I thought the Rockies would be a little bit more rockier.

Yeah that John Denver is full......know that movie?

Anyways, here I am again!  Miss me yet?

Yesterday I hit the ten month mark on mission. 10 MONTHS, can you believe it?

Well, this past week was a pretty good week.  We went from having pretty much no one with a baptism date to now having two!  The new person is named Nthambi (N-Tam-bee) she is a great lady, has a boy about 11 years old.  She asks so many questions and just eats up everything we tell and give her.  She came to church yesterday and just loved it.  It feels great to have a solid investigator!  Too bad she will probably be getting baptized next month so I probably won't be here.  

I've been doing just dandy this past week. I've officially decided that I like short hair and will probably always have it...buzzed budd for the rest of my life!  

I want to tell you about jose...he's a kitten that lives by our flat and always runs out when we are leaving and is very playful.  The other day we were going up the stairs to our flat when we heard his bell.  We looked over the edge to find him trying to climbing a small tree trying to get up to us.  We have sure grown to love this little cat.  Strange huh? haha. 

What else has happened in the life of Elder Naylor?

I don't think I mentioned this...if I did, then it's a repeat.  I longboarded a few weeks ago!!! It was amazing!!! I found some kids with a board and asked them, and they let me.  It was fun though I was in my suit and my dress shoes felt awkward...need to start having a pair of vans on me at all times!!!!

I hope that everyone is having a great day, I am for sure.

I'm sorry not much post has come from me...I'm working on it. I really am. days just go by so quick here!

LOVE YOU ALL!

ELDER Naylor

Family and Friends...

Hello all.

 

Hope that you guys had a wonderful week.  I did, even though it was slow.

 

The only big thing that happened this week is that Elder Nkala went to Namibia...it was a sad occasion because we didn't want him to leave, but the Lord needs him elsewhere!!!!

 

So now I am back to just one companion....which I'm totally fine with, more room in the boarding!

 

It's starting to get really cold here, it rained a lot last night...woke me up it was raining so hard!! HAHA.

But I think I like the colder weather better than the warm, but that's just my opinion.

 

The work here in Bellville is going, we are trying our hardest to work with the people we have...but I feel that most of this week will be spent knocking on doors.  That's ok because that way you get to meet a lot of interesting people.

 

That old couple I talked about last week, well, they have been really busy so we haven't been able to see them, but I'm looking forward to teching them.

 

We are starting to teach this lady whose husband just died in a car accident....he was a member but she was never interested.  Things have changed now and hopefully we can work with her so she is baptized for the right reasons....I'm praying a lot for this lady right now!

 

Well, I hope all of you know that I am doing awesome, can't believe that in a week I will be hitting the 10 month mark...almost a year out, CRAZY!

 

I love you all, sorry this is so short....but know I'm well and doing good work.

 

Elder Naylor

 

This computer won't let me add pictures, next week!

Exercise Exercise!!

I haven't been that nice to you guys as of late so I am sending a lot of photos this week...enjoy them!!

This has been a good week.  Yes oh yes it has.

I'm going to start being more serious with my exercising this week...I'm weak and that needs to change. I don't want to come back just skin and bones....haha.

Long story....I'm going to cut it short.  We met a wonderful old couple...golden.

They were truly prepared by the Lord, I felt the spirit like no other as we taught them, the way they responded to our questions, how they took in the lesson, how the wife asked before I could..."When are you coming back?"

They have found the truth, I pray that the next lesson will go well. They have found it, but now they need to accept it.

I have been thinking a lot about this experience this past week.  My heart rejoices when I think about these people.  The day we met them, I was just going to go back to the car and go somewhere else (our appointment wasn't home.)  But instead something told me to go and talk to this lady....

She told me later how she was laying in bed and she got the impression to go outside. There we were. The Lord prepares

My family and friends. I am enjoying mission so much, the culture, the people, the fun I am having. But this past week I had a wake up call, I'm here IN PLACE of the Lord.  My sacred responsibility as a missionary is much greater than I think any of us realize.  These two years are the Lord's, not mine.

So as much as you all miss me, remember that I'm not doing this for myself, I'm not doing this because I feel like it.  The Lord needs to use me as an instrument for 24 months.  

Is that too much for Him to ask?

After all, He's given me eternal life.

Love you all,

Elder Naylor 

Phonish

Today's email will be short and sweet because it seems like only yesterday i was talking to you guys...oh wait.

