole 17kms away or in US terms, about 8 Freakin' miles.  I didn't realize how far it was until I was halfway there....it was a long long walk, took about two hours.  About halfway through, my toe started to hurt, but I didn't think about it much.  ONce we got back to the boarding, two bad things happened: I noticed out of those four shirts that I had taiored, only three made it back...I dropped one! Gosh Dangit! (as you Utahns say) haha oh well, just a shirt right?  And the second thing...I took off my shoe and found my toe bloody!  Turns out one of my toenails was a tad too long and was rubbing against my other toe to the point where it cut it!  Haha, so I cleaned my foot up and cut my nails...lesson: cut your toenails! (picture to go along with it is attached)

Another thing, Elder Davenport was sick on tuesday so while he was all sicky in bed, I got to sit and not do much.  It was nice but I prefer to be out in the area doing work, but when rest is needed (and a toilet!) the boarding is the best place for a missionary.

Wednesday was zone conference and Elder Watson of the Seventy was there and gave some wonderful talks, and he had an iPad which I wanted to snatch it and play....soon though I will. 

We are going to have a baptism this Sunday for a man named Corneille from the Congo.  I'm excited for that!

My mission is going great, I'm excited for 2011, the year of full service!  Hope everyone is having a great holiday season, I am....feels like July here right now!  Send me more letters and stuff, I like hearing from you all!

I love you, have a good week!


Elder Naylor

Here Kitty Kitty!!!!

Hello all! How did the week go? Sounds like Thanksgiving was a success and that makes me really happy!  My week has been a pretty good one, can't complain too much.  It's seems though that only yesterday I was sitting here emailing, but it's been a week! Time surely goes by too fast on mission!  

I'm glad to report that as of yesterday, I have brought two people into the Lord's fold.  Marlon Soza was confermed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints as well as Patience Msimanga, it made me very happy and proud that I was part of their conversion!  We have a few others that we are really working on, so hopefully I will have more to report on in the coming weeks.  Here's a cool story that happened this past week:

A few weeks ago, we had a guy come up to us at Church named Corneille from the Congo.  He says that he is very interested in our message and wanted us to come to his home.  This isn't the cool part though, we get to his house (either wednesday or thursday) and sit down with him to begin teaching when he goes into his room and comes out with a stack of pictures and a Book of Mormon.  He tells us that his sister was the first Female missionary from Africa to serve and his cousin served also.  He goes on saying that he has known about the church since he was seventeen years old, has read the book of mormon from front to cover, knows it is true and has had all the discussions.  Oh and he's 44 years old.  Due to his job, he has never been around long enough to actually get baptised, but now he is ready.  We went over some things with him to see his understanding and he knows all about the church, it's incredible!  So now we are going to refresh some things and get him baptised!  Now I understand what it means when a seed is planted and it takes many missionaries to get the plant growing!  So that was a really cool experiance.

Here's a funky story:

Saturday night, it was really hot in our flat so we opened some windows to let some cool air in.  Everything seemed fine, even the window above my head was opened, I fell asleep quickly that night.  Then around two in the morning, I was awoken by a thump by my head. Startled, I looked around for the source of the noise...no luck.  Thinking that maybe it was just my hand hitting the pillow or something, I turned over to try to fall back asleep.  Seconds later I hear the frying pan in the kitchen start rocking back and forth...what the?  I lay still not knowing the source of this sound.  Finally I slowly get out of bed and peek into the kitchen.  What do I see?  I see two pointy ears on top of our counter, licking from the frying pan.  A cat.  Freakin heck, a cat is in our boarding.  I put two and two together and figure out what had made the thump noise by my head.  Well now what do I do? I go over to Elder Davenport and shake him "Elder Davenport" I whisper, no response..."Elder Davenport!"     "What?!?" he finally wakes up, not too happy with the distubance.  Now that he's awake, what do I tell him? "there's a cat on the counter"  He looks at me like I'm crazy, I have to tell him again.  Finally he comes to and sees it.  WE decide to chase it out the front door, as we close in on it, it runs under our legs, onto my bed and jumps up to the window and disappears into the night.  I climb back into bed and just start laughing...it has to be the strangest thing that has happened to me on mission.  We now don't open the windows all the way.

So here's the lesson: don't leave windows open when cats are around.

Well that was some highlights for the week.  It has been a pretty good week overall.  It's officially summer here and becomes very hot during the day.  I hope that you all have good week and remember who you are! I love all of you and thank you for my support!


Elder Naylor

KEEP THE CAMERA HIDDEN

Hello everyone!  This week will be short and sweet, there isn't much to report on really.

 

So I am doing quite well, can't believe another week has come and gone, it goes by too quickly!

 

I think that I have the hang of missionary work, it's my life now and couldn't imagine doing anything else!

