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