 

It was wonderful to talk to you all yesterday!!!  Sounds like everyone is doing great and still sound like the crazy bunch that I call a family!

 

In this side of the world things are going well.  Though the work is slowing down right now, we are trying our hardest to keep things going.  I am really enjoying this transfer and I know that a lot of great memories will be made.

 

I'm sitting here thinking of what to type but my mind is blank because I told you guys everything yesterday!!!

 

One cool experience that we had this week was with a new guy we ran into the other day.  His name is France. Very nice guy.  Hs son-in-law joined us at the beginning of the lesson...well, when we got done with teaching them, I asked how did they feel and the son-in-law responded with "Shocked" "I have never thought about this stuff before..."  Bam, just the answer we want. Too bad he doesn't live in our area....we'll pass him on to other missionaries and keep working with France.

 

Well, I think that is it...you know everything else. 

I'm sorry about photos...I had some good ones but this computer won't let me attatch them! :(

 

Enoy!

 

 

LOVE YOU ALL!!!

 

 

Eder Naylor

Do you guys really Gnome me?

Bam! Here I am in transfer number seven!!!  It is crazy how fast time goes!!!  It's May! In two months it will be July, my mission will be halfway over...crazy, I'm trying my hardest to make this time count!!!!

Well, I'm sure that you are all wondering about transfer news...where I am and who I am with.  Well I guess I'll be nice and tell you guys.  

I stayed in Bellville, which is good for the most part. I know the area really well (even though it is huge) and there are some great people here that I am working with.  Though I'll probably be ready for a change come the end of this transfer because 4.5 months in an area is a while and it's nice to have change every now and then.

As for my companion, Elder Nielsen is gone.  He is now serving in Fish Hoek, a little seaside town...I'm sure mom would like it, or even Chelly :)  I don't know though, I've never been there.  As for my new companion....well, I got another one from Elder Nielsen's transfer...so just a month and a half younger than me.  His name is Elder Pearson and he is from good ol' Ceder City Utah!  He's pretty cool, quite like me...so far we work really well together.  He's worked in township his whole area so he's still getting used to this 'upperclass' type of area.  

Another thing that is news is that we have another Elder with us for a short time.  He is waiting for his visa so he can go to Namibia.  His name is Elder Nkala from Zimbabwe.  He's really cool and a great missionary.  It feels good to be in a trio again!!! (though our flat thinks otherwise) 

The work here is going pretty good, I'm working on getting the ward and missionary relationship better so yesterday I was trying to get appointments to see as many members as I can this week.  It's a great ward and I really want to get to know them better.  I feel that will help the work as well.  Plus I'm getting tired of tracking almost everyday for hours.

Another cool thing is that Micheal and Melissa were confirmed yesterday! The Bishop was the one who preformed the ordinance.   It felt really good to be a part of their conversion.  I have really enjoyed working with them and I hope that I can stay in contact with this family for years to come.  Sister Botha has been such a motherly person to me...last week I got a bad cold and she bought me medicine and everytime we go over there she always has dinner. (Last night she made Lamb and all the fixin's...a great sunday dinner!)  Just a great family.

Did you notice the subject of this email?  You guys have always called me weird because of my love for Mike Sanders and gnomes...well I figured out I'm not alone.  Micheal loves gnomes as well...he has a 'friend'..can't remember the name AND he has a cool gnome shirt...just like me!  He even went and saw the movie "Gnomeo and Juliet" (Why I have never heard of this movie, I don't know, but I must obtain it and watch it as soon as possible when I get home!)

Yes...hope you enjoy the picture (he felt strange taking the photo, but I insisted.)

So things are going well here in Bellville.  I'm happy and excited for this transfer.  

I love it here.

Well, now for the topic I'm sure you're all waiting for. The phone call.

I talked to the Bishop and he said I could call from the chapel.

I liked what we did last time with the whole time thing so I think

I'll just keep it as that.  I'll call you guys (mom's phone) around nine o'clock SA time (PM).

So that's like what?  One o'clock (PM) your guys' time?  I think that is good. 

And yes, I want Chelly there.  :)

Well I think that is all for this week.  I think it was a pretty good email, hope you guys like it.

I love you all and will TALK to you guys soon (2/4 phone calls home!)

Sincerely,

Elder Naylor