One cool thing that happened this week was that we commited a couple to baptism, it was cool because the previous appointment, the wife wasn't too sure about all of it.

She liked us coming over and talking to her and sharing the things we know but she wasn't grasping the "authority" aspect of it all.

 

So we decided to watch The restoration DVD and when it was over, we talked about it and...bam...she understood and now we are working on getting them ready.

The only thing that will probably slow them down is Church, because they don't have much money, it's not easy for them to just go...I guess we'll have to make them

see the importance of Church.

So that was a cool experiance that i had...

 

Another thing that you guys might want to know is this:

 

The post that you send me gets sent to the mission home, which in turn is given to the Zone leaders, which is given to the district leader, which ends up in my hands

 

The trade off from Zone leader to District leader is far and in between....if it wasn't for a meeting this morning, I probably would only get post twice this whole transfer.

OH, this morning we had an optional meeting with the Mission doctor about strees, so elder davenport and i decided to go...we missed most of it because we got a

bit lost and then got stuck in traffic....but I did hear some nice things and I got some post.

 

So, if you send me things, it will take a while to get to me.  Today was the first time I recieved post this transfer and the next time I will get it will be in about a week on the 2nd of December and then again

the 13th...it sucks but I learn to live with it!  At least when I get post, I get a lot more than I would if I got it every week!

 

Keep sending me stuff...I love it!

 

I'm doing absolutly fabulous here and time is just going too fast!  Next week I'll be turning four months old on mission..I'm excited!

Once again, sorry that this email is short and simple....know that I love you all still!  OH and no pictures this week because i was a bad person and

didn't take out my camera all week (it's hard to in township because people like shiny, expensive things...you get my point)

 

Well I hope that you all have a wonderful thanksgiving and make sure you eat lots for me!!!

 

 

With much love and care,

 

The Elder Naylor

GOOD BYE ELDER MASEKO

Well, another week has come and gone, time just goes by too fast here.

 

This week has been a pretty good one, though there was some change that happened in my life.  As you may or may have not know, this past week was transfers.

 

Where am I you ask? Who am I with you ask? Well, I will tell you ok?  I stayed in Somerset West (Strand, you could say because that is where I mostly work) and I'm not in a threesome anymore which was clearly predicted.  Who am I with then you ask?  The only thing that really changed was that Elder Maseko went home to Joburg.  Elder Davenport went senior and I'm his companion...it will be a good transfer, I know it!  Elder Davenport has only been out for six months and that makes me nervous because that means that I could probably become senior soon in the coming months.  Another cool fact? this is my last full transfer of the year 2010...can you believe that it's ending already? didn't it just start?

 

Well, as stated above, I killed yet another missionary...Elder maseko.  He went home strong and well.  I hope that I am not around another dying missionary for a while because Brianly...whoops I mean Frankly :) I'm not a big fan of them! I want to see more young missionaries (even though I am one of them still). 

 

When I think back to the previous week, the biggest thing that happened would have to be that I brought to people to the waters of baptism...cool huh?

Yesterday we baptised a lady by the name of patience, she is from Zimbabwe and is very very nice.  The other person from our area is a 10 year old boy by the name of Marlon Soza, also from Zimbabwe.  His whole family is members but they went less active so we have been reactivating them and preparing this boy for "the dip"  Now on to getting them to the Temple! (which I miss ever so dearly, there needs to be more temples in the world!)

 

The baptisms went well, a lot of the ward stayed and supported the two future members which is good because the ward needs to support them all they can. 

 

It has been a little weird getting used to having just one companion again, but I'm liking it.  I'm driving more because of it and I can officially say that I am used to driving here now and it feels natural to me and I don't know what I will do when I come home.

 

Everything is well here, I'm doing fantastic each day...but don't think that I'm not missing home! I miss The fall weather(it's getting really hot here and our car's a/c is broken..reminds me of when I used to drive a certain car...) and wearing normal clothes...a collar around your neck does not cool you down!!!

 

My favorite part of mission is all the eye opening experiances I have...all the wonderful people I see each day and get to bring the Gospel to them, it's a great feeling! 

 

Well, I must go because I can't think of much more to say.  I love you all and I always think of you all!

 

Take care,

 

Elder Naylor

BLESSINGS

Dear All,

Here I am, another week.  Things just go by too quick here in South Africa but that's ok because it means that I'm having a good time right?  Well this week has been pretty good, each day brings something new each day.  Real quick, those baptisms didn't happen, they are being pushed to next week, which is ok because they weren't ready yet, hopefully they can be ready by Sunday!  Can you believe that this week marks the 7th week of my 2nd transfer or the 1st week of my 3rd transfer!  I'm pretty stoked to see what next transfer brings and what things will change my life.  

Today it is raining and a tad chilly...which is sad because yesterday was clear skies and beauty!  Oh well, it needs to rain once in a while so we know the joys of the Sun eh?  

A cool experiance that I had this past week:  We went and visited this older lady in the ward.  Her husband has had two strokes and isn't a member and, well, he isn't that nice to her.  She helps him 24/7 and he really doesn't appriciate her.  It makes me sad because she is such a wonderful lady and deserves a greater life.  So we are visiting her and she is telling us her life and it seemed as though she was expecting answers and solutions from us...Im 19, what do I have to offer her?  Something kept telling me to offer her a blessing but I kept ignoring it.  She continued to sit there, sobbing her eyes out, and we are hardly saying anything.  What could we say?  Nothing really.  Give her a blessing I kept hearing.  Finally, I ask if she has ever received one, she says no and then I proceed to offer if I could give one.  She allows.  We place our hands upon her head and I start giving the blessing.  I never understood what people meant when they would say "I wasn't speaking, someone else was." until that moment.  I said things that I could have never thought of, that a 19 year old boy could have said.  I was saying things that I wasn't thinking about, they would just come and I would just say them.  It was one of the most spiritual experiances I have ever had.  I walked out of that house in amazement.  The priesthood is real.

Well, besides that, not much really happened.  I am doing fabulous, little nervous about transfers though!  But I'll get through them!  I love you all, hope you guys are doing well.  Please, please, send more post.  I love letters!

With love,

Elder Naylor

1320 Times (Only Elder Naylor would know this)

That my friends and family is how many times the second hand goes around my watch in a day. 1320 times, cool huh? Thought that you would want to know that!  Wow, can you believe that another week has gone by already? I can't, just too fast!  Let's see, what can I tell you about this week that is happening in the life of Elder Naylor?

The work is going pretty well, we are going to be working with two individuals this week a lot in preparing them for baptism, I'm pretty stoked!  Someone that I have taught is going to be baptized! Yay for me!  This past weekend I finally was able to watch conference and it was very nice, but made me miss temple square!  My favorite talks were by Elder M. Russel Ballard in the Saturday afternoon session and then President Monson's talk at the end.  But they were all very nice and I enjoyed it all.

So as you know, yesterday was Halloween and this year I got the privilege to be a missionary and instead of going trick and treating, I went house to house spreading the word of our Heavenly Father....it was the best halloween in a long time I would say!

I have band-aids on my fingers of my right hand because I'm a dork.  The first one happened when I was putting something in the boot of the car and ended up punching something by accident and cutting my knuckle haha.  The other two are from cheese.  That's right, cheese.  I was grating some cheese on friday and two times I slipped and sliced my knuckles on my thumb...I felt stupid but laughed at myself nonetheless!  I think satan doesn't want my hand to be able to shake people's hands, but I'll show him!!!

To be honest, not much has happened this past week, everything went pretty smooth and no big events.  The companionship is going strong and we are going to be sad when it will change in about a week and a half and we all have to go back to just having one companion (and Elder Maseko gets to go home.)  Hopefully I'll stay in this area another transfer because I'm really liking it and though the work is hard sometimes, I am having a blast here.  

Well, I think that will be all for this week.  My health is fine and my spirits are high.  I love you all and hope to hear from you all very soon!  Please write me and let me know how you guys are doing!

With all my love,

Elder Naylor

Molweni Everyone!

 

This week has been pretty splendid for me, how about you? Please let me know anyways possible...letters, email, etc.

 

Not much has really happened during the week, everything is running pretty smooth, Wednesday we had a training session and that took up most

of the day, which was good because I learned more about teaching and being a better missionary.  I was able to see an Elder that was in my

MTC group and we had a nice reunion.  Another cool thing is that I saw something I thought I would never see: new missionaries!

So it's official, I'm not the youngest on mission anymore and that there are people younger than me...not by much but it made me feel good!

 

The work is is moving, maybe not as fast as I would want but I'm staying strong and trying to do my part...some people just need to realize that

when we make an appointment with you, we expect you to be there! haha it gets frustrating.

 

Here are some things about me that I've noticed in my life that has changed: I love peanut butter now...I'll even eat it plain right out of the jar, something

I never did back home. I eat bananas all the time now, almost every meal includes them, usually with peanut butter on them or with them. I'm beginning to shave

more frequently than I used to...still not much though haha, I love hymns now and sing them all the time, the egg thing that I talked about last week, I have a new habit

of flicking my pen around my thumb...got it from Elder Devenney, got my first haircut not at a professional salon (I'm not going to say how it looks...good thing hair can

grow back) and I'm set on learning how to surf when I get off mission.  And that all has happened in three months!

 

Now, onto the subject of my email: on the right side.  Probably wondering what it means.  I'll tell you ok? Calm down, here it comes:  yesterday we had a very special guest

come to Cape Town, South Africa: Elder Jeffery R. Holland of the quorm of the twelve.  We had a special conference yesterday with the whole stake and he was present.  We made

sure we got there early so we could get good seats and we did....it was such an amazing event! The Presiding Bishop came too, Bishop Burton and they both spoke to us, but not with

prewritten talks...they just bore their testimonies.  Elder Hollands lasted for about 40 minutes...I listened closely the whole time, tears almost coming but I held back. That man is powerful.

Don't worry, My journal received a four page entry about it so I'll never forget!

 

Now here's the cool part:  After the meeting, Elder Holland requested to meet with the missionaries at the meeting...meet with us!  We got our own privite, little devotional.  I left the sacrament room right

after the meeting so I could get to the room where he wanted to meet us so I could get a good seat.  I was able to get in the front row (it was a small room, enough for at least 50 people) but as the senior couple missionaries came in, we stood so they could have seats, I was worried I would loose my seat! But I only moved over one so all was well.  Then Elder Holland came in, he had to be breif with us so we quickly sang called to

serve and then we prayed..after he said he wanted Bishop Burton to offer a few words before he spoke.  Elder Holland sat down.  Next to me.  Here I am, sitting on the right side of an Apostle of the Lord, I

was going crazy!  I never thought something like that would happen to me!  After Bishop Burton spoke, Elder Holland got up and spoke some words, told us he would hunt us down if we went less active

after our mission and how much his mission ment to him...I wish that I could have recorded it or have a copy of the words but I guess my memory will have to do!  After he spoke, he sat down next to me again

for the closing prayer...now we were praying next to each other! It was so amazing! I haven't felt the spirit as strong as I did yesterday in a long time!  After the meeting he personally shook each of our hands,

it was such a memorable experiance!

 

So that was my week, not much but so much!

 

I love you all, have a good week!

 

Elder Brian Naylor

 

P.S. Next week we are watching conference...yep still haven't seen it

BOOK FAIR

Hello once again!

 

This week went by pretty quick, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

I'm doing quite well, health is pretty good.

 

Ok, so the first part of the subject of this email: Books

Saturday we got the chance to do some service for a used book fair of some sort.

We arrived nice and early and help them set up tables and put out all the books...lots and lots of books!

They had all sorts of used books, from Cooking books to even Books in German!  I wanted to spend the whole day

there just looking at them all, but I had work to do.  We ended up going back there in the afternoon to help them take down

everything and it didn't seem like they sold that many...oh well.  We are going to help them again at the end of the month.

 

Hmmm, oh! Elder Holland is coming to South Africa next week to talk to the members here and I get to go to it!

I'm pretty stoked because there is a small, small chance that I will be able to meet him.

I'm pretty sure that I haven't told you guys yet, but I still haven't seen General Conference yet.

Due to the time difference, they usually broadcast it a week or so later so everyone can see all the sessions but

with Elder Holland coming and some other things, it got postponed until the end of the month...so two more weeks.

I'm dying to see it because I keep hearing about it and it sounds like it was a good one!

 

Now to the second part of the Subject: Eggs and Sweet Chili.

That't my new diet...us three companions eat a lot of eggs, a lot.

My favorite way to prepare them is to just fry them up and throw some Sweet Chili sauce on them!

I'm not sure if they have sweet chili back home, if they do, try it, it's way good.

 

My companions and I are getting along really well and I am enjoying my time with them.

It's a little hard in the mornings with three elders using one bathroom, but we manage!

Well, I think that's all for now, hope everyone is doing just fantastic!

I love you all,

 

Elder Naylor

NOT MUCH HAPPENING THIS WEEK

Hello everyone!

 

There goes another week in the mission feild...can you believe that this week is my 3rd week of my second transfer? Cra-ZAH-HEY!!!!

 

Things are going pretty well here, I'm still getting adjusted to the new area...life overall is good.

I am really enjoying being in a threesome and I think I'll have a hard time getting adjusted when I have to go back to just having one. haha

 

This past week has been a challenging one in the eyes of missionary work, we keep having a lot of appointments dropping and it gets very frustrating!

 

No big events happened this week like odd eats or awesome adventures, but my faith has been put to test and I am gaining much strength in the Gospel.

 

This Gospel is True. I know it, I have no doubt. 

God speaks to us just as much as He did in times of old.  I know it, I have no doubt.

We have a living Prophet today, he leads and guides us in these Latter-Days. I know it, I have no doubt.

My Savior loves me, He suffered for me so that I may return to my Loving Heavenly Father. I know it, I have no doubt.

 

Joseph Smith Jr. was a Prophet of God, he was an instrument in His hands to Restore the fullness of this Gospel. I know it, I have no doubt.

The Book of Mormon is the word of God, I have drawn near to my Heavenly Father by reading it. I know it, I have no doubt.

 

I know that everytime I pray, my Father in Heaven is listening to me and helping me each day.

I know that these things are true and even though Trials come into my life, I know that My Heavenly Father will never forget me and that he is always there.

 

I ask all of you who don't know of these things to really ponder and pray about them all.

You will get an answer.  That's all I have to say this week.

 

Stay strong and put all your trust in Heavenly Father.

 

I love you all,

 

Elder Naylor

SOMERSET WEST AND NEW COMPANIONS

Hello everyone!!!

 

I hope that all is well for you!  Man, this past week has been quite the crazy one!

 

As you know, my first companion, Elder Devenney, went home and that means that someone needed to replace him. Right? Kind of....

 

So Wednesday morning was the day where the Assistants to the president call everyone and let them know what is going on.  Everyone that morning kept calling me and saying stuff like "did you hear yet?" "oh ok, call me when you do.." EVERYONE it felt like knew the news of my next transfer but me! I hated it!

 

Finally, around 10 AM, the AP's finally called.  We talked for a minute to see how everyone is doing. (it was on speaker phone so E. Devenney could hear) Then they told me the news.  Blew. My. Mind. I was in complete shock.  I would have never guessed that would happen.....

 

Ready for the news?

 

Are you Sure?!!?

 

I'm no longer in East London...they whitewashed (where both comps leave and new ones come in) my area! I was in shock!

 

Want to know where I am?

 

Fine I guess I can tell you...

 

I'm now serving in Somerset West which is right out of Cape Town.....

Crazy huh? I only got to spend six weeks in my greenie area!

 

Now who may my companion be you ask?

 

More like who are my companions.....

I'm now serving in a threesome haha

I'm serving with Elder Davenport (5 months out) from Idaho

and Elder Maseko from Joburg.

Even crazier...it's Elder Maseko's last transfer...I kill yet again!

So that's what's going on this week...nothing what I expected.

The area is great, the ward is pretty great so far...not as many Dinner apps like my last area, so guess I will have to start cooking my own food!

Yesterday, the missionaries were asked to teach Primary...that was a chaotic mess.  Oh boy, I have new respect for those who do that each week.  We sang songs together and played games and I talked about reverence with them because they would keep still!

 

Hmm, not much more I can say...the place is really beautiful and I am enjoying so far.  It's starting to get warmer each day but we still get the wind that blows in and makes it chilly.

I'm getting super along with my new companions and I can tell we will have loads of fun together....

 

I'm having many humbling experiances here as I see that there are people in the world that aren't as fortunate as me...seeing people live a way I never imagined.  I am very thankful for this experience and i know that it is making me grow more each day.  I love all of you back home and truly miss you...I pray for you all each day.

 

I hope that you keep heads up high and your spirits strong

 

With all my best,

 

Elder Naylor

AND HE IS OFF AND DRIVING ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD!!!

 

 

Hello Everyone!!! I hope that you are all doing well this week!

 

It is quite windy here in South Africa and I hope that I can stay on the ground!

 

So this past week was a pretty good one, nothing huge is happening yet.  This area that I work in still needs some work before there is a steady teaching pool,but I'm working my hardest to spread the message!   This week is considered the "7th week of one transfer and the 1st of the next" so I'm in between transfers you could say.  Elder Devenney leaves me on Thursday morning, I will most likely stay in East London because I know the area.  Tomorrow I will find out who my next companion will be, in which I am a little nervous about because I am confertable with how things are at the moment...but I guess that's mission life, always changing!

 

So yesterday I got the OK and now I am on probation for driving!  I get to drive one hour during daylight for a month and then I'm able to drive all the time!  Wish me luck! My driving is already  imparred because I haven't drivin in two months and plus it's all going to be oppisite to what I'm used to.  With some practice and time, I will conqure the streets of South Africa....then I'll come home and have to relearn everything.

 

I'm really excited for the day when I'm an older missionary because I don't like being a "greenie", I feel so young and naive. My time will come when I get to see new missionaries come in and I'll look  at them and laugh because I was once at that stage. 

 

This past week the Senior couple missionaries,Elder and Sister Jones, had my zone over for a lunch.  Sister Jones made a homemade  chili and it was sooooo good!!! I could have ate it all day long!  Too bad not many people here make chili or other america style food. 

 

Yesterday for Sacrement, we were expecting like 8 investigators to come to church and I was way excited beecause we haven't had much success with them coming to church (the church is kinda far from our area).  Sadly though, none of the ones we thought would come showed up...we had one girl that has a member friend that came but she doesn't speak english so we can't teach her and another showed up during sunday school, an investigator we hadn't seen in while.  But all the other ones that we really wanted there failed to show up.  I was quite sad. So yesterday after church we went around to them all and "rebuked" them (more like stopped by and visited with them and asked them why they didn't come). 

 

As I look back at the week, it has been a not so hot week...nothing big has happened, but I'm not going to let that get me down and I'll keep trying my hardest to keep moving the work forward.  There is some great potential in my area and I plan on working off that....

 

So that's all for the week, hope all is well back home.  Enjoy fall and winter, summer is just beginning here!

 

 

 

Well have a wonderful week and hope to hear from you all in a letter soon!

 

Love you!

 

Elder Naylor

 2 months already

 

Well here I am, another Monday in South Africa...time is going by pretty quick here.  This week starts the last week of my first transfer, only 16 more to go!  So I hope that everything is going well back home and that everyone is fine.  This past week has been a pretty good week for me.  The only downside to the week is that Elder Devenney was sick starting Tuesday and still isn't feeling 100%.  Wednesday we stayed inside because he needed his rest, so he slept most of the day and I just did the normal morning routine and I even was able to send some letters off.  So that day was pretty slow and we have been taking it easy the rest of the week as his health comes back.  Thursday was my first Zone Conference (they used to be each transfer but now they are switching to quaterly so instead of having 17 of them during my mission, I will only have like 8).  It went really well and it was nice to see President and Sister Probst.  The Zone Conference was pretty much all day, it got out about 4 in the afternoon. 

 

So besides that, my week has been uneventful.  We did have two really good Dinner Appointments, one was with the Bishop of the ward and the other was with a member of the Bishopric...The bishop is named Van Heerden and the other was Brother Masetti.  Both are really great people and they made fantastic food.  I ate so much meat at Brother Masetti's home, it was crazy.  I'm really enjoying these Braai's.

 

I don't think that there is much more to write.  This is the start of Elder Devenney's last full week and it is a little hard because I just barely came from the place that he's going to, but my time will come soon enough.  Hopefully we can work hard this week and get more investigators to teach.  I'm really enjoying my mission and I can't believe that next week will mark my 2 month mark and by the end of this next transfer, I will be reaching the four month mark.

 

Well, sorry that this is a little short this week.  The pictures this week are of one of Elder Devenney and I by the beach with some masks that a vendor was selling and the other is us in our area just taking pictures.  Today we are going to do some shopping because E. Devenney wants some clothes to take home.  Keep telling everyone to write me because I really do enjoy getting post!

 

Keep well,

 

Elder Naylor

 THIS WEEK BOAR LEG

 

Hello everyone! How was everyone's week?  My week has been pretty good, nothing too big happened. I had my first exchange last tuesday with Elder Fozard and that went pretty well.  Except for one thing: his area doesn't have a car, so I had to walk all day long!  Besides that, it was a good experiance and I was able to get to know East London a little better.  Tonight I have exchanges with Elder Aires, but this time he comes to my area. Wish me luck as I navigate around the neighborhoods of East London without any help! I'm having a hard time remembering where houses are and how to get to them, I need to learn quickly because once Elder Devenney is gone, I have to show the next guy around....Ahhh!  This past week, Elder Denenney bought a new bag and was walking around like he was the hottest on the planet....we go up to an investigators house and we are talking to him between the gate when his dog jumps halfway through the gate, grabs his new bag and rips it to pieces!  Haha, we got back to the car and I just burst out laughing.  He did glue it back together, but still, it's not the same.  Um, what else....Saturday, we went to a member's house for dinner and boy did I eat well!  He cooked us boar leg, so good. We put apple sauce on it and it tasted just like pork.  They fed us like kings!  Oh! On Friday night, our ward had a talent show and I Guess everytime, the elders do something in it.  Five minutes before they wanted us on stage, we talked about a skit and roughly planned it.  Let's just say we had the crowd laughing their heads off...I really enjoyed it.  I had someone film it on my camera so you guys can try to watch it once you get my card (reason why I say try to is because you can hardly hear it).  I wish that I had more awesome stories this week, but it's been pretty slow.  Still working with the Williams family(mentioned them in last email) and I really have hope for them.  Right now they are having some family issues so I feel good to help them get through hard times.  It's getting warmer everyday, starting to feel like spring in Utah.  The only thing I'm not a fan of is the wind, which always seems to be there. 

 

I'm doing very well everyone, don't worry about me.  It is kinda scary that in two weeks, I'm getting a new companion.  Elder Devenney and I are working really well together.  It is weird to think that in two weeks, he'll go home and I'll still have 22 months haha...

 

Everyone: Send post, lots....it makes my week when I get a letter. 

 

Stay well and happy

 

With love,

 

Elder Naylor

 

PS...the pictures are that of Elder Devenney's...I left my camera at the flat, but we take pretty much the same photos...the first one is in front of the church on sunday and the second is with a member family after dinner....nice family, little girl is one and named Serenity and is so darling

Brian tries the food of the land * 

Family,

 

How is everyone? I hope that your day is going well and that all is well.  So this week has gone by pretty quick and there was some pretty good experiance.  So some hightlights are that we had Zone training on wednesday and thursday where President Probst taught us a new way to teach. Something that we are instructed to do now is to invite someone to baptism on the first visit....the first!  It sounds crazy and boy did it scare me!  After the first day of training on wednesday, Elder Devenney and I went out to our area to some appointments.  Pretty much all of them fell through and we weren't able to see anyone. We did have this referral that we kept trying to see but they were never home, but we fianally did get to see them on Wednesday and it was one of the best teaching experiances in my life!  It was a family by the name of Williams, a mom with her three girls, and we started discussing baptism and we asked a lot of questions and finally near the end, Elder Devenney asked them if they would be baptized...I was so scared that they would think we were crazy and that they would say no.  But they said yes! The first visit!  We went back the next day and talked about prayer and at the end gave them a date that they could work towards (October 3) as a family and be baptized. They are really great and I can tell that the Lord prepared them and that they will come to know of the truthfullness of the message we have. It was an amazing teaching experiance and my testimony grew so much.  The mother was able to come to church on sunday and that made me even more happier!  We don't see them again until Wednesday and that's all I think about is going and teaching them again. So that's my wonderful teaching expericance for this week.  We also taught this mother and daughter, but I had a hard time because they have three cats and the whole time I was just sneezing and I said like maybe 6 sentences....haha oh cats! 

 

So want to know a crazy experiance?  So every friday we go and have dinner at Sister Unathi's house and since I'm new, she deceided to make something for me to try.  I included a picture, so I'm not sure it you have seen it yet or not...hopefull not.  In fact I'll just send this without it and send another with the picture. Read this first.  Ok, so this wonderful lady made something by the name of Smiley...know what that is? Want me to tell you?

 

Ok I will

 

 

It's sheep head.  That's right, the head of a sheep.

 

And guess what I did?

 

Ate some! To be more specific, I ate part of the nose!

Haha, I almost threw it up but I wanted to be brave so I ate it.

Sister Unathi was laughing so hard at my face!

I got it on film so when you get my card, you can watch me eat it.

 

So now I can say that I have ate sheep head...the nose.

 

Besides that, my week has been normal, Elder Devenney and I are getting along pretty well and I can tell that he is ready to go home,but he is also staying focused and teaching me everything I need  to know to be a good missionary. 

 

Oh and I miss Longboarding so much! there is so many good spots here and great hills...oh well.  Elder Devenney says that I might be able to find a small board to just have to ride on P-days, so  I'll keep my eyes open.

 

Well I'm not sure what else to add...everything is just fine(oh we have full hot water at our flat now)

 

Hope you guys are staying well!

 

Love you all,

 

Elder Naylor

 

So I only have one interesting picture this week, sorry.  It's a good one though!  And yes, I ate the nose!

East London - Visiting a Farm Today

So it has officially been month! I have only 23 more left, wow, time goes by quick here! So, lets see...what is new here?  The week has gone by pretty fast and I feel Like a missionary!  So here's a story: on saturday we went to a member's home out on a farm and had lunch and boy was it a crazy experiance! I attempted to ride a donkey, but it didn't last lond because he didn't like me on him. I have video of it but that would take forever to send via email so look for it when I send the memory card home (I have like 250 pictures left to take before that moment).....sorry for accidently sending that one before I Sent it....anyways!  So this person that lived on the farm,she is really nice but there were animals all over her house (cats and dogs) and I'm sure that the place hasn't been cleaned since who knows when.  I just felt gross when inside the house, sorry i'm not trying to bad talk, let's just say that my stomach was tested when we ate (hamburgers, and I didn't use the fork because it had old food still on it!) But besides all that, it was a fun trip and I was able to see a few cool animals (look at the pictures). 

 

So Elder Devenney and I moved into our new place tuesday, the location isn't as cool as the other place (no more monkeys :(  ) but at least we have our own beds and aren't sleeping on the floor!  It's in Cambridge and the property is being remodeled right now(our place was the first to get done) So we have everything new: New bathroom, fresh paint, clean tile floors...etc.  The only bad part is that something is wrong with the water heater and we only get one hot shower in the morning, so we take turns on who gets the cold one haha. (this morning I had cold) We talked to the guy in charge of the building and he said that it shouldn't be like that and that he will get it fixed real soon. He said that if we have any problems, for us to tell him and he'll check them out...real nice guy.  So that's our new flat, it's really small, but it works for us and has everything we need (except food, we need to shop today, I'm tired of eating corn flakes for breakfast and peanut butter and bread for lunch!) 

 

Speaking of food, man I'm fed well!  The Bishop here makes sure we are fed everynight!  He says we work better when we don't have to think about making food, such an awesome guy!  So everynight I go to a members home and get a hot meal...sometimes I feel wierd because I don't know if it's safe due to how they prepared it, but that's just me being a germaphobe!  Elder Devenney is a good cook and made me a good lunch the other day.

 

We are getting along really well, he's a good guy and I'll be sad when I have to say goodbye to him in a few weeks...but he served his two years and deserves to go home.  He's a really good teacher and is really helping me learn how to be a good missionary!

 

Well, I should go email President Probst now, he likes hearing from us every week.  I'm going to work on some letters today (family and chelsea) and hopefully get those sent off!

 

Love you all!

 

 

Elder Naylor!

Elder Naylor's new address

Brian is officially a missionary out in the field.  Here is his new address to send him mail.
SOUTH AFRICA CAPE TOWN
PO BOX 181
OBSERVATORY 7935
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

He is officially out in the field. Welcome to CAPE TOWN

Mon, August 23, 2010 3:12:48 AM
Hello my wonderful family! So I made it out of the MTC in one piece, I do miss it, it was starting to feel like a home away from home. So my group of Elders left the MTC and headed to Cape Town...such a beautiful city! It was a tad rainy and cold, but that is something I will have to get used to during the winters. The mission is very organized and they know what's going on. President and Sister Probst are very nice and welcoming. Want to know something funny? well not really. So at the Joburg Airport, we were in such a rush that I forgot to say goodbye to my companion Elder Chuzu(he's serving in uganda)! I didn't notice till I got on the plane, I feel so bad. I hope he doesn't think I hate him. I have his email so I might shoot him something. So back to Cape Town. We all stayed at the mission home on Wednesday night, it's a very nice home. We had sloppy joes for lunch and then pizza for dinner. I felt much at home! We also went up top this hill (forget the name) and it looked out over cape town, the ocean and table mountain. IT's a great city! After dinner and a bunch of meetings, we finally were able to know where our first transfer is. I was really scared because I have grown so close to the MTC elders and I didn't want to separate. Ok, you guys ready to hear where the world am I? I was called to go to East London! (on the eastern cape of africa). I'm about 1.5 hour plane ride from cape town. And guess what, I'm right by the ocean! No one from my group is around this area so I'm all alone as a new greeny missionary. And now I bet you're wondering who my companion is....His name is Elder Devenney, he has been out for 23 months(that's right, I kill my first companion) He's from Ogden, Utah and loves to skateboard and is just overall a great guy. He hasn't served in this area yet so we are kinda starting fresh. I'm loving it though! I got my first door slam a couple days ago, it was great! besides that, most of the people are very friendly and accepting. I'm in the East London 3rd ward and the members are amazing, they really are loving and are really nice. Mom, don't worry about me eating, so far we have had a member have us over for dinner everynight I have been here, it's great! The flat we are staying in right now already has two elders in it, elder Fozard and Elder Aires(pronouced irish), they are also in the ward and serve close to us. Hopefully we will have our own place to stay soon because it's really cramped with four boys. I have been out teaching a lot, someone already said that she thinks God sent us to help her (here brother died just a few days before we knocked on her door) hopefully we can keep talking to her. Just so you know, my Pdays are on Monday now, I will email at about 10 AM on mondays ok? That should stay constant my whole mission.(I hope). So this morning I'm eating breakfast with the front door open and looking out at the scenary and what do I see? A family of Monkeys! haha, we got banannas and they got pretty close to us! I have a funny video but I can't send those, but you know what I can send dnow? Pictures! Since I get an hour to email, I'm able to send a few pictures home. I have taken over 150 so I will pick wisely. The weather here is somewhat chilly, spring is just around the corner...the mornings are chill and it gets warm during the day but a wind comes in and makes me really chilly! (you know me, no meat on my bones) Oh and elder devenney and I have a car that we travel with (the others get bikes haha). Today we are going to do some shopping so hopefully I can find some shoes that are like Vans...I'll stay cheap. Oh, I won't use my debit card much because they told us to use the missionary funds as much as we can...every two weeks we get about R650 (not sure how much in US). But I'll still use my card for things like the shoes today ok? Hmm, what else can I say? not much, I am having a great time here and I'm loving the Ward and the people. Stay strong my family, I miss all of you, but not enough to come home yet! haha. And start sending letters to the Mission home, they will forward them to me, it will take a long time though...sorry.
Tell Kinley to stay positive about school and that I love her and wish her luck!

Hope all goes well this week, I love you all! I'm already a month out..wow!

Love with all the world,

Elder Naylor